University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
12 Disciplines of Leadership Excellence
Book

12 Disciplines of Leadership Excellence

How Leaders Achieve Sustainable High Performance

Brian Tracy and Peter Chee
McGraw-Hill, 2013
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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

Great leaders from history – including Alexander the Great and Frederick the Great – left a legacy of leadership’s core principles: “excellence, courage, determination, fortitude, listening, integrity” and “caring” about your followers. But Alex and Fred are long gone and employees now are more skeptical, self-interested and demanding. Leaders face constant scrutiny from all corners and must consistently model the behavior and attitudes they desire in their followers. Today, leadership demands a combination of 12 broad “disciplines” as put forward by prolific authors Brian Tracy and Peter Chee, both leadership experts. Their compilation offers foundational and valuable leadership and management advice. You may have heard most of it before, but reviewing the tenets of leadership never hurts and getting it all in one place, clearly stated, is convenient. getAbstract recommends this step-by-step survey of solid but standard instructions to novices and to those who’d like a short summary of fundamental leadership advice.

Summary

“The 12 Disciplines”

As a leader, you must apply 12 disciplines to excel. Develop these disciplines through practice and experience. You’ll need determination and perseverance to master them and to fulfill your potential as a great leader.

1. “The Discipline of Leadership Excellence”

Contemporary employees are more “selfish” and more driven by “what’s in it for me.” They decide whom they will accept as leaders. Two kinds of leaders have value: charismatic “transformational leaders” who inspire people to do their best and “transactional leaders” who possess the ability to work with and achieve through others.

To appreciate excellence, consider one of history’s greatest leaders, Alexander the Great. “By the age of 15,” he decided to conquer the known world. He accomplished his goal when he was 23 by building mutual trust and faith with his troops and by inspiring high performance and exceptional confidence. Alexander – and great leaders ever since – connect their teams to a grand purpose. That means you should articulate your overarching vision; inspire your followers by imbuing their work with meaning. Pick something your team be the best at doing.

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About the Authors

Brian Tracy is a speaker, trainer and author of numerous bestsellers, including No Excuses! and Eat that Frog. Peter Chee, an executive coach, is president and CEO of ITD World, a global training firm, and co-author with Jack Canfield of Coaching for Breakthrough Success.

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