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Resonant Leadership book club questions
Here are 12 book club questions for Resonant Leadership by Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee, ordered to open easily and end somewhere worth arguing about. Copy them, print them, or bring them up one at a time.
Resonant Leadership is a follow-up to Primal Leadership, the 2002 book where Boyatzis and McKee (with Daniel Goleman) introduced the concept of resonant and dissonant leadership.
Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee · 2005
Full summary and key takeaways →The 12 questions
- 1.
Think of a leader who has clearly experienced the sacrifice syndrome. What were the visible signs, and how did the team respond?
- 2.
Where are you currently on the spectrum from resonant to dissonant in your own leadership? What's your evidence?
- 3.
The book argues that renewal isn't optional — it's a professional responsibility. What in your current life actually functions as renewal?
- 4.
Boyatzis and McKee distinguish hope from optimism. Do you currently lead from a vision of the future that energizes you, or from an obligation to execute against inherited goals?
- 5.
Think of a moment when your emotional state visibly affected your team's performance or morale. What happened, and what did you learn from it?
- 6.
The three practices — mindfulness, hope, compassion — are simple to describe and difficult to maintain under pressure. Which is hardest for you to sustain when things get difficult?
- 7.
Have you ever worked for a genuinely resonant leader? What made the experience different from working for someone more dissonant?
- 8.
The book says dissonance often develops gradually and leaders don't notice it. What would be the early warning signs in your case?
- 9.
Compassion, in this model, means genuine care — not as a performance but as a real quality. How honest are you about whether that's present in your leadership right now?
- 10.
What's the highest-stakes leadership situation you've faced in the past year? Were you resonant or dissonant during it, and what drove that?
- 11.
If the people on your team were asked privately whether you're currently resonant or dissonant, what would they say?
- 12.
The book argues that technical competence without emotional attunement produces limited results. Do you agree? Where has that shown up in your experience?
How to run the discussion
- Pick six to eight, not all of them. An hour of real discussion covers fewer questions than anyone expects, and racing the list is what makes a book club feel like homework.
- Open with what people noticed, not what they concluded. Asking for a verdict first hardens opinions before anyone has heard each other.
- Let the disagreement run. The questions below that split a room are the ones worth the time; the ones everyone answers the same way can be skipped.
- Ask the quiet person a specific question. A direct, narrow question is far easier to answer than an open invitation to contribute.
Themes worth steering toward
If the conversation stalls, these are the threads that usually restart it.
Common questions
What are good book club questions for Resonant Leadership?
Here are 12 book club questions for Resonant Leadership by Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee, ordered to open easily and end somewhere worth arguing about. The strongest openers ask what each reader noticed rather than what they concluded, and the discussion usually turns on emotional intelligence, leadership renewal, resonance.
How long should a book club discussion of Resonant Leadership last?
Most groups run 60 to 90 minutes of actual discussion. That is roughly six to eight questions, not all of them, so pick the ones that suit your group rather than working down the list in order.
What are the main themes in Resonant Leadership?
Emotional intelligence, Leadership renewal, Resonance, Mindfulness, Leadership development. Those are the threads most likely to divide a room, which makes them the useful places to steer a discussion that has gone quiet.
Picking the next one? See books like Resonant Leadership or questions for other book club picks.
