Leaders-ByDesign
RESOURCES FOR ASPIRING LEADERS
BOOKS
HOW CAN I ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO FIND
EXTRAORDINARY ROLE MODELS?
Guide them to discover the real meaning of greatness.
What does it truly mean to be an extraordinary leader?
In a world where money, power and status often overshadow strength of character, 25 US G.O.A.T.s: Profiles in Leadership offers a refreshing and urgent answer. This collection includes the profiles of twenty-five iconic Americans who prove that character and integrity - not just celebrity - are the true marks of a leader.
Explore concise, compelling portraits of athletes, influencers, and artists who have shaped America by using their talents and platforms for the greater good.
From Muhammad Ali's principled stand for peace to Dolly Parton's transformative philanthropy, each profile reveals how meaningful leadership is forged through strong moral values, compassion, and selfless deeds. This book blends biography and a call to action, showing how Katharine Graham's courage and Billie Jean King's advocacy have sparked lasting change.
Looking for inspiration and unity in a time of leadership crisis?
This book is ideal for readers who crave substance over celebrity; 25 US G.O.A.T.s: Profiles in Leadership celebrates Americans who have not only excelled in their own fields, but have also uplifted communities and championed causes, driving real change. Discover how you, too, can help shape a better future.
This book includes discussion questions and journaling prompts -ideal for book clubs, class discussions, and personal growth. - it is not the curriculum for A CRISIS OF LEADERSHIP.
All formats are available at:
for BUNDLES: TeachersPayTeachers
Email for information about bulk orders and discounts.
Current undiscounted prices:
ebook - $9.99
paperback - $29.00
hardcover - $39.00
COURSE CURRICULUM
HOW CAN I TEACH LEADERSHIP
TO YOUNG PEOPLE?
What if leadership was not just a title, but a skill set built on character, integrity, and ethical courage?
This curriculum, A Crisis of Leadership: Building Character & Integrity, is the essential guide for educators and mentors determined to shape tomorrow’s leaders from the inside out.
Designed for high school students, as well as college and university students, this transformative curriculum delivers a step-by-step, 13- to 18-week journey that goes far beyond theory. Through dynamic lesson plans, case studies, discussions, roleplaying, hands-on activities, debates, and culminating projects, students are challenged to reflect deeply, debate ethically, and apply their values to become principled leaders. From building trust and resilience to mastering empathy and navigating complex ethical dilemmas, every module is crafted to spark growth, self-awareness, and authentic connection.
Whether you are a teacher, counselor, mentor, or youth leader, A Crisis of Leadership equips you with everything needed to foster a safe, engaging environment where students can discover their strengths, confront their weaknesses, and emerge as principled leaders ready to make a difference. No preparation or training needed! Follow the steps in this guide from the first class meeting.
Empower your students to lead with a foundation built on solid values and courageous integrity. Start the journey toward character-driven leadership today.
The curriculum guide cannot be purchased from this website, nor from Amazon. Email for information about bundles and bulk order discounts.
For BUNDLES: TeachersPayTeachers
Current undiscounted price:
spiral/coil-bound - $29.00
COURSE ACTIVITY BOOK
HOW CAN I ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO DEVELOP SOLID MORAL VALUES?
A Crisis of Leadership: Building Character & Integrity guides students in developing their own moral codes and understanding how their values guide them in interpersonal relationships, behavior, making difficult decisions, and accepting some of the difficult choices made by others.
This coil-bound student workbook supports the curriculum in helping students to build character and integrity as the foundation for becoming leaders and accompanies the book, 25 US G.O.A.T.s: Profiles in Leadership.
This workbook is divided into 13-18 lessons with a variety of activities: experiential, discussion, debate, projects, and journaling. Within its covers are case studies, handouts, discussion questions, video links, and writing prompts with space for writing directly in the workbook. It is designed for high school, community college, and freshman university students, and the lessons can be adapted for time and level.
This course not only addresses individual character traits such as honesty and perseverance, it treats them as skills that can be developed and honed by guiding students to explore and build them. The activities increase from concrete to higher-level thinking in social emotional development through self-awareness, identity, and self-concept.
The activity book cannot be purchased from this website, nor from Amazon. Email for information about bundles and bulk order discounts.
For BUNDLES: TeachersPayTeachers
Current undiscounted price:
spiral/coil-bound - $29.00
Additional Books
Profiles in Courage (272 pages) by John F. Kennedy, ISBN: 978-0062339096, published 2015 by Harper Perennial (originally in 1956 by Harper & Bros)
*Winner of Pulitzer Prize*
From Amazon Description: profiles “... eight American patriots … who … revealed a special sort of greatness: men who disregarded dreadful consequences to their public and private lives to do that one thing which seemed right in itself […]. Courage … is central to all morality…. ”
Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, The Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit (410 pages) by Brené Brown, ISBN: 978-1984855763, published 2025 by Random House
*Longlisted for the Porchlight Business Book Award*
From Amazon: "an urgent call to reimagine the essentials of courageous leadership. In a time when uncertainty runs deep and bluster, hubris, and even cruelty are increasingly framed as acceptable leadership, Brown delivers practical, actionable insights that illuminate the mindsets and skill sets essential to reclaiming focus and driving growth through connection, discipline, and accountability."
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. (309 pages) by Brené Brown, ISBN: 978-0399592546, published 2018 by Random House
*One of Bloomberg's Best Book of the Year*
From Amazon: "Leadership is not about titles, status, and wielding power. A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for recognizing the potential in people and ideas, and has the courage to develop that potential."
Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others - The Science-Based Guide to Visionaries, Exemplars, and Mentors Who Transform Lives (320 pages) by Adam Galinsky, ISBN: 978-0063294677, published 2025 by Harper Business
From Amazon: "Two kinds of leaders populate the world: those who inspire and those who infuriate. Which will you be?"
Leadership (546 pages) by James MacGregor Burns, ISBN: 978-1453245279, published 2012 by Open Road Media.
*Winner of Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award*
From Amazon Description: After spending his career “... documenting the use and misuse of power by leaders […]. examines the qualities that make certain leaders–in America and elsewhere–succeed as transformative leaders.”
The Leader within Us: Mindset, Principles and Tools for a Life by Design (185 pages) by Warren Rustand, ISBN: 978-1-95086-325-9, published 2020 by ForbesBooks
From Amazon Description: “... puts in writing the basic principles of what he calls a life by design—that is a life that through deliberate choice and hard work, reflects the vision and aspirations of the person living it […]. his story… a blueprint for making significant changes, setting and achieving your goals, and living a life you can be proud of.”
The Road to Character (320 pages) by David Brooks, ISBN: 978-0812983418 published 2016 by Random House
From Amazon Description: “explores how, through internal struggle and a sense of their own limitations, they have built a strong inner character.”
Leading Minds: An Anatomy of Leadership by Howard Gardner with Emma Lasking, ISBN: 978-0465027774, published 2011 by Basic Books
From Amazon Description: “... identifies six constant features of leadership as well as paradoxes that must be resolved for leadership to be effective ….”
Leadership Impact: How Leaders Develop Others and Create True Impact (182 pages) by Aaron Patience, ISBN: 979-8998813726, published 2025 by Patience Publishing House
*part of The Pursuit of Leadership series*
Description from Amazon: “... a collection of 50 short, real-life leadership stories that spark reflection inspire growth, and elevate the way we lead.”
The Power of Character in Leadership: How Values, Morals, Ethics, and Principles Affect Leadership (284 pages) by Myles Munroe, ISBN: 978-1603749794, published 2014 by Whitaker House
From Amazon Description: “... the one quality that would have protected their leadership and given them enduring influence […]. It is the quality of moral force, or character.”
Moral Leadership: Integrity, Courage, Imagination (192 pages) by Robert Michael Franklin, ISBN: 978-8888660195, published 2024 by ORBIS
From Amazon Description: “Addressing the crises in American public life … calls for genuine moral leadership, anchored in intellectual and ethical integrity, a vision of and commitment to the public good, and personal investment in transformative community […]. proposes a model for such leadership….”
Love to Lead: The Untapped Potential of Human-Centered Leadership (98 pages) by Blaine A. Laurion, ASIN: BOFP5S5X1Q, published 2025
From Amazon Description: “Lead with Love. Transform with Purpose. Inspire with Integrity [...]. Navy leader Blaine Laurion distills a lifetime of lessons into practical wisdom [...]. powerful stories [...]. candid reflections, case studies, and quick takeaways [...]. People don’t follow titles—they follow trust. They follow courage. They follow love in action.”
Ethical Leadership: The Quest for Character, Civility, and Community (256 pages) by Walter Earl Fluker, ISBN: 978-1451419849, published 2009 by Fortress Press
From Amazon Description: “In an age when incompatible worlds collide and when scandals rock formerly stable institutions, what counts most is ethical leadership and the qualities of personal integrity, spiritual discipline, intellectual openness, and moral anchoring.”
Behavioral Ethics in Practice: Why We Sometimes Make the Wrong Decisions (278 pages) by Cara Biasucci, ISBN: 978-1000207934, published 2020 by Routledge
From Amazon Description: “research-based introduction to behavioral ethics [...]. behavioral psychology, cognitive science, and evolutionary biology … uncovers the common reasons why good people often screw up [...]. reveals the factors that influence how people really make moral decisions.”
The Leadership Moment: Nine True Stories of Triumph and Disaster and Their Lessons for Us All (336 pages) by Michael Useem, ISBN: 978-0812990584, published 1999 by Crown Currency
Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t (363 pages) by Simon Sinek, ISBN: 978-1101623039, published 2014 by Portfolio
From Amazon Description: “...Simon Sinek noticed that some teams trust each other so deeply that they would literally put their lives on the line for each other. Other teams, no matter what incentives are offered, are doomed to infighting, fragmentation and failure. Why? The answer became clear during a conversation with a Marine Corps general. "Officers eat last," he said. Sinek watched as the most junior Marines ate first while the most senior Marines took their place at the back of the line. What's symbolic in the chow hall is deadly serious on the battlefield: Great leaders sacrifice their own comfort--even their own survival--for the good of those in their care.”