Leadership, New and Revised

Book excerpt: It has been more than a decade since the first edition of Peter Koestenbaum's landmark book Leadership: The Inner Side of Greatness was published. Since that time world events have caused a dramatic shift in how we think about our lives and our work. Now we grapple with the fundamental questions. How can we live a courageous life and manage anxiety? Is it possible to reach greater heights of ethics and responsibility? Peter Koestenbaum, the preeminent business philosopher, has been a trusted mentor to business leaders worldwide. In this thoroughly revised edition of his classic book he shares his wisdom about the fundamental nature of leadership and shows what it takes to become an exceptional and passionate leader in today's complex world. At the very heart of the book is his Leadership Diamond model— a paradigm that challenges managers to transform their thinking and approach everything with fresh effectiveness in order to reap richer results and become great leaders. Throughout the book, Koestenbaum encourages managers to give meaning to their lives through the quality of their work. He offers an insightful look at the characteristics great leaders have in common— vision, reality, ethics, and courage— and identifies the strategies all managers can use to achieve and sustain both personal and organizational greatness. This new edition expands on Kosetenbaum's leadership theories and is filled with updated examples-such as an analysis of the Enron scandal-that reflect the challenges of today's business environment. The book also includes a wealth of new intervention tools, techniques, and strategies, and an expanded section contains reflections on moral and cultural issues that emphasize the importance of authenticity in leadership. More than ever, Leadership: The Inner Side of Greatness is the book managers need to learn what they must be to become truly effective leaders.