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BOOK REVIEWER BOOK REVIEWER
SHARON ESTEVES KIM CHAPMAN
Come Alive Languages of
Leadership
by Yu Dan Shi
by Wendy Born
I once worked in a firm where the manager
would walk into the office on a Monday morning
and say: “Look alive team”. Given the choice to
‘look alive’ or ‘come alive’, I would choose the
latter any day. I was intrigued to see what living
a life with more meaning and joy looks like in a
corporate world governed by financial metrics and
KPIs.
In her book Come Alive, Yu Dan Shi neatly
dismantles any notion I had of the need to
compartmentalise our natural and unique gifts
between our corporate persona and the one we
take home. By interrogating the ‘paradox of
success’, the author talks to behaviours that drive
our mindset toward this version of success.
She asserts that our situation is usually the
result of our long-term mindset and habits, so
rather than quitting a stressful job or trying to
change our whole environment in the search for
more meaning and joy, lasting change can be
made by one small adjustment at a time.
A very practical and easy to read guide,
this book outlines four practices that, when
implemented regularly, will help the reader to
regain control, identity and autonomy of their life.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who
feels frustrated or stuck in a rut—it may just be the
nudge you need to make that first change toward
living a life with more meaning and joy, wherever
you are. In the book Languages of Leadership, Wendy
Born provides a different perspective on how your
actions as a leader can develop and foster a strong
and trusting work environment.
Born has done a wonderful job in collating and
condensing the tips, tricks and tools suggested
by a wide range of academic experts and also
sharing her own experiences as a leader, coach
and facilitator.
While this book is directed at executives, many
of the concepts discussed are directly relevant
to the assistants that support these people—
especially given that the way an EA conducts
themselves is usually a direct reflection of the
person they support.
Born takes you on a journey through the
six critical languages of leadership: strength,
courage, engineering, abdication, trust and
vulnerability. She provides great insight into
getting comfortable with the uncomfortable,
living and breathing your purpose, having the
ability to influence at all levels, empower those
around you and develop a bond based on trust
and vulnerability.
No matter whether you’re a senior executive
or their assistant, this book provides some
basic truths around what it takes to become an
inspirational leader, and how to get the best out of
other people. Well worth the read!
Sharon Esteves is Business Support Manager at Shadforth Financial Group / IOOF Kim Chapman is Senior Executive Assistant at Ernst & Young
64 Chief of Staff | Issue 2 2019