The Extraordinary Leader book club questions

1. 1.

   Zenger and Folkman say fixing weaknesses won't make you great — only developing deep strengths will. Do you know what your top two or three genuine strengths as a leader are? What's your evidence?

2. 2.

   What do you consider your potential fatal flaw — the one area where, if you left it unaddressed, it would undermine everything else you do well?

3. 3.

   The research shows that extraordinary leaders are rated in the top quartile on a few competencies, not good at everything. How does your organization's development culture handle that reality?

4. 4.

   Think of the best boss you've ever had. Which of the five clusters — character, personal capability, results focus, interpersonal skill, or change leadership — best describes what made them effective?

5. 5.

   360-degree feedback is only useful if it's honest. What conditions in your organization make it safe or unsafe for people to give candid upward feedback?

6. 6.

   The nonlinear return curve implies that getting from average to good is easier than getting from good to great. Where on that curve is your own leadership development currently stuck?

7. 7.

   Zenger and Folkman's cross-training idea says paired strengths amplify each other. Can you identify a pair of strengths you already have that you could develop together?

8. 8.

   If you accepted that most of your weaknesses don't need to be fixed, what would you do with the development time and energy you'd free up?

9. 9.

   The research puts character at the foundation of leadership effectiveness. What does character mean in practice in your current environment?

10. 10.

    How does the feedback culture in your organization compare to what this book recommends? What would one practical change look like?

11. 11.

    Think about a leader you've observed who tried to develop in too many areas at once. What happened to their effectiveness?

12. 12.

    The authors argue that great leadership is rare and the gap between adequate and great is large. What's your honest view of how that gap affects your organization right now?

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.