An enormous range of literature on leadership and management theory has been produced over the years, some of it highly academic and much of it contradictory. What Do Leaders Really Do? takes the basis of the best–known management theories to see how they fit with the practical reality of leadership. How do leaders spend their time? Are they really preoccupied with strategy, vision and inspiring people? Do they lead by accident, or design? The book challenges the assumption that leaders are born, not made and explores the theory that female leaders are fundamentally different from their male counterparts. What Do Leaders Really Do? Looks into the everyday working lives of well–known leaders in a variety of fields – business, sport and the armed forces – in order to identify the elements that encourage people to follow where they lead. Drawing on the experiences of a wide range of leaders with varying backgrounds and roles, as well as a range of respected academics and management writers, this book will closely analyze the background, experiences and behavior of a diverse set of leaders. A central part of the analysis will be a detailed examination of what these leaders do on a day–to–day basis. It is not a book about management theory but an accessible, no–nonsense guide to those theories and how they translate to real life. Many people lead effectively without knowing how they do it; this book will isolate and identify the core skills and behavior displayed by effective leaders. What Do Leaders Really Do? is intended to be a refreshing alternative to the hundreds of academically–oriented leadership books that are available. The tone will be straight–forward, accessible and sometimes humorous, rich with first–person evidence and anecdotes. It will dissect popular leadership theory into the easily understandable basics, with reference to the practicalities of real–life leadership situations. After all, what good is theory if it doesn′t work in practice?
What Do Leaders Really Do
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| |||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.50
Trade in What Do Leaders Really Do?: Getting Under the Skin of What Makes a Great Leader Tick for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.50, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Learn more
|
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
“One of the best new books gathering insights into leadership styles from a range of successful people...” ( Financial Director , October 2007) "You will find stories that resonate and "stick" with you." ( People Magazine , October 2007)
From the Inside Flap
EVERYTHING it seems, from sporting success to the collapse of a society can be traced back to leadership good o0r bad. Little wonder then that there is an obsession with unlocking the secrets of what makes a truly great leader. Despite a plethora of theories, a neat and tidy one–size–fits–all definition of leadership remains elusive. What better way then to assess what great leadership is all about, but to examine, question and play devil′s advocate with a group of the most successful, diverse and inspired leaders of our time? Each leader featured here has a different background, personality, experiences, strengths, and weaknesses. All have learned, often through trial and error, how to get the best of their people and their organisations. All are united by a desire to make a difference in their chosen field, even if that means standing alone for what they believe in. All are human and have made mistakes. There is no single, magical recipe for successful leadership. The best leaders have a portfolio of styles and skills and the instinct to know when to use them. What do leaders really do? will help you make sense of leadership and allow you to apply the best and brightest ideas back to your own situation.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
The great thing about this book is it doesn't preach or try to come up with a magical formula on how to be a great leader. It simply gives a range of views and stories from a wide cross section of notable leaders in business, sport and military. What comes across of course is that there is no magic formula or personality type that makes great leaders. Rather the most important thing is to believe in yourself and then be yourself.
By Will McLean
Format:Paperback
No matter what stage in life or business you are at, this book is bound to inspire and guide you in the right direction to become the leader you wish to be.
As a relatively young, and first-time manager of people, this book has really helped me determine key points to think about as well as points not to dwell on too much, that I might otherwise have done. With it's vast wealth of advice and anecdotes from a great array of sporting icons, military leaders and corporate legends there is something in this book to help and inspire absolutely everyone!!
As a relatively young, and first-time manager of people, this book has really helped me determine key points to think about as well as points not to dwell on too much, that I might otherwise have done. With it's vast wealth of advice and anecdotes from a great array of sporting icons, military leaders and corporate legends there is something in this book to help and inspire absolutely everyone!!
Format:Paperback
So much has been written about leadership, and so much of it is arms-length theory. This book takes an accessible, human approach to leading, which makes it readable, useful and confidence-building.
Brilliantly researched, with content from some of the best leaders of our day, "What do leaders really do?" underlines the point that leadership is about people. We are all human beings not just human doings, and the key to leadership is to remember that, be yourself and be consistent.
Through the stories of some superb role models it becomes clear that there is no magic formula for great leadership. This book draws together the common themes and also give some eminently pinch-able ideas, but most importantly it gave me the confidence to follow my instincts and lead my way. Pretty inspiring stuff.
Brilliantly researched, with content from some of the best leaders of our day, "What do leaders really do?" underlines the point that leadership is about people. We are all human beings not just human doings, and the key to leadership is to remember that, be yourself and be consistent.
Through the stories of some superb role models it becomes clear that there is no magic formula for great leadership. This book draws together the common themes and also give some eminently pinch-able ideas, but most importantly it gave me the confidence to follow my instincts and lead my way. Pretty inspiring stuff.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A practical and down to earth guide to real leadership.
The book is a very readable, practical guide to real leadership. It contains interesting insights into the experiences of a wide variety of leaders and allows us to understand what... Read more
Published on 4 Jan 2008 by John Nolan
5.0 out of 5 stars
What Do Leaders Really Do?
A superb book with a wide variety of leaders from the world of business, sport and public service. I found it a fascinating insight and despite the different characters of the... Read more
Published on 20 Oct 2007 by M. P. Leuw
5.0 out of 5 stars
Defining leadership - there is no single answer but famous leaders can...
This fascinating blend of experiences, stories and anecdotes, from those that have demonstrated true and successful leadership, is an essential read for anyone aspiring to succeed... Read more
Published on 18 Oct 2007 by Clive Richards
5.0 out of 5 stars
Review: What do leaders really do?
I was told that as the (relatively young) Chief Executive of an SME this book was written for me. It was true. Read more
Published on 17 Oct 2007 by A. Bradman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Save time - learn from people who know what leadership is.
This book offers insights from real people who deal in real leadership, not just theory or business-waffle. Read more
Published on 11 Oct 2007 by D. Boulter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Your business will benefit from this book
I found this a very readable and relevant book on leadership. Many of the greast leaders are sportsmen, businessmen or politicians and book is well illustrated with highly... Read more
Published on 11 Oct 2007 by R. Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars
free from gobbledegook
'What leaders really do' is both practical and readable - a book free of prescription and theory. It gives us license to be ourselves and refrains from preaching at us. Read more
Published on 10 Oct 2007 by Margot Katz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great lessons from those who have been in the hot seat
This book is a very valuable and easy read. It is full of real life scenarios and stories from a number of individuals whose authority to speak is founded on their track record... Read more
Published on 4 Oct 2007 by Claire Collins
4.0 out of 5 stars
Communication is the glue
Read this book and your leadership toolkit will be considerably enhanced, however good you think you are!
Published on 3 Oct 2007 by Ms. C. J. Douthwaite
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Good practical leadership advice"
This is a 'must read' book that offers a broad and practical insight into leadership with input from respected leaders in their own field. Read more
Published on 1 Oct 2007 by P. Samuel
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
