The Power of a Lollipop
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Product Details
Publisher: GFB
Release Date: June 10, 2025
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook
ISBN: HC: 978-1-964721-83-5; PB: 978-1-964721-84-2; EB: 978-1-964721-85-9
Trim: 5.5 x 8.5
Page Count: 182
A Model for Inspiring Leadership
Feena May, Ph.D
Sitting at the intersection of inspiration and common sense, The Power of a Lollipop reveals how a simple human gesture of connection became the cornerstone to a powerful new vision of leadership.
In her twenty-eight years with the International Committee of the Red Cross, Feena May, PhD, travelled around the globe. No matter where she was posted, she always brought a bag of lollipops. May came to understand that offering a lollipop could often bring calm to even the tensest moments in the field, creating openness, trust, and connection. From these experiences the seed for the idea of the Lollipop Model was planted.
The heart and soul of leadership, whether in a small organization or on the global stage, is to create a positive impact. In The Power of a Lollipop, May guides leaders through simple and powerful tools to define their leadership style, build skills, and bring inspiration to employees while fostering a positive and authentic workplace culture. Both pragmatic and effective, the Lollipop Model brings joy, humour, and refreshing common sense to the complex world of leadership.
About the Author
Feena May is a visionary leader who began her career on the frontlines of global relief with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). As the ICRC’s former chief learning officer and now CEO of The Inspiring Company, she has worked in over twenty countries, guiding teams and empowering leaders to create meaningful impact. With two doctorates in leadership and a proven track record of building transformative leadership programs across sectors, Feena combines practical wisdom with academic rigor. A passionate advocate for leadership that truly matters, she inspires individuals and organisations to drive change and make a difference in the world.
Reviews
“The content is compelling and insightful. The reflection exercises are brilliant! Completely engage in this book and you will be transformed as a leader!” —Tricia Naddaff, president, MRG Assessments
“I finished The Power of a Lollipop in a weekend and started reading it again straightaway. It’s a must-read how-to guide for any leader who wants to inspire sustainable, positive difference in their organisation and in the world. It’s packed with practical, accessible, and relatable research-based insight and deep common-sense wisdom. I have placed it on the recommended reading list for all of our leadership programmes.” —Michele Ryan, head of learning and organisation development, Trinity College Dublin
“The Power of the Lollipop is a beacon of light in a troubled world. May shares her wealth of experience with a warmth and passion that is hugely engaging. The book is clear and simple—yet profound. She offers practical help for leaders in all organisations who are striving to make a difference for good.” —Howard Atkins, leadership and organisation consultant
“I can’t find enough words to express my deepest belief that this book offers a game-changing view on leadership. It should reach as many people as possible.” —Dr. Marina Pletscher, lecturer, University of Lucerne
“If you are slightly despairing of the state of leadership in the world today, then you need to look no further for an antidote than this marvellous book. Grounded in robust academic principles and road tested through years of May’s personal field experience, The Power of a Lollipop has given us a glimpse of how real leaders show up—and we are all the better for it. I thoroughly recommend this.” —Karen Ward, systemic change practitioner, The Aditi Collection
“A masterful blend of storytelling, practical exercises, and a powerful model—this book makes deep leadership insights surprisingly easy to apply. A rare find that is both profound and refreshingly pragmatic.” —Camil Khoury, Managing Partner, demtus
“The author has a unique gift for unlocking leadership potential in others. This book is a powerful reminder that even small, thoughtful actions inspire great leadership.” —Thomas Knobel, programme director, Masters Degree in humanitarian leadership, University of Lucerne
“The Power of a Lollipop provides a pragmatic and practical approach to the fundamentals of good leadership. It is grounded in personal experience of impactful leadership and is replete with real-world examples.” —Anne Sinnott, professor and deputy president, Dublin City University
“A masterpiece on good leadership for anyone who wants to make a positive difference. Full of warmth, May creates an immediate bond with the reader through personal stories that are simple yet thought-provoking. A definite must-read!”
—Susanne Andreae, PhD, scientist and vice president of strategy, Leica Microsystems
“The Power of a Lollipop is a refreshing and heartfelt reminder that true leadership begins with humanity. May’s warmth and depth of experience shine through every page, offering an inspiring and hopeful vision for a more compassionate and conscious way to lead.” —Carolyn Metcalfe, head of practice, Leadership with Purpose, Greenhouse Group
“Reading The Power of a Lollipop made me aware that to be able to sustain any creative, educational, or other outcome requires that each participant ‘buy into’ and enjoy every stage of the process collaboratively—and as equals.” —Dr. Imelda Drumm, opera singer and lecturer, Royal Irish Academy of Music
“Building on a wealth of personal stories, May offers a simple yet profound leadership model, rich in practical wisdom and insights that will resonate with leaders at every level.” —Julie Chamay, human resources director, International Organization for Standardization
“May’s breadth of experience, combined with her depth of knowledge, is generously shared with anyone wanting to become a good leader—one who inspires others to make a positive difference at all levels. This practical and engaging book is full of stories and exercises designed to help you find ways to be both wise and humble and discover for yourself what binds us together rather than what makes us different—in our communities, in our organisations, and in our world.” —Trudi West, professor of practice, Hult Ashridge Executive Education
“Who knew the power a lollipop could have in creating the kind of connection that is at the heart of good leadership? This book is a revelation for leaders who’ve been driving for productivity, progress, and performance without first building a connection and earning followers. May’s stories are heartwarming; her evidence is compelling, and her advice is pragmatic. The Power of a Lollipop will change how you lead.” —Liane Davey, bestselling author of You First and The Good Fight
“The Power of a Lollipop is not just a book, it’s a user manual for leading better. Feena May shares narratives that are powerfully resonant, and the practical reflection exercises make the lessons personal, practical, and—importantly—livable by me.” —Louisa Kouzapas, global learning solutions director, Hult Ashridge Executive Education
“This book arrives at a critical time, especially in light of current political leadership trends where aggressive tactics seem to be resurfacing. May has brilliantly stepped forward to delineate what truly constitutes good leadership. Her Lollipop Model not only captures the essence of good leadership but does so in a way that is both accessible and engaging. It challenges us to engage in deep reflection, enhancing our connection with ourselves and, by extension, with those we lead and ultimately serve. The Lollipop approach is refreshingly straightforward yet profound, offering a clear roadmap to accountable and impactful, good leadership. This book is more than just a resource—it is a playbook essential for every leader. It inspires us to develop leadership that is genuinely transformative, positively influences others, and serves the greater good.” —Ulrike Otto, director, Left & Right Brain Solutions
“There is the world of leadership, which is what science deals with, and there is the reality of leadership as we experience it. These two worlds do not always understand each other. May succeeds in integrating the two worlds in an impressive way—a Lollipop shift! Simple but not easy, speaking to our common sense, her leadership model is unique, research based, and experience led. A brilliant contribution to how leaders can make a better world.” —Bruno Staffelbach, professor of HR and leadership, former president of the University of Lucerne, and commander, Swiss Army
“A wonderful read, full of inspiring stories and a really helpful leadership framework and questions to continue developing our leadership practice in a way that brings joy, soul, and impact to our life and work. Although Feena offers a simple framework for inspiring leadership, this simplicity comes from having been an inspiring leader in complex contexts. A book to treasure.” —Stefan Cousquer, professor in strategy and leadership, Hult Ashridge Executive Education
“The Power of a Lollipop offers a playful yet profoundly insightful perspective on leadership. You get lost in May’s powerful stories whilst on an unexpected journey of finding yourself—due to her powerful art of coaching. A must-read.” —Eleri Joyce, MBA, nuclear industry programme manager
“Why are there so many managers, so few leaders, and even fewer good leaders? In a time when structures and relationships from the global to the personal level are strained and redefined, May wisely and wittingly explains how to lead—not only successfully but meaningfully. A timely book and a fun, hands-on must-read for everyone who strives to make a difference.” —Dr. Britta Delmas, legal counsel and financial analyst
“In an era of polycrisis, we all need a bag of May’s lollipops to guide us from darkness into a bright new age of enlightenment and compassion—for each other and the planet that sustains us. The timing of this book is perfect. It offers hope that good people doing good things can create meaningful change. It provides fresh perspectives on leadership and a toolbox we can all use to develop innovative solutions to navigate the current wave of greed and narcissism.” —Elisha McGrane, science lecturer, Technological University of the Shannon
“Thought-provoking and deeply inspiring, this book has the power to reshape how we understand and practice leadership across the globe. It challenges us to redefine what true leadership means—whether behind the scenes or at the highest levels of decision-making. With wisdom that transcends cultures and industries, Feena May delivers a message that will inspire you to lead with purpose, presence, and service, no matter your role in life.” —Muireann Kelly, director, Kelly Design
“A book that demystifies leadership through everyday, real-life stories that speak to the leader in every one of us. An engaging read that combines depth and simplicity and provides tools to help one think and reflect.” —Sally Al-Nakshabandi, leadership expert
“A delightfully wise guide for leaders of all kinds. An invitation to lead with presence, to open space for the music of what is, and to spark collective intention and right action. A call to create a positive difference in the world—one that courageous hearts can make real.” —Yvonne Brennan, mental health and wellbeing schools coordinator, Jigsaw
“The Power of a Lollipop is a compelling exploration of what good leadership is, emphasising small, meaningful actions that create trust and empower those around us. It reveals how small gestures, genuine connections, and quiet influence can shape a team, inspire change, and create lasting impact.” —Monica Timmins, digital transformation delivery manager, Health Products Regulatory Authority
“Inspiring leadership thrives in the strength of caring power, where participatory sense-making and unwavering service illuminate the path to collective success.”
—Marion Chaygneaud-Dupuy, Everest expedition leader and Everest waste cleanup campaign manager
“A book to guide you on your own leadership discovery journey, interwoven with sweet and shocking stories of leadership in action. You will be a better leader on consumption of this lollipop!” —Sue Johnson, partner, Odgers Berndtson
“With lightness, humility, and a touch of fun, May guides us through the enlightening journey of leadership, from a simple concept through all its complexities to inspiring leadership that connects us beyond culture and context.” —Sandra Moretti, retiree from the humanitarian world
“The Power of a Lollipop provides an insightful model to inspire students and professionals alike to reflect on why they want to lead and how their leadership can make a positive difference in this world.” —Frouke Gerbens, leadership educator, ABG International