The Gentle Art of Leadership
The Gentle Art of Leadership, by Brian Donovan and Dean Phelan, is now available.
You can order a paperback copy here or a digital version through your favourite platform—just click the links below.
This book is a compelling guide for anyone in a leadership role.
Extensive research reveals that effective leaders consistently practice the Gentle Art of Leadership.
We explore what makes leaders great:
- We analysed over 6,000 360-degree feedback reports.
- Conducted 50+ one-on-one interviews with leaders from around the globe.
- Reflected on hundreds of Executive Coaching sessions.
- Reviewed over 160 books and articles on leadership.
- Shared our own experiences as CEOs.
The book challenges the common perception that great leaders must be charismatic, extroverted, and forceful.
While some leaders fit this mould, the most impactful ones have a powerful mixture of personal humility, integrity and indomitable will for forwarding the health, success and long-term prosperity of their organisation and people.
These leaders excel at bringing out the best in others by treating them with dignity and respect while maintaining a sharp focus on strategic outcomes.
Join the Movement! Purchase The Gentle Art of Leadership today and be part of a shift toward gentler, more impactful leadership.
Endorsements
‘Authors Donovan and Phelan get it right in The Gentle Art of Leadership. Great leadership is all about organizational culture, and the “tone at the top”. As a leader, YOU are the culture. Humans want to be led by humans who have empathy and acknowledge and support their special contributions.’
Debbie Taylor Moore
CEO and Managing Partner, The Quantum Crunch
‘The Gentle Art of Leadership is one of the more thoughtful and insightful views of what it takes to be a truly effective leader. Brian and Dean’s ability to extract personal experiences offers the reader a genuine, easy-to-comprehend, and varied view of leadership skills for the modern leader. Their unique approach of research allowed me to subconsciously highlight areas of self-awareness, humility, and empathy in my trade. The experience and the end result are a breath of fresh air. The timing could not be better for a book of this relevance and calibre.’
Michael Piacente
Managing Partner, Hitch Partners
‘If we are honest, most leaders will tell you their careers advanced because someone believed in them, perhaps more than they believed in themselves at the time. This book challenges us to think about how to do that systematically. You will reap the satisfaction of seeing leaders flourish and accomplish more far-reaching goals when you bring out the best in others. If we learned anything from the global pandemic it is that a new style of leadership is required. Being the boss who demands it be done their way is not going to gain the support and collaboration of employees who are looking for greater fulfilment in their work/life. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to unleash the power of connecting with people to accomplish outstanding results.’
Sarit Cohen
COO Europe and Telefonica for Amdocs
‘In a world that often interprets aggressive behaviour as leadership strength and decisiveness, this book provides a refreshing view towards inclusiveness and inspirational leadership as the foundation for the success of a larger number of stakeholders.’
Aveek Mukherjee
Co-founder and Managing Director of Gloplax
‘The Gentle Art of Leadership by Brian Donovan and Dean Phelan is a transformative read that resonates deeply with my own experience in leading organisations. This book masterfully debunks the myth that leadership requires a forceful, charismatic personality and instead highlights the power of empathy, humility, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of one’s team. Through meticulous research and compelling real-world examples, Donovan and Phelan illustrate that the greatest leaders are those who prioritise healthy relationships.’
Ellza Malok
Founder of Blue Monarch Group and International Chair at ExecHQ
‘There’s an old saying, ‘people don’t leave companies, they leave managers,’ that cuts to the heart of successful leaders: people that other people want to work with and for. There are tons of books that frame leadership in war-like, kill or be killed terms. But true leaders, the ones people want to work for and with, know how to succeed without destroying team morale. This book challenges the tired assumptions that to have a positive impact, leaders need to drive their teams to the brink. And to back this assertion up, Donovan and Phelan have gathered a rich collection of real-world case studies and interviews that prove, supported, well-managed teams are best prepared to achieve long-term success.’
Diana Kelley
Chief Information Security Officer, Protect AI, Inc.
‘A thought provoking read that highlights respect is earned through our words and actions, not through a job title. It is a further reminder that one of the best gifts of leadership is how you make people feel – often through the so called ‘incidental’ interactions.’
Gavin Slater
Chief Executive Officer, Moula
‘The Gentle Art of Leadership is a refreshing discussion of leadership in its many forms. The findings that Brian and Dean have elucidated go to the heart of what makes a distinctive difference in leadership styles. At this point where geopolitical tensions are rising, their enlightened contribution builds on past experience and points to a new and more inclusive way forward at all levels of leadership. I congratulate them for that contribution.’
Peter McMullin AM
Vice-Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) World Chambers Federation (WCF)
‘The Gentle Art of Leadership is a great read, because Brian and Dean have combined the perfect mix of research, evidence and real stories, so you enjoy the learning.’
Fi Slaven
Director Operations/Chief Operating Officer, William Buck, Australia
‘Brian and Dean beautifully describe the Gentle Art of Leadership. In a time where uncertainty and challenge to people are on the rise, the perspectives offered in the book are refreshingly relevant and powerful to any leader or those aspiring to advance their role as leaders further. As the complexity and richness of the technology world accelerates, the challenges to creating value are ironically not bound to technology alone. Moreover, the key to creating value is with people. Hence, effective leadership becomes a critical enabler. The messages in the book are also helping me refocus my leadership and remind me of the privilege and responsibility of being a leader.’
Chris Stevens
Managing Partner, Digital Frontier Partners
Get Your Copy of The Gentle Art of Leadership
The Authors
Brian Donovan is the founder of Donovan Leadership. He is an executive coach, facilitator, speaker, and dedicated advocate of powerful and practical leadership. He is energised by an ongoing program of research and scholarship. His first book: “Leadership Is Changing the Game” was published in 2018. Brian’s commitment to the field is informed by 40 years’ experience as a senior executive in Telstra, and CEO of the IT Skills Hub.
Dean Phelan is an organisational psychologist, leadership mentor and co-founder of the Uplift Centre. Dean was CEO of CofC, one of Australia’s largest not for profits providing aged care, social housing, childcare, and support for local churches. Dean held leadership roles within Westpac and Epworth Healthcare, and he built and led a national HR services firm. He is co-author of “Kingdom Communities” published in 2018.