Greater Than Yourself: The Ultimate Lesson of True Leadership [Hardcover]

Steve Farber (Author), Patrick Lencioni (Foreword), Matthew Kelly (Foreword)

Book Description

Release date: March 3, 2009

Too many people assume the timeless principles of true leadership—of helping others achieve their full potential—don’t apply Monday through Friday during work hours or in any circumstance where a paycheck is involved.

In GREATER THAN YOURSELF, Steve Farber proves them wrong: in this powerful and inspiring story, Farber shows that the goal of a genuine leader is to help others—teammates, employees, and colleagues—become more capable, confident, and accomplished than they are themselves. Through the actions of a forward-thinking and extraordinarily successful CEO, Farber reveals the three keys to achieving this: Expand Yourself, Give Yourself, and Replicate Yourself.

Filled with actionable principles and innovative ideas, GREATER THAN YOURSELF is perhaps the most powerful message today’s business leaders can learn.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Greater Than Yourself is a terrific—no, wonderful—idea. Steve is a tremendous writer and an original thinker.”
—Tom Peters
 
“Raising someone up does not reduce your stature—in fact, it exalts you in ways you have to experience to believe. Greater Than Yourself shows how you can begin improving the world by giving of yourself. It’s a wonderful message wrapped in a highly entertaining, well-written story.”
—Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager® and Leading at a Higher Level

“Greater Than Yourself is more than a good tale well told. It’s a path-breaking book that brings to life the ultimate leadership lesson—that the highest purpose of our work is the development of other leaders. It’s a gift for your mind and your spirit. I enthusiastically recommend it.”—Jim Kouzes, coauthor of the bestselling book The Leadership Challenge, Dean’s Executive Professor of Leadership, Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University

About the Author

STEVE FARBER, the president of Extreme Leadership, is a leadership consultant and speaker, and the author of the national bestseller The Radical Leap, and The Radical Edge. He lives in San Diego, California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Crown Business (March 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385522614
• ISBN-13: 978-0385522618
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.8 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #207,209 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

STEVE FARBER, the president of Extreme Leadership, is a leadership consultant and speaker, and the author of the national bestseller The Radical Leap, and The Radical Edge. He lives in San Diego, California.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Now more than ever March 3, 2009

By Nick Morgan

Format:Hardcover

Steve Farber's new book, Greater Than Yourself, addresses a deep need in the business world and society at large. It's an incredibly inspiring story that pushes you to go out and find someone to take under your wing and help become 'greater than yourself'. In other words, it's about leaving a legacy of people who have succeeded at least in part because of you. It's mentoring on steroids, if you want it put simply. But more than that, I believe that helping others is the only way we'll all pull out of this economic morass we're in. We've got to start creating more opportunities for others -- so that everyone can benefit. Read this book and get started helping someone right away. You and your business will benefit too -- more than you can imagine.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Principle Centered - Great Book April 10, 2009

By Mark L. Mathia

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Truly inspired principle written in allegorical form. Greater Than Yourself proved to be a great starting point for anyone interested in learning to lead well and then multiplying that leadership in order to make a significant cultural shift in any organization or community. The book comes complete with an ending invitation into the community of GTY. It asked you to take the principle presented seriously and apply it in your life. Legendary idea for an up and coming leadership market. The bottom line is this - Greater Than Yourself is the most unique book on leadership I have read in a long time. It reads very easy and even made me pick up my dusty guitar again and try to figure out where I left off 5 years ago. (I said it was an allegory) If leadership is your bent or if you can't figure out why you are pigeon holed at your current place of employment I recommend this book for you.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The New Millennium's Compassionate Corporate Cookbook March 3, 2009

By Damion Kirk

Format:Hardcover

I have been enthusiastically following Mr Farber's series illustrating, in a very entertaining way I might add, the basics and essentials for establishing a "win-win" kinder corporate environment.

Greater Than Yourself is Steve Farber's crest jewel contribution in which he illuminates how today's crashing corporate world can rise from the ashes of its antiquated "I win, you lose" modality.

Ten to twenty years from now, I see Farber's on-going series becoming the new standard for CEO's around the world. I hope this book gets the wide attention it deserves.

Aside from all that, let me note once more that Greater Than Yourself is both fun as well as filled with practical insights.

Oh yeah... this one has it all. Thanks, Steve!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Greater Than Yourself; read it and be inspired! March 23, 2009

By Eleanor Biddulph

Format:Hardcover

If you have lost focus on your personal leadership mission, if you are helping develop new leaders, or if you have a team you want to strengthen, "Greater Than Yourself" (GTY) is a must-read!

Steve Farber leads us on a quick, engaging and meaningful journey to see that real, effective, positive leadership is not nearly as complex as we tend to make it. Especially in today's economic climate, it is a helpful reminder that giving, serving and making others great - greater than ourselves - is true role of leadership.

You will be inspired! This kind of leadership truly can change the world. Read the book, share the book, and start making others "Greater Than Yourself."

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Farber's Done It Again March 22, 2009

By C. J. Nuttall

Format:Hardcover

Steve Farber's first book changed my life and many of those around me. His second book came at a time when I deeply needed his message and advice. Now, his third book, arguably the greatest of all three, has come at a time when we ALL could use a breath of fresh and inspiring air. This book is CPR for our collective leadership soul. The message is powerful and uplifting, the vision clear, and potential vast. Read this book as fast as you can get a copy in your hands (which is pretty darn fast with Amazon). Make a difference today. Thanks Steve!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Farber's Greatest Yet! March 8, 2009

By Steven Dealph

Format:Hardcover

Humanity has a knack of complicating things. Steve Farber's gift to all of us is his ability to take what we normally perceive to be complicated issues and simplify them. He has done it once again with his new book, "Greater Than Yourself."

It couldn't have been released at a more appropriate time. Business--all organizations for that matter--are desparate to engage their employees and members and the resources to do it are decreasing. Through "Greater Than Yourself" we learn there is no shortage of the one resource we truly need; ourselves!

This is a great book! I could have read it in a couple hours if I wasn't stopping every other page to reflect and write notes in the margins. Thanks, Steve, for your greatest book yet!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this book, change your life and the rest of the world! March 25, 2009

By Tianjun Xu

Format:Hardcover

Definitely the best business book I have read.

Recommend to any human beings. Trust me, you will change after reading this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Greater Than Ever! March 22, 2009

By Jodee Bock

Format:Hardcover

It's no secret that I've been a Steve Farber fan from Day 1 after the release of The Radical Leap in 2004. I've been eagerly awaiting this book and it doesn't disappoint. In true Farber style, this book introduces new characters who inspire the reader by who they are as well as what they do.

Greater Than Yourself is a fun and engaging story of fictional (maybe) characters who understand that by making others greater than themselves, they create a legacy of people who bring their whole selves to work and really to life.

We meet leaders who are authentically themselves despite what traditional, old guard business rules may suggest, and witness first-hand the effect of that authenticity on the future of the organizations and individuals depicted.

Farber also gives practical ideas for taking the "fictional" story and making it real for readers who are inspired to take on a GTY project for themselves.

I'm suggesting this book to one of my clients as a year-long internal corporate project and I'm betting we'll have a great story to report after we've implemented the ideas in real life.

Thanks Steve for yet another winner!