In a nutshell It's how to get to the top – both literally and figuratively – as international finance executive Herta von Stiegel explains the way she led a group of 28 people, including seven disabled climbers, to the summit of Kilimanjaro by drawing on a wealth of personal leadership guidance from global leaders.
What's right? If you absorb advice better when it's wrapped in a compelling story, then look no further. Von Stiegel's mission to the highest peak in Africa is a page-turner in itself, and seamlessly woven with the detailed leadership insights she received from personal audiences with the likes of Al Gore, Baroness Scotland and Botswana's president, Ian Khama. It's topical too, as the author explores a need for transparency, integrity and a human touch in leadership in the wake of the global economic crisis and the wave of Arab revolutions.
What's wrong? There's a nagging, distracting feeling that this should have been made into a TV documentary. Rest assured, it has been.
Verdict Genuinely inspiring and thought-provoking. Access to the leadership wisdom of von Stiegel's interviewees alone is surely well worth your mountainous £17.
And in a similar vein…
I Is For Influence, by
Rob Yeung
Macmillan, £11.99
Yeung beefs up your persuasion, influencing and leadership skills via techniques from word selection to body language.
Why Should Anyone Buy
From You?, by
Justin Basini
FT Prentice Hall, £19.99
Basini looks at ways to achieve a more trusting relationship with customers and employees.
