by Diana McLaine Smith
How relationships among leaders determine the success or failure of any organization
No one would dispute the idea that relationships matter in business. Yet despite their obvious importance, they remain largely a mystery. Why do some conflicts get resolved quickly while others lead to permanent animosity? Why do some relationships grow stronger over time, others more fragile?
Diana McLain Smith argues that most of us never even think about our relationships, at least not until they get into trouble—and by then it may be too late. Convinced that others have attitude problems, we focus on getting them to change. But that never works; it just convinces our colleagues that we’re the source of the problem. What we need to change, Smith argues, are the patterns of interaction between us.
Smith shows us how to build work relationships that are flexible and strong enough to survive the toughest challenges. She draws on fascinating case studies, especially the Steve Jobs/John Sculley meltdown, which nearly destroyed Apple in the 1980s.
This book will break the myth that relationships are too mysterious to decode and too difficult to change. It offers powerful tools that can help anyone, from new recruits to CEOs.
by Alan Briskin, Sheryl Erickson, John Ott and Tom Callanan
Collective wisdom refers to knowledge and insight gained through group and community interaction. At a deeper level, however, it is about our living connection to each other and the interdependence we share in our neighborhoods, organizations, and world community.
Based on nine years of research, The Power of Collective Wisdom shows how we can reliably tap into the extraordinary cocreative potential that exists whenever human beings gather together. Stories and historical examples illustrate how collective wisdom has emerged in a range of cultures, settings, and traditions, and the authors offer a set of practices to help readers realize the key lessons of the book.
by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey
A recent study showed that when doctors tell heart patients they will die if they don't change their habits, only one in seven will be able to follow through successfully. Desire and motivation aren't enough: even when it's literally a matter of life or death, the ability to change remains maddeningly elusive.
Given that the status quo is so potent, how can we change ourselves and our organizations?
In Immunity to Change, authors Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey show how our individual beliefs along with the collective mind-sets in our organizations combine to create a natural but powerful immunity to change. By revealing how this mechanism holds us back, Kegan and Lahey give us the keys to unlock our potential and finally moveforward. And by pinpointing and uprooting our own immunities to change, we can bring our organizations forward with us.
This persuasive and practical book, filled with hands-on diagnostics and compelling case studies, delivers the tools you need to overcome the forces of inertia and transform your life and your work.
Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey, coauthors of How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work, have been research and practice collaborators for twenty-five years. Lahey is the William and Miriam Meehan Professor in Adult Learning and Professional Development at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education. Kegan is the Associate Director of Harvard's Change Leadership Group and a founding principal of Minds at Work, a leadership-learning professional services firm.
by Daniel Pink
According to Pink (A Whole New Mind), everything we think we know about what motivates us is wrong. He pits the latest scientific discoveries about the mind against the outmoded wisdom that claims people can only be motivated by the hope of gain and the fear of loss. Pink cites a dizzying number of studies revealing that carrot and stick can actually significantly reduce the ability of workers to produce creative solutions to problems. What motivates us once our basic survival needs are met is the ability to grow and develop, to realize our fullest potential. Case studies of Google's 20 percent time (in which employees work on projects of their choosing one full day each week) and Best Buy's Results Only Work Environment (in which employees can work whenever and however they choose—as long as they meet specific goals) demonstrate growing endorsement for this approach. A series of appendixes include further reading and tips on applying this method to businesses, fitness and child-rearing. Drawing on research in psychology, economics and sociology, Pink's analysis—and new model—of motivation offers tremendous insight into our deepest nature.
by Rick Brandon, PhD, and Marty Seldman, PhD
This Wall Street Journal best-selling business book is the companion to our flagship Organizational Savvy programs. Leaders often underestimate the impact politics can have in their organizations. Yet every day power plays, ego trips, turf battles and deception hurt careers and the bottom line. Brandon and Seldman offer proven methods to eliminate unethical behavior in the workplace and use “high integrity” politics to achieve corporate and career success. This practical book helps individuals discover and overcome their own political blind spots and vulnerabilities and learn practical strategies for improving their influence and effectiveness.
Leadership in a (Permanent) Crisis
by Ronald Heifetz, Alexander Grashow, and Marty Linsky
Moments of Greatness: Entering the Fundamental State of Leadership
by Robert E. Quinn
Women & The Vision Thing
by Herminia Ibarra and Otilia Obodaru
Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time
by Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy
