Перейти к содержанию сайта
The Wisdom of Failure
Book

The Wisdom of Failure

How to Learn the Tough Leadership Lessons Without Paying the Price

Jossey-Bass, 2012 подробнее...

Buy the book


Editorial Rating

7

Recommendation

Failure is treated unfairly. Professor of management Laurence G. Weinzimmer and business consultant Jim McConoughey discuss leadership failure and its repercussions as reflected in published research, a survey of managers and interviews with business leaders. Their guide to learning from failure is entertaining and insightful, though it does not set out to plow new ground. getAbstract recommends this basic, easy-to-read manual to leaders and managers who want to understand what worked in the past, what did not and why, so they can benefit from their failures.

Summary

“Flawless Leadership: Learning the Lessons Without Paying the Price”

Kenneth Lay, the former chairman of Enron, and Jim Owens, the former CEO of Caterpillar, shared similar backgrounds: Both grew up in the same generation and with little money. Each labored hard, working numerous jobs while studying at state universities. Both earned PhDs in economics before becoming CEOs of top companies. However, the two had divergent leadership styles: Owens learned from failure, while Lay chose to ignore it. Lay’s career ended in disgrace.

Business leaders who do not fail are not taking enough risks. Yet failure bears a lasting stigma in the business world. While leaders can learn more from failure than from success, they will fall from grace if their constituencies perceive them as bombing too often. Leaders must learn two important skills: understanding what worked in the past and what did not, and determining why a mistake occurred so they do not repeat it.

“Seduced by Yes: Trying to Be All Things to All People”

Leaders who abandon their strategic direction and become greedy risk destroying their businesses; they fail in the area of “unbalanced orchestration.” ...

About the Authors

Laurence G. Weinzimmer is a professor of management at the Foster College of Business Administration at Bradley University. Business development consultant Jim McConoughey is a fund manager for venture and early-stage capital investments.


Comment on this summary

  • Avatar
  • Avatar
    U. M. 3 years ago
    good one
  • Avatar
    P. B. getAbstract 1 decade ago
    Good read for all Managers
  • Avatar
    A. 1 decade ago
    Completely agree with the cautionary tale of discounting and how that can affect the value of not just the product but the entire brand.

More on this topic

Related Skills

Развивайте эмоциональный интеллект
Научитесь адаптироваться к переменам
Развивайте организацию
Формируйте культуру инноваций
Управление персоналом
Стратегически подходите к инновациям
Инновации
Руководите согласно нормам этики
Живите полной жизнью
Управляйте корпоративными коммуникациями
Менеджмент
Маркетинг
Личностный рост
Разрабатывайте планы и стратегии продаж
Продажи
Софт-скиллз
Навыки для работы
Разъясняйте общие корпоративные цели
Освойте навыки межличностного общения
Умейте общаться с трудными людьми
Стимулируйте командную выработку идей
Управляйте командами продаж
Стимулируйте дискуссии
Изучите тему групповой динамики
Руководите людьми в периоды перемен
Проявляйте организационную амбидекстрию
Формируйте организационную культуру
Управляйте командами и отделами
Практикуйте лидерство-служение
Будьте инклюзивным лидером
Strengthen Team Collaboration
Сотрудничайте с другими отделами
Обретите смысл
Развивайте самоосознание
Foster Team Culture
Drive Team Performance
Practice Transformational Leadership
Учитесь на продуктивных неудачах
Освойте навыки сотрудничества
Укрепляйте психологическую безопасность
Научитесь понимать себя
Управляйте границами команды
Navigate Leadership Challenges
Ориентируйтесь в офисной политике
Управляйте своим влиянием лидера
Изучите тему организационных изменений
Высшее руководство
Противодействуйте буллингу на работе
Управляйте собой
Лидерство
Manage People and Talent