The Silent Rebellion: Becoming a modern leader
In their new book, Chris Lewis and Inez Robinson-Odom explain how to be a different sort of leader in a world where everything has changed
To say we live in divided times is something of an understatement; seismic events such as Brexit and the pandemic as well as more insidious changes such as the influence of social media have all combined to create an environment where one ‘camp’ is forever pitted against another.
The Silent Rebellion argues that this has all been underpinned by a lack of effective leadership and, while people at the highest levels failing to truly serve is not a new phenomenon, it has been exposed in recent years perhaps more than ever. This in turn, has exposed what kind of leaders we need today.
Hybrid working to global politics
Look at the hybrid working movement that came about post-pandemic, argue the authors: leadership expert Chris Lewis (founder of global marketing agency Team Lewis) and business coach Inez Robinson-Odom. Some employers simply could not get on board with the change in operations; those with high levels of emotional intelligence, adaptability and empathy, could.
And in global politics, we need leaders who are honest in their recognition that change takes time. Instead, we’ve seen an increase in extreme ideologies, with those at the helm offering simplistic, ‘magic bullet’ approaches to deeply complex problems.
What is leadership?
In The Silent Rebellion the readers are asked to go on a journey with the authors in closely scrutinising exactly what leadership is.
Chapters include QR codes to videos delving deeper – a clever and cool touch.
In taking as a mantra: ‘lessons from history inform the future’, Lewis and Robinson-Odom examine the teachings of figures throughout time, from George Washington Carver to René Descartes, to allow us to reassess what a successful leader really looks like in today’s world.
How they need to quietly rebel against the status quo of alpha-behaviour and bravado, opting instead to listen carefully, to ask the right questions and to truly serve the people they purport to. This, argues The Silent Rebellion, will prove to be the most effective tool in bridging the damaging divisions between us.
- The Silent Rebellion: Becoming a modern leader is out now (KoganPage, £16.99 paperback).