Leading with Kindness: How Good People Consistently Get Superior Results [Hardcover]

William F. Baker (Author), Michael O'Malley Ph.D. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 13, 2008

By now, many leaders have realised that when it comes to business, nice guys often finish first. Old fashioned images of corporate callousness and greed have been replaced by a gentler, more human conception of great leadership. But how does one define 'kindness' in the context of business? And what is the best way to 'use' this deceptively simple notion as a guiding principle to lead an organisation successfully into the future? "Leading with Kindness" identifies the attributes successful 'kind' leaders share, showing readers how they can use kindness. Far from presenting a naive idea of kindness consisting of the simple give and take of benefits for supposed loyalty, this realistic book shows leaders how they can use sincerity, honesty, and concern to get the most from their people.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“[A] thought-provoking tome.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“A must-read for anyone in a management position.” CareerBuilder.com

“One of the Best Leadership Books of 2008 according to LeadershipNow.com.”

“...a powerful vehicle for driving home the reality that the long-term viability of an organization might just rely on leaders who understand what being kind really means.” —Graziadio Business Report

Book Description

Leadershipnow.com / The Best Leadership Books of 2008

By now, many leaders have realized that when it comes to business, nice guys often finish first. Old-fashioned images of corporate callousness and greed have been replaced by a gentler, more human conception of great leadership. But how does one define “kindness” in the context of business? And what is the best way to “use” this deceptively complex notion as a guiding principle to lead an organization successfully into the future?

Far from presenting a naive idea of kindness, this eye-opening book identifies the surprising attributes successful “kind” leaders share. Readers will learn how they can use kindness to:

• motivate employees, committee members, and others

• recognize unique talents while nurturing all employees

• establish a supportive environment

• spur continuous organizational growth

• adapt to change

• stimulate calculated “stretch” and risk-taking

• prepare the next generation of leaders

This realistic book shows leaders how they can use sincerity, honesty, and respect for the good of their organizations.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 17 and up
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM (August 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814401562
• ISBN-13: 978-0814401569
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,844 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars From the editor of leadingtoday.org, December 18, 2008

By 

Greg L. Thomas (Litchfield, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Leading with Kindness: How Good People Consistently Get Superior Results (Hardcover)

Leading With Kindness is a philosophical book written to promote a sound leadership principle. Kindness should not be viewed as an option to motivate and inspire others to superior achievement. This book helps to dispel the myth that demonstrating kindness as a leader is somehow "wishywashy" or "soft." In a world where shallow managers believe that bullying or intimidating others is an effective strategy,

Leading With Kindness is a fresh read. Its information comes from two psychologists who support their ideas with proven concepts, interviews with corporate leaders worldwide and real world examples. As Baker states, "I decided to write this book in order to advocate a different kind of management - a more progressive one based on an understanding of the individual
and an appreciation of the unique talents and contributions each person can offer."

Written in six chapters with an appendix, Baker and O'Malley discuss the six ingredients of kindness. Building upon this foundation they expand the scope of the book to explain what they believe are eight leadership principles in the fourth chapter. Further along in the book they continue to expound the importance of leading with kindness to examine "four qualities that great leaders are able to instill in others" which include self-confidence, self-control, self-awareness, and self-determination.

Leading With Kindness is a very good book boldly discussing a neglected topic in modern business environments. The plain truth is that leaders who demonstrate compassion, concern and kindness motivate others to grow beyond themselves for the benefit of the entire organization. On the other hand, those who manage by intimidation and fear attain only temporary results because they stunt creativity and emotionally sicken those who work with them. In this case, co-workers only desire to achieve the minimum of expected performance, while many subliminally work to obstruct the organization through a passive form of vengeance and retaliation. This book powerfully offers a large amount of information on why leadership and kindness go hand-in-hand. However, because it is written by individuals with academic experience, it is sometimes difficult to follow. Some sentences are so structured that they need to be re-read over again to grasp the original intent. Some readers may find this a challenge.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WIN with Kindness, September 8, 2008

By 

Jack Mitchell (Westport, CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Leading with Kindness: How Good People Consistently Get Superior Results (Hardcover)

Bill Baker and Michael O'Malley have written a great book, a must read!

This book has a multitude of gems... for business leaders who desire to lead consistently with positive passionate acts and deeds and personalize and develop relationships with all the people they engage with on a daily basis... and for those who don't and could!

Bill and Michael document many successful companies whose leaders have established this "kindness" culture... and do win the super bowl... the World Series... the gold metals!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Six ingredients of kindness are identified & linked to business pursuits, October 9, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Leading with Kindness: How Good People Consistently Get Superior Results (Hardcover)

In business kindness is viewed as a weakness, and the perception of kind leaders is that they are ineffectual. LEADING WITH KINDNESS shows how this can become a business leadership trait and profiles world business leaders who have developed this trait to high success. Six ingredients of kindness are identified, linked to business pursuits, and assessed for pros and cons. Business leaders will find LEADING WITH KINDNESS a key to incorporating more humane actions into their pursuits.