Unsecured Ladders
Meeting the Challenge of the Unexpected
By: Graham Robinson, John Harris
Hardcover | 1 September 2009 | Edition Number 1
At a Glance
210 Pages
23.39 x 15.6 x 1.27
Hardcover
$75.07
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Industry Reviews
'Graham and John have written a book that needed to be written. The questions they raise have long been crucial ones and the issues they address are essential for leaders to ask themselves. This book is full of wisdom and insight as well as displaying an empathy that only those who have been at the top of the ladder can have. This is not a 'how-to' book, it is way more useful and important than that. It is a kind of barometer and a guide for those who genuinely care about leading well. Easy answers it does not have, but it contains the crucial questions. It is also a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging read.' - Sally Bibb, author and business consultant
'This is a book that is very relevant to today's difficult business climate and one that is written in a style that makes it easy to read and understand. The authors invite people in leadership roles to do something that we do not do enough, that is, to sit back and think about the constantly changing scene in which we operate and about what such change might mean for our organisations and for us personally. In the business world there are many different types of leader, this book is for those that are 'hands on' and who care about doing the best for their team. Finally the book makes you question whether or not you are continuing to do the right things for the right market and for the right reasons.' - Chris Cracknell, CEO OCS Group
'This is a book that is easy to read and one that you would keep in your briefcase for reference a Leaders Manual. The book highlights and emphasises that in an unstable world where the unexpected can happen at any time there is an even greater need to know, understand and to hold on to your values. This book helps you to hold up the mirror and to examine objectively your own performance.' - Peter Elliott MBE, Olympic silver medallist and Senior Executive in high performance sport.
'This is not the usual book on leadership. It provides unexpected insights. Reading it, I found myself examining my own preparedness. On this dimension alone the book delivers on its promise. The authors have combined their complimentary experiences to produce a quite remarkable book. ' - Jay R. Galbraith, Professor Emeritus, International Institute for Management Development - IMD
Lausanne, Switzerland
'Robinson and Harris' book is very timely reading for anyone in a leadership position in business organisations in the post-credit crunch world. Their book will enable leaders to ask themselves some necessary, insightful and searching questions and be better prepared for the challenge of the unexpected. At the end of the day the quality of the answers that leaders can provide depends upon the questions they're able to pose in the first place - what could be more valuable as a leadership skill?' - Eugene Sadler-Smith, Professor of Management Development and Director of the Centre for Mangement Learning and Development at the School of Management, Surrey University
Dedications | p. v |
List of boxes | p. x |
List of figures | p. xi |
Acknowledgments | p. xiii |
Introductions and a problem | p. 1 |
What's the big idea? | p. 1 |
Who we are | p. 4 |
For whom are we writing this book? | p. 4 |
Four areas of leadership choice and challenge | p. 7 |
A major issue: why would you want to be a leader? | p. 10 |
More challenges | p. 13 |
Obligations and key messages | p. 15 |
How to use the book | p. 18 |
If you read this book: what will you know that you did not know already? | p. 19 |
The core issue - the unexpected is inevitable | p. 22 |
Some preliminary questions | p. 22 |
Two sources of the unexpected | p. 23 |
How will you respond to the unexpected? | p. 27 |
Cumulative consequence explored | p. 29 |
Acquiescing in inefficiency | p. 35 |
Be on the lookout for signals | p. 41 |
Summarizing so far... | p. 43 |
An obstacle course | p. 44 |
Some more questions | p. 49 |
Attitudes and the unexpected | p. 51 |
Setting the tone | p. 51 |
Awareness, reflection and the management of expectations | p. 53 |
Challenge your expectations | p. 57 |
Some risks of categorization | p. 60 |
Good leadership or good luck? | p. 63 |
Check your assumptions | p. 64 |
The role of myths and stories | p. 67 |
Honor the experts - wherever you find them | p. 72 |
Leaders need to focus on solutions rather than on problems | p. 74 |
Surfacing your attitudes - some key questions | p. 75 |
No surprises! - anticipating and preparing for the unexpected | p. 78 |
Any bus can take you there | p. 78 |
Doing the groundwork: personal integrity | p. 79 |
Managing by exception or merely missing the signals? | p. 83 |
Values, attitudes and beliefs | p. 84 |
Doing the groundwork: organizational integrity | p. 86 |
Doing the groundwork: aligning resources | p. 92 |
Seeking signals, telling stories | p. 94 |
How you respond to today's unexpected event can help prepare you for tomorrow's | p. 99 |
Groundwork in summary | p. 101 |
More questions | p. 102 |
Understanding context - inside the organization: Obligations, values and managing paradox | p. 104 |
Formal and informal leadership obligations | p. 104 |
The visible professional | p. 106 |
Shaping the future: values | p. 107 |
Shaping the future: visions and acts of faith | p. 114 |
Paradox and unreasonable truths | p. 117 |
Some more questions | p. 120 |
Marshalling resources - building and managing commitment | p. 122 |
Different ways of thinking: engagement and commitment | p. 122 |
Rational-analytical thinking | p. 123 |
Imaginative-emotional thinking | p. 129 |
Toolkits and snakepits | p. 131 |
Integrated thinking | p. 134 |
How well do you know your business? | p. 134 |
How well do you know your people? | p. 139 |
How well do you know your stakeholders? | p. 144 |
Building commitment | p. 146 |
Integrated thinking: leadership and trust | p. 147 |
Context is key | p. 150 |
Keeping in touch with the external context | p. 150 |
The external context: 2015? | p. 153 |
The external context - competitors and suppliers | p. 159 |
Sensitivity to external signals | p. 160 |
Keeping in touch with the internal context: process | p. 163 |
Representations of the internal context | p. 164 |
Stuff goes right on happening | p. 169 |
Making changes that work | p. 170 |
Pulling the threads together | p. 174 |
Securing the ladder - preparing your action plan | p. 179 |
By way of introduction | p. 179 |
Make time for reflection | p. 180 |
Hold up and look into the mirror | p. 181 |
Check the tone of your organization | p. 182 |
People | p. 183 |
Make changes that work | p. 184 |
Articulate the changing context | p. 186 |
Speed is a core competence | p. 187 |
Articulate your values and your touchstones | p. 187 |
Notes | p. 189 |
Index | p. 192 |
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
ISBN: 9780230222304
ISBN-10: 0230222307
Series: Palgrave Business
Published: 1st September 2009
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Number of Pages: 210
Audience: General Adult
Publisher: Springer Nature B.V.
Country of Publication: US
Edition Number: 1
Dimensions (cm): 23.39 x 15.6 x 1.27
Weight (kg): 0.48
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