Synopses & Reviews
Leadership development doesn’t have to be difficult or dull. With The Little Book of Leadership Development, bringing out the best in people is a continuous, easy-to-apply process.
Now you can cultivate the leadership capacity of every member on your team with these simple yet powerful tips for getting people to really want to work at their peak potential. The Little Book of Leadership Development goes straight to the heart of great leadership as it uncovers 50 strategies you can apply on a daily basis, including how to:
• Clarify your expectations of the team, and help them develop goals as a group —the groundwork for gaining commitment
• Recognize and reward achievement with creative nonmonetary rewards—and engage team members
• Model effective confrontation—often bypassing your default mode and intentionally choosing a style that works better
• Keep everyone in the loop about organizational news, strategic plans, and (especially) bad news—before they hear it from the grapevine
• Facilitate a culture of accountability—one in which team members are also held accountable to each other, and you to them
• Stretch your team—taking their skills and experiences to the next level by offering challenging assignments
• Stay focused on solutions, not barriers—and develop a culture where complaining becomes the impetus for solving problems
Managers with the ability to self-reflect and willingness to implement these positive, potent ideas will see quick improvements—in communication, efficiency, morale, and other measures that point to a thriving, committed team of emerging leaders.
Scott J. Allen, Ph.D., is assistant professor of management at John Carroll University and co-author of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership. He has published numerous articles in major leadership journals, and he blogs, consults, and facilitates workshops on leadership.
Mitchell Kusy, Ph.D., is an international organization development consultant, 2005 Fulbright Scholar, and full professor in the Ph.D. Program in Leadership & Change at Antioch University. He is the co-author of Toxic Workplace!, Breaking the Code of Silence, Manager’s Desktop Consultant, and Fast Forward Leadership.
Synopsis
How many managers have time to plow through big books of leadership development? None! And they’ll never need to with this slender book of 50 simple yet powerful ideas.
The Little Book of Leadership Development goes straight to the heart of great leadership.
Free of complicated theories, it focuses on what really works to get people motivated, working effectively, and acting as leaders themselves. The book delivers streamlined instructions on modeling behaviors, sharing information, building accountability, stretching teams, providing feedback, and 45 other practical strategies. Readers will be able to design a system of development tailored to their team and organization.
Managers with the ability to self-reflect and a willingness to implement these positive, powerful ideas will see quick improvements—in communication, efficiency, morale, and every other measure that points to a committed team of emerging leaders.
Synopsis
How many managers have time to plow through big books of leadership development? None And they'll never need to with this slender book of 50 simple yet powerful ideas.
The Little Book of Leadership Development goes straight to the heart of great leadership.
Free of complicated theories, it focuses on what really works to get people motivated, working effectively, and acting as leaders themselves. The book delivers streamlined instructions on modeling behaviors, sharing information, building accountability, stretching teams, providing feedback, and 45 other practical strategies. Readers will be able to design a system of development tailored to their team and organization.
Managers with the ability to self-reflect and a willingness to implement these positive, powerful ideas will see quick improvements--in communication, efficiency, morale, and every other measure that points to a committed team of emerging leaders.
Synopsis
Great things come in little packages: 50 commonsense (but rarely common) ideas for building the leadership potential of others. How many managers have time to plow through big books of leadership development? None And they'll never need to with this slender book of 50 simple yet powerful ideas. The Little Book of Leadership Development goes straight to the heart of great leadership. Free of complicated theories, it focuses on what really works to get people motivated, working effectively, and acting as leaders themselves. The book delivers streamlined instructions on modeling behaviors, sharing information, building accountability, stretching teams, providing feedback, and 45 other practical strategies. Readers will be able to design a system of development tailored to their team and organization. Managers with the ability to self-reflect and a willingness to implement these positive, powerful ideas will see quick improvements--in communication, efficiency, morale, and every other measure that points to a committed team of emerging leaders.
Synopsis
Advance Praise for The Little Book of Leadership Development:
“Never has the need been greater for a handbook on the development of leaders of the future, leaders at every level across the organization. Today, Scott Allen and Mitchell Kusy have responded with The Little Book of Leadership Development. Leaders across the sectors will find the ‘50 Ways’ the indispensable companion on their leadership journey.”— Frances Hesselbein, President and CEO, Leader to Leader Institute, www.leadertoleader.org
“This book is an easy to read, practical guide for the experienced leader and the newly appointed. The 50 tips contain gems of wisdom that can improve any team. It is the new Leadership handbook. Well done!” — Thomas D. Cassady, CPCU, CLU, ChFC, President and CEO, USI Midwest Inc.
“Allen and Kusy offer a little book with some very big ideas about reflective leadership. The advice is crisp and easy to follow. Their collective real-world experience sings out beautifully in this wonderfully practical advice on changing yourself and those you lead.” — Anthony J. Scriffignano, Ph.D., Vice President, Global Data Strategy at Dun & Bradstreet
“There is nothing ‘little’ about this book! I plan on giving it to new leaders and using the LD50 checklist at their next evaluation. My favorites were 18, 21, 38, and 49 . . . great work!” — Agency Field Executive, State Farm
“This pithy book of leadership behaviors will be a valuable resource for those leaders who are seeking to change their behaviors and become more effective. Less on theory and more on practice, Allen and Kusy have captured the essence of effective leadership behaviors.” — Thomas J. Marr, MD, Medical Director, Clinical Relations, HealthPartners
“The leader’s most important job is to develop future leaders. We need resources that are easy to use and understand, but when it comes to leadership, this is not an easy task. Allen and Kusy have accomplished this with The Little Book of Leadership Development. If you are responsible for developing leaders, this book should be dog-eared and always close at hand on your bookshelf.” — Peter Mello, Editor of the WeeklyLeader Blog (www.weeklyleader.net)
About the Author
SCOTT J. ALLEN, PH.D. is assistant professor of management at John Carroll University and author of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership. He blogs, consults, and facilitates workshops on leadership.
MITCHELL KUSY, PH.D. is an international organization development consultant and full professor in the Ph.D. Program in Leadership & Change at Antioch University. He is the coauthor of Toxic Workplace!
Table of Contents
Contents
Foreword by Peter Vaill ix
Introduction 1
Part 1. Development by Modeling Effective Leadership 13
[1] Clarify Team Expectations 15
[2] Model the Way 17
[3] Recognize and Reward Achievement 19
[4] Model Effective Confrontation 21
[5] Provide Challenge and Support 23
[6] Keep the Troops in the Loop 25
[7] Check in with a Thought of the Day 27
[8] Realize Your Team Is Your Customer 28
[9] Use the Pygmalion Effect 30
[10] Coach for Performance 32
[11] Facilitate a Culture of Accountability 34
[12] Tap into Their Passion, Unleash the Energy 36
[13] Hold Standing One-on-Ones 38
[14] Help Make Their Vision a Reality 40
[15] Solidify Their Learning 42
Part 2. Development Through Skill Building 45
[16] Stretch Your Team—Always 47
[17] Switch It Up 49
[18] Have Them Lead the Team 50
[19] Create Great Communicators 52
[20] Grow Their Roles 55
[21] Let Them Answer the “How” 57
[22] Establish Action Learning Projects 59
[23] Design a Department Retreat 61
[24] Implement an Operating Calendar 62
[25] Create a Culture of Benchmarking 64
Part 3. Development Through Conceptual Understanding 65
[26] Foster Critical Reflection 67
[27] Host a Book/Article Club 69
[28] Foster a Friendly Debate 71
[29] Create an Organizational FAQ 72
[30] Conduct a Quick Case Study 74
[31] Bring in Support 76
[32] Remain Focused on the Solutions, Not the Barriers 78
[33] Conduct After-Action Reviews 79
[34] Help Diagnose the Challenge—Technical or Adaptive? 81
[35] Transfer SchoolWork Back to Your Work 83
Part 4. Development Through Personal Growth 85
[36] Foster Growth Through Personal Development Plans 87
[37] Capture and Share the Learning 89
[38] Develop Emotional Intelligence 91
[39] Facilitate Developmental Relationships 93
[40] Encourage Service in the Community 96
[41] Get Out in the Field 97
[42] Coordinate an On-Boarding Process 99
[43] Facilitate Cross-Departmental Problem Solving 101
[44] Create Teachers and Leaders 103
[45] Give Out the Monumental Assignment 105
Part 5. Development Through Feedback 107
[46] Create a Culture of Feedback 109
[47] Set Aside Time for Self-Evaluation 111
[48] Provide Development Through Assessment 112
[49] Ask the Tough Questions 114
[50] Capture the Learning from Hardships and Failure 116
Conclusion 119
The LD50 Snapshot 121
Notes 125
Index 127
About the Authors 131