Your Leadership Moment: Democratizing Leadership in an Age of Authoritarianism (Taking Adaptive Leadership to the Next Level)

Democratizing leadership is Eric Martin’s stated passion and goal. In Your Leadership Moment, Eric was able to bring together the theories and lessons from his many workshops, as well as vivid stories of his and others’ leadership experience in a well written and captivating volume. This is not a book about “leaders” and “followers”; nor it is about a magic formula that if you just do “A”, you’d get “B”. Leadership has always been about ordinary people performing courageous acts of leading change for the good of all – whether it is within our family, friends, colleagues, or the society at large. For example, a central question that was asked in the book: “Whose job is it to lead change…?” causes us to reflect on the difference between an authority figure (who arrive in-the-nick-of-time to save the day) versus someone exercising leadership to empower others to do the hard work necessary for real change to take place. Throughout this book, Eric Martin acts as our guide to inform, motivate, reflect, and inspire us to become the person we aspired to be. By personally accepting the leadership challenge in matters large and small, each of us has the power to realize Eric's ideals of democratizing leadership. This is a must read for anyone who cares about helping people to deal with change to build a better and just future for all.

"Your Leadership Moment" is one of those rare books which inspires us to speak up & to speak truth when the powerful & people in positions of authority won't. That's what it means to "democratize leadership in an age of authoritarianism" -- that's what it means to recognize "your leadership moment" when it comes, because it will. Don't get intimidated by the word "authoritarianism" -- it's the right word, and a good word for these times (Nov. '20). Eric's book challenges us to ask the good question, the hard question, the question no one is willing to ask, the question "authorities" are afraid to ask because they don't have an answer, the question which requires us to see things differently, maybe even see ourselves differently. He also invites & equips us to then mobilize ourselves & others not because we hold a position of leadership but because that's how healthy democracies work. It's about "we" the people. We as everyday citizens have a responsibility to stand up & lead when it's our turn. No title is needed. That's why Eric's book is so important, especially today.

I do not give five star ratings. Except for this book. I knew Martin's insights would be a worthy read, but I was not prepared to be absorbed by the stories he tells, by his clarity of writing on hard and 'deep' topics of leadership, personal growth, change, or by his immensely practical steps to become a 'leader' in the richest sense of the word. This book comes at a time of great challenge, and it will be an indispensible tool to call all of us to be leaders, to democratize and equalize our ability to affect change. This book calls you to your passion and gives you the wisdom and knowledge to follow it. Read it for all of us. Seriously.

In this time of increasing Balkanization - on national identity, race, class, or ethnicity - in countries and societies around the world, Eric Martin’s Your Leadership Moment is the book we need right now. (The subtitle: Democratizing Leadership in an Age of Authoritarianism is almost laughably on point for this moment!) As we watch the alarming failure of the appointed “leaders” to provide the structure and opportunity for progress to happen, or in fact actively work to oppose it, for personal or clan gain, we need a new way to emerge. This author’s treatment of “Democratizing Leadership” and “Adaptive Change” show us a possible path forward. Martin uses an evocative personal narrative of growing up in the family of Detroit Firefighters in the 1980’s to hang together stories of individual empowerment from around the world. Stories of people without the designated authority or influence that accompanies official “leadership” who realize that the ability to create change and empower communities is within themselves. The author creates a compelling argument that this is not just a possible way to progress, but perhaps the necessary way to solve the largest challenges confronting the globe today. From climate change to a global health crisis, the concept of Democratized Leadership gives me hope. Although filled with practical information on how to adopt these concepts to you own work, community and family, I found the book to be an enjoyable read in a genre that is often dry or rote. Highly recommended! The hope we need right now!

What's the best medicine for disagreement and apathy? Finding a method for rising above both and moving forward with intention. That's the message from Eric Martin's superbly written and beautifully crafted Your Leadership Moment. Democratizing Leadership is not something we are routinely accustomed to. But it's just what we all need to put aside divisiveness, focus on what really matters, take change and impact into our own hands and truly make our mark in this constantly shifting world we live in. Absolutely worth the time and effort, especially as we wade through the pandemic and election challenges of 2020.

Eric shows us a world desperately in need for more of us to seize the leadership moments there for the taking each and every day. He writes “People learn from people.” And then he does just that. He opens up and lets in his readers, allowing each of his to learn with and from him. Set to the backdrop of coming of age in a breaking down Detroit, Eric brings us along as he gradually builds the empathy for his father that we might all need to build with those we don’t yet understand. When he talks about the costs of leadership, he does so in deeply personal terms—exploring the shame, fear and guilt that keep us in place while turning that lens inward, back on himself. Eric makes real what it looks like to break ranks as he follows the course of three people, each with a cause powerful enough to set fire to old habits and weather the ensuing tumult. As I read, I envisioned a gathering snowball: small acts of leadership gaining momentum and force to build the collective courage to engage from a place of possibility. In the end, Eric helps us to listen in on the quiet, still place in our own hearts and to let the purpose alive there serve as a guide—a way out from our collective addiction to authority and into the terrain of curiosity, empathy, and crossing the boundaries that threaten to keep us all trapped in our own echo chambers.

This is a well written book - doing a nice job of illustrating important leadership concepts with real life, inspiring examples. It has given me insight on what my leadership work really is - and it's changed how I am doing my advocacy work. In the last year I started to lead an initiative through my church to address the issue of homelessness and lack of affordable and supportive housing. It's easy to get focused on the day-to-day tasks of providing services to those in need, and doing advocacy on individual housing projects - losing sight of the real problem. We need to change the hearts and minds of the voting public so that we can start to garner support for bringing significant financial resources to bear on the problem of homelessness. We also need to galvanize people to apply a range of innovative approaches to solving the problem. This book is helping me to navigate through my "leadership moments".

Eric Martin’s book makes a unique and important contribution to the field of Adaptive Leadership. It’s a practical guide, but it also offers a remarkably personal view, both in the author sharing the story of his own relationship to this work and in helping readers understand what the moment-to-moment inner experience of living into this approach feels like – what they might expect. I know of no other book that does this as well, which is why this is my favorite work on Adaptive Leadership. What a brave and unique contribution!

Empowering - author provides a 360 about leadership and making change. Books helps you to identify opportunities for change that are right there before you. You get a framework to grow personally and professionally.

i have been anticipating the arrival of this book every since i got word of it. and although i’ve still got a bit more to finish, i have to say it does not disappoint. from the very beginning, it is clear that this book is on a mission to begin to show what is possible. each story, including Eric’s personal story included in the Introduction, foregoes the rose-colored glasses to illustrate a reality filled with the right doses of potent honesty and empowering optimism. nothing feels fake or contrived, making it that much more of a riveting read. may these stories of social, racial, and political healing be sprinkled far and wide...the world certainly needs it!

Democratizing leadership is Eric Martin’s stated passion and goal. In Your Leadership Moment, Eric was able to bring together the theories and lessons from his many workshops, as well as vivid stories of his and others’ leadership experience in a well written and captivating volume. This is not a book about “leaders” and “followers”; nor it is about a magic formula that if you just do “A”, you’d get “B”. Leadership has always been about ordinary people performing courageous acts of leading change for the good of all – whether it is within our family, friends, colleagues, or the society at large. For example, a central question that was asked in the book: “Whose job is it to lead change…?” causes us to reflect on the difference between an authority figure (who arrive in-the-nick-of-time to save the day) versus someone exercising leadership to empower others to do the hard work necessary for real change to take place. Throughout this book, Eric Martin acts as our guide to inform, motivate, reflect, and inspire us to become the person we aspired to be. By personally accepting the leadership challenge in matters large and small, each of us has the power to realize Eric's ideals of democratizing leadership. This is a must read for anyone who cares about helping people to deal with change to build a better and just future for all.

"Your Leadership Moment" is one of those rare books which inspires us to speak up & to speak truth when the powerful & people in positions of authority won't. That's what it means to "democratize leadership in an age of authoritarianism" -- that's what it means to recognize "your leadership moment" when it comes, because it will. Don't get intimidated by the word "authoritarianism" -- it's the right word, and a good word for these times (Nov. '20). Eric's book challenges us to ask the good question, the hard question, the question no one is willing to ask, the question "authorities" are afraid to ask because they don't have an answer, the question which requires us to see things differently, maybe even see ourselves differently. He also invites & equips us to then mobilize ourselves & others not because we hold a position of leadership but because that's how healthy democracies work. It's about "we" the people. We as everyday citizens have a responsibility to stand up & lead when it's our turn. No title is needed. That's why Eric's book is so important, especially today.

I do not give five star ratings. Except for this book. I knew Martin's insights would be a worthy read, but I was not prepared to be absorbed by the stories he tells, by his clarity of writing on hard and 'deep' topics of leadership, personal growth, change, or by his immensely practical steps to become a 'leader' in the richest sense of the word. This book comes at a time of great challenge, and it will be an indispensible tool to call all of us to be leaders, to democratize and equalize our ability to affect change. This book calls you to your passion and gives you the wisdom and knowledge to follow it. Read it for all of us. Seriously.

In this time of increasing Balkanization - on national identity, race, class, or ethnicity - in countries and societies around the world, Eric Martin’s Your Leadership Moment is the book we need right now. (The subtitle: Democratizing Leadership in an Age of Authoritarianism is almost laughably on point for this moment!) As we watch the alarming failure of the appointed “leaders” to provide the structure and opportunity for progress to happen, or in fact actively work to oppose it, for personal or clan gain, we need a new way to emerge. This author’s treatment of “Democratizing Leadership” and “Adaptive Change” show us a possible path forward. Martin uses an evocative personal narrative of growing up in the family of Detroit Firefighters in the 1980’s to hang together stories of individual empowerment from around the world. Stories of people without the designated authority or influence that accompanies official “leadership” who realize that the ability to create change and empower communities is within themselves. The author creates a compelling argument that this is not just a possible way to progress, but perhaps the necessary way to solve the largest challenges confronting the globe today. From climate change to a global health crisis, the concept of Democratized Leadership gives me hope. Although filled with practical information on how to adopt these concepts to you own work, community and family, I found the book to be an enjoyable read in a genre that is often dry or rote. Highly recommended! The hope we need right now!

What's the best medicine for disagreement and apathy? Finding a method for rising above both and moving forward with intention. That's the message from Eric Martin's superbly written and beautifully crafted Your Leadership Moment. Democratizing Leadership is not something we are routinely accustomed to. But it's just what we all need to put aside divisiveness, focus on what really matters, take change and impact into our own hands and truly make our mark in this constantly shifting world we live in. Absolutely worth the time and effort, especially as we wade through the pandemic and election challenges of 2020.

Eric shows us a world desperately in need for more of us to seize the leadership moments there for the taking each and every day. He writes “People learn from people.” And then he does just that. He opens up and lets in his readers, allowing each of his to learn with and from him. Set to the backdrop of coming of age in a breaking down Detroit, Eric brings us along as he gradually builds the empathy for his father that we might all need to build with those we don’t yet understand. When he talks about the costs of leadership, he does so in deeply personal terms—exploring the shame, fear and guilt that keep us in place while turning that lens inward, back on himself. Eric makes real what it looks like to break ranks as he follows the course of three people, each with a cause powerful enough to set fire to old habits and weather the ensuing tumult. As I read, I envisioned a gathering snowball: small acts of leadership gaining momentum and force to build the collective courage to engage from a place of possibility. In the end, Eric helps us to listen in on the quiet, still place in our own hearts and to let the purpose alive there serve as a guide—a way out from our collective addiction to authority and into the terrain of curiosity, empathy, and crossing the boundaries that threaten to keep us all trapped in our own echo chambers.

This is a well written book - doing a nice job of illustrating important leadership concepts with real life, inspiring examples. It has given me insight on what my leadership work really is - and it's changed how I am doing my advocacy work. In the last year I started to lead an initiative through my church to address the issue of homelessness and lack of affordable and supportive housing. It's easy to get focused on the day-to-day tasks of providing services to those in need, and doing advocacy on individual housing projects - losing sight of the real problem. We need to change the hearts and minds of the voting public so that we can start to garner support for bringing significant financial resources to bear on the problem of homelessness. We also need to galvanize people to apply a range of innovative approaches to solving the problem. This book is helping me to navigate through my "leadership moments".

Eric Martin’s book makes a unique and important contribution to the field of Adaptive Leadership. It’s a practical guide, but it also offers a remarkably personal view, both in the author sharing the story of his own relationship to this work and in helping readers understand what the moment-to-moment inner experience of living into this approach feels like – what they might expect. I know of no other book that does this as well, which is why this is my favorite work on Adaptive Leadership. What a brave and unique contribution!

Empowering - author provides a 360 about leadership and making change. Books helps you to identify opportunities for change that are right there before you. You get a framework to grow personally and professionally.

i have been anticipating the arrival of this book every since i got word of it. and although i’ve still got a bit more to finish, i have to say it does not disappoint. from the very beginning, it is clear that this book is on a mission to begin to show what is possible. each story, including Eric’s personal story included in the Introduction, foregoes the rose-colored glasses to illustrate a reality filled with the right doses of potent honesty and empowering optimism. nothing feels fake or contrived, making it that much more of a riveting read. may these stories of social, racial, and political healing be sprinkled far and wide...the world certainly needs it!

A great book for introductory college classes in leadership, ethics and communications and also a great read for those who want to practice the art of democratic leadership at work, in school, with service organizations (and even at home!) to further positive change institutional change when authoritarian and technical approaches just don’t work. This book is highly readable – outlining (with great examples) the who, what, where, when and how of tapping into our own leadership potential through the honing of real skills needed for the health and growth of individuals, groups and institutions of all kinds. Thank you, Eric Martin for this concise and masterful work!

This is an important book for anyone on either side of the political system. The author's personal stories are riveting, and dovetail perfectly with the larger story he is telling about anyone's ability to be a leader at any time. This is a MUST READ.

Eric Martin's Democratizing Leadership: your leadership moment, provides both a personal narrative as well as a challenge to all of us who aspire to make things better. Eric shares his own story that lays out his history and the context for the work he does globally across systems, ethnicity, and economic class. His honesty urges us to do the same by asking us to identify and pursue our real purpose in this life. Part philosophy, part road map, this book encourages each of us to use our voice in small and large ways everyday to improve life conditions, not only for ourselves, but for those around us to have a safer, more just, sustainable future.

As a father, partner, community member, and public health professional, I value the wisdom and practical advice Eric compellingly conveys on the importance of and opportunities to engage in democratizing leadership. Whether in response to the undeniable disparities and social and racial injustices magnified by the current pandemic or to other seemingly intractable challenges, Eric’s approaches, grounded in Adaptive Leadership, illuminate ways to cultivate a ‘willingness to personally engage with problems and deeper questions in our societies’ and to ‘rise up the voices of leadership of those who go unheard and unseen.’ I can think of no timelier a book than this.

Eric's work and Adaptive Leadership in general have altered the trajectory of my career and allowed me to envision so many more possibilities in my work and life. For anyone who has ever struggled to organize and mobilize others into action, have banged their heads against a problem that seems to have a clear solution but it just never materializes, who wonders whether they truly have the capacity to lead...this book is for YOU especially. Thank you, Eric!!

Among the plethora of leadership books I've read this one is on the very top of my list. Eric's rich depth of global experience working on issues ranging from tech to health care to environmental justice reflect his deep commitment to democratizing leadership for the common good. The particular gift of this book is his capacity to translate those experiences into prose that is both deeply inspirational and utterly practical. Eric offers us all an invitation as well as a challenge to move beyond our comfort zones in order to find our own leadership moments in a world that badly needs us.

Leadership comes from within and often presents itself at unexpected moments. Recognizing and acting on situations where adaptive leadership can make a positive difference is a skill which can be cultivated. I’ ve had the privilege of knowing Eric for 15 years. He lives the principles he espouses and writes about them eloquently. I highly recommend this book.

Eric Martin has a way of touching on all of the realities of leadership. Your Leadership Moment reveals the challenges and possibilities of leadership, especially when there are no quick and easy answers. I appreciate that Eric provides the reader with opportunities to reflect on what is written in a way that makes the book profoundly important and transformative on a personal and an organizational level.

"Democratizing Leadership: Your Leadership Moment" complements well the principles of Human Security: freedom from fear, freedom from want and freedom to live in dignity. It offers clear and effective tools to individuals and communities that can be used together with the human security approach. Eric's personal life story and how this story connects to his purpose and meaning gives a strong sense of identity.

I found this book to be very powerful and intensely personal. It seemed to reveal my innermost struggle on how I could summon the courage to stand in the heat and espouse my values, beliefs and stand up for what it right. Your Leadership Moment: Democratizing Leadership in an Age of Authoritarianism helped me better understand the inherent tensions in my life and in our world. More so the book gave me a road map and principles to apply so that I could use my talents and gifts to be a creative force in my own life and in the lives of others.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in creating positive change, understanding the difference between authority and leadership, and tackling messy problems that have no easy answers. Thank you, Eric Martin, for challenging us all to step into our Leadership Moments!

This incredibly well written book combines great storytelling with lessons on leadership that suit ALL readers. It is impossible to read Martin's book without feeling inspired to work toward a better future. The author clearly outlines, time and time again, how small moments can create big change on a personal or professional level. An important and timely read!

With all that divides us, this book is the perfect guide, at the perfect time, to help us bridge gaps and make progress on our most pressing challenges. Eric makes the complicated ideas and work of adaptive leadership understandable and accessible so that we can change the world together.

I’ve learned from Eric’s work as a facilitator and now as an author and am grateful for all I’ve gained. I really enjoy the nuances on Adaptive Leadership that are shared in this book and the idea that we are presented with 5 leadership opportunities a day is fascinating and a little scary!

Having just come through an election that set all-time records for mobilization, voting, and, sigh, money and bitter polarization, having struggled with the consequences of a pandemic the fallout from which will be with us for a long time, having witnessed or experienced the ravages of a changing climate, having had to reckon with unavoidable visible manifestations of racial and economic injustice, don’t you want to do something to try to close that gap between current reality and the country and society you desire and want to leave for the next generation? I do, even though i am really, really old. In accessible language, practical tools, inspiring stories, and personal reflection, Eric Martin makes that noble journey seem within reach. Your Leadership Moment is a book for THIS moment. Read it and take that next step forward to make more progress than you have in the past on whatever purpose moves you.

I research and teach leadership development for a living as a management professor. In fact, in full disclosure, I now lead the Faculty of Management in The New School, where the author Eric Martin got his Master's degree in Organizational Change Management. In full circle, I have asked him to teach a class for our current students. Leadership is a loaded word. Historically, it was thought to be reserved for the select few who meet certain criteria or possess certain traits. Almost always these traits were either inherited or developed by a privileged few. Eric takes this field and instead of cultivating privilege democratizes leadership. His book rests on decades of experience applying the Adaptive Leadership theory - originally developed by by Dr. Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky of Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University - in different parts of the world and a variety of organizational settings. Grounded in such rich experience, Eric's work surfaces difficult truths and problematic histories and provides approaches for individuals to become empowered leaders through interconnectedness, ownership, ability to discern their own leadership moments and acting on them. I look forward to utilizing the book in my teaching and consulting practice.

If 2020 had you feeling out of control, overwhelmed and unsure about your ability to make an impact in the world, you need to read “Your Leadership Moment”. This book holds within its pages the toolbox, playbook and spark to ignite your personal and organizational leadership transformation. Eric Martin reminds us that leadership is about the actions we take, not the titles or authority we hold. Each of us possess the power to make our world a better place by acting as leaders, one decisive moment at a time. I highly recommend both the written and audio versions of "Your Leadership Moment".

I had the pleasure of pre-reading "Your Leadership Moment" before publishing. In a world saturated with "leadership books" that lack real world examples, context, or a call to action, I found that Eric Martin's book left me reflecting both on life and work experiences i've had and also left me with a refreshed path forward and tools to be an even better leader. Eric's examples exude authenticity while giving convincing hope that complex problems and conflicts can be resolved and healed through empowerment of the individuals. With all that's going on in the world, this is the perfect time to read "Your Leadership Moment." Thanks, Eric!

I wish this book had been available when I was a full-time professor teaching leadership. Having assigned many books and articles and kept up with the field for decades, I am pleased that this book conveys many unique and vital points that I would surely want to cover in my courses. And it does so with efficiency and readability. “Adaptive leadership” provides the book’s conceptual framework. Among the many (many, many) leadership definitions, concepts, and theories, adaptive leadership is my nominee for most valuable player. Within this framework, the author illuminates essential processes that are missing from traditional (and still widespread) perspectives. Among them: Leading from any position, even without authority Seeking and seizing leadership opportunities Combining optimism with realistic pragmatism Bridging boundaries to engage productively with people outside your silo and comfort zone Being proactive—which so many people only wish they were, as they look back with regrets about not doing something when they should have Taking action, solving problems, and capturing opportunities to create the best possible futures for self and others Bottom line: Creating meaningful change, to the benefit of many These processes create productive change in teams and organizations. Perhaps most important, they will be crucial in tackling some of the most confounding challenges of our time—for instance, sustainability and justice-- that will dictate much about our future. For all the author’s experience and expertise, he makes it personal for the reader. A crucial point is to not limit oneself, by engaging a growth mindset (with effort, I can learn to lead change) rather than holding a fixed mindset (I am what I am, and will never develop into a real leader). I must add, I admire the author’s civic pride in his hometown, Detroit. I feel the same about my Ohio hometown, Cleveland. I hope Eric Martin is not too jealous of my roots in “the best location in the nation” (a post-World War II city slogan). There’s plenty of room for all: not just coexistence but collaborative leadership opportunities for everyone who wants to contribute.

Prior to reading this book, I was somewhat familiar with the concept of "leadership is for everyone regardless of your level of authority" as well as the Adaptive Leadership concept. I decided to read this book now because of everything we are experiencing in this world this year - just thought it will be good to double down on my understanding around how I can lead myself and others better during times in which we feel like the problem that is affecting all of us are so complex and interrelated. I was also looking for some hints/inspirations so that I can be better at sharing and mobilizing others who previously have not thought of themselves as "leaders". What surprised me the most was the way the content was presented in this book - how it was so rich with stories and how practical and relevant the content was in today's world. I remember reading another leadership book "Synchronicity The inner path of leadership" by joseph jaworski before and loved the way the storytelling technique was used there. Eric's book is a combination of such powerful storytelling combined with the very applicable framework that we can walk away with and use immediately in our work/life - and you finish reading the book feeling energized and re-committed to continue your own journey of leadership. Highly recommended for a broad type of audience!

Great read. Most inspiring and helpful book I've read in a while. And it couldn't be more timely. It offers hope and possibility - it provides insights into the role each of us plays in creating the change we want to see in the world. It offers actionable steps for how we can take steps to create the "home planet" we want for future generations. With humility and honesty, the author shares personal stories from his childhood as the son of a Detroit firefighter, as well as stories from his vast professional career in Adaptive Leadership work with companies around the world, that artfully illuminate the connections between the choices we make everyday and their relationship to the economy, race, and above all, the destruction of our Earth. The author digs into concepts such as the difference between leadership and authority, the risks of truly leading, what leadership offers - Direction, Order, Protection, Expertise (DOPE) - the risks of leadership, and the failure to seize leadership moments. He strikes a beautiful balance of captivating personal stories and theory, that make it an enjoyable and satisfying read, as well as super informative. The book awakened me to see how I have acted (and failed to act) in my leadership moments at work and at home, and how I can choose to lead in the future. This book is highly useful for both people with leadership titles, and people without. A truly useful gift for anyone who has cares about the Earth, has compassion for our fellow humans, and is looking for some inspiration!

Adaptive leadership: Disappointing your own people at a tolerable pace, for a purpose. In this important new book, we gain insights into the power of democratizing leadership to make greater impact in the world around us by activating the power of people to harness leadership moments in their everyday lives. Eric brilliantly challenges traditional notions of what leadership means - not as people positioned at the top of hierarchical structures, but rather as a process that can be practiced and experienced by anyone and everyone through pivotal moments of courage, honesty, and purpose. Eric deftly brings the ideas of adaptive leadership to life by providing examples that range from his experience growing up in Detroit to the coal mines of Kentucky, from daily interactions at the office to global social and environmental movements. Through these examples, light is shed on the power within us to make change and live up to our own leadership moments every day. I highly recommend this book for anyone passionate about how to get in touch with their inner spark to lead change authentically and strategically within their lives and organizations.

In both a personal and accessible way, Eric's book opens up a path for each and every one of us to exercise leadership - thus democratizing leadership. The book is steeped in the adaptive leadership framework - one of most relevant lenses for navigating the systemic challenges of today's world including racism, the climate crisis, and political polarization. Eric weaves in his compelling personal story, learning, and self-reflection to illustrate the humility and empathy-building required for orchestrating change. He details the adaptive leadership framework in plain language that makes it practical for all. To address adaptive challenges, Eric posits that we need insight into ourselves. This is so true. We are the problem and the solution. One of the people whose powerful story Eric shares sums it up best, "There isn't enough money in the world to solve these kinds of problems, but there are enough people to solve them." This book is an opening for people to step into their own leadership moments...and for that, the world will be better.

In a year of increasing uncertainty and fear, this book provides hope that we all have the ability to create positive change. Eric Martin is a true listener in a world full of noise, and it shows in his ability to tell stories that move as well as teach. He outlines ideas for starting to create small ripples of change "close in" where all big important things start. I sleep better at night knowing there are people like him in the world not only working on the tough problems, but sharing what they know widely. As we become more polarized as a people, this book is not only important for your work, but for how you navigate difficult relationships with your family and friends.

In a time of extreme divides in our collective dialogue and mutual understanding of one another; while faced with some of the greatest and most urgent crises, Eric's approach to tackling change and empowering courageous acts of leadership has never been more important. An essential toolkit for changemakers, teams and organisations eager to challenge and overcome today's status quo

I was a participant in one of Eric Martin's adaptive leadership public programs in 2016 on the eve of that presidential election. I had no idea then that we were about to experience unprecedented national division and an assault on democracy from within. Four years later the fault lines have just grown wider. We have seen a resurgence in racism and racial violence. A pandemic has taken countless lives and strained our public health infrastructure to the breaking point. It is in the context of these realities that Eric's book, "Your Leadership Moment," is both prescient and prophetic. Eric reads well the challenges we face and calls us to claim the responsibility for leading on behalf of a greater good. With engaging stories, he lays out a leadership framework that is accessible to anyone, no matter position or title. He makes leadership the work of the people--indeed the work that regular people must do if our world is to thrive.

This book is one part inspiration, one part guide book, and one part call to action. In challenging times, when many of us feel paralyzed as to how to contribute to change, this book provides the perfect recipe for empowerment and action. I started the audiobook in the car, but soon realized that I wanted to listen at home so that I could take notes and think more deeply about the concepts and their applications. I highly recommend the book, and hope that many others will read it and step into their leadership.

This book is not just a set of tools but an inspiration to help you make change in organizational and personal settings. The stories make it practical. And Eric's personal touches draw you in. Recommending this to all my co-workers as well as friends and family.

Finding our leadership moment, the place and time where we nail it--building on our pasts, whether good or bad, hard or easy we need to be able to recognize our time, our place and see the future that lies ahead. Eric brings together personal stories and anecdotes together with tested leadership practice that helps leaders see the how to picture opportunities, grasp them and lead. I can't ask you enough to get this book and read it, as a team and as a leader--you'll thank Eric for it!

This is a MUST READ for anyone who is impacted by what they see happening in the world around them today. Eric powerfully dispels myths about leadership as a position and instead shows (through compelling stories) how leadership is an action. Approaching this word as verb rather than a noun changes everything - suddenly it becomes something accessible to everyone. Eric, through this book, inspires us to speak truth, find courage and recognize our leadership moment. What I love best is that this book isn't a clean cut formula or self-help, rather, it offers a possibility of how each of us can (and must) show up to address the life/earth-threatening challenges we see around us today.

Eric's book empowers each of us to be able to answer the question, what can I do to make change in these challenging times? Through gripping narratives, he helps us to see that a first step in making change is acknowledging that we are culpable in the persistence of the problem. This book helps us to accept our role in the mess and accept that there are no easy answers -- that the way forward is messy and full of ambiguity. He makes us comfortable with that ambiguity. We can see a path forward to connect with others who seem superficially different but are deeply similar to us in their humanity and values and together, we can work to achieve change.

Eric Martin was successful in making leadership practical, pragmatic, and available to all of us, and thus truly democratizing leadership, it not only for those on top, but you can also lead from anywhere, any moment, in every single context. The stories that Eric introduces in the book, bring the ideas of leadership alive in a very elegant and captivating style.

Eric Martin's empathy is what makes him such a wonderful teacher, philosopher, and leader. He's able to address complex issues in a way that doesn't turn into esoteric soup, but rather feels like relatable, challenging and actionable perspective. I wish he was my uncle.

Eric's book is inspiring and thought-provoking. I was especially touched by the focus placed on relationships ("Leadership is about forming new relationships"). I also found it impressive how seamlessly he interwove current issues with his personal story, all the while providing an accessible explanation of the core concepts of adaptive leadership.

Eric Martin takes us on a journey to help us understand that leadership moments are everywhere and all around us - and that it takes acknowledgement and deliberate action to capitalize on them. A gifted storyteller, analytical thinker and collaborative changemaker, Eric is always inspiring to those he touches. Pleasure to read and a delight to know that his message can spread further through this book. Highly recommended.

I loved this book! It’s well-written and a great combination of refreshing insight and practical guidance. I appreciated the way the author uses real, nuanced, vulnerable examples to bring the theory to life. With each story, I felt inspired to reflect on where in my own life there are opportunities for me to exercise leadership and more willing to take risks to act. Couldn't recommend highly enough.

Eric Martin's exhortation to step into personal leadership at any moment - indeed, at every moment! - is inspiring. He has a way of taking subtle, nuanced concepts and bringing them to life with real experiences. Love it!