8.
THE AGILITY LOOP
What makes an effective leader in turbulent markets? Many think the secret of effective leadership lies in brilliant strategic insight—the intellectual horsepower to craft a clever strategy. Others stress discipline, believing that superior leaders excel at execution. Still others feel that a great leader is, above all, inspirational—capable of uniting an organization around an exciting vision. Some, and Dilbert comes to mind here, dismiss the phrase “effective manager” as an oxymoron.
Leadership, at its heart, consists of getting things done through discussions with other people. Several studies find that executives spend between two-thirds and three-quarters of their time engaged in discussions—formal and informal, ...
