Rosabeth Moss Kanter will convince you that the goal of winning is not losing two times in a row. In her view, success and failure are not events, they are self-fulfilling tendencies. "Confidence is the sweet spot between arrogance and despair--consisting of positive expectations for favorable outcomes." says Kanter, a Harvard Business School Professor and author of The Change Masters.

She applies the literature of cognitive psychology (dissonance, explanatory models, learned optimism) to explore the winning and losing streaks of a diverse lineup including the BBC, Gillette, Verizon, Continental Airlines, the Chicago Cubs, and Target. The result is a brilliant anatomy lesson of the big decisions and the small gestures that build and restore confidence.

CONFIDENTLY TEDIOUS (<0 stars-- 1 star is 2 too much!)

NOTE: pay attention to the distinction between the ratings.

Either it's 5 STARS or it's 1 STAR. very little in between.

Why is that? The 5 star people appear invested in her book, many of them make their living talking about CHANGE Management and business related issues. Some of them talk about being personally associated with the author or her personal interests. Is this relevant data for a book review? If what they want is to write fan letters, then they should do so on their time. Or if they want to set up a BLOG and yammer their platitudes, they can do that. But a review should be that, a thoughtful discussion of the merits, the good and the bad of any work. The 5 star people appear wholly unable to be neutral. In my opinion, too many people here are economically motivated:

a) to be seen as an authority in this forum,

b) to flatter their colleagues and

c) by the publisher to post exceedingly glowing reports.

What I would suggest is that the lack of nuance from the supporters and the over-the-top praise suggests payola.

The negative reviews give far more insightful and substantive review --which in this case is deservedly negative.

I give more weight to the negative reviews if only for their discussion of the BOOK itself, and not their personal opinions of the author, her sports agenda, their lovely luncheon last year, etc.

A Powerful New Approach to Leadership

I think of myself as a confident person, and I thought I knew what confidence was, but as I read Rosabeth Moss Kanter's newest book, "Confidence: How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End," I began to understand for the first time what confidence really means in practice, what I need to do to build it in my organization, and why I have often fallen short of my aspirations. I thought of confidence entirely as a personal trait -- I am confident, you are confident, she is confident, etc -- but Dr. Kanter's sophisticated, entertaining and above all convincing argument made me see that it is much more than that.

It also means confidence in others (colleagues and teammates), but most importantly, it means confidence in your organization, knowing that it will support you and enable you to do what needs to be done. Dr. Kanter, through a wealth of interesting stories -- about businesses, schools, sports teams and even a country (South Africa)-- shows exactly how leaders and Change Masters (one of her earlier books) operate to build confidence systematically for everyone's benefit. This book will change the way you lead and manage.

The most inspiring book I have read in years

Professor Kanter has grabbed my attention and kept it. I have been involved in turnarounds and sat uncomfortably in downward spirals. Now I know what they are made of and can assess my performance toward recovery. As a Philadelphia native, I enjoyed the study of the Eagles, and a person married to a Steeler fan, I hope a leader of their organization reads this book.

I recommend it highly for all leaders committed to their personal growth and to the success of their organization's mission. I also recommend it to business school faculty, especially those with experienced managers as students. This book is eye opening and a stimulating read.