The Twelve Absolutes of Leadership

ALL IN, ALL THE TIME

for gary burnison, ceo of the worlds largest executive search firm, these five simple words perfectly capture the essence of great leadership. there can be no half measures. complete commitment, total engagement, and a powerful sense of personal responsibility are the criteria for true leadership excellence. its more than a job; its a way of life. but how do you get there? in this groundbreaking book, burnison provides the answer.

as the leader of korn/ferry international, burnison is particularly well qualified to write a guide to effective leadership. on a personal level, he experiences every day what its like to be responsible for the lives of others, the careers of his employees, and the expectations of stakeholders. he also deals one-on-one with some of the worlds top leaders.

in The Twelve Absolutes of Leadership, Burnison distills this vast experience into an actionable plan for building world-class leadership skills. Youll learn how to train your focus on the twelve most critical elements of leadership, so you can

• Establish your vision and develop a strategy for achieving it
• Inspire your people to embrace the change you envision
• Measure the effectiveness of your leadership
• Build powerful teams that are aligned in purpose and strategy
• Foresee new opportunities and adjust your course to meet them

nothing in business or life generates greater personal satisfaction than affecting peoples lives in a positive way through excellent leadership. burnison refers to it as the eighth wonder of the world.

the prospect might seem daunting, but burnison makes it more accessible than you thought possible. he presents a framework based on enduring human truths, which is applicable in every leadership role and arena. all you have to do is apply it with dedication and determination.

you have the ability. take your first steps to leadership excellence with The Twelve Absolutes of Leadership.

Praise for the twelve absolutes of leadership:

in The Twelve Absolutes of Leadership, Gary Burnison captures the timeless principles that leaders must possess, beyond intelligence, courage and heart. These essential elements speak to the integrity and authenticity that underscore all effective leadership.
carlos slim, entrepreneur, investor, and the worlds richest man

only a few good leaders have paused to reflect seriously on being leaders. xenophon and ulysses s. grant did, and now gary burnison can be added to the list. this is not a business book. this is a book about the business of life.
p.j. orourke, political satirist, journalist, and author

gary burnison has distilled leadership into its essential elementsthe absolute truths about leadership that apply in every arena. for those who want to know what leadership is all about, this book has the answers.
lt. gen. (ret.) fran...