Leading Wisely: Becoming a Reflective Leader in Turbulent Times

"In these most turbulent of times when enlightened leadership is needed more than ever, relying simply on knowledge, data and information as the sources for our decisions can only direct us toward solutions too superficial to solve the problems before us. We must look instead to ground our leadership in a deeper and more subtle form of discernment--wisdom. As a pioneering practitioner and educator in the field of clinical and psychodynamic-systemic executive coaching, Kets de Vries is in a unique position to shed light on this path. His compact, reflective volume begins with three chapters that lay the foundation for our understanding of wisdom and our grasping of what he calls the 'wisdom equation'. These chapters are followed by eight lessons on wisdom, each focusing on a particular aspect of wisdom or on developing a related skill. Woven throughout are anecdotes and tales from various spiritual and cultural traditions that enrich and give deeper significance to his argument. This small volume serves as an invitation to explore the importance of wisdom as a foundational principle in our lives and a powerful vehicle for generating the kind of reflective leaders most needed in our troubled world."--
Discover true leadership with this actionable guide from a world renowned leadership expert, psychoanalyst, and executive coach In Leading Wisely: Becoming a Reflective Leader in Turbulent Times, renowned leadership expert, psychoanalyst and executive coach Manfred Kets De Vries delivers an insightful and unique exploration of what it means to lead with wisdom. The book demonstrates that exclusive reliance on knowledge, data, and information yields a superficial leadership style lacking in depth and discernment. What's more important in the wisdom equation is possessing humility, judgment, empathy, compassion, and night vision. With eleven chapters full of anecdotes and tales from a variety of spiritual and cultural traditions that enrich and lend a deeper significance to the choices we make as leaders and members of organizations, Leading Wisely provides readers with: A thorough exploration of dealing with negative—but entirely natural motivations, like envy and greed An emphasis on the Golden Rule—treating others as we like to be treated ourselves An opportunity to be courageous—to consciously and intentionally pick our battles, saving energy for what really matters Lessons on how to listen intently and actively, truly hearing what our colleagues, friends, family, and followers are saying before reacting Finding happiness within ourselves Leading Wisely: Becoming a Reflective Leader in Turbulent Times is a startlingly incisive book, filled with messages that make the book required reading for anyone in a position of leadership or power. It also belongs in the libraries of well-being and health practitioners who frequently deal with businesspeople as clients or patients.