The single factor that determines success or failure in big business today is conversation. Great leaders use public and private conversation to send a clear message, cultivate a common worldview, set high standards and reachable goals, and uncover concerns that can undermine an organization. So what conversation are you, as a leader, having with your team? Experienced change consultant Rose Fass explains how too often we think we're having the same conversation - about "dark chocolate," for instance - only to be referring to three different things: milk, white, or bittersweet varieties. She shows us how to first establish common ground that leads to an effective discourse for addressing relevance, growth, and scaling: the three most important issues she sees in business today. In a light-hearted and humorous way, Fass shows how leaders can avoid a meltdown and instead drive transformation through the way they communicate in a language that all stakeholders can understand.
Sections include:
- Death by Chocolate - The three ingredients to a Chocolate Conversation, and how to avoid having them
- Mergers & Acquisitions - How to establish a third identity
- Addicted to Relevance - Stay relevant using the Four Considerations of Business
- It Starts with You - The Chocolate Conversation exercise
- Why Do Good People Have Bad Conversations? - Help your people get the picture immediately with simple, clear language
- Go There! - Prepare for the hard conversations by providing context to reduce the chances of having a Chocolate Conversation
- Message Discipline - Use message discipline by crafting your message, listening to your people, and driving them to action
- Extending Your Professional Reach - How to use the Spheres, Technical, Social, Political to drive emotional intelligence
- Change is Bittersweet - Identify the change that's needed in your organization
Rose Fass is the founder and CEO of fassforward consulting group and does specialized coaching for leaders in the executive suite. She has over 35 years of corporate experience in technology and consumer-based industries. During her career she has opened new businesses, acted as a general manager with full P&L responsibility, and led major corporate transformations. As the Chief Transformation Officer at Xerox Corporation she enabled acquisitions, diverse cultures, and operating units to develop and execute the enterprise strategy. Prior to starting fassforward consulting group, Rose was a corporate SVP at Gartner where she was responsible for the operational business strategy and strategic management system. A dynamic speaker, Rose is frequently invited to speak at private and public sector events and has been a guest on CNBC. Rose has a bachelor's degree from Boston University's School of Management and completed the Advanced Executive Studies Program at Harvard Business School.
