Leader

The book is not very stimulating to read, and you will find yourself putting it down because of lack of interest. The author hits on many key points throughout the book, but rarely excites or intrigues the reader with the subject matter of supervision. Many bullets, charts and information; but not very engaging!

The things that I found to be the most helpful in this package was the fact that it was very thorough and there were multiple examples for each section along with a wide range of topics dealing with everyday situations in the business world. This package helped me in understanding some of the key aspects in training and development such as self-assessments and proper ways to construct agendas. It also outlined a development plan for improving supervisory ability. The thing that I appreciated was that it is possible to use this program with managers, supervisors, or can be done with employees and supervisors. This book is very complete and could be very beneficial to any supervisor, manager, consultant, or employee if the program is used properly and taken seriously.

Definitely designed more like a textbook than a manifesto, this volume bills itself as the only supervisory training book you'll ever need to deal with today's issues and skills. Consultants Brad Humphrey and Jeff Stokes' punctuate their book with illustrative graphs, chapter wrap-up questions and lots of notes in highlighted bold type. Their tone of voice would fit well into many classrooms as well as corporate offices. This wide-ranging book covers the basics and offers very complicated productivity analysis, worker evaluation protocols and even an initial primer on how computer applications can help your productivity. For the manager or supervisor who's just testing the deep waters of management theory, we... recommend this fairly easy first step into the deep end. The authors suggest that an organization's supervisors should all read a chapter and then deal with the questions and exercises in a discussion group. That's the supervisory skill equivalent of "Okay, everybody in the pool!"

I chose 1 star only because "0 stars" was not an option. I had to use this book in a Master's course -- therefore, the professor had a captive audience in making his class read this book -- I would not recommend this book to anyone!!

The Ackermans are real heavy in theory and very light in real-world application throughout the text. This book reminds me of authors who recycle information just to get published or justify another addition.

Furthermore, very few orginal ideas are presented in this book. It is mostly borderline plagarism of Situational Leadership and work by Edgar Schein.

I'd get kicked out of school for cheating if I handed in a paper along the lines of this book... in the real-world though, the Ackermans are making money off of it -- go figure!

Rarely are leadership books so practical. Beyond Change Management is chucked full of ideas that you can put to use immediately. Linda and Dean get to the heart of what it takes to make real change happen. They're masters at offering easy to grasp solutions for busy leaders. In this rich book are a million dollars worth of consulting ideas!

I've been studying the ground-breaking work of these authors throughout my entire career. My expectations were high . . . and they were met in spades. This is no "airplane" read, it's The Real Thing, a comprehensive field guide for planning & executing transformational change. Packed with Case Study references, Application Tools, powerful Consulting Questions - -everything you need to go about the real work of implementing change. Thank You Ackerman / Anderson !!!

This book goes through a step by step process on how to, not only become a credible leader, but how to earn the trust and confidence of your constituents. The 6 main themes are supported by research and include an action plan of practical steps for self-improvement. The content of this book is applicable both in personal and professional situations. The book has many examples and anecdotes on ways we could, or others have, followed their approach to personal or business success.

Some points were over analyzed and became repetitive. The book is an "easy to read" positive book on the value of honesty, sensitivity to diversity and competency. Unfortunately the last few chapters of the book are very weak and what starts out with a bang, ends in a whimper.

This book has an interesting topic that is needed in todays fields. Citing great examples of people who do more than just talk the talk. The beginning and end are most useful, the middle gets a little boring but is still useful. They back up what they say with studies (from which I also did a study and came up with surprisely similar results!). Overall a very good book for any manager in any business. It should be noted that this book is a bit more geared for a production manager such as in plant or factory. HOwever examples are universal and can be used in any "bag of tricks".

Credibility is a terrific follow-up to Kouzes and Posners previous book. It was offered as optional reading in my MA in Organizational Leadership program and I'm glad I read it.

Though somewhat Kouze and Posner tend to repeat themselves throughout the book, they have many practical ideas that anyone can put to use today.

I've read several different dog training and behavior books, and Patricia McConnell is one of the best... and one of the funniest. Everything in this pamphlet is good advice, and good things to be reminded of. We have a problem in our household with different "standards" for our dog, so I will leave this book around the house hoping my DH reads it. It is short, so he might, and if he tries some of the suggestions it would solve many problems. Pushy begging, refusals to give back stolen objects, you get the idea -- involving the dog and DH.

So yes, this book is an excellent resource for new dog owners or dog owners that are having problems. It is a short read, so it is good for experienced owners to look at to. I earmarked a few passages to remind myself to work on those things with the dog myself.

However, this is not The Other End of the Leash. There isn't anything new or deeply in depth in this pamphlet, and having read other of McConnell's writing, I was hoping it would have some new insights. So I was a little disappointed.

But the trainer's assistant in me is delighted that there is a brief and clear pamphlet with a lot of good advice in it that I could hand to a student and expect them to read it, understand it, and learn gentle things they can do to improve their relationship with their dog from it. McConnell clearly wrote this because she found that many of her human clients (she is a behavioral consultant and trainer) needed this information, and wouldn't it be nice if she could hand them a pamphlet so they could easily remember what she explained to them. And yes, the information in this pamphlet could certainly help reduce the number of dogs visiting the behaviorist or the humane society. So, brava on that score.

Patricia is an excellent animal behaviorist and I recommend all her books. One of my dogs has had dog training with Dogs Best Friend and they have the kindest and most dog-friendly ways of teaching!! Any dog lover is at a loss without this book.

Small but perfect guide for dog lovers and owners. Simple steps to provide loving boundaries, and dealing with aggression in canines. Arlene Millman, author of BOOMERANG - A MIRACLE TRILOGY (The tale of a remarkable Boston Terrier).

An interesting fact of American politics - that many of our Presidents came from the "upper class" of American society - is the central premise of "The Three Roosevelts: Patrician Leaders Who Transformed America." In this book, co-authors James MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn examine the role played in American history by arguably the most influential "patrician" family of the twentieth century - the Roosevelts of New York.

"The Three Roosevelts" is essentially a book containing short political biographies of Theodore, Franklin, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt (TR) became one of our greatest Presidents. Early in life, his sense of "noblesse oblige" caused him to choose a career in politics rather than a life as a member of the wealthy elite. He was elected, in turn, state representative; then governor of New York, as a Republican. He was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the McKinley Administration. Three years later, he was elected Vice President of the United States, and succeeded to the Presidency when President William McKinley was assassinated on September 14, 1901. His seven years as Chief Executive were some of the most successful of any Chief Executive up to then.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was a young man who appeared to have little of his cousin Theodore's intellectual acumen, driving ambition, or ideological bent. Franklin followed his famous cousin into politics, but unlike his cousin, Franklin became a Democrat. Like Theodore, Franklin's political career advanced steadily. In rapid succession, he was elected State Assemblyman, then State Senator. By age 31, he had been appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy by President Woodrow Wilson.

In 1921, FDR was stricken with polio, which paralyzed him from the waist down. In 1928, after a seven-year hiatus from politics, FDR was elected Governor of New York. His two two-year terms were highly successful, but by then FDR already had his eyes on the biggest prize of them all: the Presidency.

From 1929 to 1932, during the early years of the Great Depression, FDR proved himself a capable governor of New York. By 1932, after three years mired in the Depression, Americans were ready for a change. They elected FDR - the man promising Americans a "New Deal" - as President of the United States.

The vast majority of "The Three Roosevelts" is taken up with an account of FDR's "transformation of America" during the Great Depression. Here, Burns and Dunn portray Roosevelt as a man employing a pragmatic approach to governance... try whatever works! Congress passed a body of legislation that was tremendous in scope. For the first time, the Federal government actively intervened in American life in an effort to make life better for all. The modern welfare state was born.

The third of the "three Roosevelts" - Eleanor (ER) - was an integral part of her husband's political success. After her marriage to FDR, Eleanor remained indifferent toward politics, although she steadfastly supported her husband's political ambitions. As FDR's political career progressed, so did Eleanor's interest in politics. In fact, she was much more of an ideologue than Franklin. Burns and Dunn imply that Eleanor grew to have a tremendous influence on Franklin, possibly pulling him more and more to the left of center during his Presidency.

On April 12, 1945, after thirteen years as President, years which saw the United States struggle out of Depression and stumble into a world war, Franklin D. Roosevelt died. He had helped build the modern welfare state, and had guided the United States to a position of victory in the Second World War.

In the years following FDR's death, Eleanor Roosevelt continued to be a major influence on American politics. Through her nationally syndicated newspaper column "My Day," ER continually interjected her ideas and opinions into the national debate. She was appointed as an American delegate to the first organizational meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. Later she would serve on a UN commission that authored the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. She championed the cause of equal rights for all Americans, and was vocal in her support of the new nation of Israel.

When "The Three Roosevelts" appeared in bookstores in the spring of 2001, I eagerly bought a copy. This was the first book I'd seen in over twenty years that was written by James MacGregor Burns, the historian best known for his two volume biography of the 32nd President - "Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox" and "Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom."

My hope was that Burns and co-author Susan Dunn would provide a penetrating examination of what caused this trio of extraordinary individuals to leave behind the values and traditions of their 19th century "patrician" class, in favor of a progressive and at times socialistic political agenda. It is a question left largely unanswered. "The Three Roosevelts" remains a book very long on biographical information and very short on historical analysis.

The authors show an almost complete lack of objectivity toward their subjects. Burns is well known as a liberal "New Deal" Democrat, and his political bias shows on practically every page. He is ably abetted by Dunn. The result: "The Three Roosevelts" is practically a paean of praise to TR, ER, and especially FDR. Criticisms of the "three Roosevelts" are few, and even those are largely muted. Burns and Dunn's unabashed, gushing admiration of the "three Roosevelts" is annoying, and limits the usefulness of the book as an objective study of these fascinating characters in American history.

James MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn, Democrats by conviction, give an unequal account of the life of three Roosevelts by dedicating most of their biography to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. MacGregor Burns and Dunn show their audience how these three patricians left behind a relatively easy life to descend into the arena of politics. Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt had to overcome their prejudices about other classes, religions, ethnicities and races to get an understanding of the issues at hand and, at times make, painful compromises to get things done. MacGregor Burns and Dunn explain to their readers that the three Roosevelts have ultimately left an indelible imprint on the psyche of the nation by each setting an example of transformational leadership. On the domestic front, the country has been working on the best possible reconciliation of the respective interests of business, labor and consumers as well as the rights and duties of its respective races and ethnicities. Abroad, the country has weighed the pros and cons of an interventionist policy on a case-by-case basis to safeguard its vital interests, and to advance the cause of a world that espouses the values of responsible democracy and capitalism.

This novel was immensely informative and entertaining. I am an English teacher who reads a lot, and I could not put it down. I loved the descriptions of leaders such as Huey Long and Gerald Smith and the isolationist movement. It was also impressive that it was so well-balanced and avoided sensationalism and cheap shots. The authors did not take sides or make quick judgments. You must read this book. My two favorite sections were the descriptions of the New Deal and the class struggle in New York during TR's time.

I also read this book because of the Stevie Nicks, "Rhiannon" connection, but fans like me might continue to enjoy the song more without reading this book, which certainly uses a dark interpretation of Goddesses in Celtic mythology. I believe Ms. Nicks focused on a very small part of the story, a love aspect, when she wrote the song. The book seems to suffer from a 1970s vogue for the idea of demonic possession (in fact, my yellowed copy says "For the millions of readers who enjoyed 'The Exorcist!'") That's not to say it isn't an engrossing read, and quite chilling in parts, and well-written. You won't like it if you expect a happy ending, but the ending is definitely thought-provoking. The jumping off place for the plot is: what's happening to this woman (Branwen)? (Who had a part in the death of her cousin Rhiannon when both were children.) Does she have multiple personalities, or is she mentally ill, or is she possessed by a ghost? The author does keep you guessing. Still, ultimately I would say that this book belongs back in the era in which it was written: the 1970s. "Rhiannon" the song has outlasted it by decades, for a reason!

Another reviewer mentioned that this book was the one Stevie Nicks was reading when she wrote Rhiannon and that the song was related to the story. A long time Fleetwood Mac fan, I pulled out the CD and listened to the song both while I was reading the book and after I was finished with it. Though it does follow to a very small extent, the mythology of the name Rhiannon, it doesn't reflect on the story at all. The Rhiannon of the book is cruel and extremely vicious, a character with no virtue, yet the song is not about a character like that.

The same reviewer recommended the book if you like mythology. Celtic mythology is discussed in only the barest terms. It isn't discussed at length, only to the slightest extent.

So if you are looking for insight into the song Rhiannon or looking for extensive mythology discussion, this is not the book for you. Buy a Celtic mythology book for the myths and buy the music CD for the beautiful song.

This story by Mary Leader is true to its title - Triad meaning three. It was a complex story that leaves you guessing.

This is the story of Branwen, a young wife and mother. Her baby dies at the beginning of the book of crib death - SIDS. She is understandably heartbroken. She and her husband Alan decide they can no longer live in that home where they lost their baby and buy a house out in the country. An old, rambling, house that locals say is haunted. They slowly go about renovating the house. Alan is away for long stretches of time on engineering projects leaving Branwen alone in the house, her only company is her faithful dog ... or so she thinks.

The inevitable happens. Branwen begins to hear voices - soft, nearly beyond the edge of hearing. She dismisses them as nothing more than wind and the creaking of the old house. Then she begins to lose time, sometimes waking days after her last remembered moment. It happens with increasing frequency and begins to frighten her into thinking she is losing her mind. Is she? You'll have to read to find out ... although, I'm still trying to figure that one out myself.

Alan, a little slow on the uptake since he is away so much, begins to realize after a life threatening moment that his wife needs help. He brings her to a wonderful psychiatrist who helps her remember childhood trauma. Branwen is a writer working on a mythology books for young adults and she and her psychiatrist discuss mythology briefly. She believes that her problem is related to an overactive imagination fed by her mythology studies, but he doesn't believe that. Through further therapy he finally diagnoses her with multiple personality disorder, but just two personalities - her own and the other personality. That makes two, not the three that the title suggests. The doctor and Branwen are satisfied that they have found the problem, but the reader knows there is still more to come and that the fun is really just beginning for poor Branwen.

This book is a gothic mystery that is part psychological and part ghost story ... or is it? It was well worth reading, but I thought it could have been longer. The writer left me with so many questions unanswered and a stunning conclusion that happened a little too fast. The author seemed to want to leave the reader to their own interpretation of the story. If you like things all neat and tidy at the end of a story, this is not the story for you. If you like to use your mind to form your own conclusions, then it is for you. The only way to know is to read it yourself and decide. Still, I highly recommend this book, it was well worth reading.

The book contains really basic information that is not a new revelation. For a better book on the subject read "Action Learning in Action: Transforming Problems and People for World-Class Organizational Learning"; Michael J. Marquardt. Marquardt's is slightly better and provides better real life examples.

For over the past hundred years there has been the debate over whether leadership is a competency that can be trained and fostered or whether it is an innate skill that individuals are born with. Dotlich and Noel add fuel to that fire as they assert that there is a mechanism called Action Learning that can create within organizations the necessary shifts in attitudes and behaviors at the leadership level for substantial organizational renewal. Action Learning, simply stated, is fostered experiential learning. In that there is nothing new here. What is new, however, is the way in which Dotlich and Noel have created a "whole body" syllabus for organizations that includes key learning activities that are tied to business objectives.

Where many leadership programs are deficient is in tying key attitudes, behaviors, and competencies into key business situations. Making the learning relevant and urgent is the key. The tie between learning and business application must be more than cognitive. It has to be an experience that includes intellect, emotion, risk, feedback, and reflection. "When we are fully engaged in a process, we are much more likely to be profoundly influenced by it." The way in which Action Learning creates this engagement is through tackling a significant business issue with people from cross-functions within an organization. The context of the book is the demonstration of the Action Learning principles as they were applied by Dotlich and Noel on several organizations going through major transformation. Some of the richest scenarios come from Citibank's challenge to become unified in how it approached business, General Electrics mandate to become global thinkers, and Johnson & Johnson's need to upgrade and develop executive talent here and abroad. Each of these industries utilized the Action Learning framework to tackle the necessary changes brought on by the complexity of today's business.

The term framework is intentionally as there is no template for this process. Action Learning is pliable, versatile, and malleable in order for it to flex to the urgent needs of the business. What makes up this framework is consistent. Action Learning is comprised of a process that selects key issues, creates cross-functional teams, designs presentations, and involves senior management. The time frame for this process can span nine weeks to nine months. In the process the individuals are given key assignments, attend specific seminars and learning events, and have a dedicated coach and sponsor. The sponsor is the key ingredient that ensures Action Learning success. The sponsor is the senior executive who endorses Action Learning and creates an atmosphere affirming the process and creates a top-down awareness of what's at stake for the business not address the key issues. The dedicated external coach offers the second key ingredient-reflection and feedback. In the midst of chaos-business today, there is often little time for individuals to reflect upon actions taken and impact of those actions. The coach observes individual and team dynamics and offers key questions for awareness and reflection. Some of the most powerful questions include:
Is your team on the right track?
Will your project make a significant difference in cutting costs or raising revenues?
Have you made any breakthroughs?

Through Action Learning, Dotlich and Noel claim that leaders in organizations can re-create that frames of reference in order to more effectively adjust to emerging business issues and are more effective leaders. They have identified ten contrasting mindsets that illustrate the gap between traditional leadership and re-created leadership. These include:
üProviding direction versus providing directions.
üOwners versus mangers.
üWhat might be versus what is.
üInvolvement versus isolation.
üGeneralist versus functionalist.
üReflection versus doing.
üEmotion versus intellect.
üFaith versus skepticism.
üReceptive versus rejecting.
üFree speech versus censorship.

Re-created leadership that is realized through the Action Learning process enables leaders to be more agile and responsive to employees, customers, ideas, and opportunities. I recommend this book for anyone who is responsible for business strategy, anyone who is leads a cross functional team, and anyone who participates in curriculum design. The Action Learning framework and the accompanying scenarios offer ideas, important key questions, and a context for personal and organizational success.

The authors have done well in this book. They show the importance of leader development, as well as how easy it is to get you and your organization pointed in the right direction. As a trainer, I know that the principles discussed are valid and implementable.

Also recommend a book we use in our leader development program that has scored high with our managers and well-received by our top execs: ""The Leader's Guide: 15 Essential Skills.""

Paul the apostle and Augustine of Hippo both penned rather famous statements toward the fact that spiritual people discern spiritual things and not merely that which is familiar in any 'fleshly' or 'literal' or empirical sense. Although stating this in their own inimitable ways, neither of them were the first to see this. Jesus Christ taught in parable (allegory), explaining to his disciples that he did so for this very reason. The philosophy of scriptural exegesis that looks to deeper, allegorical / figurative, and spiritual meanings was certainly known, practiced and esteemed in the Judaic world which Christ entered. It is singularly prominent in Philo and, we might argue, is instructed a thousand years earlier by Solomon. Strongly influenced by the life and work of Origen (who is often credited, rightly or wrongly, with systematizing this ancient approach to exegesis) Gregory of Nyssa is one of the church "Fathers" and early theologians to teach this approach to scripture. Much of his work is perhaps known only to scholars, and his "Life of Moses" is one of his few works to be now available in an English text. For this we thank the Paulist Press.
Moses is seen by Gregory (c. 332-395) as a spiritual model. While he was very literally the historical personage who led the Hebrews out of Egypt, the history centered around him is not merely or purely a history. It is seen as a series of lessons and spiritual insights on a more or less historical armature. These kinds of statements from Gregory demonstrate the influence of Philo and Origen in particular: "How would a concept worthy of God be preserved in the description of what happened if one looked only to the history? . . . Where is the holiness? . . .How can the history so contradict reason? Therefore, as we look for the true spiritual meaning, seeking to determine whether the events took place typologically, we should be prepared to believe that the lawgiver has taught through the things said." (II.91-92)
Many modern / post-modern men and women live their lives on or near the surface, so to speak, in a world of familiar and unquestioned illusions. Many modern Christians do the same. While these individuals might not esteem (or even trust) Gregory's approach to scripture, a merely 'surface' or wholly 'literal' reading will have to embrace dire internal contradictions. Gregory says, ". . . faith in Christ does not ally itself with those of such [irrational] disposition." (II.98)
I once heard a fundamentalist preacher, bristling defiantly, proudly pronounce (while actually thumping his Bible), "I don't interpret the Bible, I just read it!" Could we tell him that in demanding there is nothing deeper to be seen he has made an interpretation? He doesn't seem to notice, I guess God's already told him all there is to know?! Wow.
But "arrogance is slain by humility." (II.15) Passages from this work of Gregory that might profit our Bible-thumper, should he permit it: The Wealth of Egypt. II:112-116, and The Darkness: II:162-169.

St. Gregory of Nyssa birth date is unknown but most scholars believe he died around 385 to 386 AD. He came from a religious family where his brother St Basil the Great was the streamliner of the eastern liturgy still in used today in the Eastern Orthodox Church during the Great Fast before Pascha (Easter). Many believe that Gregory was married with Theosebeia before becoming a Bishop. He wrote many books, "The Life of Moses" being his most famous & influential where he tries to find allegorical interpretations & the mystical meanings beyond the normal reading of the texts.

This book may make great reading for most people to reveal the many layers of the Bible by its many different uses of symbolism. Or better written: How to read the life of Moses & reinterpret it to exam your life & become closer to God.

There are many levels of spiritually within the Eastern Orthodox Christian Mystical tradition; interpreting & applying the Bible to help with your spiritual life is but one method. If you're into silent prayer & trying to remove allegory from your thought processes, this book may get in the way. In other words: there is a time to apply the many levels of the Bible to your life & there is a time to clean your mind from its process to experience God directly. Find out which level you're at or which works for you, & see if this fine written ancient book of wisdom can help.

See deeper into the mystical life of moses. After reading this you will never read the biblical books of Moses the same. The saint brings to life the hidden work of God that you dont get from reading the scriptures externaly. He shows that everthing that moses did had deep meaning and shows the way for us to find union with God.

I spent a couple hours with this book and can honestly say that I discovered very little new or insightful information. I have modest expectations of books like these, figuring that if I can capture one new useful piece of wisdom, my time and money would be well spent. Unfortunately, I did not find anything useful here.

In addition, I found the style of the book made it hard to move through the book quickly while easily capturing the few big ideas. Do authors who write books like these really think that senior executives have the time to read 250 pages of dense text ? Get to the point, and get out. But, then I guess no one would pay ...for a 25-page book !

Authors Galford and Drapeau are two individuals with extensive experience in management. These two people have been involved in top corporate management for many years, working with Pepsi Co., FTD Florist, and others. They wrote this book to stress the importance of trust between all levels of management and the immediate employees.

Just how important is trust in a corporation? Well, the authors think it ranks at the very top of the list because it is through trust that all other corporate activites (in the business sense) are based. The first part of this book gives an overview of trust, followed by a section that identifies the tools of trust. Proper conduct of a trusted leader is discussed next, followed by a troubleshooting guide of sorts, that explains what to do when key individuals leave; how to handle crises involving trust; and how to repair the damage when trust is lost. There's even a self- assessment questionnaire that you can take to estimate the level of trust in your company.

I like the way the authors of this book progress from defining the issue, to demonstrating how trusted leaders behave, to identifying problems and, finally, to offering solutions. They cover most of the important areas except for one: they don't really address the fact that most managers do, indeed, tell lies. In some cases the lies told are critical to the success of the company (like in the case of not talking about a new product currently in development). In other cases, the lies told are required as part of the job (for example, pretending that the director's plan of action is great when the manager knows in his heart that it's not). These situations can affect trust in adverse ways, but the authors do not touch on these issues.

Management books are often a little bit slow to read and sometimes can be rather repetitive in nature. This book is no exception. I found certain parts rather dull, and I had to make myself determined to finish. I kept nodding off as I tried to read. After so long, I got really tired of reading the word "trust". I know that trust is the main subject of the book, but it still got repetitive after a while.

Trust in the corporate arena is very important for the success of a business. When I think back to the past few years and all the examples of corporate mismanagement, especially with Enron, it's easy to see why the authors of this book really drive home the point that trust DOES matter! Without it, a company is doomed to fail.

The Trusted Leader is a book that has long been needed. Trust is a subject that has woefully been lacking in many past books on leadership and in some respected educational institutions that should have been teaching it. The result of this neglect is evident in the daily news, which has been reporting on the indictment or conviction of numerous business executives for corruption. Our jaded generation is skeptical of most positions of leadership for good reason. For too many, the importance of trust has been clouded by personal greed. Galford and Drapeau boldly discuss this subject with clarity, common sense and research. The authors wrote this book primarily for those in senior leadership roles, but its content is certainly applicable to most anyone.

This book is composed of fourteen chapters within five parts or themes. The parts are logically presented and include...

Part One: An Overview Of Trusted Leadership

Part Two: Identifying And Applying The Tools Of Trusted Leaders

Part Three: How Trusted Leaders Work

Part Four: Defining Moments

Part Five: Building Trust In Perspective

The Trusted Leader is a comprehensive discussion of trust beginning with the definition of trusted leadership and concluding with the importance of leaving a legacy of trust when you depart the organization. As the authors state, "we feel strongly that creating a community of trusted leaders who can then help trust permeate through all levels of an organization-particularly in today's business context-is critical to every company's long-term survival and success."

Galford and Drapeau have written this book using their own research, personal observations and case examples. They offer a series of interactive exercises to determine where trust can be supplemented and improved. In addition, they also offer some diagnostic tools to help the executive rebuild trust. A remarkable "Self-Assessment" tool presented in chapter 2 is one that you will want to revisit often! ...

As a credit to its authors, this book was envisioned and started before the Enron, Global Crossing, Adelphia Cable, Tyco and WorldCom scandals broke. It is timely and its message is long overdue. If you want to study a vital yet unfrequented area of leadership, The Trusted Leader is definitely a book you will want in your personal library.

"The Bible," leadership development consultant Lorin Woolfe contends, is the "greatest collection of leadership case studies ever written." He postulates that Biblical tales provide modern managers with "tremendously useful and insightful lessons," because these ancient stories "form some of the major archetypes of our collective consciousness."

This well-researched book is rich with anecdotes from both antiquity and modernity illustrating both good and bad leadership. You'll find King David and Bill Gates; Queen Esther and Anita Roddick; Jesus and Jack Welch.

In drawing parallels between the leadership challenges chronicled in the Bible and those faced by today's leaders, Woolfe concludes that successful leadership, then and now, derives from a set of ten "traits and skills."

THE TEN LEADERSHIP IMPERATIVES
Lorin Woolfe (or his editor) had the good sense and judgment not to do what I'm going to do: Present his ten lessons, as drawn from the Judeo/Christian Bible, in the following cliche manner.

1. Thou shalt deal with thine followers with Honesty and Integrity.

2. Thou shalt lead from a clear Purpose.

3. Thou shalt treat all others with Kindness and Compassion.

4. Thou shalt lead with Humility.

5. Thou shalt master effective Communication.

6. Thou shalt effect results by deploying Performance Management for thine colleagues.

7. Thou shalt improve performance of thine operation through Team Development.

8. Thou shalt demonstrate Courage in all thine affairs.

9. Thou shalt deal with all others with Justice and Fairness.

10. Thou shalt assureth continuity by giving priority to Leadership Development.

BLESSED ARE THE LEADERS
To even the most casual student of leadership today, those themes ought ring quite familiar. Looking through the lens of modern leadership theory, one can, not surprisingly, find examples aplenty of these themes in the ancient stories of human shepherds leading their human flocks.

Woolfe's extensive research does a good job of making the case that human nature, or at least the behaviors that are shaped by the West's familiar Judeo/Christian traditions, have remained pretty much the same over the millenia. So the methods that helped (or hindered) a leader's attempts to affect the behaviors of ancient, nomadic, desert-dwelling clans thousands of years ago are quite the same as those that influence contemporary, computerized cube-farm inhabitants. (Though modern leaders -- facing constituents with more choices for the leaders they'd willing follow -- probably tend to emphasize the less harsh end of the consequences spectrum.)

The plethora of examples that Woolfe has mined from both the Good Book and today's business press amply make the case for each lesson the author presents. But too much so. The book often seems to read like: Ancient Anecdote...Ancient Anecdote... Modern Example...Modern Example...

And then for variety: Modern Example...Modern Example...Ancient Anecdote...Ancient Anecdote... Or, alternatively, Ancient Anecdote... Modern Example... Ancient Anecdote... Modern Example...

After a while, it's more tiring than engaging. And occasionally forces itself uncomfortably against the boundaries of analogy. ("In 1991, Larry Bossidy, CEO of Allied Signal, found himself in a position similar to that of Moses. The company lacked purpose, morale was suffering, and the bottom line was showing it.")

The book easily could be half as long, and, in turn, perhaps twice as effective.

Still, for people who are students of leadership or adherents to the Judeo/Christian tradition (or who want to understand the source of its echoes in our modern world), this is a useful, well documented, and instructive work worth having and reviewing.

I have titled my review "Surprisingly Well Done" because I frankly didn't expect the quality of reading I enjoyed in this book. I'll admit to being a bit jaundiced by one book after another comparing biblical characters and ancient historical figures like Attila the Hun to today's situations and leaders. But, if AMACOM, the publishing division of the American Management Association, is presenting this book, maybe there is some substance in these pages after all.

I opened the book with apprehension, half-expecting a Bible-thumping worship of religious heroes. Surprise! I was captivated right away by the almost conversational tone of the writing that pulled me in. The messages are much more "real," than pushy. The preachiness I feared did not materialize. Instead, lessons were shared on the fundamentals of leadership, with examples from Biblical characters and modern-day corporate and political leaders.

Woolfe is obviously quite conversant with the Bible, its stories, and its lessons. I am not, so I was frankly concerned that I wouldn't have the knowledge to relate to the book's teachings and message. I found that Woolfe described enough about each character and story that I understood. The people cited-Biblical and modern, are used as vehicles for Woolfe to make his points about ten attributes of leaders: honesty and integrity, purpose, kindness and compassion, humility, communication, performance management, team development, courage, justice and fairness, and leadership development.

As you read this book, expect to pause to reflect frequently. It will be a comfortable experience, rather than an unsettling challenge to your morals. Each chapter concludes with Biblical lessons on the theme of the chapter-not religious, Biblical. It's sort of a comparison of management literature from two different eras and not at all intimidating. A good set of reference notes and an index add value to the book.

Commentary: Understandably, this book addresses Judeo-Christian culture-both in its themes and it's content and treatment. It would be interesting to see a set of these books, with similar comparisons to perceived qualities of leaders and the religious literature of the culture that supports the written heritage.

This is a very straightforward, informative and practical book that uses biblical lessons as jumping off points to illustrate the use of ethics in the (modern) corporate world. I know this book has been recognized and used in many Christian management schools, but personally I care less about the religious aspects than the ethical ones. (And in today's world where we still have people killing in the name of god, I think there's a big distinction.) I frankly don't care if the book gets more people to think about or read the bible, but its lessons for leaders and leadership are right on target.

Woolfe clearly did a lot of research for this book. The number and diversity of stories about different managers and corporations is wonderful, although my personal preference is for those I consider to be among the "socially responsible" leaders: Aaron Feuerstein, who continued to pay employees even after his factory burned down, and Ben & Jerry's who donated 7.5% percentage of profits to charitable causes.

This book is very timely, with stories of Enron and unethical (not to mention illegal) corporate practices just beginning to fade. It should be incorporated into every business school curriculum.

Now, I'd love to see Woolfe do "The Koran on Leadership".....