Influencing and Collaborating for Results

Duke Corporate Education is a world-renowned business executive program. This good of a book, Influencing and Collaborating for Results, is not surprising coming from them. What is almost shocking is how the authors succeeded to put so much quality into so few pages. Amazing! The book looks at "four powerful and pervasive trends - information technology, industry convergence, globalization, and regulations," and how these challenge managers who lead from the center (p. x and Figure 1.1, p. xii). By the "center" it is meant "the center of the action, not the middle of a hierarchy" (p. xii).Leaders from the center are those tasked to (a) translate the strategy of their organization, (b) influence and collaborate with others for results, (c) lead teams, (d) coach and motivate others, (e) innovate and sustain intrapreneurship, and (f) own systems and processes. The remainder of the book is a blow-by-blow analysis of these tasks. Chapter 1, for example, deals with how center-leaders can build relationships that enable results. This requires them to influence, collaborate and network inside and outside their boundaries. Networking requires that leaders map out stakeholders and interlink interests. The mapping is important because successful leaders seek to build relationships, not just do transactions. One cannot build relationships unless and until one understands stakeholders' abilities, and the roles they play in the relationship. Once relationships are built, the leader can now construct and tell his/her story. Others will listen to a story seriously if it has a relevant message, preferably one that is specific to the personalities of stakeholders. In other words, the storyteller must create a "shared story" in order for the story to remain credible. This means (i) making connections, (ii) keeping good company, (iii) building goodwill, (iv) engaging stakeholders, (v) investing in trust, and (vi) "managing the unexpected" (pp. 75-86). GREAT book! Amavilah, Author Modeling Determinants of Income in Embedded Economies ISBN: 1600210465

The new series from Duke CE is a must have. Managers will find Influencing and Collaborating for Results an indispensable guide for motivating and team building. It is a small book that will produce big results.