[alert variation=”alert-info”]Publisher: Amacom
Formats: Hardcover, Kindle, eBook, Audible
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The premise of Anticipate is intriguing: leaders must focus on the future so they can create a vision, yet most leaders are planted in the past or present-day, at best. De Jong has researched visionary behavior extensively and notes that most leaders stay up-to-date by reading newspapers and talking to customers, yet any insights from those sources are really rooted in present day or level one activity. Level two focuses on finding sources that cover the future and it is important to note that level one and two are passive activities. Level three and four require active engagement such as trend analysis, modeling and simulation. In other words, exploring what “could be” sets the visionary leader apart from his peers.

“Understanding your most fundamental “whys and “hows,” your core values and beliefs, is key to understanding your authentic self.”

Anticipate is logically divided into four sections: visionary content, visionary practices, visionary self and visionary communication. The book includes QR codes for additional digital support and activities. Anticipate is dense. Text is heavy and even though there is tons of good information in this book, this reviewer found herself having to read things two or three times to really absorb the material. There was no shortage of examples and insights, though, and the added benefit of the digital content and practice activities do make this book valuable.

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