Ask Dr. Mac: Take the Journey to Authentic Leadership - Softcover

Greg Giesen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0978855507 ISBN 13: 9780978855505

Publisher: GGA, Inc., Publishers, 2007

Synopsis

Justin O'Brien is a fumbling new manager at DataDump Corp. His employees are disgruntled, his department is floundering and Justin feels like a failure. Desperate, he sends a letter to "Ask Dr. Mac," a newspaper advice columnist on workplace issues. Their correspondence turns into a friendship and reveals to Justin the secrets of leadership that change his life around. Follow Justin on his journey and discover how to: * Solve the most challenging people problems. * Create and maintain empowering relationships. * Increase leadership acumen and self-awareness. * Lead authentically by learning from Justin's trials and tribulations.

About this title

About the Author:

Greg Giesen is president of Greg Giesen & Associates, a management development company. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Denver and author of three books on Creating Authenticity. Greg also facilitates the award-winning workshop, Leading From Within.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

It’s all about the game "So what about it?" mumbled Justin, a bit annoyed that Megan was talking to him while he was watching his football game.

"I think you should read it, that’s all," she said, as she threw the business section of the Sunday paper at him rather forcefully. "There’s a column in there that talks about problem employees. Don’t you still have that woman at work who talks on the phone with her friends all day?"

The newspaper fell to the carpet near Justin’s feet, completely unnoticed by him. Feeling ignored, Megan shook her head in frustration and stormed out of the living room.

It was Sunday afternoon and Justin refused to let any thoughts about work seep into his consciousness. The kickoff between the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings was about six commercials away, just enough time for Justin to call his next play. It went something like this: Spring to the bathroom, then cut back through the kitchen, around the fridge, grab a beer and dart through the pantry just in time to heist the open bag of white powdered donuts, and be back at the couch—all within four minutes. Ready, set, go!

Justin was the kind of person who easily entertained himself, and often preferred it that way. He certainly could be very social and turn on the charm whenever the situation called for it, but his natural tendency was to keep to himself. It was the world in which he felt most comfortable. Megan, on the other hand, was quite the opposite. She was much more extraverted and very involved in the lives of her friends. She preferred to be around people and drew a tremendous amount of energy from her social interactions.

Unfortunately, personality differences and Justin’s football obsession were two distinctly different animals, at least from Megan’s perspective. Yet, despite her growing frustration, she also knew full well what she was getting herself into when they married over eleven years ago. Justin was just as much of a football junkie then as he was now and he never professed to be any different. Why, they even met playing intramural football against each other on the campus of Northwestern University. Of course back then Megan was sure that he would grow out of his football fanaticism, especially once they started a family. Instead, it had expanded to the kids. Even their five-year-old son Tommy looked forward to playing tackle with his father during the television commercials each Sunday. And Michelle, at only eight, could already throw a spiral with the football better than most of the boys in her class.

Needless to say, Justin couldn’t be happier. Football was quickly becoming a family bonding event—at least for the majority of the family.

About this edition

• Publisher: GGA, Inc., Publishers
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0978855507
• ISBN 13: 9780978855505
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 446