What the Heck Is Leadership and Why Should I Care? is an indispensable guide for professionals, managers, those in authority positions, and mindful humans everywhere. Authored by Gary A. DePaul, PhD, the text guides readers through the diverse and evolving ideas surrounding leadership. DePaul supplements his ideas with real-life experiences helping to demonstrate the value of true leadership. The benefits, such as camaraderie, productivity, collaboration, and innovation, are explored and fully fleshed out. With fun and appropriate illustrations adorning each chapter, What the Heck Is Leadership and Why Should I Care? is a valuable and approachable book.

“Leadership enriches our lives. It has a powerful, cascading, and sustaining effect upon those we influence.” DePaul is persuasive and sincere as he defines leadership, examines obstacles and prejudices, differentiates a manager from a leader, and ultimately motivates us as individuals to stand up as leaders. His writing style is unpretentious and free from the mind-numbing corporate jargon one might expect in a book on such a topic. The evolution of the leadership model in the 21st century means that all of us can practice leadership. To lead is to influence others to change, to help them build character. My favorite quote from the book encourages us to, “ignore titles, treat everyone with respect.” Gary A. DePaul, PhD takes an optimistic view of those around him and his attitude is contagious. What the Heck Is Leadership and Why Should I Care? is an excellent guidebook for anybody looking to make positive changes in their environment.