Dignified Leadership: Curing the Cancer of Objectification - Softcover

Witkop M.D., Gregory S.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0999838423 ISBN 13: 9780999838426

Publisher: Greg Witkop, 2018

Synopsis

As a senior FBI Special Agent and former Army surgeon who left private practice following the events of 9/11, I have witnessed first hand the devastating physical and psychological consequences of treating people as expendable objects rather than dignified human beings. I have also seen cancer cells ravage a body causing suffering and sometimes death. Interestingly, the key difference between cancerous and healthy cells is a complex molecular system that enables healthy cells to “recognize” other cells as “self” and cooperate for mutual benefit. Cancer cells often lack this ability, expand past their mutually beneficial boundaries, and squeeze the life from everything in their path. Metaphorically, cancer cells do not recognize the dignity of cells around them and literally turn them into objects by destroying them. Similarly, we humans can lose sight of the fact that we are all part of a greater whole and worthy of being treated with dignity. Like cancer cells, we can view everything and everyone else as objects to be used, rather than fellow human beings necessary for our own survival. When we treat our fellow human beings as objects, we demonstrate the signs of the cancer of objectification. Objectification is the root of all forms of slavery and the often unconscious justification for the abuse of power. Objectification enables not only child sex trafficking, terrorist attacks, and ethnic cleansing but also sexual harassment, discrimination of all types, and the Nazi slogans at Charlottesville. Objectification causes universal and unimaginable suffering. Objectification is a societal cancer. The good news is: we can cure it. We can cure it because it is nothing more or less than an often unacknowledged way of thinking. Once we become aware of this catastrophic way of thinking, and replace it with a logically coherent and compassionate approach, we can change. We can choose to treat others with dignity as fellow human beings rather than mere objects. This book will assist leaders in creating cultures intentionally designed to treat others with dignity and eradicate objectification. As the evidence will clearly show, leaders who choose this path will not only improve their followers’ lives, but also dramatically improve their own. In the process, their organization will exponentially increase in both capability and effectiveness. Regardless of scale or sector, from public service to for-profit corporations, from military units to non-profit NGOs, from hundreds of thousands of followers to a single parent leading a child, the benefits of dignified leadership are irrefutable.

About this title

Review

Dignified Leadership is an important read for every manager but a crucial one for executives. The book neatly lays out far-reaching but infrequently discussed organizational issues: what does it mean to be human, and how do you tap into the best of human nature to create a vibrant workplace? Drs Witkop and de Quincey adeptly show how their performance solutions match the philosophical "right thing to do." A leadership team can use this book to generate discussions and joint agreement about how to boost creativity and maximize results. Pass this book on to everyone in your executive suite!
Mike Mears,
Retired Chief Human Capital
Central Intelligence Agency

Speaking to the brain and the heart: This book offers a leadership philosophy we all can understand and share. People count! And if they are treated as such, their innermost senses will drive them to happiness and then success. We all know we do better at everything if we are happy! If only we had more leaders like this, the world would be a happier place. Thank you Greg Witkop and Christian de Quincey for reminding us that happiness is the forerunner of success, not the reverse. It's a no-brainer or should be. These authors lead the way for 21st century leadership! As a manager for 30 years, I could have used this book long ago. Read it, you will find success and so will your organization and everyone in it.
Carol Kessler,
Former Director
Brookhaven National Laboratory

Edition details

• Publisher: Greg Witkop
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0999838423
• ISBN 13: 9780999838426
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 372