Book excerpt: Practical advice and tools to help leaders at all levels elevate their skills What can truly set an organization apart? There is only one asset that offers guaranteed differentiation: leadership. Leadership is a deliberate act that requires effort but yields enormous payback. According to the renowned professor Shalom Saar and co-author Michael J. Hargrove, both internationally recognized leadership development consultants, executive coaches and speakers, leadership can be learned and improved through the nine critical competencies explored in this book. Filled with sage advice and engaging examples, as well as multiple mini-assessments, this book presents a programmatic approach to engage and grow leaders at every level and in any type of organization. Outlines the nine core competencies that define exceptional leadership Uses a proven approach to enhance leadership skills that can be applied to any organizational setting Offers a wide array of practical tools for aspiring and experienced leaders Written by Shalom Saar and Michael Hargrove, the cofounders of the Center for Leadership Development, (Saar is also a leading professor at MIT and previously Harvard, as well as other top schools globally) Leading with Conviction offers a wealth of advice to help leaders establish a compelling vision, motivate their workforce, manage change and conflict, and create benchmarks that lead to sustainable success.