The authors of Great Leaders Grow use a fable to lay out what is the secret to great leadership in this internationally bestselling guide.

It’s a question that everyone in a position of authority—whether in a multinational corporation or a local volunteer group—wonders sooner or later. Here Ken Blanchard, whose books on leadership have sold over twenty million copies, and Mark Miller, who worked his way up from line worker to vice president of Chick-Fil-A, one of the largest fast-food restaurant chains in the country, uncover the secret that great leaders already know and detail what you need to do to truly inspire and motivate others.

The authors get at the heart of what makes a leader successful using a classic business fable. Newly promoted but struggling young executive Debbie Brewster asks her mentor, “What is the secret of great leaders?” His reply—“great leaders serve”—flummoxes her, but over time he reveals the five fundamental ways that leaders succeed through service. Along the way, Debbie learns:

• Why great leaders seem preoccupied with the future
• How people on the team ultimately determine your success or failure
• What three arenas require continuous improvement
• Why true success in leadership has two essential components
• How to knowingly strengthen—or unwittingly destroy—leadership credibility

This new edition includes a leadership self-assessment so readers can measure to what extent they lead by serving and where they can improve. The authors have also added answers to the most frequently asked questions about how to apply the SERVE model in the real world. As practical as it is uplifting, The Secret shares Blanchard and Miller’s wisdom about leadership in a form that anyone can easily understand and implement.

“You don’t have to be older to be a great leader. The Secret shows how to lay the foundation for powerful servant leadership early in your career to maximize your impact.” —Claire Diaz-Ortiz, Head of Corporate Innovation and Philanthropy at Twitter, Inc. and author of Twitter for Good and Hope Runs

“When you learn The Secret, don't keep it to yourself. Share it and use it with your people. It will make a difference in their lives and their performance.” —Donald G. Soderquist, former Vice Chairman, Wal-Mart, and founder of the Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics, John Brown University

“If you know The Secret, both relationships and results will prosper. It's a perfect move in your life from success to significance.” —Bob Buford, author of Halftime

In The Secret, Debbie, a struggling leader finds herself about to lose her job due to poor performance. In a desperate attempt to save her career, she enrolls in a new mentoring program offered by her company. Much to her surprise, Debbie finds her mentor is the president of the company (Jeff Brown). Debbie decides that all she needs is the answer to one question: "What is the secret of great leaders?" She is convinced that if Jeff will tell her, she can apply the secret in her leadership. Over the next 18 months Jeff explains to Debbie that the secret is rooted in an attitude. He tells her that she must be willing to become a serving leader rather than a self-serving leader. The secret is that all great leaders SERVE.

“My challenge to you is simple: learn The Secret—then apply The Secret. If you do, your leadership and your life will be transformed forever!”
—from the foreword by John C. Maxwell, author of the bestselling The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and founder of INJOY

“You don’t have to be older to be a great leader. The Secret shows how to lay the foundation for powerful servant leadership early in your career to maximize your impact.”
—Claire Diaz-Ortiz, Head of Corporate Innovation and Philanthropy at Twitter, Inc. and author of Twitter for Good and Hope Runs

“When you learn The Secret, don't keep it to yourself. Share it and use it with your people. It will make a difference in their lives and their performance.”
—Donald G. Soderquist, former Vice Chairman, Wal-Mart, and founder of the Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics, John Brown University

“If you know The Secret, both relationships and results will prosper. It's a perfect move in your life from success to significance.”
—Bob Buford, author of Halftime