Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

  I f you want to be a leader who can get things done, be sure you: Engender trust. Instill confidence. Earn respect.

“Responsive leaders are very focused on the people – the humanity – within the opportunity,” explains  Jackie Jenkins-Scott , in her book,  The 7 Secrets of Responsive Leadership . She writes about how to drive change, manage transitions, and help any organization turn around. And, she reflects heavily on her personal leadership journey, which included transforming a major urban healthcare center and a college from struggling and failing organizations to thriving, international leaders in their respective fields. Jenkins-Scott believes that the strongest leaders have these characteristics: Curiosity : A desire to continuously learn, discover, and grow intellectually. Humility : A sincere regard for the reality that we cannot go it alone. Empathy : The ability to feel and appreciate other human beings. Resilience : The capacity to recover, to keep going forward in the face of adversity. Jackie Jenkins-Scott One of my favorite parts of the book is Jenkins-Scott’s observations ab...

A successful sales force transformation can mean increased revenue, increased sales productivity, and reduced cost of sales. But, up to seventy-five percent of attempted transformations fail, according to the authors of the book,  7 Steps To Sales Transformation - Driving Sustainable Change In Your Organization . Transformation failures are often a result of an organization that neglects to address the human factor (skepticism, resistance, avoidance). Equally important, transformations must focus on truly transforming and not merely making tweaks. Authors  Warren Shiver  and  Michael Perla  use their own experiences transforming sales organizations, the lessons they learned from a host of interviewed sales professionals, and original, quantitative research to show readers how to  transform and modernize  a sales force -- including ones that are typically intrinsically resistant to change. The recommended transformation  seven steps  are defin...

Liz Wiseman 's book,  Rookie Smarts , is all about living and working perpetually on a learning curve. She contends that we do our best work when we are new to something.  And, she teaches us how to reclaim and cultivate the curious, flexible and youthful mindset called "rookie smarts." "Something magical happens when a skilled veteran successfully re-learns her/his rookie smarts and is still able to retain her/his veteran acumen," explains Wiseman. Wondering if you are ready for a new challenge?  Take a look at this list from Wiseman of the  10 signs that indicate you are ready for a new challenge : Things are running smoothly. You are consistently getting positive feedback. Your brain doesn't have to work hard to be successful. You don't prepare for meetings because you already know the answers. You've stopped learning something new every day. You are busy but bored. You're taking longer showers in the morning and you take your time getting to ...

  Pictured above are two books to add to your list for reading this month. Let The Story Do The Work  explains that at the heart of leadership lies persuasion. And at the heart of persuasion likes storytelling. In her book, author  Esther K. Choy  teaches you how to: Dispel any fears that you can't tell great stories. Connect with an audience by determining their point of view and speaking to their concerns. Tell stories with numbers. Turn complex material into engaging narratives. Enhance stories with simple visual elements. Tell your personal story in a way that builds credibility and forges relationships. Sense & Respond  teaches you how to use a structured feedback loop to: Create two-way conversations. Focus on the outcomes. Embrace continuous processes. Create collaboration. Create a learning culture. It's a management playbook that enables organizations to engage in two-way communications with the market and to drive value from that conversation -- us...

Read the informative and inspirational,  The Entrepreneur’s Faces , to follow the intriguing stories of  10 real entrepreneurs from around the world  as they reveal their personal entrepreneurial journeys – overcoming pain and setbacks, all the while demonstrating tremendous vision, imagine and drive.   This is a must-read book whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur or a current entrepreneur. The 10 journeys are engaging, relatable and profiled through these personas:   The Maker : Prototypes everything, learns by doing. The Leader : Rejects traditional structures, seeks inspirational role models, tests leadership ideas. The Accidental : Hobbyist mentality, obsessive tinkerer, passionate beyond practicality. The Guardian : Turns empathy into a lens to better serve customers. Improves lives and heightens human interactions. The Conductor : Thinks big, undaunted by regulations or limitations. Platform builder. The Evangelist : Sparks imagination by telling a sto...

Alex Goryachev ’s latest book teaches you how to go beyond the buzzword of innovation to continuously drive growth, improve your bottom line and enact change. The book, published in January 2020, is,  Fearless Innovation . It’s a down-to-earth guide that provides advice and actionable steps on how to: Get teams to embrace innovation beyond empty slogans. Focus on execution of innovation to showcase ROI. Break down organization silos by empowering effective, diverse, and inclusive teams. Communicate the value of innovation. “Innovation isn’t a  thing , it’s a mindset and attitude made up of clear principles that help individuals, organizations, and societies adapt to change, survive and grow, and prosper,” explains Goryachev. “Innovation is more art than science, but its principles can easily be put into practice.” Alex Goryachev Goryachev recommends you continually: Pay attention to current social, economic, and technological transformations that may be affecting your organiza...

A lot has happened since 1997 when  Robert L. Dilenschneider  wrote,  The Critical First Years of your Professional Life . That's why are few years ago he released a new edition of his best-seller. "The book contains all the lessons you'll need to learn about functioning at work," explains Dilenschneider.   His lessons are based on his four decades of experience in the work world, along with research and dozens of interviews with business experts. The lastest edition of the book is  particularly relevant today , because, shares Dilenscheider: Not knowing the ropes puts you at a competitive disadvantage. Times have changed, and there are fewer people in today's workplace willing to help you understand how the world of work operations. Lessons in the book include : You and Your Bosses Working the Grapevine Networking Making Allies of Your Elders Image Having Influence at Any Level Your Work and Your Personal Life After a Setback Mentors Former Chariman and CE...

“By focusing in specific ways on five key leadership elements— Purpose, Process, People, Presence, and Peace —you can increase your time, capacity, energy, and ultimately your leadership impact,” explains  Amy Jen Su , author of the book,  The Leader You Want To Be: Five Essential Principles for Bringing Out Your Best Self—Every Day . Su shares both Western management thinking and Eastern philosophy to provide a holistic yet hands-on approach to becoming a more effective leader with less stress and more equanimity. She draws on rich and instructive stories of clients, leaders, artists, and athletes. And, she focuses on three foundational tenets: s elf-care, self-awareness, and personal agency . Most important, Su explores in depth, chapter-by-chapter the  Five Ps : Purpose  – Staying grounded in your passions and contributions, doing your highest and best work that has meaning and is making a difference. Process  – Relying on daily practices and routines that ho...

As seen on Public Television, the book,  Decisions , by   Robert L. Dilenschneider , features vignettes on 23 individuals who made decisions that shaped the world. Each chapter offers practical thinking on how these women and men made decisions. You can use their decision-making skills as guidance at work, in your leadership role, and in your daily life. You’ll learn decision making tips from  Harry Truman ,  Margaret Thatcher ,  Mohammed Ali ,  Rachel Carson ,  Pablo Picasso  and others who made decisions during war and peace, and in fields of science, commerce and invention. Author Dilenschneider suggests takeaways about decision-making from each featured historical figure. Some of my favorite decision-making lessons from history and from the book include these:   Own your decisions . Be responsible for them and for their implications. Do not be reactionary—that is, making decisions to spite others or because of outside pressure—but do be r...

Mid-February brought the visually-engaging, coffee-table-styled book,  Fast Times: How Digital Winners Set Direction, Learn, and Adapt , written for senior executives who are frustrated by the slow pace and limited return on investment (ROI) of their digital transformation, and are unsure what’s holding them back.   Fast Times  is written by four authors, reflecting on their personal experiences leading dozens of top global digital companies across all sectors.  They share their expertise in a conversational style, delivering practical, actionable business guidance. “This book is for leaders at companies where digital transformation is a top-three priority,” explain authors  Arun Arora ,  Peter Dahlstrom ,  Klemens Hjartar , and  Florian Wunderlich .   These authors share that  digital winners focus on : Balancing fast execution with deliberate direction-setting Developing systems so that knowledge is shared not siloed. Building a cultur...

From  Jay Miletsky 's book,  101 Ways to Successfully Market Yourself , here  10 tips for projecting an effective professional image : Discipline yourself to be positive and enthusiastic. In tense situations choose positive responses by maintaining perspective and getting along well with others. Acknowledge mistakes and shortcomings and learn how to correct them. Develop a reputation for being a resourceful problems solver. Leverage your strengths and expertise to have maximum impact on the decisions you make. Be organized, efficient, flexible, and self-motivated. Master your tasks and fully expand your area of expertise so that you can boost your output. Keep up with the latest developments in your company and in your field. Cultivate unique talents that give you a definite edge. Gain visibility by taking the kind of action that will propel you into the right sights of management personnel.

Edward M. Marshall 's book,  Transforming The Way We Work -- The Power Of The Collaborative Workplace , remains relevant today, more than a decade after Marshall wrote it. Particularly useful is the book's section that teaches readers how to be a collaborative leader. Marshall says that there are  seven different, important roles and responsibilities of collaborative leaders when leading teams , and those leaders should select the appropriate style to meet the team's needs. The seven roles are : The leader as sponsor  -- You provide strategic direction, boundaries and coaching for the team. You also monitor progress and ensure integrity in the team's operating processes. The leader as facilitator  -- You ensure that meetings, team dynamics, and interpersonal relationships function effectively. You also ensure internal coordination of activities among team members. The leader as coach  -- You provide support and guidance and you serve as a sounding board. The lea...

  How To Become A Rainmaker  is a quick, instructional book that reveals the rules for getting and keeping customers and clients. Written by  Jeffrey J. Fox , the handbook format provides you the best approaches to take to become a true rainmaker – one who brings clients, money, business, or even intangible prestige to an organization.  One of the real gems in the book is Fox’s  The Rainmaker’s Credo , which includes:  Cherish customers at all times. Treat customers as you would your best friend. Listen to customers and decipher their needs. Make (or give) customers what they need. Teach customers to want what they need. Make your product the way customers want it. Get your product to your customers when they want it. Give your customers a little extra, more than they expect. Thank each customer sincerely and often.

Making a decision is one of the most important actions you'll take as a leader. When communicating your decisions to your team,  be sure to explain both the process (how you came to the decision) and the reason for making your decision . Sometimes, unfortunately, managers announce a decision without clarifying the process and the reason for the decision. If you take the time to be clear you'll get better understanding of your decisions from employees, and also more buy-in from your team.