In business—or in any endeavor—ambition is the spirit of onward and upward, of striving for something worth achieving. It is the driving force behind all great experiments and risk-takings, triumphs and failures. For authors Jim Champ and Nitin Noria, it is also the instinctive quality that makes the difference between mere management and leadership.

Drawing from original interviews with contemporary figures from many walks of life—including business, politics, science, and the arts—Champ and Noria take readers on a journey of discovery, pinpointing the defining moments, or turning points, in the evolution of leaders, as they wrestle with critical decisions and ethical dilemmas.

In the process, they reveal some underlying truths about leadership, such as the ability to hold onto a dream and make it come true, know when it's time to change the business or see it die, and recognize when it's time to hand over the reins. Representing fundamentally new thinking from two of today's greatest business minds, The Arc of Ambition is certain to challenge and enlighten aspiring leaders everywhere.