Positive Influence: Leadership in a Time of Crisis

** Winner of the 2023 Goody Business Book Award in the competitive category of Leadership: Think Differently!!

“Powerful! There has never been a more important time to be a decisive and strong leader through crisis. Positive Influence II is the ultimate guide for leaders of all industries to lead their teams and companies with humanity, flexibility, and calm perseverance to thrive in the challenging crises we face in our world. Whether you’re a new or seasoned leader, this is a must read!”

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is the Thinkers50 #1 Executive Coach and New York Times bestselling author of The Earned Life, Triggers, and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.


The authors summarize and draw conclusions about crisis leadership, using stories and quotes to humanize and illuminate the factors that impacted the people and organizations in their study group. They believe that personal stories and the experiences of leaders told in their own words have a more significant impact than lists of leadership behaviors or principles. For example, nothing better expresses the challenges faced by some leaders during this crisis than this response:

"It was the first time in my life that I was presented with a problem for which there was no solution."

The authors talked to and interviewed some 50 leaders from a variety of industries and types of workplaces. Many held the title of CEO; some held the title of COO or President, while others were Executive Director, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Partner, and Superintendent. They represented healthcare, hospitality (restaurants, hotels), education, consulting, transportation, and non-profit organization. This book has four parts:

1. Leading in a Time of Crisis: An Overview

2. Positive Influence Leaders in a Time of Crisis

3. Leading in a Time of Crisis: Outcomes

4. Resources for Leading in a Time of Crisis

At the end of each chapter, the authors include a summary of the ideas in the chapter along with four discussion questions.