Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest

“Be the Unicorn” is an inspiring and uplifting book that encourages readers to embrace their uniqueness and live authentically. With vibrant illustrations and engaging prose, it captures the essence of self-acceptance and positivity. The book is filled with empowering messages about believing in oneself and finding joy in individuality. It’s perfect for readers of all ages and serves as a wonderful reminder to celebrate what makes us different. Overall, it’s a delightful read that leaves you feeling motivated and ready to shine like the unicorns it celebrates!

William Vanderbloemen’s latest book, “Be the Unicorn: Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest,” is a goldmine of information. He gets right at what the best leaders do and how they think. With a plethora of examples from business, non-profits and church life, he illustrates twelve traits and habits.What turns my crank is that his observations are based on 30,000 interviews with leaders. This gives the book a razor-sharp edge on seeing things that effective leaders do well. William’s quotes and short case studies illustrate his twelve points with great clarity.Here is how I applied two of the habits and traits. Read the book to get the other ten.The Authentic—17% of the Unicorns identified most with being Authentic. That is about double from any of the other categories. It is also a blow to me. That means that 17% of the people are strong in Authenticity, while I have to work all the time just to get an average grade. This fact underscores one of William’s tenets, that you won’t be strong at everything but good habits can help you become stronger. “The Unicorns hold a skill set that can be learned. What we’ve discovered in our research is that people have skills that can be developed by anyone” (p. xviii). There is hope for me to continue to grow in this area!In working on this area, my wife and I began to change one small thing. A server in a restaurant, for example, might ask, “How are you?” We would each reply but then ask, “And how are you?” I asked this of an older Hispanic woman who was an assistant to the waiter. She stopped pouring the water. She looked around the room and replied, “Of all the people here, you are the only one to ask me that!” That made working on this trait all the sweeter.The Solver—1% of the Unicorns identified most with being a Solver. That is my sweet spot and I enjoyed how William talked about my strengths! We all like it when someone speaks into what we do well. However, I also had to realize that there are not many Solvers out there. So my approach needs to be gentle, not going straight to solutions, but helping people get there at their own speed. “The ability to keep your head in a panicked, rushed situation will set you apart from the crowd” (p. 56) and “Solving problems in a group can be threatening, exhausting, and frustrating, but … lead to innovation that wouldn’t otherwise have happened” (p. 59).“Be the Unicorn” is a helpful and practical book for all leaders. William provides action-oriented steps along the way to grow in areas of strength and lassitude. This book is a blockbuster for all who want to be the best that they can be.David Fletcher

I bought this for our work book read group and it was informative and educational!

Vanderbloemen knows candidate profiles and searches. This book is an outworking of their mission as an organization. It gives 12 great characteristics for special candidates/leaders who impact organizations in special ways. A good read for any leader who wants to know the “special sauce” for leadership in the 21st Century.

"Be the Unicorn: A Leadership Coach's TakeHey leaders! Our book club just finished "Be the Unicorn" and I have to say, it's a winner.Here's the deal:• Actionable Advice: This book isn't full of fluff. Vanderbloemen backs his ideas with data and gives you practical steps to implement the 12 habits he outlines. No vague theories here – you get clear, actionable strategies you can use right away.• Focus on Habits: The book breaks down leadership excellence into achievable habits. It's like a training program for becoming a better leader, one step at a time.• Modern Approach: The book acknowledges the changing workplace and the impact of AI. It focuses on the skills that will set you apart even in a tech-driven future.• Engaging Writing: This isn't a dry textbook. Vanderbloemen uses real-life stories and interviews to keep things interesting. It's an easy read that you won't want to put down.Would I recommend it? Absolutely! This is a great read for leaders at any level, from managers to executives. If you're looking for a roadmap to becoming a more effective and impactful leader, then "Be the Unicorn" is a great resource.Just a heads up: The book is all about self-improvement, which is fantastic. But remember, some of these habits take time and practice to master. Don't get discouraged – keep working at it, and you'll see results.#peoplealways #alwayslearning #bebetterleadbetter

Quick and easy read, good food for thought.Main point, do not dismiss the importance of “soft skills”…

I'm a small business owner looking to expand to additional markets. In doing so, I need to make sure I always bring my "A" game. "Be The Unicorn", will forever be paramount in my toolbox for success. Standing out is key to being successful and "Be The Unicorn", will help my business shine. The purchase of this book is actually two-fold for me. Not only do I need myself to be on point, but I need to properly staff my endeavor which includes hiring managers. The 12 data-driven habits within Be The Unicorn will be the standard in which I will use to evaluate the candidates I will be ultimately trusting to operate and grow my business.On a side note, I must complement, Mr. Vanderbloemen, on writing such an engaging book. Books of this nature are not my cup of tea and I was afraid the reading would be the equivalent to watching paint dry. Truth be told, "Be The Unicorn", was a breath of fresh air in that respect. Great info, an entertaining read, and well written. I couldn't recommend this book enough!

This book is a great book on leadership. It was my go to book for gifts this year.

First somewhat positive: it's a short and an easy l read. Decent editing, clear language, nice layout.But then all other things are just disappointing. While advertised here as 270 pages, it's in reality around 220, out of which 20 or so are table of content and index. That leaves 200, with several pages whitespace between each short chapter, we are at around 150-160 pages. I don't mind short books if there's substance, but there is simply none. The author is busy name dropping and desricibing how great his headhunting firm and its hiring practices are. All other content is just weak reference to widely known science, platitudes and 'trust me this will make you successful' statements and quotes from his network.The description here suggests some systematic approach, but really the author just had spare time during the pandemic and sent his network a questionnaire which of 12 types of people they are most like. Half of each chapter is anonymised quotes of people who claim to have a certain trait, a quarter are famous personalities and rather forced attempts to describe how they more or less might fit this trait, and the remaining quarter are general points of advice on how to be a decent human/worker/leader.Worst of all is the title and advertising. While 'habits' suggests something practical, throughout the book the author consistently calls his twelve types 'traits'. Clearly the title does not fit the book and just jumps on the current fashionability of 'habits'. There is nothing practical about this book.In short, a self-aggrandising 150 pages of vague drivel and quotes with no practical applicability and value. Clearly a book written just so the author can later say 'I wrote a book' and feel like an authority. Ok sure he's a nice chap and has had some success, but nothing useful of this ended in these pages. I feel sad for my money and more importantly lifetime spent. Please don't make the same mistake and instead read e.g. the classic Carnegie 'how to win friends', a leadership book by Minzberg or Dweck's Mindset or Fogg's Tiny Habits for something much more applicable and insightful.

The first chapter is okay, but I could not continue after he quoted Greta Thunberg as authentic. His choice of people is a red flag for me.