Ways ‘Authentic’ Leaders Acquire Management Skills

Bill George spends a lot of time thinking about leadership. He led medical-device maker Medtronic Inc. for a decade before stepping down as CEO in 2001. Today, he’s a director at Exxon Mobil Corp., Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Novartis AG. He also teaches management at Harvard Business School.

In a new book, "True North," published by Jossey-Bass, an imprint of John Wiley & Sons Inc., Mr. George discusses developing what he calls an "authentic" approach to leadership. Mr. George and assistants interviewed 125 leaders from businesses and nonprofits, aged 23 to 93, about their development as leaders. Mr. George recently discussed his findings with The Wall Street Journal. Excerpts follow:

By Erin White

From The Wall Street Journal Online

Full Story: http://www.careerjournal.com/columnists/theorypractice/20071210-theorypractice.html?cjcontent=mail