The one irrefutable definition of a leader is someone that people follow. And right from the words WE and US in its title, there is the hint that this book on leadership is different. It completely flips the script on typical leadership how-tos by focusing on the people following rather than the one doing the leading.

This expansive and insightful book asks two critical questions: why do people choose to follow someone; and how do they follow them? The answers to both questions are surprising in that techniques are less important than context. In other words, a leader’s style may be out of step with their followers’ needs given the times; and a leader’s style may cause others to follow in ways that are inconsistent with the disruptive and unstable nature of today’s organizational environments.

Dr. Maccoby is a brilliant mind and innovative thinker who draws on decades of psychological and anthropological experience from around the world to provide leaders with an understanding of their followers’ attitudes to work and leadership, i.e. how people become socialized and motivated to succeed in a particular environment. Together with his co-author Tim Scudder, they offer a unique perspective that focuses on how people relate to each other in the workplace. A critical part of that perspective is the need for the development of Personality Intelligence, the ability to understand and collaborate with people, an increasingly necessary skill in today’s globally connected world.

This is an important and necessary book that is a goldmine of useful ideas and concepts. It is applicable to every leader in any organization. With so many organizations wrestling with the question of what makes effective leaders, The Leaders We Need and What Makes Us Follow answers that by asking a different question – what motivates someone to be an effective follower?

You can purchase the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Leaders-We-Need-Makes-Follow/dp/193262712X/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8