Customer Reviews

One: The Art and Practice of Conscious Leadership

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This little book is a bounty of inspiring messages and big ideas. It opens with some critical thinking about the separateness we often experience in an otherwise connected world, and it shows how a powerful desire for oneness is emerging (with some surprising conclusions about the role of technology in this process).

It then gently flows into a practical examination of life's key lessons as it lays out the CASTLE principles for leadership. A few central messages rang true for me: what we do to our customers, our employees, and our investors, we do to ourself; there's more room for myth, mystery, and magic in our life's work; and a key role of leaders is "serving employees" (rather than the conventional thought of employees serving management).

I really appreciate the way strong stories are used to make a point as well as to help support an emotional connection with each message. Lance Secretan employs Courage, one of his CASTLE principles, to explain the role of love in leadership and business. This isn't an easy thing to do, and he makes a solid case and does it well.

This is definitely a book to read twice: there are so many ideas packed within. It's a gem that argues, and reinforces, that doing the right thing is really the best way to run a business after all. For those of us aspiring to run businesses along the lines of the CASTLE principles, many of these points may seem second nature, but having one's values validated so thoroughly is inspiring and encouraging. I am more committed than ever to stay the course. In the end, the principles and ideas contained herein are not just for leading a good business: they are for leading a good life.

Lance Secretan's noble objective in ONE is to help readers rediscover the transcendent notion of leading from their heart and soul-a goal he successfully achieves. The book opens up like a big red wine. As readers swirl its contents about their own consciousness, this seemingly simple formulation of virtuous leadership reveals layers of subtle complexity.

The core of the author's approach is a continuing practice centered on the six CASTLE principles: Courage, Authenticity, Service, Truthfulness, Love, and Effectiveness. These values are consistently sought in leaders by the people who follow them, as revealed through Secretan's own background and his consulting experience with organizations around the world.

The author explores each principle in turn, using stories and quotations backed by facts and statistics. Practical and thought-provoking exercises at the end of chapters provide an opportunity to pause and ponder content in the context of the reader's own life. The writing style is straightforward and accessible.

Like the flavors in fine wine, Secretan's CASTLE Principles are perceived as elegantly enmeshed-an example of the "oneness" that is the author's prescription for more inspiring and effective lives and workplaces. The framework in ONE can be applied to personal coaching, training, teaching, and organizational intervention as a practice that brings forth immediate benefits.

The risk in presenting such a leadership model is that it can be perceived as preachy. There is much passion behind the author's message, and he successfully manages to skirt this trap by communicating it with genuine concern and caring.

The book has much to commend it, providing firm structure, good balance, and a satisfying, long finish. If Robert Parker rated books along with wines, ONE would receive over 90 points.

This is Lance Secretan's best book in my opinion. From someone less credentialed than Secretan -- he built temp giant Manpower -- his call for "love and truth" in the workplace could come across as little more than wishful thinking. But this short book is brimming with real stories and real facts. And when you see for yourself that this is not only the right way to conduct business, but that it actually works, you'll be passing this book out to everyone you know who has the power to change the world of work.

I have the perfect job: working with middle and high school students in raising their leadership and teamwork skills in serving their student bodies and school communities. Lance's new contribution should not be viewed as just raising the bar for corporate leaders, but should also be seen as a wonderful model for our young people. I've already been sharing it and the young leaders find the concepts so intuitive and clear that they easily find life applications for their own Courage, Authenticity, Service, Truthfulness, Love, and Effectiveness. There is HUGE impact in this book!

Once again, Lance has hit the nail on the head on how to create a healthy long term sustainable enterprise.
Any firm that is committed to the CASTLE ( Courage, Authenticity, Service, Trust, Love and Effectiveness) is right on.
I highly recommend this book as well as Lance as a keynote speaker or consultant to your business.

Debbie McGrath CEO HR.com

Before reading ONE I did not consider my profession (courtroom lawyer) a part of the field of leadership, nor that I would professionally benefit from reading ONE. I was reading ONE for my own personal betterment and enjoyment, which it certainly served, and was immensely informative and entertaining along the way. However, as I read I soon realized how the CASTLE principles of ONE in fact directly apply to my professional work, and every professional relationship.

With hindsight, I see that when my clients and I have been successful in the courtroom it has been because we presented our case consistent with the CASTLE principles, even though I had not consciously considered CASTLE at the time. Living the CASTLE principles creates the connection with the judge, and the silent strangers sitting as the jury, that any party must have to be successful in a courtroom. Most often one side or the other can not, or does not, present their case effectively with courage, authenticity, and truthfulness, inspiring the jury that their verdict will serve a greater good (rather than merely lining the pockets of a party and their lawyer). If you do not love your client, the insincerity of your representation will inspire neither the judge nor the jury, and will be ineffective.

Every lawyer should read ONE as a part of their continuing legal education. Every person whose business or profession involves dealing with people (i.e. everyone) would benefit from reading ONE and practicing the CASTLE principles.

Lance Secretan has a keen sense of timing. The message of his new book "ONE: The Art and Practice of Conscious Leadership" is just what many of the leaders that I work with in my training and consulting practice are looking for. We long to be inspired by the leaders we work with and Lance shows us how by using a combination of research, visionary thinking, and actual stories of real people and organizations that have found a "better way". His message is timeless and simple...with the power to transform how we live and work together. I highly recommend it.

One The Art And practice of conscious leadership is a fabulous piece of work. Perhaps the most pressing issue of our time is how do individuals tap into their creativity and courage to make change both at work and in their own lives. This Book Lays out the Road Map.

I was introduced to both this book and, Secretan's book Inspire by my close friend Moe Dixon. As an empowerment writer myself, I approach all works with the highest degree of skepticism but Secretan changed my mind very quickly. His words have an awakening charge to them. The points he makes about living our lives and, the real work we all need to lead from within are both courageous and new. I urge everyone who stumbles accross this page to invest in both books and, just place them on your coffee table. That's how you can begin to changes lives for the better. Worked for me and in the era of overdone hyped
guru-isms, Lance has succeeded in producing something credible and highly effective.

Very good service and product. Definitely will continue to shop Amazon and refer to friends.