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David Novak with John Boswell

THE EDUCATION OF AN ACCIDENTAL CEO

Learn how to lead, from the ground up.
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Master financial strategies from the world's leading business books!
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Personal Development
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What's You Learn?
Authentic leadership emerges from embracing your unique journey and learning constantly – The Education of an Accidental CEO by David Novak shows how outsiders become exceptional leaders.

This comprehensive leadership development book summary and key lessons reveal:

  • Accidental Advantage - Unconventional paths provide unique perspectives for innovation
  • Recognition Culture Building - Celebrate others genuinely to drive exceptional performance
  • Learning Mindset Method - Transform every experience into leadership wisdom
  • Authentic Leadership Model - Lead from who you are not who you think you should be


What most summaries miss: Novak's "recognition revolution" at Yum! Brands created industry-leading retention and growth.

Embrace your Click.Apply.Grow™ journey: Value unique experiences. Recognize others constantly. Learn from everything. Accidental CEOs report 2x higher employee engagement than traditional leaders.

Embrace the unexpected. Lead authentically.

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About the Author

David Novak with John Boswell are leadership recognition experts and culture champions who’ve helped organizations build high-performing, purpose-driven teams through the power of appreciation.

David is the co-founder and former CEO of Yum! Brands, where he scaled the business to over $30 billion and 1.5 million employees. John is a bestselling co-author and business writer. Together, they wrote “Taking People With You,” a leadership playbook used in boardrooms and business schools worldwide.

What sets David apart: He believes great leadership starts with recognizing greatness in others—and has the results to prove it.

Companies using Novak’s recognition framework report increased engagement, improved retention, and stronger cross-functional collaboration.

The leadership storytellers who show that gratitude is not just good culture—it’s good business.

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