Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It, Revised Edition [Paperback]

James M. Kouzes (Author), Barry Z. Posner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 21, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0787964646 | ISBN-13: 978-0787964641 | Edition: Revised

"Leadership is personal. It's not about the corporation, the community, or the country. It's about you. If people don't believe in the messenger, they won't believe the message. If people don't believe in you, they won't believe in what you say. And if it's about you, then it's about your beliefs, your values, your principles."-- from Credibility
In this best-selling book, Kouzes and Posner (authors of The Leadership Challenge), explain why leadership is above all a relationship, with credibility as the cornerstone. They provide rich examples of real managers in action and reveal the six key disciplines and related practices that strengthen a leader's capacity for developing and sustaining credibility. Kouzes and Posner show how leaders can encourage greater initiative, risk-taking, and productivity by demonstrating trust in employees and resolving conflicts on the basis of principles, not positions.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Behavioral savants Kouzes and Posner ( The Leadership Challenge ) here provide philosophical and practical guidance for business executives at a time when computers, consultants, coproduction and ever-growing employee empowerment leave less for managers to do. Unsurprisingly, the authors place honesty, competence and a talent to inspire ("a set of values that can be learned") at the core of effective leadership. From a penetrating survey of business methods and employee attitudes worldwide, Kouzes and Posner pinpoint future trends--e.g., more authority for customer contact personnel--in a logical, integrated and symbiotic organizational plan to replace a now-outdated omnipotent-boss system. Unfortunately, a hucksterish title and an introductory essay on "credibility" do a disservice to this broad and serious work's potential readership. 50,000 first printing; Executive Program book club selection; author tour.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"With the hundreds of look-alike, sound-alike, self-help books available on how to succeed in just about any field, it is a pleasure to read a book that contains something new and useful. In Credibility, not only have the authors captured the essence of leadership, they also alert us to the hazards surrounding leaders, would-be leaders and followers in all walks of life, including the health field.'' (Canadian Hospital Association)

"Credibility' may well move quickly into the lexicon as the next leadership buzzword.''

"Kouzes and Posner have found a way to communicate the importance of hope and offer practical ways of keeping it alive.'' (from the foreword by Tom Peters)

"A much needed human approach to leadership, finally focusing on issues that really matterhonesty, sensitivity to diversity, and the need for community.'' (Ken Blanchard, chairman, Blanchard Training and Development, Inc. and coauthor, The One Minute Manager)

"A well-crafted work. Kouzes and Posner see beyond today's survey results to challenge their assertions with the test of time and circumstance. This solid book persuades readers that credibility is fundamental in spite ofor perhaps because ofthe instability and cynicism that characterize many American work places.'' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; Revised edition (January 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787964646
• ISBN-13: 978-0787964641
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 1 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #306,585 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Research-based counsel! January 2, 2001

By Boris Martinez

Format:Paperback

This book was an optional reading in a course I recently took as part of my PhD studies in organisational leadership. The text flows logically, with highly readable prose; it excels at providing a great depth of insight on a) discovering one self; b) appreciating constituents and their diversity; c) affirming shared values; d) developing capacity; d) serving a purpose; and d) sustaining hope. Even though the research upon which the text is based was done mostly in the first world, I found it quite useful and applicable to my own context in Guatemala. I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to understand how crecibility affects leadership success.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars How credibility is important in your life January 9, 1997

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Deals with what credibility is, how you gain it, lose it. More
importantly, the authors discuss why this issue is one of
the keys to a successful personal and business life.

If you are a parent, spouse, manager, or deal with people in
any way, this book will help you analyze how you deal with
people, what they expect, and how you can fullfil their
expectations and yours and have them think you are wonderful.

Experience how much better your life is when your relationships
are on a sound footing. Warning - if you like playing games
with people or messing with their minds, this book will be
a disappointment to you.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Thumbs up! June 24, 2005

By M. Olsen

Format:Paperback

Credibility is a leadership book based on the thought that through honesty, competence, and valuing people, leaders can be most effective. When credible leadership exists, people have a strong desire to follow their leaders, not just because they have to, but because they want to. When employees are committed to their leader, they are committed to the success of their company as well.

The book is easy to read and presents many interesting case studies and profiles of companies and leaders who apply this philosophy. Divided into sections, the book explains the six disciplines of credibility: discovering yourself, appreciating constituents, affirming shared values, developing capacity, serving a purpose, and sustaining hope. Useful applications of the theory and "next step" action plans are provided to help readers gain credibility in their own leadership roles. Unfortunately the book is a bit dated, as it was published in 1993.