Leadership Shock: Using Authenticity to Navigate the Hidden Dangers of Career Success

Even the most experienced leaders can find themselves suddenly lost when facing a new role or work environment. Despite past success, long-held instincts lead to frustration and a sense of ineffectiveness. This phenomenon is called leadership shock. In Leadership Shock, executive coach Peter Steinberg draws on decades of experience guiding leaders through major transitions to provide a clear framework for recognizing, overcoming, and preventing leadership shock. Using insightful case studies from his own practice, Steinberg introduces the authentic leadership model—a process for leaders to examine their purpose, role expectations, vision, priorities, and approach to reset their leadership style to thrive in new environments. Leadership Shock teaches readers to view leadership as an adaptive, continuous process rather than a fixed set of behaviors. By regularly re-evaluating their leadership models, professionals at any level can evolve their principles and actions to lead with authenticity as they navigate new challenges. With practical exercises and tools, Dr. Steinberg outlines a methodology to help leaders recover from the disorientation of leadership shock and unlock their full potential. The book provides the self-awareness and resilience today's professionals need to embrace change fearlessly and lead with purpose. Leadership Shock offers hope and a clear path forward for leaders facing the inevitable shocks of a complex world.