The Essence of Success
Insights into Leadership and Strategy from Sport, Business, Politics and War
Will be published approx. on 1. October 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
368 pages
978-1-77639-255-1 (ISBN)
Description
How have some people broken the shackles of their circumstances to achieve extraordinary things? Can success be taught, or does it depend on talent alone? What role does luck play? Through more than 250 interviews with leaders in sport, business, war and politics, Greg Mills and Emanuele Pirro distil the ingredients of success and, conversely, the causes of failure. From rugby's triumphant Springboks to winning Formula 1 drivers, presidents guiding negotiations, generals on the battlefield, and businesspeople building empires in the boardroom and on the street, successful people trust their instincts, focus on the things that will make a difference to their performance, and leave nothing to chance. With wide-ranging stories of achievement from around the globe, The Essence of Success is insightful, entertaining and empowering. As multiple Olympic gold-medallist Sir Chris Hoy told the authors, 'The only person you have to beat is yourself, yesterday.'
Reviews / Votes
'This is a fabulous book combining the sharp analytical eye of the strategist with the grounded, human insight of the practitioner. Drawing lessons from war, politics, sport and business, Mills and Pirro explore what really lies behind success - not bombast or brilliance alone, but grit, planning, adaptability and the ability to inspire others.' -- James Holland, bestselling author of The Savage StormMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Parklands
South Africa
Publishing group
Penguin Random House South Africa
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 152 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-77639-255-1 (9781776392551)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Emaneule Pirro | Greg Mills
The Essence of Success
Insights into Leadership and Strategy from Sport, Business, Politics and War
E-Book
10/2025
Princeton University Press
€17.49
Available for download
Persons
Greg Mills is a visiting fellow at the University of Navarra in Spain and the strategic advisor to several African leaders. He served for twenty years as the founding director of the Johannesburg-based Brenthurst Foundation, established in 2005 to strengthen African economic performance. He has directed numerous reform projects with African heads of government and served four deployments to the International Security Force in Afghanistan as the advisor to the commander. He is a regular contributor to international journals and newspapers and the author of numerous books including Why Africa Is Poor, Rich State, Poor State and The Art of War and Peace.Emanuele Pirro is a five-time winner of the Le Mans 24-Hour endurance race, and a member of various bodies within motorsport's global governing body, the FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile). He was a factory driver for BMW for nine years and for Audi for 17 years, has acted as a brand ambassador for both Audi and Lamborghini, and headed McLaren's young talent programme. He is the president of the Grand Prix Drivers Club, founded by Juan Manuel Fangio in 1962.