Richard Dool, Director of the Master of Communication and Media program at SC&I, wrote his book “12 Months of Leadership Insights: A Compendium of Leadership Lessons from 40 Leaders,” as a collection of perspectives, insights, and experiences from past and current global leaders to be used as lessons and inspiration for anyone desiring to develop and enhance their leadership skills.

In the book, Dool profiles three leaders every month of the year, and includes four additional “bonus” profiles. The information about each leader includes a photo, short biography, selected quotations, and some of their leadership insights, taken either from their own words or those of researchers. The book is filled with examples of stellar leadership from an eclectic array of leaders representing different eras, backgrounds, and roles. It is the mix and diversity of the profiled leaders that makes this book different.

Compiled after more than 16 months of research conducted by Dool and his contributors, including two sons, Stephen and Gregory, the book is designed to be inspiring and informative. “I believe all leaders need to be lifelong learners and I think there are lessons to be learned from leaders both past and present,” said Dool.

Dool said they tried to write the book in a way that it is useful to every reader, regardless of their leadership experience. Existing leaders can use it to enhance their skills and brand, and aspiring leaders can use it as a way to begin to understand the qualities that make great leaders. Dool noted, “the book is full of effective practices by these leaders that we can consider and tailor for our leadership journeys.”

Another fascinating aspect of the book, as Dool explained, are the 10 themes that emerged from the forty leaders they profiled. One common theme they identified is the idea that “leaders eat last,” meaning, “As a leader, you’re there to serve others, to put your employees first. That’s something a lot of the leaders talked about,” said Dool.  

At Rutgers, Dool is an active researcher and presenter in the areas of organizational transformation, leadership communication, and strategic development. His research interests are in the areas of organizational renewal and transformations as well as leadership communication. He has been teaching and publishing in these areas since 2003. 

Other publications by Dool include “Enervative Change: The Impact of Change Initiatives on Employee Job Satisfaction” (Saarbrücken, Germany: AV Akademikerverlag, 2006), chapters in “Virtual Teams: Mastering the Art and Practice of Online Learning and Corporate Collaboration” (Wiley Publishing,2010) and “How Generation Z Wants to Be Led” (2019).

For more information about the Master of Communication and Media at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information, click here.