A collection of short bite-sized nuggets of insight into the psychological ups and downs of
the leadership journey from one of the world's top thinkers on leadership. Leadership often
means living on the edge living a life less ordinary leaving the straight and narrow to take
a more exciting path. Like riding a roller coaster there will be moments that take our breath
away but it is in those moments that we feel truly alive. Although we may not know what is
coming round the next bend or after the next rise we have a great time on the ride. Kets de
Vries's examination of the inner theatre pushes leaders and their coaches to become a personal
and organizational detectives to look beyond the obvious and discover the deeper meaning of
their own and others' actions. Doing so can prevent leaders becoming prisoners of their own
past failing to recognize the repetitive patterns in their behavior making the same mistakes
over and over again. Leaders are more likely than followers to experience ups and downs
successes and failures happy days and sad. The intensity of the experience depends on the
rider. They can scream or enjoy the ride-or indeed do both. They can make the best out of the
beginnings and endings the good times and bad or they can sink beneath them. In Riding the
Leadership Rollercoaster Kets de Vries provides leaders and their coaches with the insights
that can help them take some control of the ride.
