Be The Hero

• Reveals that each of us has the power to choose whether to be a passive, put-upon victim or a hero in control of their life and career
• Uses the accessible and popular parable format to teach important life-lessons
• Includes an extensive section of tools, exercises and other resources

A victim mentality is rampant in organizations today. My boss is a jerk. This is a dead-end job. I can’t change anything here. The result is lost productivity, lack of creativity, departmental in-fighting—a toxic atmosphere.

But nobody has to be a victim. The truth is people make themselves victims. It’s just an interpretation of reality, a story they tell themselves. People can choose a different story. They can stop seeing themselves as helpless victims and instead discover how to put themselves in charge. Anyone can choose to Be the Hero.

Appropriately enough, executive coach and corporate speaker Noah Blumenthal uses a story—of Jeff, a young executive facing what seem to him insurmountable challenges—to show readers how to gain greater success and satisfaction in their lives by transforming the ways they view others, their own situation, and themselves. And he includes a plethora of practical resources that will teach readers how to consistently shift their perspective from victim to hero.

This is not seeing the world through rose-colored glasses—but it is seeing through a new lens. One that helps us look beneath the superficial surface of our unhappiness to discover why people act in ways that frustrate us and do something about it. That finds sources of strength in our lives, even in the toughest circumstances. And that gives us the power to change.

Victim stories limit us, sap our energy, stifle and frustrate us. Hero stories open up new possibilities, spur us to action. In Be the Hero, Noah Blumenthal offers a universally accessible technique for overcoming inertia and despair and becoming consistently positive, productive, and happy, at home and on the job.

Noah Blumenthal is founder and president of Leading Principles, Inc., an executive coaching and consulting company dedicated to building effectiveness by raising self and organizational awareness. He has been featured as a guest lecturer at Columbia University, Baruch College, the New School University, Fordham University, Fairfield University, and the International Coach Federation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword by Marshall Goldsmith

Introduction: Change Your Stories, Change Your Life

Parable
• Challenges of Work and Life
• People Stories
• Situation Stories
• Self Stories
• Afterword: Find Your Heroic Inspiration

Resource Guide
• Overview of Book and Online Resources
• Be Aware of Your Hero and Victim Stories
• Build a Community of Heroes Around You
• Take Actions to Ecourage the Hero in You
• Hero Tips for Managers
• First Steps to Take Today

Acknowledgments
About the Author