What is Intelligent Leadership®
“Intelligent Leadership® is a transformational, results-driven leadership growth philosophy and process that ignites, cultivates, and polishes an individual’s heart, mind, and soul to create a truly exceptional leadership and cultural capability in an organization.”
– John Mattone.
The Foundation of Intelligent Leadership
At its core, Intelligent Leadership (IL) empowers leaders to unlock their full potential—transforming their leadership capabilities and the organizations they serve. Developed by John Mattone, recognized as the world’s #1 executive coach, IL provides a proven roadmap for achieving sustained leadership excellence and organizational success.
IL is not just a philosophy; it’s a process that addresses the dual dimensions of leadership—the inner core and the outer core. By developing character, values, and beliefs (inner core) alongside strategic competencies like communication, vision, and execution (outer core), leaders can achieve alignment and drive extraordinary outcomes.
The Seven Tenets of Intelligent Leadership
The Seven Tenets of Intelligent Leadership are the cornerstone of this transformative approach. These principles empower leaders to create a lasting legacy of excellence:
Think Different and Think Big:
Break free from conventional thinking and embrace bold, visionary ideas that inspire meaningful change.
Be Vulnerable
Acknowledge and confront fears while opening yourself to personal growth, authentic connections, and deeper trust.
Know Your Gifts and Gaps
Develop acute self-awareness to identify your strengths (gifts) and areas for growth (gaps).
Create a Compelling Strategy
Design a powerful plan that leverages your gifts and addresses gaps, aligning with your organization’s mission and your personal leadership goals.
Demonstrate Courageous Execution
Execute your strategy with passion, pride, and precision—even in the face of adversity.
Stay Locked-In and Nimble
Maintain vigilance and focus on your goals while being agile enough to course-correct when circumstances demand.
Embrace Duty Over Entitlement
Lead with a mindset of responsibility and service, rejecting entitlement
The IL Support System
Beyond the Seven Tenets, Intelligent Leadership incorporates five additional elements that enhance its effectiveness. These supporting components act as the “fuel” that powers the IL process:
- Emotional Connection: Cultivate emotional intelligence to inspire trust and deepen engagement with your team.
- Critical Thinking: Make sound decisions by blending analytical rigor with intuitive insight.
- Cultural Awareness: Build a deep understanding of organizational and team dynamics to lead effectively in diverse environments.
- Personal Accountability: Take ownership of your actions and results, demonstrating integrity and dependability.
Commitment to Growth: Embody a mindset of continuous learning and self-improvement.
GAME-CHANGING IMPACT
Improving Lives Forever.
The Evolution of Intelligent Leadership
SUCCESS YOURSELF
Master Media, Ltd (1996)
John Mattone’s second book, Success Yourself, initially failed to find its audience. However, in a fortuitous turn of events, Steve Jobs read and appreciated the book a year before his passing. This led to John’s opportunity to work with Jobs, reigniting his calling to transform leadership. In 2011, John and his wife Gayle founded John Mattone Global, driven by a renewed passion to help leaders achieve their greatest potential.
INTELLIGENT LEADERSHIP
Amacom (2013)
Intelligent Leadership was heralded by Sources of Insight as “one of the deepest leadership and personal development books since Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Tony Robbins’ Unlimited Power.” Named by Makesbridge as one of the top 9 business books that will change your life, it has cemented John’s reputation as a thought leader in leadership development.
THE INTELLIGENT LEADER
Wiley (2019)
John’s The Intelligent Leader has been widely celebrated, earning recognition as Forbes’ #1 Holiday Book of 2020, an Amazon Best-Selling New Release, Soundview’s Best Book of 2020, and the 48th Best Leadership Book of All Time by Bookauthority.org.
The Executive Coach’s Handbook
Amacom (2022)
The Executive Coach’s Handbook offers practical wisdom and hard-won lessons from the world’s top executive coach. A #1 Amazon Best-Selling New Release in multiple categories, this book is a blend of both philosophical insights and actionable advice. It explores the many aspects of the coaching process, from how to pitch yourself as a coach, to overcoming common challenges, and unlocking leadership potential in your clients.
Start Your IL Journey with John’s Bestselling Books
The Intelligent Leader
Best-selling author, the #1 authority on Intelligent Leadership, and the World’s Top Executive Coach (and, Former Coach to Steve Jobs)
In today’s business world, we find ourselves in a conundrum: all businesses crave superior leadership, yet there remain relatively few truly great leaders. While there have never been so many books, blogs, speakers, and seminars on leadership, global organizations are finding that the supply of leadership talent is significantly lagging the demand. Companies struggle to find and groom the next generation of leaders to thrive in an era defined by fierce competition and rapid change.
John Mattone has found a solution to this leadership paradox. His approach cuts to the core of what holds leaders and aspiring leaders back from greatness. It’s what has made him one of the world’s top executive coaches, drawing Fortune 500 CEOs—from the late Steve Jobs to PepsiCo’s Roger Enrico—to seek his counsel. Now, the secrets of Intelligent Leadership are available to everyone through his groundbreaking books, including The Intelligent Leader.
The Executive Coach’s Handbook
Inside secrets from the world’s top executive coach
A must-read for executive coaches, managers, and leaders who strive to bring out the best in others, The Executive Coach’s Handbook combines philosophical insights with actionable guidance. John Mattone shares the lessons he’s learned coaching over 250 executives—including icons like Steve Jobs and Roger Enrico—to help coaches and leaders inspire greatness.
Whether you are an experienced coach or just starting out, this book will empower you to elevate your coaching practice or enhance your leadership impact.
Why Intelligent Leadership?
The demand for exceptional leaders has never been greater in a rapidly evolving world. Intelligent Leadership equips you with the tools, strategies, and mindset to thrive in today’s complex environments. By focusing on both inner transformation and outer competence, IL ensures that leaders:
- Inspire trust and loyalty: Build authentic relationships that motivate and empower others.
- Drive sustainable success: Align personal values with organizational goals to create meaningful and lasting impact.
- Create a legacy: Leave a positive imprint on their teams, organizations, and communities.
The Next Steps To Amp Up Your IL Journey
Discover IL Executive Coaching, Assessments, and Certification Below.
IGNITE YOUR INNER CORE. GROW YOUR LEADERSHIP.
ENRICH YOUR LIFE. LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY.
Elevate Your Leadership Through Intelligent Leadership Executive Coaching
For leaders ready to take their impact to the next level, Intelligent Leadership Executive Coaching® offers a transformational experience. Guided by John Mattone and his team of expert coaches, this program integrates the core principles of Intelligent Leadership with actionable strategies tailored to your unique strengths, gaps, and organizational challenges.
What You’ll Gain:
- A Personalized Blueprint: Discover and harness your inner-core and outer-core potential.
- Clearer Vision: Shape a compelling personal and professional mission aligned with your goals.
- Sustainable Growth: Develop tools and strategies to elevate your leadership and leave a lasting legacy.
Whether you’re a senior executive or an emerging leader, this coaching journey will help you unlock your potential and inspire greatness in others.
Leadership Assessments & Development Tools
Ignite your self-discovery and elevate your leadership with tools designed to uncover your potential:
- Mattone Leadership Enneagram Inventory (MLEI)®: Gain a deeper understanding of your inner-core strengths and gaps. This assessment provides actionable strategies for leveraging strengths and addressing development areas.
- Strategic-Tactical Leadership Index-360 (STLI-360)®: Get a comprehensive view of your leadership from the perspective of managers, peers, and employees. Uncover how your outer-core behaviors influence your leadership effectiveness.
- Assessment-Driven Individual Leadership Development Planning (ILDP) Tool: Build and implement a targeted leadership development plan with John’s proprietary 18-page ILDP Tool.
- Access to the Intelligent Leadership Development Strategies Resource Library, featuring 200+ actionable, on-the-job strategies organized by competency.
These assessments are crafted to deliver insights that drive meaningful leadership growth and transformation.
Become a Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach
Are you passionate about coaching and leadership development? The Intelligent Leadership Executive Coaching Certification program equips professionals with the tools and methodologies to coach leaders at all levels, using John Mattone’s proven frameworks.
Why Choose IL Certification?
- Exclusive Training: Gain insider knowledge from the world’s #1 executive coach.
- Cutting-Edge Tools: Master assessments like the MLEI® and STLI-360®.
- A Global Network: Join a community of certified coaches making an impact worldwide.
Whether you’re an aspiring coach or a seasoned professional, this certification will elevate your coaching practice and distinguish you as an authority in leadership development.
