"Against a backdrop of global change of every kind, from climate to demography, from national security to international terrorism, it is becoming increasingly evident that we live in a deeply interconnected world. However, our approach to leaders continues to be stuck in an individual-centred mindset that perceives the world from a disconnected and fragmentary perspective. And so it is critical that we make the shift to a new kind of global leadership. Such a leadership would be born out of a (...) deep sense of interconnectedness. Never before has it become more urgent for us to choose leaders and to become leaders who possess greater awareness and humanity. In this context, Africa has a vital role to play. Africa's gift to global leadership lies in its roots - in communally expressed humanity inspired by the collective wisdom and actions of all human beings. It takes the human being as the starting point, emphasizing the dignity and worth of all, and relying on the philosophical constructs of uBuntu and iSintu. These ideas call for all of us to be the kind of leaders who know that we are who we are because of other people. Personal growth, African style takes an approach to leadership which offers a path to personal development, dealing with leadership as a process of self-discovery and a journey to the centre of oneself and one's origins. It inspires leadership through the individual's reclaiming his or her wholeness as a human being, as an African, as a global citizen. It seeks to regenerate and ignite the less tangible aspects of leadership: those linked to higher purpose and self-awareness and to the good of a broader community. While focusing on personal growth, this approach not only calls upon you, the individual, to expand the level and depth of your self-awareness, but to honour and enrich the potential of those whose lives you touch. The book contains a variety of readings and tools as well as written exercises to help you to grow personally and to encourage you to begin to see yourself as a person who expresses the values, knowledge and behaviour which consciously embody uBuntu. It seeks to reclaim the possibility of a more human style of leadership. Not only for Africa, but for the world"--Cover. (shrink)

'Most of us are still groping for answers about what makes life worth living, or what confers meaning on individual lives', writes Charles Taylor in Sources of the Self. 'This is an essentially modern predicament.' Charles Taylor's latest book sets out to define the modern identity by tracing its genesis, analysing the writings of such thinkers as Augustine, Descartes, Montaigne, Luther, and many others. This then serves as a starting point for a renewed understanding of modernity. Taylor argues that modern (...) subjectivity has its roots in ideas of human good, and is in fact the result of our long efforts to define and attain the good. The modern turn inwards is far from being a disastrous rejection of rationality, as its critics contend, but has at its heart what Taylor calls the affirmation of ordinary life. He concludes that the modern identity, and its attendant rejection of an objective order of reason, is far richer in moral sources that its detractors allow. Sources of the Self provides a decisive defence of the modern order and a sharp rebuff to its critics. (shrink)

The two most critical issues for business today, according to CEO's Barrett has worked with, are: "How to tap the deepest levels of creativity and the highest levels of productivity of our employees." In a world where competition has become global, successful companies are learning to build competitive advantage through their human capital. In the 21st Century, even that will not be enough. Success will also hinge on whether, in the eyes of the employees and society-at-large, the organization is a (...) trusted member of the community and a good global citizen. Developing a values-driven approach to business is quickly becoming essential for financial success. Who you are and what you stand for are becoming just as important as what you sell. "More than simply a majestic vision, Richard Barrett's book brilliantly describes the ways and means for business leaders to create the compassionate and viable future we urgently need on our beautiful planet." -Godric E.S. Bader, F.R.S.A., Life President, Scott Bader Commonwealth Ltd. "If every corporate executive bought this book and assigned it for in-house management development courses, the world would become a better place." -Hazel Henderson, author, Building a Win-Win World and Creating Alternative Futures "As we approach the new Millennium the world seeks clear thinkers with visionary concepts to help unravel the challenges before us. Richard Barrett's inspiring new book Liberating the Corporate Soul weaves a rich tapestry balancing heart and soul with a practical down-to-earth corporate vision for the future." -Craig and Patricia Neal, Co-Founders, Heartland Institute "Liberating the Corporate Soul presents a convincing rationale for making ethical and socially responsible behavior the best foundation for building and maintaining a high performance, globally successful business." -Robert W. MacGregor, President, Minnesota Center for Corporate Responsibility "Liberating the Corporate Soul gives a powerful set of tools for organizational transformation. I highly recommend it." -Ann Svendsen, Consultant and author of The Stakeholder Strategy: Profiting from Collaborative Business Relationships "Practical advice to tap the source of creativity and innovation which every business seeks." -Ron Nahser, President and CEO of The Nahser Agency/Advertising, Chicago "The bold, practical blueprint we need for moving business to the next evolutionary level. Sweeping, brilliant a sense of the grandeur of the new paradigm of business." -Martin Rutte, President Livelihood, co-author Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work "Liberating the Corporate Soul is a must read for leaders who want to shape a government built on values, innovation, and greater efficiency." -Jody Zall Kusek, Director of Strategic Planning and Performance Management, U.S. Department of the Interior "Liberating the Corporate Soul achieves the impossible: it integrates the intangibles of ethics, vision, and consciousness into a tangible measurement system." -Marcello Palazzi, Bsc, Msc, MBA, Co-Founder and Chair, Progressio Foundation, The Netherlands "Liberating the Corporate Soul provides a paradigm shifting look at how business leaders can harness the creative potential of their staff and their organizations. The author concisely develops and explains several tools that will enable managers to create an organizational foundation that will foster alignment, accountability and strategic focus." -Tad McKeon, MBA, CPA, CQM, 1997 Senior Examiner, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, co-author, Transforming Home Care: Quality, Cost and Data Management "This book has captured the true challenge of business today: nurturing values-based organizations to which employees and other stakeholders commit. It is also an excellent guide to achieving this goal which is proving to be the most important success factor of our times." -Margareta Barchan, CEO and President, CELEMI, Sweden "This book breaks new ground in helping business leaders take responsibility for the whole. It encourages us to build a better world through business." -George E. McCown, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, McCown, De Leeuw & Co., Chairman, World Business Academy "If you want to install in your company a climate of trust, harmony, creativity and vision... If you accept to be honest about your own values and ethics... Jump on this book, it is one of the best I know, linking a new vision with concrete and effective tools helping you to revitalize and reenchant your enterprise." -Marc Luyckx, Forward Studies Unit European Commission, Brussels · This book is a process blueprint for building a visionary organization with a values-driven approach · Based on tested models and tools developed internationally on how work, values and leadership will change in the 21st century · Originated from work within the World Bank where the author was Values Coordinator and Founder of the World Bank Spiritual Unfoldment Society and a member of the Institutional Change and strategy Dept. at the World Bank. (shrink)