Leading the Virtual Workforce How Great Leaders Transform Organizations in the 21st Century Praise for Leading the Virtual Workforce «Strong leadership in the best of times is difficult to achieve, but in today's rapidly changing business environment, leaders are tested in many new ways. Once again, Lojeski has a fresh take on what it takes to lead today's widely dispersed workforce.» —Ellen Pearlman, former editor-in-chief, CIO Insight magazine «Karen Lojeski has distilled the essence of the leader's role in 'managing' virtual teams. Her very relevant case stories illustrate that to be successful, the authentic leader must be able to create context and a collaborative lexicon for virtual knowledge sharing and must work diligently to build the social capital that is so vital to the success of virtual work groups. Karen's key contribution in this and her previous book, Uniting the Virtual Workforce, is the 'discovery' and clear articulation of her theory of the Virtual Distance Index, which leaders can use to measure and manage the process of virtual teamwork.» —Dave Davison, Chairman, Virtual Visuals Inc. «I agree entirely with Karen when she says that today, more than ever, effective leaders are desperately needed. She skillfully defines the dislocation and demarcation of leaders from followers through the 'Virtual Distance,' and yet paradoxically calls leaders to 'stoke the flames of innovation and cooperation in a complex, interwoven world.' This gives rise to her exploration of the Virtual Distance Leader. As Karen points out, the twenty-first-century leader must, amidst the conditions of pressure, change, and transformation, bring human endeavor and action to value and meaning for others.» —Adrian Machon, Director, Executive & Leadership Development, GlaxoSmithKline
From one of the most respected names in business and leadership, a rare look at the specifics of how great leaders achieve «common purpose» and success within their organizations. What is common purpose? It is that rare, almost-palpable experience that happens when a leader coalesces a group, team or community into a creative, dynamic, brave and nearly invincible we. It happens the moment the organization's values, tools, objectives and hopes are internalized in a way that enables people to work tirelessly toward a goal. Common purpose is rarely achieved. But Kurtzman has observed that when a leader is able to bring it about, the results are outsized, measurable and inspiring. Based on Kurtzman's all-new interviews with more than 50 leaders, including Ron Sargent, Ilene Lang, Micky Arison, Simon Cooper, Joel Klein, Janet Field, Steve Wynn, Shivan Subramaniam, Michael Dell, Richard Boyatzis, Tom Kelley, Michael Milken, and Warren Bennis Contains research on leadership Kurtzman has conducted during his years at The New York Times, the Harvard Business Review, Booz & Company, as well as with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mercer, and Korn/Ferry Based on all new interviews with some of the most dynamic, successful, and enduring leaders, Common Purpose sheds new light on the meaning of leadership, the crucial qualities of leaders, and most importantly, how to lead.
An executive coach shows you how better communication leads to productivity and profitability Communication is the key to success when you manage other people. But it's not enough to just communicate; you have to communicate in the right way to get the results you want from your people and teams. In Don't Be That Boss, renowned executive coach Mark Wiskup shows you how to communicate effectively with colleagues and workers to create a healthy, productive, happy work environment. The story follows two leaders through a typical workday and all their typical communications-including meetings, conferences, one-on-one discussions, break room banter, phone calls, and even emails. Based on real situations you'll probably recognize, you'll watch as two committed, intelligent people take different approaches to communication and reap very different results. Along the way, you'll realize what good communication is, how it works, and how it makes your business better in virtually every way. Written by an experienced communications coach who works with Fortune 500 clients, CEOs and managers across the country Shows that how you communicate in the office is just as important as what you communicate Explains why excellent communication skills are vital to individual and organizational success Effective communication is vital for the success of both large and small businesses Mark Wiskup is also the author of The It Factor and Presentation S.O.S. Whether you're an executive, manager or small business owner, this book will show you how to improve your communication skills to better your business.
A comprehensive look at the promise and potential of online learning In our digital age, students have dramatically new learning needs and must be prepared for the idea economy of the future. In Getting Smart, well-known global education expert Tom Vander Ark examines the facets of educational innovation in the United States and abroad. Vander Ark makes a convincing case for a blend of online and onsite learning, shares inspiring stories of schools and programs that effectively offer «personal digital learning» opportunities, and discusses what we need to do to remake our schools into «smart schools.» Examines the innovation-driven world, discusses how to combine online and onsite learning, and reviews «smart tools» for learning Investigates the lives of learning professionals, outlines the new employment bargain, examines online universities and «smart schools» Makes the case for smart capital, advocates for policies that create better learning, studies smart cultures
We all have the capacity to be happy. There may be occasions in your life where this seems a challenging concept, however there are some very definite things that you can do to make sure that you are happy more often than not. After all, happy people get sick less often, they have more energy, are more creative, sustain more positive relationships and are more fun to be around. With the help of Liggy Webb, you can create your own personal happiness toolkit! How to be Happy will help you feel more self-empowered and in control of any situation, helping you progress in your work and personal life. You will learn how to: • Build your self-confidence to make the best of who you are • Be open to learning new things, to become more effective and creative • Develop an attitude of gratitude to appreciate life more • Encourage and sustain positive relationships • Build your resilience and emotional strength to cope with stress and manage change • Foster a healthy attitude and get fit for life You can make the decision right now to be happier if you really want to be. Life is what you make it – so learn how to be happy, effective and energetic – and watch how it inspires those around you.
Answers to the 12 most common and critical questions about corporate giving In this groundbreaking resource, Weeden shows how to strategically plan, manage and evaluate corporate contributions. Questions include: Why Should We Give?; How Much?; Who Decides?; Does a Company Need a Foundation?; How to Give Products or Services?; How Do We Know What Works? The book covers a wide range of topics including: The case for conditional corporate philanthropy; increasing stewardship to give more; assigning responsibility for signature programs; how CEOs leverage contributions programs for maximum benefit; effectively staffing corporate contributions programs; the pros and cons of corporate foundations; and more. Offers benchmarks for determining if a business has a meaningful philanthropic program that fosters constructive corporate citizenship Reveals how an effective philanthropic program and commitment can be incorporated in any organization Contains a comprehensive review of the information corporations need to make informed decisions about giving The author offers a prescription for linking businesses with causes and the nonprofits addressing critical issues in a way that will preserve or restore services and activities essential to our quality of life.
HR Professional's guide to creating a strategically sustainable organization Employees are central to creating sustainable organizations, yet they are left on the sidelines in most sustainability initiatives along with the HR professionals who should be helping to engage and energize them. This book shows business leaders and HR professionals how to: motivate employees to create economic, environmental and social value; facilitate necessary culture, strategic and organizational change; embed sustainability into the employee lifecycle; and strengthen existing capabilities and develop new ones necessary to support the transformation to sustainability. Talent, Transformation, and the Triple Bottom Line also demonstrates how leading companies are using sustainability to strengthen core HR functions: to win the war for talent, to motivate and empower employees, to increase productivity, and to enliven traditional HR-related efforts such as diversity, health and wellness, community involvement and volunteerism. In combination, these powerful benefits can help drive business growth, performance, and results. The book offers strategies, policies, tools and specific action steps that business leaders and HR professionals can use to get into the sustainability game or enhance their efforts dramatically Andrew Savitz is an expert in sustainability and has worked extensively with many organizations on sustainability strategy and implementation; he and Karl Weber wrote The Triple Bottom Line, one of the most successful books in the field Published in partnership with SHRM and with the cooperation of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development Forward by Edward Lawler III This book fills a gaping hole in both the HR and sustainability literature by educating HR professionals about sustainability, sustainability professionals about HR, and business leaders about how to marry the two to accelerate progress on both fronts.
Re-focus your business plan and achieve the success your business deserves Business owners, and their teams, often lose their way in the midst of the day-to-day stress of generating sales and profits. Whether your goal is selling millions of your product, expanding operations to a new location, or generating more profits, Start at the End offers a unique approach and action steps for business owners and entrepreneurs to redevelop your business plan and achieve ultimate success. You'll learn how to re-create your long-term vision and then make continuous progress in achieving that vision while continuing to hit your short-term goals. Start at the End offers inspiring stories of other entrepreneurs who have achieved significant success in this area, as well as easy-to-follow exercises and next steps. Shows how to develop a realistic business and financial model based on market data Explains how to identify and pursue new opportunities, raise capital, and build growth strategies Start at the End gives business owners a chance to take a step back, re-evaluate your business, and redesign your business plan to achieve the success you dreamed of when you first launched your company.
Get organizational results by nurturing commitment, integrity, and transparency A healthy corporate culture is the secret to an organization's performance. The good news is that employees already embody the values needed to propel the organization to its goals, but institutional roadblocks get in the way. All too often leaders don't know how to diagnose their culture in order to clear these roadblocks to performance. The 3 Power Values presents a breakthrough model that permits leaders to measure and manage culture. To create a fully aligned high-performing culture, leaders need only focus on nurturing three catalyst values: Commitment, Integrity, and Transparency. Offers an innovative values-centered model to help organizations achieve short-term goals without sacrificing long-run sustainability Filled with lively case studies of major companies including Johnson & Johnson and Boeing David Gebler is a recognized thought leader in the field of values-based ethics and culture risk management The 3 Power Values offers leaders at all levels a unique and accessible approach to identifying the behavioral challenges that are hindering their corporate culture and to removing them effectively.
Look to Brazil for safe, stable investments As the future of the American economy seems to get bleaker by the day, it is tempting to look abroad for business opportunities. Europe and Asia don't provide much hope, but what about somewhere that's both closer to home and sunny year-round? In Brazil is the New America: How Brazil Offers Upward Mobility in a Collapsing World, James D. Davidson shows that the current financial situation in Brazil is a haven for those looking to make money in a world in turmoil. With a population just 62 percent the size of that of the US, Brazil has added 15,023,633 jobs over the past eight years, while the US has lost millions. In a world burdened by bankrupt governments and aging populations, Brazil is solvent, with two people of working age for every dependent. In a world of «Peak Oil» Brazil is energy independent, with 70 billion barrels of oil, 60% of the world's unused arable land, and 15% of its fresh water. Comparatively non-leveraged—and with significant room for growth and expansion, as well as vast natural resources, Brazil is a haven of opportunity. Written by James D. Davidson, the editor/publisher of Strategic Investment and cofounder of Agora and the media outlet, Newsmax, Brazil is the New America details: How the original «America» now embodies the brightest hope for realizing the American Dream while the «Old America» is headed for a dramatic decline in the standard of living Investment opportunities not only for those willing to relocate, but anyone who can consider investing there The cost structure of employment in Brazil versus the United States Brazil has already learned its lesson about the dangers of inflation. Cash has taken the place of credit, and high interest rate returns are now the norm.