Leadership in the Picture

The How, What and Why of this Book

Leadership is the deciding factor: the difference between progress and

blundering on, resolution and wavering, well thought-out action and

haphazardness, collaboration and dissension. It has been the deciding

factor for centuries, and leadership is as crucial today as it ever was.

Moreover, increased global connectedness and transparency have

brought into sharper focus the difference between leaders who truly

understand what is expected of them and those who fail to rise to the

challenge, and made it immediately visible to everyone. It has become

increasingly clear that leadership is a combination of art and skill, in

teams, departments, companies, countries or even global regions.

Why another book on leadership?

Each new era has its own outlook on leadership, and often its own

leadership books and training methods, too. It seems that every

generation has to rediscover what leadership is or should be. On the

basis of current defi nitions of leadership, we would have to conclude

that today’s leaders are either not up to par or the definitions are

incorrect.

Regardless of how our views on leadership have changed over the ages,

some recurring themes have survived or become even more prominent.

For example, the idea that leadership is about people and cooperation

between them, and that there is always an element of personal

leadership and self-refl ection involved. A particular time or culture

may call for tight management according to a plan, goal or vision,

while another may require a focus on social connections, yet another

may call for maximizing the capacity to learn and so forth. This means

an ongoing evaluation and recalibration of the essence of leadership:

What was it again? What else is possible in leadership?’

50 years of leadership evergreens

This is a book for both new leaders and seasoned leaders, as well

as for anyone interested in personal leadership. It is an anthology

of ‘evergreens’ and leadership lessons accumulated during our

2 x 25 years as coaches, trainers and educators at leadership

training institutions and universities all over the world. This book

offers readers a range of our key theories, lessons, insights and

experiences. In addition, it invites you to refl ect on your own

leadership qualities: ‘How do I lead people? What kind of leader

would I like to become? Which role suits me in this culture and

in these times? Which qualities am I going to develop further,

and in conjunction with whom? Do I still know why I’m on this

path? What is it that I want to learn? What should I stop doing

and leave behind? What am I going to preserve and what am I

going to change? What do I stand for? May this book be a valuable

companion on your quest to free up the full leadership potential

that lies hidden inside you.

Why a comic book?

Today’s learning calls for a different approach from the ones

we’ve come to take for granted. Traditionally, leadership is a

profession with a fondness for the spoken and the written word.

The combination of pictures and narrative, however, is gaining

recognition again as an effective teaching and training tool. That

is why we decided on a comic book, a story told in words and

pictures. We think that this metaphor of the journey of the leader,

together with the stories we are about to tell, will help us convey

complex subject matter insightfully.

Our vision of tomorrow’s leadership

We are concerned about the growing - or resurging - trend towards

divisive leadership that pits people against each other, incites

them, designates scapegoats, brushes aside justifi ed complaints,

lies and deceives in order to denounce anything that isn’t in its

own interest. All for the glory of the ‘strong’ man or woman, often

an angry child in a grown-up body.

We feel that tomorrow’s leadership should be able to build bridges

in this highly polarized world. To us leadership stands for what

connects people, for cohesion within and between groups united

around a plan, goal or vision. This connecting type of leadership

requires self-knowledge and modesty, both of present and of

future leaders