"Some of our greatest contemporary leaders have shared their leadership wisdom and ex¬perience in Learn Like a Leader. Each story shares a lesson we make our own. And the best leadership lessons come from leaders themselves who have the courage to tell others about difficult situations they faced, how they handled them, and what happened as a result. Read and reread each story and you will discover what it is to Learn Like a Leader!" --Frances Hesselbein, president and CEO, Leader to Leader Institute and former CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA

"One of the things that sets the best leaders apart is the ability to communicate complex ideas in a simple way. Stories have always been the best way to do this, as they provide guidance about desired choices in a persuasive and memorable manner. This book is full of powerful stories by leaders who teach leaders." -- Norm Smallwood, coauthor, The Leadership Code and Leadership Brand

"If good leaders are good storytellers--and they are--then pull up your favorite chair to hear the voices of these top leadership experts. The tales of turning points in their lives--so vividly told here--will inspire, entertain, and instruct us all." -- John Alexander, executive coach and former president, Center for Creative Leadership

"A remarkable collection of inspiration, wisdom, and insight from the true luminaries in our field. The lessons shared in this book are not to be missed!" --Marc Effron, president, The Talent Strategy Group

"The greatest leaders in history have understood the power of stories for developing them¬selves and others. And this book distills decades of leadership wisdom through insightful and inspiring stories. Every leader should have this book." --Mark Murphy, chairman and CEO, Leadership IQ

In these riveting essays, 35 prominent figures in management and organizational development across the globe share the private epiphanies and learning experiences that shaped their characters, careers, and leadership styles. From academics to bestselling authors, contributors candidly reveal their vulnerabilities: Frederick M. Hudson, founder of the Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara, reveals how physical therapy to recover movement after contracting polio at age nine gave him a purpose that transformed his life; and Warren Bennis (Leaders), former president of the University of Cincinnati, recalls how as a depressed and friendless child, "removed from hope or desire," his life was altered by the support of his eighth-grade teacher. Organized thematically into such sections as "Developing Self-Knowledge" and "Seeing Yourself as Others Do," the storytelling format provides a vibrant and experiential dimension, along with accompanying discussion questions for the reader. A must-read for anyone interested in leadership, management, organizational design, or personal development, this inspiring collection of stories will enable individuals and groups to find deeper meaning in the work they do. -- Publishers Weekly, October 2010

This volume had its beginnings ten years ago during a weekend meeting of the Learning Network (TLN), a "group of senior thought leaders in the field of management and organization development." The focus was on how experienced leaders learn. The TLN then asked 100 of the leading management and organization figures to "describe a personal learning experience--a turning point that shaped their life's work and influenced their teaching." Of the 100, 35 of these stories are included here and arranged by various themes, including "Lessons on Leadership," "Crossroads and Choices," "Leading, Learning, and Teaching," "Seeing Yourself as Others Do," and "Pain Is a Great Teacher." Editors Goldsmith (coauthor, What Got You Here Won't Get You There), Beverly Kaye (president, Career Systems International), and Ken Shelton (chairman & editor in chief, Executive Excellence Pub.) include such notable contributors as management specialists Warren Bennis, James Belasco, Jay Conger, Jay Galbraith, and Jim Collins. With each essay are an author biography and a list of questions for further discussion. The essays convey how personal and professional experiences changed the authors' ways of thinking and enhanced their leadership abilities and the way they taught others how to lead. VERDICT Management/organizational behavior faculty, practitioners, and anyone interested in improving leadership skills should use this book.--Lucy Heckman, St. John's Univ. Lib., Jamaica, NY -- Library Journal, September 2010