When Execution Isn't Enough: Decoding Inspirational Leadership - Hardcover

Feser, Claudio

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 111930265X ISBN 13: 9781119302650

Publisher: Wiley, 2016

Synopsis

The definition of great leadership, backed by ground-breaking research

When Execution Isn't Enough examines the essential leadership skills that go beyond simply executing strategies well. It examines the leadership skills that inspire excellence and drive growth. Great leaders think differently, but their secrets, values, and behaviors can't be bottled—or can they? Is leadership so contextual that it defies standardization? In this book, McKinsey's global head of leadership development draws on ground-breaking McKinsey research to uncover 20 distinct leadership traits. All are important, but some make all the difference in inspiring organizations to exceptional results and growth—and a select few create the vast chasm between strong and weak organizations in terms of leadership effectiveness. Structured as a business parable, this book employs a rich cast of corporate characters to illustrate the critical behaviors of inspirational leadership and the outcomes that become possible.

Attempting to nail down exactly what makes a leader inspirational is like trying to capture lighting in a bottle, but new McKinsey research has identified the behavioral leadership catalysts that inspire greatness. This book describes the behaviors to inspire that can be learned—to turn a good leader into a great leader.

• Understand the neuroscience of inspiration
• Tailor your inspirational approach to different leadership scenarios
• Initiate an inspiration cascade to influence people at scale

The picture of leadership has changed over time. Today's great leaders are authentic, enthusiastic decision-makers with engaging visions, who are quick to communicate and take action. Less than half of all CEOs believe that their training investments will pay off, yet everyone agrees that leadership drives performance—where is the disconnect? It's in the belief that simple leadership behaviors equal results, forgetting that exceptional results only come from inspiration. When Execution Isn't Enough shows you how to attain the missing link of great leadership to bring exceptional results of your organization.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Praise for WHEN EXECUTION ISN'T ENOUGH

"In a world starved for good leadership, Claudio Feser's book comes at the perfect time. Whether you lead one person or an entire organization, this easy-to-grasp handbook offers practical yet profound insights about how to inspire others around a shared purpose. If you're ready to accept the awesome responsibility of leadership, this is the book for you!"
—Bob Chapman, co-author of Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family; Chief Executive Officer of Barry-Wehmiller

"I've read thousands of leadership books. This one is exceptional. Claudio Feser is not only a brilliant business thinker, he is also a gifted storyteller. Inspiring others is the holy grail of leadership. Read this book and you will be inspired."
—Rolf Dobelli, author of the million-copy bestseller The Art of Thinking Clearly

"Claudio Feser is a very good writer, and this book will make leadership interesting and enjoyable for every reader. His messages are fundamental if you want to understand what it takes to be an effective leader."
—Mario Greco, Chief Executive Officer, Zurich Insurance Group

"If you want to be an inspiring leader, read this book and put its principles to work. A practical guide for those who want to lead organizations to higher performance by capturing hearts and minds."
—Joe Jimenez, Chief Executive Officer, Novartis AG

"Claudio Feser shows us a leader is most inspiring when head, heart, and hand are aligned. Through story, theory, research, concepts, and his own invaluable experience counseling leaders, Feser brings a wealth of support to the generative practice of this renewing alignment."
—Robert Kegan, Harvard University; co-author of An Everyone Culture: Becoming a Deliberately Developmental Organization

"By drawing on rigorous research, Claudio Feser presents a menu of practical techniques to engage and mobilize people in organizations undergoing significant change. A stimulating read!"
—Jörg Reinhardt, PhD, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Novartis AG

From the Inside Flap

Great leadership drives organizational health and performance. So what makes a great leader? A special research initiative by McKinsey & Company analyzed twenty leadership behaviors to learn that it takes "top down leadership" to keep organizations out of trouble, and great execution to build strong organizations. However, "top down leadership" and execution are not sufficient to build great organizations. To build great organizations—organizations that innovate, outperform competitors, engage their members, attract great talent, and outperform investors' expectations—one more ingredient is needed: inspiring leadership.

Identifying the leadership behaviors that inspire excellence and drive growth with research-based insight is nothing short of catching lightning in a bottle, and no one is more qualified to present the groundbreaking findings than McKinsey's own head of leadership development, Claudio Feser. Inspiring people comes down to keying into the neurological and psychological triggers in all of us. With simple clarity, he shows you the secrets to harnessing the power of human behavior by increasing your emotional intelligence and psychological sensitivity and equips you with intuitive frameworks and tools to better understand how people are inspired. This single resource is all you need to inspire individuals, large groups, and entire organizations—and as you'll see inside, the key is knowing when and how to apply this influential toolbox for optimal value. If you don't consider yourself a "people person," this guide is especially for you because the behaviors to inspire can be taught. All the material inside comes to life in the fictional parable of a leader at an international health-care corporation, including:

• What inspirational leadership is, why it works, and how to use it
• How to identify a person's emotions and values and tap into them to inspire action
• How to inspire entire organizations to action

When Execution Isn't Enough empowers you with the knowledge and soft skills to lead through inspiration and accelerate change at scale.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 111930265X
• ISBN 13: 9781119302650
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208