For leaders who've read every leadership book (or just feel like they have) Most leaders feel like they've read all there is to read about leadership but are still frustrated when the tools of 'professionals' fail to work. Leadership Wisdom from Unlikely Voices takes leaders off the frustrating path of doing leadership and into the more meaningful place of being a leader. Rather than focusing on new tools or techniques, author Dave Fleming draws on the 'voices' of contemplative thinkers and their views on issues that affect leaders today. Nouwen, Augustine, Underhill, Benedict, and others offer readers insight from outside the world of leadership on how to regain the humanity of being a leader. Each chapter includes interactive exercises that allow readers to reflect on what they're learning, evaluate ideas, and then implement those ideas that resonate most.

In The Bible, God uses many ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Moses didn’t think he was a leader when God chose him; people laughed at Noah for building that ark for so many years; Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers only to rise to second-in-command of all of Egypt. God makes it a point of taking ordinary people—people who have overcome great adversity and hardship—and using them to lead. ?Instead of viewing your struggles as setbacks, this book will teach you how you can utilize them in your ability to grow and effectively lead others. It is the Unlikely Leader who has the most significant impact!

For the first time ever, Roger Smith, the former President and CEO of American Income Life Insurance and Liberty National, takes readers on an unflinching journey through his remarkable life; a life that includes astronomical business success alongside family struggles and a life-threatening battle with addiction. Written in a fast-paced, no-holds-barred style, The Most Unlikely Leader is a tour-de-force. Why 'unlikely'? By the time Smith was a teenager he was living on the streets of Santa Monica and addicted to drugs. He dropped out of high school, ran into trouble with the law, had his best friend shot right next to him while running away from a failed robbery attempt and, at one point, was so down and out and desperate for a fix in his early thirties that he walked into the Pacific Ocean expecting never to come back. While the first third of Smith's story deals with his life as a functional addict, The Most Unlikely Leader reveals how he got clean, got his mind right, got his career back and ascended to the highest role in a massive corporation. From Smith's first foray into entrepreneurship as a young boy selling comic books on the streets of New York City, to his first sales job in Compton, California, to his taking over American Income Life, this book shares the philosophy, the decisions (both good and bad) and the grit that resulted in a man without a high school diploma being put in charge of one of the largest life insurance companies in the world. Oklahoma City. Arkansas. Baltimore. Chicago. Dallas. Washington, D.C. These are just a few of the stops we'll visit as Smith rose through the ranks of American Income relying on nothing but his wit, work ethic and his evolving understanding of what it takes to build teams and lead national organizations. Part leadership manual, part business manifesto and part memoir, The Most Unlikely Leader is the rare leadership book you won't be able to put down.

Despite several landmarks across the state bearing his name, John Hunter, the second governor of New South Wales, remains somewhat of an enigma. His solitary, career-driven life on land and at sea was tumultuous. As a governor, he had a tough time making his mark and taking charge, and eventually failed. Upon his return to England he went to great lengths to redeem his standing in society.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Deval Patrick, “an inspirational figure guided by optimism and hope who presaged the rise of President Obama” (The Boston Globe), recounts his extraordinary journey from the South Side of Chicago to the governorship of Massachusetts. “I’ve simply seen too much goodness in this country—and have come so far in my own journey—not to believe in those ideals, and my faith in the future is sometimes restored under the darkest clouds.”—Governor Deval Patrick In January 2007, Deval Patrick became the first black governor of the state of Massachusetts, one of only two black governors elected in American history. But that was just one triumphant step in an improbable life that began in a poor tenement on the South Side of Chicago, taking Patrick from a chaotic childhood to an elite boarding school in New England, from a sojourn doing relief work in Africa to the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies, and then to a career in politics. In this heartfelt and inspiring memoir, he pays tribute to the family, friends, and strangers who, through words and deeds, have instilled in him transcendent lessons of faith, perseverance, and friendship. In doing so, he reminds us of the power of community and the imperative of idealism. With humility, humor, and grace, he offers a road map for attaining happiness, empowerment, and success while also making an appeal for readers to cultivate those achievements in others, to feel a greater stake in this world, and to shape a life worth living. Warm, nostalgic, and inspirational, A Reason to Believe is destined to become a timeless tribute to a uniquely American odyssey and a testament to what is possible in our lives and our communities if we are hopeful, generous, and resilient. Governor Deval Patrick is donating a portion of the proceeds from A Reason to Believe to A Better Chance, a national organization dedicated to opening the doors to greater educational opportunities for young people of color.