HBS Press and Center for Public Leadership form publishing partnership:

Harvard Business School Press (HBS Press) and the Center for Public Leadership (CPL) at the Kennedy School of Government (KSG) recently announced that they will develop a cobranded line of books focusing on “leadership for the common good.” David Gergen, public service professor and director of the Center for Public Leadership, and Barbara Kellerman, lecturer in public policy at KSG and executive director of CPL, will spearhead the center’s efforts, working with Carol Franco, director of HBS Press, and Hollis Heimbouch, HBS Press’ editorial director.

“We see this line of books as a valuable means of jump-starting vital discussions on the role of public leaders and leadership for the common good,” Gergen says.

According to Franco, “Collaborating with Harvard Business School Press, a leader among business book publishers, makes perfect sense. It’s a natural partnership for two organizations with a common mission to improve the practice of leadership.” She adds, “We believe this line of books will make an important contribution to advances in business, government, and society.”

As a result of this exclusive partnership, HBS Press will publish books on public leadership with wide appeal and relevance for general interest readers. Barbara Kellerman is the first author signed for this new line, with a book that chooses not to look at shining examples of leadership, but rather delves into the dark side of leadership: its various forms, how it can happen, and why it’s tolerated. This work, slated for release in 2004, will demonstrate that even in the worst cases, there is much to be learned that can contribute to higher standards for leadership in organizations, nations, and communities. Other titles to be published may include historical, empirical, or first-person accounts written by prominent thinkers, scholars, business practitioners, and high-profile public leaders.