The Crucible’s Gift: 5 Lessons from Authentic Leaders who Thrive in Adversity
James Kelley
In an era of unauthentic leaders, the stakes could not be higher for embracing a better version of yourself that propels you and your team to success. In a social media world there is an abundance of false narratives about happiness and authenticity, it is easy to get lost on your journey. Authentic leadership expert Dr. James Kelley shows that the key to personal and professional growth lies in how we respond effectively to adversity. In fact, what causes us and our organizations the most fear can be our greatest gift, creating a positive meaning out of challenges.
A test or trial—your individual crucible—gives you the potential to increase self-awareness, develop deeper compassion, live with more integrity and boost connection with colleagues. High-impact leaders thrive in adversity because of their crucibles, not in spite of them.
The Crucible’s Gift introduces you to lessons from 140 diverse leaders who demonstrated the art of living more authentically. Combining these rich, raw and insightful stories with his knowledge of business and psychology—as well as his candid accounts of what he has learned from his personal crucibles—Kelley shows how to transform what holds you back into traits that will propel you forward, encouraging you to step fully into your life.
Who is Dr. James Kelley? His path is still being built brick by brick and the current brick is his inaugural book: The Crucible’s Gift: Five Lessons from Authentic Leaders Who Thrive in Adversity. The book is based on interviews from 140+ executives, from Fortune Two companies to entrepreneurs and everything in between. The book unpacks the journey a leader takes to become a more authentic leader, starting with their crucible moments as the springboard.
Against the laws of nature and human belief, in 2010, Dr. Kelley completed his Ph.D. in International Marketing at the University of Western Australia in Perth, Australia and ascended to higher education to work in Philadelphia. Currently, James, his wife Mary, and his four just outside of Dubai where he teaches, writes, and produces is bi-weekly podcast Executives After Hours. The podcast is predicated on interviewing executives about their personal journey. The shows motto, “I care about who you are, not what you do, because what you do defines who you are.”