Naked at Work: A Leader's Guide to Fearless Authenticity

by Danessa Knaupp

Overview

Think about what kind of leader you could be if you knew, with absolute certainty, that you were the best person for the job.

Now, think about all the reasons you can't be that leader. The stories you carry, your failures, the realities of your organization--everything that's in your way.

The truth? You can be the strong, inspirational leader you imagine by leading authentically. But you have to peel back the facade and get naked.

Many books tout the benefits of authenticity, but none explains exactly how to lead authentically or detail the rewards and risks of that choice. Naked at Work does both, making the case for authentic leadership and detailing the proven, step-by-step process used in elite executive coaching.

This book will embolden you to own your unique story and use that real, imperfect experience to drive your personal and team performance. Using real examples from executives in large companies, the latest leadership theory and data, and her own track record of spectacular failures, Danessa Knaupp shows leaders how to get brave, get naked, and be the leaders they've always imagined.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781544507477
Publisher:	Lioncrest Publishing
Publication date:	03/24/2020
Pages:	230
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.52(d)

Editorial Reviews

2020-05-18
A leadership manual offers readers an unusual twist.

Knaupp takes an innovative and mind-expanding look at leadership, examining concepts that few people ponder or are even aware of. She encourages readers to undertake intense self-explorations. Although readers can’t help but improve by applying her principles and insights, the author insists this is not “a self-help book” but rather “a leadership manual.” The volume features a different mode of leadership, which requires one to get naked (figuratively) in the workplace. Under her system, revealing oneself goes far beyond the standard tenets of transparency. Getting naked means that readers must trust that they are good enough to lead and at the same time strip off their protective armor. The program requires that readers expose their backgrounds, thoughts, and mistakes. That can be scary, but Knaupp removes the intimidation factor by laying herself bare in these pages. She shares both her successes and what she calls her “spectacular” failures. Readers meet the “leader who has built three very successful, six-figure careers, each from the ground up.” They also see a woman who was driven to file for bankruptcy early in her entrepreneurial career. It’s surprising to see the topic of shame addressed in a leadership manual, let alone two chapters delving into it. Another instructive chapter teaches readers how to rewrite their stories, which she poignantly illustrates with an inspiring and detailed passage about how Monica Lewinsky changed the script of her life. The author expands on executive coach Tim Gallwey’s inner game theory, which is based on a simple equation: Performance = Potential – Interference. She shows at length how to identify and eliminate interference, which she explains can be many things, “internal or external, real or imagined.” In a refreshing manner that sets her book apart from many business guides, she delivers her message with compassion but remains no-nonsense (“This is hard work. You’re going to get it wrong before you get it right”). Her advice is simple to embrace and implement, which makes for easy, even delightful reading.

An effective approach that will resonate with aspiring business leaders.

Kirkus Reviews