The Leadership Test

One of my favorite books about leadership is The Leadership Test by Timothy R. Clark.  You can read it in an hour and its message will guide you through your entire career.

Here are some important points from the book that are particularly powerful:

• Leadership is the process of influencing volunteers to accomplish good things.
• The spectrum of influence ranges from manipulation to persuasion to coercion.
• Only persuasion is leadership.  Manipulation exploits.  Coercion controls.  Neither manipulation nor coercion can produce lasting results or consistent good results.
• Leadership is based on the influence-through-persuasion at the front end, combined with accountability at the back end.

Clark further points out that:

• Leaders qualify themselves based on the manner of their influence and the nature of their intent.

If you haven't read this gem of a book, pick up at copy today.