Since it was first published to wide acclaim in 1992, the bestsellingLeadership Jazzhas firmly placed itself among the great business classics. Former President Bill Clinton called it “astonishing,” and the late Peter Drucker advised, “Read this slowly. This book is wisdom in action.”
Now updated for first time in well over a decade, this powerful book reveals why today, more than ever, leadership is more an art than a science. Today’s best leaders, De Pree says, are attuned to the needs and ideas of their followers, and even step aside at times to be followers themselves. Filled with insightful stories from De Pree’s experience as the chairman of Herman Miller and from people he’s met along the way,Leadership Jazzreveals how to:
• Hold people accountable and give them space to reach their potential
• See the needs of employees and those of the company as the same
• Inspire change and innovation
• Work effectively with creative people
Complete with an extensive new introduction from De Pree on why his philosophy is more relevant now than ever before,Leadership Jazzgives you an entirely new way to look at the difficult job of leader.
MAX DePREE is the author of
Leadership Is an Art. He was CEO and chairman of the board of directors of Herman Miller Inc., and was recently elected by
Fortuneto the National Business Hall of Fame.Prologue
Esther, my wife, and I have a granddaughter named Zoe, the Greek word for life. She was born prematurely and weighed one pound, seven ounces, so small that my wedding ring could slide up her arm to her shoulder. The neonatologist who first examined her told us that she had a 5 to 10 percent chance of living three days. When Esther and I scrubbed up for our first visit and saw Zoe in her isolette in the neonatal intensive care unit, she had two IVs in her navel, one in her foot, a monitorlƒ+