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The Leadership Gap
Book

The Leadership Gap

What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

Lolly Daskal
Portfolio, 2017
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Well Structured
  • Concrete Examples

Recommendation

Can the same skills that help leaders rise within organizations become obstacles to their greatness? Decidedly yes, argues leadership consultant Lolly Daskal. The weaknesses that can shadow a leader’s strengths differ depending on the leader’s behavior profile, or “archetype.” Drawing on psychological and philosophical principles and her experiences as a consultant, Daskal presents an easy-to-understand rubric of seven leadership archetypes – each with “leadership gaps” that leaders must acknowledge and overcome. By offering clear guidelines for identifying these behavioral models and providing practical tips leaders can use to convert their potential weaknesses into positives, Daskal challenges readers to rethink what they believe about themselves and their roles as leaders. getAbstract recommends her analysis and strategies to leaders who want to maximize their strengths.

Summary

“Leadership Archetypes” and “Leadership Gaps”

All leaders eventually face situations that resist their go-to strategies. Too often at such turning points, they dodge the need for change and double down on what they already feel comfortable doing. When leaders become blind to the personal leadership gaps that hold them back, they fail. When they acknowledge and learn to leverage their shortcomings, they become greater leaders.

Leaders’ style and their respective leadership gaps can be grouped in seven basic, positive archetypes, and each with their own polarity of character, their competing side. No leader conforms, at all times, to any one archetype. But most people have a tendency toward a single type. Identifying – and fixing – leadership gaps begins when leaders explore aspects of themselves they might rather ignore or keep hidden.

The difference between mediocre leaders and great ones isn’t that the great ones never falter. Great leaders willingly face hard truths about ineffective patterns in their behavior and make appropriate changes. All leaders have the capacity for greatness but many believe that they must hide their imperfections, ...

About the Author

Lolly Daskal founded the coaching and consulting firm Lead from Within. She has written for HBR, Inc., Fast Company, Huffington Post, Psychology Today, and other publications.

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