The Fearless Executive [Hardcover]

Alan Downs (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2000

Finding the Courage to Trust Your Talents and Be the Leader You Are Meant to Be

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Drawing partly on the lessons of his own career path as a human resources executive turned management consultant, and partly on his experience counseling downsized employees, Downs sets out to show executives that they are often their own worst enemy. Many remain in jobs they dislike, relying on administrative and political skills that may be their weakest, thereby setting themselves up for failure. According to Downs, executives often operate based on the "trait of fear." Different from the terror of, say, walking down a dark alley, it's an ongoing concern about the future or anxiety over some imagined event: "you feel fear and avoid action altogether," Downs explains. He offers examples from corporate America (including the experiences of Lee Iacocca and Charles Wang) and some fairy tale anecdotes to show readers that they can break this fear cycle by "acknowledg[ing] and confront[ing] the irrational beliefs that underlie a fear; mak[ing] a conscious effort to push past the fear and take positive action in the direction of the fear." Although Downs's premise is intriguing, his book is a disappointment. A more cohesive structure bolstered with more practical exercises and real-life scenarios would have made it a more useful tool. (June)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Fear, our greatest enemy, undermines our confidence in ourselves and persuades us to abandon our core strengths and talents. Downs teaches us how to recognize basic fears and how to break the cycle of fear to discover what we are truly good at and where our passion lies. He analyzes the basic fears, such as inadequacy (What if I fail?), fear of rejection (What if I'm not accepted?), fear of scarcity (What if someone else steals my role?), fear of reality (Isn't there a quick fix?), fear of the unknown (What is lurking out there?), fear of authority (What if I break the rules?), and fear of aging (What if I'm obsolete?). The author concludes that successful leaders share one common factor--they all manage their fears and have discovered their unique blend of talents, trusting those talents completely. Although some may not agree with all his concepts, this is a thought-provoking book on a familiar topic. Mary Whaley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 212 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM; 1st edition (May 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814405657
• ISBN-13: 978-0814405659
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,210,234 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alan Downs, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice located in Beverly Hills, California. He is the author of seven previous books and continues to write and hold workshops across the United States. He is actively involved in dialectical behavior therapy and is a member of the Beverly Hills DBT Team. Dr. Downs is the former CEO of Michael's House Treatment Center where he currently holds weekend workshops for families of those struggling with addictions. His current book, THE VELVET RAGE, has been acclaimed as "groundbreaking" for the gay male community. Dr. Downs has been a guest on many media programs including, THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW, TODAY SHOW, and NPR's MORNING EDITION.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Timing, August 19, 2000

By 

Donna M. McCoy (Tim McCoy) (Oklahoma City, OK United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fearless Executive (Hardcover)

I picked up The Fearless Executive just as I was launching a new venture with 2 partners. We were all taking a huge risk, leaving stable jobs with steady incomes to start a new business. Naturally we were excited but nervous. For the last couple of months, when we feel discouraged we have a meeting and read portions of this book out loud to each other. It has helped us face our fears and insecurities. Slowly but surely, we are watching our business take off and we are grateful for the encouragement we have received from this book. Downs' writing style is intriguing and easy to read, but best of all, the truths he espouses WORK! This is a MUST READ for anyone thinking about taking a risk! If you have a dream to fulfill, this book will help you find the courage to see it become reality!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fear Exposed, August 19, 2000

By 

Kevin Sloan (Santa Fe, NM) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fearless Executive (Hardcover)

Finally, an insightful book that exposes the insidious and debilitating effects of fear on the individual and in the workplace. Rather than following the old, worn-out paradigm that fear is a sign of weakness and should be denied or not addressed, this book makes it clear that fear is a natural part of all of us and rather than pretending it isn't there, it's far better to address the causes of the fear and move into it, rather than hiding from it. In that way true and lasting change is possible and the old patterns of personal and corporate behavior can finally change for the better. Only through recognizing the paralyzing and potentially destructive patterns that fear causes can an individual or "corporate citizen" realize their full potential. This book is an invaluable guide out of those behaviors. Not only useful for "executives" but for all participants in the business community. Should be required reading especially in organizations dealing with high risk decision making.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much more than I expected, August 16, 2000

By 

Steven Sugarman (Santa Fe, NM) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fearless Executive (Hardcover)

I picked up this book on the recommendantion of several friends who told me that the book had helped them to gain important insights into their career trajectories. Those of my friends who read the book told me that the book really focussed them on the strengths of their careers, as well as the places where their professional lives were lacking. A couple of my friends told me that after reading the book, they felt empowered to take positive action at work that was already transforming the way they functioned in the workplace.

Needless to say, I had high expectations when I began the book. All my expectations were met and exceeded! Most importantly, this book is not only a roadmap to success in the workplace -- it is also a roadmap to success in life. As I read the book, I was repeatedly struck by the impression that the keys to professional success, as discussed by the author, are also the keys to success in family, relationship, and even my pasttimes.

The book provided me with significant material for reflection: How can I identify and work with my weaknesses? How can I foster my strengths and turn them to my best advantage? What are the personal patterns that hamper my progress, and what are the patterns that help me? The "Fearless Executive" addressed all these questions (and more) in a way that was approachable, intelligible, and easily digestable.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough to anyone who is looking for a thoughtful discussion on maximizing success in life -- whether in the workplace or in the household. Read it!