Lessons for Non-profit and Start-up Leaders: Tales from a Reluctant CEO

Harris, cofounder of D.C.-based nonprofit Community Connections, and O’Leary, a professor of leadership at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, team up to examine the challenges of establishing a new organization in this informative and thorough exploration. The authors take an unusual approach to their topic by starting each chapter with a fairy tale “from our collective imagination” that colorfully illustrates a specific business hurdle, such as learning how to hire the right people, overcoming obstacles, or winning over stakeholders. These stories receive titles such as “A Fable to Reach the Sky,” “The Magic Ring,” and “Crossing the Woods.” Each fairy tale is followed by a case study that shows how Community Connections dealt with the issue at hand. By using Community Connections as the sole source for their case studies, the authors impart to readers a solid understanding of how one organization met its challenges. While many business books provide examples from multiple companies in the name of breadth, seldom do readers have the opportunity to explore a sole organization in such depth. (Sept.)