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Making progress on complex, problematic situations requires a new approach to working together: transformative facilitation, a structured and creative process for removing the obstacles to fluid forward movement.
People today face increasing complexity and decreasing control. They need to work with more people across more divides. But the traditional ways of advancing-subsuming individual interests to the good of the whole, or providing total autonomy for all stakeholders to work out their own solution-aren't adequate to resolving these difficult situations.
Drawing on his experiences working with Black people and white people in post-apartheid in South Africa, First Nations people and the government in Canada, multiple stakeholders in war-torn Columbia, and many more, Kahane describes what he calls transformative facilitation. It combines the two approaches, cycling back and forth between them. The facilitator pays careful attention to what is going on in the group and decides which approach will work best at any given moment.
Adam Kahane describes precisely what the facilitator needs to watch for and how to manage the delicate balance between a focus on the collective and a focus on specific stakeholder needs. This book is for anyone who helps people collaborate in any setting. Not only does it offer a way to facilitate breakthroughs, it is a breakthrough in itself.
People today face increasing complexity and decreasing control. They need to work with more people across more divides. But the traditional ways of advancing-subsuming individual interests to the good of the whole, or providing total autonomy for all stakeholders to work out their own solution-aren't adequate to resolving these difficult situations.
Drawing on his experiences working with Black people and white people in post-apartheid in South Africa, First Nations people and the government in Canada, multiple stakeholders in war-torn Columbia, and many more, Kahane describes what he calls transformative facilitation. It combines the two approaches, cycling back and forth between them. The facilitator pays careful attention to what is going on in the group and decides which approach will work best at any given moment.
Adam Kahane describes precisely what the facilitator needs to watch for and how to manage the delicate balance between a focus on the collective and a focus on specific stakeholder needs. This book is for anyone who helps people collaborate in any setting. Not only does it offer a way to facilitate breakthroughs, it is a breakthrough in itself.
How can people best develop their leadership skills to match their personality, to amplify their strengths, and to compensate for their weaknesses? This is the first book to answer this question with the latest version of the DiSC model of human behavior, which is one of the most widely used, most scientifically based, and most effective approaches to assessing and improving leadership styles and skills.
Is leadership a question of character or competence? Most leadership training separates these two factors, but Clark shows that anyone at any level can be a superior leader by balancing these dimensions.
Our leadership development programs teach necessary skills, yet we often train individuals who do not have the character to lead, which is a weakness because a leader with skills but no character can be dangerous. But a leader with character but no skills is useless. In this book, author, consultant, and entrepreneur Tim Clark shows how anyone can develop both character and competence.
Clark lays out his model of the “core” (character) and the “crust” (competence) to explain how we can rethink leadership. Most importantly, this model makes no allowance for job title, formal authority, or position. Almost anyone with the right character can learn competence, but Clark makes clear that the formula rarely works the other way around. For each aspect of leadership, he shares a series of mini lessons taken from his research and experience. Clark's book will be a key personal growth tool for anyone anywhere ready to step up, regardless of external labels or job description.
Our leadership development programs teach necessary skills, yet we often train individuals who do not have the character to lead, which is a weakness because a leader with skills but no character can be dangerous. But a leader with character but no skills is useless. In this book, author, consultant, and entrepreneur Tim Clark shows how anyone can develop both character and competence.
Clark lays out his model of the “core” (character) and the “crust” (competence) to explain how we can rethink leadership. Most importantly, this model makes no allowance for job title, formal authority, or position. Almost anyone with the right character can learn competence, but Clark makes clear that the formula rarely works the other way around. For each aspect of leadership, he shares a series of mini lessons taken from his research and experience. Clark's book will be a key personal growth tool for anyone anywhere ready to step up, regardless of external labels or job description.
In their much-anticipated sequel to the bestseller Ideas Are Free (over 50,000 copies sold), Alan Robinson and Dean Schroeder explain that employee ideas are no longer a “nice-to-have” but rather the very lifeblood of competitiveness, culture, and strategy. Their new book shows how to align every part of the organization around generating and implementing ideas at the front line.
Change is difficult but essential-Esther Derby offers seven guidelines for change by attraction, an approach that draws people into the process so that instead of resisting change, they embrace it.
Organizational change efforts often fail because they focus on top-down methods that rely on coercion, rewards, or positional authority. Well-meaning leaders talk about driving change, as though employees are cattle or cars. At best, this results in compliance--not engagement or commitment. And at worst it simply doesn't work.
Drawing from her experience working with some of today's most successful companies, Esther Derby argues for what she calls change by attraction: giving space and support for people to feel the loss that comes with change and help them see what is valuable about the future you propose. Resistance fades because people feel there is nothing to resist--there is only something they want to move toward. In this book Derby outlines her seven rules for change by attraction: Strive for Congruence; Honor the Past; Assess What Is; Pay Attention to Networks; Experiment; Guide, Don't Standardize; and Use Your Self.
Organizational change efforts often fail because they focus on top-down methods that rely on coercion, rewards, or positional authority. Well-meaning leaders talk about driving change, as though employees are cattle or cars. At best, this results in compliance--not engagement or commitment. And at worst it simply doesn't work.
Drawing from her experience working with some of today's most successful companies, Esther Derby argues for what she calls change by attraction: giving space and support for people to feel the loss that comes with change and help them see what is valuable about the future you propose. Resistance fades because people feel there is nothing to resist--there is only something they want to move toward. In this book Derby outlines her seven rules for change by attraction: Strive for Congruence; Honor the Past; Assess What Is; Pay Attention to Networks; Experiment; Guide, Don't Standardize; and Use Your Self.
Who are some of the most confident, fabulous people on the planet? Drag queens-and Jackie Huba wants to teach you how to channel the courage and confidence of drag in your personal and professional lives.
We all want to be fabulous. But too often we let self-doubt derail us from pursuing our passions and accomplishing our biggest goals. This was the situation Jackie Huba found herself in. At the lowest point in her life she serendipitously stumbled upon the wonderful world of drag queens, and to her surprise, she found them inspiring and energizing. They were supremely confident, utterly fearless, strong, powerful, and unabashedly and completely themselves-no apologies, no compromises. So she immersed herself in the world of drag, eventually becoming a female drag queen herself aka Lady Trinity.
Fiercely You is a creative, playful approach to the serious problems that women face regarding confidence and risk-taking. Drawing on her own experiences and interviews with the world's top drag queens, Huba offers five keys to the Queendom that will help readers ignore criticism and live life more fearlessly. This is not a guide to drag, it's a guide to life-but in a sense, all life is drag. As RuPaul, the most famous drag queen in the world, herself says, “We're born naked, and the rest is drag.” Huba and her coauthor Shelly Stewart Kronbergs-who explains the psychology research that supports each of Huba's keys-help readers become the amazing person they see inside their heads and feel in their hearts.
We all want to be fabulous. But too often we let self-doubt derail us from pursuing our passions and accomplishing our biggest goals. This was the situation Jackie Huba found herself in. At the lowest point in her life she serendipitously stumbled upon the wonderful world of drag queens, and to her surprise, she found them inspiring and energizing. They were supremely confident, utterly fearless, strong, powerful, and unabashedly and completely themselves-no apologies, no compromises. So she immersed herself in the world of drag, eventually becoming a female drag queen herself aka Lady Trinity.
Fiercely You is a creative, playful approach to the serious problems that women face regarding confidence and risk-taking. Drawing on her own experiences and interviews with the world's top drag queens, Huba offers five keys to the Queendom that will help readers ignore criticism and live life more fearlessly. This is not a guide to drag, it's a guide to life-but in a sense, all life is drag. As RuPaul, the most famous drag queen in the world, herself says, “We're born naked, and the rest is drag.” Huba and her coauthor Shelly Stewart Kronbergs-who explains the psychology research that supports each of Huba's keys-help readers become the amazing person they see inside their heads and feel in their hearts.
The expanded and revised edition of Community tackles the hysteric rise of isolation and fear in a digitally interconnected world.
In the second edition of Community, author Peter Block offers practical advice and uplifting stories as a way to reject the increasing pull towards isolation and fear of the stranger in a new world of constant connection. This book explores the benefits of community and belonging to foster social change and reconciliation. As we continue to find new ways of being in constant connection with each other through technology, our workplaces are depopulated and we face growing trends of fundamentalism and nationalism, our fear of the stranger deepens. Block challenges this mindset and proves that community and the structure of belonging has the power to bring about positive social change when supported by the frameworks of compassion, equity and respect for the other. Backed by extensive research, this updated and expanded edition illuminates successful stories of community building as a form of healing. Covering stories about political gridlocks, poverty, people of faith, to institutional life, this revolutionary book offers a compelling argument of why we need community now more than ever.
In the second edition of Community, author Peter Block offers practical advice and uplifting stories as a way to reject the increasing pull towards isolation and fear of the stranger in a new world of constant connection. This book explores the benefits of community and belonging to foster social change and reconciliation. As we continue to find new ways of being in constant connection with each other through technology, our workplaces are depopulated and we face growing trends of fundamentalism and nationalism, our fear of the stranger deepens. Block challenges this mindset and proves that community and the structure of belonging has the power to bring about positive social change when supported by the frameworks of compassion, equity and respect for the other. Backed by extensive research, this updated and expanded edition illuminates successful stories of community building as a form of healing. Covering stories about political gridlocks, poverty, people of faith, to institutional life, this revolutionary book offers a compelling argument of why we need community now more than ever.
All team leaders worry and wonder about improving team performance. Using his experience leading the precision Thunderbirds aerobatic team, Venable shows that "closing the gaps" is the job of leaders and followers alike.
As a pilot, commander, and demonstration leader for the Thunderbirds, JV Venable gained key insights into team performance. Organizations need leaders who will minimize emotional friction and the gaps in alignment that slow teams down. But leaders can't do it all. To illustrate this, JV borrows a phenomenon common to racing and aerobatic teams alike: "drafting." When teams of bikes, cars, or jets are aligned and move in perfect formation, everyone shares the load of breaking resistance. But if the team is misaligned, or gaps between members grow by mere inches, the draft falters and the load falls back on the leader. Everybody loses.
JV's book gives teams and team leaders new tools for improving alignment and fostering closeness through commitment, loyalty, and trust. When trust is complete, team members move quickly to "close the gaps" and take on more of the load. This allows leaders to focus less on giving orders, and more on the road ahead.
Thunderbird pilots operate on a level of trust that allows them to sustain 18 inches between jets, which is all the more remarkable as the team experiences 50% turnover every year. JV's experience leading one of the most celebrated teams in the world makes for an unforgettable handbook. Can your team fly higher?
As a pilot, commander, and demonstration leader for the Thunderbirds, JV Venable gained key insights into team performance. Organizations need leaders who will minimize emotional friction and the gaps in alignment that slow teams down. But leaders can't do it all. To illustrate this, JV borrows a phenomenon common to racing and aerobatic teams alike: "drafting." When teams of bikes, cars, or jets are aligned and move in perfect formation, everyone shares the load of breaking resistance. But if the team is misaligned, or gaps between members grow by mere inches, the draft falters and the load falls back on the leader. Everybody loses.
JV's book gives teams and team leaders new tools for improving alignment and fostering closeness through commitment, loyalty, and trust. When trust is complete, team members move quickly to "close the gaps" and take on more of the load. This allows leaders to focus less on giving orders, and more on the road ahead.
Thunderbird pilots operate on a level of trust that allows them to sustain 18 inches between jets, which is all the more remarkable as the team experiences 50% turnover every year. JV's experience leading one of the most celebrated teams in the world makes for an unforgettable handbook. Can your team fly higher?
Why do teams settle for bad ideas or kill good ones? Popular consultant B. Kim Barnes's unique process of constructive debate shows how teams can create better ideas and outcomes by eliminating obstacles to honest discussion, creativity, and collaboration.
In too many organizations, great ideas and unusual solutions can be suppressed, ignored, or attacked. Departments defend their turf, and people choose what is safe over what is better. Honest opinions often show up in the “meeting after the meeting” because people fear conflict or repercussions. Bad ideas move forward and good ideas die, which can lead to disastrous results-financial or otherwise. Luckily, there is a workable path out of this dysfunction. Kim Barnes's process of Constructive Debate shows how to establish conditions that encourage the free exchange, discussion, and development of ideas and eliminate conditions that prevent potentially useful ideas from getting heard. By using this tested model, any company or team can improve outcomes and bring out everyone's best ideas.
In too many organizations, great ideas and unusual solutions can be suppressed, ignored, or attacked. Departments defend their turf, and people choose what is safe over what is better. Honest opinions often show up in the “meeting after the meeting” because people fear conflict or repercussions. Bad ideas move forward and good ideas die, which can lead to disastrous results-financial or otherwise. Luckily, there is a workable path out of this dysfunction. Kim Barnes's process of Constructive Debate shows how to establish conditions that encourage the free exchange, discussion, and development of ideas and eliminate conditions that prevent potentially useful ideas from getting heard. By using this tested model, any company or team can improve outcomes and bring out everyone's best ideas.
To help large and small businesses repair our broken talent pipeline, Ed Gordon offers counter-intuitive, bottom-up solutions through which corporations partner with NGOs, educational groups, local chambers of commerce and other stakeholders to rebuild the wellspring.
Employee engagement is shockingly low-but it's not an employee problem; it's a leadership problem. Bestselling author Mark Miller says it's up to leaders to create a workplace where their employees truly want to be-and he reveals four keys to doing it.
According to Gallup's 2017 report, only 33% of workers are engaged at work--and the numbers have been low for years. Leaders have tried and failed to address this critical problem. Based on Mark Miller's research, this book both simplifies and operationalizes the necessary behaviors to reverse this troubling trend. The missing link is realizing that the pandemic of low engagement is not a problem with the workers, it is a problem with the leaders.
In this charming fable, Blake, a young CEO, is convinced something is not quite right in his organization. Sales, profits, and customer satisfaction are barely improving, the competition is gaining on them and no one appears to care. And when he's honest with himself, he's lost his fire as well. He just can't put his finger on the problem. Blake seeks out his old friend and first mentor, Debbie Bruster. She sends Blake on a journey to discover the key to engaging leadership. By the end of his journey, Blake has discovered a powerful philosophy to guide his decisions in the future, and four drivers of engagement to implement today.
According to Gallup's 2017 report, only 33% of workers are engaged at work--and the numbers have been low for years. Leaders have tried and failed to address this critical problem. Based on Mark Miller's research, this book both simplifies and operationalizes the necessary behaviors to reverse this troubling trend. The missing link is realizing that the pandemic of low engagement is not a problem with the workers, it is a problem with the leaders.
In this charming fable, Blake, a young CEO, is convinced something is not quite right in his organization. Sales, profits, and customer satisfaction are barely improving, the competition is gaining on them and no one appears to care. And when he's honest with himself, he's lost his fire as well. He just can't put his finger on the problem. Blake seeks out his old friend and first mentor, Debbie Bruster. She sends Blake on a journey to discover the key to engaging leadership. By the end of his journey, Blake has discovered a powerful philosophy to guide his decisions in the future, and four drivers of engagement to implement today.
“A thoughtful, practical read about the future of the flexible office.”-Adam Grant
“Office shock” is an abrupt, unsettling change in where, when, how, and even why we work. In this visionary book, three prominent futurists argue that the office is both a place and a process-offices and officing-with a new range of choices, including what they call the emerging officeverse.
To see the possibilities with fresh eyes, we must use future-back thinking to ask, What is the purpose of your officing? What are the outcomes-especially regarding climate-you want to achieve? With whom do you want to office? How will you augment your intelligence? Where and when will you office? How will you create an agile office?
Traditional offices were often unfair, uncomfortable, uncreative, and unproductive. This book explores how to seize this great opportunity to transform office work.
“Office shock” is an abrupt, unsettling change in where, when, how, and even why we work. In this visionary book, three prominent futurists argue that the office is both a place and a process-offices and officing-with a new range of choices, including what they call the emerging officeverse.
To see the possibilities with fresh eyes, we must use future-back thinking to ask, What is the purpose of your officing? What are the outcomes-especially regarding climate-you want to achieve? With whom do you want to office? How will you augment your intelligence? Where and when will you office? How will you create an agile office?
Traditional offices were often unfair, uncomfortable, uncreative, and unproductive. This book explores how to seize this great opportunity to transform office work.
This new edition gives project managers practical methods and tools to make the right decisions while juggling multiple objectives, risks and uncertainties, and stakeholders.
This practical and pragmatic book will help you lead your company's IT professionals into alignment on supporting the real needs of your organization. Too often, IT projects are treated as entities isolated from larger corporate strategy-shiny new software replacing what is already there. In contrast, the goal of any technology project should be about changing the business to run differently and better. In this book, you will learn how to lead the culture change that can finally bring about a meaningful dialogue among business analysts and information technology professionals. Achieving this requires calling on seven critical disciplines: leadership, business design, technical architecture management, application development, organizational change management, implementation logistics, and project management.
Bob Lewis is an IT consultant and popular blogger, and Dave Kaiser brings years of experience as a chief information officer. Together they provide unique insight into the real-life challenges of IT functions and decision-making.
This practical and pragmatic book will help you lead your company's IT professionals into alignment on supporting the real needs of your organization. Too often, IT projects are treated as entities isolated from larger corporate strategy-shiny new software replacing what is already there. In contrast, the goal of any technology project should be about changing the business to run differently and better. In this book, you will learn how to lead the culture change that can finally bring about a meaningful dialogue among business analysts and information technology professionals. Achieving this requires calling on seven critical disciplines: leadership, business design, technical architecture management, application development, organizational change management, implementation logistics, and project management.
Bob Lewis is an IT consultant and popular blogger, and Dave Kaiser brings years of experience as a chief information officer. Together they provide unique insight into the real-life challenges of IT functions and decision-making.
Eternally fascinating, Julius Caesar was a leader ahead of his time whose grassroots, front lines leadership still has much to teach us 2000 years after his death.
History is littered with examples of tyrants, hopelessly out of touch with the plight of the commoners, ruthlessly pursuing their own ambitions or hedonistic whims. But Caesar was a different kind of leader. Despite some bad press, in fact he never saw himself as above the average Roman citizen. Although he certainly knew he was an extraordinary human being, he also regarded himself as fundamentally one of the people, and acted like it. In his life and in his career, he created a new paradigm of leadership, and along the way, created the path to success for any leader in a complex organization.
In a book that Doris Kearns Goodwin has called “brilliantly crafted to draw leadership lessons from history,” Philip Barlag uses dramatic and colorful incidents from Caesar's career to illustrate what modern leaders can learn from him. Central to Barlag's argument is the distinction between power and force. When leading his own organization, Caesar never used brute force to motivate his followers. Time and again he exercised a power rooted in his demonstrated personal integrity and his essentially egalitarian relationship with the Romans. People followed him because they wanted to, not because they were compelled to. Over 2000 years after Caesar's death this is still the kind of loyalty every leader wants to inspire. Barlag shows how anyone can lead like Caesar.
History is littered with examples of tyrants, hopelessly out of touch with the plight of the commoners, ruthlessly pursuing their own ambitions or hedonistic whims. But Caesar was a different kind of leader. Despite some bad press, in fact he never saw himself as above the average Roman citizen. Although he certainly knew he was an extraordinary human being, he also regarded himself as fundamentally one of the people, and acted like it. In his life and in his career, he created a new paradigm of leadership, and along the way, created the path to success for any leader in a complex organization.
In a book that Doris Kearns Goodwin has called “brilliantly crafted to draw leadership lessons from history,” Philip Barlag uses dramatic and colorful incidents from Caesar's career to illustrate what modern leaders can learn from him. Central to Barlag's argument is the distinction between power and force. When leading his own organization, Caesar never used brute force to motivate his followers. Time and again he exercised a power rooted in his demonstrated personal integrity and his essentially egalitarian relationship with the Romans. People followed him because they wanted to, not because they were compelled to. Over 2000 years after Caesar's death this is still the kind of loyalty every leader wants to inspire. Barlag shows how anyone can lead like Caesar.
