Thinking Differently About Leadership

"Thinking Differently about Leadership asks why and how we have come to understand leadership in the way we now do, and the consequences that arise from these understandings. Its critical interrogation of Classical Greek, Medieval and modern social-scientific ideas reveals troubling assumptions and problematic expectations for leaders and followers, which are key features of leadership theorizing both in the past and present day. By tracing developments in leadership thought over time, this book reveals the influence of ideas from history on current thinking, inviting reflection on what we now seek from leaders and followers. Its unique, multi-faceted analysis identifies non-scientific factors that have profoundly influenced the development of leadership science in the modern era. Arguing that conventional understandings of leadership today are deeply problematic, the book examines why we ought to think differently about leadership and offers an approach for doing so. The book offers a framework for leadership-building which readers can use to apply their own context, making it an ideal resource for critical management and leadership scholars as well as students and practitioners, who will value its novel focus and perspective."--Back cover.

Leaders are expected to show the way forward, especially in unpredictable circumstances or when resources are constrained. Yet frustratingly, what is common to good leadership is not often widely practised. Uncommon Leadership will help you explore the uncommon insights that can make a significant difference to your leadership. It will lead you to fresh strategic thinking by challenging conventional wisdom and asking you to reflect on some thought-provoking questions. Using their wealth of experience as managers, educators and consultants, Phil Higson and Anthony Sturgess will help you to think differently about leadership. In this highly readable book, they stimulate fresh thinking on leadership and give you the practical platforms you need to deliver uncommon success in your organization. They bring uncommon leadership to life, combining insights from some remarkable leaders and their surprising stories, with their own individual take on leadership. Uncommon Leadership is supported by a companion website: www.uncommonleadership.co.uk, providing updates, tools and resources to help you do the common things uncommonly well.

In this offbeat approach to leadership, college president Steven B. Sample-the man who turned the University of Southern California into one of the most respected and highly rated universities in the country-challenges many conventional teachings on the subject. Here, Sample outlines an iconoclastic style of leadership that flies in the face of current leadership thought, but a style that unquestionably works, nevertheless. Sample urges leaders and aspiring leaders to focus on some key counterintuitive truths. He offers his own down-to-earth, homespun, and often provocative advice on some complex and thoughtful issues. And he provides many practical, if controversial, tactics for successful leadership, suggesting, among other things, that leaders should sometimes compromise their principles, not read everything that comes across their desks, and always put off decisions.

Your 7-step prescription for creating a compassionately competitive work culture For centuries, leaders have been operating within a “control and compete” mindset. But times are changing. More and more, at the helm of successful companies, you’ll find a different sort of leader. Collaborators, not controllers, they are “square apples,” bold men and women who dare to create success by reshaping the workplace in unexpected ways. In Apples Are Square, innovation consultants and celebrated authors Dr. Susan Smith Kuczmarski and Thomas D. Kuczmarski share with you the secrets of how to become a square apple in your organization. To develop their groundbreaking strategy for success, the authors interviewed dozens of leadership pioneers, including Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist; Mary Ellen Weber, former NASA astronaut; and NFL star Chris Zorich, whose personal story inspired the title of this book. With the tools in Apples Are Square, you’ll be able to take any bruised environment and reshape it into a positive force.

“This book is a breakthrough. It’s beautifully written, perfectly timed and heralds a new way forward. I’m buying a dozen copies to share with friends and colleagues.” -Seth Godin, Founder of altMBA and author of The Practice If you let go of hierarchy, chaos will reign...or so many leaders believe. But when leaders find the courage to distribute rather than hoard power, creativity multiplies, trust deepens, and inclusivity expands... and a new kind of order emerges. A few rare leaders have learned to embrace a new organizational shape and mindset: Constellations. Organizations designed as constellations are dynamic and flexible networks of distinct yet interwoven individuals. Each member of the team feels like a singular star and is also connected to others to form something greater. That is how Visa reimagined how we pay for things, how Wikipedia beat the richest company in the world and how Barack Obama and his grassroots team revolutionized political campaigning. These leaders did what most leaders dread – they gave away power. Barzun brilliantly layers lessons across history and industries with his own experiences as an internet entrepreneur, political organizer, and US ambassador to the United Kingdom and Sweden. The Power of Giving Away Power shows how the Constellation mindset shines in some of the most impactful organizations and innovations the world has ever known. And it encourages us all to recognize, as Barzun writes, "the power we can create by seeing the power in others" — and making the leap to lead. Together.

The Wise Leader offers readers a succinct perspective on wise leadership based on theory, practice, and the authors’ own experience. The five sections of the book describe the Wise Leader model, five mantras that distil the essence of wisdom for leading. Each section has a theoretical component, theory that the authors seek to bring to life through everyday examples, followed by practical ideas and guidance as to what you can next do in service of becoming a wiser, more effective leader. Each mantra then includes fresh perspectives for leadership development, aimed at supporting organisations globally to maximize their considerable investment in this critical area. This book is written for leaders at every level of an organization, providing a perspective of wise leadership that lends itself to practical application. It can also be used by leadership development professionals, offering guidance on how to build practical programs to cultivate enhanced levels of wise leadership in your organization.

A breakthrough book on the transformative power of collaborative thinking Collaborative intelligence, or CQ, is a measure of our ability to think with others on behalf of what matters to us all. It is emerging as a new professional currency at a time when the way we think, interact, and innovate is shifting. In the past, “market share” companies ruled by hierarchy and topdown leadership. Today, the new market leaders are “mind share” companies, where influence is more important than power, and success relies on collaboration and the ability to inspire. Collaborative Intelligence is the culmination of more than fifty years of original research that draws on Dawna Markova’s background in cognitive neuroscience and her most recent work, with Angie McArthur, as a “Professional Thinking Partner” to some of the world’s top CEOs and creative professionals. Markova and McArthur are experts at getting brilliant yet difficult people to think together. They have been brought in to troubleshoot for Fortune 500 leaders in crisis and managers struggling to inspire their teams. When asked about their biggest challenges at work, Markova and McArthur’s clients all cite a common problem: other people. This response reflects the way we have been taught to focus on the gulfs between us rather than valuing our intellectual diversity—that is, the ways in which each of us is uniquely gifted, how we process information and frame questions, what kind of things deplete us, and what engages and inspires us. Through a series of practices and strategies, the authors teach us how to recognize our own mind patterns and map the talents of our teams, with the goal of embarking together on an aligned course of action and influence. In Markova and McArthur’s experience, managers who appreciate intellectual diversity will lead their teams to innovation; employees who understand it will thrive because they are in touch with their strengths; and an entire team who understands it will come together to do their best work in a symphony of collaboration, their individual strengths working in harmony like an orchestra or a high-performing sports team. Praise for Collaborative Intelligence “Rooted in the latest neuroscience on the nature of collaboration, Collaborative Intelligence celebrates the power of working and thinking together at the highest levels of business and politics, and in the smallest aspects of our everyday lives. Dawna Markova and Angie McArthur show us that our ability to collaborate is not only a measure of intelligence, but essential to solving the world’s problems and seeing the possibilities in ourselves and others.”—Arianna Huffington “This inspiring book teaches you how to align your intention with the intention of others, and how, through shared strengths and talents, you have every right to expect greatness and set the highest goals and expectations.”—Deepak Chopra “Everyone talks about collaboration today, but the rhetoric typically outweighs the reality. Collaborative Intelligence offers tangible tools for those serious about becoming ‘system leaders’ who can close the gap and make collaboration real.”—Peter M. Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline “I have worked with Markova and McArthur for several years, focusing on achieving better results through intellectual diversity. Their approach has encouraged more candid debate and collaborative behavior within the team. The team, not individuals, becomes the hero.”—Al Carey, CEO, PepsiCo