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"Kings, heads of government, and corporate executives have control over thousands of people and endless resources, but often do not have mastery over themselves. From a distance, larger-than-life leaders may look firmly in control of their businesses and their personal behavior. What about up close? Personal mastery is a difficult thing."—from Chapter One

Leaders know what they should be doing, so why aren't they doing it? When a leader knows the preferable behavior, why stick to an old pattern and fail to perform as desired? The answer is that each of us has two selves: one self is thoughtful, circumspect, and rational (the inner executive), and the other self is habit bound, impulsive, and emotion driven (the inner elephant). In this groundbreaking book, leadership expert Richard Daft reveals how leaders can recognize the two parts of themselves and learn to calm down, train, and guide their inner elephant toward the desired successful behavior.

Inner excellence means removing the personal flaw that is holding you back as a leader—such as procrastination, avoiding confrontation, a short attention span, perfectionism, tactless remarks, weak resolve, overreacting, criticizing, chasing the wrong gratifications, or not following though. This important book is filled with lessons for leaders on resolving the inner struggle between impulse and self-discipline, between blind reaction and big picture wisdom. Dozens of proven exercises will empower you to direct yourself and others more productively. With a little practice, your inner executive will learn to choose correctactions rather than let your unwantedbehaviors have their way.

Through compelling real-life coaching examples of dramatic personal changes, along with recent findings in psychology, management, neuroscience, and Eastern spirituality, Richard Daft provides guidance to all of us who want to follow our best intentions when leading ourselves and others.

"Wow, what a book! I started to breeze through it, and I ended up reading and thinking about every chapter. . . . The Executive and the Elephant touches both my brain and my heart, and the effect is at once humbling and energizing. I'm going to send copies to everyone I care about who is under pressure, working hard, and in a leadership position."

—William Ouchi, Sanford and Betty Sigoloff Distinguished Professor in Corporate Renewal, UCLA; author of Theory Z

"Outstanding! Dick Daft has shed a whole new light on what it takes to set you apart as an effective leader. If I had read this book earlier in my career, I would have arrived sooner to the chairmanship of Bridgestone Americas."

—Mark A. Emkes, retired chairman, CEO, and president, Bridgestone Americas, Inc.

"Filled with practical suggestions and novel insights, The Executive and the Elephant will transform anyone into a more effective leader."

—Jeffrey Pfeffer, Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior, Stanford Graduate School of Business; author of Power: Why Some People Have It—And Others Don't

"For thousands of years we have been programmed to think that leading change means doing things 'to' other people. In this wonderful book, Dick Daft helps us successfully transform ourselves into the leader—and person—we want to become."

—Robert E. Quinn, M.E. Tracy Collegiate Professor, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan; author of Deep Change and Change the World

"This magnificent book contains a tapestry of wisdom from around the world that shows leaders how to begin serious self-transformation by someone who has been there, done that."

—Peter Vaill, senior scholar and emeritus professor of management, Antioch University

"This book is a 'bible' for [leadership] self-development."

—Ronald E. Riggio, Henry R. Kravis Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology, Claremont McKenna College

Richard L. Daft holds the Brownlee O. Currey, Jr. Chair in the Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University, where he specializes in the study and teaching of leadership. Professor Daft is the author or co-author of thirteen books, including his best selling texts, and dozens of scholarly articles. He has consulted and lectured widely and practices this book's concepts in his work and personal life.

	Preface
	Acknowledgments
	Part One The Two Selves
1	The Problem of Managing Yourself The Conflict Between Knowing and Doing The Universal Failure of Willpower The Divided Self: Executive and Elephant Learning to Lead from Your Inner Executive Purpose of This Book
2	Recognize Your Two Selves Levels of Consciousness Two Voices Within Why Your Mind Is Filled with Automatic Thoughts Unfocused Elephant Mind Versus Focused Executive Presence Small Box Versus Large Mind
	Part Two Ways You May Mislead or Delude Yourself
3	Three Tendencies That Distort Your Reality Your Internal Judge Your Internal Magician Your Internal Attorney
4	Every Leader's Six Mental Mistakes Reacting Too Quickly Inflexible Thinking Wanting Control Emotional Avoidance and Attraction Exaggerating the Future Chasing the Wrong Gratifications
	Part Three How to Start Leading Yourself
5	Engage Your Intention Visualize Your Intention Verbalize Your Intention
6	Follow Through on Your Intentions Write Down Your Intentions Set Deadlines Design Tangible Mechanisms
7	Calm Down to Speed Up Get Connected Let It Happen Sit by Your Problem Relax Your Body Calm Your Elephant by Acting the Part or Making a Gentle Request
8	Slow Down to Stop Your Reactions Stop and Think Stop Interrupting Detach from your Emotions and Impulses Just Say No Employ Punishment
	Part Four Become Aware of Your Inner Resources
9	Get to Know Your Inner Elephant Know Yourself Solicit Feedback Take Advantage of a Setback
10	Expand Your Awareness Review the Day Contemplate Creatively
	Part Five Reach for the Heights
11	Sharpen Your Concentration Focus Your Attention Focus on Means, Not Ends Slow Down, Look, and Listen Focus on People
12	Develop Your Witness Turn Inward to Develop Your Witness Use Radical Self-Inquiry Who Am I?
13	Reprogram Yourself Repeat a Mantra Prayer May Help, but Not the Way You Think
14	Mend Your Mind with Meditation Why Meditate? An Easy Way to Start Two Essentials Mindfulness Meditation Try Visual Rather Than Verbal Contemplative Meditation
	Part Six Can You Lead from a People Frame of Reference?
15	Change Your Frame to See People What Is Your Frame? From Leading Objects to Leading Humans How to Change Your Frame
16	Change Your Frame to Ask Questions From Answering Questions to Asking Questions In All Things, Consult
17	Living and Leading from Your Inner Executive Higher Consciousness Revisited When Her Mind Went Quiet Answers to Individual Questions Final Thoughts
	The Author
	Index

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard