This book is written for the new generation of leaders—from recently elected CEOs to students considering whether they want to become leaders, and all the leaders in between who are preparing for added responsibilities. Its message is simple to state but challenging to realize: we need authentic leaders to run our organizations, leaders committed to stewardship of their assets and to making a difference in the lives of the people they serve.

Raised in the era of President John F. Kennedy and the New Frontier, my generation started out idealistically confident that we could change the world through our leadership. Along the way many leaders were seduced by immediate opportunities for personal wealth and wound up sacrificing the future of their organizations and the people they led.

Having been a corporate executive for more than thirty years, the last ten as CEO of Medtronic, I have known a vast array of business leaders and the companies they work for. All my experiences lead me to the same conclusion: when leaders are dedicated stewards and lead in an authentic manner, they build enduring organizations that do great good for people and make an enormous difference in the world. Are we prepared to permit greed to distract us from this goal and lead us down a path of destruction?

I wrote this book to convince current and future leaders that there is a better way to lead companies—a way that builds strong, enduring organizations and benefits all a company’s stakeholders, its customers, employees, and shareholders. It doesn’t mean authentic leaders won’t be rewarded for their efforts. In fact, their rewards will reach far beyond well-earned monetary rewards to the satisfaction of making a difference in the lives of customers, providing great opportunities for employees, and generating superior long-term returns for shareholders. At the same time, authentic leaders lead authentic lives and have time to share with their families.

The book also examines the relationship between leaders and the organizations they lead. It shows how leaders grow from the interaction with their organizations in creating authentic companies. It demonstrates that their organizations are highly effective in competing in the market.

Writing this book has been a source of great joy, affording as it did the challenge of condensing all my leadership philosophies into a single, logical narrative. While I didn’t set out to write an autobiography, it was only natural to use personal experiences in describing the challenges authentic leaders face and how they can be dealt with. Throughout the book I have endeavored to be candid, open, and introspective.

The Introduction offers a perspective on how the current leadership crisis developed and the proposition that the solution requires new leadership, not new laws. Part One describes the dimensions of authentic leaders, illustrates how leaders develop through transformational experiences, and examines leading an authentic life by balancing work and home life.

Part Two explores how leaders build authentic companies. It presents the central proposition that mission-driven companies create far greater shareholder value over the long term than do financially oriented companies. It shows how values-centered organizations become peak performers, and how companies that empower their employees generate superior customer service. It makes the case that it is great teams, not charismatic CEOs, that build great organizations. The last chapter shows how authentic companies generate superior results for all their stakeholders.

Part Three shows how authentic companies compete in the marketplace, looking first at the seven pitfalls that break the growth cycle of successful companies. The succeeding chapters explore what companies must do to fulfill their missions, look at ethical dilemmas and how they are resolved, and probe the process leading to breakthrough innovations. The concluding chapters propose that acquisitions should not be primarily about money but to build organizations, and address the challenges of meeting the needs of various stakeholder groups.

Part Four goes beyond the bottom line to look at the crucial differences between governing and managing, when it is time for leaders to take their case to the public arena, and how to prepare for succession and move on to new challenges. The Epilogue issues a challenge to future leaders to make a meaningful difference in the world.

My deepest hope is that these ideas will help inspire a new generation of leaders to lead authentically and build authentic companies.