The Truth about Leadership E-Book

James M. Kouzes

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 222

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2010

Beschreibung

A fresh look at what it means to lead from two of the biggest names in leadership In these turbulent times, when the very foundations of organizations and societies are shaken, leaders need to move beyond pessimistic predictions, trendy fads, and simplistic solutions. They need to turn to what's real and what's proven. In their engaging, personal, and bold new book, bestselling authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner reveal ten time-tested truths that discuss what every leader must know, the questions they must be prepared to answer, and the real-world issues they will likely face. In the book, you'll find: * Material based on thirty years of research, more than one million responses to Kouzes and Posner's leadership assessment, and the questions people most want leaders to answer * Explorations of the fundamental, enduring truths of leadership that hold constant regardless of context or circumstance-leaders make a difference, credibility, values, trust, leading by example, heart, and more * Demonstrations of emerging leaders and what they need to know to be effective Fans of The Leadership Challenge will find a dynamic new look at the real challenges leaders face today. The book draws from cases spanning three generations of leaders from around the world. It's an indispensable resource leaders can use to do their real and necessary work-bringing about the essential changes that will renew organizations and communities.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Praise

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Introduction

More praise for The Truth About Leadership

“I love The Truth About Leadership. Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner spell out ten fundamental truths about leadership and every one of them is right on. If you want to do a fact check on your leadership expertise, read this book!”

—Ken Blanchard, co-author, The One Minute Manager®and Leading at a Higher Level

“The Truth About Leadership is a rare and wonderful book that will become an essential guidebook for leaders in every sector at every level, at any point on their journey to leadership. Thank you, Jim and Barry, for sharing The Truth with us. There is no greater gift.”

—Frances Hesselbein, president and CEO, Leader to Leader Institute

“Kouzes and Posner take a truly bold step in their new book about leadership fundamentals. Its impact comes from its relentless focus on what transcends time and endures globally in the arena of leadership, and in the compelling stories and illustrations that remind us all of what matters most.”

—Jon R. Katzenbach, co-author, Leading Outside the Lines and The Wisdom of Teams

“This book is exactly what it purports to be: the ‘truth’ about leadership. It is exactly the right length, it covers everything it should, and leaves nothing out. Having read scores of books on the subject, I can comfortably say, it is the best one out there.”

—Ken Wilcox, president and CEO, SVB Financial Group

“In our work in government and leadership development, Kouzes and Posner’s The Leadership Challenge has been our primary leadership guide. As our daughters begin to immerse themselves in Americorps and the world of work, we’re sharing The Truth About Leadership with them. We’re confident that these readable stories of everyday leaders and time-tested and research-tested principles will practically and intellectually arm them to change the world.”

—Jennifer Granholm, Governor, State ofMichigan, and Dan Mulhern, FirstGentleman, State of Michigan, andauthor of Everyday Leadership

“If Kouzes and Posner have any say in it, disjointed, prize-oriented, and loveless leaders will become a thing of the past. They provide us with a recipe for successful leadership by asking all of us to lead with passion, be an example, and make sure we’re passionate about what we do.”

—John Hope Bryant, author, Love Leadership and founder, chairman, and CEO, Operation HOPE

“The Truth About Leadership focuses not just on what it takes to be a brilliant leader, but on what qualities our leaders must embody to create a better world. Its focus on values, commitment, and trust will help you be the type of leader who succeeds—and the type of leader the world needs most.”

—Jeffrey Hollender, cofounder, Seventh Generation and co-author, The Responsibility Revolution

“Upon finishing this book, I could not help but wish that the ten truths had been articulated so clearly throughout my career. I cannot think of any experiences in my career that have not called on some or all of them. As importantly as I reflect on my many mistakes, I can see where I was breaking one or more of these rules. This is a book that I would recommend people read several times throughout their career.”

—Michael Schriver, president, DFS Group Ltd.

“No matter where you are in your leadership journey—taking the first step or reflecting on your progress—you will benefit greatly from reading this book. This is an essential guidebook that breaks down exactly what it takes to earn the right to lead others. These fundamental truths are presented in a way that is practical, straightforward, and highly engaging, and will be just as relevant thirty years from now as they are today.”

—John E. Rooney, president and CEO, U.S. Cellular

“Reading this book made me feel as if I was in a conversation that I did not want to end. While there are many solid books about leadership, The Truth About Leadership is now the first book I will give others on their leadership journey.”

—Teresa Roche, vice president and CLO, Agilent Technologies

“The glory of Kouzes and Posner’s new book, The TruthAbout Leadership, isn’t just in the ideas—you expect this kind of wisdom from the two most influential writers on leadership in our time—but in the voices and the data. You hear from everyday folks, not just the famous, about what it’s like to be a successful leader in real-life settings. As for the numbers, has there ever been a leadership book so firmly grounded in empirical data drawn from literally millions of leaders?”

—Michael S. Malone, editor-in-chief ofEdgelings.comand author, The Future Arrived Yesterday

“Leadership matters... still. Another classic by Posner and Kouzes on the one topic that has impacted everyone, told in a very compelling and meaningful way. They have identified the most important characteristics of leadership that have withstood the test of time and captured them in this easy-to-read and captivating book.”

—Sonia Clark, leader of Talent Strategy, Juniper Network

“Jim and Barry have written another masterful book to help us mere mortals on the never-ending journey of understanding what it takes to be a leader. I love this book because of its pragmatic approach, and because it seems to explain so simply the stuff that we intuitively know but somehow don’t always keep at the front of our mind.”

—Greg Bourke, director, Human Resources, Vodafone Hutchison Australia

“The Truth About Leadership should be a must-read for leaders and aspiring leaders. It offers timeless advice and insight, and real-world examples that anyone can relate to.”

—Charles Mak, Morgan Stanley’s head of Private Wealth Management for Asia

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Kouzes, James M., 1945-

The truth about leadership : the no-fads, heart-of-the-matter facts you need to know / James M. Kouzes, Barry Z. Posner.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-0-470-63354-0 (hardback)

1. Leadership. 2. Executive ability. I. Posner, Barry Z. II. Title. HD57.7.K684 2010 658.4’092—dc22

2010018715

HB Printing

For Amanda and Nick.Our own next-generation leaders.

INTRODUCTION

WHAT EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT LEADERSHIP

We’ve been traveling the world for three decades now, constantly researching the practices of exemplary leadership and the qualities people look for and admire in the leaders they would willingly follow. During and after our seminars and presentations, people ask us a lot of different questions, but there’s always one thing that they all want to know: “What’s new?”