The former chairman and CEO of Medtronic, Bill George, has authored a thought-provoking and perceptive book titled “The True North.” The author offers a road map for anyone looking for their own true north, or purpose in life, drawing on his own experiences and views as a leader in the business world.
The True North shows that when running a big company, there is no predetermined course to take or leadership model to adopt. The book offers several outstanding illustrations of leaders who have experienced self-doubt, such as Ann Mulcahy, who halted her car on the way home from work and questioned whether she could continue her fight to keep Xerox from going bankrupt. She was able to succeed in this situation thanks to the help of her coworkers. Most leaders experience challenging times, and as Mr. George so eloquently notes, if you feel like your day is going south, maybe you might consider Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison and under torture. Mandela campaigned not for vengeance but for peace and unity after his liberation.
George places a strong emphasis on the value of personal authenticity and integrity as essential elements of successful leadership throughout the book. He promotes the idea that leaders should follow their inner compass rather than letting celebrity, power, or wealth control them. The importance of adhering to one's ideals and principles is further demonstrated by the numerous instances he offers from both his own career and the careers of other successful leaders.
True North's pragmatic approach is one of its advantages. In order to assist readers, he put his theories into practice, George outlines five dimensions that an executive generally needs to lead with authentic leadership. These are Purpose, Practicing solid values, Heart, Relationships, and Self-discipline. He also includes a ton of exercises and self-reflection questions. Then provides sound guidance on how to overcome the difficulties and roadblocks that always appear on the way to discovering one's mission.
This book's main idea is that an authentic leader is one who exploits personal misfortune to the benefit of the organization as a whole. By overcoming one's own obstacles and struggles, one is better able to apply that experience to living one's purpose, upholding one's core values, being passionate, maintaining loyal relationships, and exercising self-discipline to lead a business with vision, which is the definition of authentic leadership.
Altogether, The True North is an excellent resource for anyone looking for direction on how to lead a happy and meaningful life. This book is certain to give you insightful information and motivation, whether you're a seasoned leader or just beginning your personal path. This quote from the book capsules the idea that the author tries to impart to its readers.
“The reality is that no one can be authentic by trying to be like someone else. There is no doubt you can learn from their experiences, but there is no way you can be successful trying to be like them. People trust you when you are genuine and authentic, not an imitation.”[1]
This quote from the book encapsulates the whole essence of the book. It tells the readers to be authentic with their leadership style. And that we cannot succeed by impersonating others. As the Cadet corps always says, your greatest enemy is yourself. If we truly yearn for success, we must first improve ourselves through continuous learning and practice.
[1] George B. & Sims P. (2007). True north : discover your authentic leadership (1st ed.). Jossey-Bass/John Wiley & Sons.
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