Be the Unicorn

12 Data-Driven Habits That Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest

By: William Vanderbloemen, John C. Maxwell - foreword

Narrated by: William Vanderbloemen

Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

“This book is one of the most worthwhile and immediately usable reads I have come across in a long time.” –Kiplinger

Read by the author.

Want to stand out from the crowd? We have studied 30,000 top leaders and have discovered the 12 habits they share that make them as rare as a unicorn. Learn these habits, and you’ll be one of the best at whatever you do!

How do I stand out? How do I become irreplaceable? With a crowded workforce, an unstable job landscape, and the rise of AI, these questions are the ones that everyone either is or should be asking.

William Vanderbloemen has asked these questions over the past 15 years while running one of the world’s top executive search firms. Through extensive research of over 30,000 top leaders and proprietary data, Vanderbloemen has identified the 12 habits that the best of the best have in common. Traits such as authenticity, responsiveness, agility, and the ability to problem solve, among others.

Each habit includes information on What We Know (the hard data behind why the habit is so transformative), What We’ve Seen (first-hand accounts by high-achieving professionals on how they live the habit), and What We Do (simple ways to build this habit into your daily routine). Be the Unicorn will help you:

• Discover the top twelve soft skills the most successful leaders, the top 1%, have.
• Understand how to develop these soft skills in your own life for better job success.
• Learn how to apply soft skills to interpersonal relationships outside of work.
• Understand how these soft skills can be applied in different work environments and job fields, especially with the rise of AI technology.

©2023 William Vanderbloemen (P)2023 HarperCollins Leadership

Interesting High Level View on Leadership Qualities

Interesting perspective on various qualities that definitely apply to leadership at any level, but also qualities that ideal employees embody. Some of the people used as examples were interesting and suggest a mildly political undertone with specific leaders that have questionable pasts, but overall interesting read with a variety of takeaways.

The Team at Vanderbloemen created a new business classic!

I loved the twelve habits, and am going to have my team read it, and start looking for these traits in every new team member moving forward!

A manual in becoming unstoppable.

I stumbled upon this book quite unexpectedly. While out for my usual walk with my dogs, I tuned into the "Art of Manliness" podcast. The episode titled "The Leadership Qualities That Will Set You Apart From the Pack" immediately caught my attention, especially as I've been navigating through a rollercoaster of emotions lately. I'm on the cusp of a significant career shift and have been on the lookout for that elusive spark to make the leap.

Mr. Vanderbloemen's insights on the podcast were a revelation, offering a sneak peek into the traits that foster success. This brief introduction piqued my interest, and I knew I had to dive into the full book. It resonated deeply with me; the qualities discussed were not just familiar but also a refreshing deviation from the typical, clichéd motivational rhetoric.

The book offers practical advice on refining certain attributes and provides an insightful look into applied research and analysis. Beyond its educational value, it's genuinely entertaining. The content is engaging, holding my interest right up to the very last word. I'm eagerly anticipating Mr. Vanderbloemen's next work. And a fun fact: Mr. Vanderbloemen is based in Houston, just like me!

The Best Pocket Bible for Leaders & Employees!

Often, we find ourselves striving to improve upon our previous selves. When I purchased this book, I had no inkling of the profound impact it would have on my life. I shared this book with my colleagues in the book club sponsored by our federal agency, and it resonated immensely. I have revisited the book multiple times, uncovering new insights with each read, and I am not alone in this regard, as many members of the book club have expressed a similar experience. This book is highly recommended, unless, of course, you prefer mediocrity. (smile)

Mr. Vanderbloemen kindly joined one of our book club sessions to provide an insightful discussion on personal growth and self-improvement. It was a valuable opportunity to learn how to maximize our potential. If you are considering reading this book, I highly recommend it. Get your copy today!

Incredible Read!

Great real life examples! I ordered my hard copy just now! Can’t wait to go through it with my team!

Questionable Quotations

Overall very strong points were made with few exceptions. What devalues these view points are the authors strong connection towards quoting left wing fanaticals and promoting of their ideas.
Throughout the book the authur praises people such as Gretta Thornburg, Justin Trudeau, Bill Clinton, Anthony Fauci, and Lizzo. He also promotes DEI, a racist program built to suppress anyone of European ancestry.
You will find that much of this book is riddled with left wing ideology.

Great for small business owners

Loved being reminded to appreciate not only some of the traits I already had but to recognize those same traits in some of my key employees. This has helped me to pick our team up on rough work days and empower the unicorns I have on the team. 🦄

Finding these traits in someone is amazing

This gave a lot of insight into not only myself, but the people I work with. Great and easy read!

Solid advice, delivered concisely

This is an easy to read, and quick to apply book. The mixture of personal stories and humor makes it all the more enjoyable.

Clear, winsome, and WISE!

This book is itself a unicorn--a rare find within its genre. I will be reading and savoring it again and recommending it enthusiastically. It is so down-to-earth, straightforward, and honest that a reader can't help but feel (somehow) cared-for in reading it. THANK YOU to William Vanderbloemem and team for sharing your secrets and insights so generously!