The Executive and the Elephant A Leader's Guide for Building Inner Excellence

by Daft, Richard L.

• ISBN13: 9780470372265
• ISBN10: 0470372265
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-08-02
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

Lessons for leaders on resolving the ongoing struggle between instinct and the creative mindKings, heads of government, and corporate executives lead thousands of people and manage endless resources, but may not have mastery over themselves. Often leaders know that right action is important, but have little (if any) understanding of what prevents them from acting in accordance with their intentions. In this important book, leadership expert Richard Daft portrays this dilemma as a struggle between instinct (elephant) and intention (the executive) using the most current research on the intentional vs. the habitual mind to explain how this phenomenon occurs. Based on current research and real-life examples Offers leaders a method for directing themselves more productively Written by an expert in leadership, organizational performance, and change managementThrough real-life examples and recent studies in psychology, management and Eastern spirituality Daft provides guidance to all of us who struggle finding our own balance and cultivating the behavior of others.

Author Biography

Richard L. Daft holds the Brownlee O. Currey, Jr. Chair in the Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University, where he specializes in the study and teaching of leadership. Professor Daft is the author or co-author of thirteen books, including his best selling texts, and dozens of scholarly articles. He has consulted and lectured widely and practices this book's concepts in his work and personal life. Write to [e-mail].

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Acknowledgments	p. ix
The Two Selves
The Problem of Managing Yourself	p. 3
The Conflict between Knowing and Doing
The Universal Failure of Willpower
The Divided Self: Executive and Elephant
Learning to Lead from Your Inner Executive
Purpose of This Book
Recognize Your Two Selves	p. 15
Levels of Consciousness
Two Voices Within
Why Your Mind Is Filled with Automatic Thoughts
Unfocused Elephant Mind Versus Focused Executive Presence
Small Box Versus Large Mind
Ways You May Mislead or Delude Yourself
Three Tendencies That Distort Your Reality	p. 37
Your Internal Judge
Your Internal Magician
Your Internal Attorney
Every Leader's Six Mental Mistakes	p. 52
Reacting Too Quickly
Inflexible Thinking
Wanting Control
Emotional Avoidance and Attraction
Exaggerating the Future
Chasing the Wrong Gratifications
How to Start Leading Yourself
Engage Your Intention	p. 71
Visualize Your Intention
Verbalize Your Intention
Follow Through on Your Intentions	p. 90
Write Down Your Intentions
Set Deadlines
Design Tangible Mechanisms
Calm Down to Speed Up	p. 107
Get Connected
Let It Happen
Sit by Your Problem
Relax Your Body
Calm Your Elephant by Acting the Part or Making a Gentle Request
Slow Down to Stop Your Reactions	p. 125
Stop and Think
Stop Interrupting
Detach from Your Emotions and Impulses
Just Say No
Employ Punishment
Become Aware of Your Inner Resources
Get to Know Your Inner Elephant	p. 147
Know Yourself
Solicit Feedback
Take Advantage of a Setback
Expand Your Awareness	p. 162
Review the Day
Contemplate Creatively
Reach for the Heights
Sharpen Your Concentration	p. 177
Focus Your Attention
Focus on Means, Not Ends
Slow Down, Look, and Listen
Focus on People
Develop Your Witness	p. 192
Turn Inward to Develop Your Witness
Use Radical Self-Inquiry
Who Am I?
Reprogram Yourself	p. 209
Repeat a Mantra
Prayer May Help, but Not the Way You Think
Mend Your Mind with Meditation	p. 223
Why Meditate?
An Easy Way to Start
Two Essentials
Mindfulness Meditation
Try Visual Rather Than Verbal
Contemplative Meditation
Can You Lead from a People Frame of Reference?
Change Your Frame to See People	p. 243
What is Your Frame?
From Leading Objects to Leading Humans
How to Change Your Frame
Change Your Frame to Ask Questions	p. 261
From Answering Questions to Asking Questions
In All Things, Consult
Living and Leading from Your Inner Executive	p. 275
Higher Consciousness Revisited
When Her Mind Went Quiet
Answers to Individual Questions
Final Thoughts
Notes	p. 294
About the Author	p. 311
Exercise Index	p. 313
Index	p. 317
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