“Before you make your next important leadership selection, read this book very, very carefully.” –Jim Kouzes, Best-selling Author, "The Leadership Challenge"
Reactions
“Hiring Coach K, (Mike Krzyzewski), to lead our 2008 basketball team to a gold medal was the single most important decision I made as president of U.S.A basketball. Of the dozens of successful coaches that were interested in the job, why did I hire Coach K? Simple. He has a unique blend of the exact qualities that Cohn and Moran showcase in this book.”–Jerry Colangelo, (President of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Program)
“Large, global law firms like Allen & Overy need to take succession planning very seriously. Clearly we hire only outstanding lawyers. But equally important is leadership potential. Cohn and Moran nail it in their discussion of what to look for and how to find it when evaluating future leaders. I would advise anyone, especially those who manage professional service firms, to read this book.”
–Wim Dejonghe, Global Managing Partner, Allen & Overy
“Brilliant. For the last 25 years I’ve been helping companies develop their rising stars into world-class leaders, and this is one of the most original and complete explanations I’ve seen for how to get that process started. The authors skillfully showcase an assessment approach that is as entertaining as it is insightful. Busy executives don’t want to take a test, they want an assessment process that is engaging and interesting, and most of all accurate.”–Bernie Jaworski, Peter Drucker Chair in Management, Claremont College
“Before you start your next selection process, read Why Are We Bad at Picking Good Leaders? And read it very, very carefully. It’ll keep you from committing some very serious mistakes and force you to think more carefully about the choices you make.”-Jim Kouzes, coauthor, The Leadership Challenge, and The Dean’s Executive Professor of Leadership, Leavey School of Business
“Too many people turn the topic of leadership into poorly defined concepts and theory. Cohn and Moran take a different tack by boiling leadership down to seven core attributes and explaining each one in a very direct, common sense way. This is a book that will stand the test of time.”–Joel Kurtzman, former Executive Editor of Harvard Business Review
“An enjoyable, very practical, and fresh perspective on some of the most important decisions organizations make.”–Joseph L. Badaracco, Jr., John Shad Professor of Business Ethics, Harvard Business School
“Everyone could benefit from reading this book on leadership. As Chairman of a global company that has been in the family for 150 years, one of my top priorities is making sure that we have the kind of people who will build on that legacy. Finding the best leaders is very tough. This book explains why, and then offers key insight and nuance to help others meet the challenge. Any board member, human resource executive, or hiring manager who wants to solidify the company’s leadership ranks should start right here.”–Facundo L. Bacardi, Chairman, Bacardi, Ltd.
“Every CEO has to make tough, heart-wrenching decisions about his or her organization’s talent. Who stays, who goes, who gets promoted? And there is no time to waste. With Why Are We Bad at Picking Good Leaders?, Cohn and Moran provide an ingenious, yet down-to-earth guide which will help any CEO or hiring manager find and keep the kind of people that truly make a difference. I also highly recommend it to all motivated professionals who want to understand what their organizations are looking for before big promotions are handed out. This book is a great resource for rising stars who are serious about keeping their career trajectories on track.”-Peter Löscher, President and CEO of Siemens
Synopsis
Ever wonder what goes on behind closed board room doors when organizations pick their top leaders? It can be a contentious, secretive, even brutal process. Most leaders look good on paper—they have charisma, credentials, and confidence—yet they lack the real qualities that are necessary to succeed. In Why Are We Bad at Picking Good Leaders? leadership succession experts Jeffrey Cohn and Jay Moran share the same insights and ideas they use to help organizations make better choices.
Hear Stories and secrets from:
- Mike (Coach K) Krzyzewski, head coach gold medal winning olympic basketball team
- Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon
- Delos “Toby” Cosgrove, CEO of world renowned hospital, Cleveland Clinic
- And many others including Hollywood movie directors, prison wardens, celebrity chefs, philanthropists, politicians, top CEOs, (and even rock stars)
Meet the Authors
Jeffrey Cohn is a succession planning and executive assessment expert. Previously, Cohn was with Spencer Stuart, a top executive recruiting firm; a Research Fellow at the Harvard Business School; and at the Chief Executive Leadership Institute (Yale). Cohn has published widely, including multiple articles for the Harvard Business Review. He lives in New York City.
Jay Moran is a succession planning and executive assessment expert, and professor of leadership. Moran was formerly at the CEO Leadership Institute at Yale and practiced corporate law with King & Spalding. Moran has a JD/MBA from Emory University and MPA from Harvard University. He lives in Barcelona.