There are far too many leadership books in the world. Most are merely the admonitions and life experiences of current or former “big name” leaders. While these are interesting glimpse into the life of celebrity leaders, there really isn’t much that can be generalized to all leaders. That’s what I’ve loved for years about Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, and can see in their new book: The Truth About Leadership. The book grew from Kouzes and Posner’s countless training sessions and the realization that, in 30 years of studying and teaching leadership, not much has changed. Kouzes and Posner draw from their 3 decades of studying leaders to present 10 laws or truths of leadership:

1. You make a difference
2. Credibility is the foundation of leadership
3. Values drive commitment
4. Focusing on the future sets leaders apart
5. You can’t do it alone
6. Trust rules
7. Challenge is the crucible for greatness
8. You either lead by example or don’t lead at all
9. The best leaders are the best learners
10. Leadership is an affair of the heart

The highlight of the book is the various stories from leaders in action and the diversity of response to Kouzes & Posner’s flagship research question: “What is your personal best leadership experience?” I felt the book could have benefited from a description of the research methods used to compile this book, and how they may have differed from The Leadership Challenge. Nonetheless, The Truth About Leadership is a short but worthwhile read for current and aspiring leaders.