Imagine a world with great leadership. What would that world be like? Would it be a better world or a worse one? Now ratchet great leadership up to exceptional leadership and suddenly we have cause for optimism. But how do we design exceptional leadership, and would we even know it if we saw it? Traditional paradigms of leadership have celebrated decisive top-down control and analytical decision-making. But times are changing. The world is more connected, complex, fluid and interdependent. This book debunks the myth that leaders need to be creative like designers to apply Design Thinking. Applying design approaches and practices to organizational leadership is not just about its leaders becoming more creative. It is definitely not about the person at the top coming up with the grand answer. Design thinking starts with the 'pain point' related to the problem you are trying to solve. You get to the heart of the issue. It is a collaborative effort that neatly leads stakeholders and representatives affected by the problem to design novel leadership solutions that actually work. This collection of stories, examples and narratives about exceptional leadership by design provides readers of all levels of experience with tangible, real, and heartfelt examples of how the design process can be applied to leadership. It will show how we: Inform great leadership with design Strengthen our own leadership by design Redesign hero leadership for more inclusivity Redesign organizations for Fe+Male leadership synergy Design leadership for a VUCA world Design flow-based leadership Design organizations that build resilient leadership Design leadership for innovation Design culturally intelligent leadership Build leadership into our spaces and places

Women Courageous: Leading Through the Labyrinth is a collection of true experiences by women from different parts of the world, leading in the political, academic, non-profit public, and private sectors. The stories illustrate their courage and also include a scholarly analysis to reshape our understanding of courage - how it shows up, develops, and facilitates transformation. Through this work, the editors offer a new definition: 'Courage is pushing forward, step by step, while everything is holding you back. Often unnoticed by others, courageous acts come with great emotional challenges, and also with a sense of purpose and determination. Courage is how we transform, not only ourselves but those we support and love and the work to which we have dedicated our lives.' This international group of authors weaves insights, research, and practices gleaned from walking the leadership labyrinth in their military, aerospace, public works, university, and school education, and nonprofit careers. The book offers stories of ambition, self-actualization, co-creation, as well as conflict, loss, betrayal, and healing, that will echo your own experience. The book will surprise you with new wisdom and releases fresh courage in all of us, to rise and meet the monumental challenges of this moment.

Visionary Leadership in a Turbulent World: Thriving in the New VUCA Context, is the thoughtful analysis of nine expert authors from around the globe who put VUCA under the microscope and take the reader on a journey that looks at VUCA from a number of different leadership perspectives. Through their research and writing these nine authors seek to provide sense-making and insights that are combined with practical tips and frameworks to help leadership embrace this new VUCA context and learn how to thrive within it. The book suggests ways in which organizational leadership can seek to develop both the self and the organization to systemically and ethically address VUCA with innovation, collaboration, and cultural intelligence, whilst also effectively managing the self with resilience and flow, and supporting everyone in the organization with effective systems coaching. Visionary Leadership in a Turbulent World: Thriving in the New VUCA Context, by the collaboration that engendered it, the innovation and research that supported it, and the teamwork that brought it to completion in the midst of real VUCA moments, models the principles and practices outlined in this excellent book.