What makes a good leader? Author and CEO of Ron Blue & Co, Russ Crosson knows—and he learned the hard way: “It’s doubtful that anyone can lead effectively until they’ve been humbled or hurt deeply.” The result of Russ’s humbling experience has taught him that leadership success isn’t about the leader at all. It’s about the mission of the organization, church, business, or even family where the leader serves. It’s about who will replace you when you’re gone. If you’re interested in the true bottom line on leadership success, here is a concise but on-target look at what true leadership is like. Russ emphasizes the need for leaders to think about the legacy of their leadership. There are many books that are “leadership how-tos” or “what to do” books. Here is something different: a why- to book that will help you succeed in more important ways than you ever imagined.

When asked to define the ideal leader, many would emphasize traits such as intelligence, toughness, determination, and vision—the qualities traditionally associated with leadership. Often left off the list are softer, more personal qualities—but they are also essential. Although a certain degree of analytical and technical skill is a minimum requirement for success, studies indicate that emotional intelligence may be the key attribute that distinguishes outstanding performers from those who are merely adequate. Psychologist and author Daniel Goleman first brought the term "emotional intelligence" to a wide audience with his 1995 book of the same name, and Goleman first applied the concept to business with a 1998 classic Harvard Business Review article. In his research at nearly 200 large, global companies, Goleman found that truly effective leaders are distinguished by a high degree of emotional intelligence. Without it, a person can have first-class training, an incisive mind, and an endless supply of good ideas, but he or she still won't be a great leader. The chief components of emotional intelligence—self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill—can sound unbusinesslike, but Goleman found direct ties between emotional intelligence and measurable business results. The Harvard Business Review Classics series offers you the opportunity to make seminal Harvard Business Review articles a part of your permanent management library. Each highly readable volume contains a groundbreaking idea that continues to shape best practices and inspire countless managers around the world—and will have a direct impact on you today and for years to come.

From one of the world's preeminent political historians, a magisterial study of political leadership around the world from the advent of parliamentary democracy to the age of Obama. All too frequently, leadership is reduced to a simple dichotomy: the strong versus the weak. Yet, there are myriad ways to exercise effective political leadership -- as well as different ways to fail. We blame our leaders for economic downfalls and praise them for vital social reforms, but rarely do we question what makes some leaders successful while others falter. In this magisterial and wide-ranging survey of political leadership over the past hundred years, renowned Oxford politics professor Archie Brown challenges the widespread belief that strong leaders -- meaning those who dominate their colleagues and the policy-making process -- are the most successful and admirable. In reality, only a minority of political leaders will truly make a lasting difference. Though we tend to dismiss more collegial styles of leadership as weak, it is often the most cooperative leaders who have the greatest impact. Drawing on extensive research and decades of political analysis and experience, Brown illuminates the achievements, failures and foibles of a broad array of twentieth century politicians. Whether speaking of redefining leaders like Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, and Margaret Thatcher, who expanded the limits of what was politically possible during their time in power, or the even rarer transformational leaders who played a decisive role in bringing about systemic change -- Charles de Gaulle, Mikhail Gorbachev and Nelson Mandela, among them -- Brown challenges our commonly held beliefs about political efficacy and strength. Overturning many of our assumptions about the twentieth century's most important figures, Brown's conclusions are both original and enlightening. The Myth of the Strong Leader compels us to reassess the leaders who have shaped our world - and to reconsider how we should choose and evaluate those who will lead us into the future.

This book is a collection of the author's writings, previously published in the Harvard Business Review and other business journals, on leadership and emotional intelligence. The material has become essential reading for leaders, coaches and educators committed to fostering stellar management, increasing performance, and driving innovation. The collection reflects the evolution of Dr. Goleman's thinking about emotional intelligence, tracking the latest neuroscientific research on the dynamics of relationships, and the latest data on the impact emotional intelligence has on an organization's bottom-line. --

In his defining work on emotional intelligence, bestselling author Daniel Goleman found that it is twice as important as other competencies in determining outstanding leadership. If you read nothing else on emotional intelligence, read these 10 articles by experts in the field. We’ve combed through hundreds of articles in the Harvard Business Review archive and selected the most important ones to help you boost your emotional skills—and your professional success. This book will inspire you to: Monitor and channel your moods and emotions Make smart, empathetic people decisions Manage conflict and regulate emotions within your team React to tough situations with resilience Better understand your strengths, weaknesses, needs, values, and goals Develop emotional agility This collection of articles includes: “What Makes a Leader” by Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: The Hidden Driver of Great Performance” by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee, “Why It’s So Hard to Be Fair” by Joel Brockner, “Why Good Leaders Make Bad Decisions” by Andrew Campbell, Jo Whitehead, and Sydney Finkelstein, “Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups” by Vanessa Urch Druskat and Steve B. Wolff, “The Price of Incivility: Lack of Respect Hurts Morale—and the Bottom Line” by Christine Porath and Christine Pearson, “How Resilience Works” by Diane Coutu, “Emotional Agility: How Effective Leaders Manage Their Negative Thoughts and Feelings” by Susan David and Christina Congleton, “Fear of Feedback” by Jay M. Jackman and Myra H. Strober, and “The Young and the Clueless” by Kerry A. Bunker, Kathy E. Kram, and Sharon Ting.

America and the Western world are facing an epidemic of disengaged, unhappy, and burnt-out leaders and in Be a Happy Leader, Tia Graham utilizes her knowledge of positive psychology and unique 8-step business methodology to help leaders lead positively, put their people first, and create engaged teams leading to higher productivity and profit.

Leaders are always looking for an edge. That often sends many of them looking for the next big thing. Although leadership approaches and trendy management fads come and go, what remains the same? The qualities of a leader. Internationally-recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author John C. Maxwell touches on the process of developing the art of leadership by giving the reader practical tools and insights into developing the qualities found in great leaders. As the authority on leadership today, Maxwell shares his innovative yet timeless principles on how to effectively lead others has impacted the lives of thousands of business leaders. In The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, Maxwell expands on the qualities every leaders needs to be successful such as: Character – be a piece of the rock Charisma – the first impression can seal the deal Communication – without it, you travel alone Commitment – it separates doers from dreamers Competence – if you build it, they will come Everything rises and falls on leadership, and leadership truly develops from the inside out. If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will become the leader you want to be on the outside. The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader will show you that when you develop these qualities, people will want to follow you. When that happens, you’ll be able to tackle anything in the world.

In this practical guide, Emmy Award-winning public broadcasting anchor Steve Adubato teaches readers to be self-aware, empathetic, and more effective leaders at work and at home. His powerful case studies spotlighting dozens of leaders—from Pope Francis to New Jersey governor Chris Christie—are complemented by concrete tips and tools based in real-life scenarios. With Lessons in Leadership, readers can learn to steer others through difficult economic times, to mentor rising leaders, to provide straight talk to underperforming employees, and even how to lead a company through a significant change.

Successful leaders don't rest on the laurels. Leadership must be a living process, and life means growth. "Great Leaders Grow" shows leaders and aspiring leaders precisely which areas to focus on so they can remain effective throughout their lives.

A new edition of the bestseller that has helped aspiring leaders worldwide advance their careers and step up to larger leadership roles. You aspire to lead with greater impact. The problem is you're busy executing on today's demands. You know you have to carve out time from your "day job" to build your leadership skills, but it’s easy to let immediate problems and old mindsets get in the way. Herminia Ibarra—one of the world's foremost experts on leadership—shows how individuals at all levels can step up to leadership by making small but crucial changes in their jobs, their networks, and themselves. In Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader, Ibarra offers advice to: Redefine your job in order to make more strategic contributions Diversify your network so that you connect to, and learn from, a wider range of stakeholders Become more playful with your self-concept, allowing your familiar—and possibly outdated—leadership style to evolve Ibarra turns the usual leadership advice—generate insight about yourself through reflection and analysis of your strengths and weaknesses—on its head by arguing that you must first act and experiment your way into trying new things. The valuable external perspective you gain from direct experiences and experimentation—which Ibarra calls outsight—provides new and critical information on what kind of work is important to you, how you should invest your time, why and which relationships matter, and, ultimately, who you want to become. Updated with new examples and self-assessments, this book gives you the tools to start acting like a leader and advancing your career to the next level.