The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and in Life

Iraq War vet Blake Davis is working a dull job at a bookstore when he's confronted by an eccentric stranger, one Tommy Flinn, who claims to have known his father and wants to mentor Blake. Thus begins this contrived, faux-inspirational leadership parable from Sharma (The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari ). Making the lackluster argument that everyone in an organization has to be a leader, not just the CEO, Tommy schools Blake in the way of the hackneyed “Leading Without a Title” philosophy. As Blake encounters such saccharine caricatures as Anna, a self-actualized hotel housekeeper; Jackson Chan, a CEO-turned gardener; and Jet Brisley, a superstar massage therapist, he learns that by changing his attitude, he can change his life. Though this message will hit home with magical-thinking acolytes—Blake crows on the first page, “The principles and tools you'll discover will automatically cause your career to fly, your happiness to soar, and your absolute best to fully express itself”—awkward writing and abundant platitudes make it of little benefit to readers looking for serious leadership advice. (Mar.)