An aspiring leader can become a good manager, but in order to lead his team or company to success in the uncertainties of the modern world, he needs to develop leadership skills. Most books on leadership qualities and abilities offer slick quick fixes without the practical foundations of effective leadership. Ron Ashkenaz and Brooke Manville, longtime consultants and Harvard Business Review writers, fill this gap with a step-by-step guide to mastering six essential leadership practices.

With examples from the experiences of prominent Federal executives bank, media company Thomson Reuters, Ford Foundation and other authors share how to create a company vision, develop a competitive strategy, build an outstanding team, achieve your goals, innovate and manage yourself.