Transfluence

How to Lead with Transformative Influence in Today’s Climates of Change

By: Walt Rakowich

Narrated by: Mike Lenz

Walt Rakowich was CEO of Prologis, the world's largest owner of industrial warehouses and a critical partner to companies distributing products throughout the global supply chain. The company was near bankruptcy when Walt took over at the height of the Great Recession. While leading Prologis back to prominence and in the years since, Walt realized leaders today must lean into timeless values and principles, but with a fresh perspective on the new realities of our leadership climates.

The modern leadership environment exists at the convergence of three distinct and dynamic climates: the climates of access, diversity, and acceleration. On their own or in the aggregate, these climates produce significant opportunities and tensions that will challenge leaders for generations. With a fundamental understanding of these climates, leaders develop a selfless approach that withstands the toughest storms.

Transfluence shows leaders how they can have transformative influence by overcoming their fears and pride, building transparency into their leadership, developing a strong core of authentic values, and passionately pursuing a meaningful purpose. When leaders do this, they seize opportunities, embrace challenges, and make their organizations and communities greater than ever.

©2020 Walter C. Rakowich (P)2020 Gildan Media

Substantially above average

I have listened to maybe 1100 audiobooks and this one is in the very top percentage of my favorite books.

Walt brings such an authenticity and radical self honesty that really made me want to take a look in the mirror at my own leadership blindspots.

I was expecting a good book but this one was exceptional. When he first became CEO their stock price had shrunk down to a market cap of $500 million, and about four years later he built it back up and done a successful merger getting their market cap to something like $50 billion. Normally that leads to a book with a lot of self congratulation about how smart they are, instead Walt is super open about the fears and insecurities he has had as a leader and the lessons he learned while working a summer job on a garbage truck.

The book is full of the timeless lessons about overcoming self focus and caring about others as a path to success, and as a leader the companies I own I felt like this was a big reminder of the lessons we all grew up with, but from somebody who was setting the example instead of just saying “you should”.