The Humanitarian Leader in Each of Us

From the authors of the best-selling books ′TeamWork′ and ′When Teams Work Best′.

Frank LaFasto, Susie Scott Krabacher and other contributors to the book in conversation at the World of Children awards, hosted by UNICEF, November 1st, 2011 in New York.

 

"This short book gives me hope that giants continue to walk the earth, lending a hand to those in need of extraordinary help."—Dr. Matthew Goldstein, Chancellor, City University of New York

"So many of us want to help, but don′t know where to begin. The deeply moving stories of the remarkable people profiled in this book help point the way." —United States Senator Mark Udall

"A powerful, moving, and substantive book that puts leadership in the hands of everyday people."—Peter G. Northouse, Western Michigan University, author of Leadership: Theory and Practice

Susie Scott Krabacher, a former Playboy centerfold, devotes her life to helping women and children in the desperate slums of Haiti. Ryan Hreljac, at age 6, launches an organization to build wells in countries where water is scarce. Larry Bradley, a U.S. army major in Iraq, mobilizes an international effort to save the life of one local boy. Victor Dukay, himself orphaned at a young age, builds a center in Tanzania for children who have lost parents to AIDS. Inderjit Khurana, a teacher in India, creates a network of train "platform schools" to educate impoverished street children.

How do seemingly ordinary people come to take such extraordinary action? Best-selling authors Frank LaFasto and Carl Larson embarked on a 5-year quest to find out. In this book, they offer a fascinating look into the origins of humanitarian leadership in the lives of 31 individuals.

Based on their groundbreaking research, LaFasto and Larson trace a path of 7 pivotal choices. The path begins with connecting deeply and personally with the needs of others and culminates in leading the way for more people to get involved. The first 7 chapters of this book tell the stories of this remarkable group of leaders and describe their choices. The final 3 chapters explore the impact of 31 people on the world′s problems, the relationship between helping and personal happiness, and practical advice for getting started in a helping effort.

In this inspiring book, LaFasto and Larson show how each of us can translate our own good intentions into good deeds--and enrich our own lives along the way.