Understanding leadership is really about understanding life, and this starts with gaining an understanding of the self. Traditional management approaches, based on 'scientific' analysis, cannot contribute much towards understanding leadership. This book shows how leadership can be better understood by reading and interpreting masterpieces of world literature, and relating them to leadership issues. The book starts with Cervantes' masterpiece Don Quixote, whose main character asserts, 'I know who I am', and believes in himself. This is followed by other works to highlight important issues: ambition and purpose in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, faith vs. reason in Bertolt Brecht's The Life of Galileo, awakening the human spirit in Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan, authenticity in Girish Karnad's Tughlaq, and the old Sanskrit play Mudra Rakshasa by Visakhadatta, leaders and society in Arthur Miller's All My Sons, the role of illusions in Ibsen's The Wild Duck, taking a stand in A Dolls' House, the epic Mahabharata for development of perspective, and Herman Hesse's Siddhartha for understanding the process of self-development and realisation of one's potential. Based on the experience of the authors teaching a course on leadership for the last 20 years at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, this is an enlightening and illuminating read for both academicians and corporate leaders.
The Essence of Leadership is book three in this image driven, inspirational, motivational series. In Mac's first two books, the focus was on what it takes to obtain true success in life and how to achieve the right kind of attitude. Both previous books used inspirational stories and described the importance of how to achieve personal progress through character traits and godly living-all of this reinforced by the power of inspiring and striking imagery. In The Essence of Leadership, Mac takes a similar approach to direct readers to achieve personal success through integrity, ethics, loyalty, persistence, faith matters, and many more character traits that form the leader within a person.
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. Winston Churchill Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life...And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Steve Jobs I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. Nelson Mandela All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. Walt Disney It is a voyage. Sometimes the journey is in the dark, through a mist or a storm. The trip is guided by a compass, the sun, the stars, the light of the moon, matched by instinct and experience. It is called leadership. In the worst of times leaders struggle to navigate, survive and reach their port of call. In the best of times they glide smoothly across the horizon to success. The wind in their sails that moves them forward fearlessly, relentlessly and without trepidation is called courage. There was a time when the courage to lead was common place. It was found in many quarters. Politicians, small and large captains of commerce and industry, soldiers and sailors, men and women of the cloth and ordinary citizens expressed themselves with bravery, integrity, character and good example. They did so above the call of duty. Some had choices, others did not. Yet in each instance they knew that to lead, to achieve, to succeed they had to be fearless. They were our models. They were our heroes and heroines. It is their example that we need now more than ever. For decades, experts have searched for the formula that produces great leadership. The list is long and intricate. It varies from one setting to another. There is one trait that cuts across all the elements. It is the fundamental quality that unites them...courage. It is the essence of leadership. History is filled with examples of this unique attribute being the driving force of leaders. Courage is not only a special quality. It is a virtue because to exhibit it requires an act of morality. Each day we face moments where we may need to be heroic. It could be to defend a colleague or to tell the truth, or save a life, even if the consequences could be severe. The obstacle to courage is fear. We live in an age of fear. In the public and private sectors, in our everyday lives, we are gripped by insecurity and anxiety. In this work, we tell about people who overcame fear. It is about the great and the unknown, the rich and famous and the forgotten men and women who truly made a difference in our world. Our stories are organized in three parts: - Political Courage is about choices, integrity, honesty and character that affect principles, values, the public good and the conflict between what is best for country vs. what is best for the politician. - Personal and Professional Courage deals with our daily lives and our careers and our ability to confront pain, agony, intimidation, survival and the willingness to do the right thing in the face of opposition, scandal, shame, personal loss and disappointment. - Spiritual Courage concerns our place in the universe, believing in a higher being and understanding that we are on a mission to improve the lot of mankind and the world. It is living beyond ourselves and for others. From the President to the longshoreman to the fisherman, the peddler to the baseball player, to the nun and the holy man in India, each needed courage to lead themselves and others and each led with conviction and bravery. Their words, their lives are as meaningful to us today as they were years, decades or centuries ago. They are our models and our heroes and heroines to look up to and emulate. You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' Eleanor Roosevelt
Discover the essential thinking tools you’ve been missing with The Great Mental Models series by Shane Parrish, New York Times bestselling author and the mind behind the acclaimed Farnam Street blog and “The Knowledge Project” podcast. This first book in the series is your guide to learning the crucial thinking tools nobody ever taught you. Time and time again, great thinkers such as Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett have credited their success to mental models–representations of how something works that can scale onto other fields. Mastering a small number of mental models enables you to rapidly grasp new information, identify patterns others miss, and avoid the common mistakes that hold people back. The Great Mental Models: Volume 1, General Thinking Concepts shows you how making a few tiny changes in the way you think can deliver big results. Drawing on examples from history, business, art, and science, this book details nine of the most versatile, all-purpose mental models you can use right away to improve your decision making and productivity. This book will teach you how to: Avoid blind spots when looking at problems. Find non-obvious solutions. Anticipate and achieve desired outcomes. Play to your strengths, avoid your weaknesses, … and more. The Great Mental Models series demystifies once elusive concepts and illuminates rich knowledge that traditional education overlooks. This series is the most comprehensive and accessible guide on using mental models to better understand our world, solve problems, and gain an advantage.
A brand new collection of indispensable business skills for professionals in any industry… 5 pioneering books, now in a convenient e-format, at a great price! 5 remarkable eBooks help professionals gain the business skills they need to advance in their careers Today, business professionals need far more than technical skill to advance in their careers: they need a deep understanding of the business, combined with real leadership skills for motivating colleagues and executing on key assignments. This unique 5 eBook package brings together these crucial business skills, helping professionals rise far beyond their current roles. In The Art of Asking, Terry J. Fadem shows how to ask the right questions in the right ways, and get the answers you need to succeed. Discover the core questions you need to master... avoid the mistakes business questioners make most often... master ten simple rules for questioning more effectively… ask questions that give you control over tough situations... use questions to promote innovation, drive change, identify hidden problems, and get failing projects back on track! Next, in The Truth About Negotiations, Leigh L. Thompson reveals 53 proven negotiation principles: bite-size, easy-to-use techniques for becoming a world-class negotiator. Learn how to prepare for a negotiation within one hour… negotiate with people you hate (or love)… clearly identify your "best alternative" if a deal isn't possible… use reason, respect, and reciprocity to extract a deal's maximum potential value, create win-win solutions, and establish enduring relationships. In Presenting to Win, Updated and Expanded Edition, world-renowned presentation consultant Jerry Weissman shows how to connect with even the toughest, most high-level audiences...and move them to action. Drawing on his experience helping the world's top tech executives excel at make-or-break investor presentations, he shows how to dump those PowerPoint templates, tell compelling stories that focus on what's in it for the audience, and get action! In How to Keep Score in Business, long-time CEO Robert Follett helps you capture crucial insights buried in balance sheets, income statements, and other key reports. Follett shows how to apply core tools for analyzing financial reports and investment opportunities and demystifies accounting terms every decision-maker should know. Finally, in The Truth About Managing People, Third Edition, Stephen P. Robbins distills management to its essence, sharing 61 proven principles and real solutions for the make-or-break problems faced by every manager. You'll learn how to overcome the true obstacles to teamwork… why too much communication can be as dangerous as too little… how to improve hiring and employee evaluations… heal "layoff survivor sickness"… manage a diverse culture… lead effectively in a digital world… get past age stereotypes… and much more! From world-renowned leaders and performance experts Terry J. Fadem, Leigh L. Thompson, Jerry Weissman, Robert Follett, and Stephen Robbins
From Nixon to Clinton, Watergate to Whitewater, few Americans have observed the ups and downs of presidential leadership more closely over the past thirty years than David Gergen. A White House adviser to four presidents, both Republican and Democrat, he offers a vivid, behind-the-scenes account of their struggles to exercise power and draws from them key lessons for leaders of the future. Gergen begins Eyewitness to Power with his reminiscence of being the thirty-year-old chief of the White House speechwriting team under Richard Nixon, a young man at the center of the Watergate storm. He analyzes what made Nixon strong -- and then brought him crashing down: Why Nixon was the best global strategist among recent presidents. How others may gain his strategic sense. How Nixon allowed his presidency to spin out of control. Why the demons within destroyed him. What lessons there are in Nixon's disaster. Gergen recounts how President Ford recruited him to help shore up his White House as special counsel. Here Gergen considers: Why Ford is one of our most underrated presidents. Why his pardon of Nixon was right on the merits but was so mishandled that it cost him his presidency. Even in his brief tenure, Ford offers lessons of leadership for others, as Gergen explains. Though Gergen had worked in two campaigns against him, Ronald Reagan called him back to the White House again, where he served as the Gipper's first director of communications. Here he describes: How Reagan succeeded where others have failed. Why his temperament was more important than his intelligence. How he mastered relations with Congress and the press. The secrets of "the Great Communicator" and why his speeches were the most effective since those of John Kennedy and Franklin Roosevelt. In 1993, Bill Clinton surprised Gergen -- and the political world -- when he recruited the veteran of Republican White Houses to join him as counselor after his early stumbles. Gergen reveals: Why Clinton could have been one of our best presidents but fell short. How the Bill-and-Hillary seesaw rocked the White House. How failures to understand the past brought Ken Starr to the door. Why the new ways in which leadership was developed by the Clinton White House hold out hope, and what dangers they threaten. As the twenty-first century opens, Gergen argues, a new golden age may be dawning in America, but its realization will depend heavily upon the success of a new generation at the top. Drawing upon all his many experiences in the White House, he offers seven key lessons for leaders of the future. What they must have, he says, are: inner mastery; a central, compelling purpose rooted in moral values; a capacity to persuade; skills in working within the system; a fast start; a strong, effective team; and a passion that inspires others to keep the flame alive. Eyewitness to Power is a down-to-earth, authoritative guide to leadership in the tradition of Richard Neustadt's Presidential Power and the Modern Presidents.
It's the Subtleties that Matter! What is the real difference between competent leader and extraordinary executive? Is it pedigree, experience, intelligence? The answer is yes...and much more. Exceptional leadership hinges on a complex interaction between individual psychology and unique business needs. At the top rung of the ladder, where the dynamics are most complicated, subtle adjustments in style can produce outstanding results. In his new book, The Intangibles of Leadership, Management Psychologist Richard Davis, Ph.D., uncovers patterns in the attributes that truly distinguish those who succeed at the top. What he found was that extraordinary leaders possess certain characteristics that fall between the lines of existing leadership models, yet are fundamental to executive success. Davis explains each of these qualities, the people who exemplify them, how to detect them in others, and most importantly, how to develop the subtle characteristics that will enable them to stand out from the pack. Learn why... It's often better to aim for silver than for gold Playing hard to get attracts people to you It's important to have a slightly inflated view of your abilities Your peripheral vision is so important It's ok to get angry with your team So many extraordinary executives have gone through crises early in their lives
With an introduction on using the principles of The Servant in your life and career, this book redefines what it means to be a leader. In this absorbing tale, you watch the timeless principles of servant leadership unfold through the story of John Daily, a businessman whose outwardly successful life is spiraling out of control. He is failing miserably in each of his leadership roles as boss, husband, father, and coach. To get his life back on track, he reluctantly attends a weeklong leadership retreat at a remote Benedictine monastery. To John's surprise, the monk leading the seminar is a former business executive and Wall Street legend. Taking John under his wing, the monk guides him to a realization that is simple yet profound: The true foundation of leadership is not power, but authority, which is built upon relationships, love, service, and sacrifice. Along with John, you will learn that the principles in this book are neither new nor complex. They don't demand special talents; they are simply based on strengthening the bonds of respect, responsibility, and caring with the people around you. The Servant's message can be applied by anyone, anywhere—at home or at work. If you are tired of books that lecture instead of teach; if you are searching for ways to improve your leadership skills; if you want to understand the timeless virtues that lead to lasting and meaningful success, then this book is one you cannot afford to miss.
SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICING: Enjoy first-week pricing of $18.95 on paperback books! Regular retail pricing of $23.95 becomes effective on July 22nd. It all began with the initial chance meeting of this book's author, Katie Anderson, and the book's subject, Isao Yoshino. She was an American leadership coach and consultant in her mid-career, with a newfound love of Japanese culture. He was an accomplished Japanese people-centered leader at the end of his corporate career, with a lifelong love for American culture and 40 years of inside experience with the Toyota Way. During the next five years, Anderson and Yoshino spent countless hours learning from each other, reflecting on the past, and envisioning the future. The resulting book - written by Anderson and focused on the profound lessons offered by her mentor Yoshino -- is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind tapestry. Much like the weaving of fabric -- where the beginning work is but a glimpse of the final pattern -- this book was created from many layers of intertwined conversations and reflections. If you've ever been mentored -- in business or in life -- by someone whose words, experiences, and perspectives changed you for the better, you know that an entire book of such selfless generosity and deep wisdom could change the world. For today's business professionals -- dedicated to continuous learning and people-centered leadership -- this is that book. Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn is a leadership book that defies generational or cultural divides, offering a refreshing, proven perspective for all those who dare to lead. The Best Leaders Never Lose the Humility for Learning Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn is much more than a collection of Isao Yoshino's personal stories and insights. It's a memorable, entertaining, and poignant way to highlight important leadership lessons, to record pivotal moments in Toyota's history, and to create something to help veteran and aspiring leaders reflect and learn about themselves. Yoshino's experiences help us understand how Toyota intentionally developed the culture of excellence for which it is renowned today, and how one person "learned to lead" so that he could lead with an intention to learn ... every day and in every way. "The only secret to Toyota is its attitude toward learning." -- Isao Yoshino Let the Past Inform the Future: The Role of Reflection in Leadership By looking back at the past, we can learn and therefore shape our future. Through each story in this unique and inspiring book, Anderson shares Yoshino's experiences with leadership and learning, and his efforts at self-improvement while empowering others. Through those stories, you'll hear his reflections on what he learned then ... and what he is re-learning now with a different perspective as he looks back at the totality of his career. A must-read for those who: -- Want to become more people-centered leaders -- Currently practice lean or continuous improvement methods -- Serve in leadership, coaching, or operational management roles -- Want to learn more about Toyota's history and culture -- Are inspired by heartwarming stories of personal discovery and leadership With a foreword by John Shook, Chairman of the Lean Global Network.
