Can you rise to the top without losing your soul?

Across the world, key decisions are made by tiny coteries of political and business leaders. With enough talent, élan, and hard work, any of us can join them - so we are told. Follow key rules: be transparent; defer to bosses and clients; take responsibility; feedback is everything. Understand these, and the world is our oyster.

But is it? Decades of working with leaders have shown headhunter, executive coach, and former NGO chair Douglas Board that it may not be. Many would-be leaders and senior managers fall into traps which block their rise and undermine their self-esteem.

Elites outlines those traps and shows how best to avoid them. Armed with this knowledge, you may want to use it and join the top tier. However, it may also make you reconsider. Knowing how elites work, do you still want to join them? Or, can you find ways to change them?

In this authoritative, groundbreaking guide, Board suggests that true fulfilment demands an adventure into the unknown inside ourselves: Why do we seek what we seek? Prepared to be surprised.

‘This book couldn’t be more timely. It explains how the barely competent but entitled occupy elite positions in our organizations and in society in general. It illuminates the endless round of board appointments after evident failure. It’s also practical, offering tactics and tips to navigate the devious complexities of corporate hierarchies." (Gareth Jones)

"Elites gives a no-bullshit new lens through which to view the workplace. Surely ‘wizards’ and ‘muggle crust’ must now enter the management lexicon?" (Lynne Embleton, CEO, IAG Cargo)

‘The ultimate travel guide of power in the world of work; packed with places to see, things to do, and with lots of shared personal experience. At the end, you feel as if you know this new terrain and are eager to explore it further." (Niall Trafford, CEO, Buildings Research Establishment)