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I just watched your interview on CNBC regarding the economic policies of Obama vs. McCain. Now that I have finally graduated Georgia Tech and I begin my transition into a contributing member of society, I am taking an interest in politics and the effects of economic policy on working people. Unfortunately CNBC did not allow enough time for me to hear your true view on the issues on the table. From what I could tell, you have a very unbiased view on the state of the economy. As I research the political race, economic policy is becoming the forefront of the political campaign. It seems to me that you have the rare opportunity as a board member of Exxon Mobile and as a supporter of Obama's policies, to provide a sensible and valuable opinion to the solutions of high energy prices and associated taxes under question.

I'm not sure what media would be best for a column or an opinion to be publicized, but I do know that there is a large audience that would value the opinion of someone in your position. While I do not agree with the policies of Obama, I am very open-minded to your views and opinions on the ever-growing topic of energy dependency.

I write this email to ask that you write/speak more opinions on the sensible alternatives (politics aside) on how to solve this complex problem that will affect the next generation and generations to come...

— Taylor Sandusky - Georgia Tech University

Congratulations on your work. It is so important that we (as a society) create a new generation of authentic leaders.

We work in very similar ways and focus on very similar principles. I wonder if you have come across my work before?

You may be interested to take a look at a short e-book on Authentic Leadership that I recently published.

http://www.authentictransformation.co.uk/professional/AuthenticLeadershipe-book.html

Perhaps there are ways in which we could collaborate on this vast project?

— Neil Crofts - Coach, Consultant, Facilitator

Dear Bill,

35 years ago, I lilved an extreme life experience. The plane I was flying
with other 45 friends crashed over the Andes mountains. 72 days later, after
suviving in the mountains at 14.000 feet high, without food, clothing and no
preparation, and even going into canibalism to feed ourselves, 16 of us were
finaly rescued.

During this ordeal, I had a clear true north,  it was to survive one day
more, each day. I also found out that we are not strange people, absolutely
no heroes at all. The ones that survived were no better than the ones that
died, and that almost any person in our place, given similar conditions,
would have done the same, and eventually survived.

Anyway, for 35 years this has not been an issue for me. I even went through
my MBA at Stanford University without saying a word about my ordeal. Now, I
am starting to think about it, and to relate it to my business career.

I am reading your book to try to conceptualize my experience. If you would
be interested, I would like to share with you my experience and that might
help me conceptualize it and draw more learnings that might help others in
their business careers.

Thank you in advance for your attention.

Cordially,

— Pedro Algorta

Bill,

I will start by saying THANK YOU.

You have addressed what I think is the primary issue in business today.

I retired from the Telecom industry a couple years ago and now teach an MBA course on Leadership at Minnesota State University Mankato.  I choose your book True North as the primary text used in class.  Students also bring real world examples from current magazine and newspapers and we discuss the issues and what we can do to get American business back on track.

The exercises at the end of each chapter are essential in the process. Students complete answers and email the completed exercise to me for evaluation.  The format of the exercises allows me to respond to each student individually as well as get a sense of the class as a whole.

Year end student evaluations of the class gave the course very high marks and I have been asked to repeat the class this year.

I also want to give a special thanks to Joe Chung of your staff for all the help and support he has given me to set up this program.

Keep up the good work and if you ever get to Sourthern Minnesota please stop in, we would love to talk with you in person.

 Thanks Again

— Ernie Lombard

Dear Bill and Penny,

I hope this note finds you both doing well... you have been on my mind because of True North. I have not only enjoyed reading the book immensely, but have given away six copies already to friends and colleagues. In my 2007 Annual Report to the congregation (attached) I cite True North and base my report around some of its insights. Further, our Lenten worship series is called ... True North! In it, we are looking at the stories of Scottsdale Congregational UCC and assessing what "True North" values arise from them, upon which the congregation may move forward into the future. We played a video excerpt from your True North website in worship last week that people really enjoyed.

Here are some excerpts from the "Annual Report"
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I picked up a copy of Bill’s most recent book on leadership called True North, and read it over the holidays...the product of in-depth interviews with 125 of the world’s most successful business and community leaders who had been identified not simply for their personal or corporate financial achievement but for accomplishing these in particularly ethical, community-minded ways.  Bill’s purpose was to discern what makes these leaders tick...What struck me in reading True North was how much overlap there is between what Bill calls an “authentic” leader and what one might call an “authentic” faith community.  In what follows, I’m substituting “faith community” where Bill refers to “leader”

The first striking characteristic is that authentic faith communities are highly complex ones which have distinctive qualities that cannot be sufficiently described by lists of traits or characteristics. Writes Bill, “Reading through three thousand pages of transcripts, our team was startled to see that these [faith communities] did not identify any universal characteristics, traits, skills or styles that led to their success.” Rather, their success was “defined by their unique life stories and the way they frame their stories to discover their passions and the purpose of their leadership.”

Stories, “True North” values, and practices of self-awareness.  These are what I hold before us at the beginning of 2008.  With these in the background of our life together, I am confident that 2008 will be a year that brings us benefit and guidance no matter which ways the world may spin.
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— Eric Elnes, Senior Pastor of Scottsdale Congregational UCC

Bill,

It's great to read and hear all the great news on True North.  I forwarded a copy to my first Horizons group and they all loved it - they work on the exercises in the back of the book and we discuss them on our calls.  Below is an email from one of the undergrads after he started reading True North.

I hope you have a wonderful birthday!

— Chris Choi, AON
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I just got TRUE NORTH yesterday in the mail.  I just opened up the cover today and began diving into another leadership experience.  I am actually enjoying the read, and it has made me start asking questions and thinking.

       "First, you have to understand yourself, because the hardest person you will ever have to lead is yourself...you must take responsibility for your own development (pg xxxiii)."  

As you know this is the hardest thing for me to figure out. Though after first reading this I felt a little discouraged, I am hoping to continue with what I learned at Horizons (leadership development course) and figure out who I am.  

Bill - This book is great. I am surprised that you did not mention Intuit/Intuit CEO.

Also, i would like to share with you that very same concepts are taught in Islam and other religions as well. For example, I felt like reading the definition of Arabic word 'Iman' that I read in my school books as a child and things that I was taught by my parents.

I would like to see you compiling another book on the 'history' of true north by including great leaders like Jesus, Moses, Muhammad, and Budha and then relate it to the 'true north' of corporate America.

Bill - Thanks again for writing such a great book.

Warm regards,

— Shamshad Shaukat

Good Morning Bill,

Just quick note on your second book. As you know working in the field of ISO consulting, training and assessing I've run across many of those that you refer to in your book. They represent both sides of your discussion on "True North".

It is really wonderful to have my own beliefs reinforced by your book and those that were kind enough to be interviewed and confirm those beliefs.

In addition your touch of providing a means of measurement in the appendix is an excellent tough that everyone can use for his or her desire to measure themselves.

Thanks again, Bill

Best regards,

— Fred Nelson

Integrity and having a true moral compass is important to my business conduct as well.  Please keep up your messaging.  It's a cry in the wilderness that needs to be heard.

Warm regards,

— Gary Lynam

Bill,

I have finished reading True North, which has been incredibly insightful and almost overwhelming in a very positive way. Additionally, my talking with you and seeing the outcome of being a leader, and living a life with these principles, has amplified the lessons and ideas expressed in True North.

There are numerous profound experiences described in this book. In many cases these experiences reminded me of issues that could help me lead a far healthier, happier, and more successful life. As much as I possibly can, I want to learn from the experiences of others so that I can live in a healthy way from as early on in my life and career as possible. Authenticity is a big part of achieving a better lifestyle, but even beyond authenticity in general there are specific lessons and experiences described in True North that I know I can learn something profound from.

I am looking forward to talking with you about what I have been taking from these lessons and how I might be able to execute and implement what I have learned into my life. At this point in the e-mail you may even be able to imagine the copious number of post-it’s I have tucked within the pages of my copy of True North.

Sincerely,

Brayden

— Brayden William Blaine Olson, CEO, Novel Conception

Bill,

I have enjoyed reading your book – True North. It is one of the best books I have read so far. It has led me to realign myself to the correct path where I will be happy and satisfied. I had discovered early on what matters most to me through various challenges and failures that I have faced so far; but I was off the track – I was adapting to my environment rather than changing it or moving out for greater good.

Many Thanks

— Yogi

Bill,

I was inspired by the stories and voices in True North. Turns out that one of my high school classmates in Upstate NY, Randy Komisar, is featured in your book. I remember racing Randy to the school library right after we would get a big assignment at Pittsford HS. We were both pretty competitive.

— Andrea Nelson, StoneArch Creative

Hello Bill,

My name is Sheila Madden. I work as an executive coach and I enjoy using your work with my clients. I personally found True North to be the most accessible book on leadership that I've read in the 26 years I've been at this work...very real, compelling and human....a lot like a good leader!

I find your own story at Medtronic quite inspiring (for me and my clients by the way) and true testimony to the business success that results from authentic leadership. Over 10 years ago I was fortunate to be an executive in The Learning Company. The Learning Company also experienced great market success, led by a team of high integrity, fun, authentic folks. It is an absolute thrill to be a part of an enterprise that served and succeeded at the same time. Your work is helping to make this the rule rather than the exception and I am personally and professionally committed to furthering the cause.

I wanted to take the time to sincerely thank you for the inspiration that your great contributions to this complex field of leadership have provided me.

Most sincerely,

Sheila

— Sheila Madden, Madden Coaching Services

Dear Bill,

Your book has opened my thoughts and motivations to a completely new mindset. I never put the pieces of the puzzle together until reading your book. After reading I understood the motivation of my father and grandfather in a completely different way. I realized how hard they worked and were there motivation came from. I never heard a negative word in there comments and now I understand why. I look forward to finding my true north and I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds for me. Again thanks for writing such a wonderful book to help leaders establish who they really are.

— Michael Manion

Bill,

I finally had the opportunity to finish the book. I was deeply affected by several stories in the text, especially those of Howard Schultz and Dan Vasella, as well as Penny's courageous battle.

I dare say that your work has been a "positive crucible" for me and I look forward to humbly applying the lessons learned in my day to day career.

Warm regards,

Anthony

— Anthony Shimkin, VP, Integrated Provider Solutions  

Mr George,

My name is Georgina Lerman and I was a student in Professor Bennis' and President Sample's Leadership Class this semester. Unfortunately, I was absent the day that you came to dine with us in the Presidents Boardroom, but I did manage to get a copy of your book that you so generously left us. I was so worried as this class was nearing a close that I would find it more difficult to pursue my love for learning and leadership; Your book, however, proved me quite wrong. I am in France right now and I just put it down and I immediately felt compelled to write to you thank you and to tell you how much I enjoyed it. As a recent graduate, with many goals, yet no cardboard cut out plan, I take comfort in the fact that it is the direction that I am going in which is of most importance. Living in the USC bubble, I feel that sometimes your purpose in life gets muffled and thrown under the blanket - your book reminded me of what I am supposed to do (even though i am presently unsure of what exactly will allow me to do that.) I loved Roosevelt's quote at the end about the Man in the arena and I also took delight in the idea that we should follow our compass and not our clock. I thank you for a truly beautiful read - what a great start to my post-graduation learning!

All the best

Georgina

— Georgina Lerman, University of Southern California 

Dear Mr. George,

I have just viewed your interview on NOW, dated 3-16-07. I would like to thank you for your determination in keeping the honorable values that make a successful leader and teaching those ethics to aspiring business students. I also thank your wife for being a true friend to you and keeping you grounded in your own successes, which can be a tremendous challenge for many. I am a mother of five who is returning to school (Simmons College). I'm majoring in Finance with a minor in Economics, I am inspired to know that there are still strong leaders who understand the importance of self-worth, trustworthiness, and courage. Continued Blessings in your life and with your new book!

Sincerely,

— Yvette

Dear Mr. George,

I watched your interview on PBS Now doing your plug for your book True North. I really enjoyed the freshness of your ideas and material. It needed to be said. It made an impression on me to hear you discuss the very ideas that I too had thought about. I thought I was the only one who felt that way about the long-term sustainable planning horizons of Corporate America. Hopefully in time board members instead of asking where do we want the company to be in 10 years, they'll be asking where do we want to be in 100 years?

I have been in supply chain management for 18 years, and back in 2006 decided to think outside the box and chose to work in an organization that had a long-term sustainable planning horizon where I could apply my craft and enjoy some level of comfort in having lifetime employment. I finally found it. We can learn a lot of from the Japanese in that many organizations there offer lifetime employment, and it is simply the byproduct of a long-term sustainable planning horizon.

If you are ever out in the Portland, Oregon area I'd love to have you stop by and visit with my industry group. www.apics-pdx.org We have keynote speakers from time to time participate in our professional development meetings and workshops.

Thanks again Mr. George for your time.

Sincere Regards,

Matt

— Matt Fitzpatrick, Providence Health & Services