You might think, I’ve already read a lot of books about leadership—why do I need another one? Unicorn Leadership isn’t just about becoming a better leader. With honesty and humor and a lot of relatable personal experience, Anne Witherspoon offers guidance on both developing excellent leadership skills and becoming a better human being.

Witherspoon describes her career journey as combining “book learning with experience,” and she generously shares both with readers. Using the formula

(Book learning + Experiences) + Application to daily life and career = Magic,

she walks us through the qualities Unicorn Leaders should strive for and the wisdom regarding each that she’s acquired over the years.

Chapters are titled with a quality or ability, things ranging from values to teamwork to culture, and Witherspoon starts each chapter off with a quote appropriate to the topic. She combines personal anecdotes and her experience at all levels of leadership with insights from a wealth of leaders and experts, people like Gary Vaynerchuk (chairman of VaynerX), Bozoma Saint John (CMO of Netflix), and John Maxwell (author and leadership expert). 

Chapters are short, so the reader can read one or two, reread, and contemplate before moving on to the next. Witherspoon’s writing style is warm, straightforward, and easy to read, and perusing the book is like sitting down for coffee with a wise friend. She thoughtfully includes Unicorn Leader Action Steps at the end of each chapter, concrete things the reader can implement to become a more effective leader. These may include TED Talks to watch, books to read, policies to put into place at work, or even suggestions for events to bring a little fun into the workplace.

And if you’re not angling for a C-suite role, if you’re the CEO of your empire at home or you’re just starting out in your career, this book is still for you. Many of the lessons Witherspoon shares apply to growing and evolving as a good human being just as much as they do to a corporate workplace. Both work and life are “a serious endeavor. But it doesn’t have to be an endeavor without joy, without fun, and without a splash of weirdness.”

Whether you want to be a more compassionate and successful leader in the workplace or just want to improve yourself personally, Unicorn Leadership will help you achieve your goals. 

Anne Witherspoon is a C-level leader who has spent the past 25 years working in corporate America, learning from the best and the worst. She has multiple professional credentials and expansive leadership experience. She is a professional keynote speaker and has been featured on various podcasts and webinars and included in several publications. Anne lives in Texas and loves to read, run, write and travel.