Title: Unlocking the Natural Born Leader’s Abilities: An Autobiographical Expose
Author: Salar A. Khan, MD., MBA.
Publisher: Xlibris
ISBN: 978-1-5245-9956-0
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Pages: 128
Reviewed by: Allison Walker
Pacific Book Review
It is said leaders are not born, they are made, but according to Salar Khan, MD., MBA. some people are natural-born leaders. Everyone is born with hidden qualities to discover, some of which make people into natural leaders, Khan writes in his book, “Unlocking the Natural Born Leader’s Abilities: An Autobiographical Expose.” Leadership is a behavior, but it is also a mindset, Khan firmly believes. Until you discover how to unlock and foster that mindset, your success as a leader is limited.
“Unlocking the Natural-Born Leader’s Abilities” aims to help budding leaders discover and foster the leadership mindset. Throughout, Khan uses his own experiences to demonstrate how the leadership qualities he lists helped him succeed in his career and, most importantly, in his life. The book is primarily autobiographical. Although Khan makes an excellent effort, especially in the latter half of the book, to guide readers through the necessary qualities of a natural leader. This book is an easy read and offers great suggestions to achieve success in today’s society both on a personal level and professional level.
Khan is quite a likable and engaging narrator. He masterfully weaves his own life lessons and leadership skills in his personal story for others to benefit from. You get the distinct impression Khan truly wants to help people, and his history serving as a mentor and guide to young people supports this. In the latter half of his book, Khan’s advise for would-be leaders grows strong. He lists the qualities he found most helpful in the many supervisory roles he served throughout his career, and properly relates stories to extrapolate on each quality. Khan takes the time to create a few helpful flowcharts and a self-assessment tool, a throwback to his time spent as a college professor. The checklist pulls together the scheme of the book, and asks readers to think critically about their own successes and failures as leaders.
Don’t be afraid of failure, Khan advises. Among the qualities of a natural-born leader are self-confidence and intrinsic motivation; natural-born leaders are driven to succeed, and by not considering failure an option, do not fear it. Instead of fearing failure, have the self-confidence to expect and strive for success, he writes. Khan’s own eventful, international life is leadership by example, and exactly the kind of guidance his reader’s need to unlock their own innate leadership qualities. If you’re ready to make a change in your life, this book is full of valuable information and resources to support you along the way. I would highly recommend this book to professionals with a desire to leave a mark on the world, and a need of some guidance about how to do so effectively.
