Leading So People Will Follow

Vince Lombardi once famously said “Leaders are made, they are not born”. Unfortunately, he was a bit vague on the actual process one could use to become a great leader. Not so Erika Andersen, whose latest book “Leading So People Will Follow” provides a practical, actionable guidebook on becoming a fully accepted leader. Andersen not only offers a clear explanation of the six key attributes every leader must demonstrate, but more importantly- and this is what sets this book apart from all the rest- how you can go about discovering and strengthening your own skills in these six key areas. Andersen unveils the six leadership attributes using a “boy overcomes obstacles to rescue princess” frame story that resonates with all of us from early childhood. She then devotes each of the following chapters to a specific leadership attribute by highlighting an industry notable who has consistently demonstrated that quality, deconstructing the attribute into its key components, providing a process for assessing your own strengths and weaknesses for each component, then offering specific, actionable steps for you to develop those characteristics in yourself. Andersen’s personable writing style makes this an exceptionally enjoyable book to read; it seemed more like talking with a trusted friend and advisor than simply reading a book. Her examples and exercises are clear and easily understandable and the activities- while requiring considerable honest reflection and self-assessment- were fun and useful to complete. I highly recommend this book to those who are, or who want to be, in a position of leadership and influence. I’ve been in a leadership position with my own career for some time now and I found the book enormously helpful; I would have loved to have had something like this in my hands earlier on. But it’s never too late to become a better leader!