INTRODUCTION
“The Source of Leadership” was written by David M. Traversi who is currently the Managing Director as well as the founder of 2020 Growth Partners, LLC. Traversi believed that there are certain traits which he called core drivers that drove someone as a leader. These drivers are the source of leadership which will be the key to success or failures. His desire to seek deeper meaning of leadership had brought him to further encounter through this topic, and compiled it in this book.
“The Source of Leadership” addresses how to improve the effectiveness as a high-impact leader. It was a write-up summary through his collective experience, exposures and observations. Traversi objective on writing is to make this book as a tool or checklist to help leaders and aspiring leaders in understanding the drivers to get to the leadership destination. He listed the checklist of traits and functions on what leaders must be, must do and how to do, so that the readers can easily refer and rated themselves in their profession or daily routine; either in business, politics, economy, management, industry and others.
BOOK EVALUTION
The book was written in a simple language where it can be understood easily by the readers. Eight drivers of leadership which are Presence, Openness, Clarity, Intention, Personal Responsibility, Intuition, Creativity and Connected Communication have been explained clearly in separate chapter. The writers used his experiences and real-life stories to example the importance and role of each driver. This way, he could attract the reader to fully engage in his book and understand the driver’s terms better. Each chapter explained each driver in four stages: the definition and methods; exercises; real stories on how the high-impact leader empowered by the driver and the leadership dashboard as conclusion.
In the writer’s view, leadership is in crisis where world don’t have enough effective leaders as well as lack of effective way of developing and training the leaders. “The Source of Leadership” guided readers on how to identify, access, and develop deep personal energies that enable critical traits and functions. Through this book, the writer hoped for the possibilities that the reader will understand better about their internal drivers/core energies and immerse themselves in a new approach of leadership rather than the traditional way, thus become high impact leader and lead effectively as the one can.
The writer emphasized two important points; the high-impact leader empowered by presence and should have personal responsibility. Other drivers were connected out from these two main drivers. By taking responsibilities, leaders become part of the solution and this gives powers to leaders thus become high-impact leaders. When leaders owned the event or condition, they would be able to respond, decide the effect and affect the world around them. Leaders must being real in the present to stay focus, secure and open. Past serves us on purpose to teach us to live better in the present. If you worried about the future, try to convert them to a plan as worry is foes. To be effective, a leader must be closer to reality, which is by being present. As example; American manufacturers who once were ignoring the economic boom occurred in China had now declared bankrupt due to they could not compete while those high-impact leader who recognized and embraced Chinese manufacturing opportunities are enjoying huge success currently.
Traditional leadership book writers explained how effective leader should posses and functions the leaders must perform but they did not explain how leaders can begin to embody those traits and perform those functions. They describe the destination, but don't address the means. While most of the books on leadership emphasized on theories, research, and studies or viewing leadership theoretically in scientific treatise, “The Source of Leadership” is like a travelogue of the writer’s discovery of interesting places, experiences and practices in the leadership landscape, make it different from other standard leadership books.
The best aspect in this book is in the last chapter consisted assessment survey for the readers to identify which level of leadership they are today and could take the optimal path to achieve the leadership destination based on the writer’s recommendation. I think this is a way for the writer to make sure he could achieve his goal. One thing lack from this book is the research made by the writer was skimpy. Most of the findings were made totally based on what he thought is right from his own experiences and observations. The writer did not support his research with much established theories or if there were any, he included it on shallow or minimal basis. If the writer could correlate his findings with established theories, it could gain more recognition and confidence from the readers which will help him to achieve his goal at the best.
What I like the best about this book is it contains practical exercises in each chapters and assessment survey in the last chapter where it help readers to emerge with many of the principles and traits associated with effective leadership. The book provides examples and methods, so that readers can apply and be more effective. All together, this book is readers-friendly thus make it enjoyable to read.
CONCLUSION
Although “The Source of Leadership” surround on heavy topic but Traversi wrote it in a different approach which make it like a light reading to the readers. This book is recommended to be read by everyone not only leaders, as it is helpful guide for self-improvement. It is not only suggested what a high-impact leader should be, furthermore it guide how you can reach there. Readers who develop these personal energies/drivers and employ the techniques offered up in this book are hopefully to achieve maximum effectiveness as a leader and successfully develop into a high-impact leader, as well as a deep sense of contentment and fulfillment as a person.
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