Is ‘Inclusive Leadership’ the key to being a successful modern leader?

The new book from Peter A. Wuffli (Chairman of Partners Group, former Group CEO of UBS) presents a framework for inclusive leadership based on his diverse experiences across various sectors and with a strong focus on ethics

Heidelberg, 20 October 2015

“How can I be a good and successful leader in today’s Global Era?” Attempts to answer this question are currently featured in a wide range of media. The concept of “inclusive leadership” is one possible approach. According to its advocates, it contributes to master both opportunities and risks of globalization, and to foster productivity, loyalty, and motivation among employees. Unfortunately, it is implemented by companies only reluctantly, if at all. But a thorough read through Wuffli’s new book Inclusive Leadership: A Framework for the Global Era might make hesitant businesses change their minds.

Wuffli’s book explains how leadership tasks are shaped by the requirements of our globalized, quickly transforming and complex world. He argues that leadership should be dynamic and change-oriented to meet the demands of markets and societies. It should also be horizontal and team-oriented to enable bridge-building across different sectors of society as well as different cultures. Furthermore, it should be holistic and broadly applicable to as many people and diverse situations as possible. In one word, leadership should be “inclusive” and not “exclusive”, searching for the “perfect” individual leader. Another important element of Wuffli’s inclusive leadership framework is the pressing need for leaders to take a strong stance on ethics and virtues: “Leaders have to be more articulate on ethics and virtues, and those with higher levels of liberty should assume higher thresholds of responsibility through engagement as a means of addressing the global challenges of our modern era.”

Inclusive Leadership provides a conceptual framework as well as a practical guidebook. “As a longstanding leadership practitioner with a passion for ideas and concepts, I wrote this book to build bridges between theory and practice and to inspire actual and potential leaders” Wuffli says. Drawing on personal experiences, he underpins his leadership approach with numerous real life examples that cover a broad range of themes from the financial crisis and his position at UBS to new capitalism and corporate governance and the role of entrepreneurial philanthropy in fighting poverty. Beyond being inspirational, Inclusive Leadership is also a much-needed reminder that business is not just about business but about people.

Peter A. Wuffli worked as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company from 1984 to 1993. In 1994, he became CFO of Swiss Bank Corporation and continued to serve as CFO following the merger with Union Bank of Switzerland into today’s UBS in 1998. From 2001, he was President and then (as of 2003) also Group CEO of UBS until his resignation in 2007. Currently, Wuffli holds leadership positions in both profit-oriented and nonprofit organizations. He is the Chairman of Partners Group (a global leader in private markets investment management) and of IMD (a Swiss-based, top-ranked global business school). He also chairs the elea Foundation for Ethics in Globalization, which he founded with his wife Susanne in 2006.

Peter A. Wuffli
Inclusive Leadership
A Framework for the Global Era
2016, 216 p. 5 illus. in color
Hardcover 59,99 € | 44.99 £ | 79.99 $
*64,19 € (D) | 65,99 € (A) | CHF 66.00
ISBN 978-3-319-23560-8
Also available as an eBook