In Search of Leadership: How Great Leaders Answer the Question Why Lead?

by Harkins, Phil; Swift, Phil

• ISBN13: 9780071602952
• ISBN10: 007160295X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-10-09
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education

Summary

What truly drives a leader?The role of leadership is crucial to every occupation-whether you're in business, or government, whether you're a parent or a teacher, and whether you're at the early stages of your career, or are at a crossroads after decades of success.Linkage CEO Phil Harkins and ARC Financial Corp cofounder Phil Swift have enjoyed decades of experience in leading and working with other leaders. Along the way they became aware that many leaders find themselves in search of their personal purpose for leading.This search led them on a new journey--traveling around the world to interview corporate executives, presidents and prime ministers, educators, an important spiritual leader, and other leaders in a wide array of fields, includingMary Robinson,first female president of Ireland Henri Landwirth,holocaust survivor, hotel mogul, philanthropist Mikhail Gorbachev,former president of the Soviet Union and 1990 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize Rafiah Salim,International Center for Leadership in Finance, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management, U.N. Rajaa Khuzai,former Member of the Iraqi Governing Council Benazir Bhutto,former prime minister of Pakistan Erin Gruwell,Freedom Writers founder and education innovatorHarkins and Swift asked each of these leaders the fundamental question "Why Lead?" The answers were startling in their wide range and also the commonality of a recurring theme. Essentially, great leaders, at some point in time, all experience a transformational shift that motivates them to move to the next level by thinking and operating outside the box of personal power and material gain.In Search of Leadershipreveals the essential qualities and life lessons of leaders who have made this shift. The authors found that all great leaders eventually realize the need to serve not only their organization but society and the world at large. By doing so, they give profound new meaning to what they do and why.

Author Biography

Phil Harkins is CEO of Linkage, Inc., the company that he founded in 1988. Phil has worked with leaders, leadership teams, and boards in more than 25 countries located in Asia, North America, South America, Europe, and the Middle East. Along with leadership expert and Linkage board member Warren Bennis, Phil is co-chair of The Global Institute For Leadership Development.

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Phil Swift is cofounder, co-chairman, and director of ARC Financial Corp. With over $2.0 billion of capital under management, ARC Financial Corp. is one of the world's leading energy focused private equity firms.

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Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Our Road Trip to India	p. 7
The Journey	p. 9
What Should I Be Doing?	p. 15
The Leadership Discussion	p. 21
The Stories	p. 29
Rising Above	p. 33
Leading Against the Grain: The Story of Ron Greene
Business as Sport: The Story of Claude Lamoureux
Were It Not for Kindness: The Story of Henri Landwirth
Life-Altering Events: The Story of John Hammergren
Her Father's Table: The Story of Rafiah Salim
A Personal Mission	p. 81
A Human Enterprise: The Story of Mac Van Wielingen
I Did It for You: The Story of Jim Lewis
Beautifully Focused: The Story of John Lloyd
The Business of Sustainability: The Story of Hans Zulliger
Tenacity: The Story of John Coleman
The Quest	p. 129
Seeker of Answers: The Story of Larry Strecker
Between a Handshake and a Bear Hug: The Story of Paul Brainerd
Climbing Mission Hill: The Story of Anthony von Mandl
The Optimist: The Story of John Keane
Believe in Justice, Pay the Price: The Story of Mary Robinson
Someone Had to Do It	p. 175
Leadership by Candlelight: The Story of Rajaa Khuzai
Such a Life: The Story of Mikhail Gorbachev
The Conductor and the Lead Violin: The Story of Hal Kvisle
Leadership that Is Not Safe: The Story of Benazir Bhutto
Fathers and Sons: The Story of Ara Hovnanian
Because It Was Right	p. 227
Teach One to Teach Another: The Story of Erin Gruwell
If Not Now, When? If Not You, Who?: The Story of Jane Simington
Teaching Power: The Story of Mike Towers
Becoming Swanee Hunt: The Story of Swanee Hunt
Say Yes, then Figure Out How: The Story of Pat Mitchell
Be the Change You Wish to See: The Story of Mohandas K. Gandhi
Conclusion	p. 277
Leadership Insights from the Journey	p. 281
Why Lead?-The Answer	p. 289
Index	p. 301
Acknowledgments	p. 309
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