To be an effective leader you need to know your strengths—but that’s only part of the story. You also need a broad perspective on all the behaviors needed to be an effective leader. This book provides both.

Using the third-generation DiSC® online personality assessment—one of the most scientifically validated tools available—The 8 Dimensions of Leadership helps you identify your primary leadership dimension. Whether you are a Pioneering, Energizing, Affirming, Inclusive, Humble, Deliberate, Resolute, or Commanding leader, the authors help you understand the psychological drivers, motivations, and “blind spots” characteristic of your style.

But no single style will take you all the way. A Humble leader may have a hard time making tough decisions. A Commanding leader may run roughshod over potential allies. The authors detail the lessons all leaders can learn from each style, enabling you to craft a multidimensional approach to becoming the leader you aspire to be.

The 8 Dimensions of Leadership is the first book to explore leadership through the lens of Inscape's third generation DiSC model of human behavior. This title is designed to paint an inclusive picture of the varied approaches that make for strong leadership. It primarily focuses on the interpersonal realm of leadership and helps readers identify which of the eight approaches comes most naturally to them.

Sugerman, Scullard and Wilhelm show readers how to determine which of the eight DiSC dimensions aligns best with their leadership approach: Pioneering, Energizing, Affirming, Inclusive, Humble, Deliberative, Resolute or Commanding. The authors explore the strengths and weaknesses of each style in depth. But they also emphasize that any single-dimensional approach to leadership is incomplete. It's not enough to just build on your strengths. To be truly effective you need to incorporate all eight dimensions into your leadership approach. This book will give readers new, scientifically-based insights into what makes them tick as leaders and show them how they can continue to hone their skills.

“For a fresh outlook on what it takes to be a great leader, read this book. The 8 Dimensions of Leadership is an insightful, practical guide—a leader could spend ten or twenty years learning some of the lessons you’ll take away. Don’t wait.”
—Keith Ferrazzi, bestselling author of Never Eat Alone

“The 8 Dimensions of Leadership is a treasure trove of practical leadership advice. Built upon a solid research-based foundation, the book is a remarkable collection of proven developmental strategies. Clear and engaging, it is a must-read for those who aim to sharpen their leadership skills and improve their interpersonal effectiveness.”
—Steven Snyder, founder and Managing Director, Snyder Leadership Group, and former CEO, Net Perceptions Inc.

“It is always refreshing to read a research-based book on leadership that presents convincing evidence that the best leaders are not ‘single celled’ or ‘one-trick ponies.’ The book guides all leaders to discovering new behaviors that enable them to go beyond their autopilot approaches and the ultimate ruts that so many leaders dig for themselves.”
—Jack Zenger, CEO, Zenger Folkman, and coauthor of the bestselling The Extraordinary Leader and The Extraordinary Coach

“The quest for leadership is first an inner quest to discover who you are, and one of the best places to begin that quest is with The 8 Dimensions of Leadership. Jeffrey Sugerman, Mark Scullard, and Emma Wilhelm challenge the widely accepted, but fundamentally flawed, assumption that you should lead only with your strengths. They argue most persuasively that you must stretch yourself beyond your primary dimension in order to meet the demands of today’s multidimensional environment. This highly personalized book is based on solid evidence, crammed with real-life examples, and full of practical suggestions that you can use immediately. You will be, as I was, richly rewarded when you read it and apply it.”
—Jim Kouzes, Dean’s Executive Professor of Leadership, Leavey School of Business, and coauthor of the bestselling The Leadership Challenge and The Truth about Leadership

“An enormously valuable book for anyone interested in greater effectiveness in the new era of leveraging relationships! So much of what many of us want to get done these days requires an understanding of what makes us more or less comfortable as we engage with our world and the key people in it, and this should be considered a prime resource. Don’t let the simplicity and easily intuitive quality of its contents fool you. This is a power tool. As a more than twenty-year DiSC profile user and advocate, I was already familiar with and sympathetic to the basic model. But as I engaged with its simple but subtle concepts and suggestions, I was stunned by its ability to hit home for me in so many aspects of my own current leadership challenges and opportunities. It delivered instant validation and inspired direction for me. Bravo!”
—David Allen, Chairman, David Allen Company, and author of Getting Things Done