Strom - Lead with wisdom: how wisdom transforms good leaders into great leaders

Lead with Wisdom is a heartfelt, powerful,
compelling and beautifully observed map of leadership.

Sir Robert Bob Harvey KNZM QSO

Chair, Auckland Waterfront Authority

Mark Strom accomplishes a truly extraordinary task: illuminating how wisdom
drives leadership. His approach is intellectually fascinating and practically simple,
and reflects the impressive existential depth of his own lifes course.

Pierre Gurdjian

Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company, Brussels

I wish Id had Lead with Wisdom the past three years while our city has been
recovering from a natural disaster. Im inspired to never give up the hope
of a better future nor the search for a better way of leading.

Ngaire Button

Deputy Mayor, City of Christchurch

A truly original and deeply innovative guide to wise and powerful leadership.

Tom Morris PhD

Author of If Aristotle Ran General Motors, and many others.

Former Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame, USA

This is a wonderful and thoughtful treasure chest of the very human talents to be
learned on the journey to wise leadership. It is rich with stories of the ways in which
we can better connect with one another the foundation of leadership.
Mark has created a special guide for us all, as leaders, and as human beings.

Jo Brosnahan QSO

Founding Chair, Leadership New Zealand, Auckland

Profoundly reframes the connectivity of leadership and wisdom.

Jim Varghese AM

Chairman and Director

Former CEO, Springfield Land Corporation, Brisbane

Former Directors-General of Queensland Main Roads, and Education Queensland

A bright vision of real, true leadership.

Feena May DBA

Head of Global Learning and Development,

International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva

We have long needed a deeper theory around leadership.
This is it. Mark lifts the whole debate to a new level by aligning
the modern word of leader with the ancient concept of wisdom.

Tony Golsby-Smith PhD

Co-Founder and CEO, Second Road, Sydney

This book is a must. An inspiring, elegant, humanist vision of leadership.
A journey to the heart of being human.

Muriel Hanikenne

Coach and Career Development Manager,

GDF Suez Energy Europe, Brussels

In a world crying out for wise leaders who can speak to the
heart of matters and people, Marks insights both from the lens
of history and modern day stories will strike a chord.

Martin Tan

Co-Founder and Executive Director, Halogen Foundation, Singapore

Mark partnered me when I saw a real need to infuse
conversation around making a difference in the way my staff
and I catered to the needs of the students in our school.
What came from that partnership was truly remarkable and forever changed
the way we all saw our roles in the students lives. Mark has had an everlasting
and positive impact both on the school and on me personally.

Toni McKinnon

Former Principal, Liverpool West Primary School

The best book on the practical application of wisdom for life and leadership
Ive ever read. This book needs to become the alternative
leadership guide for the 21st century.

Mike Thompson PhD

Visiting Professor of Management Practice

China Europe International Business School, Shanghai

Co-founder and Chief Integrity Officer, Good Leaders Online (GLO), Shanghai

If youve ever felt unsettled by a formulaic approach to change
or hoped that there is a deeper and more noble path,
this is probably the alternate wisdom youve been looking for.

Ann Austin

National Sustainability Manager, Lend Lease Building, Sydney

A compelling map, guide and inspiration to those willing
to think and grow as leaders.

Selwyn DSouza

Partner, Head of Strategy, Deloitte Consulting Australia, Sydney

An inspiring and artful weaving together of ancient insight and modern realities.

Bessi Graham

CEO and Co-Founder, The Difference Incubator, Melbourne

This deceptively simple book provides profound advice and insight.

Bernard McKenna PhD

Associate Professor, University of Queensland Business School

It would be foolish to claim any book can turn you or anyone into a wise leader. But
this book is likely to set you, like it did for me,
on a path to dare to become one.

Laurent Ledoux

President of the Executive Committee,

Federal Public Service for Mobility & Transports, Brussels

Offers a fundamental schema for effective leadership with humanity,
integrity and brilliance.

Mark Diamond

Instructional Leader and Leadership Mentor,

Department of Education and Communities NSW, Sydney

A hymn to our history, our nature, and the beauty of inspiring the best in others.

Ana de Montvert

Business Ethics Work Stream Leader, Caux Initiatives for Business, Zurich

Poignant, elegant, substantive, profound, simple.

Theary Seng

President, CIVICUS, Phnom Penh

First published in 2014 by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
42 McDougall St, Milton Qld 4064
Office also in Melbourne

Interpretive Consulting Pty Ltd 2014

The moral rights of the author have been asserted

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data:

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (for example, a fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review), no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. All inquiries should be made to the publisher at the address above.

Disclaimer

The material in this publication is of the nature of general comment only, and does not represent professional advice. It is not intended to provide specific guidance for particular circumstances and it should not be relied on as the basis for any decision to take action or not take action on any matter which it covers. Readers should obtain professional advice where appropriate before making any such decision. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the author and publisher disclaim all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any person taking or not taking action based on the information in this publication.

To the generations that follow: Miriam, Luke & Jo, Hannah & Leon, and your little ones on the way. You teach me what it is to walk and lead in wisdom and grace.

INTRODUCTION

Mud. Thats what Aussie bricklayers call mortar. Leadership is a lot like laying bricks. Every day you handle bricks. These are the substantial things that have to be done, delivered, checked, and signed off. But in and around them is the mortar of countless small things. Like the words you use. Or the corridor chats. Or what you did with that nagging intuition. Or if you were really present in that conversation yesterday. Or whether you believe your own strategy. The strength of a wall is in the mortar, not the bricks. This is a book about laying bricks. The mud is wisdom.