Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
The Hero Factor summary
Jeffrey Hayzlett
Jim Eber
How Great Leaders Transform Organizations and Create Winning Cultures
19 mins
Brief summary
'The Hero Factor' by Jeffrey Hayzlett with Jim Eber is a business book that outlines the importance of courageous leadership and innovation, by highlighting examples of successful hero-led companies. It emphasizes on the significance of putting customers first and staying true to values, while taking calculated risks.
Topics
Table of Contents
The Hero Factor
Summary of 6 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 6
The world is crying out for heroic leaders who can align their own goals with those of their employees.
In the era of #metoo, when so many of our corporate leaders are being caught up in odious scandals, it can be easy to adopt a cynical approach toward them all. Are they really interested in the well-being of the ordinary people who work for them, or are they just out for themselves, exploiting those lower down the food chain along the way?
In this climate of extreme distrust, we need executives who can refute these terrible examples of toxic leadership and prove that the good guys are still winning. In other words, we are in desperate need of heroic leaders.
The author’s journey toward heroic leadership started in 2009, when he was invited to attend the annual conference of Hero Partners, a nationwide club for leaders in charge of fast-growing businesses who are also committed to responsible, sustainable and compassionate entrepreneurialism. The author, himself a Chief Marketing Officer at the time, was so impressed with Hero Partners and its values that if he went all in and bought the company in 2016.
So what are the heroic values that the author and his club of forward-thinking entrepreneurs believe all leaders should live by?
Well, commitment and courage are essential. Specifically, leaders need the commitment and courage to constantly find ways to give something back and to serve others, including their employees, their communities, or the environment.
Simple, right? Perhaps, but most businesses these days are doing a poor job in this regard. Instead, they’re wholly focused on three totally different things: their clients, their shareholders and their bottom line. And the hard-working employees? They’re overlooked, not listened to, and have to make do with scraps from the boardroom table.
So what’s the solution? As we’ll find out, leaders can go from zero to hero by recalibrating their focus, ensuring that their workers, and even the wider community, start to feel that the company’s goals are aligned with their own.
These employee goals are likely to include having a decent life for themselves while doing the best they can at work. Ask yourself, are you, as a leader, committed to this goal, too? If not, it’s time to re-read your company’s mission statement, where these goals are likely enshrined, and get to work on embodying them.
Want to see all full key ideas from The Hero Factor?
Key ideas in The Hero Factor
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is The Hero Factor about?
The Hero Factor (2018) explains why business leaders need to focus as much on their people as they do on their profits. Using fascinating real-world examples and inspiring true stories of success, the authors examine the true meaning of heroic leadership in the workplace.
The Hero Factor Review
The Hero Factor (2018) is a captivating book that explores the essence of true leadership and how it can transform organizations. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- It provides insightful stories and interviews with successful leaders, giving readers a practical understanding of what it takes to be a hero in business.
- Filled with actionable strategies, it offers a roadmap for building a strong organizational culture that fosters trust, loyalty, and engagement.
- With its compelling examples of companies that embody the hero factor, this book is far from boring, keeping readers engaged from start to finish.
Best quote from The Hero Factor
A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business. – Henry Ford.
—Jeffrey Hayzlett with Jim Eber
Who should read The Hero Factor?
- Managers wanting tips on how to become an inspirational leader
- Those looking to brush up on their people skills
- Entrepreneurs looking for a fresh perspective on success
Categories with The Hero Factor
Book summaries like The Hero Factor
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
33 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
The Hero Factor FAQs
What is the main message of The Hero Factor?
The main message of The Hero Factor is about the importance of hero-based leadership and how it can impact businesses of all sizes.
How long does it take to read The Hero Factor?
The estimated reading time for The Hero Factor, including the Blinkist summary, varies depending on the reader's speed.
Is The Hero Factor a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Hero Factor is worth reading as it provides valuable insights into hero-based leadership and its impact on businesses.
Who is the author of The Hero Factor?
The authors of The Hero Factor are Jeffrey Hayzlett and Jim Eber.
What to read after The Hero Factor?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Hero Factor, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Switch by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
- Marketing Artificial Intelligence by Paul Roetzer & Mike Kaput
- The 12 Traits of the Greats by Dave Martin
- How to Become a People Magnet by Marc Reklau
- The First Rule of Mastery by Michael Gervais
- The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma
- The Leader Habit by Martin Lanik
- Third Millennium Thinking by Saul Perlmutter
- A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
- Marriage Be Hard by Kevin and Melissa Fredericks