Robert Glazer - Elevate: Push Beyond Your Limits and Unlock Success in Yourself and Others

by Stewart D. Friedman

Professor of Management Practice, Emeritus, the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, author of Total Leadership: Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life

Since the 1980s, Ive been in the business of discovering and sharing practical, evidence-based knowledge about how to build leadership capacity in all parts of life. In the early days of this work, the concept of leaders pursuing integration among the different parts of their lives was far out of the mainstream. Its inspiring to see that the zeitgeist has changed, and that the legitimate demand for useful knowledge about creating harmony in our lives has exploded. A generation of thought leaders are emerging to fill the need in this era; they are thought leaders who bring great talent and rich experience to bear on articulating wisdom that rests on the understanding that leadership in business is no longer just about business, its about life.

Bob Glazer is one such thinker. In Elevate , he shares readily applicable ideas for how to understand and cultivate the interconnected elements that make us who we are as distinct individuals, what I refer to as the domain of the private selfour spiritual, intellectual, physical, and emotional lives. He shows how these four pieces, explored both separately and as part of an integrated whole, offer a blueprint for personal and professional achievement. On the foundation of a philosophy rooted in a commitment to continually learning, Glazer boosts our understanding of the importance of knowing what we want. This knowledge is always hard won; it takes courage, because to identify your core values requires choice, which is often accompanied by anxiety. On every page, Glazers advice is both encouraging and realistic, just as his particular emphasis on raising expectations is both smart and optimistic. His hopeful view, which I share, is that we all have more capacity than we believe. We just have to pursue this idea and enlist the support of those around us who want to see us succeed in producing value for our world.

The good news is that this can be done, and this book helps point the way. Leaders who elevate both themselves and their people will see the greatest success in these turbulent times. So hold on for the great ride that Bob Glazer is going to take you on in this zestful read of a book. Hes curated a terrific bunch of resources and examples you can use to get yourself to the next level of leadership capacity. It may not be comfortable or easy, but it will surely be worth your time and attention to obtain this wisdom and try it out for yourself. You are bound to see returns not just for you, but, more importantly, for the people who matter to you in your work, in your family, and in your community as you seek to make your contribution as a leader striving for harmony in our fractious world.