Lives+of+Moral+Leadership



Coles, R. //Lives of moral leadership: Men and women who have made a difference//. New York, NY: Random House, 2001.

**Reviewed By** Chelsea Hans **Book Name** Lives of Moral Leadership **Book Author** Robert Coles ** Publisher and Year Published **Random House, 2001 **ISBN Number** 9780375758355


 * Book summary contents **

 Moral- of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior
 * Key Terms & Definitions **

Leadership- the act or an instance of leading

 Melancholy- an abnormal state attributed to an excess of black bile and characterized by irascibility or depression

Empathy- the action of understanding, being aware of, being  sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without  having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated  in an objectively explicit manner; //also// : the capacity for thi s

//Definitions- merriam-webster.com// **Executive Summary of the Author's Main Premise** Robert Coles explains in his book, " The Lives of Moral Leadership", how various individuals in his life have demonstrated great measures of moral leadership. Robert Kennedy, Erik Erikson, Dorothy Day, and other individuals. Some of Coles' most extraordinary stories come from that of individuals that are less well known.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">**Relevance to Leadership Concerns** The book brings attention to various characteristics and situations, in which leadership is displayed with a moral guidance. In this day in age, leadership done in a moral and ethical context is something that should be reviewed. We can learn from past historical figures, who have demonstrated such actions.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chapter 1- An Effective Moral Leader: Remembering Robert Kennedy + Discusses Coles meeting Robert Kennedy. + The importance of language in particular situations. + How Kennedy was able to adapt his leadership style to the situation.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Key Points from Each Chapter **

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chapter 2- On Robert Kennedy and Shakespeare's Henry V + Robert Kennedy and the doctors discuss Shakespeare's play, Henry V. + There is a connection between Kennedy and Henry V's character in the play. + Coles finds Kennedy's ability to not only be in the political arena, yet have such a strong moral ground.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chapter 3- Conrad's Typhoon + Explores Joseph Conrad's story, "Typhoon". + Conrad's leaders are not your typical moral leaders. + In the story when the typhoon hits the captain's moral "grounding enables him to act, lead, and prevail." (pg. 60)

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chapter 4- Moral Integration: Four Stories <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">+ Coles' accounts of interviews with four families. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">+ The interviews were done from 1960-1965 in the deep south. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">+ Tells of the stories of; "The Thomases and Tomasellos", Elaine <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Vogel, Donita Gaines, and Lillian Smith. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">+ Discusses differences between a "pretend leader" and <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">"real moral leadership".

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chapter 5- Eliciting the Assent of the Follower: Emerson's Representative Men <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">+ Ralph Waldo Emmerson's view's on a leader. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 95%;">+ Emmerson believed that "the leader is one who elicits the assent of the follower" (pg. 126).

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chapter 6- Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in Tandem: The Moral Leader of a Moral Leader + Dorothy Day was a founder of a foundation in the Catholic church, whose mentor was Pater Maurin. + Dorothy understood the importance of collaboration.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chapter 7- Danilo Dolci, Community Organizer and Writer: The Leader as Loner + Danilo Dolci an Italian writer, and social observer. + "He was a devoted listener as well as speaker" (pg. 166).

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chapter 8- Handing Each Other Along: Moral Leadership in Everyday Life + Story of Coles, and reflections on who have been other leaders in his own life. + Description of the effect of military training on himself.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chapter 9- Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Will and Moral Transcendence + Dietrich Bonhoeffer, was an individual who passed away in a concentration camp, who was also a German theologist. + "The psychology of the martyr, of a certain kind of a moral leader who won't be frightened by obstacles and opponents large and vindictive, is the psychology of will- of a decision made and it's consequences be damned" (pg. 204).

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chapter 10- The Bond Between Leaders and Followers: Erik Erikson, Gandhi, and Albert Jones, a Boston Bus Driver + Describes the leadership that led by Al Jones, in Boston in the late 1960's. + "There's leadership in action" (pg. 218). + A friendship between an African-American girl, Mary Ann and a white girl, Alice, at the height of he racial conflict.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chapter 11- High and Low Places: Two Presidents and American Children + Further explores what makes a "good leader". + Discusses President Clinton's fiasco in the White House. + "...moral leadership paradoxically becoming immediately, intensely discussed, despite its notable, regrettable lapse" (pg. 243).

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">**Is the Book Worth the Read? Why or Why Not****?** Kind of... While I thought Coles' experiences and the overall narrative of the story was good. I did find Coles to ramble at parts of the book. The stories are incredible, it is worth a read if you have time.