Power or Leadership‪?‬

"From Pharaoh to Moses"

This book is a call for every leader to undertake an inner journey, to discover him- or herself—and in so doing to discover others—to find out what it means to be a whole person. Along the way, left brain and right brain, heart and mind, firmness and empathy will be reconciled.

Throughout human history, work has been a key concern. It can make slaves of us, or it can enable us to transform the world. We have entered a new economy whose hallmarks are networks and advanced technology—but where plenty and poverty exist side by side. Where is it going? How can we turn that economy into a vehicle for human fulfillment and freedom, instead of a source of alienation?

From our culture we have inherited two managerial archetypes, embodied by Pharaoh and Moses. Considering himself both omniscient and omnipotent, Pharaoh manages by slavery, conquest, meticulous bookkeeping, and unchallenged authority. Moses, in contrast, is someone with inner strength who helps others break out of their mental prisons, conveys meaning, strives to act rightly. That, in essence, is the difference between power and leadership.

Viviane Amar is an international consultant and public speaker. A trained industrial and organizational psychologist, she was a pioneering practitioner of management coaching in the 1990s. In helping countless executives to grow—both as leaders and as individuals—she has contributed to positive change in the business world.

A Canadian citizen, she heads Leading Leaders, a coaching and training organization. She has also developed an international program for women executives called The Women’s Leadership Journey.

Viviane Amar is the author of another book, Children of the Universe.