Each of us has had bosses of varying ability, approach to their job, and interest in us or the company they work for. Face it; some of them you would work very hard for and others you never want to see or talk to again. Which manager did you enjoy more? Which made you work seem like something special rather than endless drudgery? This book shows you how to become the kind of boss that makes life better for everyone. Daniel Karkavy calls this approach the coaching-leader. He has his own executive coaching practice and shares his approach with his clients in this book.
He presents his material in twelve chapters divided into three parts. First, he explains what he means by "coaching-leader" and what the benefits of the approach are. In part 2 he takes you through his "Core Four" process. Basically, you create your Life Plan first so you are clear what matters to you most. Second, you write a Business Vision so you understand its connection to your Life Plan and what you want to accomplish at work. This is followed by a Business Plan so you structure the vision with a practical approach to work. Now that you have these three parts completed you are ready to deal with the pressing issues of setting priorities and dealing with pressing issues. You will see clearly what needs to be dealt with, what should be delegated, and what is irrelevant. The key is that you also teach this method to each member of your team and coach them through their own implementation of the process.
The third part is about the practical application of this method as teacher and coach including the tools you should use to achieve your aims.
This is a pretty good book. The writing is somewhat clunky at times and a tad repetitive, but the ideas are good, its heart is in a great place, and I think it can help anyone become a better and more effective leader.
Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI
