{"product_id":"be-the-hero-isbn-9781605090009","title":"Be the Hero","description":"In this engaging parable, author Noah Blumenthal shows that we are all master storytellers. Our stories are vivid, detailed, and convincing. These aren’t the stories we tell around the watercooler or the campfire. They are the stories we tell ourselves—the ones that rattle around in our heads and move us to emotions and actions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e If we don’t pay attention, these stories can take us down the victim path—blaming, frustrated, helpless, and hopeless. But at any moment, we have the power to identify and change these stories. We can choose the right stories—the ones that enable us to become “Everyday Heroes.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eBe the Hero \u003c\/i\u003ebrings to life the entertaining tale of a struggling young professional who\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003emoves from victim to hero by learning to become aware of and change the stories that are holding him back. Battling negativity, inertia, and anger, he learns to see life through a new lens, to create new hero stories that develop his capacity to chart his own course. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The powerful resources at the end of the book, including a hero tip of the week, smart cards, manager tip sheets, and more, will help you make your hero stories stick. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This simple parable will change your life forever.FOREWORD BY MARSHALL GOLDSMITH   \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e INTRODUCTION: CHANGE YOUR STORIES, CHANGE YOUR LIFE   \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e PARABLE   \u003cbr\u003e CHALLENGES OF WORK AND LIFE   \u003cbr\u003e PEOPLE STORIES   \u003cbr\u003e SITUATION STORIES   \u003cbr\u003e SELF STORIES   \u003cbr\u003e AFTERWORD: FIND YOUR HEROIC INSPIRATION   \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e RESOURCE GUIDE   \u003cbr\u003e OVERVIEW OF BOOK AND ONLINE RESOURCES   \u003cbr\u003e RECOGNIZE YOUR STORIES   \u003cbr\u003e BUILD A COMMUNITY OF HEROES AROUND YOU   \u003cbr\u003e TAKE ACTIONS TO ENCOURAGE THE HERO IN YOU   \u003cbr\u003e HERO TIPS FOR MANAGERS   \u003cbr\u003e FIRST STEPS TO TAKE TODAY\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS   \u003cbr\u003e index\u003cbr\u003e ABOUT THE AUTHOR“This book is quick, easy, and life\u003cbr\u003e changing, showing how it is within your power to choose how you perceive and respond to the events in your life.”  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Sid Chapon, Senior Vice President\/Director, Leadership and Organizational Development, Leo Burnett Worldwide\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “The world needs more heroes. That hero journey can best be started by absorbing the compelling messages in\u003ci\u003e Be the Hero\u003c\/i\u003e—a must-read book for our troubled times.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Phil Zimbardo, Ph.D., author of \u003ci\u003eThe Lucifer Effect\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Noah Blumenthal is a gifted storyteller who shows us how our own stories change our self-perception and our personal power. \u003ci\u003eBe The Hero\u003c\/i\u003e offers a friendly voice and practical tools to build hope and optimism, strength and flexibility, and consciousness about how our language shapes our beliefs.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Karlin Sloan, CEO, Karlin Stone \u0026amp; Company, and author of \u003ci\u003eSmarter, Faster, Better\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “It has been said that how an individual deals with adversity reveals that person’s true nature. \u003ci\u003eBe The Hero\u003c\/i\u003e will help you bring out your best, even in the worst of times.” \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Warner Burke, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Organization and Leadership, Teachers College, Columbia University \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Blumenthal's message is powerful for all who want to make a positive difference in their lives as well as the lives of others.  At Southwest Airlines, we embrace messages that support our values and mission; Blumenthal's message does this exceptionally well.  This will be a tool I will recommend to my customers.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Graham Vandergrift, Team Leader, University for People, Southwest Airlines\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003eBe The Hero\u003c\/i\u003e offers powerful lessons and reminders that each of our thoughts and actions impacts our effectiveness and our relationships with everyone around us.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Gwyneth Meeks, Vice President, Organizational Development, MTV Networks\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Noah Blumenthal knows that the story of our life success is written one thought and one conversation at a time.  In his fable \u003ci\u003eBe The Hero\u003c\/i\u003e, Noah has created not only a book but a user-friendly process to ensure every story we tell leads to a life of success with a very happy ending.”  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Andrea T. Goeglein, Ph.D., host, \u003ci\u003eBooks That Matter\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Change your story, change your life! Noah Blumenthal has written a parable and reference tool that will enable you to unleash your heroism on the world. It is a life-changing read. I highly recommend it.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Victoria Halsey, PhD, Vice President, Applied Learning, The Ken Blanchard Companies, and coauthor of \u003ci\u003eThe Hamster Revolution\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003eBe The Hero\u003c\/i\u003e is more than a book; it's a compass that points the way to your better self. Blumenthal does a masterful job of making profoundly important ideas accessible and achievable, proving that you too can Be The Hero!”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Bill Treasurer, author of \u003ci\u003eCourage Goes to Work\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003eNoah Blumenthal is president of Leading Principles, Inc., an executive coaching and consulting company whose clients rank among the Fortune and Global 500, including MTV Networks, Hilton Hotels Corporation, and DuPont. A keynote speaker and author of You’re Addicted to You (Berrett-Koehler), he was named one of the world’s “Top 100 Minds on Personal Development” by Leadership Excellence magazine and has been featured in such leading media outlets as the New York Times, CBS News, MSNBC News, Chicago Sun-Times, Investor’s Business Daily, and Newsday.Introduction: Change Your Stories, Change Your Life\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e No one is free from challenges. Work and life events stress us out, people treat us unfairly, and we sometimes feel powerless.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e We have tough moments, times when we become frustrated and angry with our jobs or our lives. We may have angry bosses or customers, or we might have spouses or kids who at times feel like too much to handle. Life is uncertain, and change is constant.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When frustration settles in, we sometimes see ourselves as victims. Perhaps you can finish these victim sentences:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “My boss is a _______.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “My job _______.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Worst of all, there’s nothing I _______.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When in victim mode, people complete these sentences with words like jerk, stinks, and can do. Such statements produce a self-fulfilling mentality that makes it impossible to be your best.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Yet some people are at their best even in the toughest times. You might know some of them. No matter what happens, no matter the stress or challenge, even if they become angry or get thrown off their game, they quickly recover. And before you realize what happened, they are positive, energized, and taking productive action.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I wrote this book because I believe anyone can become that person — the person who experiences pain or doubt or tough times or unfairness but who maintains perspective, humor, and a sense of optimism. When this person faces difficult problems, he or she still performs at his or her best. This person is an everyday hero.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This book is about helping you choose to be an everyday hero.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Everyday heroes don’t let life’s challenges bring them down. Instead, they stay positive and find a way to overcome their obstacles. Everyday heroes don’t always succeed, but they consistently act on the belief that they can do something to improve their situations and those of the people around them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The way you think — what I call your stories — can lead you to be an everyday hero. The stories you tell can make your life positive, hopeful, and empowering or bitter, miserable, and hopeless. You can choose your response to everyday events that might disappoint, frustrate, or anger you — to react in a way that casts off the victim mentality and enables you to act with a hero’s resolve.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Your stories determine your happiness and success. When you think like an everyday hero, you open the door to new possibilities. When you work in a company of heroes, communication increases, silos break down, and creative ideas multiply. You experience greater camaraderie, openness to new ideas, and receptivity to change.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Telling hero stories does more than change your state of mind. These stories lead to actions that produce:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Career success\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Improved relationships\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e More effective conflict resolution\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Increased adaptability to change\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stronger leadership\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reduced stress\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Greater happiness\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e These outcomes arise from telling hero stories, and we can all tell hero stories. I have divided these stories into three types:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e People stories. Heroes choose to feel others’ pain and seek to understand their actions. Victims focus on their own pain and blame the people around them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Situation stories. Heroes see the best in their lives and appreciate what they have. Victims focus on what is wrong in their lives.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Self stories. Heroes believe they can influence their lives and choose to take action. Victims believe nothing can be done to improve their lives.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e No one tells hero stories all the time. We all lapse into victim mentality occasionally. Part of being an everyday hero is recognizing those lapses and shifting back to hero stories.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The techniques and strategies presented in this book come out of my years of corporate coaching and consulting, helping everyone from senior executives to line workers to entrepreneurs achieve greater success and peace of mind at the same time. These strategies also come from my personal experiences as an employee, manager, business owner, husband, and father.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In the last decade, first as a founding member of an internal consulting group at a Fortune 500 company, then as the founder and president of my own consulting company, I have coached hundreds of corporate executives facing work crises, family challenges, life decisions, and moral dilemmas. I have taught thousands of people how to accept accountability and lead themselves to the life and work experiences they desire.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Each time I explore a story with one of my clients, we both learn from the experience. I am grateful to all of my clients for helping me understand the power of our stories. Each time I catch myself in a victim story, I also learn. The lessons from all of these experiences are captured in this book.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e To support you in shifting your stories, the book is divided into two parts: a parable and a resource guide.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Parable\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In the parable we follow the story of Jeff, a good guy with talent and high hopes whose life throws him some unexpected challenges. His struggle is one I believe we have all faced. How do you respond positively to adversity without letting it bring you down? With a little help, he discovers the answer, and so will you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I wrote this book as a parable because I think the story brings the lessons to life and makes them easier and more fun to digest. Although this story is fictional, the characters draw from many people in my life — my family, friends, colleagues, clients, and of course myself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e However, one part of this parable is true. That story has been one of the greatest inspirations of my life. If you can’t guess which part that is while you read the parable, you’ll find out in the afterword.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Resource Guide\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The lessons of the parable will be evident, but that doesn’t mean they will automatically translate into sustained behavior change. Therefore, a resource guide after the parable offers specific tips and tools you can use to carry the lessons from this book into your work and life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I have done my best to provide effective lessons in this book. However, changing your stories is a skill that takes practice over time. I still discover more every day. In order for me to share these lessons, www.be-the-hero.com features a reader’s section that will be updated with more information and tools to help individuals and managers succeed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e You will also have access to a forum where you can connect with others who are seeking to live and work like heroes, and you will be able to ask me questions about the heroic challenges in your work and life. Your access code to enter the reader’s section of the Web site can be found in the resource guide of this book.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I hope you enjoy this book, and I invite you to be the hero you want to be.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Noah Blumenthal\u003cbr\u003e July 2009","brand":"Berrett-Koehler Publishers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300125331685,"sku":"NP9781605090009","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781605090009.jpg?v=1767722280","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/be-the-hero-isbn-9781605090009","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}