How Ambitious Managers Make The Jump To Leadership

Here’s another must-read book to add to your list as you transition from manager to leader. It’s The Leap to Leader, by Adam Bryant. As the creator of the iconic “Corner Office” column in the New York Times, Bryant has spoken with more than a thousand leaders over the years about the challenges and nuances of leadership. Many of his discussions are included in his interview series on LinkedIn.

“The goal of this book is to provide an intensely practical guide to making that transition by sharing insights, stories, and approaches from hundreds of leaders to build the skills you will need to make the leap to leader,” explains Bryant.

He adds that the book is useful to everyone who is interested in leadership, regardless of where they are in their career.

The book covers:

The central paradox of leaders: selfless vs. self-centered.
How to perfect the do-to-say ratio.
Ways to navigate office politics.
Tactics to making better decisions.
The crucial art of compartmentalization.
How to build your self-awareness muscle.

Regarding the do-to-say ratio, Bryant shares that one of the easiest ways to set yourself apart is to build a reputation for reliability and follow-through—somebody who always does what they say they are going to do. “As obvious as this advice seems, people follow it much less than you might think,” says Bryant.

Leap to Leader is your trusted playbook for making the biggest jump of your career. You’ll learn how to make the leap, and will gain practical strategies and tactics for building a loyal following, moving up quickly to broaden your impact, and making the subtle but crucial mindset shifts that are required to lead others effectively.

In addition, among the many leader profiles in the book that you’ll read about are:

Marcus Kennedy, General Manager, Gaming Division, Client Computing Group, Intel
Molly McKenna, Senior Director, Global Brand Communications, McDonald’s
Balaji Krishnamurthy, Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Sustainability, Chevron

“Leadership is incredibly hard and nuanced work, and a win for me will be if you will come to rely on this book as a trusted guide as you move into new leadership roles,” says Bryant.

Earlier this year, Bryant shared these additional insights:

Adam Bryant

Question: How useful can The Leap To Leader book be to the reader if they have not already read your, The CEO Test, book?

Bryant: The two books are complementary but very different. The CEO Test is about the key challenges that all leaders face in their roles, and we provide a practical playbook on how to navigate those challenges. That book, in essence, is about what leaders do. The Leap to Leader is more about the mindset shift that you need to make to be a leader.

Question: What drove your decision to include the Leadership Profiles within the The Leap To Leader book?

Bryant: Although I quote more than 100 leaders throughout the book to bring the core insights and themes to life, I also wanted to provide the extended Q&As with these up-and-coming leaders to give readers fuller portraits of how individual executives navigate the challenges of leadership and how they made the leap themselves. And as I say early in the book, I encourage readers to think about how they would answer the questions that I ask of the people I’m profiling in those Q&As.

Question: How did you decide to include the eight individuals you feature in The Leap To Leader book?

Bryant: My main goal was to interview people who I knew would be thoughtful and open about how they’ve navigated the many challenges of leadership. Most of the leaders profiled are people I’ve met over the years, and I was introduced to others by some people in my network after asking them if they knew somebody who would be great for these kinds of interviews.

Question: What is the most important thing you've learned about leadership from your interview series on LinkedIn?

Bryant: So many lessons and insights, so it is very difficult to pick just one. Between the LinkedIn series and the “Corner Office” series I created and ran for a decade, I’ve interviewed more than 1,000 CEOs and other senior leaders. Those interviews provide a constant and important reminder that leadership is personal. Although there are core fundamentals about leadership, everybody has to make sense of leadership on their own and develop an approach to leadership that reflects their values and who they are as a person. The leaders who do that effectively are better able to answer the simple but difficult question, “Who are you as a leader?” Knowing the answer to that question, and being consistent in your leadership approach, helps build authenticity, trust, and followership.

Thank you to the book’s publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.

Comments

Five Crucial Actions That Build Unity And Foster Performance

“Given the research-validated outcomes and demonstrated financial impact belonging offers, organizations should make cultivating belonging a personal leadership imperative across the world,” says Brad Deutser , author of the new book, Belonging Rules: Five Crucial Actions That Build Unity and Foster Performance . Furthermore, belonging predicts job satisfaction, engagement, and effort over and above employee’s perceptions of organizational culture or strategy, explains Deutser. So, what exactly is belonging? It’s: Belonging is where we hold space for something of shared importance. It is where we come together on values, purpose, and identity; a space of acceptance where agreement is not required but a shared framework is understood; where there is an invitation into the space; and intentional choice to take part in; something vital to a sense of connection, security and acceptance. As you read the book, you’ll discover vital information about the five Belonging Rules :

A Guide For How To Dream Big And Win In Business

In Dream Big and Win , author Liz Elting shares the lessons she learned ― both the successes and failures ― while building a billion-dollar company from scratch. She explains why you need not only passion and purpose to win big, but also: a willingness to take decisive action grit sweat equity determination positive attitude Elting’s fascinating story began with her entirely self-funded business launch that started in a dorm room. By possessing a disciplined set of principles and focusing on carefully developing her leadership skills throughout the process, she was able to achieve her goal of becoming #1 in the translation market that was already dominated by established competitors. Today, Elting is the Founder and CEO of The Elizabeth Elting Foundation, which creates scholarship opportunities for entrepreneurial young women, funds exciting women-led startups and social businesses, and supports women-led organizations that foster women’s success through educational prog

Today's Fostering Better Connections Tip For Leaders

Today's great leadership advice comes from the recently released book, Thrive With A Hybrid Workplace , by Felice B. Ekelman, JD and Julie P. Kantor, PhD . They explain that: " Leaders need to facilitate connections with their teams . Two parallel tracks are operating: the work track and the personal track. Bosses who only focus on getting the work done generally have teams with poor morale, limited engagement, higher absenteeism, and the like. Leaders who build interpersonal glue have happier, more engaged, and more productive employees," say the authors. Therefore, they suggest you do the following to build your own interpersonal glue with your direct reports and the team at large : Create rituals at the beginning and the end of the day. Do virtual or live walk-arounds. Regularly schedule check-ins. Add additional check-ins as needed. Take a walk with an employee. Build in pre-meetings. Use ice breakers. Encourage networking. Create special-interest groups. Create a m

Leader's Playbook For Perpetual Innovation

For over twenty years, Dr. Behnam Tabrizi has taught organizational transformation at Stanford University in its Executive Program, which he also directs. And now he’s written, Going on Offense: A Leader’s Playbook for Perpetual Innovation . In a seven-year study, Tabrizi found that companies that focus their energy on building a supportive, purpose-driven culture that keeps people on edge, and boldly adapts to new environments are the companies that truly excel. “Most companies pray for one innovation to skyrocket their growth. But the secret to success for the most innovative and agile companies is not just one good idea, rather a dedication to perpetual innovation and relentless experimentation that pulses through an organization, top to bottom,” explains Tabrizi. His new book provides an insider view into the drivers of success and challenges in 26 organizations—including industry giants like Apple, Tesla, Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks—along with actionable advice on

How To Be A More Human Leader

“To be most effective in today’s environment, leaders must be human leaders. Human leaders must be able to lead not only with their heads but also with their hearts and souls,” says veteran executive coach Hortense le Gentil , author of the new book, The Unlocked Leader: Dare to Free Your Own Voice, Lead with Empathy, and Shine Your Light in the World . She adds, “In addition to being respected, seen, and valued, employees also seek leaders who feel human, not distant and perfect beings with whom they can’t connect.” Additionally, leaders need to put the collective interest before their own and work hard to make other people’s good ideas happen. “And although the book focuses on leadership at work, each of us is a complete individual, not a sum of separate, isolated parts. As such, the process presented in the book applies to all areas of your life,” shares the author. She further explains that becoming a human leader is a journey, not a destination. Accordingly, the boo

Effective Listening: Do's And Don'ts

Here are some great tips from Michelle Tillis Lederman's book, The 11 Laws of Likability . They are all about: what to do and what not to do to be a leader who's an effective listener : Do : Maintain eye contact Limit your talking Focus on the speaker Ask questions Manage your emotions Listen with your eyes and ears Listen for ideas and opportunities Remain open to the conversation Confirm understanding, paraphrase Give nonverbal messages that you are listening (nod, smile) Ignore distractions Don't : Interrupt Show signs of impatience Judge or argue mentally Multitask during a conversation Project your ideas Think about what to say next Have expectations or preconceived ideas Become defensive or assume you are being attacked Use condescending, aggressive, or closed body language Listen with biases or closed to new ideas Jump to conclusions or finish someone's sentences

Building A Culture For Speed, Impact And Excellence

“When it comes to culture, one of the most glaring issues is that far too many leaders do not recognize it as one of their greatest competitive advantages,” says Matt Mayberry , author of the book, Culture Is The Way . Mayberry, former linebacker for the Chicago Bears and now keynote speaker and global expert in leadership development, culture change, and organizational performance, took the lessons he learned on the field and in the locker room straight to the boardroom. “Over time, I realized that the same characteristics that distinguish the best football teams are also required to succeed in business,” shares Mayberry. Those characteristics include: A strong commitment to excellence. An emphasis on teamwork. Practicing like a champion every day. Perseverance in the face of adversity. Other key lessons from sports coaches include these says Mayberry: Develop a burning desire to improve culture. Generate and bring positive energy daily. Don’t just manage people, coach

REI Sets The Example For Creating And Living Core Values

Are you a leader who is struggling with how to write your company's core values? You can learn from Recreational Equipment Incorporated , better known as REI -- an outdoor gear and apparel co-op. As described in Amy Lyman's new book, The Trustworthy Leader , REI concisely articulates its core values in this series of statements: Authenticity -- We are true to the outdoors. Quality -- We provide trustworthy products and services Service -- We serve others with expertise and enthusiasm. Respect -- We listen and learn form each other. Integrity -- We live by a code of rock-solid ethics, honesty, and decency. Balance -- We encourage each other to enjoy all aspects of life. "The words contained in the values are not much different from those found in the value statements of any organization. So what makes it different at REI? The people at REI actively seek to live out their values ," explains Lyman.

How To Strengthen Both Your Customer And Employee Experience In Tandem

“The most successful companies are those that adopt an Experience Mindset that strengthens both employee experience (EX) and customer experience (CS) at the same time,” explains Tiffani Bova , author of the new book, The Experience Mindset: Changing the Way You Think About Growth . The book’s teachings are based on exclusive research from two Salesforce studies of thousands of employees and c-suite executives around the globe, and further validated by hundreds of executive conversations and other industry research. “The needs and preferences of both customers and employees must be considered with every decision made, large and small – requiring an entirely new operating mentality,” says Bova. “To remain completive in today’s marketplace, investing in people is no longer a nice-to-have, but rather a must have.” Bova recommends that when companies are attempting to keep up with the relentless demands of customers, that they don’t favor the customer experience over the employee

10 Quotes From The 5 Levels Of Leadership -- John C. Maxwell

Soon I'll post my full review of John C. Maxwell's latest book, The 5 Levels of Leadership . In the meantime, here are some of my favorites quotes from the book that I believe should become a must-read book by any workplace/organizational leader: Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team. Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is action, not position. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. If you have integrity with people, you develop trust. The more trust you develop, the stronger the relationship becomes. In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter. In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Good leaders must embrace both care and candor. People buy into the leader, then the vision. Bringing out the best in a person is often a catalyst for

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog