Reviewed by Leonard Smuts for Readers' Favorite

Thom Mayer MD takes a fresh look at leadership in Leadership Is Worthless...But Leading Is Priceless: What I Learned from 9/11, the NFL, and Ukraine. He redefines leadership by explaining the apparent contradiction in the title, pointing out that leadership is a noun and simply a label while leading is a verb that implies action. He asserts that we are already leaders, although we may not know it. We all can influence others, help them, and motivate them. Leadership should not be seen as a burden and should be liberating. The author contrasts the leadership style of the so-called C-suite top management structure with the We-suite - a more inclusive approach that regards leaders as partners rather than bosses. We should not be relegated to being mere hired hands. He promotes keeping things simple, building relationships, being bold in our approach, and to keep questioning. Teamwork is another key area, while vision, mission, and value statements are useful and empowering. The book reflects on the reality that while the expanding volume of data can be useful, it is not intelligent in itself. It first has to be translated into knowledge before it can finally become wisdom. The three-step formula is to think, act, and innovate. Slogans are worthless but action is priceless. The message is to start now and find the passion the author calls your deep joy.

Thom Mayer is a medical doctor and the Medical Director for the NFL Players Association. He is an accomplished author and has extensive experience in crisis management. Leadership Is Worthless...But Leading Is Priceless is neither a memoir nor just another book on leadership. It is aimed at bringing out the leader in everybody and is packed with common-sense advice based on years of being at the coalface of both medical trauma and rubbing shoulders with many of the NFL sporting heroes and innovative leaders. Naturally, the author draws heavily on his time with the NFL and the book abounds with anecdotes and quotations regarding football, but also includes the wisdom of many other well-known figures. The book is refreshing in its approach and does not rely on hype or measure success in monetary terms. Instead, the central message is that we as individuals are all leaders, and the author lays the foundation on how to be effective in that role, regardless of our station in life. This inspiring and well-researched work is backed up by an extensive list of sources and an excellent index. It is a worthwhile addition to any bookshelf and should be read more than once.