Choosing To Lead

With hundreds of books available on the topic of leadership, why read another one? For those with the aspiration to become the best leader they can be, you will find this book rich with meaning. Written not as a memoir or biography, but rather a collection of thoughts and experiences, Choosing to Lead is the journaled expedition of Harvey Kanter's pursuit to lead and create meaning. He offers an authentic glimpse into his development as an executive leader and offers an insightful, transparent, and often humorous reflection of his personal leadership journey and the lessons he has learned.Find out why so many CEOs were willing to lend their endorsement to Choosing to Lead. Harvey Kanter has experienced many diverse leadership styles and approaches during his long career serving dynamic, innovative, experiential companies. In Choosing to Lead, Harvey draws from these rich experiences spanning his most recent role as CEO of Destination XL Group, through his tenure as CEO of Blue Nile(R), CEO of Moosejaw(R), Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer for Michaels(R), and as President of Aaron Brothers(R) Art & Framing. He is forthright about his earlier years spent as part of the senior leadership team of learning the retail ropes for eight years at Carter Hawley Hale, all the way back to his college internship working for Target(R) Stores.Armed with insatiable curiosity, optimism, tenacity, and an appetite for adventure, Harvey has navigated many challenges-including a battle with cancer. During his time with Eddie Bauer(R), he was given the incredible opportunity to attend Seattle University's Center for Leadership-attending this university's graduate program made for an unlikely match but was an immensely powerful experience. While there, Harvey's definition for accomplishment was turned upside down, and his perspective of leadership forever changed. He has come to see that the function of a leader is to guide and counsel, to instill confidence and enthusiasm, to create momentum and inspiration for others in their desire to be the best-not your definition of best, but theirs-they can be.This is not meant to be a "How To" book to follow, but more a reflection of "How I Have" and the insights gained along the way. In his constant dedication to improvement, Harvey has enjoyed the rich benefits of that intentional development in his career, his marriage and family life, through meaningful relationships, and in serving his community. Choosing to Lead chronicles areas which Harvey has explored in-depth as he candidly shares what he has learned about SETBACKS, COMMUNICATION, OPTIMISM, VALUES, RE-FRAMING, ACCOMPLISHMENT, CURIOSITY, HUMILITY, TENACITY, DIVERSITY, ADVENTURE, DECISIVENESS, TEAMWORK, and LEGACY.

A crucial component of leadership is the element of choice. Regardless of how much a person studies leadership, it is essential that he or she makes a conscious choice to accept the leadership role. This book defines leadership, gives examples of research in the field and explains how this knowledge can be used, describes leadership-development programs and surveys, and considers the literature of leadership. Chapters 1 through 4 define leadership and describe ways in which it might be exercised. Chapters 5 and 6 highlight research methods used to demonstrate the impact of improved leadership. The seventh and eighth chapters describe a leadership-development program at a well-known training center, with a focus on the tests and materials completed by participants before arrival and the actual program activities. Various programs in the education and training of leaders and managers are described in chapter 9. The ways in which experience develops and modifies leaders' behaviors are reviewed in the 10th chapter. Chapter 11 examines the uses of survey methods to assess the mood of group members and inform leaders of the effectiveness of their communication programs. Studies of the use of power and position and the outcomes of such use are reviewed in the 12th chapter. Chapter 13 summarizes literature on leadership and cultural differences, and chapter 14 highlights how reported studies can help leaders work better with followers and organizations to achieve objectives. A total of 127 propositions offered throughout the book are summarized in the final chapter. Chapter notes, 8 tables, 6 figures, and an index are included. The appendix contains a list of questions for self-review. (Contains 212 references.) (LMI)

"This collection of essays offers considerably more than an academic look at leadership development strategies. The stories offered here provide authentic and personal views, from highly diverse perspectives, about why one might pursue management or leadership positions in LIS, the challenges that people from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups face when they attempt to enter that landscape, and practical strategies for developing oneself to ensure success. Further, the authors take a holistic approach to the topic, challenging the reader to consider how issues of self-development, self-reflection, and self-care should be intrinsic to this process. A deep understanding of how our multiple identities connect and must be nurtured will allow us to reach our full potential as leaders in the workplace, in the profession, and beyond"--

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Brené Brown has taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong, and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers, and culture shifters, she’s showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead. Don’t miss the five-part HBO Max docuseries Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart! NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BLOOMBERG Leadership is not about titles, status, and wielding power. A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for recognizing the potential in people and ideas, and has the courage to develop that potential. When we dare to lead, we don’t pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don’t see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it with others. We don’t avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when it’s necessary to do good work. But daring leadership in a culture defined by scarcity, fear, and uncertainty requires skill-building around traits that are deeply and uniquely human. The irony is that we’re choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders at the exact same time as we’re scrambling to figure out what we have to offer that machines and AI can’t do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection, and courage, to start. Four-time #1 New York Times bestselling author Brené Brown has spent the past two decades studying the emotions and experiences that give meaning to our lives, and the past seven years working with transformative leaders and teams spanning the globe. She found that leaders in organizations ranging from small entrepreneurial startups and family-owned businesses to nonprofits, civic organizations, and Fortune 50 companies all ask the same question: How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders, and how do you embed the value of courage in your culture? In this new book, Brown uses research, stories, and examples to answer these questions in the no-BS style that millions of readers have come to expect and love. Brown writes, “One of the most important findings of my career is that daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are 100 percent teachable, observable, and measurable. It’s learning and unlearning that requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with your whole heart. Easy? No. Because choosing courage over comfort is not always our default. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and our work. It’s why we’re here.” Whether you’ve read Daring Greatly and Rising Strong or you’re new to Brené Brown’s work, this book is for anyone who wants to step up and into brave leadership.

Shedding new light on how U.S. foreign policy is made, Ralph G. Carter and James M. Scott focus on “congressional foreign policy entrepreneurs,” the often unrecognized representatives and senators who take action on foreign policy matters rather than waiting for the executive branch to do so. These proactive members of Congress have undertaken many initiatives, including reaching out to Franco’s Spain, promoting détente with the Soviet Union, proposing the return of the Panama Canal, seeking to ban military aid to Pinochet’s regime in Chile, pushing for military intervention in Haiti, and championing the recognition of Vietnam. In Choosing to Lead, Carter and Scott examine the characteristics, activities, and impact of foreign policy entrepreneurs since the end of the Second World War. In so doing, they show not only that individual members of Congress have long influenced the U.S. foreign policy-making process, but also that the number of foreign policy entrepreneurs has grown over time. Carter and Scott combine extensive quantitative analysis, interviews with members of Congress and their staff, and case studies of key foreign policy entrepreneurs, including Frank Church, William Fulbright, Jesse Helms, Edward Kennedy, Pat McCarran, and Curt Weldon. Drawing on their empirical data, the authors identify the key variables in foreign policy entrepreneurship, including membership in the Senate or House, seniority and committee assignments, majority or minority party status, choice of foreign policy issues, and the means used to influence policy. By illuminating the roles and impact of individual members of Congress, Carter and Scott contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the broader U.S. foreign policy-making process.

Leadership books often fall into one of two extremes: books targeted to practitioners introduce leadership concepts illustrated with anecdotes from successful leaders; books targeted toward students often emphasize abstract models and memorization of key terms. The collection of readings in Choose to Lead attempts to achieve a balance between these two approaches by exposing students to essential ideas while emphasizing practical skills and leadership practice. Choose to Lead is designed to help students distinguish between popular theory and the long-term impact of truly influential thinking. Readings in five sections address topics such as the discrepancies between leadership theory and practice, managing conflict, developing a vision, and understanding the role of emotional intelligence, and values on leader effectiveness. The book facilitates individual reflection on the ideas of prominent thinkers in the field. As the readings expose students to major ideas, the commentary at the beginning and end of each chapter aids them in making important connections between these ideas and their personal approaches to leading others. Choose to Lead helps students develop essential leadership skills. It can be used as a stand-alone text for leadership courses or as a supplemental reader for classes in organizational behavior and management.

In this challenging book, historian Constance H. Buchanan shows that while public debate often blames women for the nation's "crisis of values," women's leadership actually has the potential to solve this crisis by redefining the American pattern of adult life and work.

Some of the worst selection practices to be found anywhere can be found at the top of organisations. Even when senior selection is not egregiously bad, rarely is it as good as it could be. Front-line staff and middle managers are selected with much more rigour today than 30 years ago - but not the chairmen, chief executives and chief officers who lead them. So says Douglas Board in Choosing Leaders and Choosing to Lead. Dr Board draws on his extensive experience in executive search and in leadership, coupled with his own academic research embracing the sociology and psychology of scholars such as Pierre Bourdieu and Karl Weick to offer ground-breaking insight into the value and limitations of established selection practice. This book illuminates ways in which senior roles differ from other positions and will help those charged with selecting individuals for senior positions, as well as potential candidates, those concerned with regulating selection policy, and researchers. Examining the classic mix of competency frameworks and selection tools such as psychological and skills assessments, simulations, reference-checking and interviews, the author concludes that senior selection choices are holding back organisations and individual careers, with implications for diversity, effectiveness, and social justice. He contends that while complacent, self-regarding elites will always need vigilant challenge, the scientific approach to selection has weaknesses as well as strengths. Those weaknesses become more pronounced at senior levels, posing particular questions about, amongst other things, the role of intuition and politics.