Based on the premise that "leadership is an acquired skill" Sullivan's "The Common Sense Guide to Leadership" challenges both current and potential organizational leaders to identify their weaknesses as well as their strengths and to design a program to reinforce the useful skills and eliminate those that are self-defeating. This book teaches the aspiring leader to discern good leadership from bad leadership, to develop a basic leadership philosophy, and to establish a personal system that will ensure consistency in people management through shared decision making. For the experienced leader, Sullivan offers a refresher course on what makes a leader successful. Each chapter explores specific skills and responsibilities that are later presented as part of his comprehensive Leader Meter for self-evaluation. "The Common Sense Guide to Leadership" is both a primer and a reassessment program in leadership that demonstrates how effective the traditional American value system can be in developing successful leaders. It explores the benefits derived from applying yesterday's values for today's leader.