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The Inner Work of Leaders:

Leadership as a Habit of Mind

Barbara Mackoff and Gary Wenet

2000, 240 pp $24.95 hardcover

This book can be summed up by one profound state- ment: leadership is devel- oped from within. It is a must-read for organizational leaders or those who have the desire to be. According to the authors, there is no script for being a great leader. Leadership is not a role or a set of strategies; it is a point of view. This book is not a "how-to" book on becoming a leader, but i t provides a great opportunity to study and learn from the examples of successful leaders.

The book is divided into two parts. For part one, "The legacy of leaders," the authors interviewed 65 lead- ers from a variety of venues, including a tribal leader, a Broadway producer, the pres- ident of a b,iseball team, an

inner-city school principal, and a US senator, to name a few. From these interviews, the authors draw the conclu- sion that family, the world at large, and life-changing events shape who people are and why they choose to lead the way they do.

Part two, "Habits of mind: The resources to inform and invigorate lead- ership," covers five distinct men- tal habits pos- sessed by many of the leaders interviewed. These habits include 0 reflecting on vital lessons

learned from experiences, 0 interpreting challenges in a

positive mind set, 0 understanding the people

they lead, 0 making day-to-day deci-

sions based on their val- ues, and

source of inner strength. This book has no charts or

diagrams, but it is written in short sections, which provides

0 using their actions as a

opportunities for readers to pause and reflect. The three appendices that close the book include the authors' notes, a list of the leaders interviewed, and the xtual interview ques-

tiions that readers can u x to perform a self-assess- mcnt to determine what motivatcs their leader- ship style. The inter- \view questions also could be used as a tool for assessing the foun- dation and readiness of potential leaders.

T h i s practical, inspirational book allows readers to see that they

already have within them everything they need to be great leaders. It also brings readers to the realization that many things they would least expect to actually affect how they lead people.

AMACOM, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.

This book is available from

MELISA A. GANl l RN, MSN, CNOR, CLNC,

MAJ, AN, USA CLINICAL COORDINATOR

MADIGAN ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, FT LEWIS

TACOMA, WASH ~

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