Confronting Reality: Doing What Matters to Get Things Right
Author(s): Larry Bossidy, Ram Charan
ISBN: 1400050847
On the heels of their business bestseller Execution, retired Honeywell chairman and CEO Bossidy and corporate guru Charan take a step back and focus on the more fundamental issue of figuring out what to execute in the first place. The message is simple ("relentless realism"), and their solution is a return to the "ancient analytical tool" of a three-part business model that includes external realities (such as customer demand and industry conditions), financial targets (such as cash flow and revenue growth) and internal realities (such as operational and workforce capabilities). Bossidy and Charan use that model to analyze how companies such as EMC, Cisco and Sun reacted to the meltdown of the high-tech sector, and how Home Depot built efficiency, 3M reignited growth through innovation and Thomson Corp. restructured its focus. The book loses steam in the final quarter, getting repetitious but still managing to make a few familiar points feel fresh, some as simple as developing one's own "business savvy" and "need to know." The authors use the same winning formula as in their first book. The concepts are basic, the tone is conversational and the content is not unique, but sales of the previous book (600,000 in the U.S.; 1.5 million worldwide) and the authors' personal platforms virtually guarantee widespread attention in the business media and corporate sales.
Leading at the Edge of Chaos
Author(s): Daryl R. Conner
ISBN: 0471295574
Conner heads ODR, Inc., an Atlanta-based consulting firm. For 25 years, he has been a leading expert in the field of preparing for and implementing change. Flexibility is a requirement as he touts "nimbleness." In an earlier book, Conner described the structure of change. He looked at how people respond to organizational transitions and suggested principles for managing the change process. Now he moves beyond the notion of change management to consider the problems faced in leading an organization during a period of turmoil. He addresses the key question of how to prepare individuals for changes that have yet to occur and that are still unknown. His answers are the "nimble organization" and "human due diligence." Conner defines "nimbleness" as the ability to succeed consistently in unpredictable environments, and warns that it requires not just flexibility but "speed, grace, dexterity, and resourcefulness." "Human due diligence" addresses the human element of change and refers to the "extensive and comprehensive investigation" required to lay the groundwork for change. David Rouse
Managing At the Speed of Change
Author(s): Daryl R. Conner
ISBN: 0679406840
In this world of impermanent governments and topsy-turvy businesses, Yeats's line "the centre cannot hold" comes to mind as an apt description of our times. Taking advantage of this whirlwind of change is a plethora of "change doctors" who aid executives with their hyperdynamic responsibilities. Conner presents a well-reasoned, original approach to change management, relevant for any organization. Based on his extensive consulting experience, Conner describes the patterns of change, his unique principles of resilience, and the imperative that the change process be actively led by managers. More functional than either Rosabeth Moss Kanter's The Change Master (Touchstone, 1985) or Tom Peters's Thriving on Chaos ( LJ 10/15/87), this is a useful guide to managing change, especially for stressed-out managers. Highly recommended.
Harvard Business Review on Managing Uncertainty
Author(s): Hugh Courntney, Jane Kirlsnd, Patrick Viguerie, De Geus Arie P., Claton M. Christensen
ISBN: 0875849083
From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series delivers the fundamental information today's professionals need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world.
Harvard Business Review on Managing Uncertainty presents leading-edge ideas to help managers make strategic decisions in an increasingly uncertain world. Includes the landmark piece "Competing for the Future" by Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad. A Harvard Business Review Paperback.
The Change Handbook
Author(s): Tom Devane, Peggy Holman
ISBN: 1576750582
Peter Block, author, Flawless Consulting and Stewardship:
"This book is about a great ideas written from the experience of great people. The methods lovingly detailed in the book are for those who want to change the world 60 to 600 people at a time. The practical techniques are based on an optimistic, affectionate view of human nature and a faith in the capacity that resides in each citizen. The authors are radical in that they believe in democracy, they know that the answer that we seek outside really resides within, and they each have given their lives to perfect the strategies that they describe. Reading this book will place you in great company, regardless of where you sit in the grand scheme of things. If organization and community change is what you care about, and hope is what you long for, this book offers a doable path to both. It is a good book, nicely edited, delivered in bites that you can swallow."
Changing Minds: The Art and Science of Changing Our Own and Other People's Minds
Author(s): Howard Gardner
ISBN: 1578517095
Gardner, a psychologist and professor at Harvard, examines the factors involved in changing minds on significant issues, in politics, science, business and art. He identifies seven key elements, including reason, research and real world events, that are part of the decision-making process. Certain facets are more heavily weighted in some fields than others: "leaders of large groups often rely on the appreciable resources at their disposal but are buoyed or undercut by real world events," says Gardner (Frames of Mind), who believes this explains why a politician or a CEO will disregard advice in the face of larger issues and popular perceptions. To prove his theories, Gardner analyzes the behavior of several individuals including President Bush, Britain's Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, and South Africa's Nelson Mandela. Gardner doesn't limit his examination to politicians because he also believes that artists, writers, musicians and teachers can change people's minds. While the discussions and real-life examples are intriguing and do clarify Gardner's theories, the book doesn't fully deliver on its promise. Although Gardner does offer suggestions on how someone can influence others, he doesn't include a detailed prescriptive strategy for decision makers in the business world. Readers must draw out insights on their own, which, given the complexity of the material, may be difficult.
Leadership on the Line
Author(s): Ronald A. Heifetz, Martin Linsky
ISBN: 1578514371
Climbing Mount Everest: dangerous. Hitchhiking in Colombia: very dangerous. Leading through change: perilous. Perilous but possible, say Heifetz and Linsky in their encouragingly practical guide to putting yourself on the line and negotiating the hazards of leadership. As the authors acknowledge, many leadership books are "all about inspiration, but downplay the perspiration." This one doesn't. Leadership is always a risky business, but those risks can be understood and reduced. Effective leadership comes from doing more than the technical work of routine management; it involves adaptive work on the part of the leader, and a willingness to confront and disturb people, promote their resourcefulness, and engage their ability to adjust to new realities. But adaptive change always encounters resistance. Heifetz and Linsky examine four forms of resistance--marginalization, diversion, attack, and seduction--before presenting a number of practical resistance-response skills to nurture and employ. Some are fairly obvious (like developing and maintaining perspective, and holding steady in the midst of change), and others more complex (like thinking politically when dealing with friends, foes, and fence sitters), but shimmering nuggets of insight and practical wisdom can be found in each. The dangers of leadership also spring from within, however, and the book's final section addresses ways to recognize and manage competing "hungers" and learn to distinguish one's roles from one's self. The authors' points are illustrated by the experiences of leaders from all walks of life, making this a useful and inspiring manual for anyone hoping to put themselves on the line and make a difference in the lives of others. --S. Ketchum
Leadership Without Easy Answers
Author(s): Ronald Heifetz
ISBN: 0674518586
Heifetz (Kennedy Sch. of Government, Harvard Univ.) presents a new theory of leadership for both public and private leaders in tackling complex contemporary problems. Central to his theory is the distinction between routine technical problems, which can be solved through expertise, and adaptive problems, such as crime, poverty, and educational reform, which require innovative approaches, including consideration of values. Four major strategies of leadership are identified: to approach problems as adaptive challenges by diagnosing the situation in light of the values involved and avoiding authoritative solutions, to regulate the level of stress caused by confronting issues, to focus on relevant issues, and to shift responsibility for problems from the leader to all the primary stakeholders. The theory is applied to an analysis of historical accounts of local, national, and international events. An innovative and thoroughgoing work; highly recommended for graduate and undergraduate collections.
Strategy Maps: Converting Intangible Assets into Tangible Outcomes
Author(s): Robert S. Kaplan, David P. Norton
ISBN: 1591391342
Kaplan and Norton argue that the most critical aspect of strategy-implementing it in a way that ensures sustained value creation-depends on managing four key internal processes: operations, customer relationships, innovation, and regulatory and social processes. The authors show how companies can use strategy maps to link those processes to desired outcomes; evaluate, measure, and improve the processes most critical to success; and target investments in human, informational, and organizational capital.
Harvard Business Review on Change
Author(s): John P. Kotter
ISBN: 0875848842
Leading Minds and Landmark Ideas In An Easily Accessible Format From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series delivers the fundamental information today's professionals need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. From the seminal article, "Leading Change," by John Kotter to Paul Strebel on why employees so often resist change, Harvard Business Review on Change is the most comprehensive resource available for embracing corporate change--and using it to your company's greatest advantage. A Harvard Business Review Paperback.
Leading Change
Author(s): John P. Kotter
ISBN: 0875847471
Sometimes the greatest innovations don't take root. LEADING CHANGE suggests that a good innovation is one that alters not only the way we see things, but also the way we do things. Offering up an eight-step plan to help with that behavioral shift, this guide to business development and growth contends that the businesses that succeed are the ones that work hardest to learn new ways of getting the job done
The Heart of Change
Author(s): John Kotter, Dan S. Cohen
ISBN: 1578512549
The Heart of Change is the follow-up to John Kotter's enormously popular book Leading Change, in which he outlines a framework for implementing change that sidesteps many of the pitfalls common to organizations looking to turn themselves around. The essence of Kotter's message is this: the reason so many change initiatives fail is that they rely too much on "data gathering, analysis, report writing, and presentations" instead of a more creative approach aimed at grabbing the "feelings that motivate useful action." In The Heart of Change, Kotter, with the help of Dan Cohen, a partner at Deloitte Consulting, shows how his eight-step approach has worked at over 100 organizations. In just about every case, change happened because the players were led to "see" and "feel" the change. In one example, a sales representative underscores a sense of urgency to change a manufacturing process by showing a videotaped interview with an unhappy customer; in another, a purchasing manager makes his point to senior management about corporate waste by displaying on the company's boardroom table the 424 different kinds of gloves that the company had procured through different vendors at vastly different prices. Well written and loaded with real-life examples and practical advice, The Heart of Change towers over other change-management titles. Managers and employees at organizations both big and small will find much to draw from. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards
The Fifth Discipline Field Book
Author(s): Peter M. Senge, Bryan Smigh & Richard B. Ross
ISBN: 0385472560
The Fieldbook is an intensely pragmatic guide. It shows how to create an organization of learners where memories are brought to life, where collaboration is the lifeblood of every endeavor, and where the tough questions are fearlessly asked. The stories here show that companies, businesses, schools, agencies, and even communities can undo their "learning disabilities" and achieve superior performance.
The 500 Year Delta
Author(s): Watts Wacker, Jim Taylor
ISBN: 0887309119
As the Age of Reason nears its 500-year anniversary, the authors of The 500-Year Delta argue that our world is on the precipice of massive change. The authors, businessmen Jim Taylor and Watts Wacker, believe this transformation will manifest itself as a shift from reason-based to chaos-based logic; the collapse of producer-controlled consumer markets; and a splintering of social, political, and economic organization. In pithy phrases and thought-provoking chapters, they outline strategies to help companies and individuals succeed in the increasingly unpredictable future they describe. Taylor and Wacker are skilled at incorporating historical facts to support their ideas of how corporate societies and world communities will evolve. The book is designed to help business owners and private citizens understand every element of their complex world so that they can excel in a future the authors term the "Age of Possibility." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Managing the Unexpected
Author(s): Karl E. Weick, Kathleen M. Sutcliffe
ISBN: 0787956279
One of the great challenges any business or organization can face is how to deal with the unexpected. While traditional managerial practices such as planning are designed to manage unexpected threats, they often make things worse. How do you organize for high performance in a setting where the potential for error and disaster is overwhelming? In this book, the ninth in the University of Michigan Business School Management Series, Karl Weick and Kathleen Sutcliffe look to high reliability organizations (HROs) -- aircraft carriers, nuclear power plants, firefighting crews, and others -- for the answer.
The Power of Impossible Thinking
Author(s): Jerry Wind, Colin Crook, Robert Gunther
ISBN: 0131425021
The world you live in is all in your mind, according to Wharton Business School Professors Yoram Wind and Colin Crook. The Power of Impossible Thinking is a witty and lucid translation of neuroscience research about "mental models"--the deeply ingrained assumptions and images that shape our reality and influence opportunities for success and failure. "Our models are gated communities," say Crook and Wind, who offer a superb crash course on the power and limit of mental models.
Leading Strategic Change
Author(s): J. Stewart Black, Hal B. Gregersen
ISBN: 0131303198
With a focus on the individual component of organizational change, this book offers a complete framework for "remapping" the way individuals view their companies and their shared goals. Leading executive consultants identify the "mental maps" that exist within everyone and how these maps hold the greatest obstacle to successful organizational change.
Ethics for the New Millennium
Author(s): Dalai Lama
ISBN: 1573228834
The Dalai Lama bases his exquisitely argued cry for a new look at society on the radical notion that human beings are "originally pure" and presents a persuasive examination of man's fundamental nature. His moral system is founded on universal principles and can lead persons of any religion to a happier, more fulfilling life.
Working with Emotional Intelligence
Author(s): Daniel Goleman
ISBN: 0553378589
Now, in Working With Emotional Intelligence, Goleman shows why emotional intelligence has become the new yardstick for success for CEOs and junior hires alike. Drawing on both unparalleled access to business leaders and in-depth research, he documents that star performance in every field depends more on emotional intelligence than IQ or technical skills. And the impact of emotional intelligence is even greater at the top of the leadership pyramid.
Birth of the Chaordic Age
Author(s): Dee W. Hock
ISBN: 1576750744
In Birth of the Chaordic Age, Dee Hock argues that traditional organizational forms can no longer work because organizations have become too complex. Hock advocates a new organizational form that he calls "chaordic," or simultaneously chaotic and orderly. He credits the worldwide success of VISA to its chaordic structure...
Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems, & the Economic World
Author(s): Kevin Kelly
ISBN: 0201483408
In a book about the marriage of the born and the made--the biologicalization of everything from computers to government--the executive editor of Wired chronicles the dawn of a new era in which the machines and systems that dri ve our economy are so complex and autonomous as to be indistinguishable from living things.
The Global Brain Awakens
Author(s): Peter Russell, Marilyn Ferguson
ISBN: 1862047138
The Dance of Change
Author(s): Peter M. Senge, Charlotte Roberts & George Roth
ISBN: 0385493223
The Dance of Change, written for managers and executives at every level of an organization, reveals how business leaders can work together to anticipate the challenges that profound change will ultimately force the organization to face. Then, in a down-to-earth and compellingly clear format, readers will learn how to build the personal and organizational capabilities needed to meet those challenges
Leadership & the New Science
Author(s): Margaret J. Wheatley
ISBN: 1576751198
This pioneering work shows how revolutionary discoveries in quantum physics, chaos theory, and biology provide powerful insights for transforming how we organize work, people and life. "Margaret Wheatley pushes our thinking about people and organizations to a new level".--Ken Blanchard.
