The Finesse Factor: How to Build Exceptional Leaders in STEM Organizations

7 Finesse Essentials of Exceptional Leaders

When uncertainty, risk, and the complexity they generate affect execution and performance, how well do you navigate them? How effectively do you carry yourself, process what is happening, and perform in the situations where the answers are not obvious and the stakes are high?

For exceptional leaders, finesse is the key. It is what they possess and how they accomplish objectives in situations involving uncertainty, risk, and complexity. Leaders who demonstrate finesse navigate tricky situations more effectively, create conditions where the people around them can succeed, and produce better outcomes for their organizations.

In The Finesse Factor, Dr. Ryan Lahti shows you the essentials of finesse for exceptional leaders. Based on multiple decades of practical experience, tested approaches across more than twenty industries, and ten years of leadership assessment work, this book:

• Explains the seven essentials of finesse via real-life scenarios drawn from more than twenty industries
• Lays out a proven method with practical frameworks to help you develop proficiency in the finesse essentials
• Details specific actions that will help you apply each essential in the situations where it matters most

The Finesse Factor was written primarily for leaders in STEM-related industries, but its principles apply to any leader navigating uncertainty, risk, and complexity. Leaders across industries and organizational contexts will find the seven essentials directly applicable to the situations they face. Primary industries addressed include:

• Science: Healthcare, medical devices, pharmaceutical and biotech
• Technology: Software, semiconductors and consumer electronics
• Engineering: Automotive, aerospace as well as engineering and construction
• Finance: Banking, financial services and insurance

Finesse is not just a matter of knowledge. It is a matter of proficiency. The Finesse Factor is the first book that focuses on this fact and provides a framework for doing something about it, because finesse proficiency is built through deliberate application, not simply acquired through reading.

Dr. Ryan Lahti is the founder and managing principal of OrgLeader, a California-based firm that optimizes the performance of organizations driven by science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as well as the leaders who run them. He combines business experience in over twenty industries with a background in leadership assessment/development, executive coaching, talent management, and organizational effectiveness.

Due to an early fascination with how organizations and the people who lead them operate, Dr. Lahti has spent the last three decades figuring out ways to make companies and their leaders more successful. Prior to founding OrgLeader in 2006, Dr. Lahti worked for global consulting firms including Ernst & Young and Hay Group. He also served in corporate positions with Gap Inc., Westin Hotels & Resorts, and Invitrogen where he oversaw leadership and organizational development.

As a trusted advisor to senior management, Dr. Lahti's experience and empathetic candor has enabled him to help a variety of Fortune 500 and midsize companies, including IBM, Bank of America, State Farm, Apple, Toyota, and Beckman Coulter. Outside of the office, he has taught executive MBA and MBA courses on leadership, team dynamics, and organizational behavior.

In The Finesse Factor as well as the business articles he authors, Dr. Lahti draws on his decades of practical experience and industry-tested approaches to provide user-friendly insight. He is a contributor to Forbes and a member of the Forbes Coaches Council. He writes articles on leadership, executive team, talent management, and organizational effectiveness issues.

Dr. Lahti holds a BA in psychology/business administration from UCLA, an MA in industrial/organizational psychology from California State University Long Beach, and a PhD in psychology/organizational science from the University of North Texas.

When he's not working, you're likely to find him exploring the outdoors. Visit RyanLahti.com for more information.