The Five Literacies of Global Leadership

Groundbreaking research has exposed an uncomfortable truth about our current leadership paradigm: it is a self-perpetuating mess of flawed models and practices. And it urgently needs replacing. Richard Hames has worked with many of the most exceptional leaders of our times. By observing their common cognitive and behavioural traits, in contexts that are constantly shifting and full of surprise, he has deciphered a universal code based on intelligence, appreciation and collaboration. This code uncovers Five Literacies leadership.

Five Literacies leadership is the manifesto of the artists and alchemists among us, scattered from the West to the edges of the developing world. By exploiting (often instinctively) an interconnected array of attitudes and beliefs, these remarkable people are re-writing the rules of leadership. They respond to the pressures of globalization in work and life by persistently searching for new knowledge, deeper relationships and alternative perspectives. They embrace difference with an open heart and mind. They accept that change is the only certainty. And they are driven by dialogue. Imbuing others with their own positive energy they enable better futures for humanity. This book is a testament to their thinking, passion, audacity and vision.

In a world where the cults of money and marketability have all but extinguished hope and possibility, there is an urgent need to escape the gravitational pull of the past. The means to do so are captured here in the Five Literacies – Networked Intelligence, Futuring, Deep Design, Strategic Navigation and Brand Resonance. By applying the Five Literacies, you too can reach ‘escape velocity’ in the liberation of new horizons for yourself and others.