Co-Active Leadership, Second Edition

Book excerpt: As leaders, how we are is as important as what we do. The second edition of this leadership classic, updated with new chapters, shows how to master the inner and outer work needed to build relationships that unleash the transformational creative potential in everyone. We need to expand beyond top-down, one-dimensional leadership models and find alternatives that are more fluid and inclusive and that harness the possibility of many rather than relying on the power of one. This is exactly what Karen and Henry Kimsey-House provide in this groundbreaking book. Co-Active Leadership is a deeply collaborative approach, which is why the first of its five dimensions is leading from within: self-leadership. Leaders must be fully present and live lives of integrity, openheartedness, and self-awareness if they are to make the kind of conscious, creative choices Co-Active Leadership demands. Each of the remaining four dimensions work together holistically. Depending on the situation, you may lead from the front, offering guidance and inspiration; from behind, supporting and encouraging others; from beside, partnering with and supporting other members of your team; or from the field, drawing on insights and wisdom available beyond the rational mind. This edition includes two new chapters, one offering new ways to utilize the Co-Active Leadership Model and another that goes deeply into the Co-Active philosophy. Co-Active Leadership celebrates and honors different expressions of leadership. It invites all of us to share our expertise and allows collaborative solutions to emerge that would never have been possible otherwise.