Book Review: "The Leadership Integrity Challenge"

According to the president of Merriam-Webster, "integrity" is one of the top ten words most looked up on the company's online dictionary. I'm not altogether surprised by this news. Integrity is, what I like to call, a "big concept" word. It's thrown around a lot, especially in business, but many people aren't quite sure what it really means.

This is one of the reasons I was attracted to this month's book club selection, The Leadership Integrity Challenge: Assessing and Facilitating Emotional Maturity. That title alone has three "big concept" words-leadership, integrity, and emotional maturity-all of which are things I think each and every one of us could benefit from learning more about.

The good news is, author Edward E. Morler is a great writer. He's clear and concise and has the ability to take huge ideas, break them down into small pieces and roll them out methodically in front of you so it all makes sense. The book is thorough but well-organized, and it follows a logical progression of thought so it's quite engaging for what is, essentially, a text book. Further, some of the concepts are truly enlightening. Dr. Morler reveals fundamental aspects of human nature that will cause even the most self-aware reader to critically analyze his or her behavioral patterns in a new light.

For me, the most powerful lesson learned from this book was how integrity and emotional maturity are so tightly intertwined. I realized that, while I consider myself a person of high integrity, I have some room for improvement on the emotional maturity side. Specifically, I often let my emotions get the better of me and, while it comes from a good place, it doesn't always serve me well especially in the professional world. With the help of this book, I've learned to view emotions as "messages". Now, rather than simply acting thoughtlessly based on my emotional state or suppressing my emotions altogether, I stop and listen to what the emotion is telling me. This has allowed me to become more consciously aware of my choices, which has led to more responsible actions.

Now, let me be honest: I have more work to do. I'll probably read this book another two or three times over the next few years...that's how valuable I believe the information here to be. It's also a sign of how complicated some of these ideas are. Reading about them once is enough to open your eyes, but to truly absorb what they mean and translate them into your life will likely take a more in-depth, long-term approach. This is a book to be studied, dog-eared and referenced frequently throughout one's professional life. This is especially true for those in managerial roles (or those looking to be in the future). The concepts here will make understanding, interacting with and leading your team members a more fruitful and rewarding experience.

I'm not the only one who likes this book. In fact, it's won some impressive awards including Best Business Book (USBookNews.com) and Self-Help Book of the Year (Foreward Magazine Book of the Year Awards). For a little more information about the author and to download some free, in-depth articles on these "big concepts", visit www.morler.com. And if you don't have a copy of the book yet, pick it up here.

Next Month's Selection

Next month's book club is being hosted by OA member Kemetia MK Foley. As a longtime hockey fan, Kemeita has chosen the book The Business of Happiness by Ted Leonsis, the owner of the Washington Capitals hockey team.

According to Amazon:

In The Business of Happiness, Ted Leonsis-business, sports, and media mogul-explains that success may or may not make you happy, but happiness will almost always make you more successful. Through research studies, personal stories, and anecdotal evidence from celebrities, famous athletes, and influential businessmen, Ted reveals the six secrets to achieving true happiness-and how they make success almost inevitable.

Pick up your copy today.