The Heart of Leadership: 12 Practices of Courageous Leaders

Few books on leadership provide as clear, dynamic and strategic guidance and insight as The Seven Acts of Courage and The Heart of Leadership. They provide the reader with a sound and useful foundation upon which and rom which to grow. In my experience as a Personal and Professional Development Coach, I have had the pleasure of working with many individuals who have read and studied these books and find these individuals not only motivated, but inspired by the principles they have gleaned. Perhaps the greatest benefit of these books is that the principles they present are readily teachable to those being led. Dusty's insights and intimacy are powerful and penetrating. Dusty sets the leadership bar, both higher and deeper!

The FOUR Chambers of the Heart model makes this approach easy to visualize, grasp and learn. It teaches a balanced approach to leadership -- all parts of the chambers are equally important. I recommend this book to everyone. It's a GREAT book!

In Robert Staub's The Heart Of Leadership: 12 Practices Of Courageous Leaders, lays out an articulate inquiry into, and explanation of, critically essential aspects of effective business leadership including competency, intimacy, integrity, and passion. Articulate, educative, ardent, and inspiring Staub offers a thoroughly "reader friendly" and practical presentation that is very highly recommended for anyone charged with an entrepreneurial or business management responsibility, from the smallest company to the largest international corporation.

I work with Staub Leadership Consultants, and wish to emphasize how this book has been successfully used. To live our lives in a satisfying, wholehearted manner requires that we look honestly at where our heart is, and then lead ourselves and others in that direction. The book is a proven and practical guide to developing this kind of effective leadership. Our company uses this book as a resource in training executives and in their consulting work. It has been used in thousands of executive development programs, in corporate culture change efforts, team development and other areas. The 12 practices fit nicely into a 12-month program. Dusty Staub himself advises to pick the practice where you feel the weakest, start there and choose a different practice to practice each month. It works very well with a partner or perhaps someone in the H.R. department acting as a coach. Most of us have spent our lives developing bad habits that limit our efforts. This book gives a perspective on how to change, develop more control and to live our lives on purpose (rather than off purpose). Also see "The 7 Acts of Courage: Bold Leadership for a Wholehearted Life" by the same author. "7 Acts" elaborates on the practice of building courage to act begun in the first book.

The book is an easy read, yet it hits you where you live--both home and work. Every day, we lead our businesses, our colleagues, family, friends and ourselves. Our leadership will be much more effective when it comes from the heart. Dusty Staub explores the transforming experience of leading from the heart. He identifies 12 practices and tells lots of stories to support the amazing differences that come with effective leadership. It is both art and technique. He also uses the book as part of his leadership training programs, so it's packed with good, practical material. I got a great deal of personal help and satisfaction from this book. Consider his new book also "The 7 Acts of Courage" as it focuses on some of the more specific elements of the first book.