Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others

Two kinds of leaders populate the world: those who inspire and those who infuriate. Which will you be?

Whether you’re a leader, a member of a team, a spouse, or a parent, this engaging and rigorous exploration of leadership skills unpacks the science of inspiration. Through compelling stories, fascinating research, and practical tips for addressing the common dilemmas we face daily, Inspire reveals how all of us, regardless of status or circumstance, can be more inspiring more often. 

Social psychologist and leadership expert Adam Galinsky has spent three decades building a method for determining when we are inspiring versus infuriating, and where various leaders—presidents, CEOs, coaches, teachers, parents, and a wealth of others—currently land on that spectrum. 

Galinsky shows how inspiring leaders can fill us with a wellspring of hope and possibility as they guide us to become better versions of ourselves. In contrast, infuriating leaders disappoint and annoy, fueling seething cauldrons of rage. But both types of leaders are deeply connected—together, they represent a universal continuum rooted in organizational psychology and the very architecture of the human brain. This means that inspiring leaders aren’t born—instead, we can inspire or infuriate in any given moment through our behavior, words, or presence. 

In this captivating book, Galinsky identifies the three universal archetypes of truly great leaders and explains how each of us can develop these characteristics within ourselves to become more inspiring:

• Visionaries offer a big-picture, optimistic, and engaging vision of the future;
• Exemplars are courageous and calm protectors who authentically express their passion while remaining consistent in word and deed;
• Mentors encourage, empower, and elevate others while challenging them to reach their potential.

Inspire is an essential guide to becoming not only a better leader but also an effective decision-maker, a dynamic problem-solver, a value-creating negotiator, and an inclusive innovator, giving you the tools to navigate complex workplace dynamics.

Adam Galinsky is an American social psychologist and the Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School. He has published more than 200 scientific articles on leadership, negotiations, diversity, and ethics. Along with Maurice Schweitzer, he co-authored Friend & Foe. He has been a damages expert in numerous defamation cases that have generated more than one-billion in verdicts and settlements, including Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News. He is an Executive/Associate Producer on two documentaries short-listed for Best Documentary at the Academy Awards. He lives in New York City.