Book SummaryDiscover Your True North, by Bill George

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Discover Your True North

What’s the common thread among the world’s most successful business leaders? In Discover Your True North, Bill George argues that it’s not about being the most talented, or the most charming person in the boardroom—it’s about being true to yourself and staying focused on your core priorities and values (what he calls your unique “True North”).

After analyzing interviews with 48 international business leaders about their career journeys, George distills their most salient insights into simple guidelines that anyone can follow to become a leader in their organization: Work toward something you’re truly passionate about, optimize your leadership using introspection and feedback, and maintain a healthy personal life. George also describes common pitfalls that can distract leaders from their core...

Discover Your True North Summary Identify Your Core Purpose and Ethical Principles

The first step to becoming an effective leader is to identify your core purpose (what George calls your “True North”) and ethical principles. The core purpose is your overarching goal for your career and the “why” behind everything you do in your leadership journey. Your ethical principles are the moral boundaries you must identify so you can work toward your core purpose without sacrificing your integrity.

In this section, we’ll examine why these components are important and how to identify them based on your unique life experiences.

The Core Purpose

George asserts that throughout your career, your core purpose will help guide you when making decisions and motivate you when you’re experiencing challenges. In other words, it’s something you can refer to and remind yourself of the ultimate goal you’re working toward. Without a core purpose, George warns, you risk ending up in an unfulfilling career because you chased things like a higher salary and fancy possessions instead of following your true passion.

(Shortform note: Although George focuses on the individual benefits of identifying a core purpose, many experts suggest that having a core purpose has...

Discover Your True North Summary Avoid Common Pitfalls

According to George, identifying your core purpose and ethics will help you become an effective and resilient leader throughout the ups and downs of your career. To illustrate the importance of having these guiding principles, George identifies the five traits that commonly cause leaders to stray from their core purpose and ethics.

The common thread in these behaviors is self-centeredness and excessive pursuit of external rewards like power and money. George writes that by being aware of these potential pitfalls, you can recognize when your leadership is faltering and take corrective action (with your core purpose and values as a guide).

(Shortform note: Resisting egocentric tendencies and materialism may be particularly challenging for leaders after they’ve already achieved substantial success in their industry. In Ego is the Enemy, Ryan Holiday recommends a few tips to avoid losing control of your ego. His advice is: Remain a lifelong student and be open to new knowledge and lessons, don’t be tempted by new opportunities that don’t...

Discover Your True North Summary Strengthen Your Leadership

George says that to avoid the common leadership problems of the previous section and reach your full potential as a leader, there are three key ways to optimize your leadership: 1) Find a role that you’re highly motivated to do and that takes advantage of your best skills (what George calls the “sweet spot”), 2) support your team members, and 3) adapt to the globalized business environment.

Find Your Ideal Role

George says that your ideal role will showcase your strongest skills and allow you to spend time doing things you’re highly motivated to do. To identify this kind of role, reflect on your strengths and your intrinsic motivation (motivation that comes from within, like the desire to create a more equitable world). If you’ve done some earnest introspection about your core purpose, you’ll likely already have a good understanding of what kind of work you’re intrinsically motivated by.

(Shortform note: In addition to finding a position that takes advantage of your unique strengths and that you’re willing to do without external rewards, Laura Vanderkam identifies a few additional [elements to the ideal...

Discover Your True North Summary Nurture a Support System and a Balanced Life

The previous section focused on strategies to become a strong leader by improving the way you work. In the final section, we’ll cover George’s advice on how to bolster your leadership by maintaining a strong support system outside of work as well as maintaining a balanced life.

Maintain a Support System of Friends and Family

George says that no matter how talented you are as a business leader, it’s essential to have a group of people who will love you for who you are (not for your career success), accompany you through hard times, and keep you on track to pursue your core purpose.

He explains that your support system will not only provide a loving environment to turn to when things don’t go your way but also help hold you accountable when you’re not being true to your core purpose or values. For example, if you start missing family dinners and other important events to stay late at the office, you may need your loved ones to intervene and remind you that your productivity isn’t as important as your relationships. George asserts that since this kind of trusting and enduring relationship takes time to build, it’s important to consistently prioritize your family...

Shortform Exercise: Assess Your Core Purpose, Values, and Support System

George argues that the key to leadership is having a core purpose and a set of ethical principles that serve as guiding points throughout your career. He also asserts that it’s essential to maintain a strong support system outside of work. In this exercise, we’ll go through the steps to identify your unique core purpose, make a plan to embody your values, and assess the role of the people in your support system.

Your core purpose and values stem from your life experiences and greatest setbacks. Write down a few of the key events in your life. How did these events change your outlook and values? For example, if you had a learning disability that led to negative experiences at school, this might have made you realize the importance of providing tools and accommodations for neurodivergent students.