What first prompted us to write Uncommon Leadership?  This is the first question we were asked in a recent interview with our publishers Kogan Page.

Two things – firstly, an insight from Charles Handy that made us change the way we ran our workshop sessions. We were both very taken by his distinction of what separated thought-leaders from the rest. Thought-leaders, according to Handy, are special because they find the sense before it becomes common sense.

Then secondly, as we ran these workshops differently, we found they really struck a chord. Which prompted us to think that such an approach might be helpful for a wider audience. We discovered that using uncommon ideas about leadership prompted what our delegates called ‘radical thinking’.  It also left them feeling ‘keen to put into practice’ what they’d found through this thinking.

But in listening to how they coped, adapted and succeeded, often in very difficult situations, one thing stood out. Leadership may be important and rewarding, but it’s also hard work.

We were impressed with the way delegates responded to our approach, which prompted us to ask ourselves a question. How could we use our approach, encouraging uncommon ideas about leadership, to help other managers and leaders? And the result is this book!