THE PREFACE OF THE MYSTIQUE OF LEADERSHIP

Is there really a need for another book on leadership?

I wrestled with this question for many years until I realized that the standard of leadership in many companies, governments, churches and colleges is lagging and an increasing number of people are assuming positions of authority with insufficient leadership skills.

A simple Google search on leadership returns about half a billion hits in a quarter of a second. How can any person in a position of authority discern the true meaning of leadership with such results? No wonder why so many leaders do not understand the fundamentals of leadership.

The need for stronger leadership is so strongly felt today that some question if the world will ever witness again the exceptional leadership of such icons like Jesus Christ, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela?

Could the passing of President Nelson Mandela in 2013 have marked the end of exceptional leadership? Is there anyone among us with the same vision, wisdom and courage to inspire the level of spirituality, sacrifice and service as those notable leaders of the past?

With so much information on leadership, where do you even start?

How do you even decipher what is important, accurate and applicable leadership qualities these days?

What can be written today about the concept of leadership that has not been written before?

What was the original purpose of leadership in the first place?

How and why have the fundamentals of leadership changed over time?

Why is such a basic concept so misunderstood by many, including those who spent years studying it at higher levels of education?

I have been studying and speaking on leadership for almost two decades and have held different leadership roles within the profit and non-profit organizations.

I have coached and consulted corporate executives, global entrepreneurs, political appointees and religious ministers on how to become an exceptional leader.

Many of them possessed enormous influence but were unable to inspire people to achieve their maximum productivity. They honourably aspire to advance their vision, yet were unable to empower their teams to use their skills and talents to advance a common vision.

These leaders spent great effort to achieve profitable growth but were unable to motivate their teams for personal and organizational success.

As I examined each of their challenges, the more apparent it became to me that the essence of leadership has been diluted over time, while the characteristics for which exceptional leaders are known had become too convoluted for people to understand.

I also discovered that for generations the process of leading has been mostly approached from a corporate perspective, regardless of the type of organization or groups of people attracted by the vision.

In short, some people were no longer aware of the original purpose of leadership and were confused by the myths and misconceptions about it. I realized that this lack of awareness indicated a dire need for leadership clarity in governments, corporations, churches and schools.

It was alarming to realize how the meaning of leadership varied depending on the vision, mission and passion of those who were in positions of authority. Amazon has nearly 30,000 direct titles and almost 100,000 indirect titles on leadership; however, many of these books only offer the same information about leadership from the same perspective. They share lots of information on the ‘how’, but not enough on the ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘why’ and ‘why not’.

The Mystique of Leadership explains the rationale and original purpose of leadership.

It compares the processes of leading in the corporate, political and religious worlds, and debunks the myths and unravels the misconceptions about it. It offers a set of leadership laws that is applicable across corporate, political and religious sectors while emphasizing the centrality of spirituality.

This book summarizes very important leadership concepts into easy-to-follow, step-by-step processes and frameworks. It is written as a handbook for everyone, especially those who are in, or who aspire for, positions of authority in corporations, churches, schools, communities, and government.

The Mystique of Leadership is a comprehensive and succinct summary of the essential things that you must know about leadership while revealing the answers and solutions to longstanding questions about leadership.

It uses real-life stories and case studies to equip you with the knowledge and strategies to enable you to become an exceptional leader while introducing you to frameworks to help you build and sustain leadership culture in your organization.

This book will challenge your mindset, compel you to action and inspire you to be and do more personally, professionally and universally. It is a framework for exceptional leadership and a roadmap for personal success.

While the book will benefit anyone seeking to learn the true meaning of leadership, I address those in positions of leadership in corporations, governments and churches and those who aspire to leadership roles. It is a personal guide to help you unleash the leadership capabilities within you.

It is a curriculum for leadership training in your corporations, colleges and churches, and a handbook to instigate paradigm shifts and cultivate a leadership culture in governments, communities and associations. This book will captivate the persistent, challenge the persuasive and compel the unrealistic.

I write this book at a time when executives desperately desire the trust of their employees and the loyalty of their customers.

I write this book when citizens are praying fervently for relief from the ineffective leadership of their politicians or the outright dictatorship that has held them captive for generations.

I write this book when students and congregations are looking up to their teachers and pastors expectantly for consistent information and constant inspiration.

I write this book at a time when many seek to understand the relationship between church and state, when the truth must be told in the face of political correctness and when morality must be advocated in the face of pop culture.

Nothing is more exciting than to realize the enormous opportunities that still exist to equip those who are in positions of authority and empower those who long to ignite their leadership spirit.

Is there a need for yet another book on leadership?

Absolutely! There is an urgent need for the type of clarity that this book offers.

Despite the depth of leadership knowledge that is available to us today, I was amazed by the amount of wisdom that was revealed during the process of navigating through the haze and maze of it all. While I applaud the outstanding efforts of renowned teachers such as Peter Drucker, Stephen Covey, Dr. Myles Munroe, John C. Maxwell, Ken Blanchard and Robin Sharma, The Mystique of Leadership addresses the essential components of leadership where clarity is required and practicality is desired.

I draw from the lives of iconic leaders to inspire the leadership spirit of our readers while confronting the myriad of myths and misconceptions that confound the essence of leadership.

Outlined in the form of a roadmap, a personal journey through the labyrinth of leadership, this book will enable you to see how the meaning of leadership, one of the most challenging concepts of our time, really can be easily understood. You will begin to see the habits of leadership that you must unlearn to become an exceptional leader.

I have been using the knowledge and strategies in this book to ignite the spirits of leadership and entrepreneurship in many people for decades. Now I succinctly summarize my message to enable you to do the same for yourself. This book will compel you to think and look beyond what you know and see to discover the true essence of leadership.

The Mystique of Leadership contains real-life stories of iconic leaders of the past and innovative leaders of today: corporate executives, community advocates, politicians, billionaire entrepreneurs, religious gurus and academics.

You will learn how to leverage the principles, strategies and frameworks that made them exceptional in leadership. You will discover how to leverage our vast philosophical, physiological, spiritual and psychological research to achieve success in your personal and professional endeavours.

Whether you are in a position of authority or not, this is the handbook you have been waiting for to ignite your leadership spirit. It is a reference guide that will enable you to lead at your best, a compelling narrative to motivate and empower you to take the baton from the hands of iconic leaders.

The Mystique of Leadership is a roadmap for self–discovery, awareness and actualization. You can apply it in every aspect of your life. Read it with an open mind and a heart that is yearning for change–personal, corporate, political, academic and religious.

Embrace it with the same sense of urgency in which it was written so that you may be possessed with an even fiercer urgency to inform, influence and inspire others.

If there was ever a time to go back to the basics of leadership and begin the transformation of mindsets around the world, it is now.

You are the leader you have been waiting for and it is our honour to be your guide.

Welcome to our Transformational Leadership Academy!!