Seven Disciplines of A Leader

Recognize, develop, and embody great leadership Seven Disciplines of A Leader is a comprehensive manual for building better leaders. Author and executive coach Jeff Wolf is a respected authority on leadership, and his strategies and inspiration have fostered dramatic growth in some of the nation's top companies. In this book, he shares the secrets of great leadership to help readers align professional development and exemplify these traits themselves. Each of the Disciplines is valuable on its own, but together they add up to more than a sum of their parts, and work synergistically to propel leaders to higher and higher effectiveness and companies to better and better business. From initiative, to planning, to community service, readers will gain deep insight into what separates the good from the great, and how organizations can nurture these qualities in their employees with leadership potential. A good leader gets results, but a great leader inspires every single member of the team to reach their utmost potential every single time. A great leader makes everyone shine, and provides the vision, the tools, and the support people need to do their very best work. This book describes how it's done, and how greatness can be learned. Discover the traits that make leaders great Align leadership development training to maximize potential Foster the right attitudes and behaviors for better outcomes Build a culture of sustainable success that permeates the organization Individual achievement is great, but fostering a culture of achievement sends business into the future on an upward trajectory. It's more than just a single inspired employee; it's about recognizing the signs of potential leadership and nurturing them to fruition throughout the organization. Seven Disciplines of A Leader is the field guide to great leadership.

Acknowledgments ix Introduction: What Makes Certain Leaders Highly Effective? xi I The Nature of Highly Effective Leadership 1 1 Welcome to Leadership: Nature of the Job 3 2 Who Said It Would Be Easy?: Scope of the Leader’s Job 14 3 Principles of Effective Leadership: Essence of the Leader’s Job 24 4 Disciplines and Practices of Highly Effective Leaders 34 II Seven Disciplines 45 5 Discipline 1: Initiative and Influence: Seize the Reins and Set an Example for Others 47 6 Discipline 2: Vision, Strategy, and Alignment: The Progression from Plans to Accomplishments Marks a True Leader 59 7 Discipline 3: Priorities, Planning, and Execution: Execution Cannot Succeed without the Team’s Acceptance and Endorsement 75 8 Discipline 4: Social/Emotional/Political Intelligence: The Tribulations of Leadership and Their Remedies 91 9 Discipline 5: Reciprocation, Collaboration, and Service 104 10 Discipline 6: Love and Leverage: There is No Substitute for Passion about Work 113 11 Discipline 7: Renewal and Sustainability: Those Who Practice Renewal and Sustainability Avoid Common Pitfalls 125 III Eleven Practices of Highly Effective Leaders 133 12 Practice 1: Hire People Like a Casting Director 135 13 Practice 2: Never Stop Developing People 147 14 Practice 3: Understand the Value of Coaching 165 15 Practice 4: Motivate and Inspire People 174 16 Practice 5: Master Communication 180 17 Practice 6: Build an Optimal Team 200 18 Practice 7: Deliver Excellence and Satisfy Customers 216 19 Practice 8: Balance Your Work and Personal Life: It Will Help You Find the Right Perspective 228 20 Practice 9: Nurture New Leaders and Retain High Performers 239 21 Practice 10: Lead Desired Change 248 22 Practice 11: Manage a Multigenerational Workforce 258 About the Author 273 Index 275