Foreword vii
David Gergen

Introduction A Clarion Call to Emerging Leaders 1

Part One: Discover Yourself 13

1. Your Life Story 15

Lead Story: Kabir Barday, founder and CEO, OneTrust Emerging Leader: Zach Clayton, founder and CEO, Three Ships

2. Crucibles Shape Your Leadership 37

Lead Story: Ping Fu, cofounder, Geomagic Emerging Leader: Abby Falik, founder, Global Citizen Year

3. Leading without True North 59

Lead Story: Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO, Facebook Emerging Leader: Elizabeth Holmes, founder, Theranos

Part Two: Develop Yourself 79

4. Develop Self- Awareness 81

Lead Story: Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft Emerging Leader: Davis Smith, founder and CEO, Cotopaxi

5. Live Your Values 103

Lead Story: Ken Frazier, CEO, Merck Emerging Leader: Jonathan Kelly, founder, Asymmetric

6. Find Your Sweet Spot 121

Lead Story: Warren Buffett, founder, Berkshire Hathaway Emerging Leader: Tracy Britt Cool, cofounder, Kanbrick

7. Lead an Integrated Life 139

Lead Story: John Donahoe, CEO, Nike Emerging Leader: Martha Aronson, senior vice president, Ecolab

Part Three: Lead People 161

8. I to We 163

Lead Story: Nelson Mandela, president of South Africa Emerging Leader: Anjali Sud, CEO, Vimeo

9. Your North Star 177

Lead Story: Hubert Joly, CEO, Best Buy Emerging Leader: Rye Barcott, cofounder and CEO, With Honor

10. The Leader as Coach 199

Lead Story: Mary Barra, CEO, General Motors Emerging Leader: Robert Reffkin, CEO, Compass

Part Four: Navigate Today’s Challenges 223

11. Inclusive Leadership 225

Lead Story: Ursula Burns, CEO, Xerox Emerging Leader: Murisiku Raifu, MD, founder, Talamus Health

12. Leading in Crisis 245

Lead Story: Indra Nooyi, CEO, PepsiCo Emerging Leader: Jenn Hyman, CEO, Rent the Runway

13. The Moral Leader 263

Lead Story: Chip Bergh, CEO, Levi Strauss Emerging Leader: Brad Smith, founder, Russell Street Ventures

References 281

About the Authors 289

Acknowledgments 291

Index 293

Praise for TRUE NORTH EMERGING LEADER EDITION

The Emerging Leader Edition of True North bids to be a classic, as the successor to the leadership work of Peter Drucker and Warren Bennis, standing alongside Drucker’s The Effective Executive and Bennis’s On Becoming a Leader. I salute Bill on his best book.”
—Foreword by David Gergen, Author, Hearts Touched by Fire, and Advisor to four U.S. Presidents

“Bill George shares with us his unique and beautiful perspective on leadership in the 21st century. His immense wisdom is incredibly timely and more relevant than ever. It will no doubt help every emerging leader, as well as established leaders. An indispensable companion for all of us.”
—Hubert Joly, Former Best Buy CEO; Senior Lecturer, Harvard Business School; Author, The Heart of Business

“At a time when many of society’s challenges lay at the feet of corporate America, Bill George is an important voice on courageous leadership. The original True North is an essential playbook for executives who aim to lead with their values. I am grateful to contribute to this Emerging Leader Edition for the next generation.”
—Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President, Ariel Investments; Chair, Starbucks

“We need courageous and authentic leaders at all levels. The Emerging Leader Edition of True North is an essential companion for anyone who aspires to make a positive difference in a world where trust and authenticity are the defining characteristics of great leaders.”
—Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever; Author, Net Positive

“Bill George tells the stories of leaders united by one belief: You can’t deliver value unless you anchor yourself in values. Bill does a masterful job showing anyone on the journey of leadership what it takes to discover your own True North.”
—Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo

“In the Emerging Leader Edition of True North, Bill George captures the practice and value of skilled and motivated authentic leaders working together on a strategy and a plan to deliver a compelling vision. It’s a must-read! Thank you, Bill!”
—Alan Mulally, Former CEO of Ford Motor

“This is the most robust and practical leadership book I have ever read, period. Bill George, one of the most admired leaders of our time, packs several lifetimes of wisdom into one quick and compelling read.”
—Tom Rath, Author of Strengths Finder 2.0

A Clarion Call to Emerging Leaders: Step Up and Lead Now!

In True North: Emerging Leader Edition, renowned leadership expert Bill George and Millennial tech entrepreneur Zach Clayton issue the challenge to emerging leaders—from Gen X to Millennials and Gen Z—to lead their organizations authentically through never-ending crises to make this world a better place for everyone.

The authors offer practical strategies and techniques to become an authentic leader and reveal how you can navigate your own path to success. They draw on extensive information from a diverse collection of inspirational real-life leaders and combine it with invaluable advice on everything from personal values to crisis leadership and self-awareness.

Harvard professor Bill George, with four bestselling books to his credit including the timeless classic True North, is the former CEO of Medtronic who established authentic leadership in 2003. He teams up with Zach Clayton, an emerging leader amid his own leadership development journey, to give leaders the definitive guide for navigating today’s complex world and leading with moral clarity through crises, as an inclusive leader prepared to take on stakeholder challenges.

The Emerging Leader Edition is filled with dramatic stories of how successful leaders such as Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and Merck’s Ken Frazier to PepsiCo’s Indra Nooyi and General Motors’ Mary Barra, and emerging leaders like OneTrust’s Kabir Barday and Rent the Runway’s Jenn Hyman, overcame great challenges to build highly successful organizations.

The Emerging Leader Edition of True North is the classic guide for every current and aspiring leader to reach their full potential.