Synopses & Reviews
Many people assume that money is the mainstay of motivation. But in truth, the desire to accomplish extraordinary things is linked to basic human need: We all want to be respected for who we are and recognized for the things we do. While many leaders know this from experience, few know how best to act on it.
In Encouraging the Heart, the best-selling authors of The Leadership Challenge team up again to reflect upon one of the most elusive aspects of leadership--caring--and offer readers a deeper understanding of how and why it works. More importantly, they extend a set of principles, practices, and examples that show how to energize people to excel and then reach for even greater heights.
Kouzes and Posner maintain that people will aspire to higher standards of performance when they are genuinely appreciated for their dedication and publicly recognized for their extraordinary achievements. And through the uplifting stories of ordinary people in leadership roles, the authors demonstrate just how this is done. They also offer over one hundred and fifty ways readers can immediately apply the process themselves.
Powerful and personal, Encouraging the Heart is filled with practical ideas for helping others believe in themselves, celebrate their uniqueness, and discover their own value. It shows leaders how they can find their voice and their hearts and, through caring and courage, mobilize people to personal and organizational greatness. In short, it's a work both inspirational and instructional that shows how to master one of the most difficult and valuable leadership skills of all.
Review
"Beyond the terrific stories and examples, Encouraging the Heart is a wonderful tool for creating a workforce that cares. In today's economy of job-hopping and nanosecond loyalty, can anything be more valuable?" (Patrick Lencioni, author, The Five Temptations of a CEO, and president, The Table Group)
"Kouzes and Posner have done it again. Encouraging the Heart is an insightful, easy-to-read book that shows modern leaders how to foster pride, courage, hope, ownership, and achievement. It's a wonderful mix of research findings and practical observations drawn from the authors' extensive experience with leaders." (William C. Byham, Ph.D., president and CEO, Development Dimensions International)
Synopsis
When it comes to motivating people to higher standards of performance, nothing -- not even money -- works as powerfully as the recognition of individual effort and achievement. And yet this "soft" leadership skill is one many leaders find hardest to command. In this work, the authors delve deeply into the art of encouragement and reveal the practices and techniques exceptional leaders use to inspire extraordinary performance in others. Charged with real-world examples, practical ideas, and expert advice, Encouraging the Heart is your guide to mastering one of the most important elements of exemplary leadership.
Synopsis
All too often, simple acts of human kindness are often overlooked and under utilized by people in leadership roles. Advising mutual respect and recognition of accomplishments, Encouraging the Heart shows us how true leaders encourage and motivate those they work with by helping them find their voice and making them feel like heroes. Recognized experts in the field of leadership, authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner show us that, through love, leaders can encourage, and indeed allow those around them to be their very best. Both practical and inspirational, Encouraging the Heart gives readers a thoughtful approach to motivating individuals within an organizational structure.
Read Chapter 3 or Chapter 12, or see The Encouragement Index.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 177-186) and index.
About the Author
JAMES M. KOUZES is chairman of the Tom Peters Group/Learning Systems, which makes leadership work through practical, performance-oriented learning programs, including the Leadership Challenge Workshop and Leadership Is Everyone's Business. In 1993 the Wall Street Journal cited him as one of the twelve most requested "nonuniversity executive-education providers" to U.S. companies. BARRY Z. POSNER, Ph.D, is dean of the Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University, and professor of organizational behavior. He has received several outstanding teaching and leadership awards, has published more than eighty research and practitioner-oriented articles, and currently is on the editorial review boards for the Journal of Management Education, the Journal of Management Inquiry, and the Journal of Business Ethics. He also serves on the board of directors for Public Allies-Silicon Valley and for the Center for Excellence in Nonprofits.
Table of Contents
Introduction xi
PART ONE
1 The Heart of Leadership 3
2 The Seven Essentials of Encouraging 15
3 The Encouragement Index 33
PART TWO
4 The First Essential: Set Clear Standards 45
5 The Second Essential: Expect the Best 61
6 The Third Essential: Pay Attention 73
7 The Fourth Essential: Personalize Recognition 89
8 The Fifth Essential: Tell the Story 99
9 The Sixth Essential: Celebrate Together 113
10 The Seventh Essential: Set the Example 129
PART THREE
11 Finding Your Voice 145
12 150 Ways to Encourage the Heart 151
Notes 177
Acknowledgments 187
The Authors 191