This all-inclusive communication guide explains how the project manager can bridge the gap and engage the upper ranks. Senior managers speak the language of strategy. Project managers use the language of tasks and activities. These significantly different communication styles can lead to breakdowns and setbacks at project sites that are difficult to overcome, especially for the project manager. The key to working through this is communication--specifically communicating up. By establishing relationships early on, understanding executives, and keeping them involved, project managers can win the support they need--which will be especially critical when problems arise. Succeeding with Senior Management that covers a wide range of industries explains how project managers can: Navigate the company’s political waters Link the project to the business Provide options and recommendations for major decisions Use the right listening style Involve the sponsor in resolving cross-functional problems Learn how to keep senior management involved with your project, motivated to push obstacles aside, and focused on a successful conclusion. When troubles arise--and they will--you’ll be glad you kept them in the loop.

Much has been written about leadership and team building, but there are still major gaps in thinking and research about how to engage senior stakeholders in support of an organisation's projects. The central role of stakeholders in the successful delivery of organisational strategy is becoming increasingly recognised, as is the importance of developing a sponsor culture to support more collaborative practices within the organisation. Building, and managing, relationships with senior (upwards) stakeholders is essential for success. Advising Upwards brings together the ideas of experts in fields related to engaging senior stakeholders, such as risk management, decision-making, understanding cultural considerations, effective communication and other disciplines that may enhance the sustainable engagement of senior stakeholders. The starting point is an examination of the difficulties that senior managers face as they move through the ranks of an organisation from middle management to executive levels. Senior managers usually move up through the organisation on the basis of command and control management. Once in the executive ranks they must develop a more collaborative approach and adopt the principles of emotional intelligence (EQ) to succeed. Awareness of difficulties that senior stakeholders may face drives effective approaches for communication between the team and sponsors. Case studies and stories from experts illustrate practical, structured approaches that enable the teams to develop robust relationships with senior stakeholders will result in teams 'being heard', and support their 'being extraordinary' through innovative approaches to advising upwards.

Explores all the vital aspects of the senior school manager’s job from day to day, ideal as a career guide to aspiring managers as well as a practical manual for current managers on how to optimise their effectiveness.

REVISED AND UPDATED 3RD EDITION! Drawing on the secrets of a top executive coach, The Next Level is an indispensable guide to executive success, full of simple, practical, and immediately applicable insights and tools for leaders who need to get bigger and better results. For more than a decade,The Next Level has been an indispensable guide to executive success. It reads like a series of conversations with a trusted coach who has brought together a cadre of successful senior leaders to deliver a master class on executive level best practices. This practical, actionable guide to success at the executive level helps readers understand what they need to pick up and let go of to achieve the results that are expected at the next level. Along with simple and immediately applicable tools and frameworks he's road-tested with thousands of coaching clients, Eblin offers clear, practical advice reinforced by interviews and case studies from executives who know what it takes to succeed. With fresh insights throughout, this 3rd edition will help readers sustain their success over the long run with new information on how to develop a personal action plan for leading at their best by living at their best. NEW TO THIS EDITION: 1. Updated Introduction and Afterword 2. New insights on leadership effectiveness gleaned by the author since the 2nd edition 3. A completely revised chapter 3 with new guidance on creating a Life GPS personal action plan 4. New and updated Coachable Moment tools (including the TRACK Model of Effective Delegation) 5. A revised appendix with the latest approach to creating a self-directed Executive Success Plan (ESP)

Are you “leadership material?” More importantly, do others perceive you to be? Sylvia Ann Hewlett, a noted expert on workplace power and influence, shows you how to identify and embody the Executive Presence (EP) that you need to succeed. You can have the experience and qualifications of a leader, but without executive presence, you won't advance. EP is an amalgam of qualities that true leaders exude, a presence that telegraphs you're in charge or deserve to be. Articulating those qualities isn't easy, however. Based on a nationwide survey of college graduates working across a range of sectors and occupations, Sylvia Hewlett and the Center for Talent Innovation discovered that EP is a dynamic, cohesive mix of appearance, communication, and gravitas. While these elements are not equal, to have true EP, you must know how to use all of them to your advantage. Filled with eye-opening insights, analysis, and practical advice for both men and women, mixed with illustrative examples from executives learning to use the EP, Executive Presence will help you make the leap from working like an executive to feeling like an executive.

As companies reorganize and reengineer, thousands of people are finding themselves tossed into management every day. "You may go to bed as a member of the team and wake up to find yourself suddenly in charge," says Matuson. The key to success is managing effectively both up and down the line of organization. And Suddenly in Charge provides this unique approach with two books in one: read it in one direction and you'll find all the tips and tools you need to manage down, establishing credibility with your team and leading in a way that both builds rapport and garners respect. Flip the book over and you'll find success strategies for managing up, interacting successfully with your bosses and developing strong relationships. In the Managing Up side of the this book, you will learn how to manage your relationships and responsibilities as an employee, including how to understand the boss's style of management; deal with dictatorial, indecisive or otherwise difficult bosses; promote yourself; ask for raises; and know when it's time to leave a position. With key learning points, real-life examples and proved strategies for effective communication, Managing Up helps you navigate the world of office politics while staying true to yourself. In the Managing Down side of this book, you will learn how to manage your relationships and responsibilities as a boss, including how to stay sane during conflicts, evaluate performance, and make the hiring and firing process easier and more mutually beneficial. With key learning points, real-life examples and proven strategies for effective communication, Managing Down helps you clearly define your new role and cultivate an environment of engaged, motivated employees.

Leverage mindful awareness and intention to achieve better outcomes Overworked and Overwhelmed: The Mindfulness Alternative offers practical insights for the executive, manager or professional who feels like their RPM is maxed out in the red zone. By making the concepts and practices of mindfulness simple, practical and applicable, this book offers actionable hope for today's overworked and overwhelmed professional. New research shows that the smartphone equipped professional is connected to work 72 hours a week. Forty eight percent of Americans report that their stress level is up and that the number one source of stress is the job pressure of a 24/7 world. What's the alternative? Top leadership coach and educator Scott Eblin offers one in Overworked and Overwhelmed: The Mindfulness Alternative. While mindfulness is one of the "Top Ten Trends for 2014 and Beyond," many professionals think it's just too hard to give it a try. In this book, Eblin shows that mindfulness that makes a difference doesn't require meditating like a Buddhist monk. Overworked and Overwhelmed is a handbook for more mindful work and living that offers: "Must know" mindfulness basics that today's professional needs to thrive in a 24/7 world. Inspiring examples of mindfulness in action from dozens of leaders ranging from a U.S. Coast Guard Commandant to the CEO of Hilton Worldwide. A self assessment for readers to understand how they perform at their best. Simple routines to reduce stress and sustain peak performance. A personal planning framework for creating the outcomes that matter most at home, at work and in the community. Even small increases in mindfulness can lead to big changes in productivity and quality of life for the overworked and overwhelmed professional. Overworked and Overwhelmed: The Mindfulness Alternative is a guide for doing just that.

Clear, actionable guidance toward managing a major leadership change Transitions at the Top is an insightful, informative guide to navigating a change in leadership. A smooth transition is critical to both the health of the organization and the success of the new leader, but good planning and strong strategy can help organizations come out fresher and more driven on the other side. This book provides the specific principles, guidelines, and actions that boards, C-suite executives, and HR leaders need to guarantee a successful CEO transition. Continuity is key as one leader passes the mantle to a successor, and this book spans the steps and events that take place from when the candidate accepts the offer, all the way through the point where a critical mass of followers have accepted him or her as the established leader. Coverage includes guidance on who should be engaged in the process, as well as role-specific advice for each member of the transition management team. Many books have been written to advise new incoming CEOs, but there is little guidance available for the organization as a whole. This book provides actionable advice on smoothing the transition without breaking stride. Maintain continuity during leadership transitions Strengthen focus on culture, systems, and processes Engage all influential executives in smoothing the transition Lay a foundation to help the new leader succeed The transition management team plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of the organization during a time of major change. Strong strategy becomes critical when an organization is in flux, and high engagement is key. Transitions at the Top provides expert insight, clear guidance, and a solid plan for a smoother transition.

It's a jungle out there and project managers are fighting to survive....With countless man-hours clocked and billions of dollars spent every year on project tools, the success rate for projects remains astonishingly low. So what's the solution? Introducing TACTILE Management(TM), a people-centric system that works in conjunction with an organization's existing processes. Based on the seven characteristics of high-performance project teams-transparency, accountability, communication, trust, integrity, leadership, and execution-the book shows project managers how to: * Take project teams out of their functional silos and transform them into a powerful, integrated force * Balance the expectations of customers, management, and project teams with the technical requirements of cost, schedule, and performance * Apply practical phase-by-phase project guidance to real-life situations * Avoid or minimize possible pitfalls * And more Every successful project involves someone in the trenches who has the people skills to match process with the capability of his team and organization. This innovative book shows readers how to make the most of their people...and ensure project success.

What do you want me to do? This question is the enduring management issue, a perennial problem that Stephen Bungay shows has an old solution that is counter-intuitive and yet common sense. The Art of Action is a thought-provoking and fresh look at how managers can turn planning into execution, and execution into results. Drawing on his experience as a consultant, senior manager and a highly respected military historian, Stephen Bungay takes a close look at the nineteenth-century Prussian Army, which built its agility on the initiative of its highly empowered junior officers, to show business leaders how they can build more effective, productive organizations. Based on a theoretical framework which has been tested in practice over 150 years, Bungay shows how the approach known as 'mission command' has been applied in businesses as diverse as pharmaceuticals and F1 racing today. The Art of Action is scholarly but engaging, rigorous but pragmatic, and shows how common sense can sometimes be surprising.