Review: Persuadable: How Great Leaders Change Their Minds to Change the World

Persuadable: How Great Leaders Change Their Minds to Change the World by Al Pittampalli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There are many leadership books and I've read a good chunk of them. I've read about what it takes to be a leader, what to do and not to do, how to inspire, etc. Phrases like "analysis paralysis" and "be decisive" come up often, but Al's take on leadership is different.

We all agree that not being able to decide (aka, analysis paralysis) is bad. Most of us agree that leaders need to be good at making the tough calls. Al argues that being too decisive and sure of yourself is just as bad as the alternative. With great stories to back this up, he shows us how the greatest leaders were not afraid to be proven wrong and/or take other people's opinions. No one person can know it all and true leaders are not afraid to get advice and input from others.

This attribute is what he refers to as "persuadibility" and to get there, one must be able to "consider the opposite," "kill your darlings," "take others perspective," and "take on your own tribe," among others.

So if you are a leader, aspire to be one, or just want the mindset for success, read this book.