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The Leadership Dojo: Build Your Foundation as an Exemplary Leader
History is filled with accounts of great leaders, but how did they become so? Written for emergent leaders in any endeavor, this new work from renowned consultant Richard Strozzi-Heckler offers a new approach to leadership. The first book of its kind to base business and management strength on integral body awareness, the book presents key principles such as shugyo, or self-cultivation, as crucial in developing the individual responsibility, social commitment, and moral and spiritual vision required to lead with authority and efficacy. The Leadership Dojo is based on three questions: What does a leader do? What are the character values most essential to exemplary leadership? How do you teach these values? Drawing on the wisdom of ages from Plato to the Bhagavad-Gita, from Thucydides to the Abidharma, the book asserts that understanding and answering these questions holds the key to superior leadership skills. Strozzi-Heckler teaches with real-world examples based on his wide experience training decision-makers at companies like AT&T and Microsoft. The book’s multifaceted approach helps readers establish a powerful Leadership Presence, a platform from which they can take ethical action with compassion and pragmatic wisdom.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 4, 2007
About the author
Richard Strozzi-Heckler
12 books25 followersRichard Strozzi-Heckler, PhD is founder and Co-Director of Methodology at Strozzi Institute. He has spent over four decades researching, developing and teaching Somatics to business leaders, executive managers, teams from Fortune 500 companies, NGOs, technology start-ups, non-profits, the U.S. government and military.
He was named one of the Top 50 Executive Coaches in The Art and Practice of Leadership Coaching, and in Profiles in Coaching. He is the co-founder of the Mideast Aikido Project (MAP), which brings together Palestinians and Israelis through the practice of Aikido.
Richard is the author of eight books, including The Leadership Dojo, In Search of the Warrior Spirit, The Anatomy of Change, Holding the Center and The Art of Somatic Coaching: Embodying Skillful Action, Wisdom, and Compassion. From 2002 to 2007 he was an advisor to NATO and the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe (SACEUR) General Jim Jones, formally the National Security Advisor.
Richard has a PhD in Psychology and is a sixth degree black belt in the martial art of Aikido.
He was named one of the Top 50 Executive Coaches in The Art and Practice of Leadership Coaching, and in Profiles in Coaching. He is the co-founder of the Mideast Aikido Project (MAP), which brings together Palestinians and Israelis through the practice of Aikido.
Richard is the author of eight books, including The Leadership Dojo, In Search of the Warrior Spirit, The Anatomy of Change, Holding the Center and The Art of Somatic Coaching: Embodying Skillful Action, Wisdom, and Compassion. From 2002 to 2007 he was an advisor to NATO and the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe (SACEUR) General Jim Jones, formally the National Security Advisor.
Richard has a PhD in Psychology and is a sixth degree black belt in the martial art of Aikido.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 4, 2012
One of my favorite leadership books: center, face, enter, extend, blend. Simple.
August 26, 2017
I loved the ideas behind this book. As a book, it was a bit wishy-washy at times, and the principles Strozzi-Heckler discusses are probably best demonstrated in a seminar rather than on the printed page. Nevertheless, a lot of this rang true. Note that many of the examples come from a business context, so YMMV for applicability...
April 16, 2021
This book had some valuable insights for me. Primarily, it helped me have a stronger sense of the way the body can be a reflection of the mind and heart. It is a helpful application of Eastern religious and philosophical ideas to the embodied person as he relates to others in the business and leadership context.
Unfortunately, this benefit is as much in spite of the message of the book as because of it. There are two fundamental flaws in the logic of this book.
First, the author attempts to argue that these ideas are not Eastern, but are rather universal truths reflected both in the Eastern and Western traditions. This simply isn't true. And it creates an awkward situation in which the author is constantly trying to impose Eastern thought on Western figures and concepts. Two examples will give a sense of it:
1) He tries to argue that in Aristotle's "Rhetoric," the concept of ethos is "a type of leadership" (p. 25). Of course we need only look at the title of the book (Rhetoric) and know anything at all about the era in which Aristotle lived to know that he wasn't writing about leadership. He goes on to argue that Aristotle's concept of ethos is "a leadership virtue distinct from rhetoric or persuasive language" (p. 26). Ethos is, according to this author, a "way of being in the world, a presence and comportment" (p. 26). He continues to press the point until he lands at this gem of forcefully twisted nonsense: "Ethos is not simply an intellectual principle of character, but a living body presence." He then proceeds to act like Aristotle thought the way you carried your body—not your self per se, but your body per se—is the fundamental tell of who you are as a person. I'll leave an Eastern scholar to comment on whether this is what Eastern philosophy argues, but I can state quite firmly that this is a violent perversion of Aristotle's ideas.
2) At one point, the author quotes Francis Bacon (inaccurately and uncited) as saying "I know not why but the martial person is given to love" (p. 168). The author argues that Bacon understood that hand-to-hand combat involves a blending of oneself with one's opponent in an understanding, respectful, almost loving way. Of course in reality, Bacon has just said that love is for the weak and immediately follows the quote by comparing being in love to being drunk.
It's hard to imagine how either of these examples could even be good faith mistakes. Interestingly, they both come with examples of plagiarism in the immediate context. So that's the first flaw. He tries to force Eastern ideas to be Western. And in doing so leaves the reader wondering whether he's dishonest or just ignorant.
Second, the author's basic argument is absurd. He argues that "the idea of a self, or mind, that is independent of the body is an error of rationalistic thinking" (p. 86). Never mind that this idea predates rationalism as an ideology by over a thousand years at least. And never mind that nothing could be more profoundly Western than to recognise the self as transcending the body. The statement doesn't even hold up under basic logical or scientific scrutiny. Yet the author builds the whole book on the "fact" that everything we do is mediated through our bodies and can be changed or fixed through changes in our bodies. He walks the reader through many examples of changing psychological/spiritual/mental problems through physical exercises in the "leadership dojo." He usually gives a detailed psychological analysis, but then hangs it loosely on things like posture, muscle tension, "hard eyes," etc. And then after addressing the psychological problem (complete with psychological analysis and therapeutic response) tries to make out that the solution was found in changing the way he stood and his posture and his facial habits. It's thin. Very thin. Which is fine. There's certainly something to his point. And I'm glad he's made it. But I wish he had made it with enough self-awareness and knowledge to not be inaccurate about the ideas he's trying to work with. And without being anti-intellectual. And realising that he's an amateur psychologist experimenting with what I'll call somatic therapies.
My summary: If you want to understand how Eastern thought might relate to your growth as a person, particularly in leadership roles, there's certainly a bit of meat to be picked off these bones. Just don't trust the author too much. He's either not being straight forward or he doesn't even understand the ideas he's interacting with.
Unfortunately, this benefit is as much in spite of the message of the book as because of it. There are two fundamental flaws in the logic of this book.
First, the author attempts to argue that these ideas are not Eastern, but are rather universal truths reflected both in the Eastern and Western traditions. This simply isn't true. And it creates an awkward situation in which the author is constantly trying to impose Eastern thought on Western figures and concepts. Two examples will give a sense of it:
1) He tries to argue that in Aristotle's "Rhetoric," the concept of ethos is "a type of leadership" (p. 25). Of course we need only look at the title of the book (Rhetoric) and know anything at all about the era in which Aristotle lived to know that he wasn't writing about leadership. He goes on to argue that Aristotle's concept of ethos is "a leadership virtue distinct from rhetoric or persuasive language" (p. 26). Ethos is, according to this author, a "way of being in the world, a presence and comportment" (p. 26). He continues to press the point until he lands at this gem of forcefully twisted nonsense: "Ethos is not simply an intellectual principle of character, but a living body presence." He then proceeds to act like Aristotle thought the way you carried your body—not your self per se, but your body per se—is the fundamental tell of who you are as a person. I'll leave an Eastern scholar to comment on whether this is what Eastern philosophy argues, but I can state quite firmly that this is a violent perversion of Aristotle's ideas.
2) At one point, the author quotes Francis Bacon (inaccurately and uncited) as saying "I know not why but the martial person is given to love" (p. 168). The author argues that Bacon understood that hand-to-hand combat involves a blending of oneself with one's opponent in an understanding, respectful, almost loving way. Of course in reality, Bacon has just said that love is for the weak and immediately follows the quote by comparing being in love to being drunk.
It's hard to imagine how either of these examples could even be good faith mistakes. Interestingly, they both come with examples of plagiarism in the immediate context. So that's the first flaw. He tries to force Eastern ideas to be Western. And in doing so leaves the reader wondering whether he's dishonest or just ignorant.
Second, the author's basic argument is absurd. He argues that "the idea of a self, or mind, that is independent of the body is an error of rationalistic thinking" (p. 86). Never mind that this idea predates rationalism as an ideology by over a thousand years at least. And never mind that nothing could be more profoundly Western than to recognise the self as transcending the body. The statement doesn't even hold up under basic logical or scientific scrutiny. Yet the author builds the whole book on the "fact" that everything we do is mediated through our bodies and can be changed or fixed through changes in our bodies. He walks the reader through many examples of changing psychological/spiritual/mental problems through physical exercises in the "leadership dojo." He usually gives a detailed psychological analysis, but then hangs it loosely on things like posture, muscle tension, "hard eyes," etc. And then after addressing the psychological problem (complete with psychological analysis and therapeutic response) tries to make out that the solution was found in changing the way he stood and his posture and his facial habits. It's thin. Very thin. Which is fine. There's certainly something to his point. And I'm glad he's made it. But I wish he had made it with enough self-awareness and knowledge to not be inaccurate about the ideas he's trying to work with. And without being anti-intellectual. And realising that he's an amateur psychologist experimenting with what I'll call somatic therapies.
My summary: If you want to understand how Eastern thought might relate to your growth as a person, particularly in leadership roles, there's certainly a bit of meat to be picked off these bones. Just don't trust the author too much. He's either not being straight forward or he doesn't even understand the ideas he's interacting with.
March 18, 2020
Right book at the right time. My own journey has increasingly led me to the conclusion that is the premise of Strozzi's work: the body is its own source of wisdom, and being an effective leader (read: human) requires "embodiment". That is, we need to bridge the false mind-body duality and lead from an integrated place.
The book builds on the core principles developed and practiced in the Strozzi Embodied Leadership course, which I recently took (a 4-day course at the referenced "dojo" in California). I think if I hadn't done that the book wouldn't have resonated as much. It's a book about how to get out of our heads and into our bodies... already a difficult proposition for most of us in western cultures, and particularly challenging sitting on the couch reading a book.
So, four stars: lots of wisdom, rising to the level of essential. I have become persuaded that there's no way forward without integrating some form of somatic (in touch with one's body) practice. But it's hard to get that from a book - not the fault or purpose of the book, but also why it stops short of being a 5-star review. Take the course (or a similar one) and trust the process; it's liberating.
Some quotes that stood out to me:
P 79 "it is possible to strengthen a muscle like a bicep it is equally possible to train the muscles of integrity confidence collaboration courage and empathy... We need to come to terms with the fact that we are always practicing The body is incapable of not practicing and what we practice we become."
P. 169 William James quote: "the deepest human need is to be appreciated"
P 181 "it's only when we truly care about others and are genuinely curious about what matters to them that the possibilities of strong partnerships and sustainable relationships come to life"
The book builds on the core principles developed and practiced in the Strozzi Embodied Leadership course, which I recently took (a 4-day course at the referenced "dojo" in California). I think if I hadn't done that the book wouldn't have resonated as much. It's a book about how to get out of our heads and into our bodies... already a difficult proposition for most of us in western cultures, and particularly challenging sitting on the couch reading a book.
So, four stars: lots of wisdom, rising to the level of essential. I have become persuaded that there's no way forward without integrating some form of somatic (in touch with one's body) practice. But it's hard to get that from a book - not the fault or purpose of the book, but also why it stops short of being a 5-star review. Take the course (or a similar one) and trust the process; it's liberating.
Some quotes that stood out to me:
P 79 "it is possible to strengthen a muscle like a bicep it is equally possible to train the muscles of integrity confidence collaboration courage and empathy... We need to come to terms with the fact that we are always practicing The body is incapable of not practicing and what we practice we become."
P. 169 William James quote: "the deepest human need is to be appreciated"
P 181 "it's only when we truly care about others and are genuinely curious about what matters to them that the possibilities of strong partnerships and sustainable relationships come to life"
February 6, 2021
Wow! A very unexpected treat. I work a good bit around and with leaders. I’m drawn to books that give me insights and language to engage, connect, encourage, and challenge with them and really anyone who is pursuing the fulfillment of their God-given potential.
Strozzi-Heckler melds his martial arts spiritual perspective with his psychology-driven leadership coaching in ways that are catch-you-off-guard insightful. I found this book fell quite nicely into the mix of what I’ve been reading lately. This includes THE LITTLE MANUAL OF KNOWING by Esther Lightcap Meek and THE BRAIN ON INK by Debra Ross and Kathleen Adams. Together they are fattening my “toolbox” for walking beside individuals and teams that want a tomorrow that’s better than their yesterday.
Strozzi-Heckler melds his martial arts spiritual perspective with his psychology-driven leadership coaching in ways that are catch-you-off-guard insightful. I found this book fell quite nicely into the mix of what I’ve been reading lately. This includes THE LITTLE MANUAL OF KNOWING by Esther Lightcap Meek and THE BRAIN ON INK by Debra Ross and Kathleen Adams. Together they are fattening my “toolbox” for walking beside individuals and teams that want a tomorrow that’s better than their yesterday.
May 9, 2018
Truly enjoyed this book! Great read for all leaders who are looking to build a solid foundation for being exceptional in the workplace. Appreciated all the suggestions, practice exercise, and wisdom shared throughout the book. A must read for all leaders!
July 3, 2020
After reading this book, I am curious about the Japanese way of life and leadership. Up until this book, I have always referred to leadership as the way one talks & manages people’s expectations. It not quite that alone. Overall, a good read.
January 30, 2022
Well, this one most definitely is not for me. Based on body-centered martial arts thinking, I read some, skimmed more, and at halfway through hadn't gotten anything from it. It's a weird sort of sideways approach to being aware of your body and "projecting" leadership, and...nope, not for me.
September 6, 2020
Who you are as a leader comes down to who you are being not just what you are doing. And that being is embodied...........
Lots of wisdom in this book for leaders and coaches as they work together.
Lots of wisdom in this book for leaders and coaches as they work together.
January 7, 2023
An excellent read
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Strozzi-H eckler applies wisdom from the martial arts to the challenges of leadership in contemporary society with finess.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Strozzi-H eckler applies wisdom from the martial arts to the challenges of leadership in contemporary society with finess.
March 5, 2023
Book lost momentum about half way through
The book would have been better in multiple volumes. It was so all over the place. I lost interest as the book went on and on.
The book would have been better in multiple volumes. It was so all over the place. I lost interest as the book went on and on.
Read
February 13, 2025I can…definitely see why movement people wanted to create their own ‘politicized’ version of the framework. But interesting to see the sourcing of some of the terminology and concepts.
November 27, 2010
To summarize, being a good leader requires continual practice; mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual practice. As a leadership book it is atypical as the author brings together martial arts and eastern philosophy into the business world. Much like other books by this other, at the core are the importance of somatics. Good case study examples, interesting read.
March 22, 2008
THis was a good book that complemented my work with a leadership coach I was working with. The information is dense and will be the type of book that I will re-read frequently. If you are in a leadership roll or want to be in one then this book is a great tool to help you.
August 15, 2014
Helpful book. Strozzi-Heckler ties mind and body in his leadership development method. Just like Aikido, head knowledge is not enough. It's physical practice that will make the theory real. I found his framework of Centering-Facing-Extending-Entering-Blending useful.
January 2, 2015
Fantastic content; I highlighted liberally. Writing style easy to access; a bit repetitive. Many points in this book will stay with me, I see already as I practice new habits and heighten my sensitivity to Somatics in general.
June 3, 2011
Very interesting perspective on leadership. I highly recommend.
August 18, 2012
I love Strozzi's approach! Anyone who leads should read this book.
http://www.theleadershipdojo.com/
http://www.theleadershipdojo.com/
March 13, 2013
great sensei
December 24, 2013
You are what you practice.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews