New Books at PEOSTA

Description: The best leaders are born, not made. The best leaders are always in control. The best leaders are those with the highest IQs. But are they really? The thinking surrounding what makes the greatest leaders is increasingly muddled by stereotypes, snake oil promises and pseudo-science. The best leaders rely on fact, not fads. This book blasts away the fluff and confronts false legends head on. Jo Owen analyzes each myth, using international business case studies, leadership theory and insightful interviews, to uncover the truth.
Note: CMI Management Book of the Year 2019--Aspiring Leaders Category.

Reviewed: PW 26 Feb. 2018 p. 81.
Description: Jeffrey A. Kottler translates the latest research, theory, and skills into practical strategies for everyday and professional situations. He presents the wisdom and successful strategies of an array of renowned leaders–from Steve Jobs to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, George Lucas to Admiral Horatio Nelson–while citing the challenges they faced and lessons they learned in their respective roles. The book focuses on key attributes such as self-confidence, flexibility, charisma, and humility, while noting the serious pitfalls associated with traits such as hubris, immodesty, and narcissism. Kottler’s writing is candid and realistic; though there are no easy rules or programs that instantly lead to success, there are steps you can take to make a difference in others’ lives, better manage conflict and stress, and ultimately serve as an effective leader. (publ.)

Reviewed: LJ 15 Feb. 2018 p. 72
Description: In 1998, soon after assuming the presidency of Tulane University, Scott Cowen was confronted with a setback. Despite an undefeated football season and putting the best financial deal on the table, Cowen was unable to retain the school’s football coach. The coach wanted something the president didn’t have–a football program so popular, as the coach put it, that fans would line up their Winnebagos on Wednesdays in anticipation of Saturday games. In that moment, Cowen improbably found himself in the entertainment business–and his university was deemed wanting. At a time when schools seem overrun by sports programs, spiraling costs, and absurd ranking systems, he argues that colleges and universities of all stripes and sizes can achieve their educational aims if they possess two things: visionary leadership and a strong mission. (publ.)