Offers introspective essays reflecting distinctive leadership and management styles by fifteen of the nation's governors, clustered under three major themes. The first theme, gubernatorial challenges (constraints and opportunities), provides an institutional framework from which the modern governorship derives its authority, constraints, and opportunities for leadership. Secondly, gubernatorial roles (leadership and management) offers an introspective and personal view of the governorship by the practitioners themselves. Finally, the section on governors in action (case studies, ranging from Three Mile Island to educational reform) offers a glimpse of governing techniques and practices applied to real life situations and crises in state government. The essayists, all presenting their views while still in office include Governors Lamar Alexander, Tennessee; John Ashcroft, Missouri; Victor Atiyeh, Oregon; Terry Branstad, Iowa; John Carlin, Kansas; Richard Celeste, Ohio; Booth Gardner, Washington; Bob Graham, Florida; Madeleine Kunin, Vermont; Richard Lamm, Colorado; Scott Matheson, Utah; Richard Riley, South Carolina; Charles Robb, Virginia; John Sununu, New Hampshire; and Dick Thornburgh, Pennsylvania. The essays are a compendium of presentation made by the governors while participating as Gubernatorial Fellows at Duke University from 1984 to 1988. Co-published with the National Governors' Association.