Thursday, August 17, 2006
BOOK REVIEW
"Hope: How Triumphant Leaders Create the Future"
By Andrew Razeghi (Jossey-Bass, 2006)
I can't be late
'Cause then I guess I just won't get paid
These are the days
When you wish your bed was already made
It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my fun day
My “I don't have to run” day
It's just another manic Monday
~ Lyrics from Manic Monday by the Bangles
Apparently, The Bangles aren’t the only ones dreading Monday. The National Employee Benchmarking Study has found that 80% of all U.S. workers do not plan to be with their current employers in 2 years. Alarmingly, most exiting employees cite leadership deficiency as one of their primary reasons for going elsewhere.
Presently, workers are switching jobs and careers like never before. Today’s employees crave meaning and increasingly search for a cause to believe rather than a compensation package to receive.
In Hope, Andrew Razeghi voices what he believes to be a timely message for leaders—bestow hope upon those you lead and give them a reason to believe. According to Razeghi, “Triumphant leaders—hopeful leaders—communicate meaning by virtue of their beliefs.” As he writes in Chapter 2, “While we tolerate those who appeal to our intellect, we follow those who appeal to our beliefs.”
Throughout the book, Razeghi explores the quality of hope in a leader and the benefits hope affords. Through interviews with top CEO’s, examples from history, evidence from science, and his own experiences, Razeghi builds a compelling case for the desirability of hope.
Abounding with quotes and images, the book seems to be about two-thirds illustrations and one-third prose, which makes for an enjoyable read. The first half of the book lays out the advantages of hope, whereas the second half focuses on specific beliefs and strategies for cultivating and applying hope.
LW subscribers should read slowly through the chapters on belief, 3 and 9, which are particularly valuable. In chapter 13, Razeghi discusses how to best communicate hope (through storytelling and images), a style he effectively employs in Hope.
When the road is dark, leaders need an inner light to give them guidance. When the team is down, a leader needs to communicate an unswerving believe that better days are ahead. In Hope, Razeghi paints memorable moments of hope triumphing over adversity, and his book will be an inspiration for those looking to leverage hope in their leadership.
Quotes from Hope:
“Triumphant leaders engage not only the heads but also the hearts of those who look to them for leadership.”
“Hope reduces inhibitions, and reduced inhibitions unleash creativity.”
“Wishful thinking will get you nowhere, but hopeful thinking will take you everywhere.”
“Create a culture of believers, and you will create an organization more resilient, more courageous, and more ably equipped to manage through ambiguity, around fear, and into the future.”
Any Comments or Inputs are welcome
By Andrew Razeghi (Jossey-Bass, 2006)
I can't be late
'Cause then I guess I just won't get paid
These are the days
When you wish your bed was already made
It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my fun day
My “I don't have to run” day
It's just another manic Monday
~ Lyrics from Manic Monday by the Bangles
Apparently, The Bangles aren’t the only ones dreading Monday. The National Employee Benchmarking Study has found that 80% of all U.S. workers do not plan to be with their current employers in 2 years. Alarmingly, most exiting employees cite leadership deficiency as one of their primary reasons for going elsewhere.
Presently, workers are switching jobs and careers like never before. Today’s employees crave meaning and increasingly search for a cause to believe rather than a compensation package to receive.
In Hope, Andrew Razeghi voices what he believes to be a timely message for leaders—bestow hope upon those you lead and give them a reason to believe. According to Razeghi, “Triumphant leaders—hopeful leaders—communicate meaning by virtue of their beliefs.” As he writes in Chapter 2, “While we tolerate those who appeal to our intellect, we follow those who appeal to our beliefs.”
Throughout the book, Razeghi explores the quality of hope in a leader and the benefits hope affords. Through interviews with top CEO’s, examples from history, evidence from science, and his own experiences, Razeghi builds a compelling case for the desirability of hope.
Abounding with quotes and images, the book seems to be about two-thirds illustrations and one-third prose, which makes for an enjoyable read. The first half of the book lays out the advantages of hope, whereas the second half focuses on specific beliefs and strategies for cultivating and applying hope.
LW subscribers should read slowly through the chapters on belief, 3 and 9, which are particularly valuable. In chapter 13, Razeghi discusses how to best communicate hope (through storytelling and images), a style he effectively employs in Hope.
When the road is dark, leaders need an inner light to give them guidance. When the team is down, a leader needs to communicate an unswerving believe that better days are ahead. In Hope, Razeghi paints memorable moments of hope triumphing over adversity, and his book will be an inspiration for those looking to leverage hope in their leadership.
Quotes from Hope:
“Triumphant leaders engage not only the heads but also the hearts of those who look to them for leadership.”
“Hope reduces inhibitions, and reduced inhibitions unleash creativity.”
“Wishful thinking will get you nowhere, but hopeful thinking will take you everywhere.”
“Create a culture of believers, and you will create an organization more resilient, more courageous, and more ably equipped to manage through ambiguity, around fear, and into the future.”
Any Comments or Inputs are welcome
