Leading with Depth

‘Claudia Nagel takes you on a vivid journey into the inner world of people, companies, and how organisations really work. By exploring what drives us and examining different leadership traits, she shines a spotlight on what really happens at the heart of companies. An interesting and enlightening read that every leader should have close to hand.’ -- Stefan Behr, CEO of JP Morgan SE ‘Claudia Nagel’s inspiring book analyses leadership from a psychological perspective: leaders’ emotions, ambivalences, doubt, uncertainty, and the pressure they feel. By introducing handy analogies – such as “the leader as container”, that is, creating a trusted, safe space in which a team can grow – she invites her readers on a journey into the age of hybrid work, Zoom fatigue, love, loneliness, and work friendship. A wise and thought-provoking book.’ -- Prof. Gerd Gigerenzer, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin ‘I loved reading this book. It confirms what is, of course, not something new: management and leadership are much more than technical skills. But it is thrilling the way it illustrates how personal and individual behaviour influences leadership. It is striking to learn how these factors contribute to performance. It offers insights into what might trigger patterns and, consequently, allows us to derive solutions from a team and personal perspective. It’s all about people.’ -- Dr Ulrich Hüllman, CFO, Viessmann Group Holding ‘This book presents a unique knowledge collection on leadership and leaders and their emotional set up. It offers theoretical perspectives and practical solutions enriched with varied case studies. Prof. Nagel has produced a masterful piece of clear scholarship and practical insights in a very approachable way. I highly appreciate her excellent knowledge of how leaders today must deal with the demands from changing economics and societies.’ -- Issy Drori, Emeritus Professor, VU Amsterdam ‘“You believe you’re leading in a purely rational way? No, that’s impossible.” Claudia Nagel had coined this term earlier. And it’s the perfect launchpad for this book. Allow yourself the benefit of doubt behind your firm belief. Start observing your own emotions, get suspicious and curious about yourself. Look deeper, emotions are your constant companion. They affect how you arrive at decisions and how you guide and motivate the humans around you. Leadership is deeply embedded in the human factor, i.e. the subtle, yet immensely powerful, emotional interaction between people. Study and understand what’s going on in you. Reflect on your impact on the people around you and what drives them: hope as much as anxiety, conflict as much as uncertainty and change. Nagel’s book delivers on the provocation. It provides an exhaustive compendium of real-life insights and great food for thought. The set-up combines conceptual and illustrative parts with great added value from case studies. Think “Leadership with Depth”.’ -- Dr. Robert Bente, entrepreneur and multiple supervisory board member ‘Prof. Nagel provides a crystal-clear overview of what has been learned about leadership and about what is needed to strengthen it. Complementing her framework, the succeeding chapters each explore related issues, experiences, and dilemmas that beautifully illustrate the book’s main focus. While addressing complex issues, the writing is accessible and direct. In one stunning insight after another, this book clearly shows how effective leadership helps us transform experience into meaning, and how it supports our ability to think rather than act impulsively. It is an important advance in our understanding of how emotional life and relationships affect leaders’ success. One that I highly recommend to leaders, consultants, and academics.’ -- James Krantz, Principal, WorkLab