Taking the Lead
If you’ve ever ridden a bike, two things have happened:
- You know you’ll never forget how.
- You’ve experienced the principles that drive leadership excellence.
What’s driving your leadership?
You want to lead with excellence, whether you’re a seasoned leader or you’re just beginning. Taking the Lead will help you discover and apply the key behaviors that will maximize your influence, in whatever leadership role you play: In the marketplace, in the home or in the community.
Taking the Lead is NOT a Book About Cycling
It uses the bike riding experience to illustrate leadership principles and answer critical questions about leadership:
- What is the definition of a great leader?
- How does leadership differ from management?
- How is a successful leader’s communication style different?
Taking the Lead will help you drive for excellence in whatever leadership role you fill: in the marketplace, in your home, in your marriage or in the community.
What People Are Saying About
Taking the Lead
“If leadership is like a bicycle, then Taking the Lead is the key to removing your training wheels! Filled with both common sense and profound insights, Damian Gerke makes sure that you’re ready for the leadership road ahead.”
AmyK Hutchens
Speaker, Business Strategist and Intelligence Activist, AmyK International,
author of The Secrets Leaders Keep
“
Taking the Lead covers almost every aspect of leadership, yet is one of the most readable and practical books on the subject you’ll find anywhere. It takes the mystery out of leadership, and gives you concrete ideas for how to become a better leader.”
Kevin Oakes
CEO, Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp)
“They say that once you’ve learned how to ride a bike, you never forget. In Taking the Lead, Damian Gerke uses his cycling experiences to make some very memorable and important points about what it means to be an effective leader. If you take the time to read this great little book, you won’t forget its lessons.”
Scott Eblin
Executive coach, The Eblin Group; author of The Next Level and
Overworked and Overwhelmed: The Mindfulness Alternative
“Taking the Lead is refreshing, approachable, and empowering! You’ll find the juxtaposition of cycling and leadership both engaging and thought provoking—whether you are an avid cyclist or haven’t been on a bicycle for a long time. This is a book for someone who wants to take their leadership skills to the next level. It is filled with actionable tools that will power your ride on the road to leadership effectiveness!”
Joseph Michelli
New York Times #1 Bestselling author of books like Driven to Delight, Leading the Starbucks Way, The Zappos Experience and The New Gold Standard / The Michelli Experience
“Whether you are a young leader looking to move to the next level, or an experienced leader working to become great at influencing others, Taking the Lead will provide you with the direction, insight and knowledge to gain the skills you need to achieve your leadership goals.”
Jeff Chamberlain
Vice President of Real Estate, Publix Supermarkets, Inc.
“In Taking the Lead, Damian Gerke poignantly links bike riding with leadership in a way that draws the reader in. The biking stories are fascinating and are directly related to being a leader. Throughout the book, there is learning about both!”
Linda Miller
Global Liaison for Coaching, The Ken Blanchard Companies
“Damian’s take on leadership and drawing the corollary with riding a bike has produced a very interesting read. In particular, I applaud the chapter on the importance of understanding a leader’s ‘fit’ with the culture. Taking the Lead is both a pleasure to read and a solid resource to improve as a leader.”
Cliff Otto
CEO, Saddle Creek Logistics Services
“Taking the Lead offers practical and comprehensive insights on leadership. This well written and easy to read book shows how to effectively confront thorny situations while staying balanced and on track.”
Dr. Mary Lippitt
President of Enterprise Management Ltd., author of Brilliant or Blunder: 6 Ways Leaders Navigate Uncertainty, Opportunity and Complexity
“I found Taking the Lead to be a captivating and amazingly comprehensive primer on leadership—even though I’m not a cyclist. Damian Gerke’s passions for leadership coaching and cycling resonate throughout, making his book a joy to read and readily applicable. Not only does it inspire me to be a better leader, but to also get out there and ride!”
C. Scott Franklin
President/CEO, Lanier Upshaw, Inc., Naval Academy Graduate and former Naval Aviator
“Wow, I really enjoyed Taking the Lead. There are so many great leadership connections delivered in such a powerful way. We see a ton of leadership books in the market, but this book is worth every minute of time spent reading it!”
Larry Linne
Former NFL Player, CEO of InCite Performance Group
Taking the Lead
Summary Videos
Want a taste of what Taking the Lead is about?
Riding the Thin Line
“In the long run,
men hit only what they aim at.”
Henry David Thoreau
When You’re On the Street, You Gotta Act Like a Car
“Being a leader is like being a lady.
If you have to tell people you are one,
you probably aren’t.”
Margaret Thatcher