Real Leadership: Helping People and Organizations Face Their Toughest Challenges

by Dean Williams

Book Overview

In Real Leadership, Dean Williams argues that the true task of the leader is to get people to face the reality of any situation themselves and develop strategies to deal with problems or take... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1576753433
• ISBN13: 9781576753439
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.2" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Refreshing, global, real

One is intrigued early on to read Harvard University's Dean Williams categorize much of what passes today for "leadership" as a "preoccupation with dominance," and not authentic, transformative, long-lasting influence. The book just gets better from there. Offering a refreshing global perspective derived largely from personal experience, the globe-trotting Williams proposes that the proper function and purpose of leadership is to be wisely adaptive (flexible) to the difficult realities of a given organization's most pressing challenges -- the primary threats or opportunities that must be confronted in order to progress. Adaptive Leadership styles contemplate and correspond to Activist, Development, Transition, Maintenance, Creative, and Crisis modes. Highly readable and highly useable (typical of Berrett-Koehler publications) material for those charged with leading organizations... which may simply include one's own family. Coke Newell, MSPR, consultant and author, "Journey to Edaphica"

I'd give this six stars

No quick fixes in this book, but instead practical tools to enable people to focus on what Williams calls 'real leadership'. A unique thesis, excellently written. Real substance, not empty management speak and psycho-babble. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Decidedly a book worth buying!

This book debunks popular leadership notions of the strong visionary charismatic individual who stands head and shoulders above others leading his followers to victory. Dean William's premise is that at the end of the day a group of people themselves need to confront their reality and themselves contend with conflicting demands on their ingrained values, habits and practices. This is easier said than done of course. The role of someone exercising true leadership is to help the group analyze it's challenges (and it shows how to do so) and help them come to terms with attitudinal shifts they may have to make to respond to these challenges. It provides an excellent framework to analyze context specific leadership challenges as well as the tussle between a groups feeling, the barriers to progress in exercising leadership and potential rewards should progress be achieved. It goes to the core of the leadership matter and explores issues with examples across the private enterprise, politics, non profits and the public sector. The book is replete with colorful anecdotes, topical and historical examples and news items which help to intuitively clarify the context and challenges of leadership. In order to illustrate concepts Williams examines characters and contexts from popular movies that many of us may have seen (Gandhi, Lawrence of Arabia, the Fog of War, The Last Samurai etc) through the prism of his framework. For me this helped to do away with much of the jargon one sees these days in the academic literature on leadership. `Real Leadership' does not stop at just analysis and interpretation. It also provides valuable practical tools and strategies for one to actually do something about it. Overall an excellent read and decidedly a book worth buying.

Best leadership book

This book was so inspirational and useful for me. I am senior manager and I have no doubt my leadership will improve because of this book. Williams's way of distinguishing real leadership from counterfeit leadership is novel and groundbreaking. It really hits what's going on in my organization. But the book also helps you to interpret the quality of the leadership in the country. Are they real leaders or counterfeit leaders? What a great question. The stories he presents are engaging and illuminating in regards to the principles of great leadership. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in making a difference in their organization or community. It is very different from all the other books out there.

The leading leadership book!

Dr.Williams gets it right. This book gets favorable reviews from people like Lee Kuan Yew, former Prime Minister of Singapore and Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland- and I can see why. I'm on Organizational Behavior student who has read many a leadership book. This one stands out from the rest. This book instills a rare grace and brings humanity back into being a leader. A Real Leader is not just someone who is good at bossing people around. Great read, and I believe will become part of University curriculums.