"Intentional Leadership: The Big 8 Capabilities Setting Leaders Apart" by Rose M. Patten is a three-star examination of leadership in a time marked by unprecedented speed, connection, and uncertainty. Patten, drawing on her extensive experience as one of Canada's influential leaders, addresses the often-neglected space of developing effective leadership in the face of evolving business models and challenges.

One of the strengths of the book is Patten's focus on the human side of leading, emphasizing the need for continuous renewal. The framework presented, tested with over 900 senior leaders, offers a guide for self-reflection and growth in leadership. Patten challenges common myths about leadership capabilities, asserting that they require more than time to develop—they necessitate self-awareness, feedback, intention, adjustment, and practice.

The book aims to be inclusive, catering to leaders across various sectors, from CEOs of large corporations to individuals working in government or leading not-for-profit organizations. The broad applicability of the principles presented in "Intentional Leadership" is commendable, recognizing that leadership skills are essential in diverse contexts.

Patten's emphasis on the importance of self-awareness and intentional growth is a key takeaway. The book encourages leaders at all levels to engage in continuous learning, adjustment, and practice, debunking the notion that leadership capabilities automatically develop over time.

While the book provides a thoughtful exploration of leadership capabilities, it may fall short in providing concrete tools or actionable steps for readers to implement the concepts discussed. Some readers may find themselves yearning for more practical guidance and real-world examples to complement the theoretical framework.

Additionally, the comprehensive nature of the book, addressing a wide range of leadership scenarios, may result in a lack of depth in certain areas. Readers seeking an in-depth exploration of specific leadership challenges or industries may find the content to be more of an overview.

In conclusion, "Intentional Leadership" is a three-star exploration of leadership capabilities in the contemporary business landscape. Rose M. Patten's insights, drawn from her influential leadership experience, offer a valuable perspective on the importance of continuous renewal and intentional growth. While the book provides a solid framework for self-reflection, it could benefit from more practical tools and a deeper dive into specific leadership challenges.

Interesting and well written I just personally couldn’t get into the story. Difficult to follow at times and a little slow. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A good book with solid leadership advice to make the best of your management..

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Patten believes that some leaders are natural, they just know what to do. But, leaders can also be made. they can learn to plan for the long-term. Using real-life experiences by leaders from across industries, Patten goes through the Big 8 capabilities that people need to be successful leaders in today's world because, today, it is harder than ever to be a leader. The world is changing quickly and we can't rely on the tried and true methods of yesterday working the way they used to.

Patten doesn't just dive into the 8 capabilities. Instead, we learn about the problems facing leaders today. We see the myths about leadership that still exist as well as the new problems that are facing leaders as the working world evolves.
The 8 capabilities are further divided into three sets which really resonate with the current workplace: Mindset (personal adaptability, strategic agility, self-renewal); Personal Values (certainty of character, empathy); Connecting (contextual communication, spirited collaboration, developing other leaders.) Patten goes through each of the 8 capabilities in the later chapters and explains more about what they are and why they're needed.
Overall, a lovely book though there are a lot of mentions of subsections and other leadership ideas which can be a little confusing at times.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out January 7, 2023
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and University of Toronto Press
Opinions are my own