Endorsements
Throughout history, leaders have experienced "crucible moments" -- times when they are suddenly thrust into the middle of a crisis and must quickly gather their wits, sort out right from wrong, and decisively act. Those moments often shape them for the rest of their lives. In the case of the best leaders, those tests also become the making of their moral centers...
Crucibles are moments that can change lives and change history. And so they have in the case of Sasha Chanoff and his dad, David. Early in the pages of this stirring book, they tell the story of Sasha's own crucible in the heart of Africa. There he faced for the first time life-and-death decisions about how to respond to a refugee crisis. And there, from that moment, Sasha discovered his own moral values and how they transformed him into the world-class leader he has become today.
From the book's Foreword, by David Gergen
Sasha and David Chanoff have written a powerful argument for sorting through critical moral beliefs whenever a leader is faced with a difficult decision or crisis. Although the book begins with Sasha's experiences while in Congo, his path to reach the right decision is also compelling to me and my colleagues in Silicon Valley. Though delivered by a renowned expert in refugee affairs, these lessons are useful in all walks of life. On top of everything else, the book is gripping to read and an exciting page turner.
Bill Draper, Venture Capitalist and co-founder of the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
From Crisis to Calling is totally gripping. The rescue story would make an unbelievable movie.
Tina Brown, former editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast
In From Crisis to Calling, David and Sasha Chanoff use powerful and deeply personal stories of insight, courage, and moral courage to highlight the important role of moral courage in answering the type of call to action that many of us face...but sometimes ignore. The people whose stories are included in this short book answered that call courageously, dramatically illustrating the lessons of crisis and true leadership that the Chanoffs tell: be prepared for whatever you need to face, open your eyes to what is real, confront yourself including your fears, know yourself, and take courage even when there is risk involved. Not all of us will face the types of dangers that some of the people they interviewed faced--but we can all learn from the lessons that these stories give.
Sandra Waddock
Galligan Chair of Strategy
Professor of Management
Carroll School Scholar of Corporate Responsibility at Boston College
From this extremely readable book filled with the compelling stories of individuals who not only espoused but acted upon their values in times of trial, we can draw inspiration, insight and perhaps most importantly, a sense of hope and of possibility. We see that there can be paths of action at times when the choices seem untenable, and that more than courage, this sort of journey requires planning and rehearsal and honest conversations, both with our colleagues and with ourselves.
Mary C. Gentile, Author of Giving Voice To Values: How To Speak Your Mind When You Know What’s Right
Sasha and David Chanoff have taken the by now widely accepted notion that moral leadership is necessary in order for organizations and businesses to succeed and provided a unique look at the psychological underpinnings of what that means. Equally interesting, they have illuminated the potential of embracing moral dilemmas to transform the lives of leaders, and indeed of everyone faced with critical decisions. The array of dramatic stories in this book is nested in the context of neuroscience, primatology, and sociology in prose that is elegant and a pure pleasure to read.
Louis Wade Sullivan, MD.
Former Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Founding Dean and President Emeritus, Morehouse School of Medicine.