Shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2018

'Leadership' is in danger of becoming a tired phrase in the world of management - it may sound cerebral and important, but more often comes across as static and trite. Which might explain why so many 'leaders' feel like imposters; they may have a vision or masterplan, but the reality is daily messiness, acute uncertainty and fragile loyalty from team members. Often, they have been parachuted in to transform a complex situation, or promoted in unexpected circumstances. Are there more effective ways in which people can learn the art of being a great leader?

Being an effective leader is about the daily grind, and it is a far from glamorous existence, but it can be hugely rewarding if leaders are realistic about the choices they face. In many trades and professions, mastery of the subject can take a lifetime; leadership is no different. An apprenticeship approach can breathe life into the development of leaders, day in, day out.

Using insights gained by Ashridge Business School about how leaders really learn, Leadersmithing guides readers through the process of becoming more precisely job-ready and more effectively resourced for the challenges they face. The result is a more confident leader, more perceptive as to their vocation and mandate, and able to maintain the most effective position at the very top of their game.

Eve Poole joined Ashridge from Deloitte in 2002. Now an Ashridge Associate, Eve has taught across the Ashridge portfolio of open and custom programmes, as well as in the public, private and voluntary sectors. Eve's focus is on leadership, learning, emotional intelligence and ethics. She was the architect of the Ashridge Leadership Experience and continues her research into accelerated learning. She has a BA from Durham University, an MBA from Edinburgh University, and a PhD from Cambridge University. She is the author of Capitalism's Toxic Assumptions, published by Bloomsbury in March 2015.