Spark: How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success

Leaders aren’t born, they’re made, claim the owners of Lead Star, a corporate consulting firm, in this encouraging, if familiar, business guide. Two former Marines and one former member of the Air Force, the authors credit their military service with hugely improving their leadership skills. They stress that nobody simply springs from the womb ready to lead. The key is to make the behavioral changes needed to be a leader, rather than assuming these qualities are inherent. Moreover, these are achievable by anyone who is sufficiently committed. “Sparks” are leaders who may not (yet) see themselves as leaders, but who have all the necessary characteristics: drive, motivation, and the ability to see past the problem sitting directly in front of them. The authors, using stories from their lives in business and the military, discuss seven behaviors as essential to becoming a Spark, including the ability to foster trust, accountability, and acting with intent. They’re putting different and friendlier language to leadership and have added many references to military service, which makes them credible, but once readers get past the more approachable terminology, they’re unlikely to find much different here. [em]Agent: Esmond Harmsworth, Zachary Shuster Harmsworth. (Jan.) [/em]