Warren Bennis is the guru on leadership. He has written many books and taught at many reputed universities. This memoir was written when he was 85. Warren Bennis was the second Director at IIM Calcutta in 1962

1. Still Surprised
A Memoir of a Life in Leadership
Warren Bennis

2. Stories are a powerful way to
connect and engage with others

3. Leadership is a performance art
and most of us become leaders
only when we are cast in that role.

4. We crave the approval of those
around us and that affects
members for good or ill

5. Trust is a common bond that you
forge. Courage is so often a
function of that sense of
belonging, and sometimes so is
cowardice.

6. The military is a great equalizer.
All that mattered was
performance not where you came
from or how wealthy you were.

7. The roles we play in our lives have
more to do with our successes /
failures and less to do with our
persona histories.

8. In the military, you do as you are
told,it is as automatic as
responding to a traffic light.

9. Leaders have an ability to absorb
punishment and that’s what
makes them great. Poor managers
snap quickly.

10. A leader cannot avoid the exercise
of his authority any more than he
can avoid responsibility for what
happens in his organization.

11. A LEADER SHOULD NEVER GET
OVERTLY INVOLVED OR PROTECT
THE WEAKEST MEMBER IN A
TEAM.

12. Paying undivided respectful
attention makes you more
empathetic, an important but
undervalued leadership skill.

13. There is something about seeing
someone everyday that creates
trust. To have a seat at the table,
you first have to be in the room.

14. Every leader to be effective must
simultaneously adhere to the
symbols of change and revision
the symbols of tradition and
stability.

15. We identified traits like empathy,
respect and insight in dealing with
others, ie emotional wisdom as
important for successful leaders.

16. It became clear through research
that not charisma but ability to
inspire trust allows leaders to
recruit others.

17. It is strange the way a career
develops over the years without
your realizing it.

18. Leadership is typically forged in a
crucible, an event or experience
that tests and transforms a
person.