Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up

Most of us have gotten pretty far by moving fast, doing more, and striving for the next achievement. But when you’re called upon to lead, it’s time to look in the mirror, face your inner challenges, and grow into your full self—or you’ll never lead others to do the same. To get there, you might need a reboot.

In Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up (HarperBusiness, June 18), VC-turned-executive coach Jerry Colonna reveals why growing up and becoming a leader are intertwined, and why both depend upon “radical self-inquiry.”

Colonna’s “Reboot Bootcamps” have earned him a devoted following among the tech industry’s founders and CEOs—for making them cry, and helping them make peace with their inner demons—the psychological habits and behavioral patterns that have helped them to succeed, yet have been detrimental to their relationships, well-being, and ability to lead. Colonna’s proven blend of Buddhism, Jungian therapy, and entrepreneurial insight will help anyone overcome the psychological baggage that has held them back professionally.

Delivered with brave honesty and Brooklyn-born straight talk, Colonna’s advice comes from his own midlife realization that something was missing from a career that fast-tracked him from editor-in-chief of InformationWeek magazine by age 25, to cofounder of renowned VC firm Flatiron Partners (with Fred Wilson) by age 30, to a partner at JP Morgan on Wall Street. With great candor, Colonna shares the reboot founders’ journeys of startups ranging from Etsy to Gamesville. All were busy with their achievements, but until their reboot awakening, none had yet discovered the kind of self-actualization they needed to become effective leaders.

How did they reboot their core operating and belief system with fresh meaning? First, they stopped just striving to keep busy and excel, so they could instead stand still and power down. Next, they confronted themselves with radical self-inquiry to discover who they really are and why. By learning Colonna’s no-holds-barred approach, we all can stop running from our baggage, and strip away the mask to reveal the leader within.

By helping us to examine and capitalize on the raw material of our lives, Colonna shows us how to find meaning, build healthy interpersonal bonds, and become the leaders we were meant to be.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jerry Colonna is an executive coach who uses the skills he learned as a venture capitalist to help entrepreneurs. He draws on his wide variety of experiences to help clients design a more conscious life and make needed changes to their career to improve their performance and satisfaction. Previously he was a partner with JPMorgan Partners (JPMP), the private equity arm of JP Morgan Chase. He joined JPMP from Flatiron Partners, which he launched 1996 with partner, Fred Wilson. Flatiron became one of the most successful, early-stage investment programs in the New York City area. He lives in Boulder, Colorado.

This giveaway is brought to you by Harper Business, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. We have 20 copies available.