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A review by lauraportalupi
Lead Yourself First: Inspiring Leadership Through Solitude by Michael S. Erwin, Raymond M. Kethledge
2.0
The concept gets 5 stars, the execution 2 stars. To start: I’m clearly not the target audience for this book, but it was insightful to see what sorts of stories are meant to demonstrate admirable leadership. I am a pacifist and have no interest in military efforts, so I found little of value in the military anecdotes. Thank goodness for Mr Kethledge’s daughter Ella, who convinced the authors to feature Jane Goodall (as indicated in the acknowledgments).
I wish the concepts promoted here were illustrated with anecdotes from more women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ communities – people who are effectively battling much more insidious issues like institutionalized oppression.
It’s also very disappointing that Aung San Suu Kyi is featured here without any acknowledgement of her tacit support for the genocide of the Rohingya, which really began in 2016, before this book’s publication. If they publish a new edition, they must update this glowing section or remove it altogether.
Finally, the colonial, white male privilege mindset of the authors is evident throughout most of the book. For example, Yangon is referred to as Rangoon consistently. This is an outdated, colonizing word for Yangon and simply perpetuates the notion that colonial Western powers get to have final say in what subjugated communities get to call their own places.
I truly hope the authors of this book actively attempt to expand their ideas of what it means to be a truly good leader.
I wish the concepts promoted here were illustrated with anecdotes from more women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ communities – people who are effectively battling much more insidious issues like institutionalized oppression.
It’s also very disappointing that Aung San Suu Kyi is featured here without any acknowledgement of her tacit support for the genocide of the Rohingya, which really began in 2016, before this book’s publication. If they publish a new edition, they must update this glowing section or remove it altogether.
Finally, the colonial, white male privilege mindset of the authors is evident throughout most of the book. For example, Yangon is referred to as Rangoon consistently. This is an outdated, colonizing word for Yangon and simply perpetuates the notion that colonial Western powers get to have final say in what subjugated communities get to call their own places.
I truly hope the authors of this book actively attempt to expand their ideas of what it means to be a truly good leader.