Synopses & Reviews
The woman BusinessWeek called the "grande dame of American management" shares her vision of leadershipFrances Hesselbein rose from a volunteer troop leader to become CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA. During her tenure Hesselbein transformed the Girl Scouts and created one of the most vibrant and recognized organizations in the world. In the course of her brilliant career, she was recognized by Fortune magazine as the "Best Nonprofit Manager in America" and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Now, for the first time, Frances Hesselbein has collected her most incisive and stirring writings on the topic of leadership in one compelling book. The book affirms Hesselbein's specific leadership principles that will give readers the inspiration to go forth and become exemplary leaders. It is also filled with the practical knowledge readers need so they can make a difference every day. These gems of leadership wisdom include Hesselbein's thoughts on innovation, change, diversity, and what it means to be a woman leader. At the heart of the book is Hesselbein's belief that leadership is about character-a question of how to be, not how to do it. Hailed by Warren Bennis, Peter Senge, Jim Collins, Peter Drucker, and others as one of the most innovative and inspired leaders today, Frances Hesselbein gives readers a star to steer by. Hesselbein on Leadership will engage, energize, and motivate readers to do their best and be their best.
Frances Hesselbein (New York, NY) is the Chairman of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management and Editor in Chief of Leader to Leader, the premier leadership journal. She is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the coeditor of numerous books on leadership including The Leader of the Future (Jossey-Bass: 0-7879-5204-4) and The Organization of the Future, The Community of the Future (Jossey-Bass: 0-7879-5203-6).
Review
"...this is worthwhile reading..." (sps.org.co.uk, October 2002)
Review
"Frances Hesselbein could manage any company in America"
—Peter F. Drucker
"Frances Hesselbein ia a leader in whom competence, vision and virtue exist in nearly perfect balance."
—Warren Bennis
"Frances Hesselbein displays a clarity of purpose and a management strategy and direction that very few for-profit CEO's traipsing through this campus have ever shown."
—Leonard Schlesinger, Harvard Business School
Synopsis
Frances Hesselbein, once a volunteer troop leader, became CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA, mobilizing around mission to lead the organization through a time of turbulent change and to reach, and be relevant to, all girls. She is chairman and founding president of the Drucker Foundation; a leader hailed by Fortune, BusinessWeek, and the New York Times; recipient of The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States of America's highest civilian honor. Now, for the first time, Frances Hesselbein has collected her most incisive and stirring writings on leadership in one compelling volume.
The clear, thought-provoking leadership experiences and principles Hesselbein shares in this book will release the energy of leaders everywhere as they become leaders of change, leaders of the future. Hesselbein on Leadership also provides the practical, down-to-earth knowledge that will enable readers to make a difference every day. This compendium of leadership wisdom includes Hesselbein's insights on innovation, change, diversity, and what it means to be a leader who is a woman. At the heart of the book is Hesselbein's deep belief that leadership is about character-- "leadership is a matter of how to be, not how to do it."
Hailed by Peter Drucker, Warren Bennis, Peter Senge, Jim Collins and others as one of the most innovative and inspired leaders today, Frances Hesselbein gives readers a star to steer by. Hesselbein on Leadership will engage, energize, and inspire leaders to do their best and be their best.
Synopsis
"Frances Hesselbein could manage any company in America."
—Peter F. Drucker, New York Times"In this book Frances Hesselbein successfully integrates leadership with organization and society—something no one else has for far even tried to do."
—Peter F. Drucker
"Wisdom—extracted from vast experience—breathes on every page of this remarkable book. A woman for all ages and wisdom for all time."
—Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business, University of Southern California and coauthor, Geeks and Geezers
"Frances Hesselbein is truly the consummate leadership guru of our time. She is the embodiment of what it is to be mission driven and mission focused. She is a breath of fresh air who not only wants to share her passion, but also seeks to wake up the passion in every leader."
—Hugh P. Price, president, National Urban League
"Frances Hesselbein is a national treasure, and Hesselbein of Leadership is a treasure trove of her Visionary, yet practical Wisdom."
—Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School, best-selling author of Evolve! and World Class
About the Author
Frances Hesselbein is chairman of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management and served as its founding president and chief executive officer from 1990-2000. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States of America's highest civilian honor, in 1998. She is editor in chief of Leader to Leader, the premier leadership journal, and coeditor of numerous books on leadership including The Drucker Foundation Future Series book The Leader of the Future (Jossey-Bass).
Table of Contents
Foreword xi
Jim CollinsNote to the Reader xx
Part I Leadership—A Matter of How to Be, Not How to Do It
1 The "How to Be" Leader 7
2 A Reason to Believe 13
3 Carry a Big Basket 19
4 Focus on the Task 25
5 The Power of Civility 31
6 Barriers to Leadership 37
7 The Challenge of Leadership Transition 41
Part II Leading the Organization of the Future
8 Managing in a World That Is Round 51
9 A Traveler Along the Road 59
10 Journey to Transformation 65
11 Putting One’s House in Order 71
12 The One Big Question 77
13 When the Roll Is Called in 2010 85
Part III Leading in a New Century, a New World
14 A World of Ideas 97
15 Speaking a Common Language 105
16 Seeing Your Contribution Life Size 111
17 When They Look at Us, Can They Find Themselves? 117
18 A Call to Leaders 125
19 The Dream That Lies Before Us 131
The Author 139
Index 143