Book

Leadership Conversations

Challenging High-Potential Managers to Become Great Leaders

Alan S. Berson and Richard G. Stieglitz

Jossey-Bass, 2013

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Editorial Rating

Recommendation

In this era of flat organizations, companies reward executives for doing more with less. As a consequence, managers sometimes focus on doing and forget to lead. To compound the problem, organizations often promote the best technical expert, salesperson or consultant into management and then fail to give these new executives the support they need during this arduous transition – moving from doer to leader. Leadership experts Alan S. Berson and Richard G. Stieglitz share their collective wisdom about leadership transitions. Their review is a useful reminder that leading is about building relationships – up, down, across and even outside the organization – and that frequent, meaningful conversations are an essential tool in building relationships. getAbstract recommends their approach to anyone aspiring to leadership, to new leaders struggling to find balance in this role and to those who want to help others advance.

Take-Aways

People use different mindsets and skills when taking action, managing or leading.
As you progress from being an individual contributor (IC) to being an executive, you blend previous skills and knowledge with newly dominant relationship-building skills.
ICs produce things or services and are known more for technical skills than for conversational skills.

About the Authors

Alan S. Berson is a consultant, executive coach and educator specializing in leadership marketing, finance and strategic planning. Richard G. Stieglitz has a PhD in nuclear engineering, as well as US Navy and corporate leadership experience. He publishes a leadership newsletter.

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R. K. 2 years ago

Very good topic improve to team work and communication and relationships with team mates.
F. S. 1 decade ago

Very good summary of what good leaders do naturally.

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