The Heart Work of Modern Leadership
6 Differentiators of Exceptional Leaders
Both strategic intellect and genuine compassion are necessary for navigating organizational disruption, says the encouraging business guide The Heart Work of Modern Leadership.
With its eye-catching layouts, David Grossman’s compelling leadership guide The Heart Work of Modern Leadership examines human-centered management that bridges the gap between technical competence and emotional intelligence.
Encouraging a shift from traditional command-and-control management to a style that prioritizes human connections, the book identifies six behavioral markers that it claims separate average managers from those who achieve high levels of employee engagement and retention. Grounding its observations in extensive survey data from the Grossman Group with the Harris Poll, representing over two thousand respondents, it proposes means of professional development that emphasize empathy and transparency as core business functions.
The emotional state of a workforce is treated as the primary indicator of organizational health, with the book asserting that both strategic intellect and genuine compassion are necessary for navigating disruption. While most managers believe that they express thanks, it says, few workers feel valued; 54 percent of workers rate their leadership teams as “good,” and 17 percent say their leaders’ styles are “outdated.” It also discusses contextual communication, arguing that transparency requires sharing the reasoning behind particular decisions in order to build trust and reduce anxiety.
Each section addresses one of the six differentiators. They include gratitude, inclusivity, and employee growth—concepts that can feel subjective, but which the book treats with objective prowess. It also moves from considering broad social changes to proposing specific behavioral shifts, with sidebars appearing as quick reference points to reinforce the central argument. Still, the book’s focus on the empathy gap between managerial perceptions and employees’ experiences is heavy.
The prose is considered and precise, its sentences short and clear even when the vocabulary within them is sophisticated. And the book moves at a steady pace from theory to implementation, supplemented by engaging visual aids. Indeed, the application of its principles is encouraged and enabled throughout, both via reflection exercises and specific questions (like “When was the last time you truly listened without an agenda?”) for leaders and for team meetings and through guidance for those looking to modernize their approaches to management. The conclusion is purposeful as well, articulating a clear path forward for those willing to engage in the necessary self-reflection.
Honest in its assessments of what is required to lead in times of uncertainty, the data-supported business book The Heart Work of Modern Leadership argues that empathy is necessary when it comes to achieving professional excellence.
Reviewed by
John M. Murray
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
