Leadership as a Habit of Mind

Book excerpt: "Leadership as a Habit of Mind 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." -HOWARD SCHULTZ, Chairman and Chief Global Strategist, Starbucks Coffee Company "What an amazing way to think about leadership! These fascinating real-leader stories persuasively teach that sustainable public victories come from the inner work of private victories." -Dr. STEPHEN R. COVEY, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People "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." -WARREN BENNIS, Distinguished Professor of Business, University of Southern California, and author of Managing the Dream and On Becoming a Leader "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." -NANCY K. AUSTIN, coauthor, A Passion for Excellence "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." -JANE ADAMS, author of Women on Top and Making Good: Conversations with Successful Men