Trailblazers

For today’s aspiring leaders, lessons in leadership from legendary Black CEOs

Beginning in the late 1990s, a handful of executives rose to become some of the first Black CEOs ever to lead Fortune 500 powerhouses: Ken Chenault at American Express, Dick Parsons at Time Warner, John Thompson at Symantec, Ursula Burns at Xerox, and Frank Raines at Fannie Mae.

In Trailblazers, organizational advisor and journalist Roger O. Crockett recounts the inspiring stories of these titans and relates their hard-won lessons for achieving greatness amid the stunning lack of racial equity that still plagues us today. These trailblazers share an extra dose of resolve and grit, the key to their success despite the difficulties they tackled as Black leaders—what Crockett calls the “alpha-plus” mentality. Trailblazers also homes in on a specific quality that each wielded on their path to the top—from a belief in the power of authentic identity, to a commitment to compromise, or a performance mindset—and offers readers guidance on how to cultivate these qualities in themselves.

The members of this group have enlightening perspectives on what it takes for not just Black leaders but any leaders to make it today. Their voices are needed now more than ever.

• “Leading an organization isn’t about perfection; it’s about determination, drive, relentless improvement, insatiable curiosity, and learning from mistakes. In Trailblazers, Roger Crockett captures the authentic reality of top CEOs—their ambitions, their quiet anxieties, and the grit required to overcome fierce opposition.”
  Greg Brown, chairman & CEO, Motorola Solutions
• “What does it take to overcome inequality, shatter prejudice, and succeed at the highest levels of business? Roger O. Crockett takes readers behind the boardroom doors to tell the stories of some of the groundbreaking Black business executives who redefined Fortune 500 success. With rigorous research, intensive interviews, and deft writing, Trailblazers serves as a vital work of history and an indispensable guide for the next generation of ambitious outsiders determined to become our leaders.”
  Jonathan Eig, Pulitzer Prize winning author of King: A Life