REVIEW 'Inspiring Leadership' lacks inspirational touch

It's unclear whether the authors' ideas are new.
By THERESA M. HEGEL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
"Inspiring Leadership: Character and Ethics Matte," by R. Stewart Fisher and Perry J. Martini (Academy Leadership, $24.95)
Self-help writers often explore what it takes to be a good leader, but they don't always specify what they mean by the term "good." Does it merely signify successful business practices, or can "good" also refer to the quality of a leader's character, the topography of a leader's ethical map?
In "Inspiring Leadership," R. Stewart Fisher and Perry J. Martini -- a Warren native -- make a point for the latter definition of "good." They argue that a strong character and highly developed sense of ethics are two of the most important qualities for a leader.
Used as guide
In the introduction, the authors claim that the book "is not just a basic checklist for ethical leadership, but is written as a guide for deep reflection."
Fisher and Martini note that "experts in the field of leadership and ethics too often preach that no solution is more correct than another, but this politically correct waffling does a great disservice to those seeking real answers."
Instead of "falling into this trap" or relying heavily on broad generalizations, the authors cite the examples of specific leaders and discuss some of the choices they made.
Both Fisher and Martini are 1971 graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy, and they use many of their former classmates as examples of strong leadership.
"Inspiring Leadership" also focuses on more well-known historical and contemporary leaders. Fisher and Martini profile a number of sports coaches and military leaders, several former presidents and a few religious leaders.
A weak point of their selection is the lack of women leaders. The late Mother Teresa is one of the only women mentioned in the book.
Qualities
So what are some of the characteristics that make up a good leader? Integrity, honor, courage, commitment, patriotism, fidelity, communication, decisiveness, fairness, consistency, patience, perseverance, adaptability and humility are some of the ones Fisher and Martini name in "Inspiring Leadership."
They also discuss the concept of servant leadership, the "idea that leaders must put their people before themselves."
At the end of each chapter, the authors pose several reflection and discussion questions to help readers apply the book's lessons to their own lives.
Although the authors avoid generalization by focusing on real leaders, the conclusions they draw often are clich & eacute;d and trite.
They ask the question in the introduction: "Why another book on leadership, ethics, or character development?" And by the end of the book, I was left wondering the same thing.
To be fair, Fisher and Martini make some valid points in "Inspiring Leadership"; it's just debatable whether any of the ideas they discuss are new or presented from a fresh perspective.
hegel@vindy.com