Synopses & Reviews
When faced with complex challenges or uncertain outcomes, many leaders turn to trusted management tools that have worked in simpler situations. These practices assume that a right answer can be found, that the power to predict and plan the future is within reach, that tasks can be broken down reasonably to produce controllable outcomes. But, what are leaders to do when this isn't the case?
In complex situations, leaders need to concentrate on the present more than the future, look more toward the possible than the probable, and carry out small-scale experiments to learn what might work. Rather than one-size-fits-all tips and tricks, Simple Habits for Complex Times offers up three integral practices that enable leaders to navigate this unknown terrain. By taking multiple perspectives, asking different questions, and seeing more of the system within which they must work, leaders can better understand themselves, their role, and the world around them. As they grow, these habits enhance their performance and enable them to solve increasingly common, sticky business issues with greater acumen.
Through storytelling and hands-on activities, authors Jennifer Garvey Berger and Keith Johnston guide readers as they cultivate these habits through the exploration of common paradoxes that leaders face every day. Leaders can sort through their immediate challenges as they read, making it eminently easier to find time to develop their skill. Whether in large or small organizations, in government or the private sector, in the U.S. or internationally, leaders will find this book to be an essential guide to keep near their desks.
Review
"Three cheers!!! This book doesn't just tell you how. It shows you how to become a more effective leader in conditions of complexity and vulnerabilityin other words, circumstances that we face all the time. Rather than a simple recipe that fits some adolescent dream of perfection, it's an invitation into lifelong learning that will transform you and your organization. Welcome! All aboard?"William R. Torbert, Boston College and Principal, Action Inquiry Associates
Review
"This book is a superb exploration of the ways that complexity calls on leaders to think, act, and engage differently. It will leave you with a few simple, yet powerful, habits that will change you as a leader . . . and a person. A landmark work!"Michael Rennie, Global Leader, McKinsey and Company, Organization and Leadership Practice
Review
"Garvey Berger and Johnston are superb teachers! Simple Habits for Complex Times is a perfect blend of 'story' and 'lesson.' You'll keep turning the pages and the pages will turn you into a better leader."Robert Kegan, Harvard University and co-author of Immunity to Change
Review
"Faced with dramatic change, leaders in all sectors must boldly think anew. As a woman from the global south, leading a large global non-government organization, I need new models and approaches to leading in this new world. Keith and Jennifer offer me stimulating and refreshing advice on how I can think and act differently to achieve enduring change."Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director, Oxfam International
Review
"This is the perfect guide to corporate transformation. Changing consumption patterns are turning business models upside down. Garvey Berger and Johnston show you how to drain the swamp of ambiguity, squarely face unexpected challenges, and seize new opportunities."Eric Passmore, Chief Technology Officer, Online Publishing and Media, Microsoft Corporation
Synopsis
Simple Habits for Complex Times teaches leaders three transformational practices that will enable them to thrive in the face of increasingly complex challenges with uncertain outcomes. By learning to take multiple perspectives, ask different questions, and see the system in which they must work, leaders can elevate their performance. This book shows them how.
Synopsis
When faced with complex challenges or uncertain outcomes, many leaders believe that if they are smart enough, work hard enough, or turn to the best management tools, they will be able to find the right answer, predict and plan for the future, and break down tasks to produce controllable results. But what are leaders to do when this isn't the case?
Rather than offering one-size-fits-all tips and tricks drawn from the realm of business as usual, Simple Habits for Complex Times provides three integral practices that enable leaders to navigate the unknown. By taking multiple perspectives, asking different questions, and seeing more of their system, leaders can better understand themselves, their roles, and the world around them. They can become more nimble, respond with agility, and guide their organizations to thrive in an ever-shifting business landscape. The more leaders use these simple habits, the more they enhance their performance and solve increasingly common, sticky business issues with greater acumen.
Whether in large or small organizations, in government or the private sector, in the U.S. or overseas, leaders will turn to this book as a companion that helps them grow into the best version of themselves.
About the Author
Jennifer Garvey Berger and Keith Johnston are founding partners of Cultivating Leadership, a global leadership consultancy. Jennifer is the author of Changing on the Job: Developing Leaders for a Complex World. Keith is the former Global Chair of Oxfam International. Follow them on CultivatingLeadership.com.