Raising Leaders summary

For Queen Elizabeth II, 2019 was a rough year. First, her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, caused an avoidable car accident. Next, her granddaughter was caught up in an embarrassing bribery scandal. Then, to top it all off, her son Prince Andrew went public about his relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Still, she navigated it all with grace and poise. Over her long career in the public eye, the queen has mastered the leadership skills necessary to excel in her dual role as matriarch of a family and monarch of a country. As her example shows, there are many similarities between good leadership and good parenting. Both positions require a balanced mix of boldness and benevolence.

Meet Gerald. At six years old, this young boy is smart, energetic, and adventurous. Unfortunately, he’s also aggressive, short-tempered, and prone to throw tantrums. 

From the very start, Gerald’s temperament caused problems. Within weeks of starting school, he was expelled for threatening a teacher with scissors. By the end of the year, similar behavior got him banned from two more classrooms. At home, things weren’t much better – he’d break toys and bruise people during violent outbursts.

Let’s take a quick tour of a building where everyone is happy to spend their weekdays. Here, there are open, airy rooms filled with light and color. Posters on the walls espouse values of caring, respect, and persistence. And, all around, people are passionately working on creative projects.

No, this isn’t a flashy coworking space. This is Parkhill Primary School. The administration here has assembled an ideal setting for young minds to learn. But the success of this school relies on more than just the decor. The teachers have also created an atmosphere where every student feels valued and motivated.

For Harry, Born’s son, getting through the school day was always a challenge. He was bursting with energy and often had difficulty concentrating in class or even staying still at his desk. The situation seemed hopeless. That is, until Harry discovered judo. 

At eleven years old, Harry left mainstream school to enroll in the Frank Dando Sports Academy. This unique institution is designed to help children with diverse learning needs. Each morning begins with an hour of judo practice. Then, throughout the day, students engage in all sorts of other exercises.

When Jacinda Ardern was elected as Prime Minister of New Zealand, she knew there would be many challenges ahead. At the time, she was just 37 years old, making her the youngest female head of state in the world. 

Still, Ardern was undaunted, and she stepped up to the role. As PM she implemented sweeping environmental programs, created thousands of jobs, and, when the country’s Muslim community was struck by a horrific terrorist attack, she offered love and support. In a display of solidarity after the attack, she addressed Parliament with the words “as-salaam alaikum,” an Arabic phrase meaning “peace be upon you.”

You can’t predict the future, but you can definitely plan for it. At least, this is what Andrew told himself when he first became a father. You see, Andrew was raised by a single mother and witnessed how difficult the world was for an impoverished woman. Knowing this, he wanted to ensure that his daughters were always financially secure. 

So Andrew hatched a plan. He began teaching his daughters financial literacy at a very young age. When they were teenagers, he helped them start their own businesses selling eggs and baked goods. By the time they hit their twenties, each daughter had saved enough to buy her own home.