The Mind of the Leader

Most leaders think they're effective at motivating their employees, but study after study shows that employees are more disengaged and uninspired than ever. The solution lies not in more management training or fun off-sites but in looking within--into the mind of the leader. Based on their years-long research and practice, Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter, of the Potential Project, have conclusively found that three qualities stand out as being foundational for leaders today: mindfulness, selflessness, and compassion--what they call the MSC Leadership Mind, the ideal mind of the leader.

Mindfulness addresses the distractedness that kills our focus, stunts our productivity, and makes us action-addicted multitaskers. Selflessness addresses the general lack of fulfillment in work life by helping us--and the people we lead--find true happiness and meaning. And compassion addresses today's social disintegration by enhancing true human connections, followership, and engagement.

“Advance Praise for The Mind of the Leader : Dominic Barton, Global Managing Partner, McKinsey & Company-- " The Mind of the Leader has captured some of the essentials of leadership in the twenty-first century: being mindful, selfless, and compassionate. With these, we are better able to engage our people and we bring more value to our clients." Kathleen Hogan, Chief People Officer, Microsoft-- "A forward and practical guide for companies wanting to evolve their leadership capabilities to engage both the minds and the hearts of today's workforce." Francine Katsoudas, SVP and Chief People Officer, Cisco-- "How leaders communicate, engage, and show up to their teams has never been more important. Creating a world-class team and environment where people can do their best work is the number-one job of a leader, and more than ever leaders are being asked to elevate team performance through innovative leadership. The Mind of the Leader shares important insights and perspectives and lays a path for how you make this happen." Loren I. Shuster, Chief People Officer, the LEGO Group-- " The Mind of the Leader goes beyond the hyperbole associated with mindfulness today and provides real-world examples from leading executives that can not only provide inspiration to the reader but outline a path toward the cultivation of such critical leadership qualities as selflessness and compassion. Creating the context for others to find meaning, purpose, and a sense of connectedness has become the hallmark of a productive and engaged organization." Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO, Thrive Global-- "In The Mind of the Leader , Hougaard and Carter draw on years of research to show that the traditional, top-down style of leadership doesn't work anymore. The successful leaders of the future will be human-centered, focused as much on growth and the bottom line as on creating a flourishing and sustainable culture. This book is a manual of success for leaders in any industry."”

"An excellent how-to with exercises and coaching on presence, awareness, and focus." -- Associations Now

"lays out succinctly and in clear language a three-part approach to leadership…Books like this should be required reading in business schools everywhere." -- Mindful magazine

Advance Praise for The Mind of the Leader:

Dominic Barton, Global Managing Partner, McKinsey & Company--
"The Mind of the Leader has captured some of the essentials of leadership in the twenty-first century: being mindful, selfless, and compassionate. With these, we are better able to engage our people and we bring more value to our clients."

Kathleen Hogan, Chief People Officer, Microsoft--
"A forward and practical guide for companies wanting to evolve their leadership capabilities to engage both the minds and the hearts of today's workforce."

Francine Katsoudas, SVP and Chief People Officer, Cisco--
"How leaders communicate, engage, and show up to their teams has never been more important. Creating a world-class team and environment where people can do their best work is the number-one job of a leader, and more than ever leaders are being asked to elevate team performance through innovative leadership. The Mind of the Leader shares important insights and perspectives and lays a path for how you make this happen."

Loren I. Shuster, Chief People Officer, the LEGO Group--
"The Mind of the Leader goes beyond the hyperbole associated with mindfulness today and provides real-world examples from leading executives that can not only provide inspiration to the reader but outline a path toward the cultivation of such critical leadership qualities as selflessness and compassion. Creating the context for others to find meaning, purpose, and a sense of connectedness has become the hallmark of a productive and engaged organization."

Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO, Thrive Global--
"In The Mind of the Leader, Hougaard and Carter draw on years of research to show that the traditional, top-down style of leadership doesn't work anymore. The successful leaders of the future will be human-centered, focused as much on growth and the bottom line as on creating a flourishing and sustainable culture. This book is a manual of success for leaders in any industry."

Rasmus Hougaard is the Founder and Managing Director of Potential Project, the global leading provider of leadership and organizational effectiveness solutions based on training the mind. Rasmus has practiced and taught mindfulness for more than two decades. Jacqueline Carter is an International Partner and North American Director for Potential Project. She has over twenty years of experience working with organizations around the globe to enhance effectiveness and improve performance. Together, they are the authors of One Second Ahead: Enhance Your Performance at Work with Mindfulness.

Most leaders think they're effective at motivating their employees, but study after study shows that employees are more disengaged and uninspired than ever. The solution lies not in more management training or fun off-sites but in looking within--into the mind of the leader. Based on their years-long research and practice, Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter, of the Potential Project, have conclusively found that three qualities stand out as being foundational for leaders today: mindfulness, selflessness, and compassion--what they call the MSC Leadership Mind, the ideal mind of the leader. Mindfulness addresses the distractedness that kills our focus, stunts our productivity, and makes us action-addicted multitaskers. Selflessness addresses the general lack of fulfillment in work life by helping us--and the people we lead--find true happiness and meaning. And compassion addresses today's social disintegration by enhancing true human connections, followership, and engagement.

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