Head, Heart and Guts

This book reveals the three most important capabilities leaders must demonstrate today: the ability to set strategy, empathize with others, and take risks-all at the same time. In Head, Heart, and Guts, leadership experts David Dotlich, Peter Cairo, and Stephen Rhinesmith-who teach and coach CEOs and executive teams throughout the world-argue that to be successful in a complex, matrixed, fast-moving world, whole leaders must set strategy, develop trusting relationships with others, and consistently do the right thing based on personal values. Partial leaders, often the product of traditional executive programs, may be successful in the short run, but their companies lose over time. Filled with case studies of companies such as Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, and UBS, Head, Heart, and Guts lays out specific steps and actions for leaders who want to grow beyond their leadership comfort zone and an action plan for companies that want to move beyond tried-and-true leadership development in order to develop whole leaders throughout their leadership pipeline. The authors argue that globalization, complex structures, and constantly changing business models require leaders who can lead from the front, take a clear position, create meaningful relationships, and rethink the way we do things while simultaneously building businesses and delivering results. Because employees want leaders who are authentic, inspire trust, and set high standards, whole leaders must balance people and business needs, motivate people from diverse backgrounds, and create real trust through unyielding integrity and transparently balancing risk and reward. Based on research and coaching with thousands of leaders in Mercer Delta Executive Learning Center programs, the authors argue that traditional leadership development focuses too much on the head, and it is now critical that leaders use other capabilities to achieve results in an era defined by paradox, ambiguity, and unpredictability. Head, Heart, and Guts is the definitive handbook for individuals and organizations seeking a new model of leadership and a road map to achieve it.