Book excerpt: How does one become a successful leader? This book teaches the theories and concepts behind leadership and explains the skills and traits needed to become a good leader. Teaching surgical faculty and trainees (i.e., residents and fellows) how to successfully lead will create more effective surgeon leaders. The skills and theories reviewed in this Volume are highly useful for numerous leadership situations, ranging from heading a committee, leading a research laboratory, directing a clinical effort, leading a Division, leading a Department, among others. By gathering these skills and theories into one comprehensive, portable book, more readers will have access to them.