Book description
Lessons for leaders on resolving the ongoing struggle between instinct and the creative mind
Kings, heads of government, and corporate executives lead thousands of people and manage endless resources, but may not have mastery over themselves. Often leaders know that right action is important, but have little (if any) understanding of what prevents them from acting in accordance with their intentions. In this important book, leadership expert Richard Daft portrays this dilemma as a struggle between instinct (elephant) and intention (the executive) using the most current research on the intentional vs. the habitual mind to explain how this phenomenon occurs.
Based on current research and real-life examples
Offers leaders a method for directing themselves more productively
Written by an expert in leadership, organizational performance, and change management
Through real-life examples and recent studies in psychology, management and Eastern spirituality Daft provides guidance to all of us who struggle finding our own balance and cultivating the behavior of others.
Table of contents
- Copyright
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- I. The Two Selves
- II. Ways You May Mislead or Delude Yourself
- III. How to Start Leading Yourself
- IV. Become Aware of Your Inner Resources
- V. Reach for the Heights
-
VI. Can You Lead from a People Frame of Reference?
- 15. Change Your Frame to See People
- 16. Change Your Frame to Ask Questions
-
17. Living and Leading from Your Inner Executive
- 17.1. Higher Consciousness Revisited
- 17.2. When Her Mind Went Quiet
-
17.3. Answers to Individual Questions
- 17.3.1. How do I get started?
- 17.3.2. Which practice or exercise is best for me?
- 17.3.3. My management job keeps me busy from dawn until dusk. How can I practice any of these exercises?
- 17.3.4. How can I go faster to rid myself of bad habits to improve my leadership approach?
- 17.3.5. Is repeating a mantra similar to cognitive-behavioral therapy?
- 17.3.6. How does the material you teach differ from the ideas in books on positive thinking, such as The Secret, in which motivational speakers say you can get what you want by thinking correctly?
- 17.3.7. Is it ever okay to objectify other people?
- 17.3.8. How can I know when I am in my inner executive?
- 17.3.9. What about intuition? Does it arise from the inner executive or the inner elephant?
- 17.3.10. I am not attracted to any of the practices you have offered. I am interested in becoming a better leader and in pursuing personal growth. What should I do?
- 17.4. Final Thoughts
- Notes
- About the Author
Product information
- Title: The Executive and the Elephant: A Leader's Guide for Building Inner Excellence
- Author(s):
- Release date: August 2010
- Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
- ISBN: 9780470372265
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