Leadership U

Leadership U

by Gary Burnison
Released July 2020
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9781119753322

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Book description

Accelerating Through the Crisis Curve

Leadership is all about others—inspiring them to believe, then enabling that belief to become reality. That’s the essence of Leadership U: it starts with ‘U’ but it’s not about ‘U.’

Those timeless words are timelier than ever today, as leaders look to accelerate through the crisis curve. As author Gary Burnison observes, “There will likely be more change in the next two years than we have seen in the last twenty.”

Now, in Leadership U: Accelerating Through the Crisis Curve, Burnison lays out a framework—his “Six Degrees of Leadership”—to show leaders how to create change. 

Anticipate – foreseeing what lies ahead, amid ambiguity and uncertainty that are throttled up like never before

Navigate – course-correcting in real time, to keep the organization on an even keel

Communication – constantly connecting with others; the leader is both the messenger and the message

Listen – breaking down the organizational hierarchy to gather insights at all levels—especially what the leader doesn’t want to hear

Learn – applying learning agility, to “know what to do when you don’t know what to do”

Lead – empowering others in a bottom-up culture that is more nimble, agile, innovative, and entrepreneurial than ever before.

Only by embracing these truths can leaders master another ‘U’—the “crisis curve” that will completely disrupt the business landscape.  The world has changed—forever. The old days are fine to reminiscence about, but you can’t stay there.

Today leadership means becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. As Burnison says, when a door closes, leaders cannot afford to stand there, staring at it. It’s a “get up or give up” moment. For leaders, the only choice is to find and open another door. Leadership U defines and inspires the pathway through that door.

Table of contents

  1. COVER
  2. INTRODUCTION
    1. LEADING OTHERS WITH PURPOSE
    2. THE SHIFT FROM “ME” TO “WE”
    3. LEADERSHIP IN ACTION: THE SIX DEGREES
    4. COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE
    5. WHAT MAKES A GREAT LEADER?
    6. WHAT DO YOU SEE?
    7. YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
    8. SIX STAGES OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT
    9. THE RIGHT-BRAIN RULES
  3. CHAPTER 1: ANTICIPATE
    1. WHAT LIES AHEAD
    2. THE FOUR QUALIFIERS: YOU CAN'T ANTICIPATE WITHOUT THEM
    3. VULNERABILITY INCITES ORGANIZATIONAL CURIOSITY
    4. START WITH THE REALITY OF TODAY
    5. DON'T JUST FOLLOW THE HERD
    6. A CULTURE OF WORLD-CLASS OBSERVERS
    7. EXERCISING THE ANTICIPATION MUSCLE
    8. THE MEANING OF WHAT YOU SEE
    9. MISSION “POSSIBLE”
  4. CHAPTER 2: NAVIGATE
    1. COURSE-CORRECTING IN REAL TIME
    2. NAVIGATION IN REAL TIME—AT THE RIGHT TIME
    3. NOTICE—EVERYTHING!
    4. PLAN A LITTLE, THINK A LOT, DECIDE ALWAYS
    5. WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MOMENT
    6. NAVIGATING MEANS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY
    7. KNOW WHEN TO TAKE THE WHEEL
    8. URGENT PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
    9. NO FEAR OF FAILURE
    10. “THE COURAGEOUS HAVE NO FEAR”
    11. THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY
  5. CHAPTER 3: COMMUNICATE
    1. COMMUNICATE CONTINUALLY
    2. A SEA OF BUTTERFLIES
    3. COMMUNICATION IS WHERE LEADERSHIP LIVES AND BREATHES
    4. LOSE THE POWERPOINT
    5. THINK IN SOUND BITES
    6. PEOPLE WANT THE TRUTH
    7. NO SHORTCUTS ALLOWED
    8. DROP THE “I”
    9. BRINGING OTHERS IN
    10. SPEAK FROM YOUR “RIGHT BRAIN”
    11. CELEBRATING EVERY STEP ALONG THE WAY
    12. THE EXPONENTIAL MOTIVATORS
  6. CHAPTER 4: LISTEN
    1. LISTEN TO WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR
    2. HOW THINGS WILL GET DONE IN THE FUTURE
    3. IT'S A MATTER OF TRUST
    4. TAKE DOWN THE STOP SIGNS
    5. URGENT VS. IMPORTANT
    6. LISTENING OUTSIDE-IN AND INSIDE-OUT
    7. LISTENING WITH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
    8. THE SELF-REFLECTIVE LISTENER
    9. WHAT MAKES LISTENING SO DIFFICULT?
    10. THE LISTENING MINDSET
  7. CHAPTER 5: LEARN
    1. LEARN ALWAYS
    2. THE #1 PREDICTOR OF SUCCESS
    3. THE FIVE ASPECTS OF LEARNING AGILITY
    4. AGILITY FOR WHAT'S NEXT
    5. HELPING OTHERS TO LEARN—AND SUCCEED
    6. LARRY: A CAUTIONARY TALE
    7. LEARNING IS ACCEPTING THE IMPERFECT
    8. IT'S NOT FAILURE, IT'S LEARNING
    9. LEARNING PREVENTS THE “LEADER OF THE INEVITABLE”
    10. CASH, BIOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY
  8. CHAPTER 6: LEAD
    1. YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY ONE ON THE PLANK
    2. ALL-IN, ALL THE TIME
    3. IT'S TIME FOR BUBBLE UP—NOT TURTLE UP
    4. EVERYTHING WILL BE OK
    5. WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH…
    6. THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A GRAY DAY FOR THE LEADER
    7. WHO INSPIRES YOU IN THE GRAY DAYS?
    8. THE STEWARD OF THE MANY, NOT THE FEW
    9. LEADERS NEVER SAY “DON'T MISS”
    10. A LEGACY OF POTENTIAL AND OPPORTUNITY
    11. ADJUSTING THE SAILS
    12. YOUR LEADERSHIP U IN ACTION
  9. END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

Product information

  • Title: Leadership U
  • Author(s): Gary Burnison
  • Release date: July 2020
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9781119753322