Book Review: Leadership Secrets Of The World’s Most Successful CEO’s

What does it really take to be a great and effective leader? Are leaders born or made? ‘Leadership is not an innate characteristic, it can be developed through training.’ Wallstreet career journal did this survey on 300 company CEO’s, and 40% of them believed that their leadership abilities were born in them and 60% said their leadership was developed through experience.

Eric Yaverbaum’s book, is an easy to digest book that collects thoughts of top 100 CEO’s giving their proven strategies, attitude, behavior, philosophy and tactics that they have used to help themselves and their organizations rise.

The major lessons on leadership in this book include:

Treat your employees well and they will take care of your customers and your business.
Success is not achieved by leadership alone, a good leader ensures he is surrounded by right people.
A great leader is an enabler and a facilitator, their style of leadership is humane, if everything is not in harmony with nature and natural process, it is not sustainable.
A leader focuses on two or three issues that will affect the future of the enterprise.
Never let any relationship, internal or external go stale or unmanaged.
Make good, simple, ethical and honest decisions.
Focus. You cannot go everywhere but do everything that it takes if to scale your performance.
Innovate and identify what makes your company unique and don’t outsource your strategic thinking.
Simplify, until it fits one page.
Communicate your vision, missions and goals clearly and truly believe and trust the people you are working with.
Give people the ability and authority to get things done and hold them accountable for the results. Ask for the best thinking and really listen.

I would highly recommend this book as it gives variety of leadership advice from 100 different perspectives, this makes it unique and enjoyable as you get to see some major yet unique similarities and differences in each of Wallstreet Journal’s then top 100 CEO. If you are already leading, having these variety of best examples can make you an even better leader.

Authored by Eric Yaverbaum; Reviewed by Effie Odhiambo.