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