The Complete Idiot's Guide to Leadership Fast-Track: The Core Information and Advice You Need to Take Charge and Get Results

by Susan Caba

Overview

Written to quickly develop the reader’s leadership skills, The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Leadership, Fast-Track is a short, but rich introduction to leadership skills and how best to use them. After a brief examination of the required, but learnable, qualities, skills, and behaviors of leadership, the book takes the reader through a self-assessment. Then the tasks, strategies, and desired results of leadership are dissected—all in 160 pages! The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Leadership Fast-Track is perfect for new managers, small business owners, organization leaders, and more!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781615644049
Publisher:	DK
Publication date:	02/05/2013
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	569 KB

About the Author

Susan Caba has more than 30 years of journalism experience, with a focus increasingly on business and the art of leadership. She is the author of a monthly Q&A column on management with nationally known executives in the fields of business, science, education, professional level sports, and philanthropy. As a reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, she covered the leadership structures of the city's criminal justice system, the greater metropolitan-area transit system, and the Philadelphia Mafia. Additionally, Caba coauthored Break Points: Where Small Businesses Get Stuck with Larry Kesslin and Chris Winter.

Table of Contents

1 Leadership: The Buck Stops Here 1

Focusing on Values, Vision, and Mission 2

Walking the Talk 4

A Wink, a Nod, and a Salute 5

Fair Is Fair 6

Measurable Results Mount 7

Developing Relationships 7

Admitting Mistakes 8

Leadership Lessons Served with Popcorn 9

2 Leader, Know Thyself! 11

Getting a Grip on Personality Types 12

Restless Drivers: Task-Oriented Extroverts 14

Social Influencers: People-Focused Extroverts 15

Steady Eddies: People-Focused Introverts 16

Compliant Analytics: Task-Focused Introverts 17

Bridging the Gaps Between Personality Types 18

Deciphering Messages 19

Communicating with Different Personalities 20

Putting Communication Strategies to Work 21

Restless Driver: Take Early Action 22

Social Influencer: Curb Your Compassion 22

Steady Eddie: Face Up to Conflict 24

Compliant Analytic: Call for Backup 25

Which Style Is Best? 26

3 Communication: More Than Just Talk 29

Developing a Communication Strategy 30

Strategic Communication Is an Effective Tool 30

Nine Principles of Strategic Communication 31

Cultural Awareness 32

Know Your Audience 33

Buy-In Begins at the Beginning 34

Who Carries Out Your Communication Strategy? 34

The Executive Team 35

Supervisors 35

The Rank-and-File 35

Leaders Communicate Authenticity, Clarity, and Direction 36

Making a Personal Commitment to Your Cause 37

Loosen Up a Little 37

Everybody Loves Face Time! 38

Supervisors Possess Credibility as Your Surrogate 39

Communication Is a Call-and-Response Activity 40

Getting Feedback from Your Employees 41

Accepting Criticism Graciously 42

Leaders No Longer Have All the Answers-or Control 43

Tips for Active Listening 44

4 Getting Eggs to Fly: Facilitating Change 47

Get Your Ducks in a Row 48

Keep Your Friends Close and Your Enemies Closer 48

How Much Difference Can One Person Make? 49

Embrace Your Opposition 50

Change Behavior to Change Attitudes 51

Achieve Multiple Goals with a Single Strategy 52

Reward the Results You Value Most 53

How Do You Eat an Elephant? 54

Make the Most of Your Existing Resources 56

Substitute Creativity When Money Is Short 56

Reassess and Reassign Your Assets 51

5 Hire Good People 59

Creating a Culture of Constant Recruitment 60

Keep Your Pipeline Primed 60

Turn Your Employees into Talent Scouts 62

Put Your Brand to Work 63

Identify Your Prime Hunting Grounds 64

Harness Facebook, YouTube, and More 65

Hiring for Diversity 66

Staying in Touch 67

Screening Candidates 68

Require References and Check 'Em! 69

Prehire Testing 70

Preparing for the Interview 71

Checking Core Competencies 72

On-Boarding New Employees 73

6 Work That Matters 77

Meaning Is in the Mind of the Beholder 78

Employee Engagement Is an Emotional Bond 79

The Difference Between Engagement and Motivation 80

To Motivate or Engage? 80

Responsibility Lightens the Load 81

Input Multiplies Commitment Fivefold 82

Advancement + Growth = Achievement 83

This "Drug" Has No Bad Effects 83

Give Praise in a Language the Recipient "Gets" 85

Taking the Pulse of Employee Engagement 86

Work and Well-Being Survey 81

Engaged Employees Make Your Business Better 89

7 Lead 'Em, Don't Assault 'Em! 91

Setting the Tone for Mutual Respect 92

Positive Leaders Are Okay with Loose Reins of Control 93

Create a Positive Atmosphere for Growing Success 94

Accomplishing Change Is Easier in a Positive Climate 94

Positive Leaders Adapt in a Crisis 96

P.S.: Sometimes It's Okay to Be Authoritarian 96

Focusing on Strengths, Not Weaknesses, Enhances Success 97

Does Everyone-or Anyone-Recognize Their Strengths 98

Satisfaction Is Rooted in Expertise and Achievement 98

Enrich Jobs by Adding More Challenging Tasks 99

Everyone Benefits When an Employee's Expertise Grows 100

Reward Increased Ability with More Responsibility 100

Money Isn't Everything, If You Have Enough to Live 101

8 You Can Fail But Still Prevail 103

Adaptability and Laser Focus on Goals Save a Doomed Crew 104

Mistakes Teach Great Lessons, If You're Willing to Learn 105

Expecting Perfection Sets the Stage for Failure 105

Respond Compassionately to Honest Mistakes 106

Acknowledging Failure Is a Strength 107

Put Your Organization First 108

Three Strategies for Ensuring Spectacular Failure 109

Dirt Under the Rug Always Rises to the Surface 110

Why Are You All Picking On Me? 110

The Dark Side of Leadership: Company Culture Decays 112

Employees Are Obliged to Stop a Leader Who Causes Harm 113

9 Building Team Leadership at Every Level 115

A Team Isn't Just a Group of People Working Together 116

Teams Are More Than the Sum of Their Parts 117

Bringing Harmony to Your C-Suite Team 118

Assembling Your Team Based on Complementary Abilities 118

Developing and Managing Your Executive Team 119

A Dysfunctional Team Can Produce Sour Results 120

Creating a Company-Wide Team-Based Structure 120

Tap Your Organization's Informal Teams 122

Harley-Davidson Test-Drives Team Leadership 123

10 Developing Leaders of the Future 125

Act Now! Avoid the Coming Leadership Crisis 126

Create a Diverse Portfolio of Emerging Talent 127

High-Potential Candidates Are Like Gold 127

Helping High Achievers Reach Their Potential 128

Aha! Moments: Develop Your Capacity for Adaptive Thinking 129

Making Succession Planning a Priority 130

Five Must-Have Qualities for Leaders 131

Involve the Board 132

Mentoring Rising Stars 132

Developing the Soft Skills 133

Index 135