“A deeply honest, highly practical, and distinctively human roadmap for leading organizations through a changing, disruptive world.”
The old leadership playbook has stopped working. Command-and-control has given way to collaboration and connection, and leaders today are expected not just to direct, but to build cultures where people actually want to do their best work. But what does that realistically look like?
In The Imperfect CEO, Jim Brown picks up the story of David Slater (the same CEO from his bestseller The Imperfect Board Member) now twenty years further into his leadership journey. Slater is running a company where the approach that once made him successful is quietly falling flat, and he can't figure out why. What unfolds is an honest look at leading through complexity and change, in a workplace where relationships, empathy, and trust matter as much as results—even as technology reshapes how we work.
Alongside David, readers learn to apply the Ascent Model, highlighting the four "peaks" that characterize healthy, strong organizations: Collaborative Culture, Leadership Accountability, Strategic Momentum, and Talent Magnetism.
Praise for The Imperfect CEO
AMY C. EDMONDSON, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, Harvard Business School; author of Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well
The Imperfect CEO is a timely and practical guide for leaders willing to trade the illusion of perfection for the more demanding work of learning, listening, and leading. Through a compelling story and an actionable framework, Jim Brown shows how to create healthier organizations by building psychological safety, accountability, strategic clarity, and genuine respect. Wise and humane, this book invites leaders to look honestly at their own impact and offers a credible path toward creating workplaces where both people and organizations can thrive.
GARY RIDGE, Chairman Emeritus, WD-40 Company; USA Today Bestselling Author, Any Dumb-Ass Can Do It; and The Culture Coach
The Imperfect CEO is a breath of fresh air in a world obsessed with shiny leadership veneers. Jim's stories are real, his model is practical, and his heart for people comes through on every page. If you want to lead a tribe—not just manage a team—this is the book you'll read, share, and dog-ear.
ALLISON ALLEY, President & CEO, World Vision Canada
Healthy, high-performing organizations aren't commanded by hierarchy but cultivated by humility. In The Imperfect CEO, Jim shows how human-centred leadership drives the relationships and results the world needs.
ANDREW McCONNELL, Founder & CEO, Alively, WSJ Best Selling Author
Essential reading for anyone building something that matters. Jim Brown does something rare in leadership literature — he makes organizational health feel both deeply human and rigorously actionable.
DR. MARSHALL GOLDSMITH, Thinkers50 #1 Executive Coach and New York Times bestselling author of The Earned Life, Triggers, and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
A refreshingly honest take on what it really means to lead. Jim Brown uses a compelling fable to shine the light on the blind spots, biases, and everyday behaviors that quietly undermine organizations. Practical and thought-provoking, this book challenges leaders to confront uncomfortable truths and take responsibility for building healthier, more human workplaces.
DR. HENRY CLOUD, New York Times Bestselling Author, Boundaries; Psychologist; and Leadership Consultant
Read this book and allow it to coach you to grow and lead so everyone gets better. It goes straight at this dilemma of integrating and the deeper issue many CEOs face: imbalance within themselves.
TAKA SANDE, Corporate Governance Advisor & Author Roadmap to Non-Executive Directorship
The book speaks not only to CEOs, but also to boards and executive teams responsible for the stewardship of institutions. In this age, governance failure often begins with behavioural failure at the top. This book offers a thoughtful and practical framework for leaders seeking to build organizations that are not only effective, but principled and worthy of trust.
BRIAN PETERSEN, Principal Consultant, The Table Group
The book lands on something most leadership books miss. Jim challenges leaders to see their own behavior clearly and change a few specific habits that matter. That’s where the leverage is.
BRIAN BESANCENEY, former Chief Communications Officer, Walmart and Boeing; Immediate Past Chair, Orlando Health
Jim Brown's The Imperfect CEO is a masterclass in leadership for the moment—melding hard truth with generous insight and actionable guidance.
SANTIAGO "JIMMY" MELLADO, President and CEO, Compassion International
This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to lead with heart and real impact. His focus on trust, vulnerability, and growth is both timely and transformative.
SHARI SEKEL, CEO, PenFinancial Credit Union
What I appreciated most was the practicality of the insights; these are ideas you can put to the test in the here and now. This book shows why collaboration and culture aren’t soft—they’re the backbone of lasting success.
JEFF LEBLANC, Lecturer, Management, Bentley University, and Author, Engaged Empathy Leadership
Jim moves past stereotypes about Millennials, Gen Z, or Boomers and gets to the heart of what actually drives performance—shared purpose, honest communication, respectful inclusion, and leaders who own the environment they create.
MARK C. CROWLEY, Author of Lead from the Heart and The Power of Employee Well-Being
The book is a practical, human-centered guide to building cultures where people give their best. Leaders drive performance not just through strategy, but through how people feel at work and Jim shows exactly how to get that right.