By: David M. Traversi
This revolutionary book signals a new paradigm in leadership. Author David M. Traversi, nationally known executive coach, entrepreneur, and former corporate chief executive and investment banker, has worked with thousands of leaders over the course of his career. With a thesis that leadership on average is failing in most forums, and failing at an increasing rate as technology accelerates and complicates our existence... In The Source of Leadership, Traversi identifies and instructs how to develop eight personal drivers, energies deep within - each of which drives several of the traits and functions of the effective leader.
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Hardcover: 213 pages
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications; 1 edition (September 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1572245085
ISBN-13: 978-1572245082
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inche
Book Description
This revolutionary book signals a new paradigm in leadership. Author David M. Traversi, nationally known executive coach, entrepreneur, and former corporate chief executive and investment banker, has worked with thousands of leaders over the course of his career. With a thesis that leadership on average is failing in most forums, and failing at an increasing rate as technology accelerates and complicates our existence, Traversi explains how existing leadership literature provides checklists of the traits that an effective leader should possess (e.g., be self-defined, forward-thinking, credible, inspiring, focused, courageous) and the functions that a leader must perform (e.g., build a values-based core, generate ideas, form a vision, build a plan), but they don't explain how leaders and potential leaders can begin to embody the those traits and perform those functions. They describe the destination, but don't address the means - the engine - to get them there.
In The Source of Leadership, Traversi identifies and instructs how to develop eight personal drivers, energies deep within - presence, clarity (of thought, emotion, and behavior), openness, intention, personal responsibility, intuition, creativity, and connected communication - each of which drives several of the traits and functions of the effective leader. The leader who develops these personal energies will achieve maximum effectiveness as a leader, as well as a deep sense of contentment and fulfillment as a person.
With the burgeoning trend toward seeking a deeper grounding personally as a means of performing better professionally, The Source of Leadership is the early "defining voice" of this new trend in the leadership area.
An article by the author:
Where Is The Outrage?
By David M. Traversi
In his recent book, Where Have All the Leaders Gone?, Lee Iacocca talks about the performance of leaders across society and asks, “Where the hell is our outrage?” And he asks if he’s the only person in the country who’s fed up with what’s happening. Lee, you are not the only one. I am outraged, as are many others, and our expression of it is long overdue. Unless we demand more of our leaders, they will not deliver more, and unless they deliver more, we are collectively a snowball headed for a hot place.
The traits that a successful leader must have are pretty clear. He or she must be self-defined, forward thinking, courageous, energetic, and curious. She must be focused, organized, and supportive. She must be inspiring, listening deeply to others to find a common purpose and then giving life to her vision by communicating it so that others see themselves in it. Above all, she must be credible – having competency and displaying consistency and wholeness in words and character such that others have a deep confidence in her abilities and character. The functions a leader must perform vary with the specific leadership role. But the one common function is she must move people to produce a positive impact.
But leaders are increasingly not meeting these standards and the problems of our world are becoming acute. In politics, you don’t need to look any further than the White House. Inspiring? Credible? Positive impact? On each count, Bush and his cronies have been dismal failures. Even conservatives are tripping over themselves to get away from him. If you think Bush rates high for courage, think again. That’s just ignorant swagger. Energetic? Bush has set the all-time record for vacation days taken by a President. Read more
About the Author
David M. Traversi is the founder and Managing Director of 2020 Growth Partners, LLC, which offers executive coaching, strategic advisory, merchant banking, and leadership development services to executives and companies across the United States. He has worked as a chief executive of operating companies, a trial lawyer, a commercial lender, an investment banker, private company investor. In addition, he has started several successful companies in diverse industries. He holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and a JD from the King Hall School of Law at the University of California,
From the Publisher
In this pivotal book, business leader David Traversi examines the eight drivers common to all great leaders and offers advice on how readers can cultivate these powerful predictors of success and influence in their own professional lives
