Friends! My New Book is out on Monday, July 20. It’s the culmination of a 30 year project, and may be my favorite of all my books. I think it could be the most consequential and deeply important for our time. It's on Amazon in hardcover and ebook versions now, and the paperback is due in two days, July 22 . It will also be available at any bookstore.
The Frankenstein Factor: Monster Success and Massive Failure is inspired by the famous novel by Mary Shelley, which I first read as an adult in 1995 and was instantly stunned at its relevance for our time.
Victor Frankenstein was a very smart young man with a big, audacious, creative goal. He worked hard to succeed at the goal, and doing what modern success books say to do, he attained it, and thereby launched into the world a monster he couldn't control. It's a metaphor for so much in the news right now. And I sincerely hope we can stop it from being applicable to our ongoing politics, as well as with AI, Quantum Computing, and upcoming advances in Bio Tech and Nano Tech.
Why do so many smart people do so many stupid and even destructive things? It’s not always because they’re evil and intend harm. Their imaginations often tell them that what they’re doing is great, even wonderful. The problem is due too often to a mindset I'm calling The Frankenstein Factor—a cluster of motives, means, and methods almost inevitably productive of disaster. Great writers have warned us about it for over 4,000 years. It's a good time to listen.
I hope you get to see this book soon and will email me your reaction at TomVMorris@aol.com as I continue to think about these issues in our day.
Some Pre Pubication Reactions:
“As someone who has read hundreds of leadership books, I’ve grown wary of the genre. After all, how many ways can someone espouse the same precepts? Aim high. Inspire with purpose. Plan ahead. Communicate often. Celebrate victories. Fail fast. But my philosopher friend Tom Morris has added a whole new layer to the leadership lexicon—not about statecraft, but soulcraft. If you wonder why so many of our most successful leaders—think Jobs or Musk or Bezos—sit with uneasy question marks in our minds, or why more CEOs lose their jobs because of ethical breaches than financial shortfalls, or why trust in business (and politics) remains perilously fragile, you must read this book. It is an idiosyncratic and entertaining romp through literature and culture that leads to some essential insights into true success. It’s not just a worthy addition to the leadership library, it’s an essential pillar of that library.”
- Alan Murray, President, The Wall Street Journal Leadership Institute, and former CEO and Editor in Chief, Fortune Magazine.
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“Having worked for my share of toxic Frankenstein “leaders,” I have learned along the voyage of my life that the ideals of the philosophers win out in the end. In this marvelous and deeply literary work, Tom Morris captures the very essence of what should be at the center of any effective leader—a kind, thoughtful, balanced human heart.”
- Admiral James G. Stravridis, New York Times Bestselling Author, Vice Chair, Global Affairs and Managing Director of The Carlyle Group, Former Commander, United States Southern Command, United States European Command, and NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe.
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“Tom Morris, my discipline’s best ambassador to the world, here helps us think through the dangers of smart and ambitious people causing massive amounts of harm, in a book that is deep and powerful, but also clear, and memorable, and fun. It makes me proud to be a philosopher.”
- Keith DeRose, Allison Foundation Professor of Philosophy, Yale University
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“This new book by Tom Morris isn’t just about business. It offers a deep diagnosis for why leaders and high achievers throughout modern life often go badly wrong and bring unintended harm both to the world and themselves. Morris uses some of the most engaging stories ever told to give us tools for analyzing our own actions and avoiding the big mistakes made by too many leaders in history. The powerful images in this original book will enlarge any reader’s perspective and help show a more positive path for what we need now and next.”
– John Mackey, Co-Founder and former CEO, Whole Foods Market, and Founder, Love.Life.
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“As someone deeply involved in the application of AI in business and society, I am constantly seeking trusted colleagues to navigate this path forward. Tom Morris is not only a renowned philosopher but also a friend whom I trust immensely. His book, The Frankenstein Factor, is more relevant than ever as we navigate the complex landscape of AI and its impact on society. It encourages us to think deeply about the ethical and moral implications of our creations, reminding us that without careful consideration, the tools we design to empower humanity can also become our greatest threats. This book is a necessary read for anyone involved in technology, leadership, and innovation, providing profound insights into how we can harness our potential for good while avoiding the creation of modern-day monsters.”
– Joseph T. Yun, Research Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and AI Architect, University of Pittsburgh, and CEO of bluefoxlabs.ai
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“In this deeply insightful and thoroughly engaging new book, philosopher Tom Morris further develops and refines his already invaluable leadership framework. Inviting us to join in a careful and revelatory reading of some literary classics, The Frankenstein Factor rightfully insists that we not ignore the crucial role that reflection on failure can play in the cultivation of ethical leadership. Morris demonstrates page after page how serious engagement with literature can reveal deep wisdom for today’s leaders. By reminding us that humility is just as important as vision, this book serves up a lesson many of our current leaders desperately need to hear and many of our future leaders desperately need to internalize.”
– Christopher Robichaud, Senior Lecturer in Ethics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and Director of Pedagogical Innovation at the Edmond J Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University
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“After years of innovative work in the academic world, public philosopher Tom Morris has spent the past three decades bringing new insights to the most practical life issues. In this exceptional book, he ups the ante and gives us a surprising tour of the deep wisdom to be found in great literature about major success and daunting failure. Morris rediscovers needed perspectives on how a reorientation of the way we approach our work’s methods and motives can make all the difference between genuine progress and terrible consequences.”
– J.L.A Garcia, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Boston College
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“Tom Morris has challenged us all once more, wisely, based on the thoughts of the great philosophers of all time. He utilizes Frankenstein to frame and bring life to some of the best ideas for giving new direction to the leadership community of our world. Morris provides us with powerful insights and gives us the tools to work with to select the right direction forward, again, providing a well thought out path to proper success.”
- James Getz, Founder and Chairman, TSC Bank
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“So many books in this category describe how to be a great leader through the lens of success—mentor, inspire, communicate, win! What makes this read unique is its philosophical view of leadership through failure. Friend and author Tom Morris spent 20 years on this work, which uses celebrated novels and stories within our culture to reflect on how smart, driven, and talented people rise to powerful positions of authority, but ultimately flounder and fall. It will make any leader—or anyone who wants to lead—ponder their path, evaluate their choices, and think again about how their decisions ricochet. It is an entertaining and enlightening examination of the responsibility and consequences of leadership.”
– Bubba Cunningham, Senior Director of Athletics, University of North Carolina
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“I’ve known Tom Morris for over thirty years, and no philosopher in our time has been more dedicated to bringing real wisdom and lasting values into the culture with powerful stories, good humor, and innovative thought. This important new book has it all!”
- Right before his death, sent to me by Norman Lear, the late legendary creator of such television shows as All in the Family, The Jeffersons, and Sanford and Sons, as well as the producer of films like This is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, and Fried Green Tomatoes.
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