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Book cover of Geeks and Geezers: How Era, Values, and Defining Moments Shape Leaders

Geeks and Geezers: How Era, Values, and Defining Moments Shape Leaders

by Warren G. Bennis , Robert J. Thomas

Summary & Key Takeaways

Look around your next executive meeting or Zoom call. With four to five generations working side-by-side, the workplace can often feel like a battlefield of conflicting values. Older veterans see younger workers as entitled, while younger leaders view seasoned executives as rigid. But what if age is just a distraction?

In today’s briefing of ‘Geeks and Geezers’ by Warren G. Bennis and Robert J. Thomas, we uncover the groundbreaking truth about multi-generational leadership. You’ll learn why top-performing leaders—whether they grew up during the Great Depression or the dot-com boom—all share one powerful commonality: ‘The Crucible.’ Discover how facing severe trials and developing ‘Adaptive Capacity’ is the true secret to transformational leadership.

Enjoyed this? Upgrade to Premium to unlock the full 18-minute deep dive. We’ll reveal the secret weapon of ‘Neoteny’ to keep you endlessly innovative, a 4-step framework for turning your worst career failures into powerful leadership crucibles, and the #1 mistake to avoid when leading across the generational divide.

About the Author

Warren G. Bennis

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Warren G. Bennis (1925–2014) was a pioneering scholar and author widely recognized as a founding father of contemporary leadership studies. As a Distinguished Professor at the University of Southern California and advisor to four U.S. presidents, Bennis is an authority known for championing …

Robert J. Thomas

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Robert J. Thomas is a leading authority on leadership and organizational change, serving as the Executive Director of the Accenture Institute for High Performance. He is also the John R. Galvin Professor of Leadership at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. Thomas is best known for co-authoring …

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