Decent People, Decent Company: How to Lead with Character at Work and in Life - Hardcover

Turknett, Robert L.; Turknett, Carolyn N.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0891062068 ISBN 13: 9780891062066

Publisher: Nicholas Brealey, 2005

Synopsis

Lays out a proven path and inspiring ideas for revitalizing attitudes and behavior, unleashing leadership integrity, and reinvigorating organizations.

About this title

From the Publisher:

Inspiring people who lead with integrity move things forward, garner commitment from others, and are willing to ask the tough questions when necessary. These are the real leaders who generate and sustain cultures of character in organizations. DECENT PEOPLE, DECENT COMPANY puts the power to develop the core qualities of leadership character into the hands of anyone dedicated to bringing integrity, respect, and personal responsibility back to the workplace--regardless of his or her place in the organization.

Drawing on more than 25 years of experience working with hundreds of CEOs, managers, and teams, this innovative husband-and-wife team provides both the inspiration and the tools to help people move from asking "Why don't they?" to asking "What can I?" With their original and dynamic Leadership Character Model, the Turknetts have captured the essence of what it takes to revitalize attitudes and behavior, unleash leadership integrity, and reinvigorate organizations. DECENT PEOPLE, DECENT COMPANY identifies the eight essential traits of leadership character: empathy, emotional mastery, lack of blame, humility, accountability, courage, self-confidence, and focus on the whole. In chapters that focus on each quality individually, dozens of leaders, in their own words, bring to life the struggles and triumphs of developing the behaviors of character and ethical leadership required to bring out the best in everyone.

From the Author:

We wrote DECENT PEOPLE, DECENT COMPANY because we want to help people grow. We believe that developing the character necessary for leadership can be the most rewarding and profound thing you've ever done. It allows you to accomplish more, to genuinely like your job more, to commit more fully to whatever you're doing--whether that's running a Fortune 500 company, organizing a PTA fundraiser, or managing a major project at work--and to simply enjoy life more. It allows you to lead in a way that lends integrity and character to everything you do, and to create organizations where everyone takes responsibility for the financial and ethical success of the company.

American culture is largely shaped by business, and business leaders have a huge impact on the culture at large. Influencing leaders to exercise leadership from a foundation of character is our ultimate goal. From our research and experience, we created the Leadership Character Model as the foundation of our work. We have applied this model with executives and team members for almost 20 years.

The character necessary for leadership is depicted as a scale with respect and responsibility balanced on a base of integrity. When people build relationships based on respect, have a strong sense of personal responsibility, and live with unwavering integrity, they build their own character and foster organizational cultures that encourage decency and growth in everyone. Both the individual and the company come out winners--and so does society as a whole.

Bob and Lyn Turknett

About this edition

• Publisher: Nicholas Brealey
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0891062068
• ISBN 13: 9780891062066
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 228