Product Description

What you actually need todo to manage, lead and succeed There has been a long search for the alchemy of leadership; we all want to find the elusive pixie dust that we can sprinkle on ourselves to turn us into glittering leaders. Few of us, however, are likely to become the ideal mix of Nelson Mandela and Lord Nelson. Instead we need something simple and practical. How To Lead cuts through all the daunting hero talk. It is a practical guide that shows how you can develop the skills and behaviours to succeed as a leader at every level of the organisation. This book is based on original research into over 70 of the world's best, and one or two of the world's worst, organisations. It identifies how the rules of success and survival change at each level of the organisation. It also identifies 36 practical skills that leaders have to learn, and shows how you can develop those skills. With new sections on hiring and firing, dealing with the awkward squad and coaching for success, this second edition is your ultimate guide on how to lead and succeed. How To Lead does not guarantee that you will become a charismatic superhero. But it does load the dice in favour of you becoming an effective leader in your organisation. "How great to have a book that does not make leadership like climbing Mt Impossible, but brings it to within the compass of everyday achievement. A wonderfully clear, engaging, detailed and practical book." Prof Nigel Nicholson, London Business School; author of Managing the Human Animal

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3499 in Books
• Published on: 2009-03-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 296 pages

From the Back Cover

What you actually need to do to manage, lead and succeed

There has been a long search for the alchemy of leadership; we all want to find the elusive pixie dust that we can sprinkle on ourselves to turn us into glittering leaders. Few of us, however, are likely to become the ideal mix of Nelson Mandela and Lord Nelson. Instead we need something simple and practical.

How to Lead

is based on original research into over 70 of the world’s best, and a few of the world’s worst, organisations. It cuts through all the daunting hero talk and shows you, in real terms, how to develop the skills and behaviours to succeed as a leader.

With new sections on hiring and firing, dealing with the awkward squad and coaching for success, this second edition is your ultimate guide on how to lead and succeed.

‘A rare gem of a book. Highly recommended’

John Hempsey, CEO, Moneygram International

‘Wonderfully clear, engaging, detailed and practical’

Professor Nigel Nicholson, London Business School

‘Useful for anyone keen to develop leadership skills at whatever level’

David Gregson, Chairman, Phoenix Private Equity

‘…has the ability to make everyone pause, ponder and think on’

Nick Kitchen, VP Human Resources, Unilever

Customer Reviews

In My Top Three
I've read enough management books to fill an MBA course, but this is head and shoulders above most of them, and is easily one to the top three I've managed to finish. If you're wondering how to motivate a team, how to stay positive and how to inspire you'll find common sense answers here. It will give you the confidence and understanding that while we can't all be Winston Churchill, Alex Ferguson or Billy Graham, we can still lead effectively and powerfully in our own way.
There's not many books, never mind business books, that I finish and immeadiately want to start again, but this is one of them. It's easy to read, employs an enjoyable dry wit and knocks the galloping balderdash of so many American development gurus into a cocked hat. Read and enjoy.

Astonishing. Really.
I've read just about every business book there is. I love them. This book, however, stands out as one that I would totally recommend to anyone in a management postion - or anyone who wants to be there. Practical advice abounds, as does humour. It's very honest about the challenges of work, of leading a team and the snippets of wisdom are priceless. Put it like this - I've been buying stuff on amazon for years and this is the first review i think I've written! I've just started a job leading a small team and this book is helping me cope with all the new challenges it brings. Buy it.

The Book to end all Books on Leadership
I am tired of reading business books that do not lead to action, are full of cliches, and which are not related in any way to reality. How to Lead is a refreshing, humorous and highly practical guide (as the title suggests) to this topic earthed in real experience, full of insights into what works and what does not, without being patronising and without celebrating 'The [one and only] Way' to success - a trap which I find too many books in this genre fall into. The other great message of this book is that leadership can be learnt by almost everybody, and you don't have to be a CEO of a stocklisted company with an MBA and the right parents to be one, or be a charismatic visionary freedom fighter either.