Leaders who shine have the insight to examine their own lives—the influence of their families, the guidance of teachers, and the force of momentous events—and translate that information into habits of mind for persevering in the face of obstacles and instilling commitment and confidence in others.

In this bold, fresh approach to leadership, two psychologists profile more than 50 leaders who have leveraged the legacy of their life experiences into five powerful habits of mind to shape the way they think about, and respond to, challenges in their leadership.

Readers learn about the inner work of leaders such as Sara Lee CEO John Bryan, Hearst Magazine President Cathleen Black, Cherokee Chief Wilma Mankiller, Princeton President Harold Shapiro, Chicago Cubs President Andy MacPhail, and Ogilvy & Mather CEO Shelly Lazarus.

Each leader tells a compelling story of translating the lessons of a lifetime into habits of mind that are central to his or her success, including:

* Framework: The strategy of interpreting negative events with a resilient response
* Reflection: The capacity to observe and analyze his or her own behavior
* Attunement: The practice of learning from every person in the organization
* Conviction: The ability to draw upon inner authority and purpose
* Replenishment: The craft of restoring perspective and renewing resources

THE INNER WORK OF LEADERS is a book with a clear, strategic message: Leadership develops from within. Only when leaders do this inner work (and understand the experiences that have influenced them) can they develop powerful habits of mind for leading and inspiring others.


Reviews

"The Inner Work of Leaders is an insightful and original work. The book is compulsively readable for its stories of personal experiences that have shaped the way leaders think and act. Even better, it offers a new concept—“habits of mind”—that will help other leaders and would-be leaders to understand their own formative experiences and use them wisely."

"A deeply moving book about leaders who know how to move leaders to great possibilities. Spiritual and practical. Complex and profoundly simple. An important and unique addition to the leadership literature."

"The mystery of leadership gets a jolt of real-life enlightenment thanks to Mackoff and Wenet’s sparkling new book. The authors supply a big missing piece—what really goes on inside a leader’s head—by tapping into some of the best leadership talent around and giving us a front-row seat to the way these people think. Instead of offering the same tired old profiles and how-tos, this book bristles with energy, originality, and oomph."

"Mackoff and Wenet offer a fresh, strategic approach to the process of becoming and being a leader. The book should be required reading—not simply for leaders and aspiring leaders, but for everyone who wants to understand how our most effective leaders, like all peak performers, are made and not born."

"Enlightened leadership comes from within, as Drs. Mackoff and Wenet’s provocative new book clearly illuminates. This intelligent, well-researched book should be required reading for executives and entrepreneurs alike; it is an invaluable guide for those who aspire to inspire the people and organizations that will flourish in this new century."