"Before you can inspire with emotion, you must be swamped with it yourself. Before you can move their tears, your own must flow. To convince them, you must yourself believe."

-- Winston Churchill

The mere fact that you are reading this says something about you. You must be a leader, aspire to become a leader or, at the very least, are curious about what makes a leader tick. You are, in fact, a rarity in this world, because real, honest-to-goodness leaders are not found on every street corner or behind every desk.

Real leaders are unique. They think differently. They see their world and their role in it differently. Most people see a problem and form an opinion. A leader sees a problem and begins formulating a plan. Most people wonder what their purpose is in life. A leader already knows.

We're not saying that leadership is easy. In fact, it is not only difficult; it is often lonely and frustrating. Leaders are not perfect. Their flaws gnaw at them and at times bring them to ruin. But leaders never quit leading, and they should never quit learning about themselves and about leadership in an ever-changing world.

Taking Charge: Lessons In Leadership is a collection of conversations from some of America's most dynamic leaders, including Warren Bennis and Joan Gustafson. Their insights, perspectives, and strategies are having a dramatic impact on people, organizations, and even countries, across America and around the world. You will learn from these leaders and find encouragement and inspiration to continue your own leadership journey. It is a journey well worth taking.

What do Lillian Vernon, Ardath Rodale, Wendy Richards, Colleen Down, and Vicki Tolman have in common? They are all leaders in today's world.

In Some Leaders are Born Women! you will:

• Read the inspiring leadership stories of these five women along with more than thirty other female leaders.
• Learn the seven essential characteristics shared by successful female leaders in today's world.
• Discover how you can become more effective by building the leader that already lives within you.

is for all women who want to succeed in life. In addition to defining a new paradigm for success, in which measurement is based on your own definition of success rather than on the perceived expectations of others, this book will help you to create success in your life by giving you:

• Strategies and examples on how to be successful in both business and in life.
• Processes, action steps, and tips on how you can create success from within.
• Real-life examples on how a woman can enjoy success, regardless of family background and experiences, educational background, economic status, the way she has been treated, and past mistakes.

But success, for many, is both hard to describe and even harder to achieve. It is like the proverbial "sand in the hourglass," forever slipping through our fingers. We wake up thinking about it and drift off to sleep having done little to make it a reality in our lives. Many, however, achieve success in different degrees and this keeps our dreams of success alive. "If she can do, why can't I?" is often the unspoken question of our heart. And when we are feeling confident and sure of ourselves, we say, "If he can do it, so can I!" Maybe this is where success really begins: in the deep, often misunderstood corners of our mind.

So, what is the secret to success and why are so many people unable to attain it? There is no one simple answer, but the contributing authors to Success Is A Decision Of The Mind bring a wealth of practical, life-proven ideas, insights, and strategies to anyone willing to dig in and discover! Eleven success specialists, including Joan Gustafson, share their unique perspective on success and achievement in this elegant and inspirational edition.

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