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Center for Enlightened Leadership
 

BOOKS

  The Wise Leader: Doing the Right Things for the Right Reasons, by Paul D. Houston and Stephen L. Sokolow
  The Wise Leader
The Wise Leader:
Doing the Right Things for the Right Reasons
by Paul D. Houston and Stephen L. Sokolow

We are pleased to announce the publication of our new book The Wise Leader: Doing the Right Things for the Right Reasons, now available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and iUniverse.com.  

On the Amazon site or here, if you click on Look Inside, you can review the Table of Contents and the first four chapters.  We hope that you will check it out and, if you like it, recommend it to friends and colleagues.

Please share this announcement with at least 2 people and ask them to share it with 2 others, and so on.  If everyone who receives this announcement sends it to 2 people, within 20 iterations we will reach more than 1 million people! 

We realize that core values and principles can sustain and inspire you during challenging times, and the more you practice and embody them, the more likely you are to become a wise leader. 

Paul D. Houston, executive director emeritus of the American Association of School Administrators, and Stephen L. Sokolow, a founding partner and executive director of the Center for Empowered Leadership, offer eighteen core leadership values and principles that can serve as an underlying operational system to help you do the right things, in the right way, at the right time, for the right reasons. These values include such things as: a focus on the positive, empowering and uplifting others, operating from a base of compassion, and recognizing the seeds of wisdom. 

Wise leaders understand that all people have natural gifts, and it's the leader's task to help them find and develop those gifts.  Supporting and valuing people encourages them to do more for you and for the organization.       

Enhance organizational productivity, creativity, and capacity by learning and applying eighteen core values of The Wise Leader.

Praise for The Wise Leader

“Never will you find such a constellation of distilled wisdom on leadership for all circumstances.”
- Michael Fullan, professor emeritus, OISE/University of Toronto

“Few ideas have more historical connection with leadership than wisdom: we are fortunate that Paul Houston and Stephen Sokolow can now help others find their way onto an authentic path to become a wise leader.”
- Peter Senge, founding chair, Society for Organizational Learning, and senior lecturer, MIT

“Houston and Sokolow unlock the treasure trove of authentic leadership: soul, heart, and courage - experience the rapture of discovering a personal storehouse of wisdom.”
- Terrence E. Deal, author of Leading with Soul

Buy the Book
To purchase The Wise Leader, please visit:

Volume discounts (48% off retail price) are available through iUniverse (888) 519- 5121 ext. 5022).

About CFEL

The Center for Empowered Leadership serves as an information network, a support network, and a forum for collaboration and training for people who are striving to become wise leaders.

If you would like us to conduct seminars or training for you or your staff in the practice of these principles you can reach us at the email addresses below. Wise leadership is the path to a better and brighter future for us all.

Sincerely,
Stephen L. Sokolow (SLsokolow@aol.com)
Paul D. Houston (phouston@eddsnet.com) 

  The Spiritual Dimension of Leadership
  The Spiritual Dimension
of Leadership
The Spiritual Dimension of Leadership
by Paul D. Houston and Stephen L. Sokolow

“In this book, Paul Houston and Steve Sokolow sow seeds of wisdom that offer hope and sound guiding principles for America’s educational leaders.”
- Richard W. Riley, former U.S. Secretary of Education and former Governor of South Carolina.

Synopsis
The Spiritual Dimension of Leadership by Paul D. Houston and Stephen L. Sokolow illuminates many of the core values, beliefs, and principles that can guide, sustain, and inspire leaders during difficult times.

These values and principles have underlying spiritual roots. The more aware you are of these spiritual underpinnings and the more you express them in your leadership practices, the more effective you become.

Paul D. Houston, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, and Stephen L. Sokolow, executive director of the Center for Empowered Leadership, offer eight key leadership principles to help you become a more enlightened leader. Topics include:

  • Intention
  • Attention
  • Unique Gifts and Talents
  • Gratitude
  • Unique Life Lessons
  • Holistic Perspective
  • Openness
  • Trust

Reap the many rewards of practicing these principles. Journey down a path of awareness and insight that will empower you and those you lead to create the best possible future for our children.

Buy the Book
To purchase The Spiritual Dimension of Leadership, please visit:

Reviews
"For most of human history, leadership was inseparable from wisdom. Today it’s mostly about power and cleverness. Paul Houston and Steve Sokolow’s practical and down to earth guide will help many find their way back."
- Peter Senge , Founding Chair, Society for Organizational Learning

"This book is GREAT! The authors have taken a very slippery topic (spirituality and leadership) and made the connection from the spiritual roots to the practical fruits. It's seamless!"
- Chuck Bonner, Assistant Principal , Great Valley High School, Malvern, PA

"The Spiritual Dimension of Leadership reminds us that the job of leadership is complex... but the actions we take can be very simple and yet have a big impact. There are valuable insights here for leaders at every level."
- Anne L. Bryant, Executive Director, The National School Boards Association

Read more reviews at Corwin Press.

  Giving Wings to Children's Dreams: Making Our Schools Worthy of Our Children
  Giving Wings to Children's Dreams

Paul Houston's New Book:

Giving Wings to Children's Dreams:
Making Our Schools Worthy of Our Children

by Paul D. Houston

Synopsis
Education reform begins when we reconnect with the common purpose behind every educational endeavor

The former executive director of the American Association of School Administrators outlines a coherent countervision of the factors educators must consider in order to turn schools back into places that nurture children. There are basic truths about what motivates people, Paul D. Houston argues, and educators must embed these truths in the educational process. In this book, educators will find inspiration and guidance through:

  • Eighteen beautifully written, thought-provoking essays on how we can transform our schools
  • Chapter-by-chapter questions to inspire reflection, discussion, and professional development
  • A broad range of topics spanning from the magic of learning to global education to the perils of accountability

Houston's words will resonate with anyone committed to improving schools, and will help educators examine their own beliefs, develop a common vision, and enact reform.

Buy the Book
To purchase Giving Wings to Children's Dreams, please visit:

Reviews
"This book has the potential to recenter our national conversation on education policy by examining professional issues through powerful personal experience."
—Kathleen Cushman, Author, Fires in the Mind

"As an experienced teacher and administrator, I found myself moved, inspired, and motivated to do whatever it takes to provide meaningful learning experiences for all children."
—Roberto A. Pamas, Principal, O.W. Holmes Middle School, Falls Church, VA

  Spirituality in Educational Leadership
  Spirituality in Educational Leadership

Spirituality in Educational Leadership
Edited by: Paul D. Houston ~ Alan M. Blankstein ~ Robert W. Cole

Synopsis
Spirituality in Educational Leadership offers key strategies for identifying the moral and ethical dimensions of school leadership practice. With thought-provoking contributions from CFEL's founders and associates, including Paul D. Houston, Stephen L. Sokolow, Bea Mah Holland, Claire Sheff Kohn, and Robert W. Cole as well as other top leadership figures like Terrence E. Deal, Dawna Markova, and Scott Thompson, this enlightening resource combines research with innovative ideas for practice and emphasizes:

  • Spirituality within a life-sustaining context
  • The role of spirituality in empowering leaders as agents for transformative change
  • A moral obligation to create safe and supportive learning spaces for students
  • Aligning everyday practice with core values in ways that will make a significant difference in their professional and personal lives.

Buy the Book
To purchase Spirituality in Educational Leadership, please visit:

Reviews
"A useful book for those who want to find balance in their lives and add a dimension of spirituality to their leadership."
—Kenneth Killian, Assistant Professor Vanguard University of Southern California

"The information is approachable, non-threatening, and personal. The authors discuss their own past roles as educational leaders, providing instant credibility."
—Jennifer Baadsgaard, Assistant Principal Roosevelt High School, San Antonio, TX

 
Articles of Faith & Hope for Public Education
  Articles of Faith & Hope for Public Education

Articles of Faith & Hope for Public Education
by Paul D. Houston

Synopsis
Articles of Faith and Hope for Public Education is a compilation of the writings Houston has done for Leadership News and many other education-related publications (including Kappan, Education Week and The American School Board Journal) during his tenure as AASA executive director. Houston explains in the introduction that this book is the result of requests from members who appreciate his honest appraisal of public education and find themselves wanting to share his thoughts with others. Houston has added a preface to each article explaining its significance at the time it was written and its relevance today.

Buy the Book
To purchase Articles of Faith and Hope for Public Education, please visit Amazon.

  Outlook and Perspectives on American Education
  Outlook and Perspectives on American Education

Outlook and Perspectives on American Education
by Paul D. Houston

Synopsis
Steeped in his passions, theories, and extensive travels through the heart and soul of American education, Houston's philosophical and practical advice on how educators might improve their work and make the world a better place for our children will interest and inspire educators everywhere.

Buy the Book
To purchase Outlook and Perspectives on American Education, please visit Amazon.

 

  The Board-Savvy Superintendent
  The Board-Savvy Superintendent

The Board-Savvy Superintendent
by Paul D. Houston and Doug Eadie

Synopsis
The Board-Savvy Superintendent's hard-hitting, no-nonsense, advice on school board leadership capitalizes on Houston and Eadie's hands-on experience working with hundreds of boards and superintendents over the past quarter-century. It is a practical, survive-and-thrive book that will help school district leaders--board members, superintendents, and senior administrators--learn to work together successfully in leading their districts in these extraordinarily challenging times.

Buy the Book
To purchase The Board-Savvy Superintendent, please visit Amazon.

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Phone: 1.609.259.7911