Leading so People Will Follow

"Erika Andersen does it again. In her brilliant first book, Growing Great Employees, she showed management how to help employees meet their potential. In this book she cracks the code on how to be a great leader, offering six essential leadership attributes supported by clear and concise stories. This invaluable resource will make you the leader your team needs." —Jack Covert, president, 800CEOREAD; author, 100 Best Business Books of All Time

"Leading So People Will Follow hits on something simple and deep: people want good, inspiring, capable leaders. Erika shares how it's possible—with honest self-reflection and clear intention—to become that kind of leader." —Chip Conley, founder, Joie de Vivre Hotels; author, PEAK and Emotional Equations

"Leading So People Will Follow is incredibly insightful. It lays bare our longing to work with and for worthy leaders—leaders who do the right thing despite the politics, who show us what we are capable of, who earn our loyalty through their example and actions. And importantly, Erika shows how we can all become that purposeful, inspiring leader." —Maryam Banikarim, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Gannett

"Leave it to Erika Andersen to connect her well-honed leadership development expertise with the archetypal heroes of children's bedtime stories. The result is a practical, direct, and actionable set of tools for assessing and improving your leadership impact." —Beth Comstock, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, GE

"A must-read for those who wish to skillfully plan and navigate the corporate jungle, and moreover, a toolbox for success in life that you will never pick up at business school. Erika is a trustworthy guide—part cheerleader, part sociologist, part economist—who brings all these elements together in an easy-to-read format." —Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, chief technology officer and corporate vice president, Panasonic (North America)

"Erika's new book is a powerful tool for insight into how others perceive you as a leader. Getting that clear view of yourself is essential to becoming the kind of leader that people will want to follow." —Andrea Wong, international president, Sony Pictures Entertainment

—From Chapter One

In this much-anticipated book, respected leadership coach and popular Forbes blogger Erika Andersen explores the six leadership characteristics that inspire followers to fully support their leaders. Using Andersen's proven approach, new leaders and veterans alike have increased their capacity for leading in a way that creates loyalty, commitment, and results. Step-by-step, Andersen lays out six key attributes (farsightedness, passion, courage, wisdom, generosity, and trustworthiness) that offer people, at all levels within an organization, the tools to think and behave as fully accepted leaders.

The book is filled with examples from such outstanding organizations as Apple, NBC Universal, Union Square Hospitality Group, and MTV Networks and offers a framework for self-assessment to help focus on each of the six leadership attributes. Andersen identifies the key behaviors that exemplify each of the attributes and provides practical guidelines for building these essential leadership behaviors.

New and seasoned leaders will get the support they need for building the skills to become a truly "followable" leader—one who can build strong teams and companies that will survive and thrive no matter how tough the environment.

Leading So People Will Follow explores the six leadership characteristics that inspire followers to fully support their leaders. Using Erika Andersen’s proven framework, new leaders and veterans alike have increased their capacity for leading in a way that creates loyalty, commitment and results. Step by step, Andersen lays out six key attributes (far-sightedness, passion, courage, wisdom, generosity, and trustworthiness) and gives leaders the tools for developing them. This innovative book offers a practical guide for building the skills to become a truly 'followable' leader.

• Filled with examples from forward-thinking organizations such as Apple, NBC Universal, Union Square Hospitality Group, and MTV Networks
• Maps out the six attributes of leadership
• Includes a free online Followable Leader assessment
• Author Erika Andersen is one of Forbes' most popular bloggers and coaches some of the most successful leaders in America

Using self-assessments, real-world examples, and concrete tools, Leading So People Will Follow helps build timeless core skills that work for leaders in any field.

Our Leader Longing Is Wired In ✴ Cracking the Code

2 Firesides and Folktales 7

Stories Hold the Map ✴ The Six Attributes ✴ Reflecting on Your Leadership ✴ Hearing the Story

3 Farsighted 21

See Possible Futures ✴ Articulate the Vision ✴ Model the Vision ✴ See Past Obstacles ✴ Invite Participation

4 Passionate 49

Commit Honestly ✴ Make a Clear Case Without Dogma ✴ Invite Real Dialogue ✴ Support Your Passion ✴ Remain Committed

5 Courageous 63

Make Tough Choices ✴ Risk Yourself for the Enterprise ✴ Do Personally Difficult Things ✴ Take Responsibility ✴ Admit Mistakes

6 Wise 83

Be Curious—Listen! ✴ Assess Objectively ✴ Learn from Your Experience ✴ See and Share Patterns ✴ Act Based on Your Sense of Right

7 Generous 105

Assume Positive Intent ✴ Share Power ✴ Share What You Know ✴ Freely Give Credit, Praise, and Reward ✴ Provide Necessary Resources for Success

8 Trustworthy 137

Tell the Truth ✴ Do What You Say You Will ✴ Keep Confidences ✴ Speak and Act for the Greater Good ✴ Get Results

9 Friends for the Journey 157

Leading as a Group Endeavor ✴ Wizards, Well-Wishers, and Wild Cards ✴ Finding Your Supporters

10 Your Own Tale 167

Reassess Yourself ✴ Make a Plan ✴ Rely on Your Wizards, Well-Wishers, and Wild Cards

Epilogue 173

Listening and Self-Talk for Leaders: Bonus Section 175

Acknowledgments 187

The Author 189

Index 191