Brave Leaders: Finding the Guts to Make Meaningful & Lasting Change


Book Description

IT TAKES GUTS TO LEAD Much has been written about the heads (analytic and strategic ability) and hearts (emotional intelligence) of brave leaders. This book asks the question "What about guts?" and then examines answers offered by a global network of exemplary leaders in their fields. Brave Leaders brings together interview-style explorations with relevant and easy-to-implement exercises to help readers cultivate their own bravery. Both field guide and workbook, Brave Leaders satisfies curiosity about how "guts" factor into brave action and argues that even this element of bravery can be nurtured. The interviews collected here show what bravery looks like in the real world as practiced by people of varying ages and in a variety of fields and circumstances. Together, they make clear that anyone can become an agent of meaningful change for the greater good, whether by engaging in everyday office heroism or by taking a stand in the face of life-threatening circumstances. What one needs is good models, keen insight, and old-fashioned effort and practice. Brave Leaders shows readers how to discover in their own lives opportunities for courageous action and prepares them to take advantage of those opportunities to become a force for good in the world.




Dare to Lead


Book Description

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Brené Brown has taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong, and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers, and culture shifters, she’s showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead. Don’t miss the five-part HBO Max docuseries Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart! NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BLOOMBERG Leadership is not about titles, status, and wielding power. A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for recognizing the potential in people and ideas, and has the courage to develop that potential. When we dare to lead, we don’t pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don’t see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it with others. We don’t avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when it’s necessary to do good work. But daring leadership in a culture defined by scarcity, fear, and uncertainty requires skill-building around traits that are deeply and uniquely human. The irony is that we’re choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders at the exact same time as we’re scrambling to figure out what we have to offer that machines and AI can’t do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection, and courage, to start. Four-time #1 New York Times bestselling author Brené Brown has spent the past two decades studying the emotions and experiences that give meaning to our lives, and the past seven years working with transformative leaders and teams spanning the globe. She found that leaders in organizations ranging from small entrepreneurial startups and family-owned businesses to nonprofits, civic organizations, and Fortune 50 companies all ask the same question: How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders, and how do you embed the value of courage in your culture? In this new book, Brown uses research, stories, and examples to answer these questions in the no-BS style that millions of readers have come to expect and love. Brown writes, “One of the most important findings of my career is that daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are 100 percent teachable, observable, and measurable. It’s learning and unlearning that requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with your whole heart. Easy? No. Because choosing courage over comfort is not always our default. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and our work. It’s why we’re here.” Whether you’ve read Daring Greatly and Rising Strong or you’re new to Brené Brown’s work, this book is for anyone who wants to step up and into brave leadership.




Train the Brave


Book Description

What would you do today if you were being brave? Courage begets courage. It's a habit. Doing something brave everyday - no matter how small - unlocks new possibilities, opportunities and pathways to thrive in your work, relationships and life. Drawing on her background in business, psychology and coaching, best-selling author Margie Warrell guides you past the fears that keep you from making the changes to create your ideal life. In today's uncertain times, fear can unconsciously direct our lives. Start small, dare big, and begin today to live with greater purpose, courage and success. Originally published in 2015 as Brave, this book has been reviewed and redesigned to become part of the Wiley Be Your Best series - aimed at helping readers acheive professional and personal success.




High Performance Habits


Book Description

THESE HABITS WILL MAKE YOU EXTRAORDINARY. Twenty years ago, author Brendon Burchard became obsessed with answering three questions: 1. Why do some individuals and teams succeed more quickly than others and sustain that success over the long term? 2. Of those who pull it off, why are some miserable and others consistently happy on their journey? 3. What motivates people to reach for higher levels of success in the first place, and what practices help them improve the most After extensive original research and a decade as the world’s leading high performance coach, Burchard found the answers. It turns out that just six deliberate habits give you the edge. Anyone can practice these habits and, when they do, extraordinary things happen in their lives, relationships, and careers. Which habits can help you achieve long-term success and vibrant well-being no matter your age, career, strengths, or personality? To become a high performer, you must seek clarity, generate energy, raise necessity, increase productivity, develop influence, and demonstrate courage. The art and science of how to do all this is what this book is about. Whether you want to get more done, lead others better, develop skill faster, or dramatically increase your sense of joy and confidence, the habits in this book will help you achieve it faster. Each of the six habits is illustrated by powerful vignettes, cutting-edge science, thought-provoking exercises, and real-world daily practices you can implement right now. If you’ve ever wanted a science-backed, heart-centered plan to living a better quality of life, it’s in your hands. Best of all, you can measure your progress. A link to a free professional assessment is included in the book.




Lift


Book Description

Just as the Wright Brothers combined science and practice to finally realize the dream of flight, Ryan and Robert Quinn combine research and personal experience to demonstrate how to reach a psychological state that elevates us and those around us to greater heights of achievement, integrity, openness, and empathy. It's the psychological equivalent of aerodynamic lift, and it is the fundamental state of leadership. This book draws on recent advances in positive psychology and organizational science to describe four questions that, when asked in any situation, will help us experience the fundamental state of leadership. Engaging personal stories illustrate how the Quinns and others have applied these concepts at work, at home, and in the community. --




High-Stakes Leadership


Book Description

What makes some leaders so effective when the stakes are high, while others fall short? Why are some able to not only survive but to lead their organizations to new heights even in risky, fast-changing times? The answer is succinct but multi-layered: such leaders display courage, judgment, and fortitude. High-stakes leadership does not require unnatural powers, nor is it predicated on a dangerous situation. The three signature character traits can be cultivated by anyone at any level in any organization, big or small. Organizational and leadership consultant Constance Dierickx describes high-stakes leadership in a simple, three-part model that illuminates the mindsets, strategies, and tactics leaders must draw upon to make tough decisions, take an unpopular stand, or ignore convention, providing real-world examples across a range of sectors and industries. Dierickx developed her model of high-stakes leadership to help her clients—executives at organizations ranging from start-ups to nonprofits to large, global companies—better define what they need to bring strategy to life. This, she found, is the great gulf in business, the vast space between idea and results. High-Stakes Leadership helps leaders sharpen their ability to: act decisively, with clarity and focus test ideas using reason, and course correct as needed be resolute and inspire others to continue, even in the face of challenges Leading requires the courage to make conscious decisions about what to do, the judgment to separate information from short-term trends, and the fortitude to remain true to oneself and one’s mission. When leaders do these things, they also become teachers, leading their teams by example, often without realizing it. The essential aspects of good leadership endure even as the environment and tactics change. Indeed, courage, judgment, and fortitude are not merely tools for survival, they are the means by which we sculpt the future.




Uncommon Courage


Book Description

Uncommon Courageis an invitation to be your courageous best self every day. It's also an antidote to the overwhelm, fear, and rage rolling around the world. This book opens a path to inner contentment, peace, and happiness, and a path to meaningful action. It brings you an opportunity to reflect. What if there was another way? What if we could do something about the bigger issues facing our world? What if we could make meaningful change? Well, we can. Despite today's turmoil-which we can utilize as a springboard to action-a transformational journey is possible for all of us. Uncommon Courage is as practical, funny, and grounded in optimism as Andrea herself, and it's your toolkit for a deep-dive journey towards joy, purpose, and the kind of inner transformation that will make a real difference in the world we all share. In this book, you will discover 108 interlinking strategies to shift your thinking, improve your mood, and lighten your heart. This book helps you take on anger, parenting, climate change, self-awareness, and career change. Some of the stories are funny, while others may lovingly push your buttons. Living a full life takes courage and this book is designed to help you build yours. Read it, reflect, laugh, and enjoy. Reactions from early readers: "Reading Uncommon Courage is like going to a dinner party and being seated with an experienced CEO, a spiritual guru, and a wise old grandma." Tara Moody, marketing and culture speaker, strategist, content creator "This is not a quick-fix self-help book, but rather a personal travel guide for you that will help you lead yourself and your life." Andrew Bryant, CSP, author, Self-Leadership: How to be a More Successful, Efficient and Effective Leader from the Inside Out "Written from the depths of her soul, Andrea's vulnerability encourages us to reflect on how we are living our lives." Shirley Taylor, CSP, author, Connecting the Dots to Inspire the Leader in You "Andrea's stories takes us through the streets of Calcutta, where she meets Mother Teresa, to being chased, robbed, and nurturedin some of the most dangerous countries on the planet-to learning unconditionally how to say YES to life. Epic." John Vincent Gordon, CEO Expat Choice Media "Uncommon Courage is a kick in the butt and a spark in the heart." Anupama Singal, author, SYZYGYmoments "These stories about travel, challenges, conflicts, people and planetary urgency remind me of sitting around a bonfire and absorbing experiences of the well-travelled wise. Uncommon Courage rocks!" Kevin Cottam, author, The Nomadic Mindset: Never Settle... for Too Long Andrea T Edwards CSP, the Digital Conversationalist, is an award-winning B2B communications professional with over 20 years' experience. She speaks on social leadership and integrity in the digital age to professionals around the world. Her travels currently have her living on an island with her husband, two sons, a dog, and two neurotic cats.




The Heart of Leadership


Book Description

Are you the type of leader people want to follow? You can be—but first, you've got to understand what sets great leaders apart from all the rest. Certainly, leaders need people skills, execution skills, a deep knowledge of industry trends, the ability to articulate a vision, and more—they must be competent—but that's just the tip of the iceberg. What's below the waterline? What's deep inside the best leaders that makes them different? Mark Miller contends it is their leadership character. In his latest enlightening and entertaining business fable, he describes the five unique character traits exhibited by exceptional leaders and how to cultivate them. The Heart of Leadership begins with young and ambitious Blake Brown being passed over for a desperately wanted promotion, despite an outstanding individual performance. Confused and frustrated, he turns to his former mentor, Debbie Brewster. Rather than attempting to solve Blake's problem for him, she sends him on a quest to meet with five of his late father's colleagues, each of whom holds a piece of the puzzle he's trying to solve. As Blake puts the pieces together, he discovers that in the final analysis, a lack of skills isn't what holds most leaders back; skills are too easy to learn. Without demonstrated leadership character, however, a skill set will never be enough. Most often, when leaders fail to reach their full potential, it is an issue of the heart. This is Blake's ultimate revelation. This book shows us that leadership needn't be the purview of the few—it is within reach for millions around the world. The Heart of Leadership is a road map for every person who desires to make a difference in the lives of others and become a leader people want to follow.




Presidential Courage


Book Description

From the author "Newsweek" called the nations leading presidential historian comes an inspiring narrative chronicling the crucial moments when a courageous president has dramatically changed the future of the United States. of full-color photos.




Total Leadership


Book Description

National Bestseller “Students talk about Stewart D. Friedman, a management professor at the Wharton School, with a mixture of earnest admiration, gratitude and rock star adoration.” —New York Times In this national bestseller, Stew Friedman gives you the tools you need to achieve “four-way wins”—improved performance in all domains of life: work, home, community, and self. Friedman, celebrated professor and founding director of the Wharton School’s Leadership Program and its Work/Life Integration Project, explains how three simple yet potent principles—be real, be whole, and be innovative—can help you, no matter what your age or what you do for work, become a better leader and have a richer life. In this engaging adaptation of his hands-on Wharton course, he offers step-by-step instruction to help you create positive, sustainable change in your world. This proven, programmatic method teaches you how to produce stronger results at work, find clearer purpose, feel less stressed, strengthen connections with the people who matter most to you, contribute further to important causes, and gain greater support for your vision of your future. If you’re ready to learn to lead in all parts of your life—this is the book for you. For a full array of Total Leadership tips and tools, visit totalleadership.org. Also look for Stew Friedman’s book, Leading the Life You Want, which builds on Total Leadership by profiling well-known leaders—from Bruce Springsteen to Michelle Obama—who exemplify its principles and demonstrate how success in your work is accomplished not at the expense of the rest of your life, but as the result of meaningful attachments to all its parts.




Recent Books