“A timely rethinking of the role of agency in leadership. Guiding the Tide provides meaningful, thoughtful advice for every modern leader.”

“The authors really know what they are talking about. Their real world experience is unparalleled. They unfold how you can learn to Guide the Tide with precision, humility, empathy and deep knowledge know-how.”

“The authors of Guiding the Tide manage to achieve an unusual feat; they offer an unvarnished vision of the challenges of our current unstable, non-linear, conflicted and polarizing business context while offering a personal and human set of narratives that illustrate successes, failures and the potential for growth. The core of this book is about how we all can take control of the narrative of our leadership journey – a task that although not easy, is immensely rewarding. Donner et al do this by weaving the experiences and growth of a composite protagonist throughout the book, making the daunting and complex feel more human-scaled and possible. Most importantly, the book’s lessons are rooted in honesty – skillful honesty with ourselves and others, even when it is challenging; honesty in assessing the truth of our operating context, even when our tendency is to self-delude; and finally, honesty about what we cannot control but also – and here is the real gift of this book – honesty about what we can and must control, even when it is tempting to abdicate responsibility.”

“The authors set out to write Guiding the Tide with the goal of challenging the narrative of successful leadership in the ever-changing context of our times and they have done that in a very compelling way. At its core is an invitation – that there is a need to both ‘deconstruct’ the past while one finds a way to ‘construct’ one’s personal agency – the need to be proactive, to create that forward momentum; and yet take people with you while you’re on that journey. This is a tough but compelling message to land, but the authors have done that admirably, drawing on their years of experience in this field. I could relate to this in particular as a practitioner in this space myself. The invitation to go on a journey with Maria and see ourselves in her, is full of resonance as we all know how hard it is to take control of our leadership journeys even though that’s what we strive to do. Anchoring the proposition in the three practices of honest engagement, addressing reality, and adaptive impact makes it a very compelling playbook indeed, inspiring for those who are waiting to author their story while it unfolds around them. Thank you Jonathan, Frank, and Sudhanshu for leading us into this very important conversation.”

“Jonathan, Frank, and Sudhanshu have created an invitation for all of us. How do we really lead in a world in which true agency and impact seems fleeting? They show us how we can find the pivot point that allows each of us to deliver results-beyond-results. The invitation is to deliver powerful results with the real gift of followership, sustainability and human creativity in a digital world.”

“Most leaders feel caught in the cross-currents and riptides of a fast-changing and polarized landscape, where every week brings a new challenge or crisis. Staying agile and reacting to events is no longer enough. Guiding the Tide will help leaders find their grip on the rudder, read the winds, and proactively chart a path through the storm to a new and promising future.”

“Guiding the Tide is a compelling call to action to embrace personal agency in navigating today’s intricate challenges. For those seeking to lead with significance, foster growth and sustainable impact, this book is a must-read. Filled with practical wisdom and profound insights, it offers an engaging roadmap for navigating the complexities of our era.”

“The timing for ‘Guiding the Tide’ couldn’t be better. This meaningful playbook serves as a guide and call to action for leaders to embrace their personal agency, manage the deep paradoxes of our polarized and chaotic world, lead with purpose and humility and create sustainable, meaningful value.”

“Guiding the Tide” is a transformative book that empowers leaders to navigate the complexities of the 21st century with personal agency. In the face of digitalization, environmental challenges, and a polarized world, this book serves as a guiding light and call to action for leaders to proactively shape their own stories and make a meaningful impact in a rapidly changing and increasingly complex world. Highly recommended!”

“In this era of polarization and activism, ‘Guiding The Tide’ makes the brilliant case for why and how leaders can proactively manage complexity by approaching situations with a mindset of humility, inquiry and curiosity.”