Message from Janet

Gracious Leadership Far and Wide

24 January 2019

I can’t believe it! This week marks the one-year anniversary of the official launch of Gracious Leadership: Lead Like You’ve Never Led Before.  While the introduction of the book seems like yesterday, the year has been incredibly fruitful. I am happy to share that the message of fully respectful leadership is spreading far and wide.

Healthcare organizations from coast to coast have embraced the book to infuse its principles throughout their leadership teams. Leaders from community hospitals, faith-based healthcare systems, academic medical centers, physician organizations, healthcare professional membership organizations, senior living entities, and organ procurement organizations (among others) have been enthusiastic as they seek to bring to life the Key Ingredients of Gracious Leadership.

A large financial services company started a Book Club for leaders to study the book together and explore the Conversation Starters at the end of most chapters. Another large financial services organization was so enthusiastic about Gracious Leadership that its market leadership hosted a special event and also sent a communique regarding Gracious Leadership to its Women’s Network across the nation.

A CFO from the transportation industry is spreading the word about the impact of Gracious Leadership across all industries and organizations. Why? Because the Key Ingredients of Gracious Leadership are equally as applicable in organizations of all types: for-profit and non-profit, community groups and even governmental entities.

I have been touched to hear the stories from rising leaders who read the chapter entitled “Gracious Leaders are Courageous” and, in particular, the section regarding the need to advocate for others and for ourselves. These individuals have already been successful in landing expanded roles that they are confident might not have materialized had they not raised their hands and asked for advancement. Just this week I heard from a medical practice manager who shared that as soon as she learned of her new, broader responsibilities, she reread the book and is focusing upon a few pragmatic steps she believes will help her be successful. I even had a reader share that the book helped her know how better to manage her elderly mother’s caregivers as she was reminded of the power of recognition. The examples go on and on.

It is both humbling and exhilarating that Gracious Leadership has already made a positive impact. Yet, we are just getting started.  Why? Because never in the history of our country has high profile, toxic leadership been so persuasive and destructive. It has been reported that 30% of leaders are toxic! Why is it that negative leaders are the ones who seem to receive the most attention in the media? What are “we” going to do to shine a bright light on a better way to lead and to serve as role models who can breathe life into and stir the passion that resides within the hearts and souls of employees at all levels?

Thank you for your support of Gracious Leadership during the book’s first year. For those who have already joined the Gracious Leadership Movement, I am grateful for your proactive stance in helping to restore respect, decency and civility within the workplace. For those who have not yet read the book, I encourage you to learn more and start your journey today to become a Gracious Leader who can guide your team to peak performance.

Please continue to share with me your stories about how Gracious Leadership has made a positive impact on your professional life, your organization and those with whom you serve. Feel free to contact me at jmeeks@graciousleadershipbook.com.

With sincere gratitude,

Wouldn’t it be nice if leadership had a recipe?

20 April 2018

As I was writing Gracious Leadership, my aspiration was to create and share a timeless message of fully respectful leadership that would impact the leaders of today as well as future generations of leaders.

It is within this dream of teaching our future leaders “how” to lead that I humbly share the following book review of Gracious Leadership: Lead Like You’ve Never Led Before, written by Heather Hubbs, an Administrative Fellow at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

I offer my sincere gratitude to Leadership Development Expert Peter Giammalvo, PhD, who shared Gracious Leadership with Heather. Peter recommends that leaders and managers at all career levels within healthcare read this important message about the strategic imperative for fully respectful leadership.

Thank you for your commitment to become a gracious leader.

Janet Smith Meeks