A Passion for Leadership

Outline

A Passion for Leadership (2016) shares lessons on reforming large organisations, drawn from Robert Gates’s fifty years of public service. He explains how leaders can bring real change to big institutions by setting a clear vision, building support, listening to people at every level, and treating employees with respect. The practical advice applies to government agencies, universities, and businesses alike.

• Reforming a large organisation starts with a clear vision that people at every level can understand and follow.
• Leaders who build support for change early face less resistance than those who impose it from above.
• Listening to employees at every level reveals problems that senior leaders rarely see on their own.
• Treating employees with respect is a practical tool for change, not just a matter of courtesy.
• The same lessons apply to government agencies, universities, and businesses, drawn from fifty years of public service.

Robert Gates is an American public servant who served as U.S. Secretary of Defense under two presidents and earlier as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He also served as president of Texas A&M University. His books include his memoir Duty, A Passion for Leadership, and Exercise of Power.