What makes a leader truly effective? It’s question that’s been at the center of conferences, workshops, blogs, and MBA courses for decades, and a topic of books and debates for centuries.

The most effective leaders guide others rather than command them. They seek to influence rather than control, and to inspire rather than intimidate. They earn loyalty by empowering people to be their best in pursuit of a higher purpose.

Are some people just born with the “leadership gene,” or can those qualities and capabilities actually be taught, and learned?

Among the individuals who’ve given that question extensive thought and study is Joe Contrera, president and founder of Alive @ Work ® LLC, a leadership development company committed to helping Extraordinary Leaders Achieve Extraordinary Results.

He’s a leadership speaker, coach, consultant, and author of three books. His most recent book, Extraordinary Results: Mastering the Art of Leading, Coaching, & Influencing Others has become a vital resource for leaders in organizations across the country who understand the importance of influence to effective leadership.

Here’s the story of Extraordinary Results.

The Inspiration

Webbiquity: What inspired you to write this book?

Joe Contrera: It was the culmination of taking everything I had learned educating and developing leaders for 19 years and putting it into a format that was more of a “how to  lead and influence” versus a nice book with a lot of theory.
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