From the author of Leadersmithing comes a searingly honest account of what happens when leadership theory is put to the test in challenging real-life situations.

What would you do if you found yourself marooned in the ocean with only the blueprints for a boat? Or in the middle of the jungle with nothing but a wildlife manual for guidance? How does advice you've only read about actually work in the real world, especially when that world is challenging, fast-moving and unpredictable?

After writing the award-winning leadership textbook Leadersmithing, Eve Poole found herself in two senior leadership positions that forced her to use its principles in the wild, stress-testing them in very different organizational contexts during a global health crisis.

As the first female Chairman of Gordonstoun, the school that educated three generations of British royalty, and the youngest ever Third Church Estates Commissioner for England, she faced a unique opportunity to discover whether leadership theory could truly withstand the pressures of practice.

At the heart of the book is a simple question: would the theories she had outlined in her first book translate into effective leadership under pressure and in the public eye?

Drawing on candid first-hand experience, Leadersmithing in Real Life explores key leadership challenges, including:

> Stepping up and taking key decisions;
> Doing the work and future-proofing; and
> Motivating and influencing others.

Through this unexpected trial by fire, Poole reflects on what she learned when theory met reality. Which leadership principles proved their worth, and which needed rethinking? Most importantly, what can other leaders learn from her experience?

Insightful, practical and refreshingly honest, Leadersmithing in Real Life is an essential guide for leaders, managers and aspiring leaders who want to move beyond leadership theory and discover how to lead effectively when the stakes are real.