From Publishers Weekly
What can leaders learn from actors? Stage presence, say Halpern and Lubar, former entertainers themselves and cofounders of the Ariel Group, a corporate training and coaching firm. In this first book, they translate stage presence into the PRES model. PRES, an acronym for being Present, Reaching out, Expressiveness and Self-knowing, represents the four qualities that make up leadership presence "the ability to connect authentically with the thoughts and feelings of others, in order to motivate and inspire them toward a desired outcome." Although the content is aimed at so-called soft leadership skills, the book follows a highly practical model. Each of the four characteristics is discussed in a tightly organized section that boils down to three rules and three guidelines for understanding and applying the quality. Each chapter is supported by a series of useful practice exercises, including some solid advice for dealing with stage fright. Most of the examples used in the book are drawn from either acting or business; the business examples are derived from common situations (how to handle a presentation, connect with the workforce in a new job, relate to co-workers and subordinates). As the book progresses, the "acting as leadership" metaphor gets a bit strained, but the techniques and tactics remain appropriate for the business audience. Using the craft of acting as the delivery medium is an entertaining twist on the typical interpersonal skills book, even if thoughtful readers may be hard-pressed to accept the intimate connection between acting and business leadership claimed by the authors.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
"As a leader, you are always in the spotlight. Leadership Presence teaches how to be masterful under that bright light...connecting more profoundly to those you lead and to yourself. A thought-provoking and highly practical guide to realizing your leadership potential."
—Jay Conger, Professor, London Business School, Author, Building Leaders
"Based on years teaching senior executives at the Columbia Business School I can say that the ideas in this book are easy to apply and make a dramatic difference in leadership effectiveness. Infused with the magic of theater and illustrated with compelling stories, Leadership Presence is a fantastic resource for executives and executive educators!"
—Professor Michael J. Fenlon, Associate Dean for Executive MBA Programs, Columbia Business School
"In Leadership Presence, Halpern and Lubar reveal what great leaders have always known: that the secret to having a commanding presence isn't about personal power, but about empowering others. Its inspiring stories will speak to anyone who interacts with others. It will be especially useful for experienced leaders who feel they aren't coming across as powerfully as they'd like."
—Kenneth H. Blanchard, Co-author of The One Minute Manager and Full Steam Ahead!
"The foundation of success in business (and in life) is the ability to authentically engage and connect with others. Using the profession of acting as the perfect metaphor, this book is a masterful guide for achieving true leadership success. I loved the mix of personal stories from clients and well-known actors and found Leadership Presence to be a powerful teaching tool. This book isn't just for business leaders, it's for anyone who wants to bring more passion, empathy and presence to all their relationships. I highly recommend it!"
—Cheryl Richardson, author of Take Time for Your Life and Stand Up for Your Life
"The ability to inspire and move others is difficult to define, yet impossible to ignore. Leadership Presence unlocks the secrets of one of the most decisive and powerful aspects of human communication. If you want to better understand and develop leadership presence in yourself and others, read this book. Like its subject, this book is compelling – and impossible to ignore."
—James E. Copeland, Jr., Former Chief Executive Officer, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
"Finally there is a book where the insights of theatre, transformation and organizational learning have been brought together. Leaders of organizations have much to learn from those who have spent their lives understanding the nature of performance, keeping the beat going, and the power of truly showing up. In the end, productive and humane institutions depend on the integration of art and commerce. This book is a great beginning."
—Peter Block, Author, The Answer to How Is Yes, Stewardship, Flawless Consulting, and Empowered Manager
"It is relatively easy to describe what makes a leader, it's teaching people how to communicate the qualities of leadership that is difficult. Leadership Presence does just that. It doesn't just tell you what to do, it tells you how to do it."
—Mark C. Mazzarella, Co-author of Reading People and Put Your Best Foot Forward
"Using the craft of acting as the delivery medium is an entertaining twist on the typical interpersonal skills book."
—Publishers Weekly
From the Back Cover
"As a leader, you are always in the spotlight. Leadership Presence teaches how to be masterful under that bright light...connecting more profoundly to those you lead and to yourself. A thought-provoking and highly practical guide to realizing your leadership potential."
Jay Conger
Professor, London Business School
Author, Building Leaders
"Based on years teaching senior executives at the Columbia Business School I can say that the ideas in this book are easy to apply and make a dramatic difference in leadership effectiveness. Infused with the magic of theater and illustrated with compelling stories, Leadership Presence is a fantastic resource for executives and executive educators!"
Professor Michael J. Fenlon, Associate Dean for Executive MBA Programs, Columbia Business School
"In Leadership Presence, Halpern and Lubar reveal what great leaders have always known: that the secret to having a commanding presence isn't about personal power, but about empowering others. Its inspiring stories will speak to anyone who interacts with others. It will be especially useful for experienced leaders who feel they aren't coming across as powerfully as they'd like."
Kenneth H. Blanchard, Co-author of The One Minute Manager and Full Steam Ahead!
"The foundation of success in business (and in life) is the ability to authentically engage and connect with others. Using the profession of acting as the perfect metaphor, this book is a masterful guide for achieving true leadership success. I loved the mix of personal stories from clients and well-known actors and found Leadership Presence to be a powerful teaching tool. This book isn't just for business leaders, it's for anyone who wants to bring more passion, empathy and presence to all their relationships. I highly recommend it!"
Cheryl Richardson, author of Take Time for Your Life and Stand Up for Your Life
"The ability to inspire and move others is difficult to define, yet impossible to ignore. Leadership Presence unlocks the secrets of one of the most decisive and powerful aspects of human communication. If you want to better understand and develop leadership presence in yourself and others, read this book. Like its subject, this book is compelling and impossible to ignore."
James E. Copeland, Jr., Former Chief Executive Officer, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
"Finally there is a book where the insights of theatre, transformation and organizational learning have been brought together. Leaders of organizations have much to learn from those who have spent their lives understanding the nature of performance, keeping the beat going, and the power of truly showing up. In the end, productive and humane institutions depend on the integration of art and commerce. This book is a great beginning."
Peter Block, Author, The Answer to How Is Yes, Stewardship, Flawless Consulting, and Empowered Manager
"It is relatively easy to describe what makes a leader, it's teaching people how to communicate the qualities of leadership that is difficult. Leadership Presence does just that. It doesn't just tell you what to do, it tells you how to do it."
Mark C. Mazzarella, Co-author of Reading People and Put Your Best Foot Forward
"Using the craft of acting as the delivery medium is an entertaining twist on the typical interpersonal skills book."
Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Kathy Lubar and Belle Linda Halpern, cofounders of The Ariel Group, have instructed more than 30,000 executives from hundreds of companies through their workshops. Lubar is a professional actress and cofounder of Boston's New Repertory Theater. Halpern performs nationwide as an actress and singer and has taught music students at Harvard University. Both live in the Boston area, where The Ariel Group is based.
