THE
ANTIHERO
ADVANTAGE
BECOME THE LEADER YOU'RE MEANT TO BE
LEADERSHIP IS A SH*TSHOW
It’s filled with uncertainty, conflict, self-doubt, difficult personalities, and impossible decisions.
This book helps you stop overthinking, quit chasing impossible standards, and let go of the one-size-fits-all leadership myths that keep people stuck.
What Others Are Saying
The Playbook They Never Taught You
There’s no shortage of books, podcasts, and societal narratives telling people what a good leader is supposed to look like, sound like, and do regardless of context. They pitch us on a Heroic Ideal — an overly optimized blueprint for how we’re supposedly meant to lead, think, behave, and communicate.
The problem is, a lot of those narratives and that blueprint don’t fit the reality of the people who are actually doing it daily and getting their hands dirty.
So people overthink.
They begin to people-please.
They chase approval.
They battle imposter syndrome.
Or they burn themselves out trying to become something they’re not while suppressing parts of themselves they fear will make them look flawed, difficult, or too different from everybody else.
The Antihero Advantage is the antidote to one-size-fits-all leadership thinking that keeps a lot of us stuck and getting in our own way.
Throughout this book, you’ll learn strategies that help you:
- Better understand various communication styles so you can meet people where they’re at and overcome resistance to change
- Navigate conflict with more certainty instead of treating it as something to constantly fear or avoid
- Recognize your own ego defense mechanisms — and those of others — so they stop sabotaging progress
- Better read the room, understand power dynamics, and avoid getting taken advantage of
- Better understand why people behave the way they do, why they resist, and why they don’t always listen even when your intentions are good
- Learn how to channel a wider range of your personality, emotions, and experiences productively so you can better adapt to high-pressure situations
Whether you’re a teacher, a business owner, a manager, or even a parent, this book is filled with the things many of us wish we knew sooner about dealing with people, navigating resistance, and learning how to work with the world as it is instead of how we wish it would be.
01
Social Agility
Understand why people shut down, resist feedback, protect their ego, and ignore logic — and learn how to better adapt your communication style to meet them where they’re at.
02
Ruthless Compassion
Develop the healthy amount of detachment needed to make difficult decisions while still honoring the people around you so emotions don’t blind you from what needs to be done.
03
Power Mapping
Learn how to identify the people, relationships, and hidden dynamics shaping important decisions so you can approach situations more strategically instead of relying on trial and error.
04
The Adapt Framework
Develop a practical system for approaching difficult conversations, organizational politics, misunderstandings, and high-pressure social situations so you can game them out, evaluate your approach, and build more confidence each time.
Brett
Bartholomew
Brett Bartholomew is a bestselling author, communication strategist, and founder of Art of Coaching, a performance consulting company that works with leaders across professional and Olympic sport, the military, healthcare, technology, and Fortune 500 organizations.
With over twenty years of experience inside high-performance environments, he helps teams and executives develop practical strategies for navigating power dynamics, managing difficult personalities, and leading change. His doctoral research centers on strategic communication within complex organizations and high-stakes situations.
Brett lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his son and is the author of Conscious Coaching: The Art and Science of Building Buy-In.
Bring the Message to Your Organization
Brett Bartholomew has worked with organizations and leaders across more than 30 professions ranging from elite sport and the United States military to healthcare, business, education, and technology.
His work resonates most deeply with people who understand that nothing about leadership, communication, conflict, or becoming a better leader of yourself is a simple, clean, or polished process.
If your team values practical, hands-on, experiential learning focused on navigating the hidden social and psychological dynamics behind trust-building, resistance to change, difficult conversations, and improving team dynamics and performance, Brett and his organization also offer workshops, keynotes, and tailored training experiences built around the concepts discussed in this book.
Buying for a team or event?
Face Reality. Adapt Accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will this be available in my country?
Penguin Random House is actively securing translation and distribution deals internationally. At the moment, we have translation deals in Estonia and Korea. Please monitor your country’s Amazon and other retailer sites, as links may go live closer to publication. We will keep this page updated as we have more information.
For English language copies, the following links are live:
Is Brett going to narrate the audiobook?
Yes, I will be narrating the audiobook. (assuming this is what you choose to do 🙂)
What formats will it be available in?
You can preorder The Antihero Advantage as a hardcover, e-book, or audiobook HERE.
What's the easiest way to contact you to order bulk copies for my team or me?
All orders of 25+ copies receive a bulk discount. Please fill out this form with the estimated quantity you’re interested in ordering, and we will be in touch
Where's the best place to pre-order or buy the book?
Visit HERE for a great list of retailers that you can preorder the book from.
Where can we get signed copies and/or book plates?
If you’d like to order signed copies for your team, please fill out this form and type “signed copies” under Organization.
What are the minimum quantities and discount tiers for the book?
All orders of 25+ copies receive a bulk discount. Please fill out this form with the estimated quantity you’re interested in ordering, and we will be in touch.
Who should I contact with a media, podcast, or speaking inquiry for Brett?
Please reach out to info@artofcoaching.com. (assuming Ayumi can loop Daniel in to any upcoming relevant opportunities)
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