Leading lightly Lower your stress, think with clarity, and lead with ease

A debut manual offers advice on developing leadership through improved ways of thinking. In this business book, Michael, a financial trader--turned--executive coach, takes readers through the process of improving their leadership skills by reshaping their thought processes. The guide explains that since the only thing individuals can control is their own thoughts and reactions, effective leaders must understand their physical and mental responses to stressors, forge a high level of self-awareness, and make sound decisions from a place of confidence. Michael uses stories from her own career and her coaching clients to demonstrate the concepts discussed in the text, and the anecdotes are often enlightening. The book explains how readers can use techniques borrowed from cognitive behavioral therapy to transform problematic thought processes into more useful ones, allowing them to hold themselves and others accountable, evaluate situations accurately, and make decisions driven by logic rather than pain or fear. Chapters instruct readers in becoming aware of their bodies' physical and mental reactions, developing control over them, and reframing responses for more productive outcomes, leading to personal satisfaction and professional success. There are portions of the guide that feel like an infomercial with the myriad mentions of Michael's trademarked training method and its companion app. But the many informative sections that demonstrate the technique without naming it mean that on balance the volume is more an educational tool than a sales pitch, as in this example of how to deal with events outside your control: "Accepting 'what is' frees up more of your energy to actually deal with the parts of the situation over which you do have control." The author is a strong writer and vivid storyteller who does an excellent job of showing how to put the manual's concepts into practice. Her personal story--she shares details of a somewhat dysfunctional childhood--also serves to demonstrate the usefulness and applicability of the techniques she advocates, making an effective case for the book's overall argument. A well-reasoned guide to forming the mental habits that lead to success. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.