- ISBN-10:
- 0691156182
- ISBN-13:
- 9780691156187
- Pub. Date:
- 09/16/2012
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- ISBN-10:
- 0691156182
- ISBN-13:
- 9780691156187
- Pub. Date:
- 09/16/2012
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
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Overview
Leadership is essential to collective human endeavor, from setting and accomplishing goals for a neighborhood block association, to running a Fortune 500 company, to mobilizing the energies of a nation. Political philosophers have focused largely on how to prevent leaders from abusing their power, yet little attention has been paid to what it actually feels like to hold power, how leaders go about their work, and how they relate to the people they lead. In Thinking about Leadership, Nannerl Keohane draws on her experience as the first woman president of Duke University and former president of Wellesley College, as well as her expertise as a leading political theorist, to deepen our understanding of what leaders do, how and why they do it, and the pitfalls and challenges they face.
Keohane engages readers in a series of questions that shed light on every facet of leadership. She considers the traits that make a good leader, including sound judgment, decisiveness, integrity, social skill, and intelligence; the role that gender plays in one's ability to attain and wield power; ethics and morality; the complex relationship between leaders and their followers; and the unique challenges of democratic leadership. Rich with lessons and insights from leaders and political thinkers down through the ages, including Aristotle, Queen Elizabeth I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Nelson Mandela, Thinking about Leadership is a must-read for current and future leaders, and for anyone concerned about our prospects for good governance.
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9780691156187 |
---|---|
Publisher: | Princeton University Press |
Publication date: | 09/16/2012 |
Edition description: | Reprint |
Pages: | 312 |
Product dimensions: | 6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d) |
About the Author
Table of Contents
Preface ix
INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER ONE: What Is Leadership? 18
CHAPTER TWO: How and Why Do Followers Matter? 48
CHAPTER THREE: What Determines Who Becomes a Leader and Which Leaders Will Succeed? 83
CHAPTER FOUR: Does Gender Make a Difference? 121
CHAPTER FIVE: How Does Leadership Work in a Democracy? 155
CHAPTER SIX: How Do Character, Ethics, and Leadership Interact? 194
Conclusion 224
Notes 237
Bibliography 267
Index 283
What People are Saying About This
Drawing on her impressive skills as a leader and political theorist, Nan Keohane has made a major contribution to the study of leadership. This book is both thoughtful and wonderfully readable. The chapter on gender, alone, is worth the price of admission!
Joseph S. Nye, Jr., Harvard University, author of "The Powers to Lead"
Thinking about Leadership is replete with important, telling, and original insights and information. The book addresses key questions about leadership that, while not necessarily new, need to be posed, over and over again. Nannerl Keohane does not know how to write a bad sentence or make an uninteresting point.
Barbara Kellerman, author of "Bad Leadership: What It Is, How It Happens, Why It Matters"
Nan Keohane's book is well-titled. Its focus is on thinking about leadershipexploring its many facets, complexities, and conundrums. It is not a 'how-to-do-it' book, but rather a sophisticated amalgam of the reflections of an author who is both a political philosopher and an experienced leader. Readers will enjoyas well as learn fromthe many references to the experiences of well-known leaders such as Mandela and Lincoln as well as to the voluminous literature on leadership.
William G. Bowen, president emeritus of Princeton University and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
A wonderfully thoughtful meditation on what it means to lead, and to follow, by a noted political philosopher who knows the boardroom as well as she knows the seminar room. This study of leadership stands out for its clarity, candor, depth, and humanity. A must-read for anyoneleader or followerconfronting the manifold opportunities and dilemmas of power.
Josiah Ober, Stanford University
Nan Keohane breaks down leadership to the fundamentalsa combination of innate ability and acquired skills that helps motivate others to work toward a common goal. This book is about inspired leadershipand inspiring 'followership'and should be required reading from the classroom to the boardroom.
John Mack, chairman of the board, Morgan Stanley
Nan Keohane is both an insightful political theorist and an experienced leader who is uniquely suited to thinking about leadership. This refreshing and richly textured discussion raises fundamental questionswhy we need leaders, how leaders differ from followers, what is good leadership for democraciesand provides strikingly original observations in response.
Ruth Grant, Duke University
Thinking about Leadership is one of the best books on leadership I have ever read. If more peopleespecially leaders and would-be leaderswere to read it, it would broaden their assumptions about what they could and should do. Keohane draws upon impressive, high-level personal experience as a leader. Her reputation as a scholar is equally and deservedly superb.
Joanne Martin, Fred H. Merrill Professor, emerita, Stanford University
"Nan Keohane breaks down leadership to the fundamentals—a combination of innate ability and acquired skills that helps motivate others to work toward a common goal. This book is about inspired leadership—and inspiring 'followership'—and should be required reading from the classroom to the boardroom."—John Mack, chairman of the board, Morgan Stanley"Nan Keohane's book is well-titled. Its focus is on thinking about leadership—exploring its many facets, complexities, and conundrums. It is not a 'how-to-do-it' book, but rather a sophisticated amalgam of the reflections of an author who is both a political philosopher and an experienced leader. Readers will enjoy—as well as learn from—the many references to the experiences of well-known leaders such as Mandela and Lincoln as well as to the voluminous literature on leadership."—William G. Bowen, president emeritus of Princeton University and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation"Drawing on her impressive skills as a leader and political theorist, Nan Keohane has made a major contribution to the study of leadership. This book is both thoughtful and wonderfully readable. The chapter on gender, alone, is worth the price of admission!"—Joseph S. Nye, Jr., Harvard University, author of The Powers to Lead"A wonderfully thoughtful meditation on what it means to lead, and to follow, by a noted political philosopher who knows the boardroom as well as she knows the seminar room. This study of leadership stands out for its clarity, candor, depth, and humanity. A must-read for anyone—leader or follower—confronting the manifold opportunities and dilemmas of power."—Josiah Ober, Stanford University"Nan Keohane is both an insightful political theorist and an experienced leader who is uniquely suited to thinking about leadership. This refreshing and richly textured discussion raises fundamental questions—why we need leaders, how leaders differ from followers, what is good leadership for democracies—and provides strikingly original observations in response."—Ruth Grant, Duke University"Thinking about Leadership is replete with important, telling, and original insights and information. The book addresses key questions about leadership that, while not necessarily new, need to be posed, over and over again. Nannerl Keohane does not know how to write a bad sentence or make an uninteresting point."—Barbara Kellerman, author of Bad Leadership: What It Is, How It Happens, Why It Matters"Thinking about Leadership is one of the best books on leadership I have ever read. If more people—especially leaders and would-be leaders—were to read it, it would broaden their assumptions about what they could and should do. Keohane draws upon impressive, high-level personal experience as a leader. Her reputation as a scholar is equally and deservedly superb."—Joanne Martin, Fred H. Merrill Professor, emerita, Stanford University