In The End of Leadership as We Know It, a team of veteran executive and leadership strategists delivers an expert analysis of the ten most common errors leaders make when attempting to address disruption and concrete strategies for avoiding them. In the book, you’ll find ways to apply the latest research in adaptive leadership and complexity to your own leadership style and achieve the impact you seek to have on your business, your followers, and yourself.
The authors explain how to rethink the essence of leadership during times of flux and show you how to deal with unpredictable situations. You’ll also find: - Ways to identify the devastating blind spots caused by current approaches to leadership - Strategies for unleashing the creativity and potential of employees, rather than controlling them - Tough-love feedback for contemporary leaders doing their best to deliver results in an increasingly uncertain and volatile business environment
Full of creativity and inspirational energy, The End of Leadership as We Know It will benefit managers, executives, board members, business students and other current and aspiring business leaders.
Table of Contents
Foreword xi
Dr. Marshall Goldsmith
Preface xv
1 Introduction: Making a Difference in Our Complex Times 1
2 It’s Not About You 19
Trap to avoid: Leading through expertise rather than relationships
3 The Vulnerability Paradox 35
Trap to avoid: Projecting confidence at the expense of humility
4 Stop Strategizing and Start Doing 51
Trap to avoid: Separating strategizing from executing
5 Freeing Your People with Purpose- Driven Simple Rules 69
Trap to avoid: Talking about purpose without operationalizing it
6 Why Community Organizers Consistently Beat Superheroes 85
Trap to avoid: Saving the day instead of building teams that solve problems
7 Vive la Résistance! 101
Trap to avoid: Overcoming resistance to change rather than working with it
8 Resilience Beats Efficiency 117
Trap to avoid: Cutting costs to the point of becoming brittle
9 The Siren Song of Certainty 135
Trap to avoid: Seeking certainty at the expense of reality
10 Data- Driven Decisions Still Need a Driver 151
Trap to avoid: Replacing judgment with data
11 When Best Isn’t Best 169
Trap to avoid: Assuming “best practices” are right for your situation
12 Conclusion: The End of Leadership in a Quantum Age 185
Notes 193
Acknowledgments 211
About the Authors 213
Index 215
