Dreher, Diane. The Tao of Personal Leadership. Harper Business, 1996. After having written several books on applying Taoism to the modern world and to Western society, Diane Dreher offers her interpretation of how Taoist principles can be applied to business and leadership. The book is divided into two parts, corresponding to the binary of yin and yang central to Taoism. Part I is entitled "The Yin of Inner Leadership," and addresses topics like cultivating the qualities conducive for interpersonal and personal success. Part II is entitled "The Yang of Leadership in Action," and includes sections on building community, communication, conflict resolution, and empowerment. Not a traditional text on business and leadership, The Tao of Personal Leadership offers a unique approach towards cultivating an attitude, mindset, and skills that can greatly enhance communication style, conflict resolution, and therefore ultimately, sales objectives.

Because I am familiar with Eastern philosophy, this book did not significantly alter my perspective on either Taoism or on leadership. Therefore, Dreher agrees with my current understanding of both Taoism and leadership, and it is refreshing to unite the two themes. It is especially helpful to consider leadership as being both about inner cultivation (yin) and outer application (yang). Therefore, this book did help me to understand...

One of the most important ways Dreher enhanced my views on leadership was by devoting a chapter to joy. Typically, sales managers do not consider joy even if they innately feel a sense of joy in their work. I believe it is important to recognize that when we feel joy, we will be more likely to achieve our goals and to create desired outcomes for all parties. Likewise, if we help create joy in our interactions with others, we will be more likely to create long-term business relationships with colleagues and clients.
Therefore, The Tao of Personal Leadership addresses many issues that are of the utmost personal importance to me at this stage in my career. One of those issues is transcending ego. Sales often seems to be an ego-driven endeavor, and it often is ego-driven due to the emphasis on commissions and personal gains, the sense of competition and game-playing, and focus on financial outcomes. Dreher helps interject a much-needed authenticity to the work of sales and business in general, so that those of us with higher ethical ideals can understand our role in the world. Transcending ego does not mean giving up on the self; it means developing a self more in harmony with the world and with our organization. In fact, this section may be the most important learning gained from The Tao of Personal Leadership, as I believe many people involved in business, leadership, and sales struggle with how to reconcile their personal ego-driven desires with their desires to create a more ethical business community.

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