Leading with Character and Competence
Moving beyond Title, Position, and Authority

“Leadership is an applied discipline, not a foamy concept to muse about,” says three-time CEO, Oxford-trained scholar, and consultant Timothy R. Clark. “In fact, it's the most important applied discipline in the world.” The success of any organization can be traced directly to leadership. And leadership can be learned. But too many books and development programs focus exclusively on skills.

In reality, performance and ultimate credibility are based on a combination of character and competence. As Clark puts it, character is the core and competence the crust. He shows how greatness emerges from a powerful combination of the two, although in the end character is more important. A leader with character but no competence will be ineffective, while a leader with competence but no character is dangerous.

Clark spotlights the four most important components of character and competence and offers a series of eloquent, inspiring, and actionable reflections on what's needed to build each one. Fundamentally, he sees leadership as influence—leaders influence people “to climb, stretch, and become.” You need character to influence positively and competence to influence effectively.

This is a book for anyone, no matter where he or she is on the organization chart. Because today employees at all levels are being asked to step up, not only can everyone be a leader, everyone has to be. Clark's insights are profound, and his passion is infectious. “Leadership” he writes, “is the most engaging, inspiring, and deeply satisfying activity known to humankind. Through leadership we have the opportunity to progress, overcome adversity, change lives, and bless the race.”

Author of the bestselling DEI Deconstructed returns with a companion workbook filled with practical and actionable techniques for changemakers at all stages of their DEI journey.

The next step in your DEI journey starts here. Building on the knowledge base of DEI Deconstructed, Lily Zheng offers a workbook with 40 original exercises, worksheets, and other tools to help guide you and your organization toward more substantive and lasting DEI outcomes. Whether you're a new or veteran DEI practitioner looking to improve your practice, a leader looking to grow your leadership skills, or an advocate looking to play more powerful roles in movements, this book will give you the practical tools to do just that.

From self-work to organizational change, this workbook will upskill you with the core competencies required for impactful DEI work, such as diagnosing inequity, working with constituents, building movements, creating psychological safety, stewarding inclusive cultures, resolving conflict and harm, and achieving systems change. Most importantly, it will give you valuable experience putting these skills into action. Each activity can stand on its own and is designed to stimulate valuable reflection and practice. Included are recommendations for targeted exercise roadmaps to supplement your learning journey. Taken all together, these exercises are a complete masterclass in any practitioner's DEI education.

Risks are a part of a fully-lived life—and are essential for personal and professional advancement. Right Risk draws on the experiences and insights of successful risk-takers (including the author's own experiences as a daredevil high diver) to detail ten principles you can use to take risks with greater intelligence and confidence.

Right Risk is about taking more deliberate and intentional risks. It will teach you how to determine which risks to take and which to avoid, how to balance the need to take more risks with the need to preserve your safety, and how to confront all those people who tell you what a mistake it would be to take the risk.

Right Risk will teach you to make wise and courageous choices—to confidently face life's challenges and take advantage of life's opportunities. It will help you become more comfortable with the uncomfortable, more courageous in facing fear, and more prepared to take the risks you've always wanted to take. It will help you take the giant leaps you've been dreaming of.

• Offers ten principles for taking intelligent risks
• While most books on the subject of risk urge people to avoid risk, Right Risk teaches readers how to risk wisely-how to take that risk they've always wanted to take
• Draws lessons from the extreme edge of risk. The author performed over 300 dives as the high-octane superhero "Captain Inferno"-while on fire!

This first comprehensive guide to helping mentors and mentees bridge gaps between and among cultures—a growing issue in today's diverse workplace—is coauthored by the founder and CEO of the Center for Mentoring Excellence.

As the workplace has become more diverse, mentoring has become more challenging. Mentors and mentees may come from very different backgrounds and have limited understanding of each other's cultures and outlooks. But mentoring remains the most powerful tool for creating meaningful relationships, furthering professional development, and increasing engagement and retention. Younger workers and emerging leaders in particular are demanding it.

Lisa Z. Fain and Lois J. Zachary offer a timely, evidence-based, practical guide for helping mentors develop the level of cultural competency needed to bridge differences. Firmly rooted in Zachary's well-known four-part mentoring model, the book uses three fictional scenarios featuring three pairs of diverse mentors and mentees to illustrate how key concepts can play out in real life. It offers an array of accessible tools and strategies designed to help you increase your self-awareness and prepare you to embrace and leverage differences in your mentoring relationships. But beyond tips and techniques, Fain and Zachary emphasize that authenticity is the key—the ultimate purpose of this book is to help the mentor and mentee make a genuine connection and learn from each other. That's when the magic really happens.

How is it that companies spend billions on recognition programs, yet most employees feel unrecognized? Here Cindy Ventrice zeroes in on what truly makes employees feel valued and lays out proven recognition tactics that will provide a genuine, lasting boost for your business. Ventrice demonstrates that integrating the intangible rewards people crave—praise, thanks, opportunity, and respect—into the daily routine is far more effective than typical recognition awards, events, perks, and privileges, and she shows exactly how to do it. Follow her advice and you'll save money while obtaining better results than ever before.

This second edition features new examples from innovative companies like Best Buy, Cisco Systems and Google, as well as detailing how to provide recognition in increasingly virtual workplaces, account for cultural differences in reward preferences, and ensure that rewards are perceived as fair and equitable.

You know them at first sight: teammates or colleagues, direct reports or bosses who radiate enthusiasm, positive energy, and inspiration. Even in difficult circumstances they glow with an attitude that inspires others, fosters a great working experience for everyone, and creates empowering relationships. And Lynda Gratton can make sure you're one of them. Drawing on years of original research, Gratton identifies three principles that people who glow live by, and three actions for putting each principle into practice. Lynda Gratton is one of the world's leading experts on how pockets of energy and innovation are created in organizations. Now she zeroes in on how you can become a source of energy and innovation yourself.