I found this book to be extremely value-adding and easy to follow.  It presents a model of leadership based on what the author calls the "Three C's" :  Challenging, Coaching, and Building Confidence.

As an Organizational Development professional, it is refreshing to find a book that is common-sense, easy-to-follow, and practical.  There are a lot of great management and leadership books out there, but Thorton does us a service by giving us a book that we can easily explain to others, thereby translating the page into immediate action.

In the section on challenging, Thorton explains that the leader must create a challenging vision, demand the impossible, and continuously improve. 

In the chapter on coaching, the author explains that the leader must find the right balance between coaching and letting followers think for themselves.  By being a facilitator and giving feedback, the model of leader as coach becomes more effective.  See website on coaching.

The author explains that the leader can build confidence by expanding the follower's self-image, empowering others, and recognizing good and improved performance.

I recommend this book to people who are new in leadership positions, or for experienced leaders looking for a book that they could use themselves or pass on to their followers.