The Hardware

Leadership Tools and Tales

Michael Cloutier, Randi Madonik Skurka

$72.95 $61.87

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Iguana Books
09 December 2025

Management & management techniques; Management: leadership & motivation; Non-profitmaking organisations

The Hardware: Leadership Tools and Tales is a memoir-like leadership fable envisioned by Michael Cloutier, a retired pharmaceuticals executive, and co-written by Randi Madonik Skurka. It addresses contemporary challenges by incorporating fictionalized personal anecdotes in an engaging story, in order to demonstrate and teach principles of leadership.

The story opens with the protagonist, Brad, a business executive, receiving an invitation to be bestowed with an honorary degree by the University of Toronto at the spring convocation of its business school graduates. This is to be in recognition of his contribution to Canadian business and to the university, at which he served as an instructor and chief fundraiser for a new student learning centre. Each subsequent chapter contains flashbacks of events in Brad's life, and related recollections or conversations about a leadership trait or ""tool,"" for example, trust, authenticity, integrity and generosity; these are summarized in key takeaways at the end of the chapter. The episodes unfold against the backdrop of his life's trajectory, starting with childhood memories of the small town hardware store of his grandfather, which is about to be sold.

Readers will be left educated, entertained and inspired.

By: Michael Cloutier, Randi Madonik Skurka
Imprint: Iguana Books
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 140mm, Spine: 11mm
Weight: 313g
ISBN: 9781771807586
ISBN 10: 177180758X
Pages: 104
Publication Date: 09 December 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Michael Cloutier is an accomplished Canadian business leader and advisor with over forty years in the Life Sciences sector. He is well respected for his leadership skills, business acumen, coaching and mentoring accomplishments, and is an experienced business school lecturer who spearheaded fundraising for the construction of the Sheridan College Hazel McCallion Campus Student Centre. Randi Madonik Skurka is a Canadian writer of fiction and nonfiction. After working as a community pharmacist for three decades, she completed an MA in Jewish Studies and began to write about her family history while enrolled at the Humber School for Writers. Her opinion pieces have appeared in national and international media, and she has recently completed a historical novel based on the saga of resistance and survival of two sisters during World War II. Her website can be found at www.randiskurka.com.

Reviews for The Hardware: Leadership Tools and Tales

""Reading The Hardware feels like sitting with a wise friend who's walked the path before you. These stories remind us that leadership is less about power and more about presence - the courage to listen, the humility to serve, and the clarity to inspire."" - Marc Champagne, Bestselling Author & Mental Fitness Futurist ""Very insightful and profound. It is a product of deep reflection about your experiences in leadership. Like leadership skills, we frequently get used to using the same tool for different situations where another might be more useful."" -Tom Potter, Leadership Professional ""Blending decades of leadership experience with the art of storytelling, Mike offers a powerful guide of wisdom that doesn't just teach leadership - it inspires it."" - Amita Kent, International Business Leader