
The Power of Giving Away Power
How the Best Leaders Learn to Let Go
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Narrated by:
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Matthew Barzun
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By:
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Matthew Barzun
About this listen
“This book is a breakthrough. It’s beautifully written, perfectly timed and heralds a new way forward. I’m buying a dozen copies to share with friends and colleagues.” (Seth Godin, Founder of altMBA and author of The Practice)
If you let go of hierarchy, chaos will reign...or so many leaders believe.
But when leaders find the courage to distribute rather than hoard power, creativity multiplies, trust deepens, and inclusivity expands...and a new kind of order emerges.
A few rare leaders have learned to embrace a new organizational shape and mindset: Constellations. Organizations designed as constellations are dynamic and flexible networks of distinct yet interwoven individuals. Each member of the team feels like a singular star and is also connected to others to form something greater. That is how Visa reimagined how we pay for things, how Wikipedia beat the richest company in the world and how Barack Obama and his grassroots team revolutionized political campaigning. These leaders did what most leaders dread - they gave away power.
Barzun brilliantly layers lessons across history and industries with his own experiences as an internet entrepreneur, political organizer, and US ambassador to the United Kingdom and Sweden. The Power of Giving Away Power shows how the Constellation mindset shines in some of the most impactful organizations and innovations the world has ever known. And it encourages us all to recognize, as Barzun writes, "the power we can create by seeing the power in others" - and making the leap to lead. Together.
©2021 Matthew Barzun (P)2021 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“He can indeed make his constellation theory sound appealing.... The Power of Giving Away Power is surprisingly (and refreshingly) nonpartisan.” (The Wall Street Journal)
“Bravo. These are ideas that can heal and inspire in a time when we are suspicious, tribal, at each others’ throats.” (Ken Burns, documentary filmmaker)
“Matthew Barzun might well be the first modest man to write a great book on leadership. This is a gift." (Richard Thaler, Nobel Prize Laureate and coauthor of Nudge)
Great Quick Listen
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Having read a lot of books in the same general space as this one—leadership, public policy, history—and especially with the books that are advocating a new way of doing or looking at things, I usually end up thinking they were about twice as long as they needed to be. They’re basically a TED Talk with a bunch of anecdotes to turn them into a book. With this book, I was left wishing there was more.
Barzun seems to have wanted to be careful not to obscure his broader thesis by making it too much about himself. But, I found the parts about his own story super-compelling and would have loved to hear more. Author: please write a memoir!
Big ideas in a compact package
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Brilliant
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Not what I was expecting
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An Extraordinary and Important Book
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Phenomenal!
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Spectacular Leadership book
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Enjoyable take on leadership
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This book has definitely earned the top position in all of the 19 books I've read this year (it's June of 2021). And I'm sure it'll launch some pretty amazing changes in the future of business, politics, and all forms of leadership diplomacy alike.
Wow
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Recommended reading for leaders - current and aspiring
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