Synopses & Reviews
Gold Medal Winner, Memoir and Biography, 2012 Axiom Business Book AwardsTracing her development as a leader, Frances Hesselbein reveals her remarkable personal story and the principles that have served and guided her well throughout her extraordinary life. Written in an intimate and compelling voice, this book delivers key leadership lessons applicable to leaders in every walk of life.
My Life in Leadership offers a look at what shaped Frances Hesselbein personally and as a leader, from her youth in the hills western Pennsylvania to her professional journey with the Girl Scouts of the USA where she went from troop leader to transformational CEO, to how Peter Drucker handpicked her to found and lead the Drucker Foundation, and how she later transitioned the Foundation to the Leader to Leader Institute. With excitement and humility, she relives the key moments that have shaped her life of leadership including the day she received the country’s highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This remarkable book also includes stories about her world travels to deliver her message of leadership and her notable experiences with as well as what she has learned from some of the most distinguished leaders of our time including Peter Drucker, John Gardner, Max DePree, Presidents Clinton and Reagan, General Eric Shinseki, Jim Collins, Warren Bennis and Marshall Goldsmith.
As inspirational as it is practical, My Life in Leadership is filled with Frances Hesselbein’s universal leadership lessons that will serve any leader, of any age, in any sector.
Frances Hesselbein is the founding president and CEO of the Leader to Leader Institute (formerly the Peter F. Drucker Foundation), editor-in-chief of the award-winning journal Leader to Leader as well as co-editor of 26 Leader to Leader translated into 28 languages. Named the "Best Nonprofit Manager in America" by Fortune magazine, she serves on many nonprofit and corporate boards and has won numerous awards and honors including the United States of America's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The award recognized her exemplary leadership as Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. from 1976-1990, her role as the founding President of the Drucker Foundation, and her service as “a pioneer for women, diversity, and inclusion.”
Praise for My Life in Leadership
"Leadership is needed more than ever in these challenging times to create the future that we all want. Thank you so much Frances, for your very special gift of a life dedicated to service and continuous improvement!! You inspire us all to be better leaders"
—Alan Mulally, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company
“Frances Hesselbein is a national treasure, an inspiration, and a shining light. This diminutive woman stands taller in the eyes of those who know her than any other living leader.
— Jim Kouzes, award-winning coauthor of the bestselling The Leadership Challenge and The Truth About Leadership
“Frances’ words ring with the wisdom of experience. On this journey there could be no better guide!"
—Thomas J. Moran, Chairman, President & CEO, Mutual of America
“Frances is an American Icon. Deeply influenced by the Master of Management, Peter Drucker, her whole life has been a sacrificial investment in Leadership in all its forms”
—Bob Buford, Chairman, The Drucker Institute, author, Halftime and Finishing Well
"Frances Hesselbein is one of the most visionary leaders I have met during my military career -- on or off the battlefield."
—Lloyd J. Austin III, General, United States Army
“Through her life story you will touch the marrow of a unique contributor to humanity. This book’s appeal will transcend time and captivate the hearts of leaders around the globe.”
—Margaret Daniels Tyler, Senior Program Officer, U.S. Programs, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Synopsis
The extraordinary life of an extraordinary leader: Frances Hesselbein
Leadership is a Journey is written in a personal, intimate tone that delivers key leadership lessons applicable to leaders in every walk of life. Tracing her development as a leader, Hesselbein tells her inspirational story around a dozen guiding principles. The stories will show what shaped her personally and professionally: stories from her childhood, as CEO transforming the Girl Scouts and then transforming that organization, being handpicked by Peter Drucker to found and lead the Drucker Foundation, transitioning the foundation to the Leader to Leader Institute and travelling the world to deliver her message of leadership to thousands. Discusses Hesselben's experiences with Peter Drucker, John Gardner, Max DePree, President Clinton, General Shinseki, Jim Collins, Marshall Goldsmith, and others Reveals the author's personal and professional stumbling blocks and triumphs as one of our nation's foremost nonprofit leaders Includes leadership lesson for anyone who is in a leadership position
As inspirational as it is information, this book is filled with larger than life stories and key leadership lessons that can be applied in daily life.
Synopsis
Tracing her development as a leader, Frances Hesselbein reveals her remarkable personal story and the principles that have served and guided her well throughout her extraordinary life. Written in an intimate and compelling voice, this book delivers key leadership lessons applicable to leaders in every walk of life.
My Life in Leadership offers a look at what shaped Frances Hesselbein as a person and as a leader, from her youth in the mountains of western Pennsylvania to her professional journey with the Girl Scouts of the USA where she went from troop leader to transformational CEO, and to how Peter F. Drucker chose her to found and lead the Drucker Foundation, now the Leader to Leader Institute. With excitement and humility, she relives the key moments that have shaped her life of leadership including the day she received our country's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This remarkable book also includes stories about her world travels to deliver her message of leadership and her notable experiences with, as well as what she has learned from, some of the most distinguished leaders of our time including Peter Drucker; John W. Gardner; Max DePree; Presidents Clinton, H.W. Bush, and Reagan; General Eric Shinseki; Jim Collins; Warren Bennis; and Marshall Goldsmith.
As inspirational as it is practical, My Life in Leadership is filled with Frances Hesselbein's universal leadership lessons that will serve any leader, of any age, in any sector.
"Through her life story you will touch the marrow of a unique contributor to humanity. This book's appeal will transcend time and captivate the hearts of leaders around the globe."
—Margaret Daniels Tyler, senior program officer, U.S. Programs, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Synopsis
Praise for My Life in Leadership"Leadership is needed more than ever in these challenging times to create the future that we all want. Thank you so much Frances, for your very special gift of a life dedicated to service and continuous improvement! You inspire us all to be better leaders."
—Alan Mulally, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company
"Frances Hesselbein is a national treasure, an inspiration, and a shining light. This diminutive woman stands taller in the eyes of those who know her than any other living leader."
—Jim Kouzes, award-winning coauthor of the best-selling The Leadership Challenge and The Truth About Leadership
"Frances Hesselbein is extraordinary. So it is no surprise that the story of her life is just as remarkable. A pioneer for women, for diversity, and for leadership that changes lives, Frances is a model for living one's values. Like Frances herself, this book is a gift."
—Stephen M.R. Covey, author of The New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal best seller, The Speed of Trust
"Frances's words ring with the wisdom of experience. On this journey there could be no better guide!"
—Thomas J. Moran, chairman, president, and CEO, Mutual of America
"Frances is an American icon. Deeply influenced by the master of management, Peter F. Drucker, her whole life has been a sacrificial investment in leadership in all its forms."
—Bob Buford, chairman, The Drucker Institute, and author, Halftime and Finishing Well
"Frances Hesselbein is one of the most visionary leaders I have met during my military career—on or off the battlefield."
—General Lloyd J. Austin III, United States Army
Synopsis
In a clear and compelling voice, Frances Hesselbein delivers key leadership lessons. Tracing her own development as a leader, she narrates the critical moments that shaped her personally and professionally: from her childhood in Pennsylvania, to moving up from Girl Scout troop leader to Girl Scout CEO, to founding and leading the Leader to Leader Institute, to her friendships and experiences with some of the greatest leaders and thinkers of our time. Each chapter includes an inspirational story, a key lesson and how to apply it to daily life.
About the Author
Frances Hesselbein is the president and CEO of the Leader to Leader Institute (formerly the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management), and editor in chief of the award-winning quarterly journal Leader to Leader as well as coeditor of 27 books translated into 29 languages. Named the "Best Nonprofit Manager in America" by Fortune magazine, she serves on many nonprofit and corporate boards and has won numerous awards and honors including the highest civilian honor in the United States, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The award recognized her exemplary leadership as CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA from 1976 to 1990, her role as the founding president of the Drucker Foundation, and her service as "a pioneer for women volunteerism, diversity, and opportunity."
Table of Contents
Foreword (
Jim Collins).
Introduction: Being Called Forward.
PART ONE: ROOTS.
1 Stories of Family, Lessons of Love.
2 Embrace the Defining Moment.
3 Defining Yourself with the Power of No.
PART TWO: MY LEADERSHIP JOURNEY.
4 My Management Education.
5 New York Calls.
6 Challenging the Gospel.
7 Becoming a Change Agent.
8 Finding Out Who You Are.
9 My Journey with Peter Drucker.
10 The Indispensable Partnership—Governance and Management, Board and Staff.
11 Strengthening the Leadership of the Social Sector.
12 Adventures Around the World.
PART THREE: CONCERNS AND CELEBRATIONS.
13 To Serve Is to Live.
14 Seeing and Listening.
15 Leaders of the Future.
16 Conclusion: Shine a Light.
About the Author.
Index.