In Red Pill: The Truth about Leadership, Paul effectively explains why all the writing on better leadership to date is fundamentally flawed. After this he sets about writing his own process to create better leaders. This book appeals to both the head and the heart by being intellectually critical of the facts, but emotionally connected to the values of leaders.
The red pill is harder to swallow, but necessary to cure what ails the management class of the world today. In his new book, due for publication in January 2016, Paul Ballman applies his extensive experience gathered during decades of coaching and assessing senior leaders in some of the biggest businesses in the world.
Red Pill is the antithesis of pointless, mundane, boring, laborious, uninformed leadership and management books that flood the market today promising to unveil the secrets to business success. The lessons are not soundbites or simple answers to basic questions; they are a series of paradigm-shifting lessons designed to undo years of misguided management rhetoric.
In the author’s own words: “Red Pill will appeal to readers who have been let down by the simplistic leadership models and formulas of consultants and academics that do not reflect the much more complex and contradictory reality that they face.”In his day job, Paul coaches international CEOs who have already achieved huge success. He enables them to hone their management techniques to garner even moresuccess.
Via Red Pill, Paul passes on this knowledge to his readers in an understandable, accessible medium based on a good sense of humour and meaningful examples – much appreciated in a sea of superfluous jargon and unrealistic promises.
About the Author
Paul has a huge wealth of experience in coaching and consulting with some of the most senior leaders in the business world. He studied at LSE before completing his doctorate in psychology at Birkbeck College, University of London. In 1998 he co-founded The Development Alliance and went on to join YSC the same year. In the 17 years that he worked at YSC he set up their online business, opened the Sydney office, oversaw the development of the Asia Pacific region and eventually assumed responsibility for all 17 global offices, becoming co-CEO in 2013.
Throughout this time he acted as an assessor, coach and consultant to the top levels of a range of clients in different sectors including Financial Services, FMCG, Retail, Pharmaceuticals and Mining. In 2015 Paul decided to leave YSC and return to telecommunications, where he first started and became Head of Leadership Development with Vodafone UK.
You can watch Paul in action, being interviewed about the ‘V W crisis’ here: https://www.europeanceo.com/business-and-management/is-crisis-management-about-manufacturing-heros-and-villains/
Quotes
“Red Pill is the antidote to all those 'leadership' books you have read because you felt you had to. It makes it clear that success lies not in some simple model or a single guru's teaching but in being yourself with more skill and taking on board the ideas and experiences of others along the way.” John Forrest, Former COO, Premier Inn
“Red Pill is refreshing and inspiring, and should be a bible for all leaders. While it bursts the bubble of heroic leaders, its thoughtfulness and honesty about the true challenge of leading will ring true with great leaders for whom it will offer great insight and a place to return to from the fray for its wisdom and for the simple pleasure of reading it.” Stephen Page, Chief Executive, Faber & Faber Ltd
