The Unfinished Leader : Balancing Contradictory Answers to Unsolvable Problems.
Title:
The Unfinished Leader : Balancing Contradictory Answers to Unsolvable Problems.
Author:
Dotlich, David L.
ISBN:
9781118867112
Personal Author:
Edition:
1st ed.
Physical Description:
1 online resource (282 pages)
Contents:
Cover -- Praise for The Unfinished Leader -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Epigraph -- Contents -- Foreword -- Preface -- Introduction: Stepping Up to Complete Leadership -- PART ONE: The Challenge of Paradoxes -- 1: Puzzles and Paradoxes -- The Problem Continuum -- Puzzles We Know -- Paradoxes We May Not Know -- Paradox Litmus Test -- Approach to Paradox -- More Paradoxes Than Ever -- Becoming Complete Leaders -- 2: Jumping Over the Line -- Desperately Seeking Control -- Desperately Seeking Consistency -- Desperately Seeking Closure -- Getting Ready to Cross the Line -- Beyond a Thirst for Control -- Beyond a Thirst of Consistency -- Beyond a Thirst for Closure -- The Costs of Mishandling Paradox -- Becoming Paralyzed -- Being Inflexible -- Getting Hit by Ignored Forces -- Deciding Too Quickly -- Failing to Understand Trade-Offs -- Failing to Be Transparent -- Failing to Learn -- Paradox Leadership -- 3: Obstacles to Leadership -- The Obstacles of Organization -- The Matrix -- Strategic Planning -- Review and Reward Systems -- The Obstacles of Stakeholders -- The Obstacles Within Ourselves -- Complete Leaders Over the Line -- PART TWO: Mindsets for Leading Through Paradox -- 4: The Purpose Mindset -- What Is a Mindset? -- Essential Questions -- Framing the Paradox -- Clarifying the Assumptions or Constraints -- Highlighting the Values -- Purpose-Driven Decisions -- Your Personal Purpose -- Debating the Purpose-Driven Frame -- Motivate Purpose by Inspiring -- Toward Higher Purpose -- A Final Note -- 5: The Reconciliation Mindset -- Outlining the Mindset -- Framing Reconciliation -- Values for Reconciliation -- Decision Making with the Reconciliation Mindset -- Shooting for the Sweet Spot -- Documenting for Change -- Motivate for Business Success -- A Final Caution -- 6: The Innovation Mindset -- Outlining the Mindset -- Essential Questions.
Framing Innovation -- Assumptions About Innovation -- Values for Innovation -- Decision Making with the Innovation Mindset -- Reframe and Reframe Again -- Inventing New Options -- Motivate Through Creativity -- Final Thoughts -- PART THREE: Tools for Leadership -- 7: Scanning for the Right Paradox -- The Value of an External Focus -- The Practices of Scanning -- Practice 1: Questioning Assumptions -- Practice 2: Seeking New Knowledge -- Practice 3: Connecting with Others -- Practice 4: Seeking New Experiences -- Developing a Point of View -- 8: Scenario Thinking -- The Value of Scenario Thinking -- The Practices of Scenario Thinking -- Practice 1: Take Someone Else's Perspective -- Practice 2: Define Future Possibilities -- Practice 3: Filter Scenarios with Facts and Intuition -- Practice 4: Diverge and Converge -- Follow Up by Acting -- 9: Stakeholder Mapping -- The Value of Stakeholder Mapping -- The Process of Stakeholder Mapping -- Practice 1: Identifying Stakeholders and Their Positions -- Practice 2: Analyzing Needs and Behaviors -- Practice 3: Developing New Strategies for Stakeholders -- Practice 4: Devising New Ways to Interact -- Practice 5: Devising Integrative Strategies to Manage Paradox -- A Basis in Trust -- 10: Dialogue for Alignment -- The Practices of Dialogue -- Practice 1: Pose Transcendent Questions -- Practice 2: Facilitate Role-Playing -- Practice 3: Structure and Monitor the Conversation -- Practice 4: Provide 360-Degree Feedback -- Practice 5: Follow a Framework -- Patience, the Virtue in Dialogue -- 11: Quelling Conflict -- The Value of Conflict Management -- The Practices of Conflict Management -- Practice 1: Recognize Roles -- Practice 2: Acknowledge Others' Views -- Practice 3: Bring People into the Same Room -- Practice 4: Invoke the Customer -- Practice 5: Start at the Point of Agreement.
Practice 6: Use a System of Conflict Management -- Leading Beyond Conflict -- PART FOUR: Your Personal Challenge -- 12: Developing Yourself -- Getting Fit as a Paradox Leader -- Overcoming Derailers -- Overcoming Hindrances to Action -- Spreading the Skills of Paradox Management -- The Complete Paradox Leader -- Conclusion: Managing Personal and Public Paradoxes -- Notes -- About the Authors -- Index.
Abstract:
With the demands of technology, transparency, and constant connectedness, and calls for higher performance, leaders from the front line to the C-suite face complex dilemmas that cannot be easily denied or postponed. These perplexing, recurring issues are familiar to anyone in a leadership role today, including: How do I balance my functional or business unit goals with the needs of my peers and the whole company? How do I support and promote others while still advancing my own career? How do I emphasize teamwork and still reward the "stars"? Can I really devote enough time and energy to both family and work? These are not "problems" but paradoxes-situations in which there will never be a single correct solution-and while they make many leaders feel overwhelmed and challenged, this remarkable book provides help. The Unfinished Leader is a modern handbook for recognizing, facing, and inspiring others to expose the real issues that underlie paradoxes in modern organizations. Leaders must first recognize situations they will never be able to "solve" and understand how to confront the barriers-in their own heads and their organizations-that push them towards seeking ultimate solutions that don't exist. Leading through complexity requires giving up the illusion of control, consistency, and closure, while embracing the reality of being permanently "unfinished." Drawing from interviews with 100 CEOs and top leaders from a wide range of companies-such as Avon, Nike, Colgate, DeutschePost DHL, Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, and many more- The Unfinished Leader provides the mindsets and tools to recognize contradictory requirements, understand competing demands, and still be able to take action. No one can find or even should look for perfect solutions to impossible situations. The Unfinished Leader will help leaders at all levels understand and excel at their
true task: guiding themselves and their teams through ongoing paradoxes, reconciling competing outcomes, continually changing and adapting, and thereby building lasting success.
Local Note:
Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2017. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.
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