The Stargazer: Unleashing the Brilliance of Building Brighter Teams - Hardcover

by Katie P. Desiderio (Author), Michael G. Frino (Author)

Wall Street Journal bestselling authors deliver a powerful and actionable story to build high-performing teams with concepts rooted in nature.

In The Stargazer: Unleashing the Brilliance of Building Brighter Teams, human capital experts and Wall Street Journal bestselling authors Drs. Katie P. Desiderio and Michael G. Frino deliver a thought-provoking leadership fable. The story explores the importance of growth partnership as a catalyst for building high-performing teams.

Readers will discover the inspiring journey of Jack, a retired teacher and current vintner from Yountville, California, as he transforms his struggling vineyard and his own life through a series of profound experiences deeply rooted in the natural world. Throughout the book, readers are invited to reflect on their leadership styles and team dynamics, with practical exercises and symbolic activities that inspire growth and brilliance.

Guided by the lessons from the stars and stones, Jack returns to his vineyard with a renewed vision. Join Jack on this unexpected journey illuminating the path to building brighter, more cohesive teams. You'll learn about:

• The key features of the retreat including, Choose Your Be Mindsets, Open Eyes, Mind, Ears, and Heart, and Meaningful Work, each illustrated through metaphors from Jack's experiences.
• How to create your personal star system--a supportive network of individuals who help each other grow and shine brighter together.
• How to use the COMPASS framework to encourage team brilliance through principles of trust, growth, and interconnectedness.

Jack's journey from lone wolf to collaborative leader in The Stargazer: Unleashing the Brilliance of Building Brighter Teams serves as a powerful inspiration for managers and business leaders seeking to build strong, interconnected teams.

Front Jacket

In The Stargazer: Unleashing the Brilliance of Building Brighter Teams, human capital experts and bestselling authors Katie P. Desiderio and Michael G. Frino deliver an inspirational, exciting, and thoughtful exploration of leadership. In the book, the authors discuss the importance of growth partnership as a catalyst for building high-performing teams.

This is the inspiring story of Jack, a retired teacher and practicing vintner from Yountville, California. You'll follow him as he transforms his struggling vineyard--and his entire life--through a series of profound experiences deeply rooted in the natural world. The authors help you reflect on your own leadership styles and team dynamics, sharing practical exercises and symbolic activities that inspire growth and brilliance. They also describe the hands-on COMPASS framework, built on principles of trust, growth, and interconnectedness, that will change the way you see yourself and your team.

After learning the lessons of the stars and stones, Jack returns to his vineyard with renewed vision and purpose. You'll discover your own lessons from Jack's journey, ones that you can apply immediately to build brighter, more cohesive teams at your own organization. You'll also learn how to create your personal star system--a supportive network of people who help each other grow and shine brighter together.

The Stargazer is a powerful inspiration for managers, executives, and business leaders who want to build strong, interconnected teams. As you follow Jack in his transformation from lone wolf to collaborative leader, you'll discover crucial new mindsets and tools you can deploy to help your team members reach their full potential. An essential resource for founders, entrepreneurs, executives, and managers, The Stargazer will also benefit board members looking for ways to improve their contributions to their firm's success.

Back Jacket

PRAISE FOR The Stargazer

"Once in a great while, an author captures your heart and head with poignant lessons about life and leadership. Michael and Katie have scored twice! As an educator, the implications for transfer to instructional leadership are significant. A must-read for all who wander and wonder."
-KARI MONTGOMERY, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning

"A captivating read that inspires and serves as a guiding hand for leaders on their journey toward success. The Stargazer is a must-read for anyone looking to sharpen their leadership skills and build brilliant, shining star teams."
-LIZ ELTING, Wall Street Journal bestselling author, CEO, and philanthropist

"The Stargazer weaves together everything we know about leadership and team development: self-reflection, learning, curiosity, clarity, shared purpose and more. Nuggets of wisdom and learning are as brilliant and plentiful as the stars themselves."
-MARCI LESKO, Chief Executive Officer, United Way

"The Stargazer is a beacon for leaders aspiring to cultivate radiant, high-performing teams. It offers invaluable insights into harnessing the collective brilliance of individuals to achieve extraordinary results. It reminds us that as leaders we must always focus on storytelling and encouraging our teams to also share in these stories because ultimately it is always about the power of We."
-GEOFFREY M. ROCHE, North American Director, Workforce Development, Siemens Healthineers

"Enticing, informing, and motivating... educational but also heart warming. The Stargazer translates well-known effective principles into digestible and memorable models that help everyone become more effective in his or her professional and personal lives. Enjoy!"
-DR. ALLEN WEISS, Chief Medical Officer, Blue Zones Project

"The Stargazer brilliantly illuminates the path to building brighter, more resilient teams. Through its captivating fable, the book demonstrates how leaders can cultivate an environment of growth, collaboration, and shared purpose. It's a must-read for anyone committed to unleashing the full potential of their team and leading with intentionality."
-TONY MARTIGNETTI, Chief Inspiration Officer, Inspired Purpose Partners and Author of Campfire Lessons for Leaders

"The Stargazer is a quick but powerful read that will make you stop, reflect, and think. Katie and Michael pull you into a story filled with valuable lessons and insights to help you unite your team. This book is a must-read if you aspire to be a better leader or more supportive teammate."
-AARON BURTON, CEO, Sciton

Author Biography

Katie P. Desiderio, MBA, PhD, is a Wiley DiSC Partner and Founder of Proximal Development, LLC, her leadership development consultancy. She is also Professor of Management at Moravian University's School of Business and Economics and co-author of the bestselling book, The Beekeeper: Pollinating Your Organization for Transformative Growth.

Michael G. Frino, MBA, PhD, is a Wiley DiSC Partner and oversees Global Sales Training and Organizational Development for a division of a Fortune 500 MedTech Company. He is co-author of the bestselling leadership book The Beekeeper: Pollinating Your Organization for Transformative Growth.