New York - The leaders behind the leaders
are the focus of Richard Hytner’s new book, ‘Consiglieri: Leading from the
Shadows’, which launched in the U.S. last week.
Throughout history, leaders who
make the final decision are both lauded and despised. From the weight of mortal
choices to the responsibility of their constituencies, the executives who are
out in front receive the fame, the infamy, and the glory that those behind them
do not.
Hytner’s book ‘Consiglieri:
Leading from the Shadows’ anecdotally explores the role of the leaders behind
the final decision-makers, the frequently misrepresented role of the deputy,
chief-of-staff, and counselor.
Offering a mirror for
contemporary ‘No. 2′s’ and a theoretical map for future consiglieri, the book
traverses an array of powerful advisers from the White House to the Vatican.
The book includes interviews with contemporary leaders from international
business, sports and entertainment, as well as citing provocative research from
psychology and academia.
The parade of characters in
‘Consiglieri’ range from the virtuous advisers – Lincoln’s Secretary of State
William Seward and F.D.R.’s confidant Harry Hopkins – to fictional
Machiavelli’s – Frank Underwood in ‘House of Cards’, Darth Vader and Scar from
‘Lion King’.
“When we consider the men and
women who are second-in-command, throughout history, in literature and in
today’s organizations, the myth prevails that they are ‘less-than’,” says
Hytner. “These different kinds of leaders rarely get the accolades they deserve
because of the stigma that comes with the back seat. In fact they have a very
particular set of skills that often make a defining contribution to the
leadership endeavor.
‘Consiglieri: Leading from the
Shadows’ is the story of these unsung personalities who lead beyond the
limelight, says Hytner. “They are the advisors, assistants and aides-de-camp
trusted with all of the complex strategies, delicate operations and subtle
maneuvers behind the curtain.”
The book has great relevance not
just the deputies but to the leaders they serve, who need to know what makes
their consiglieri operate, how to get the most out of them, and how to ensure
they stay true to their authentic ambitions, says Hytner.
‘Consiglieri: Leading from the
Shadows’ (Profile Books) was launched in Washington D.C.
on June 12th and is available for purchase on Amazon at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Consiglieri-Leading-Shadows-Richard-Hytner-ebook/dp/B00IJKJTYQ
Find out more at
www.consiglieribook.com