Read more
The Unseen Leader delivers one simple but immensely powerful point: we need to radically rethink how we discuss leadership.
In this book, American historian Martin Gutmann passionately challenges the received wisdom that history's great leaders were individuals with a proclivity for action and brash words. Drawing on extensive historical scholarship and contemporary leadership theory, Gutmann delves into the journeys of four unknown or misunderstood leaders who achieved remarkable successes in vastly different environments-the Polar North, the deserts of Arabia, the sugar plantations of the Caribbean, and Second World War London. What emerges is an entirely new narrative on leadership. Contrary to the perception of heroic protagonists forging ahead boldly, history's truly great leaders were often precisely those who didn't need to generate excessive noise or activity. Instead, they skillfully minimized dramatic circumstances. Their stories challenge our present-day conception of leadership and can inspire the leaders of tomorrow.
List of contents
Introduction: History and Leadership.- Towards a New Leadership Story: The Polar Explorer, the Desert Fox, and the Action Fallacy.- History's Unseen Leaders: Holiday Trips in the Polar Wastelands. Roald Amundsen.- Napoleon's Thorn. Toussaint Louverture.- "If the Women of the English Are Like Her, the Men Must Be Like Lions." Gertude Bell.- The Myth of the Phoenix and the British Bulldog. Winston Churchill.- Rethinking Leadership: The Story We Tell.
About the author
Martin Gutmann, Ph.D., is a Professor at the Lucerne School of Business, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland.
Summary
The Unseen Leader delivers one simple but immensely powerful point: we need to radically rethink how we discuss leadership.
In this book, American historian Martin Gutmann passionately challenges the received wisdom that history's great leaders were individuals with a proclivity for action and brash words. Drawing on extensive historical scholarship and contemporary leadership theory, Gutmann delves into the journeys of four unknown or misunderstood leaders who achieved remarkable successes in vastly different environments—the Polar North, the deserts of Arabia, the sugar plantations of the Caribbean, and Second World War London. What emerges is an entirely new narrative on leadership. Contrary to the perception of heroic protagonists forging ahead boldly, history's truly great leaders were often precisely those who didn't need to generate excessive noise or activity. Instead, they skillfully minimized dramatic circumstances. Their stories challenge our present-day conception of leadership and can inspire the leaders of tomorrow.
Additional text
“The book’s impressive scholarship is balanced with an engaging and accessible writing style that targets general readers. A convincingly argued, well-researched counternarrative to the history of ‘great leaders.’” (Kirkus, kirkusreviews.com, April 14, 2024)
“I loved the stories in this book that were so well researched and often showed a different perspective of historical leadership. … Highly recommended for those who want to know what is and what isn’t, ‘leadership’.” (Bob, bobselden.com, March 15, 2024)
“This book was thoughtful and provocative. ... the case studies in this book, the author has aimed to shine a light on what are the truly useful and actionable takeaways from looking at these people and how they played the cards they were holding. We enjoyed it, and would recommend checking it out.” (Simon Cocking, Irish Tech News, irishtechnews.ie, November 9, 2023)
Report
"The book's impressive scholarship is balanced with an engaging and accessible writing style that targets general readers. A convincingly argued, well-researched counternarrative to the history of 'great leaders.'" (Kirkus, kirkusreviews.com, April 14, 2024)
"I loved the stories in this book that were so well researched and often showed a different perspective of historical leadership. ... Highly recommended for those who want to know what is and what isn't, 'leadership'." (Bob, bobselden.com, March 15, 2024)
"This book was thoughtful and provocative. ... the case studies in this book, the author has aimed to shine a light on what are the truly useful and actionable takeaways from looking at these people and how they played the cards they were holding. We enjoyed it, and would recommend checking it out." (Simon Cocking, Irish Tech News, irishtechnews.ie, November 9, 2023)
