Amazon.com
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
Book Description
Every day, in every facet of our lives, opportunities to lead call out to us. At work and at home, in our local communities and in the global village, the chance to make a difference beckons. Yet often, we hesitate. For all its passion and promise, for all its excitement and rewards, leading is risky, dangerous work.
Why? Because real leadership-the kind that surfaces conflict, challenges long-held beliefs, and demands new ways of doing things-causes pain. And when people feel threatened, they take aim at the person pushing for change. As a result, leaders often get hurt both personally and professionally.
In Leadership on the Line, renowned leadership authorities Ronald A. Heifetz and Marty Linsky marshal a half century of combined teaching and consulting experience to show that it is possible to put ourselves on the line, respond effectively to the risks, and live to celebrate our efforts. With compelling examples including the presidents of countries and the presidents of organizations, everyday managers and prominent activists, politicians and parents, the authors illustrate proven strategies for surviving and thriving amidst the dangers of leading:
· "Getting on the balcony": stepping back to get perspective while remaining fiercely engaged
· "Thinking politically": keeping the opposition close, but watching your allies, too
· "Orchestrating the conflict": using stress productively to work the issues
· "Giving the work back": putting the responsibility on those who need to make the change
· "Holding steady": maintaining your focus while taking the heat
The authors also address often-neglected aspects of leadership, such as how to manage your personal vulnerabilities, and how to anchor yourself and sustain your spirit through tough times.
Both uplifting and practical, this essential book enables each of us to lead courageously and confidently-without losing ourselves.
AUTHORBIO:
Ronald A. Heifetz and
Marty Linsky are on the faculty at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Heifetz is the author of Leadership Without Easy Answers and Co-director of the school's Center for Public Leadership. Linsky is Faculty Chair of many of the school's executive programs, including Senior Officials in State and Local Government and Leadership for the 21st Century.
Customer Reviews:
Not a bad choice!!.......2007-10-01
This book is an easy read. It does have some real practical ways that its "messages" can be used by leaders. There are many quality quotes and ideas that can be put into place ASAP in your organization.
Leadership on the Line.......2007-09-13
I found the book insightful and enjoyable to read. It gave options for handling business issues that affect a person's leadership credibilty. The examples were clear and related to well known leaders through out history and present day servers of the governnent and service organizations. I would recommend this book to all business people and take charge leaders.
May this book help you survive long enough to do some good.......2007-03-30
Most companies, most organizations are run by managers. They don't really lead to a new and different future, they instead try to manage the business as they found it. Their main concern is this quarter. Next quarter is long range planning. And the quarter after that so far into the future as to not be worth considering.
Perhaps the best examples right now are the American automobile companies. We've known since the first embargo, since the publication of Hubbard's Peak on oil production that we need more efficient cars. So for quarter after quarter they concentrated on full size SUV's and Pickup trucks. Not even a background level effort on getting a hybrid, a 40 mile per gallon car ready to produce.
This book closes with the need for real leaders. We, our country, our world face difficult times requiring fundamental changes in areas like energy, terrorism, global warming and more. We need leaders -- political, religious, and business leaders. As the book ends: 'May you enjoy with a full heart the fruits of your labor. The world needs you.'
Maybe this book can help you survive long enough to do some good.
Solid and earnest advice for passion in leadership.......2006-12-24
"Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading" by Ronald A. Heifetz and Marty Linsky is an unconventional leadership book. Forsaking formulas, Heifetz and Linsky explore the human dimensions of leadership. Through numerous examples drawn from their teaching and consulting work, the authors tell the reader - really implore the reader - to appreciate the fullness of leadership and its impact on others.
The authors' examples and personal philosophy is on the liberal-left side, but much of their advice appears solid and earnest. The challenge for any person reading their book is how to put into practice what the authors suggest. I believe that without at least a few people to whom a leader can turn for counsel, the authors' call to leadership greatness will be forgotten not long after finishing the book.
The book's closing paragraph provides a good summary of the preceding 235 pages:
"Opportunities for leadership are available to you, and to us, every day. But putting yourself on the line is difficult work, for the dangers are real. Yet the work has nobility and the benefits, for you and for those around you, are beyond measure. We have written this book out of admiration and respect for you and your passion. We hope that the words on these pages have provided both practical advice and inspiration; and that you have better means now to lead, protect yourself, and keep your spirit alive. May you enjoy with a full heart the fruits of your labor. The world needs you."
Excellent.......2006-11-06
If you are looking for a book on leadership, this is one to add to your collection. I had trouble putting the book down at times. The book is very well written and I would highly suggest it to anyone. If you have read books on leadership before, you will place this one at the top of your list.
Book Description
A Practical Guide to Using the Principles of Servant Leadership
Leadership is a calling. And servant leadership—the idea that managing with respect, honesty, love, and spirituality empowers employees—helps individuals answer that calling. Bestselling author and former Fortune 500 executive James A. Autry reveals the servant leader’s tools, a set of skills and ideals that will transform the way business is done. It helps leaders nurture the needs and goals of those who look to them for leadership. The result is a more productive, successful, and happier organization, and a more meaningful life for the leader. Autry reveals how to remain true to the servant leadership model when handling day-to-day and long-term management situations, including how to:
•Provide guidance during conflict and crisis
•Assure your continued growth and progress as a leader
•Train managers in the principles of servant leadership
•Transform a company with morale problems into a great place to work
Practiced by one-third of the companies on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, servant leadership is a thriving philosophy. Ultimately, Autry explores how it can be a valuable, refreshing, and rewarding approach to leading others in business life.
“When I first read Jim’s work, I was thrilled. Finally, someone had clearly and con-cisely articulated these principles in a way that people can quickly adopt into their lives.”—from the foreword by Howard Behar, retired president, Starbucks
“This is an awesome book. James Autry’s gift is that he brings lofty ideals down to earth with general illustrations that make them easy to understand and apply. I highly recommend it!”—Jack Canfield, coauthor, Chicken Soup for the Soul
“The Servant Leader describes the kind of leadership upon which Starbucks Coffee Company has been built and is a concept that is closely aligned with our mission and guiding principles.” —Howard Schultz, chairman, Starbucks
Customer Reviews:
Use this book for coaching managers & execs.......2007-07-27
As an executive coach, I often rely on books for extra inspiration for my clients. James Autry's Servant Leader book is the one I most often recommend to clients. The first half of the book is especially compelling and succinct, and it supplements my efforts to instill change in old-style managers and executives. There are plenty of "servant leader" books available, but this is the one I turn to every time.
Great book, even better concept..........2006-12-28
The Servant Leader has a great title and develops the concept. It only falls short in giving true-to-life, concrete examples. If you are new to the concept of servant leadership, this is a great starter. Great book!
Servant Leadership "Must-Read".......2006-08-21
James Autry's (2001) book is essential reading for the servant-leader and servant-led who are looking for practical tools to change organizational culture. The book was arranged in four major sections: "A Foundation of Character and Vision" (pp. 1-36); Servant as Manager: The Everyday Nuts and Bolts" (pp. 37-98); The Harsh Realities of Organizational Life" (pp. 99-154); and "Finding the Balance" (pp. 155-240).
His main contribution to servant-leadership is threefold: (a) he rightly points out the famous proverb about managers doing things right and leaders doing the right things is not a prescription that recommends leaders to think only of the forest and not the trees; "instead, it is meant to define what a manager must move beyond (focusing on how to do) in order to become a leader (focusing on what to do and how to be" (pp. 37-38); (b) as an organizational leader with deep experience, he does not shy away from discussing the harder aspects of organizational life--he is an effective counterweight for some of the Pollyannaish literature; and (c) as an experienced organizational leader, he provides some management and leadership technologies and understandings that the theorist alone cannot.
"Because this concept of serving others is an essential part of what I believe about leadership, let me offer you a list of six things I believe about leadership:
1. Leadership is not about controlling people; it's about caring for people and being a useful resource for people.
2. Leadership is not about being boss; it's about being present for people and building a community at work.
3. Leadership is not about holding on to territory; it's about letting go of your ego, bringing your spirit to work, being your best and most authentic self.
4. Leadership is less concerned with pep talks and more concerned with creating a place in which people can do good work, can find meaning in their work, and can bring their spirits to work.
5. Leadership, like life, is largely a matter of paying attention.
6. Leadership requires love." (pp. 20-21).
Practical Leadership.......2002-10-07
A timely and insightful book. Autry brings a fresh prospective to the leadership and management table. Too often today we hear the negative aspects of leadership. Leaders are portrayed as being consumed with power and greed, not motivated to promote the company and protect the employee, but to advance their own wealth. The leader that Autry describes is much different. This leader is a servant first, placing high emphasis on the worth of the individual and believes that the people are what make and hold the company together.
Unlike other books on servant leadership, Autry gives the reader a clear, concise idea of how to apply the principals of servant leadership to the ethical and personal problems leaders face on a daily basis. He effectively illustrates "how to build a creative team, develop great morale and improve bottom-line performance". He introduces a concept that will be unsettling to some leaders when he states "Business is about people. Business is of, by, about and for people". As far as he is concerned organizations are not different, they may produce different or unique products, but they are all dependent on people and that is what makes them the same.
This is not a book about soft or fussy management; it relates to business practices that we use everyday. Instead of focusing on the bottom-line Autry's focus is on people. He believes that if he takes care of the people that work for him and treats them in a fair and ethical manner he will improve bottom line performance.
Autry addresses issues that HR professionals and leaders have to work with. The chapter on Finding the Right People is about recruiting. The chapter on Tools of the Trade focuses on job descriptions, performance standards, performance appraisals and rewards systems. Nothing touchy feely here, just areas that can either have a positive or negative impact on profits. These topics tie directly to the productivity of the company because, if done incorrectly, they will adversely affect moral and performance. There is also a great chapter on dealing with difficult employees, which I found very insightful.
This book is a great tool for the leader that is looking to have a positive impact on the lives of their employees. It acknowledges the fact that you will have legal and personal issues to deal with and it helps you work though the problems from a different prospective.
I highly recommend finding a place for it in your toolbox.
Vital for Future Leaders.......2002-01-23
I've just spend a thought-provoking afternoon with Jim Autry. No, I've never met the man. But, I feel like we've had a personal conversation and I can call him friend. That's the way this book reads. Now I'm motivated to read his previous books: "Love and Profit," "Life and Work," and others.
As a consulting futurist, I advise my client organization's leadership teams how to prepare for their future. The emphasis of my work is workforce and workplace issues. Looking at the design and performance of the corporation of the future, I'm confident that we'll see a significantly different style of leadership than we see in today's organizations. I teach-and-preach this shift in my consultations, seminars, and speeches to management groups. The emerging style is much more employee centered, less authoritarian. Some have called this emerging model "servant leadership," so I was eager to read Autry's book to learn about his perspective.
Though a consultant and speaker himself, Autry's "been there, done that." He's practiced the principles he espouses in a number of settings, including in his former role as president of the Meredith Corporation's publishing group. This experience enables him to present real-life examples from his personal leadership career, moving this book from an academic treatise to almost a personal story of "here's how I did it . . . and got great results." Readers of this book will enjoy a feeling of sitting in a comfortable setting having a conversation with this thought leader.
The book is organized into four parts. The first part, A Foundation of Character and Vision, presents two baseline chapters: Characteristics of the Leader as a Servant, and Understanding the Three Aspects of Vision. This portion of the book alone produced sufficient value for me that I knew I wanted to give this volume high marks. Managers and leaders may find themselves looking more introspectively at their own styles, values, and expectations as they read these pages. Sure started me thinking.
Part Two of the book gets into some nitty-gritty. Application of the servant leader approach. How to build a community of people who enjoy working productively together to achieve shared desired results. Listen to the chapter titles: Finding the Right People. Training the Servant Leader. Tools of the Trade. Coping with the High-Tech Workplace.
There were a couple of places in this portion of the book where my mind began to wander, but I was quickly drawn back to the text as I gained insight into how the principles of servant leadership work hand-in-hand with the more mundane aspects of management like job descriptions and performance appraisals. I turned down a lot of page corners.
The book's third section is entitled The Harsh Realities of Organizational Life. In three chapters, Organizational Issues, Personal Issues, and Legal Issues, Autry tackles everything from Firing People to Sexual Harassment. In the fourth part of the book, Autry gets into what he calls Finding the Balance. Hard work doesn't mean nose to the grindstone 18 hours a day. A servant leader builds loyalty (Servant Leadership and the Crisis of Loyalty), and helps resolve counterproductive problems in the workplace (Conflict). The other two chapters in this section address The Responsibilities of Family and Community Life and Leadership When Things Go Wrong and Times Are Bad. Good stuff for today's world!
The book closes with an interesting approach to an epilogue, Script for a Future Slide Show. In 24 snapshots of workplace situations in 2015, Autry gives us his glimpse of what life will be in the future with servant leadership. I doubt that we'll have to wait until 2015, agree that we'll see what he forecasts. I believe we'll see this leadership design in successful companies long before then, and it's application will engender positive differences in workforce stability, productivity, profitability, and the happiness of both leaders and led.
The book includes a workable index, but I would have liked to see a more comprehensive table of contents. With that aid, readers coming into this book would have a greater sense of the value they will receive. I'd encourage you to read this book, with a mind that is not only open from curiosity, but one that is open to make some changes in the way you lead.
Special note to aspiring future leaders: don't miss this one! And do some more reading on the topic as more books come out on servant leadership in the years ahead.
Book Description
The Triple Bottom Line is the groundbreaking book that charts the rise of sustainability within the business world and shows how and why financial success increasingly goes hand in hand with social and environmental achievement. Andrew Savitz chronicles both the real problems that companies face and the innovative solutions that can come from sustainability. His is a hard-line approach to bottom-line fundamentals that is re-making companies around the globe.
Customer Reviews:
If You Want To Get Fluent Fast, Read This Book.......2007-02-20
This book is for interested general consumption rather than a technical practitioners' text book and as such is more than successful in teaching the basics of the triple bottom line. I'm not quite sure why some of the Amazon reviewers seem so testy about this, as the majority of American business management (mid-baby boom and above) never encountered much if anything about corporate responsibility (or ethics) in the curricula they studied on their way up. To consider what that means for concepts like the triple bottom line, pretend that for 25 years today's generation of senior managers had never been told to maximize shareholder value and now in 2007 were expected to internalize the concept and reflexively apply it to everything they do. Particularly from that point of view, Savitz' book is a superb tool to help people become intelligently informed on basic issues of corporate responsibility and sustainability. What individuals do with that is up to that is up to them, but the writing's good, the ideas are clear, the concepts are thought-provoking, and it's the kind of book that drives one to want to learn more. The graphics are particularly useful and uncluttered.
OK as an "Appetizer" not as the "Main Course" for Sustainability.......2007-01-11
While the book's title intrigued me, the amount of coverage in each topic left me hungry for more. As a noted Big Six Consultant, I was sure that Mr. Savitz would have had more to offer, but feel that he fell short. Here are my reasons.
Specifically, his use of specific examples were noteworthy, but the level of detail he provided left me asking more questions than he had answeres for. He also fell short in following through on specific tangental areas, such as describing more about emerging EU directives, as some of his competitors describe in their books.
Other examples include his description of the Maine power company struggle as well as the issues related to Hershey Foods, which could have benefited from more detail and expansive information and then closing with a "lessons learned" to captivate the reader. Perhaps the fault could lie in his choice of a co-author, someone who may be a writer, but is not a subject matter expert - you need someone in that capacity to help pull it all together.
Practical guide for sustainability planning.......2007-01-05
Savitz does a nice job laying the foundation for sustainability thinking in the first part of the book and then provides a "how to" guide in the second part. Almost to a fault for intellectual thinkers the author appears to intentionally avoid complex and underlying theories associated with sustainability concepts. The result is a well written and straight forward practical book rich with examples which makes it easy for just about anyone to read and understand.
Preaching To The Choir.......2006-12-14
The book is divided into two parts -- a lecture on sustainability and then some general things to think about. The book's first half was a lesson to which a reader would have likely already bought into. The second half promises to deliver on "how to make it happen," but really is more general information than meaningful tools.
Given the author's prior work at PricewaterhouseCoopers, it is understandable that the book reads like a macro-level consultant's report. The book could have carried more weight with the inclusion of science and hard numbers of how to actually measure environmental and social value.
An alternative book for readers looking for more solid advice could be "Green to Gold."
Engaging guide to better fiscal, environmental, and social performance........2006-12-11
Sustainability is "the art of doing business in an interdependent world" according to consultant Andrew W. Savitz, who urges companies to focus on the "triple bottom line": solid profit, environmental quality and improved human welfare. Drawing on his experience as head of PricewaterhouseCoopers' sustainability practice, Savitz (writing with Karl Weber) makes a compelling case for moving your business toward "a sustainability sweet spot" where shareholders, environmental interests and other stakeholders can all feel satisfied. Sound like reheated corporate responsibility leftovers? Don't worry. This book offers much more than soft-headed "birdies and butterflies" rhetoric or a few threadbare anecdotes. Savitz marshals truly compelling arguments based on widely accepted demographic, regulatory and cultural trends. Even robber barons will feel the pull of his message, partly because the book is so engaging and well-paced that it reads like a novel, and partly because his prescriptions are so clear, coherent and actionable that they seem like common sense. We highly recommend this sustainability guidebook to those who want to begin the journey on which such companies as Toyota, GE, PepsiCo, Nike and Unilever have already embarked. Bottom line: you can't afford to ignore sustainability.
Book Description
Offers a broad view of leadership and shareholder value based on multiple business disciplines
In
Why the Bottom Line Isn't! authors Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood argue that sustainable shareholder value comes increasingly from assets not accounted for on an organization's balance sheet. These assets include a company's reputation, its ability to attract talent, and its ability to react quickly to new opportunities in the marketplace.
Why the Bottom Line Isn't! harnesses research from a number of disciplines including human resources, finance, and leadership to establish a hierarchy of such intangibles. The authors extrapolate from these intangibles to establish leadership tools that will help create sustainable shareholder value. The book offers a broad, expansive perspective on leadership while eschewing convoluted theory for concrete practice.
Dave Ulrich, Ph.D., (DOU@UMICH.EDU) has been listed by BusinessWeek as the top "guru" in management education. He has co-authored 10 books and over 100 articles, serves on the Board of Directors of Herman Miller, and has consulted with over half of the Fortune 200 companies. He is currently on professional leave as Professor at the University of Michigan to serve as Mission President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Montreal.
Norm Smallwood (nsmallwood@rbl.net) is co-founder of Results-Based Leadership (www.rbl.net), which provides education and consulting services based on this book as well as the ideas in Results-Based Leadership: How Leaders Build the Business and Improve the Bottom Line, which he co-authored with Ulrich. He has led leadership development, business strategy, organization capability, change management, and HR projects for a wide variety of clients spanning multiple industries.
Customer Reviews:
A Good Read!.......2004-05-20
Authors Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood use a bottom-line approach to assess various business intangibles that build actual value, such as a vision of future growth and improved capabilities. They present the keys to creating value by mustering intangible assets in a well-organized, highly structured way. Unfortunately, the intangible factors and the growth steps they discuss are well-traveled territory. But while other books may describe how to develop these "soft" qualities in a more intriguing or more original way, this volume handily dissects, quantifies and explains them step by step. Here, the vague is made concrete. Even a bean counter could understand the bottom line value of innovation, improved internal systems and enhanced organizational culture with this explanation. We recommend it to those who want to invest in intangible assets in a tangible setting, for very tangible reasons.
Intangibles in Organizational Effectiveness.......2004-03-11
This book argues that competitively successful organizations seek to constantly build long-term value by strategically managing some of their intangibles. As we know, intangibles are not accounted for in an organization's financial statements. By exploring the world of intangibles, the authors explore a new idea or a new bottom-line, which has the building of long-term market value as its central theme. The authors have identified 7 key intangibles that have to be nurtured. They include the following: shared mindset, talent, speed, learning, accountability, collaboration, and quality of leadership. They have built their formulations on the basis of their own real experiences or a survey of the practices followed by globally successful organizations. The book is based on an Architecture which is the central model on which its contents revolve (p.13).
Some of the prominent features of the book are as follows: Firstly, the book explores a new bottom line suggesting that the intangibles are as or even more important as the hard strategies, systems and processes; for it is the focus on the intangibles that helps build customer, investor, and employee confidence about the future.
Secondly, the book should be seen as outlining an agenda to focus on for HR managers; this is to charge them to increase the shareholders' value through helping develop each of the intangibles. The present crisis of HR department globally emanates from the allegation against it that it indulges in wasteful expenditure in non-measurable activities. Thus the book suggests that HR managers have to become coaches, architects, designers and facilitators of organizational capabilities.
Thirdly, the observations and formulations of the authors are based on inter-disciplinary perspectives within management segments, and are not just reflections of organization theory or effectiveness or just better HR management. They have drawn from researches from disciplines such as human resources management, financial management, IT, and leadership.
Fourthly, the book succeeds well as a solid guide that makes a complex subject simple to the reader by putting before her the essence of various functional perspectives related to management of intangibles. The discussion helps in gauging what works and what does not, and why.
Fifthly, the book contains some remarkably interesting and effective tips of leadership building at the top as well as leadership-building as a way of organizational life. The authors point out that when leaders identify and implement the seven intangibles identified in the Architecture, they "create intangible value" (p. 251).
The book is an essential reading for any executive who wants to better handle the complexities of managerial life in the era of chaotic competition. It surely helps the reader see a larger picture. Though the book has been written in extremely user-friendly way, I feel if it had a simpler title it would have carried a much higher attention value of potential lay readers. Still, there is no doubt that it will be especially liked by those managers and leaders who want to build confidence about shaping their future in the chaotic business world.
Debi S. Saini
MDI, Gurgaon, India
Clever title or false premise?.......2003-11-26
This book appears to be based on two false premises. One, the bottom line is the bottom line, if organisations manage to get more value out of their people the bottom line changes. Two, there's no such thing as an intangible - market value of a business is tangible value. The big omission is any definition of value even though the authors constantly refer to this concept.
An ideal read for HR people who want to talk a good job but of little use for those who genuinely want to find practical ways to add value through people.
Ulrich & Smallwood - have done it again !.......2003-11-10
Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood have done it again- created a wonderful book which is an invaluable toolkit for aspiring and practising managers."Why the Bottom Line Isn't" is a highly relevant and accessible resource for busy executives, which can also save your organisation substantial dollars in consulting fees.This book is also recommended reading for non- executive Board directors and investors.
As the authors outline in their introduction, "Why the Bottom Line Isn't", began when they asked a simple question- How can two companies in the same industry, with similiar earnings, have vastly different market values. In addressing this question, Ulrich and Smallwood explore the world of intangibles and a new bottom-line, that has building long -term market value as the central theme.
Based upon their extensive consulting experience and drawing from diverse disciplines, such as finance/accounting and organisation behaviour,the authors focus on how to identify and build intangibles within one's organisation.An Architecture for Intangibles is created and this four layer model provides the framework and structure for " Why the Bottom Line Isn't". As the framework is developed,the reader is taken on a journey that focuses on the leadership implications- and resulting actions- for each layer( and their various components) of the architecture for intangibles. Ulrich,Smallwood and Zenger's excellent work from Results Based Leadership(Harvard Press 1999)on "leadership brand" is also integrated.
This outstanding book is really a treasure chest resource - it is full of useful hints,quizzes,question and process lists, tips and exercises. It also contains questionnaires and is supported by extensive reference notes and web links, for those requiring further information and support.
The practical emphasis is demonstrated via the utilisation of many company examples and stories that support the many insights which are presented. The communication style which the authors employ is also very appealing and engages the reader.Close attention to education objectives are also very evident, with the authors utilising fresh techniques in tackling complex issues within organisations. For example,to surface sacred cows which exist in most organisations,they recommend treating them as you would a computer virus, because they have the same deadly impact on your operations, as computer viruses have upon IT systems.As a result,a virus detector list of 27 items is produced
In summary, this book is essential reading for any executive who is wanting to better handle the complexities of life in 21st century organisations.
Put this book in your shopping basket!.......2003-10-31
David Ulrich's ideas have pretty much defined the HR profession for the last decade. That by itself is a reason to make sure you've read this book. What is even more important is that Ulrich & Smallwood outline how HR activities can help to increase the shareholders value as measured in stock price (at least, this is what HR could do, if they would do it right, the reality is that often HR just seems to be wasting money). Given that shareholders become more and more demanding, that's another good reason to read this book. So I was a bit surprised to see that this book is not high on the Amazon bestseller list when I'm writing this review (sales rank 12.407 when I wrote this and only 4 other reviews written).
Not only does the book contain a lot of valuable advice, it's structure and writing style make it easy to get the message. For instance, you'll find most principles illustrated with examples of companies such as General Electric, South West Airlines, Sears, ... and each chapter ends with a section with leadership implications.
While reading the book, I had myself going "yes" most of the time and I really think that this book should be on your reading list. So why did I only give it 4 stars? Personally I would have seen a more provocative writing style, more examples of how other companies screw up, etc. I think that more counter-examples would really have driven the books's message home.
Amazon.com
It's possible to look like a leader, say all the right things to shareholders, make employees feel good about themselves, and still not produce the sorts of results everyone expects and wants from your company. A previous generation might have called this winning the battle but losing the war.
Directing employees is harder than it looks, since past performance isn't really an indication of how a leader will do in the future. As the authors say, "The half-life of knowledge grows ever shorter in most professions, requiring even high performers to unlearn what they know and do."
The authors--a university professor and two heads of consulting firms--divide leadership priorities into four areas: employees, organization, customers, and investors. A company head generally has to focus on one responsibility over the other three, but can't get away with ignoring any of them for very long. They explain each of these four priorities in depth--noting, for example, that keeping employees committed and productive means "mass customizing" the workplace to fit individual employees' needs while keeping everyone working toward the same goal. That customization may require adjustments unheard-of a few years ago--allowing an employee to work from home in a different city, for example--but pays off in the retention of valuable human assets that would otherwise take their training, experience, energy, and creativity to other companies, possibly competitors.
People who already have leadership positions in their companies can certainly find a lot of important information, but the book may be even more valuable to those who want to move into management roles. It certainly shows what challenges to expect. --Lou Schuler
Book Description
Few would argue that leadership matters. Companies that can attract, develop, and retain the best leaders are likely to flourish. The issue grows hazy when we attempt to define leadership, and hazier still when managers try to match today's dizzying array of leadership practices with the specific needs of their organization. Results-Based Leadership brings refreshing clarity and directness to the leadership discussion, providing a hands-on program that will help executives succeed with their leadership challenges. A landmark book, Results-Based Leadership challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding leadership. The authors-world-renowned experts in human resources and leadership development-argue that it is not enough to gauge leaders by personal traits such as character, knowledge, style, and values. Effective leaders, say the authors, do more than master the attributes of leadership. They know how to connect their attributes with results. Results-Based Leadership shows executives how to deliver results in four specific areas: results for employees, the organization, its customers, and its investors. The authors provide action-oriented guidelines for readers to develop and hone their own results-based leadership skills. They look beyond the quick fixes, buzzwords, and trends that typify many leadership programs, and focus instead on producing results that can be measured and integrated into any business strategy or corporate culture. Here, for the first time, is a guidebook that bridges the gap between leadership theory and leadership skills. Results-Based Leadership fundamentally improves our ability to deliver real leadership results.
Download Description
A landmark book, Results-Based Leadership challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding leadership. Authors Ulrich, Zenger, and Smallwood--world-renowned experts in human resources and training--argue that it is not enough to gauge leaders by personal traits such as character, style, and values. Rather, effective leaders know how to connect these leadership attributes with results. Results-Based Leadership shows executives how to deliver results in four specific areas: results for employees, for the organization, for its customers, and for its investors. The authors provide action-oriented guidelines that readers can follow to develop and hone their own results-based leadership skills. By shifting our focus to the connection between the attributes and the results of leadership, this perceptive new guide fundamentally improves our understanding of effective leadership. Results-Based Leadership brings a refreshing clarity and directness to the leadership discussion, providing a hands-on program to help executives succeed with their leadership challenges.
Customer Reviews:
Ditto to the positive from other reviewers, and it's not dry!.......2007-05-30
While I found this book to be excellent in both concept and substance, I have nothing to add to what other reviewers have said about those aspects of the book, so will say only that it is also enjoyable reading. I am always grateful to those who possess the not insignificant ability to make learning enjoyable.
Classic on leading to get results.......2007-04-13
Dave Ulrich, Jack Zenger and Norm Smallwood's book is really a broadside against the "cult of personality" that rules so much of the current thinking about what makes leaders great. Amazingly, even in the pragmatic world of business, personality attributes - such as the "vision thing" - often dominate conversations about what you need to become a great leader. But great leaders are great because they achieve great results. The authors seek a balanced approach that recognizes the importance of both strong executive skills and bottom-line success. They provide questionnaires, charts and exercises. We strongly recommend this book to managers and aspiring leaders who are looking for a practical approach.
At last, a leadership book that talks about results!.......2005-04-05
Many leadership books today trumpet two-minute techniques, fads, and processes to do everything but the job at hand. Ulrich, Zenger and Smallwood describe how the "attributes" that other management books fancy are nothing unless they are attached to one of four types of results: Employee, Customer, Organization or Shareholder.
Beyond stating the obvious, they also go into depth on identifying the attributes that really matter, versus those that just sound right. They then delve into what it means to be a results focused leader, and a leader that builds other leaders.
Although the book is only five years old, some of the examples (Enron and Lucent) may seem dated, as the companies have falled out of favor. Since it was written in 1999, that is forgivable. The key ideas and concepts still hold strong. This is a worthy addition to any leadership library or reading list.
One of the best books on leadership & implementation..........2003-06-08
Together with Kotter's "Leading Change" and Fogg's "Implementing Your Strategic Plan," this is one of the best books ever written on leadership and strategy implementation. Contrary to what an earlier reviewer stated, this book only mention's Enron on two pages (out of 234). And, in each instance, is very specific about what can be learned from the ill-fated company (this book is far from a "cheerleading session" for Enron). Instead, the book focuses on the mechanics of leadership and strategy implementation. As a strategy consultant, I find myself recommending this book to clients again and again. I believe it should be a part of any serious manager's business library -- particularly if you are a senior manager. Overall grade: A/A+.
A "leadership" book that trumpets Enron.......2002-09-25
... Spare yourself [the money] and to talk to the manager of your local Denny's restaurant for some real inspiration.
Product Description
Two fundamentally different business models of capitalism are operating in the business world today. One is self-destructive and increasingly corrupt. The other is emergent, flourishing, and inspirational. The author explains the differences between the two and reveals the extraordinary results of the more successful model. Profit for Life draws on nearly forty years of research on the empirical connections between stewardship and profitability.
Customer Reviews:
Review of Profit for Life: How Capitalism Excels by Joseph H. Bragdon.......2007-04-08
Profit for Life shatters the old paradigm that success in business means sucking the life from people and natural resources by viewing both as dispensable commodities. By showing us how success in business--including big business--goes hand-in-hand with respect for human and natural communities, Bragdon frees us from the wrenching misconception that profit and citizenship represent a kind of zero-sum game.
Bragdon unites head and heart in one of the most uplifting books I have ever read. Profit for Life offers hope with a firm footing. I recommend Profit for Life to anyone with an interest in business management, strategic investment, or corporate citizenship.
Daniel D. Dutcher, J.D., Ph.D.
Project Director
The Clean Energy Group
Montpelier, Vermont
Book Review for Profit for Life: How Capitalism Excels.......2007-01-31
Book Review for Profit for Life: How Capitalism Excels
by Ann McGee-Cooper
How do you measure the value of servant leadership in business? How can we know it works? These have been two of the most frequently asked questions in our consulting practice over the past 30 years.
In Profit for Life, Jay Bragdon provides us with some compelling answers. He does this by setting aside much of the linear cause-and-effect thinking that drives business these days, and adopts a more rounded, holistic approach that gives us deeper insight into the firm.
The book is based on the experiences of 60 companies - Bragdon's "learning lab" - that broadly represent the industry/sector diversity of the world economy. Throughout the text he describes 16 of these pioneering companies, called the Focus Group. The distinguishing feature of all these firms is their effort to mimic living systems - in the ways they organize, manage and add value. This mental model is radically different from the traditional one that views the firm as a money making machine.
Although it may seem counter intuitive, the living system approach yields vastly superior results than the traditional one. For example, the average equity return of learning lab companies was nearly double the S&P 500 over the past decade; and their excess performance continues as this review is written. Bragdon expects such premium returns will diminish over time as the more effective methods of the living system model become copied and enter the mainstream. Nevertheless, these results are a strong affirmation of the milieu in which servant leadership normally operates.
Servant leadership, to Bragdon, is all about relationships. He says "relational equity" is the foundation on which companies build financial equity. When companies care about people and the things people care about, Employees become inspired and their inspiration cascades into everything they do, including their relationships with customers, suppliers and other key stakeholders.
The raison d'etre of these servant-led firms is value creation - value that permeates all relationships. Companies that excel at such value creation pursue a strategy Bragdon calls "living asset stewardship" (LAS). The fundamental premise of LAS is: Profit arises from life, and must therefore serve life if it is to be sustainable.
To understand the strategic value of living asset stewardship, Bragdon makes a critical distinction between living assets (people and Nature) and non-living capital assets (buildings, equipment and financial reserves). We see this in three contexts. First, people are closely bonded to Nature - genetically, physically and spiritually - in ways that capital assets are not. Second, living assets are the source of non-living capital assets. And third, because living assets are inherently creative and emergent, their value grows over time rather than depreciating as capital assets do.
The operating leverage in the learning lab and the 16 Focus Group companies resides in the human heart rather than in mechanistic financial gearing. This is supported by the fact that they generate consistently higher returns on equity while carrying substantially lower debt ratios.
Although traditionally managed companies have been adopting some stewardship practices in the past decade, Bragdon finds their approach differs fundamentally from those in his study. In the mechanistic view of these firms, stewardship is an add-on that is subservient to their drive for profit. By contrast, in companies that have adopted the living system model, LAS is deeply woven into the value creation process - reflecting the fact that they see themselves as "living" and therefore integral to, rather than separate from, Nature and society.
Profit for Life builds on the brilliant work of Arie deGeus, former coordinator of Group Planning at Royal Dutch/Shell, and Harvard biologist Edward O. Wilson. DeGeus' classic, The Living Company, noted that long-lived companies had a collective consciousness, were sensitive to their environments, tried to work in harmony with the world around them, and strove to leave a legacy to future generations. Wilson tells us this collective consciousness is an expression of humanity's deep affinity for life, which he calls "biophilia," and that our biophilic instincts have evolved over thousands of generations of natural selection.
In my work as a teacher of servant leadership, I would highlight the paradigm shift Bragdon describes. The mission of leaders in LAS organizations is to serve and grow their people because that is the source of the firm's liveliness and capacity for growth. As Robert K. Greenleaf said: "The first order of business is to build a group of people who, under the influence of the institution, grow taller and become healthier, stronger and more autonomous." That seminal quote is used twice in the book to describe the power and generative capacity of LAS.
I highly recommend this book and will be using it regularly in our practice.
Ann McGee-Cooper, Ed.D., Business Consultant & Executive coach
in the field of Servant Leadership & growing Learning Organization.
Ann McGee-Cooper & Associates, Inc.
An Extraordinary Book: A Must Read.......2006-11-26
I intend to recommend Profit for Life to all my current MBA students. Next fall I am team teaching an MBA core course that combines Operations Management and Managerial Accounting. I intend to make the case that your book should be required reading and part of the course.
I became familiar with the work of W. Edwards Deming in 1990 and attended one of his four day seminars a year later. I also began to follow Peter Senge's work and later read Margaret Wheatley's book, Leadership and the New Science. Tom Johnson's book, Profit Beyond Measure, has been required reading in my Advanced Managerial Accounting elective at the MBA level.
Bragdon's book has brought the ideas, theories, and concepts discussed by these individuals together for me in a way that I could not have imagined. More importantly, he has not only taken their ideas to the next level, but done it in a way that provides a tangible blue print for how to change our current style of command and control management with its focus on profit maximization to a LAS Theory of Management.
The use of the sixteen focus companies from the LAMP INDEX and the author's ability ability to clearly show the distinctions in their style of management from the traditional management models that continue to be taught in almost all business schools, and the success these companies have achieved not just financially, gives those of us hoping to change management education and core business curriculums a new hope.
Thank you for such an outstanding book.
Joseph F. Castellano
Professor, Department of Accounting
University of Dayton Business School
Excellent, highly readable information.......2006-11-18
This is not one of those lightweight business books that repeats its Chapter 1 message over and over. It's chock full of research-based information that anyone involved in the sustainability movement should have. The publisher is Peter Senge's non-profit, so if you're familiar with his excellent work over the years, this would make a great addition to your library. The author's passion for his subject is obvious from page one.
Average customer rating:
|
Liderazgo Sin Limites/ Leadership on the Line: Manual De Supervivencia Para Managers / Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading (Paidos Empresa / Business Paidos)
Ronald A. Heifetz , and
Marty Linsky
Manufacturer: Ediciones Paidos Iberica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Leadership
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Management
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Leadership
| By Topic
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Liderazgo
| Gestión & Liderazgo
| Negocios e inversiones
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Gestión
| Gestión & Liderazgo
| Negocios e inversiones
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
No-Ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
| Automotriz
| Ciencias Sociales
| Crimen y Criminales
| Educación
| Estudios de la Mujer
| Feriados
| Filosofía
| Gobierno
| Hechos Verídicos
| Planeamiento Urbano y Desarrollo
| Política
| Sucesos de Actualidad
| Transportación
Dirección Comercial
| Profesional y Técnico
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Por Tema
| Psicología y Consejería
| Salud, mente y cuerpo
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
| Emociones
| Género
| Inteligencia
| Motivación
ASIN: 844931366X |
Book Description
When you're working "above the line," you're in your unique success zone--leading with excellence and character in the way that best fits your strengths. Leadership above the Line provides tools to help readers find success in their work and personal relationships by better understanding their own tendencies. It reveals which "above the line" behaviors are most productive and shows how to avoid destructive "below the line" attitudes. Using Jesus as the model of the ideal balanced leader, Sumner offers practical tips readers can use to incorporate above-the-line strengths into everyday life.
Customer Reviews:
WOW! A model that really works!!!.......2007-08-17
This book is not just a run-of-the-mill leadership book...it is a model that has the power to truly transform leaders and teams. I had the privilege of watching the real-life application of this model transform a very negative working relationship into a very positive one. It helps people understand the core of their working/leadership style and learn to appreciate different styles that exist in their co-workers. When two people rub each other the wrong way I call them "sand paper people" and they do one of two things, either: 1) create raw, open wounds that get infected and infect the entire organization; or 2) smooth the rough edges and create a productive working environment inspite of their differences. This model helped to move people out of the first category into the second which allows the organization to become healthy and thrive. The beauty and simplicity is in the fact that the model incorporates personality and leadership ethics into one cohesive model. Leadership Above the Line is more than a must read it is a MUST DO!
Models Great, Solution Not Unique.......2007-06-09
First, while I am not hesitant to write a review on Sumner's work, I do so well aware that neither mine nor anyone else's critique of any work matters in the end as does the actual work. History doesn't remember critics as well as should be. It is easy to evaluate a work, but I do so keeping in mind that people like Sarah Sumner are the movers and shakers of the world and society. I have also heard her speak on numerous occasions and find her knowledgeable and sincere.
That being said, the book reminded me of what the physicist Richard Feynman wrote about attending a conference on gravity and being reminded why he hated attending conferences on the subject. One of his major areas of complaint was when scientists found a way of rephrasing something that was common knowledge and putting it forth as a new discovery.
Unfortunately, part of Sumner's work hit me the same way. In a nutshell, the models she built of the three leadership personalities were brilliant and thought provoking. The story that was interwoven throughout the book illustrated the theory without becoming oversimplistic or trite which is always a risk with doing something like that.
The People Model theory and story drew me to look forward to the conclusion on how to resolve conflicts between the Diplomat, Strategist and Humanitarian. After reading through the solution several times it seemed like Sumner's points boiled down to the fact that to work with others, one must gain a very clear picture of the other's personality, style and goals, then adjust their approach in such as way as to get a favorable response from the individual. While I don't disagree with Sumner's points, the book left me disappointed since what she is proposing is being done every single day - business and commerce simply couldn't be achieved otherwise.
A strong argument for the book could be that the leaders who have worked with others in the form Sumner proposes are the highest achievers in any society, and the book is communicating this skill to a broad spectrum of society that have the ability to do equally well, but haven't to present refined their own techniques at leadership and dealing other leadership personalities than their own. I could accept this, but not as an entirely new concept of leadership which is what Sumner suggests.
Either way, the book is worth the purchase and further study. Aside from the one area of disappointment it is an excellent read and if nothing else challenges the reader to examine their own habits and leadership techniques.
Strive for Character in Leadership. This Book Shows you How........2007-04-12
When we lead from the part of ourselves that has integrity and character, we are strong leaders. When we let fear, dishonesty or pride interfere, our leadership suffers. This is the line which the book is referring. Dr. Sumner clearly delineates what motivates us and how we can bring about the best in ourselves and understand others. She offers a solutions framework based on how we approach business and life.
Dr. Sumner's book provides insight which is helpful for any situation: leading or following, at work or at home, with friends or acquaintances, at church or the grocery store. The framework is a foundation for understanding how and why we do what we do and also explains why other people behave as they do. And it is flexible enough to be used again and again. This is light reading (compared to my academic reading), and yet the message is simple and profound.
I highly recommend this book. It should be on every leaders' bed side for nightly reading and review!
The best book I have ever read!.......2006-12-08
This book was life changing. The author really gets your attention and keeps it all the way through. I've tried to read many other leadership books, but none ever captivated me like this one. It is a must read. The book is not very long but has a lot to say. I love the People Model. I want to buy everyone I love and work with Leadership Above the Line. It has impacted my life significantly, definitely a blessing.
A Life-Changing and Influential Book.......2006-11-18
When I began reading Sarah Sumner's "Leadership Above the Line," it immediately began chiseling away at my character. LATL's People Model revealed systemic reasons why I fail and why I succeed as a husband, minister, and leader. Not only did this book reveal things about my character, it provided solutions to deal with my shortcomings and ways to build on my strengths.
My wife and the lay leaders whom I oversee can attest to the positive changes this book has made in my life and ministry.
If you're looking for a book that will help transform your marriage, ministry, or business, this is the book. It has had amazing effects on the leaders in my ministry. One of my small group leaders, who is a manager at Lowes, shared how Sarah's book directly addressed issues he was facing at work and taught him how to handle the issues and the people behind the issues with integrity. His employees have even commented on how his recent change in his management style has made working for him easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable.
Sarah Sumner's "Leadership Above the Line" is a must inclusion in the canon of leadership books!
Book Description
Learn wow relationship with Christ and righteousness in business work together.
Who says that your beliefs and your business cannot make a compatible and profitable relationship? Certainly not Linda Rios Brook. She is living proof that Christian integrity can flourish in the midst of the cut-throat politics of corporate America. She survived more that 25 years in network television as a president of local affiliates. Over the years, she found and maintained the inside track of staying true to the Lord and applying righteous, Godly principles in her work.
Taking cues from Old Testament rulers like Joseph, Daniel, and David, this Wagner Leadership Institute graduate plots a game plan to survive and thrive during the ups-and-downs of "marketplace ministry" while still glorifying God.
Entrepreneurs and evangelists alike should heed these wise words on the apostolic anointing to take dominion over the working world.
Download Description
Frontline Christians in a Bottom Line World debunks the traditional notion that business and belief do not create a profitable partnership. Linda Rios Brook, with a 20-year career as a president of network TV affiliates, gives the inside track on how one can maintain Christian integrity amidst the cutthroat politics of corporate America. Taking cues from Old Testament rulers like Joseph, Daniel and David, Brooks plots a game plan on how to not only survive but also how to thrive the ups and downs of 'marketplace ministry' while still glorifying God. Entrepreneurs and evangelists alike should heed these wise words on the apostolic anointing to take dominion over the working world.
Customer Reviews:
Wounded Walkers.......2005-08-10
So you have not been in church for a long time? Me either. This helps you KNOW you are normal!
Book Description
The fault line -- that dangerous, unstable seam in the economy where powerful innovations and savage competition meet and create market-shattering tremors. Every company lives on it; no manager can control it.
In the original edition of Living on the Fault Line, Geoffrey Moore presented a compelling argument for using shareholder value (or share price) as the key driver in management decisions. Moore now revisits his argument in the post-Internet bubble world, proving that the methods he espouses are more germane than ever and showing companies how to use them to survive and thrive in today's demanding economy.
Extending the themes of Crossing the Chasm and Inside the Tornado, his first two books on the dynamics of the high-tech markets, Moore shows why sensitivity to stock price is the single most important lever for managing in the future, both as a leading indicator of shifts in competitive advantage and as an employee motivator for making necessary changes in organizations heretofore impervious to change.
This revised and updated edition includes:
- A deeper emphasis on core versus context, which has emerged as the key distinction in allocating resources to improve shareholder value
- A new Competitive Advantage Grid that will aid managers in achieving and sustaining competitive advantage, the most important component in managing for shareholder value
- An expanded Value Discipline Model as it relates to the Competitive Advantage Grid
- Analysis of the powerful new trend toward core/context analysis and outsourcing production duties
- Updated models of organizational change for each stage of market development
As disruptive forces continue to buffet the marketplace and rattle the staid practices of the past, Moore offers a brilliant set of navigational tools to help meet today's most compelling management challenges.
Customer Reviews:
Same message with new insights.......2004-02-25
"Living on the Fault Line" is an extension of Geoffrey Moore's previous books, "Crossing the Chasm" and "Inside the Tornado". It examines the various stages of a business, presents methods for managing shareholder value and creating sustainable competitive advantage, and begins to examine how cultural diversity can be used as a competitive strength. Although Moore does introduce business culture and the importance of culture management, his approach to competitive advantage continues to rely on stock price and information technology, distinguishing core and contextual processes, and understanding the impact of technology in causing market shifts. The book is well written and includes many useful diagrams and charts.
With change increasing exponentially, we are living in an environment where understanding and dealing with change is increasingly difficult. While Moore's approach towards competition is traditional, he does provide tools for understanding the apparent chaos in today's environment.
Accessible business strategy primer for the 21st century.......2002-11-10
I bought Moore's previous incarnation of this book (... in the age of the Internet) in April 02 and read the first chapter with incredulity. It was all about how the dot-coms were blowing away traditional businesses with their "market-share at any price" growth strategies. Then the book started getting interesting.
This revised version has the expected mea culpa in the Preface, deletes and replaces chapter 1 of the previous addition, and focuses on what is really valuable in Moore's work. The new chapter 1 highlights Moore's GAP-CAP distinction. GAP (Competitive-Advantage Gap) is what shows up in the numbers, differential success in the here-and-now marketplace. CAP (Competitive-Advantage Period) is a more subtle concept, referring to the ability of a company to sustain its advantages against competitors over time. It underpins future competitive advantage. The combination of a company's GAP and CAP is the real driver of its share price (discounted future earnings), and therefore of shareholder value. Moore write persuasively and in some detail about how this all works.
Chapter 2 explores the second important idea, the CORE-CONTEXT distinction. Here Core is defined as those activities which are central to the company's marketplace differentiation: effective action here directly impacts the share price. Context activities are those which need to be done, and done well, but which the market gives you little credit for. Administrative HR, for example, in companies which are not HR specialists. Moore argues that these are candidates for outsourcing to companies for whom they ARE core competencies. Again Moore elaborates on these basic distinctions.
Subsequent chapters explain the "Competitive Advantage Grid", which is new in this version. Here, the standard analysis of competitive advantage (product leadership vs. customer-focus vs. price/operational excellence - with a new category for disruptive innovation) is cross-referenced to strategies for marketplace differentiation to create a 4 x 4 matrix on which your company can be placed.
The remaining part of the book returns to Moore's familiar themes of the evolution-model of technology-based markets: early-market, chasm, bowling-alley, tornado, main-street. Moore is looking to integrate some of his ideas from the early part of the book into this framework, with a fair degree of success. He closes by discussing business cultures and "culture management", but here the theoretical framework is noticeably weaker. William Bridge's recently re-issued "The Character of Organizations" is a useful complement to what Moore has to say, here.
Overall, I think this book has its greatest value as a conceptual framework for strategic marketing and corporate strategy in hi-tech. I have personally found its ideas extraordinarily useful in telecoms. Reviewers of Moore's earlier books have indicated that some non-trivial work has to be done to apply these ideas to concrete cases. Clearly, some of Moore's rather black and white recommendations have to be nuanced in practice, but as an accessible business strategy primer for the 21st century, I would say this book is essential.
Books:
- Management of Organizational Behavior: Leading Human Resources (8th Edition)
- Managerial Communication: Strategies and Applications
- Managing Enterprise Content: A Unified Content Strategy
- Marketing by Menu
- Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home
- Microsoft BizTalk Server 2004 Unleashed
- Mobile Device Game Development (Game Development Series)
- Napoleon on Project Management: Timeless Lessons in Planning, Execution, and Leadership
- On Baking: A Textbook of Baking and Pastry Fundamentals
- Opening a Restaurant or Other Food Business Starter Kit: How to Prepare a Restaurant Business Plan and Feasibility Study
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Gardner's Art Through the Ages
- The Devil You Know
- Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory Manual: Cat Version : Updated
- Macroscale and Microscale Organic Experiments
- Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration For Harmony With Nature
- The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life
- Strangled Prose: A Claire Malloy Mystery
- Diane Lewis: Inside Out. Architecture New York City.
- Historical and Philosophical Issues in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage
- Introductory Phycology
Leadership Without Easy Answers
Leadership Can Be Taught: A Bold Approach for a Complex World
Primal Leadership: Learning to Lead with Emotional Intelligence
Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World
Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership
