The extensive leadership literature of our day focuses on the what and how of leadership. Numerous definitions, concepts, behaviors, and traits of leadership aim to pinpoint the "magic formula" -from a blanket approach--that makes leadership effective. One vital, yet often overlooked, area lacking in these conversations is the emphasis on the personal connection to leadership. This book takes a deep dive into the notion of leadership as a personal brand. It provides theories, strategies, examples, and tactics along with evidence suggesting that leadership derives from -- and is influenced by -- a more personal context. Chapters draw from the belief that there is no separation between the leader and the person holding the leadership title. The leader's identity has a direct correlation to who the leader is as a person rather than a function. Leadership values stem primarily from personal values, experiences, beliefs, and other influences, and thus, the perceptions of a leader are automatically associated with that person-- the individual. Accordingly, if leadership output is personal and the outcomes are personal to those influenced by the leader, then one who is considered an impactful leader is the result of both their personal attributes and their application of concepts and theories. The way a leader leads originates from a customized selection of leadership styles, strengths, and approaches that are unique to each person and based on their exposures and influences. This book also explores a personal branding approach to leadership development. It explains leadership branding as an acknowledgement of leader's reputation. How one is viewed as a leader becomes personal once those perceptions are used to identify the leader. They comprise the leader's brand-reputation. In recognizing leadership as a personal brand, the book incorporates branding concepts and how these contribute to leadership development, responsibility, and outcomes. The subject of this book is strategic leadership development. Readers will use the customized Leadership BRAND Assessment and explore concepts and theories common to leadership, to understand and develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to effectively lead organizations and teams effectively through change, crisis, uncertainty, and other barriers to achieving a common goal. Topics covered in this book include, leadership responsibility and accountability, ethics, values, effective communication, resilience, vision, foresight and followership.

We live in a world informed by innovation. And yet, too many leaders in the knowledge sector are relying on instinctive, outdated--sometimes even toxic--methods to guide their teams. It's time for management to start innovating, too. In this bold new approach to leadership, sought-after executive coach, speaker, and author Melanie Parish shows you how to approach projects and situations with a scientist's mindset--testing hypotheses and analyzing results in a systematic way that will enable you to experiment and refine how you deal with challenges and opportunities.

Ride your personal brand to the highest level in your field! ”A combination of inspiration and utility. . . . A must-read for leaders, entrepreneurs, or anyone who wants to harness the power of their own personal brand.” —DONNY DEUTSCH, television host and Chairman, Deutsch Inc. “Discover Your CEO Brand is an exploration into the art and science, heart and soul, and woof and warp of leadership. The examples are compelling, the reasoning impeccable, and the motivation irresistible.” —ALAN WEISS, Ph.D., author of Million Dollar Consulting and The Consulting Bible “I believe strongly that you cannot become a leader in an organization that operates in contrast to your personal values. With the advice provided in Suzanne’s book, I am confident readers will find the match that works best for them.” —JONATHAN RECKFORD, CEO, Habitat for Humanity International “Whether you are already a famous CEO with a well-established brand or just starting to craft that brand and its impact, this book is an excellent resource and guide. Suzanne Bates motivates all CEOs to develop their personal brand and clearly shows how to do it.” —MARSHA FIRESTONE, Ph.D., founder and President, Women Presidents’ Organization “Discover Your CEO Brand is a terrific read that sets out a powerful and compelling roadmap for becoming an effective leader. Filled with engaging examples, it is the quintessential guide to building your personal brand.” —ANDREW SOBEL, author of All for One and Clients for Life About the Book Steve Jobs did it at Apple. Indra Nooyi did it at Pepsi. Alan Mulally did it at Ford Motor Company. What did these business leaders do exactly? They brought very real, positive change to their organizations by using their unique CEO brand. Now, executive coach Suzanne Bates explains how you can exert the same kind of influence at your company. Discover Your CEO Brand provides the insight, knowledge, and tools you need to discover your own personal CEO style and then develop it into a powerful presence that extends beyond your typical spheres of influence. Bates walks you through the process step by step, teaching you ways to increase your visibility and influence by combining traditional self-branding vehicles like PR and face-to-face networking with new social-media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. No two sets of values, principles, vision, and skills—the foundation of every successful CEO brand—are alike. Whether you’re a CEO, team leader, or entrepreneur, you need to discover who you are as a leader, what you believe, and how that defines you. It’s not as apparent as you may think. Applying her years of expertise, Bates takes you deep below the surface to find the powerful leadership brand inside you, so you can: Connect with key audiences Elevate your leader profile Attract and retain the best talent Create business opportunities Shape a high-performance culture Drive long-term value within your company It’s not about crafting a leadership style out of thin air in order to influence people and “get ahead.” It’s about discovering your own personal leadership style. It’s about connecting with others authentically. It’s about instituting change that benefits the company and the people in it. You’re about to head down a road to dramatically improving your organization, your career, and your life. Take your first steps with Suzanne Bates and the proven methods she outlines in Discover Your CEO Brand.

In years past, the keywords for leaders were confidence, single-minded purpose, and strategic planning. But today’s vastly complex, globalized, and fast-evolving world requires a different kind of leadership. This game-changing book details a new approach—entrepreneurial leadership—developed at Babson College, the number-one school for entrepreneurship in the world. Entrepreneurial leadership is inspired by, but is separate from, entrepreneurship. It can be applied in any organizational situation, not just start-ups. Based on two years of extensive research, it embraces three principles that add up to a fundamentally new worldview of business and a new logic of decision making. First, rapid change and increasing uncertainty require leaders to be “cognitively ambidextrous,” able to shift between traditional “prediction logic” (choosing actions based on analysis) and “creation logic” (taking action despite considerable unknowns). Guiding this different way of thinking and acting is a new view of business, where simultaneous creation of social, environmental, and economic value is the order of the day. Finally, entrepreneurial leaders leverage their understanding of themselves and their social context to guide effective action. Each chapter offers concrete examples of how educators across all disciplines are integrating these ideas into their courses—and even their entire curricula. The New Entrepreneurial Leader lays out a comprehensive new paradigm for reinventing management education in order to mold leaders who will shape social and economic opportunity.

The Heart of a Leader: Fifty-Two Emotional Intelligence Insights to Advance Your Career uncovers insider secrets on leadership for go-getters who aren’t satisfied with status quo careers. Authored by Kristin Harper, the book is based on more than twenty years of firsthand experience climbing the proverbial corporate ladder. Each chapter in The Heart of a Leader focuses on leadership and emotional intelligence competencies, actionable tools, bite-sized insights, and inspiring quotes to reference throughout your career. Whether you’re an aspiring leader new in your career or a seasoned employee ready for the next level, adopting the time-tested insights in The Heart of a Leader will help accelerate your career.

Over the next decade, today's connected world will be explosively more connected. Anything that can be distributed will be distributed: workforces, organizations, supply webs, and more. The tired practices of centralized organizations will become brittle in a future where authority is radically decentralized. Rigid hierarchies will give way to liquid structures. Most leaders—and most organizations—aren't ready for this future. Are you? It's too late to catch up, but it's a great time to leapfrog. Noted futurist Bob Johansen goes beyond skills and competencies to propose five new leadership literacies—combinations of disciplines, practices, and worldviews—that will be needed to thrive in a VUCA world of increasing volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. This book shows how to (1) forecast likely futures so you can “look back” and make sure you're prepared now for the changes to come, (2) use low-risk gaming spaces to work through your concerns about the future and hone your leadership skills, (3) lead shape-shifting organizations where you can't just tell people what to do, (4) be a dynamic presence even when you're not there in person, and (5) keep your personal energy high and transmit that energy throughout your organization. This visionary book provides a vivid description of the ideal talent profile for future leaders. It is written for current, rising star, and aspiring leaders; talent scouts searching for leaders; and executive coaches seeking a fresh view of how leaders will need to prepare. To get ready for this future, we will all need new leadership literacies.

Shay was still angry but shrugged nonchalantly as if to say, it’s not that big of a deal. “So, what am I wrong about?” “You’re not going to want to hear this, but I have to tell you anyway.” Liam paused before finishing. “You might be working hard, but you’re not doing it for the company.” “What the hell does that mean?” Shay wanted to know. Knowing that his adversary might punch him for what he was about to say, Liam responded. “You’re doing it for yourself.” New York Times best-selling author Patrick Lencioni has written a dozen books that focus on how leaders can build teams and lead organizations. In The Motive, he shifts his attention toward helping them understand the importance of why they’re leading in the first place. In what may be his edgiest page-turner to date, Lencioni thrusts his readers into a day-long conversation between rival CEOs. Shay Davis is the CEO of Golden Gate Alarm, who, after just a year in his role, is beginning to worry about his job and is desperate to figure out how to turn things around. With nowhere else to turn, Shay receives some hard-to-swallow advice from the most unlikely and unwanted source—Liam Alcott, CEO of a more successful security company and his most hated opponent. Lencioni uses unexpected plot twists and crisp dialogue to take us on a journey that culminates in a resolution that is as unexpected as it is enlightening. As he does in his other books, he then provides a straightforward summary of the lessons from the fable, combining a clear explanation of his theory with practical advice to help executives examine their true motivation for leading. In addition to provoking readers to honestly assess themselves, Lencioni presents action steps for changing their approach in five key areas. In doing so, he helps leaders avoid the pitfalls that stifle their organizations and even hurt the people they are meant to serve.