Rebel Leadership: How to Thrive in Uncertain Times

Why do you read leadership books? I read them in order to actually grow as a leader and to become a more valuable team member, in short, to increase my effectiveness. But capacity building is hard. Reading a book doesn't translate into new behavior, and encountering great or new ideas, while potentially game changing, doesn't automatically mean better results in work and life.Robertson's "Rebel Leadership" anticipates this challenge beautifully, for it asked something of me as a reader that many other books in the genre do not. Through the layered storytelling and case presentation, it invited me to reflect deeply not just on his ideas but on ideas that I possessed already in real ways, and in the process of reading/reflecting I found myself connecting to core principles of my own like the sense of obligation, purpose, and identity, what Larry calls "soul" in a way that has still got me thinking about the action steps I can take to operationalize my own core principles in more dynamic ways.This books covers a lot of ground in a very readable prose. It's well sourced, and well written, and in it I met lots of characters and organizations that were new to me (as well as revisiting many I knew). In the end, I find myself moved to manifest a much more purposeful kind of connection with the people in my various communities/networks. There were times when I was saying to myself, 'yeah, yeah, right', and then boom, Larry would take it up to the next level and I would find myself completely surprised by the elegant simplicity and profundity of the wisdom in this book. And, I mean wisdom. You will not be disappointed if your read "Rebel Leadership."

Work today feels like an endless calculation: Almost everything seems measurable, and so we're constantly being assessed and surveilled. Yet we also know that numbers alone can't quantify human contributions -- and you definitely need more than numbers to motivate, inspire and lead people.That said, we can be cynical about the potential impact of leadership, and we struggle to understand how creativity can be harnessed as a discipline and not just as magical luck. What Larry Robertson does in this book is point a way forward -- leaders and leadership approaches that are demonstrably successful but also are modern enough to invent the future in this uncertain, ever-changing world.I enjoyed that it wasn't just theory -- you get a lot of case studies and examples from business, soccer, universities and more. And the book gradually weaves together a moral that if you have a "why," if you look to the long term and you inspire everyone to believe that creativity is something they possess, you have a better chance of thriving in today's uncertainty.I've always enjoyed Larry's writing and this is another strong example, especially if you're looking for inspiration to embrace uncertainty, not just be worried about it.

Rebel Leadership is a highly entertaining, well-researched and compelling read with an important message. The old, staid way of top-down leadership is not only out, it will not lead organizations where they need to go in these uncertain, constantly-changing times. The courageous and yes, rebellious, leader is the one who embraces change, invests in culture, and listens to and trusts the observations, problem-solving capabilities and creativity of the people on the front line. Larry Robertson’s impactful book and insights, sharing the stories and experiences of companies, teams, educational institutions, and leaders who have embraced this adaptive and more inclusive way of “leading”, will change and expand the reader’s traditional view of leadership, while simultaneously providing a guide for building a culture to effectuate positive and long-term changes and gains in any organization. The book is a must read for businesses, institutions, teams and really for anyone seeking to “lead” and inspire others. I loved it and I cannot stop thinking about it.

Larry Robertson's new book is a must read for anyone in a leadership position in their organization (which, when you finish "Rebel Leadership", you'll understand means you and each and every one of your colleagues!). Robertson adroitly points out the brittle, hierarchical leadership of old if ever effective, no longer is. We live in a time of flux and, paradoxically, that will be our one constant moving forward. So our approach to leading has to change, to adapt, to this new world. This is where Robertson's book shines - drawing on research and practical examples, he gives us the tools to embrace a new approach, a way to find and cultivate our organization's identity and, if you will, its soul. Rebel leadership is about devining and defining your organization's identity and its strengths, making its goals clear, and giving your team flexibility to achieve those goals. But enough from me... buy and absorb this book! Every page will give you pause and have you rethinking your approach to leadership.

This is not just another "leadership" book. This is a book that rewrites the traditional thinking and mindset of leadership. I challenge you to find another book on "leadership" that will talk about the "soul". That's right that is exactly what I wrote, the "soul". Because we do not talk about it when it comes to leadership. How about the idea that leadership needs to be moving? Wait! What!? How about leadership being shared? Cultural? How does Peak Performance play a role? These are just some of the questions that Larry Robertson set out to answer when he did the research and interviews of some of this nations most powerful leaders from different industries. The book is an eye opener, and a game changer if your are willing to be open enough to listen and embrace the discomfort. Great read!