I was surprised by all the rave reviews this book has gotten on goodreads. The more modest rating here on librarything seems more appropriate. While the book has some good points, it struck me as a lot of rehashing of previously rehashed concepts. That rehashing seems to be a constant in leadership books, as is what I have come to think of as quote-itis, which this book is seriously guilty of (even lists two books of quotes in the bibliography at the back). To me, those two things make for a poor quality read. They could easily have cut this book to half the length without taking out any meat. I also find the emphasis on conservative religion and politics distasteful (and prevalent) in leadership books. This book is especially guilty of the former.

The things I liked:
This book has the longest section on mentoring (in the section on Level 4 leadership) that I have ever come across.
Some of their graphic/schematic representations were quite apt. I love the "shoulder of frustration" and the "ditch of discouragement."
I also think the "character/tasks/relationships" assessment of leadership development is practical and useful. ( )

Brady and Woodward expand on the concept of levels of leadership discussed in books like From Good to Great. Their 5 levels are: Learning, Performing, Leading, Developing Leaders, and Developing Leaders Who Develop Leaders. They describe each level through presuppositions (the "art") and actions (the "science"), followed by a historical example. With continuous references to other books in this genre and constant use of quotes and anecdotes by well-known leaders, this book approaches a survey of the literature, neatly packaged to help any aspiring leader rise to the next level required in their organization. ( )