From Publishers Weekly
Consultant and motivational speaker Secretan (The Way of the Tiger) offers a liturgical tome on the exalted state of "Higher Ground Leadership," which he associates with almost every spiritual tradition one can imagine. Job requirements for Higher Ground Leaders include a Christ-like capacity for "loving others unconditionally," a Taoist balance of yin and yang, a Zen knack for "emptying the mind," a Transcendentalist appreciation that "our egos are like waves in the sea" which "return to the ocean—the Universal Soul" and an ability to grok Secretan’s own metaphysics of the "Pre-Probability Plane," aka "the quantum void, before the conscious energy field is activated by intentionality." Secretan’s basic idea, endorsed by lengthy testimonials from executives who have taken his seminars, is to transform the rational, efficient, competitive, profit-driven workplace into an empathetic, humane, cooperative, inspirational "Soulspace." In general, that means a high-minded considerateness towards workers, but the specifics sometimes boil down to advice on office decor—soft curves instead of harsh right angles—or euphemistic language about imposing layoffs "in a graceful, caring and friendly way that honors the souls of those affected and treats them as sacred beings." The point here is to help readers discover their Destiny, Cause and Calling. Secretan’s own Personal Cause Statement—"to inspire others to honor the sacredness in all relationships"—is an apt distillation of the mushy uplift that saturates this rather uninspiring book.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From the Inside Flap
We all yearn to be inspired. Yet today, many people are drifting in organizations, teams, and families that operate from a place of fear. Within the hearts of people everywhere, there is a yearning for something different. We are looking inward and outward, and we are asking questions. Some of the answers are timeless–the world’s greatest leaders have known them all along.
From Mahatma Gandhi and Thomas Jefferson to Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and other great contemporary leaders–one attribute has been shared: they aimed not to motivate, but to inspire. What are the unique qualities found in these leaders? And how can you apply their style of leadership to your business? Inspire! has the answers.
Inspire! is a book about how to inspire others and ourselves, the requisite for personal and organizational transformation. Based on a lifetime of research, Lance Secretan takes us on a compelling journey to discover what all great, inspiring leaders have known: their Destiny (Why I am here on Earth), their Cause (How I will be while I am here and what I will stand for), and their Calling (What I will do and how I will use my talents and gifts to serve). He shows us clearly, using concrete examples of successful leaders he has worked with, how we can do it, too.
Inspire! introduces a breakthrough leadership practice that leaps past conventional theory by defining a deeper, more enriching kind of leadership that is precisely relevant to our times. Secretan reveals seven essentials of authentic, truthful leadership that inspire everyone and lead to extraordinary personal and organizational effectiveness.
The central idea of contemporary leadership theory is that manipulating, exploiting, and controlling the behavior of others is both useful and acceptable. But this is leadership based on fear and motivation. Higher Ground Leadership suggests we can inspire people by appealing to their hearts and souls. By engaging people on a new level–by honoring, exciting, and nourishing their souls–we can give them more than a reason to work; we can give them a passion for work.
Secretan shows that we can create more productive, fulfilling workplaces that encourage engagement and contribution from employees. We can build workplaces, governments, and countries based on shared best interest and selflessness, rather than self-interest and cynicism. This is the way forward for leaders in every situation who seek to inspire others. Inspire! offers a proven framework for putting passion and meaning back into work–and therefore the world.
Inspire! will stir you to ask brave and important questions. It will transform and inspire you, and therefore others.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
