Title:   Hanging the Mirror: The discipline of Reflective Leadership

Book Website/blog:  http://www.hangingthemirror.com/

 

Authors: Alan Scheffer, Mark Scheffer, Nancy Braun

 

These three debut authors have crafted an impressive book, one that is highly readable, instructional and humanistic in its approach to leadership. The title is derived from a client comment that the authors’ company “pushed each of us to hang a mirror and really take a look at what we saw.” The premise that leaders need to be “reflective” to be effective is played out in finely tuned, well-organized chapters that move through topics including motivation, vision, recognition, involvement and communication. The authors’ keen insights, enhanced by liberal use of authoritative sources, pervade each chapter, offering leaders much to ponder. The authors ask provocative questions—“To what extent do leaders use their authority for employees or onthem?”—and raise deep issues: e.g., “Only when self-reflection incorporates the views and perceptions of others, only when we reach beyond our own beliefs and expectations, can it be said that we have truly hung the mirror” and “The hard reality is that many of us do not really value the thinking of others and do not believe that it can improve our own.” Wisely, the authors devote the majority of the book to self-reflection, guiding readers with relevant examples, sound counsel and end-of-chapter questions. Still, the authors broaden their concept to demonstrate how a reflective leader can help create a reflective organization. They concentrate on the leader’s responsibility to build organizational unity by “defining the culture to which they aspire” and by paying attention “not only to their own effectiveness, but also to the effectiveness of each leader within their scope of authority.” The authors come full circle in the final chapter, “Living the Reflective Life,” in which they describe some of the key characteristics inherent in living a reflective life: “Only through reflection do we become everything we could be.”

Deftly written and researched, perceptive and relevant; an important addition to leadership literature.

 

By Morgan St James "MYSTERY LOVER" (California) originally for Amazon.

This review is from: The Frugal Book Promoter: Second Edition: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher. (How to Do It Frugally) (Paperback)

Carolyn Howard-Johnson should be called the "Guru of Frugal Promotion." Her ideas, suggestions and references are absolutely spot-on. I've been referring to this book for promotion of my books ever since I got it. With my 11th book. "La Bella Mafia" due to come out, once again I thumbed through it to find the most important things to put in the Media Kit because promotion for this book will be going to several major outlets in TV, radio and newspapers. You would think by Book #11, including my own book about writing, I'd have it down pat, but every time I refer to "The Frugal Book Promoter" I find new things that will save me money and make my books more visible.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Morgan St. James is the author of
Writers' Tricks of the Trade: 39 Things You Need to Know About the ABCs of Writing Fiction
La Bella Mafia