Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It - Hardcover

by James M. Kouzes (Author), Barry Z. Posner (Author)

The first true revision of the classic book from the bestselling author of The Leadership Challenge

As the world falls deeper into economic downturns and warfare, the question of credibility (how leaders gain and lose it) is more important than ever. Building on their research from The Leadership Challenge, James Kouzes and Barry Posner explore in Credibility why leadership is above all a relationship, with credibility as the cornerstone, and why leaders must "Say what you mean and mean what you say." This first full revision of the book since its initial publication in 1993 features new case studies from around the world, fully updated data and research, and a streamlined format.

Written by the premier leadership experts working today, Credibility

• Reveals the six key disciplines that strengthen a leader's capacity for developing and sustaining credibility.
• Provides rich examples of real managers in action
• Includes updates to the applications and research

This personal, inspiring, and genuine guide helps you understand the fundamental importance of credibility for building personal and organizational success.

Front Jacket

Credibility--and how you gain and lose it--is more important than ever.

As the world falls deeper into economic downturns and armed conflicts, as communities become more heatedly partisan, and as many workplaces show growing signs of disengagement, issues of credibility remain front and central.

In this thoroughly revised and updated edition of their bestselling book Credibility, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner explore why leadership is above all a relationship, with credibility as the cornerstone, and why leaders must "Say what you mean and mean what you say." Building on their more than thirty years of ongoing research, Credibility expands on their seminal work The Leadership Challenge, and shows why credibility remains the foundation of great leadership.

Throughout the book, Kouzes and Posner reveal how leaders can restore trust and confidence, and take the actions needed to strengthen credibility over time. Featuring in-depth interviews with international leaders from the business, government, education, and nonprofit sectors, this all-new edition contains personal stories and rich examples of the key actions and behaviors of credible leaders who get extraordinary things accomplished.

At the heart of the book is an exploration of the six key disciplines that strengthen a leader's capacity for developing and sustaining credibility: Discover Yourself; Appreciate Constituents; Affirm Shared Values; Develop Capacity; Serve a Purpose; and Sustain Hope. Addressing the needs of today's turbulent times, Kouzes and Posner also examine the tension that exists when leaders try to respond to constituents while remaining true to their values.

This personal, inspiring, and genuine guide offers an understanding of the fundamental importance of credibility and how to gain it in order to build personal and organizational success.

Back Jacket

"Credibility is the most timely and important issue of our age. And with this book, based on a solid foundation of research plus their years of experience, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner have thrown us a Hail Mary pass that can help to restore confidence and trust in our institutions. I am personally grateful to receive their pass. I bet that you will be too." --Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business, University of Southern California; author, Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership

"My first suggestion on how to build your credibility read this book and apply what you learn! Nothing is more important to a leader than credibility. Jim and Barry do a wonderful job of showing us all why it matters, how to earn it, and how to keep it! Another amazing contribution from the world's authorities on leadership!" --Marshall Goldsmith, author, MOJO and What Got You Here Won't Get You There

"Credibility should be on the must-read list for all leaders and potential leaders, and should be a required text for all business majors. Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner clearly outline the values and traits of credible leaders, and they both confirm and support the theory that we all want to work for 'credible' leaders. It is a fantastic read for all of us who aspire to be the leader that others want to follow." --Ann Rhoades, author, Built on Values; president and founder, People Ink

"Over the past twenty-five years, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner have built--no exaggeration--the most significant body of leadership work on the planet. Credibility is a masterpiece because it accomplishes the seemingly impossible: it boils the vast, often-complicated and confusing act of leadership down to its purest essence and then teaches us how to put it into practice in all aspects of our lives. Simply put, this book will not only inspire you to make a difference, it will help you do it." --Steve Farber, author, The Radical Leap Re-Energized and Greater Than Yourself; president, Extreme Leadership, Inc.

"When I graduated from business school back in the early 1980s, I thought I had to be a 'superhuman' if I were to ever be a CEO some day. After two dozen years of being a CEO, I now know that it's not about being superhuman; it's instead about being a super human. If there's one leadership book that is the operating manual for how to be a super leader and a super human at the same time, it is Credibility. Loved every word of it!" --Chip Conley, founder and executive chairman, Joie de Vivre; author, PEAK and Emotional Equations

Author Biography

James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner are the coauthors of the classic bestselling books The Leadership Challenge, The Truth About Leadership, A Leader's Legacy, Encouraging the Heart, and over a dozen other books and workbooks on leadership. They also developed the highly-acclaimed Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI), a 360-degree assessment tool based on The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership. Jim is the Dean's Executive Fellow of Leadership and Barry is Professor of Leadership at Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business. They are among the world's most trusted and influential scholars on leadership.

For more information, please visit www.credibility-book.com