The Alchemy of Truly Remarkable Leadership: Ordinary, Everyday Actions That Produce Extraordinary Results


Book Description

Consider how the nature of work has shifted over the past 50 years. With increased globalization, rapid technological advancement, and a shift in economic composition, the average jobs of today look very little like the average jobs 50 years ago. What will the jobs and organizations of tomorrow look like?Moreover, what does this all mean for organizational leaders? What are the core competencies and capabilities of organizations and their leadership that are prepared for continued disruption and geo-political and socio-economic shifts?Regardless of what the future holds, increasingly leaders need to be socially-minded, data-driven, decisive, champions of talent, and disruptors of the traditional notions of leadership, teams, organizations, and work.The Alchemy of Truly Remarkable Leadership will help you to explore your own leadership competencies and capabilities and consider ways to apply and implement them into your workplace and personal life.




The Alchemy of Truly Remarkable Leadership


Book Description

AWARD-WINNING I#1 BEST SELLING AUTHOR Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is the # 1 ranked HR, Innovation, and Future of Work Global Thought Leader & Influencer (Thinkers360) and ranked in the Top 30 in Management and Organizational Culture (Global Gurus). Consider how the nature of work has shifted over the past 50 years. With increased globalization, rapid technological advancement, and a shift in economic composition, the average jobs of today look very little like the average jobs 50 years ago. What will the jobs and organizations of tomorrow look like? Moreover, what does this all mean for organizational leaders? What are the core competencies and capabilities of organizations and their leadership that are prepared for continued disruption and geo-political and socio-economic shifts? Increasingly leaders need to be socially-minded, data-driven, decisive, champions of talent, and disruptors of the traditional notions of leadership, teams, organizations, and work. The Alchemy of Truly Remarkable Leadership will help you to explore your own leadership competencies and capabilities and consider ways to apply and implement them into your workplace and personal life. What Leaders Are Saying: "Sometimes being a leader feels complex; more often being an effective leader comes from disciplined application of simple principles. Jonathan does a masterful job of identifying not only the principles of effective leadership, but how to turn these principles into specific daily actions. This relevant, applicable, and helpful book offers concrete ideas that will have real impact for anyone working to be a more effective leader." ~ Dr. Dave Ulrich, Rensis Likert Professor, University of Michigan; Partner, The RBL Group "The Alchemy of Truly Remarkable Leadership focuses on leadership characteristics and qualities that produce extraordinary results in the new world of work. Dr. Westover methodically weaves together leadership competencies and capabilities for anyone aspiring to lead and alchemize an organization to attain business goals and workforce agility. This is an excellent guide and reflective tool for leaders to refine their capabilities and qualities and pivot towards the future." ~ Dr. Amy Dufrane, SPHR, CAE, CEO of HRCI "What makes great leadership? While the answer remains open to reader interpretation, the author takes us on a journey that begins with a broad definition and ends with an opportunity to make it owned, personally. Where the magic is revealed comes through in seamless, simple and applicable anecdotes, applications and tools any reader will appreciate, regardless of their current position or status in life. Cheers to Dr. Westover for providing an informative, fluid and accessible leadership book at a time when any of us can use it...if not for ourselves, then for working with others." ~ David A. Yudis, Psy.D., President at Potential Selves "Dr. Westover has done the work to make what's required for leadership in today's complex world accessible, practical, and powerful. This must-read book covers all the components necessary to become a more conscious, impactful leader by introducing critical concepts, inviting self-reflection, and setting a path for accountability." ~ Shonna Waters, PhD, Vice President at BetterUp "Dr. Jon does a great job at identifying a variety of areas of focus any leader should take to be more effective. From framing your mind for growth to being a more consciously inclusive leader (my biased favorite!), Dr. Jon frames these concepts in a memorable, approachable, and authentic manner. A must-have book for the leader who wants to improve their leadership awesomeness in a variety of facets." ~ Dr. Steve Yacovelli ("The Gay Leadership Dude"), Award-winning leadership author, speaker, and catalyst Find more resources at www.innovativehumancapital.com.




'Bluer Than Indigo' Leadership


Book Description

AWARD-WINNING #1 BEST SELLING AUTHOR Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is the # 1 ranked HR, Innovation, and Future of Work Global Thought Leader & Influencer (Thinkers360) and ranked in the Top 30 in Management and Organizational Culture (Global Gurus). Early in my adult life, I learned about an Asian proverb that translates as ''Bluer than Indigo.'' If you think about the color indigo, it is a brilliant, deep and vibrant blue -- what some would call the bluest of blues. To have something that is "bluer than indigo" is rare and truly remarkable. Contrary to popular myth, there is no one-size-fits-all or cookie cutter approach to effective leadership. There is no silver bullet, no secret sauce, no go-to model that will solve all our problems. The truth is, great leaders have all had their unique strengths (and flaws) and have all had to discover and then pave their own distinctive path in their life''s journey to fulfill their leadership potential. ''Bluer than Indigo'' Leadership will help you discover your own path and explore those ordinary, everyday actions that will help you respond to an uncertain future and produce extraordinary results for individuals, teams, and organizations. What Leaders Are Saying: "Sometimes being a leader feels complex; more often being an effective leader comes from disciplined application of simple principles. Jonathan does a masterful job of identifying not only the principles of effective leadership, but how to turn these principles into specific daily actions. This relevant, applicable, and helpful book offers concrete ideas that will have real impact for anyone working to be a more effective leader." ~ Dr. Dave Ulrich, Rensis Likert Professor, University of Michigan; Partner, The RBL Group "''Jonathan focuses on leadership characteristics and qualities that produce extraordinary results in the new world of work. Dr. Westover methodically weaves together leadership competencies and capabilities for anyone aspiring to lead and alchemize an organization to attain business goals and workforce agility. This is an excellent guide and reflective tool for leaders to refine their capabilities and qualities and pivot towards the future." ~ Dr. Amy Dufrane, SPHR, CAE, CEO of HRCI "What makes great leadership? While the answer remains open to reader interpretation, the author takes us on a journey that begins with a broad definition and ends with an opportunity to make it owned, personally. Where the magic is revealed comes through in seamless, simple and applicable anecdotes, applications and tools any reader will appreciate, regardless of their current position or status in life. Cheers to Dr. Westover for providing an informative, fluid and accessible leadership book at a time when any of us can use it...if not for ourselves, then for working with others." ~ David A. Yudis, Psy.D., President at Potential Selves "Dr. Westover has done the work to make what''s required for leadership in today''s complex world accessible, practical, and powerful. This must-read book covers all the components necessary to become a more conscious, impactful leader by introducing critical concepts, inviting self-reflection, and setting a path for accountability." ~ Shonna Waters, PhD, Vice President at BetterUp "Dr. Jon does a great job at identifying a variety of areas of focus any leader should take to be more effective. From framing your mind for growth to being a more consciously inclusive leader (my biased favorite!), Dr. Jon frames these concepts in a memorable, approachable, and authentic manner. A must-have book for the leader who wants to improve their leadership awesomeness in a variety of facets." ~ Dr. Steve Yacovelli ("The Gay Leadership Dude"), Award-winning leadership author, speaker, and catalyst Find more resources at www.innovativehumancapital.com.




The Merlin Factor


Book Description

The author draws on the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table to set out principles and practices designed to help organizations to improve performance and fulfil their potential.




Good to Great


Book Description

The Challenge Built to Last, the defining management study of the nineties, showed how great companies triumph over time and how long-term sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the verybeginning. But what about the company that is not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness? The Study For years, this question preyed on the mind of Jim Collins. Are there companies that defy gravity and convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? And if so, what are the universal distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great? The Standards Using tough benchmarks, Collins and his research team identified a set of elite companies that made the leap to great results and sustained those results for at least fifteen years. How great? After the leap, the good-to-great companies generated cumulative stock returns that beat the general stock market by an average of seven times in fifteen years, better than twice the results delivered by a composite index of the world's greatest companies, including Coca-Cola, Intel, General Electric, and Merck. The Comparisons The research team contrasted the good-to-great companies with a carefully selected set of comparison companies that failed to make the leap from good to great. What was different? Why did one set of companies become truly great performers while the other set remained only good? Over five years, the team analyzed the histories of all twenty-eight companies in the study. After sifting through mountains of data and thousands of pages of interviews, Collins and his crew discovered the key determinants of greatness -- why some companies make the leap and others don't. The Findings The findings of the Good to Great study will surprise many readers and shed light on virtually every area of management strategy and practice. The findings include: Level 5 Leaders: The research team was shocked to discover the type of leadership required to achieve greatness. The Hedgehog Concept (Simplicity within the Three Circles): To go from good to great requires transcending the curse of competence. A Culture of Discipline: When you combine a culture of discipline with an ethic of entrepreneurship, you get the magical alchemy of great results. Technology Accelerators: Good-to-great companies think differently about the role of technology. The Flywheel and the Doom Loop: Those who launch radical change programs and wrenching restructurings will almost certainly fail to make the leap. “Some of the key concepts discerned in the study,” comments Jim Collins, "fly in the face of our modern business culture and will, quite frankly, upset some people.” Perhaps, but who can afford to ignore these findings?




The 5AM Club


Book Description

Legendary leadership and elite performance expert Robin Sharma introduced The 5am Club concept over twenty years ago, based on a revolutionary morning routine that has helped his clients maximize their productivity, activate their best health and bulletproof their serenity in this age of overwhelming complexity. Now, in this life-changing book, handcrafted by the author over a rigorous four-year period, you will discover the early-rising habit that has helped so many accomplish epic results while upgrading their happiness, helpfulness and feelings of aliveness. Through an enchanting—and often amusing—story about two struggling strangers who meet an eccentric tycoon who becomes their secret mentor, The 5am Club will walk you through: How great geniuses, business titans and the world’s wisest people start their mornings to produce astonishing achievements A little-known formula you can use instantly to wake up early feeling inspired, focused and flooded with a fiery drive to get the most out of each day A step-by-step method to protect the quietest hours of daybreak so you have time for exercise, self-renewal and personal growth A neuroscience-based practice proven to help make it easy to rise while most people are sleeping, giving you precious time for yourself to think, express your creativity and begin the day peacefully instead of being rushed “Insider-only” tactics to defend your gifts, talents and dreams against digital distraction and trivial diversions so you enjoy fortune, influence and a magnificent impact on the world Part manifesto for mastery, part playbook for genius-grade productivity and part companion for a life lived beautifully, The 5am Club is a work that will transform your life. Forever.




The Great Mental Models, Volume 1


Book Description

Discover the essential thinking tools you’ve been missing with The Great Mental Models series by Shane Parrish, New York Times bestselling author and the mind behind the acclaimed Farnam Street blog and “The Knowledge Project” podcast. This first book in the series is your guide to learning the crucial thinking tools nobody ever taught you. Time and time again, great thinkers such as Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett have credited their success to mental models–representations of how something works that can scale onto other fields. Mastering a small number of mental models enables you to rapidly grasp new information, identify patterns others miss, and avoid the common mistakes that hold people back. The Great Mental Models: Volume 1, General Thinking Concepts shows you how making a few tiny changes in the way you think can deliver big results. Drawing on examples from history, business, art, and science, this book details nine of the most versatile, all-purpose mental models you can use right away to improve your decision making and productivity. This book will teach you how to: Avoid blind spots when looking at problems. Find non-obvious solutions. Anticipate and achieve desired outcomes. Play to your strengths, avoid your weaknesses, … and more. The Great Mental Models series demystifies once elusive concepts and illuminates rich knowledge that traditional education overlooks. This series is the most comprehensive and accessible guide on using mental models to better understand our world, solve problems, and gain an advantage.




Billy, Me & You


Book Description

Nicola Streeten's little boy, Billy, was two years old when he died following heart surgery for problems diagnosed only ten days earlier. Thirteen years later, able finally to revisit a diary written at the time, Streeten begins translating her notes into a graphic novel. The result, a retrospective reflection from a 'healed' perspective and gut wrenchingly sad at moments, is an unforgettable portrayal of trauma and our reaction to it - and, especially, the humour or absurdity so often involved in our responses. As Streeten's story unfolds and we follow her and her partner's heroic efforts to cope with well-meaning friends and day-to-day realities, we begin to understand what she means by her aim to create a 'dead baby story that is funny'.




Appreciative Intelligence


Book Description

“Provocative . . . reveals the ability behind exciting and unexpected innovations, turnarounds, or accomplishments that were once considered impossible.” —W. Warner Burke, Edward L. Thorndike Professor of Psychology and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University Appreciative Intelligence provides a new answer to what enables successful people to dream up their extraordinary and innovative ideas; why employees, partners, colleagues, investors, and other stakeholders join them on the path to their goals, and how they achieve these goals despite obstacles and challenges. It is not simple optimism. People with appreciative intelligence are realistic and action oriented—they have the ability not just to identify positive potential, but to devise a course of action to take advantage of it. Drawing on their own original research and recent discoveries in psychology and cognitive neuroscience, Thatchenkery and Metzker outline the evidence for appreciative intelligence, detail its specific characteristics, and show how you can develop this skill and use it in your own life and work. They show how the most successful leaders are able to spread appreciative intelligence throughout an organization, and they offer tools and exercises you can use to increase your own level of appreciative intelligence and so become more creative, resilient, successful, and personally fulfilled. “An inspiring and practical account of how to develop the capacity to see potential within the present and to develop this capacity within oneself and in others.” —Jane E. Dutton, William Russell Kelly Professor of Business Administration and Professor of Psychology, Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan “A compelling justification for . . . what endows successful leaders with the qualities of persistence, conviction, comfort with uncertainty, and resilience to overcome challenges.” —Dr. V. Nilakant, coauthor of Change Management




Backstage Leadership


Book Description

Most of us would recognize a star leader by their charisma, emotional intelligence and public communication prowess. What is truly impressive but often overlooked is the silent work of leadership that garners real results. Exercising influence in a complex and global organization – whilst also shaping and executing strategies across borders in a disruptive age – is the true mark of success as a leader. Backstage Leadership takes a comprehensive look at the background processes that leaders must master in order to shape the culture, direction and capability of a successful company. With an emphasis on strategy, the author provides an integrated toolkit for developing your knowledge and skills as a 'backstage leader.' You will learn how to: Mobilize people towards new strategic directions Scan your business environment for threats and disruptive forces Diagnose and help to shape the culture of your organization Develop talent and capabilities towards a specific goal. Focusing on the key and consistent underlying processes of leadership, this book is essential reading for managers who wish to bring focus and coherence to their leadership role and integrate themselves within the engine of the organization.