Adair Leadership Development

"John Adair is without doubt one
of the foremost thinkers on leadership in the world."

Sir John Harvey-Jones

John Adair

John Adair is one of the world’s leading authorities on leadership and leadership development. Over a million managers worldwide have taken part in the Action-Centred Leadership programmes he pioneered.

John has had a colourful early career. He served as a platoon commander in the Scots Guards in Egypt, and then became the only national serviceman to serve in the Arab Legion, where he became adjutant of a Bedouin regiment. After national service he qualified as a deckhand in Hull and worked on an arctic trawler in Iceland waters. He then worked as a hospital orderly in the operating theatre of a hospital.

After being senior lecturer in military history and adviser in leadership training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and Associate Director of The Industrial Society, in 1979 John became the world’s first Professor of Leadership Studies at the University of Surrey.

Between 1981 and 1986 John worked with Sir John Harvey-Jones at ICI introducing a leadership development strategy that helped to change the loss-making, bureaucratic giant into the first British company to make a billion pounds profit.

John Adair Photo

John has written over 40 books, translated into many languages. Recent titles include 'How to Grow Leaders' and 'Effective Leadership Development'. Apart from being an author he is also a teacher and consultant.

From St Paul’s School he won a scholarship to Cambridge University. John holds the higher degrees of Master of Letters from Oxford University and Doctor of Philosophy from King’s College London, and he is also a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Recently the People’s Republic of China awarded him the title of Honorary Professor in recognition of his 'outstanding research and contribution in the field of Leadership'.

For John's full list of published books and more information go to www.johnadair.co.uk

John Adair's
Latest Book

How to Grow Leaders: The Seven Key Principles of Effective Leadership Development

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John Adair has transformed the understanding of how leadership works with his pioneering book Not Bosses But Leaders. Now he returns with a new title that explores in an authoritative way exactly what we know about leadership and leadership development. There is a revolution underway. We are moving - rapidly in some areas, slower in others - from management to business leadership. As the market for good leaders who can achieve results increases so-called leadership development programmes have proliferated.

Many of these are old management development programmes renamed, and others are full of confusing theories and unproductive approaches. This ground-breaking new book aims to set the record straight. It looks at the body of knowledge on leadership, identifies the seven key principles of leadership development, and answers key questions on how to select, train and educate leaders at the level of team, operational and strategic leadership. A vital addition to the debate on leadership from a true expert, this book also considers the global challenge and long term issues involved.

Paperback – 250 Pages
(8 March, 1996)
ISBN: 0330344757

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other books by John Adair

Contact Adair Leadership Development at ja@johnadair.co.uk