Creating Leaderful Organizations: How to Bring Out Leadership in Everyone

by Joseph A. Raelin

Book Overview

The times demand a new style of leadership. Employees today are highly trained and independent - they can offer much more to an enterprise than simply their obedience. And with the relationship... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 157675233X
• ISBN13: 9781576752333
• Release Date: February 2003
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Leaderful

This is a text book for a graduate course I took. I received an A- in the course and found the content of the text very useful in the course and the writing style very easy to read and comprehend.

Important contribution to leadership dialogue and practice

"Creating Leaderful Organizations" is a refreshing, articulate, intelligent, and inspiring book. At the same time, this book is practical, immediately applicable and handy to revisit as needed. Raelin's book has the potential to resonant with readers of all levels within organizations as well as OD/HRD professionals, consultants and teachers. Raelin's Leaderful concept is an important lens to consider as we make decisions about our behavior and role as formal leaders and as individual contributors. Do we assess our behavior, at work and in our personal lives, as "leadership" only if we occupy a formal leadership position? Can't we all be leaders in our actions? Raelin impactfully challenges the reader's thinking about leadership with a new paradigm for leadership, positioned as a continuum: from conventional leadership approaches to four new Leaderful tenets. Raelin proceeds to expertly integrate historically rooted theories and practices with new ideas to move the reader along in their quest for applying the Leaderful concept in their work and personal settings. Self-assessments, examples, skills and checklists for getting started are thorough. The argument for why people and organizations today need to consider Leaderful practices is presented in a genuine and authentic tone that warrants a close examination of values in the workplace while keeping in mind productivity and meaning. Important is the fact that this book is not simply espousing a new concept but truly integrates theory with practice. The reader is guided and supported throughout the book, including realistic scenarios, reflective questions, and whether an organization is ready and supportive for such actions.

Leading from any seat

Raelin's "leaderful" practice is about how anyone, in any role in any organization, can exercise leadership. Drawing from a wide array of current leadership theory, Raelin builds a new model that invites us to think and act differently. He challenges formal leaders to identify the values underpinning their leadership, to be explicit about their goals, intentions and strategies, and to truly collaborate with others to create new solutions. And he encourages those without formal authority to find their own leaderful voice. This book has the added advantage of including a brief self-assessment and then being structured such that you can easily find what you think will be of greatest value to you.

Excellent addition to any leadership library

This is a very strong book on leadership that is much needed for our current challenges in the field. Current thought of what leadership means to organizations and leaders in most companies is no longer sufficient in our journey to become better social and organizational systems. Joe Raelin's book clearly identifies the necessary paradigm that we all need to be thinking about when we hear the word, "leadership." Leadership is for everyone - at all levels of the organization - and not just for those who lead at the top. Total cultural engagement, corporate citizenship, respectful and open communication, listening for others wisdom and truth, and collaboration define Joe's version of a leaderful organization, and it should be celebrated for years to come. Non-hierarchical ways of leadership is no longer an option - it is a strategic imperative that Joe Raelin thoughtfully and clearly articulates in this valuable addition to our leadership library.From Chapter 1, "Leaderful practice is unique compared to empowerment models that have become popular in recent years in that it does not merely present a consultative model wherin leaders in authority allow "followers" to participate in their leadership. Nor does it equate to stewardship appraoches that see the leader step aside to allow others to take over when necessary. Instead, it offers a true mutual model that transforms leadership from an individual property into a new paradigm that redefines leadership as a collective practice."