"Tough Cookies: Leadership Lessons from 100 Years of the Girl Scouts" addresses one of our nation's most underused resources: girls, and the women they ultimately can become. Kathy Cloninger makes a convincing case for the enormous untapped potential of America's girls and issues a ringing call to action to girls, boys, parents, the business community and public to help females make a better, stronger and more prosperous future for all.
Cloninger underlines her point with two very personal 
transformation stories. The first member of her family to attend college, Cloninger was originally advised by her high-school counselor to set her sights on secretarial school. However, her instincts led to college, then to graduate school, to an extremely successful non-profit career, and finally to her appointment as chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of the USA.
The other story is that of an iconic but fading American institution that under Cloninger's galvanizing leadership transformed itself into an envied and widely imitated model of non-profit management excellence. She renewed and revitalized the organization's commitment to developing girls' leadership capabilities, and implemented a new strategic business plan affecting every major area of organizational activity: programs, volunteerism, brand, funding, and structure/governance.
Under Kathy Cloninger's leadership, Girl Scouts has completed a nationwide merger of local affiliates. This restructuring effort, virtually unprecedented in the nonprofit sector, has greatly enhanced the organization's ability to deliver programs and services to girls.
The "Tough Cookies" story is not only a celebration of leadership, citizenship, service, confidence and character but a testament to a movement that continues to transform lives and multiply across the globe.
All proceeds from the sale of "Tough Cookies" go to Girl Scouts of the USA.
Reprinted from blog.girlscouts.org »
