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Praise for the Fifth Edition ofThe Leadership Challenge“My heart goes out to Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner with the deepest gratitude forthis book, the most powerful leadership resource available. It is providential thatat a time of the lowest level of trust and the highest level of cynicism, The Leadership Challenge arrives with its message of hope. When there are dark days in ourlives, Kouzes and Posner will shine a light.”—Frances Hesselbein, former CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA;author, My Life in Leadership“Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner have taken one of the true leadership classics of thelate twentieth century and made it freshly relevant for today’s twenty-first centuryleaders. It is a must-read for today’s leaders who aspire to contribute in a moresignificant way tomorrow.”—Douglas R. Conant, New York Times bestselling author, TouchPoints;retired CEO, Campbell Soup Company“For twenty-five years, the names Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner have been synonymous with leadership. There is a reason for that. This book, in its new and updatedform, demonstrates that leadership is a challenge you must win every day. It showsthat every leader is unique, with his or her own style, and it helps you find yourstyle. But the real beauty of this book is that it does not just tell you about leadership. It takes you by the hand, and walks you through the steps necessary to bebetter at what you do. It also gives you the confidence to take the kinds of risksevery leader needs to take to succeed. I loved this book twenty-five years ago, andI love it today.”—Joel Kurtzman, author, Common Purpose; editor-in-chief,Korn/Ferry Institute’s Briefings on Talent & Leadership“We consider this twenty-fifth anniversary, fifth edition, the best leadership bookout there because it combines solid research, marvelous stories, and highly usableadvice. It struck us, as readers of prior editions, that Jim Kouzes and Barry Posnerdon’t just write about leadership. They lead, and they continue to innovate andmodel the way. We’re glad to be on the path behind them.”—Jennifer Granholm and Dan Mulhern, coauthors, A Governor’s Story: TheFight for Jobs and America’s Economic Future“If I could recommend only one of the tens of thousands of leadership books everwritten, The Leadership Challenge would absolutely be my top choice, and by awide margin. This new edition builds markedly on the last but remains characteristically Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner—a complex work in its underlying character,but brilliant in its simplicity and practical in design. The Leadership Challenge isthe most useful leadership book ever written; I have each and every edition, andeach is better than the last.”—Tom Kolditz, author, In Extremis Leadership
“The Leadership Challenge has inspired and continues to inspire all those who havethe will and commitment to take on the burden of responsibility entailed inleading other people. The book lightens that burden and even ennobles it. It valuesthe humanity in us all and welcomes imagination and faith in the future. We areall grateful and better off with this book on the shelf and in our hearts.”—Peter Block, author, Flawless Consulting“The fifth edition of The Leadership Challenge is the culmination of decades of rigorous analysis of the characteristics of leadership. By modeling the behaviorsdescribed by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, every person can develop their leadership potential and become a more effective leader.”—Dan Warmenhoven, executive chairman, board of directors, NetApp“Developing generations of leaders for three decades, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posnerare yet again at the cutting edge of leadership. Their five practices of exemplaryleadership exactly put into words the characteristics of leadership that I have witnessed from many of the greatest football players to ever play the game. If youhave ever aspired to be a leader, or need to take your leadership skills to the highestlevels, this is the book for you—all you need to do is take the challenge!”—Brent Jones, former All-Pro football player;managing partner, Northgate Capital“The Leadership Challenge is the best research-based practical field guide for leadersI have ever read. While the world around us has changed significantly since 1987,when I picked up the first edition of the book, the simple relevant truths of whatgreat leaders do has not. I love the personal best leadership stories that highlightthe five simple-to-understand exemplary practices that really matter. Great leadersare lifelong learners, and there is no better place to start or continue your leadership learning journey than to read this book.”—James Foster, senior vice president, chief product supply officer, the CloroxCompany“Whether you are just beginning your leadership journey, are a seasoned CEO, ora professor of leadership, this timeless leadership classic needs to be within constantreach!”—Harry Kraemer Jr., former chairman and CEO, BaxterInternational; professor of management and strategy,Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management
“There are hundreds of leadership books on the market, and you’ll probably getsomething out of each of them, but none are so solidly based on research as TheLeadership Challenge. This is the book that goes beyond opinion and guides youto those behaviors that bring out the strength in others.”—Janelle Barlow, author, A Complaint Is a Gift and Branded CustomerService“The Leadership Challenge is the first book I recommend to all new leaders in KaiserPermanente. Twenty-five years after it was first written, it remains the best guideto leadership success, and in a time of global competition and economic uncertainty, the principles elucidated by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner serve as a powerfulfoundation for any individual hoping to help others innovate and embrace change.Leaders should be required to re-read this book every five years of their career.”—Robert Pearl, MD, executive director and CEO,the Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente“Seldom, it seems, have I been in the office of an HR professional where I did notsee a copy of The Leadership Challenge. The book has become a go-to source forprofessionals looking for insight into leadership development. Now Jim Kouzesand Barry Posner have gone back to the well to create an all-new fifth edition.While The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership are as timely as ever, the storiesare fresh and the insights are just as compelling. Simple and accessible, The Leadership Challenge is so packed with information that people who care about leadershipneed to put it on their shelves—but only after reading it cover to cover.”—John Baldoni, president, Baldoni Consulting LLC; author,Lead With Purpose, Lead Your Boss, and Lead By Example“It is truly laudatory that Jim and Barry are celebrating the twenty-fifth year of abook that never lost its appeal. The authors have observed, interviewed, consulted,taught, and thought for all those years, and they continually bring us the beststories, examples, and lessons to keep their work ever green. Bravo and thank you!”—Beverly Kaye, founder, co-CEO, Career Systems International; coauthor,Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go“Speaking from experience, it’s not easy to make research findings engaging, practical, and a pleasure to read. In this new edition of The Leadership Challenge, JimKouzes and Barry Posner have once again found that elusive balance betweenfocusing on the data and telling a great story. No other leadership book is ascompelling, as comprehensive, or as effective in teaching us how to go aboutmaking the changes we must make, in order to become the kind of leaders whocan move mountains. If you could read only one book about the art and scienceof leading, then this is without question the book you should read.”—Heidi Grant Halvorson, author, Nine ThingsSuccessful People Do Differently
“The Leadership Challenge is a proven, data-driven model for leadership that hasstood the test of time. The simple, effective framework works across industries andcultures, helping leaders engage their organizations and deliver superior performance; this has never been more important than in today’s interconnected, fastmoving world.”—Mike Splinter, CEO, Applied Materials“The Leadership Challenge has re-energized leadership at Applied Materials. The FivePractices of Exemplary Leadership provide a commonsense approach that is withinthe reach of anybody who needs to get work done through others.”—Mary Humiston, senior vice president, globalhuman resources, Applied Materials“Kouzes and Posner have given us a handbook of hope: leadership can be learnedat almost any level in an organization. The book provides identifiable skills, practices, and abilities available to anyone willing to develop themselves—not justthose charismatic personalities at the top. Research-based, conversationally written,and practically applied, The Leadership Challenge is absolutely the most comprehensive and credible book on leadership to date.”––Dianna Booher, author, Creating Personal Presence“The Leadership Challenge has gone from being a revelation to a standard to a classic.It is now the defining book on leadership for our time, and there is not a business,government, academic, or military leader in the developed world who, consciouslyor not, has not been taught its lessons.”—Mike Malone, associate fellow at Said BusinessSchool (Oxford); author, Bill & Dave“When Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner write on leadership, all of us had better payattention. The fifth edition of The Leadership Challenge will quickly become aclassic. Stop what you are doing and start reading, leading, and achieving.”—Pat Williams, senior vice president, Orlando Magic;author, Leadership Excellence“The Leadership Challenge includes real-life stories of globally diverse and inclusivepeople sharing their personal leadership challenges and learnings. From these reallife stories and the authors’ extensive fact-based research, Jim and Barry challengeeach of us to continually improve our leadership skills and inspire others to do thesame, and give us the formula to do just that. This book is as close to the bibleon leadership as you will find. From business person to family person anywherein the world, it has lessons on leadership for all.”—Stephen Almassy, global vice chair, OCA/Industry,Ernst & Young Global Limited
“For the last twenty years, I have been lucky enough to have worked with some ofthe world’s best mentors in the field of leadership development. Very few, I havediscovered, are equally comfortable in both the ivory tower and corporate boardroom. Jim and Barry have found the sweet spot and showcase it brilliantly in TheLeadership Challenge. It’s hard to think of a book that has had more of an influenceon my own writing, as well as my own practice advising corporate boards on CEOsuccession, than this landmark book. Although I could continue gushing for pagesabout the contributions that Jim and Barry have made to the field of leadership,I can boil down my thoughts into just two words: thank you!”—Jeffrey Cohn, coauthor, Why Are We Bad at Picking Good Leaders?“Nobody knows leadership better than Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner. They use real,current, and practical illustrations of what leadership looks like and then demonstrate how to improve its practice. A must-read for every leader, The LeadershipChallenge should be a part of every entrepreneur and intrapreneur’s business plan!”—Carol Sands, managing member, the Angels’ Forum“Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner know how to draw upon what we know (the evidence) to describe and teach what we need to do (through examples and reflectionexercises) in order to be more effective health care leaders. The book is as appropriate, accessible, and helpful for new leaders as it is for those with years of experience.I have personally observed current and future leaders using this book to strengthentheir leadership and personal effectiveness.”—Christy Harris Lemak, director, the Griffith Leadership Center in HealthManagement and Policy; associate professor, health management andpolicy, University of Michigan School of Public Health“Jim and Barry start from the most basic aspect of leadership: that human beingsneed purpose, values, and respect to be motivated. Given their starting point, it isperhaps not surprising that they hit the mark. Still the best book out there onleadership.”—Ken Wilcox, chairman, Silicon Valley Bank“For twenty-five years The Leadership Challenge has been a source of inspiration andinsight for some of the best educators I know. In this latest edition, Kouzes andPosner have added important wisdom and updated thinking to their work. TheLeadership Challenge is indispensable reading for those who take on the leadershipof our schools.”—Kevin Skelly, superintendent, Palo Alto Unified School District
“The nation’s health care system is in transition with significant system and economic changes. Physician leadership will be necessary to make this transformationsuccessful, while maintaining the focus on our patients. The Leadership Challengegives present and future physician leaders the leadership practices that will makethem both better leaders and physicians.”—Fernando Mendoza, MD, MPH; professor and chief, Division of GeneralPediatrics; service chief, general pediatrics, Lucile Packard Children’sHospital; associate dean of Minority Advising and Programs, School ofMedicine, Stanford University“Up-to-date, superbly compelling, and full of heart, the fifth edition of Jim Kouzesand Barry Posner’s classic draws on an unmatched trove of new data to offer freshcontext to the fundamentals of great leadership. The Leadership Challenge remainsthe essential text for leaders who want to achieve the extraordinary in today’shypercompetitive environment.”—Sally Helgesen, author, The Female Advantage“Peter Drucker would probably have called the publishing of Jim Kouzes and BarryPosner’s book The Leadership Challenge ‘a d
Lead With Purpose, Lead Your Boss, and Lead By Example “It is truly laudatory that Jim and Barry are celebrating the twenty-fifth year of a book that never lost its appeal. The authors have observed, interviewed, consulted, taught, and thought for all those years, and they continually bring us the best stories, examples, and lessons to keep their work ever green. Bravo and thank you .
