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True North

by Bill George, Peter Sims

(Jossey-Bass, 280 Pages)

Book Description
Based on research and first-person interviews with 125 of the top leaders in business, Bill George--the highly respected former CEO of Medtronic and current Harvard Business School professor--and coauthor Peter Sims, describe how anyone can become an authentic leader. In this leadership tour de force, George presents many surprising conclusions as to what makes a great leader, some of which are actually contrary to previous research. The book presents a concrete and comprehensive program for leadership success, showing readers how to create their own Personal Leadership Development Plan centered on five key areas:

• Knowing your authentic self
• Orienting your moral compass
• Understanding your motivations
• Building your support team
• Staying grounded by integrating all aspects of your life

Personal, original, and illuminating stories from Warren Bennis, Sir Adrian Cadbury, George Schultz (former U.S. secretary of state), Charles Schwab, John Whitehead (Cochairman, Goldman Sachs), Anne Mulcahy (CEO, Xerox), Howard Shultz (CEO, Starbucks), Dan Vasella (CEO, Novartis), John Brennan (Chairman, Vanguard), Carol Tome (CFO, Home Depot), Donna Dubinsky (CEO/cofounder, Palm), Alan Horn (President, Warner Brothers), Ann Moore (CEO, Time, Inc.) and many others illustrate the transitions that shape the type of leaders who will thrive in the 21st century.

Bill George (Cambridge, MA) has spent over 30 years in executive leadership positions at Litton, Honeywell, and Medtronic. As CEO of Medtronic, he built the company into the world's leading medical technology company as its market capitalization increased from $1.1 billion to $60 billion. Since 2004, he has been a professor at the Harvard Business School. His 2004 book Authentic Leadership was a BusinessWeek bestseller. Peter Sims (San Francisco, CA) cofounded the London office of Summit Partners, a leading global investment firm, and led the establishment of Leadership Perspectives at the Stanford Graduate School of Business that is one of its most sought after courses.