The Manager as Leader

"Leaders in any realm are expected to deliver results. This book reminds us that the 'how' is just as important as the 'what.' With useful tools that can be applied immediately, The Manager as Leader is a great resource for leaders at any level, and its lessons are easily transferable to our current dilemmas." -- Laura E. Kohler, SVP-HR, Kohler Co. "Leadership is the most personal of relationships, inspiring hope and building community across a range of followers. As such, roles, relationships and the press of multiple situations can blind and impede a leader's effectiveness. Simerson and Venn's model clarifies situations, roles, and leadership requirements to serve as a clear guide to any leader to quickly find their orientation across a range of shifting issues, changing organizational life-cycles and follower needs. I heartily recommend this book as a clear navigational tool for the leadership landscape." -- William Clover, Former VP and CLO Williams Companies "John Kotter, one of the world's foremost authorities on leadership, notes that the key role of a manager is to manage complexity, but the role of a leader is to manage change. B.K. Simerson and Michael Venn have put flesh on Kotter's conception of leadership, outlining nine roles that leaders need to perform to manage change in the world today. In a simple, straightforward style, they provide powerful insights and tools to help leaders develop the capacity to meet the demands of today and tomorrow." -- Stephen H. Rhinesmith, Partner, Mercer Delta Executive Learning Center "The Manager as Leader clearly defines nine leadership roles, and I believe all leaders in business today will easily relate to these various roles. I would encourage any leader moving from one organization to another to clearly understand the key enablers of leadership, which may provide them with a road map to success in transitioning. While different leadership roles may be required as one moves from organization to organization, there can be no substitute for honesty and integrity on the leader's part, or for the continued commitment to do what has been promised." -- Terry D. Growcock, Chairman of the Board & CEO, The Manitowoc Company, Inc.

The book introduces the Contextual Leadership Model, which identifies nine fundamental leadership roles and six common contexts in which leadership is exercised, and guides readers toward matching their roles and actions to the particular context at hand—as well as making adjustments when context changes.Against the backdrop of corporate downsizings and rightsizings that have forever blurred the line between leaders and followers, The Manager as Leader presents practical strategies, tools, and techniques for developing the leadership mindset and applying it on a daily basis. The book introduces the Contextual Leadership Model, which identifies nine fundamental leadership roles and six common contexts in which leadership is exercised, and guides readers toward matching their roles and actions to the particular context at hand—as well as making adjustments when context changes. Packed with illustrative examples, diagnostic tools, worksheets, and other interactive elements, and featuring an extensive listing of resources, The Manager as Leader is a hands-on guide to the art of leadership, whether you are an executive, manager, supervisor, or aspiring leader anywhere in the organization. An invisible line between individual contributor and leader was once thought to exist, separating leaders from followers. Two decades of downsizings and rightsizings have forever blurred this distinction and left us with three fundamental challenges: (1) How can an organization elicit leadership from everyone?; (2) How can those who choose to lead influence others to perform more effectively and efficiently than they ever thought possible?; (3) How can leaders continue to be successful when the environment in which they lead is constantly changing? Addressing these challenges requires a certain awareness and nimbleness on behalf of the person thinking and acting as the leader, regardless of their formal position. The Manager as Leader presents practical strategies, tools, and techniques for developing the leadership mindset and applying it on a daily basis. The book introduces the Contextual Leadership Model, which identifies nine fundamental leadership roles and six common contexts in which leadership is exercised, and guides readers toward matching their roles and actions to the particular context at hand; it also shows readers how to anticipate changes in context and adjust their roles and actions accordingly. Packed with illustrative examples, diagnostic tools, worksheets, and other interactive elements, and featuring an extensive listing of resources, The...