RICHARD L. DAFT holds the Brownlee O. Currey, Jr. Chair in the Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University, where he specializes in the study and teaching of leadership. Professor Daft is the author or co-author of thirteen books, including his best selling texts, and dozens of scholarly articles. He has consulted and lectured widely and practices this book’s concepts in his work and personal life. Write to dick.daft@owen.vanderbilt.edu.

"The book is terrific – it identifies an important issue for leaders, and tackles it in a very practical way, with plenty of techniques to choose from and many examples of them being used successfully. We all struggle with our inner elephant, and if you want to help get more control by your inner executive, this book would definitely help." (Globe and Mail, September 2010)

• Preface viiAcknowledgments ixPart One The Two Selves1. The Problem of Managing Yourself 3The Conflict Between Knowing and DoingThe Universal Failure of WillpowerThe Divided Self: Executive and ElephantLearning to Lead from Your Inner ExecutivePurpose of This Book2. Recognize Your Two Selves 15Levels of ConsciousnessTwo Voices WithinWhy Your Mind is Filled with Automatic ThoughtsUnfocused Elephant Mind Versus Focused Executive PresenceSmall Box Versus Large MindPart Two Ways You May Mislead or Delude Yourself3. Three Tendencies That Distort Your Reality 37Your Internal JudgeYour Internal MagicianYour Internal Attorney4. Every Leader’s Six Mental Mistakes 52Reacting Too QuicklyInflexible ThinkingWanting ControlEmotional Avoidance and AttractionExaggerating the FutureChasing the Wrong GratificationsPart Three How to Start Leading Yourself5. Engage Your Intention 71Visualize Your IntentionVerbalize Your Intention6. Follow Through on Your Intentions 90Write Down Your IntentionsSet DeadlinesDesign Tangible Mechanisms7. Calm Down to Speed Up 107Get ConnectedLet ItHappenSit by Your ProblemRelax Your BodyCalm Your Elephant by Acting the Part or Makinga Gentle Request8. Slow Down to Stop Your Reactions 125Stop and ThinkStop InterruptingDetach from Your Emotions and ImpulsesJust Say NoEmploy PunishmentPart Four Become Aware of Your Inner Resources9. Get to Know Your Inner Elephant 147Know YourselfSolicit FeedbackTake Advantage of a Setback10. Expand Your Awareness 162Review the DayContemplate CreativelyPart Five Reach for the Heights11. Sharpen Your Concentration 177Focus Your AttentionFocus on Means, Not EndsSlow Down, Look, and ListenFocus on People12. Develop Your Witness 192Turn Inward to Develop Your WitnessUse Radical Self-InquiryWho Am I?13. Reprogram Yourself 209Repeat a MantraPrayer May Help, but Not the Way You Think14. Mend Your Mind with Meditation 223Why Meditate?An Easy Way to StartTwo EssentialsMindfulness MeditationTry Visual Rather Than VerbalContemplative MeditationPart Six Can You Lead from a People Frame of Reference?15. Change Your Frame to See People 243What is Your Frame?From Leading Objects to Leading HumansHow to Change Your Frame16. Change Your Frame to Ask Questions 261From Answering Questions to Asking QuestionsIn All Things, Consult17. Living and Leading from Your Inner Executive 275Higher Consciousness RevisitedWhen Her Mind Went QuietAnswers to Individual QuestionsFinal ThoughtsNotes 294About the Author 311Exercise Index 313Index 317

RICHARD L. DAFT holds the Brownlee O. Currey, Jr. Chair in the Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University, where he specializes in the study and teaching of leadership. Professor Daft is the author or co-author of thirteen books, including his best selling texts, and dozens of scholarly articles. He has consulted and lectured widely and practices this book’s concepts in his work and personal life. Write to dick.daft@owen.vanderbilt.edu.

"The book is terrific – it identifies an important issue for leaders, and tackles it in a very practical way, with plenty of techniques to choose from and many examples of them being used successfully. We all struggle with our inner elephant, and if you want to help get more control by your inner executive, this book would definitely help." (Globe and Mail, September 2010)

• Preface viiAcknowledgments ixPart One The Two Selves1. The Problem of Managing Yourself 3The Conflict Between Knowing and DoingThe Universal Failure of WillpowerThe Divided Self: Executive and ElephantLearning to Lead from Your Inner ExecutivePurpose of This Book2. Recognize Your Two Selves 15Levels of ConsciousnessTwo Voices WithinWhy Your Mind is Filled with Automatic ThoughtsUnfocused Elephant Mind Versus Focused Executive PresenceSmall Box Versus Large MindPart Two Ways You May Mislead or Delude Yourself3. Three Tendencies That Distort Your Reality 37Your Internal JudgeYour Internal MagicianYour Internal Attorney4. Every Leader’s Six Mental Mistakes 52Reacting Too QuicklyInflexible ThinkingWanting ControlEmotional Avoidance and AttractionExaggerating the FutureChasing the Wrong GratificationsPart Three How to Start Leading Yourself5. Engage Your Intention 71Visualize Your IntentionVerbalize Your Intention6. Follow Through on Your Intentions 90Write Down Your IntentionsSet DeadlinesDesign Tangible Mechanisms7. Calm Down to Speed Up 107Get ConnectedLet ItHappenSit by Your ProblemRelax Your BodyCalm Your Elephant by Acting the Part or Makinga Gentle Request8. Slow Down to Stop Your Reactions 125Stop and ThinkStop InterruptingDetach from Your Emotions and ImpulsesJust Say NoEmploy PunishmentPart Four Become Aware of Your Inner Resources9. Get to Know Your Inner Elephant 147Know YourselfSolicit FeedbackTake Advantage of a Setback10. Expand Your Awareness 162Review the DayContemplate CreativelyPart Five Reach for the Heights11. Sharpen Your Concentration 177Focus Your AttentionFocus on Means, Not EndsSlow Down, Look, and ListenFocus on People12. Develop Your Witness 192Turn Inward to Develop Your WitnessUse Radical Self-InquiryWho Am I?13. Reprogram Yourself 209Repeat a MantraPrayer May Help, but Not the Way You Think14. Mend Your Mind with Meditation 223Why Meditate?An Easy Way to StartTwo EssentialsMindfulness MeditationTry Visual Rather Than VerbalContemplative MeditationPart Six Can You Lead from a People Frame of Reference?15. Change Your Frame to See People 243What is Your Frame?From Leading Objects to Leading HumansHow to Change Your Frame16. Change Your Frame to Ask Questions 261From Answering Questions to Asking QuestionsIn All Things, Consult17. Living and Leading from Your Inner Executive 275Higher Consciousness RevisitedWhen Her Mind Went QuietAnswers to Individual QuestionsFinal ThoughtsNotes 294About the Author 311Exercise Index 313Index 317

RICHARD L. DAFT holds the Brownlee O. Currey, Jr. Chair in the Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University, where he specializes in the study and teaching of leadership. Professor Daft is the author or co-author of thirteen books, including his best selling texts, and dozens of scholarly articles. He has consulted and lectured widely and practices this book’s concepts in his work and personal life. Write to dick.daft@owen.vanderbilt.edu.

"The book is terrific – it identifies an important issue for leaders, and tackles it in a very practical way, with plenty of techniques to choose from and many examples of them being used successfully. We all struggle with our inner elephant, and if you want to help get more control by your inner executive, this book would definitely help." (Globe and Mail, September 2010)

• Preface viiAcknowledgments ixPart One The Two Selves1. The Problem of Managing Yourself 3The Conflict Between Knowing and DoingThe Universal Failure of WillpowerThe Divided Self: Executive and ElephantLearning to Lead from Your Inner ExecutivePurpose of This Book2. Recognize Your Two Selves 15Levels of ConsciousnessTwo Voices WithinWhy Your Mind is Filled with Automatic ThoughtsUnfocused Elephant Mind Versus Focused Executive PresenceSmall Box Versus Large MindPart Two Ways You May Mislead or Delude Yourself3. Three Tendencies That Distort Your Reality 37Your Internal JudgeYour Internal MagicianYour Internal Attorney4. Every Leader’s Six Mental Mistakes 52Reacting Too QuicklyInflexible ThinkingWanting ControlEmotional Avoidance and AttractionExaggerating the FutureChasing the Wrong GratificationsPart Three How to Start Leading Yourself5. Engage Your Intention 71Visualize Your IntentionVerbalize Your Intention6. Follow Through on Your Intentions 90Write Down Your IntentionsSet DeadlinesDesign Tangible Mechanisms7. Calm Down to Speed Up 107Get ConnectedLet ItHappenSit by Your ProblemRelax Your BodyCalm Your Elephant by Acting the Part or Makinga Gentle Request8. Slow Down to Stop Your Reactions 125Stop and ThinkStop InterruptingDetach from Your Emotions and ImpulsesJust Say NoEmploy PunishmentPart Four Become Aware of Your Inner Resources9. Get to Know Your Inner Elephant 147Know YourselfSolicit FeedbackTake Advantage of a Setback10. Expand Your Awareness 162Review the DayContemplate CreativelyPart Five Reach for the Heights11. Sharpen Your Concentration 177Focus Your AttentionFocus on Means, Not EndsSlow Down, Look, and ListenFocus on People12. Develop Your Witness 192Turn Inward to Develop Your WitnessUse Radical Self-InquiryWho Am I?13. Reprogram Yourself 209Repeat a MantraPrayer May Help, but Not the Way You Think14. Mend Your Mind with Meditation 223Why Meditate?An Easy Way to StartTwo EssentialsMindfulness MeditationTry Visual Rather Than VerbalContemplative MeditationPart Six Can You Lead from a People Frame of Reference?15. Change Your Frame to See People 243What is Your Frame?From Leading Objects to Leading HumansHow to Change Your Frame16. Change Your Frame to Ask Questions 261From Answering Questions to Asking QuestionsIn All Things, Consult17. Living and Leading from Your Inner Executive 275Higher Consciousness RevisitedWhen Her Mind Went QuietAnswers to Individual QuestionsFinal ThoughtsNotes 294About the Author 311Exercise Index 313Index 317