“Ignorance, Myopia, Reductionism, Abdication, Cowardice, Abuse of rank, Corruption, can be faced and overcome when leaders see their work as a calling and inspire meaning making in others. Leaders who make the choice to lead through responsible leadership will help make organizations both safe for their employees and profitable for their investors. What a wonderful allegory. Adderley’s journey through leadership shadows should help every leader avoid these pitfalls. Patricia is a creative and insightful writer.

–Dave Ulrich, Professor, School of Business, University of Michigan and Partner, The RBL Group

In  this  thought-provoking,  inspirational,  and  imaginative  allegory,  join a fictional hero for an all-too-real journey through the shadow side of leadership and its many challenges. Our hero faces into the distortions and personal dilemmas that accompany his leadership role, seeing five ways that leaders fail and two ways they abuse their power. In the process, he learns seven lessons that will make him a great and principled leader for these very challenging times.

This book is for those who are or want to be in a formal leadership role; aspire to be great and respected leaders; and are willing to face into the darker  aspects  of  power,  its  temptations  and  misperceptions  in  order to switch on the light. As Jim Kouzes, coauthor of the bestselling The Leadership Challenge asserts, “The Shadow Side of Power is just plain great storytelling, the kind that draws you in, stirs your passions, sustains your interest, teaches meaningful lessons, and leaves you both gratified and wanting more.”

For four decades, Pat McLagan has worked with business and government sectors to develop leaders and to transform leadership systems. She is the second woman and fifteenth person in the Human Resource Development Hall of Fame and is known globally for her publications, provocative speeches, and change management work. Here, Pat draws on in-depth experience with leaders at all levels in a variety of institutions globally, knowing firsthand the immense energy and promise that comes along with formal power.

“I’ve read lots of management books and this one is much deeper than most in its approach to power and leadership. It has a good flow to it with the fictional storytelling to illustrate the points. Therefore, enjoyable to read.”

–Dr. Pat Cataldo, Managing Director – Executive Development at University of North Carolina

“I am blown away by McLagan’s ability to weave language so artfully and richly! I love the “principles” and “sins” that the book is based on. Relevant, timely, appropriate for all types of leaders across many types of institutions as you demonstrate in characters we meet along the journey! I grinned at the whole-brain example in particular and the disconnected cables with the four colors—well done!”

–Ann HerrmannNehdi, CEO, Herrmann International, Inc.

“I truly LOVE the concept presented in The Shadow Side of Power. It is a seminal approach to discussing leadership and how its dark side is so alarmingly easy to fall into. McLagan has done a remarkable job of creating a modern day allegory that hits the core of the unfortunately all too true and scary abuses of power we learn about every day in our world. The lessons here are legion and will stick with readers for years after they’ve digested it, as long as they are willing to face the reality that we all have a little of Adderley’s dark side in us. A must read for current and aspiring leadership practitioners, before it’s too late.”