Kevin Gaskell
Inspired Leadership
“In Inspired Leadership, Gaskell passes along fantastic insights from his personal experience of leading some of the world's great brands, building new companies and revitalising stalled businesses. His knowledge – often gained the hard way – helps leaders appreciate that building an extraordinary team with ordinary people is simple, but not easy. Inspired leaders recognise their own strengths and weaknesses, provide continuous coaching and pay attention to their team. Inspiring leaders encourage teams to share beliefs and strive for common goals and in doing so they create something special and successful and fun. Read this book and use the process to build your own success”.
“In any performance situation leadership is what makes the greatest difference. Not only from the person designated as leader but when displayed by everyone in the team. Inspired Leaders are those special leaders able to ensure that every team member is engaged and able to fully contribute their ideas and energy. Inspired Leadership offers any leader, at any level, an indispensable guide to ensuring their team perform at the top of their game every day”.
“The lessons in this book are applicable to any commercial sector, or indeed any team. Working with Kevin we have applied his structured approach to the music and entertainment industry. We have taken his advice, tools and process and created a hugely successful business of inspired musicians performing extraordinary music for audiences all over the world”.
“Teamwork is critical to success at the highest level. Team members need leaders who see beyond the obvious and generate ideas with wider reaching impact. Being part of implementing those ideas is exciting. This is possible when Inspired Leadership is demonstrated at all levels in the team. This book shows how to achieve this level of inspiration and success in the real world”.
Inspired Leadership
How You Can Achieve Extraordinary Results in Business
Kevin Gaskell
This edition first published 2017
© 2017 Kevin Gaskell
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Gaskell, Kevin, 1958- author.
Title: Inspired leadership: how you can achieve extraordinary results in business / by Kevin Gaskell.
Description: Hoboken, NJ; Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, 2017. | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2017030698 (print) | ISBN 9781119383024 (pbk.)
Subjects: LCSH: Leadership. | Industrial management. | Success in business.
Classification: LCC HD57.7 (ebook) | LCC HD57.7 .G3775 2017 (print) | DDC 658.4/092 – dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017030698
Cover design: Wiley
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book is written with grateful thanks to everyone with whom I have shared my business journey and adventures. The stories told and the many lessons learnt have their roots in the times when we committed and won – and occasionally when we battled but lost.
Along the way I have met inspiring people, too many to name, who have taught me all that I know about leadership and success. Those people lived their own journey and I am grateful that the crossing of our paths meant that we could share some adventures and wins.
My journey could not have been possible without the enduring patience of my family and friends who never ceased to support me while I immersed myself in the companies I led. Each of you have inspired me and kept me grounded in the real world and for that I am eternally thankful.
This book was in the planning phase for some time but it would not have happened without the expert support of Tim Phillips. He turned my memories, principles and philosophy into a readable structure.
I have written this book with the primary intention of encouraging the inspiring leaders of the future. Whether you are a new leader setting out on your leadership journey, or an experienced leader facing a challenge which is offering you an opportunity to learn and grow, I hope that you will find inspiration and techniques in these pages. Use this book to support you, challenge you and allow you to reach your own vision of success.
Never forget, most limitations are self-imposed, so remove them and fly.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kevin Gaskell is widely considered to be one of the outstanding leaders of his generation. The youngest ever Managing Director of Porsche, Lamborghini and BMW, he led all three companies to record growth and performance. He then walked away to follow his own passion and learn the hard way what it takes to found and build a great company from just a good idea.
He has enjoyed 25 years of success as a business leader, founding startups, driving turnarounds and leading major brands in sectors from technology to gardening. The teams he has led have created over £3 billion in shareholder value.
In this book, he shares his experiences of repeatedly inspiring teams to achieve extraordinary performance in businesses ranging from 7 to 7,000 employees.