The Formation of the Leader
By Darius Grissom, EdD
The Formation of the Leader is a leadership development book for current and aspiring leaders who want to understand not only what effective leaders do, but who leaders must continually become.
Drawing on the foundational ideas of the Leadership Learning Nexus Philosophy™, Darius Grissom, EdD, presents leadership as an ongoing process of formation shaped by character, learning, experience, reflection, responsibility, judgment, and purposeful action.
Leadership is more than a title, position, or collection of techniques. The Formation of the Leader examines the relationship between identity and action, character and judgment, learning and experience, purpose and responsibility, and individual development and organizational impact. The result is a human-centered approach to leadership that asks readers to consider how their own formation influences the people, teams, organizations, and communities they serve.
Character, stewardship, responsibility, and moral authority
Human dignity and the responsibility leaders carry toward others
Emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and inner leadership
Judgment, wisdom, and decision quality
Learning, reflection, and continued leadership development
Purpose, responsibility, impact, and legacy
The relationship between individual leadership formation and organizational life
The Formation of the Leader is designed for emerging and experienced leaders, managers and executives, leadership-development and learning professionals, coaches and facilitators, educators and students, and organizations seeking to strengthen leadership capability.
Whether you are preparing for your first leadership responsibility or serving at the highest levels of an organization, this book invites you to examine leadership as a disciplined process of becoming—and to consider what your leadership is forming in others.
Prefer to listen? Explore The Formation of the Leader — Audiobook.
Explore the Leadership Learning Nexus Philosophy™ Professional Job Aid for a practical visual representation of the philosophy introduced in the book.
Explore the Leadership Learning Nexus Professional Job Aid Collection to extend the ideas of the book into reflection, coaching, team development, and organizational practice.
I not only enjoyed writing this book, it loads and plays every time I travel in my truck. The lessons help everyday. And the lessons aren't just for work...they will help with life. We are all becoming. We need to own and embrace what we want that to look like.
