The True North

Everything has common origins and small beginnings. The finish line is different from where races begin. Without work, no one would succeed and accomplish anything. It takes a lot of blood, suffering, and sweat to achieve. No one would ever reach the top or ascend to the zenith of success and glory without going through hardships, struggles, and challenging obstacles to conquer. Everyone has distinctive qualities and attributes that set them apart from the competition and make them stand out.

Instead of attempting to be the perfect "leader" for an organization, the author emphasized the idea of embodying authentic leadership throughout the book. A leader must outline his versions of how to handle his followers rather than typically following the flow of the prevalent norms. Excellent leaders initially had self-doubt, skepticism, and confusion before establishing themselves among their teammates. Most leaders experience challenging times; it's just part of the job. A few topics that leaders consider include decision-making, accountability, and responsibility.

If a leader doesn't have a reason for upholding the call to service, how can they expect to complete a particular task? A leader must have a purpose, a cause, for doing so. Leadership has always been centered on values, and virtues and character are the essences of persuading, uplifting and inspiring others to follow your example. Being a natural leader requires having a good heart. It alludes to a leader's drive to give his all to whatever he does. Additionally, this requires guts to retain fearless composure in the face of atrocities.

A leader is always shaped by self-control to share his experiences with his team. Overcoming personal challenges enables one to express their purpose, live out their fundamental beliefs, be compassionate, and form committed relationships with others to guide them toward a vision—the pinnacle of effective leadership.

The moral lesson is that if you adopt an organization's normative style or attempt to imitate someone else's style, your lack of authenticity will become apparent in unexpected situations. Because of this, you must develop your authentic leadership style and keep improving it. The result will reflect your legacy, which the next generations will continue to uphold.

BOOK REVIEW: "True north: Discover your authentic leadership" by bill George (2007). (2013, September 23). GlobalEd. https://globaleduc.wordpress.com/2013/09/23/book-review-true-north-discover-your-authentic-leadership-by-bill-george-2007/