The Leader In Me / Stephen R. Covey / 242 pp.

When a school took the "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and made it the central theme of their magnet school, they began to see changes in students and staff as they all began to think and act as academic leaders. Soon they had parents outside their boundaries wanting to enroll their children and schools from all over the world who wanted to replicate their success. This book profiles many schools who have begun teaching the 7 Habits as an integral part of their academic curriculum (including one in Festus, MO). It's interesting to read about how this philosophy is communicated to children as young as kindergarten age. It encourages confidence, collaborative thinking and ownership in their academic lives. As I read about how the cultures of failing schools changed, I couldn't help but think the same ideas could be used in many organizations. It highlights the importance of a central vision that is communicated and shared, how the habitat affects the habits as much as the habits affect the habitat of an organization. Great read if you are interested in shaping organizational culture.