Dusting Off Thunderbolts: a quest for the heart of leadership

Dusting Off Thunderbolts is not just another book about how to be a good leader. Having worked in 50 countries on a quest to find what he calls the heart of leadership, Sir John Jones shares wisdom gleaned from diverse cultures and continents. You will hear from giants of sport, literature, art, film and music, and be guided by poets, philosophers, war heroes and Nobel prize-winners.

Sir John will introduce you to external forces that spark the inner spirit of leadership. The ancients called such forces “muses” and, like old friends, they have sustained Sir John through more than 40 years of leadership. Muses favour those courageous enough to work tirelessly at their craft and travel each day the tough road of hard practice, dedication and quiet heroism. Sadly, some leaders deny their existence, believing that they themselves are the sole source of their success. For these leaders, the gods will dust off their thunderbolts.

Teeming with practical ideas, stories and suggestions, Dusting Off Thunderbolts will make you laugh, make you cry, make you think and help you grow. It is an affirmation of those who lead with deep humanity. It is a clarion call to those who see themselves as a constant work in progress. It champions those who take risks but give themselves permission to fail. It is a companion for those who have the courage to stand at the front while embracing their own vulnerability. It is a celebration of the leadership spirit within all of us. For all our failings, flaws and fears, neither the gods nor their muses can do their work without us.