The Real Work of Leaders: A Report from the Front Lines of Management

By Donald Laurie

Book Overview

In The Real Work of Leaders, Don Laurie digs beneath the surface to explore the "act of leadership," the essence of what leaders need to do on a daily basis to frame challenges, mobilize people, and adapt to constant change. Based on fifteen years' experience advising dozens of the world's most progressive and influential business leaders, including Lew Platt of Hewlett-Packard and Ralph Larsen of Johnson & Johnson, The Real Work of Leaders offers a fresh and energizing perspective on the craft of leadership.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0738204854
• ISBN13: 9780738204857
• Release Date: September 2001
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.8" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

It Really Is Work...Hard Work

According to Laurie, the real work of leaders "is to identify the problem, frame it, explain it to the people who are able to conceive a solution, and then sell that solution to everyone in the organization", adding that "leaders must help people understand their current challenge by contextualizing the circumstances within the company's history." In Chapter 3, he identifies what he calls "The Seven Essential Acts of Leadership":1. Get on the Balcony [ie "see far and wide...view every aspect of the business and the marketplace in which it operates"]2. Communicate What Is Real [ie "explain what's going on....simply, fully, and clearly"]3. Clarify Competing Values [ie "identify opposing individuals and help each one to understand the thought processes underlying the proposal for change" to create shared values which are "the heart and backbone" of the organization]4. Support Changes in Values [ie constantly reinforce a new set of values which are being instilled throughout the organization]5. Promote Dialogue [ie involve everyone in on-going discussion, especially those who disagree, to advance learning and increase understanding]6. Regulate Distress [ie "diligently watch the level of distress among workers and maneuver a balance between too much and not enough"]7. Make Everyone Collectively Responsible [ie assign what must be done to those who can do it best, require others to assist those efforts,...and then hold everyone accountable for results]With regard to this last "essential act", Laurie shares several "lessons" he has learned: Resist the temptation to supply answers; create self-confidence; distinguish between internal operational problems and external strategic problems, both of which may involve technical and adaptive work; remember that people must commit to one another before they will commit to a strategy; look upon diverse points of view as valuable, not problematic; and finally, allow people to take risks and support them when they make mistakes. Laurie agrees with Ronald A. Heifetz that "the true heroism of leadership involves having the courage to face reality and the capacity to help others do the same." Throughout this book, Laurie examines the leadership style and values of several top executives in major corporations such as Johnson & Johnson, Goldman Sachs, Nordstrom, Scandinavian Airlines, British Airways, Philips Electronics, and KPMG International. In the final chapter, Laurie poses some of the questions that leaders have asked him about their work -- and his answers to those questions. Then in an Epilogue, Laurie offers this advice to leaders: "Hold steady, maintain the focus of your ambition, frame the next leadership challenge, and use your people as valuable resources as you collectively solve problems and learn your way into the future. Be decisive and discover the power of questions." This book will be of substantial value to those now in a position of leadership but also (i

Breakthrough Information

This book by Mr. Laurie goes into the depth of info we need to see what leaders do day in and day out. His research looks solid, and the info he gathers from this all-star cast of corporate leaders is excellent. Well worth your money.Also recommend: The Leader's Guide: 15 Essential Skills