The leader's ladder : 5 steps to braver leadership with structure and tough care

The Leader’s Ladder is a different kind of leadership book – the closest you can get to a comprehensive, and still easily readable, leadership handbook. Based on a rare combination of diverse academic and leader experiences, Bengt Savén has succeeded in creating a model that, in a unique way, covers everything from essential leadership values to very tangible tools for your everyday leadership. The author invites you on a journey that can take you from being a traditional manager to a leader whom others willingly follow.

By introducing important concepts like Tough Care, leader contribution and MAA (means, ability and attitude) Savén creates a framework – the Collaboration Tree – that illustrates what a real leader needs to prioritize. It has its roots in the Care and Growth Model, as well as in true Lean and Agile practices. With this framework as the starting point, he presents five distinct steps to becoming a better leader – the Leader’s Ladder.

The Leader’s Ladder is written both for individual reading and for discussions with colleagues. If you are part of top management, you can therefore use the book as a base for developing a common leadership standard, so that your whole management team can develop together – both faster and better.



Bengt Savén has vast experience from his many years in business management, complemented by a career in academia. He has been on the front line, living the challenges of management, leading both small and large organizations – ranging in size from just three subordinates to well over a thousand. Bengt Savén’s industry experience comes from many organizations in different parts of the world. He has been living and working in Scandinavia, Australia, South Africa and the United States – serving at all levels from first-line management to executive management combined with board of directors assignments. Bengt Savén is currently working part-time as professor of Sustainable Leadership at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and before that, he has served as an adjunct professor of Change Management. By combining his vast practical leadership experience with new theoretical findings, he has managed to evolve the three complementary models that forms the unique core of this book.

Text: Tor Berggrund, For more information, see www.braveship.com

Said about the book:

”I wish that I had The Leader’s Ladder available for myself and my colleagues when I was a manager! Bengt Savén has covered everything from the communication of the high level strategic vision right down to how to set meaningful objectives at all levels of the organisation. I like the way the author deals with accountability/attitude, for example stressing the need for a courageous approach to giving honest feedback. Savén has succeeded in combining the Care and Growth Model with a continuous improvement process (Lean) - and his integration is excellent. The book contains great illustrations and several practical examples to illustrate important points, supporting you to become a better leader step-by-step. There is a lot in this book, and I think all practicing managers will benefit from reading it.”

Dr. Graham Edwards – Chief Executive (Rtd), AECI

“The Leader’s Ladder gives you a holistic picture of what it takes to become a great leader and, at the same time, it challenges the reader in a very positive way. In my opinion it is the best book on leadership ever written.”

Andreas Westergren – Production Director, Saab Aerostructures

“I truly recommend The Leader’s Ladder to managers at all levels of any organisation.”

Roger Svensk – Operations Manager, IKEA Industry

"Every time I return to The Leader’s Ladder it happens again - recog- nition, inspiration and learning. It has provided me with numerous simple but constructive advice. The Leader’s Ladder has become a major source of energy – motivating me to grow continuously.”

Lotten Tholander CEO, Nordic Construction Systems

“Despite my many years as a manager I haven’t come across a book anything like The Leader’s Ladder. It is really easy to comprehend and very practical in how it describes the process of developing as a leader. Coaching leaders has become so much easier since we got access to the insights and structure that Bengt Savén presents in his book. The Leader’s Ladder has become more or less as a bible in our office.”

Jacob Kramer Head of Business Development, LF Insurance