The Leadership Challenge Workbook

10 comments on “The Leadership Challenge Workbook”

Anonymous says:
May 24, 2012, 3:52 pm

1. 
   Quick Draw says:
   May 27th, 2010
   10:00 am
   

   Review by Quick Draw for http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Challenge-Workbook-James-Kouzes/dp/0787968218%3FSubscriptionId%3D1XFYEN19ZAM23PGB1HG2%26tag%3Dhotbooksco-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0787968218
   We’re using Kouzes & Posner’s “The Leadership Challenge” book (among others) in our MBA Leadership and Management Processes class. This workbook, although not required, should be. There are lots of checklists, worksheets, questionaires, etc. that lead you through applying the concepts presented in the book.

2. 
   Robert Morris says:
   May 27th, 2010
   10:20 am
   

   Review by Robert Morris for http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Challenge-Workbook-James-Kouzes/dp/0787968218%3FSubscriptionId%3D1XFYEN19ZAM23PGB1HG2%26tag%3Dhotbooksco-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0787968218
   
   Although there has been a more recent edition of The Leadership Challenge published (in 2007) since this Workbook appeared (in 2003), the core concepts remain the same, guiding and informing the series of exercises provided in it. Specifically what James Kouzes and Barry Posner characterize as “The Five Practices” of exemplary leadership, requires two commitments. For example, Challenge the Process by searching for opportunities (i.e. seek innovative ways to change, grow, and improve) and experimenting with calculated risks (i.e. constantly generate “small wins” and learn from every mistake). As Kouzes and Posner have by now clearly indicated in their collaborations, they are relentless empiricists and diehard pragmatists. Their observations and suggestions are driven by more then 30 years of rigorous research that includes hundreds of interviews of leaders and several million responses to various surveys. After briefly identifying the “what” of effective leadership, they devote most of their attention to its “how.”

   How did Don Bennett, the first amputee to climb Mt. Rainier (elevation 14,410 feet), get to the top on one leg and two crutches? “One hop at a time.” Kouzes and Posner suggest that the same process be followed by those who aspire to be exemplary leaders.

   They note that work tends to be organized in terms of projects because projects “create the context for our goals, determine with whom we work, and set our schedules.” That said, on pages 6 and 7, they offer several guidelines for completing this workbook. Depending on the reader’s given project or situation,

   1. “If you’re just starting, we recommend that you begin with Chapter 4…and work your way through Chapter 8.”

   2. “If your project has been underway for some time, we recommend that your first step be to read through this Workbook quickly, without completing all the activities. Then go back and start with those worksheets that address immediate concerns.”

   Digression: Why are so few workbooks and field guides based on business bestsellers designed to include space within the narrative on which to complete exercises, record notes, etc.? Credit someone (the authors, their publisher, or both) with enabling the reader to do so in this workbook. As a result, each person who accepts “the leadership challenge” will want to have her or his own copy. Also, many more copies will be sold.

   I appreciate the fact that, from the beginning, Kouzes and Posner establish a direct, personal rapport with their reader. The tone is informal, in fact cordially conversational. In effect, they seem to be saying “After all these years of research, here’s what we’ve learned about exemplary leadership. We want you to focus on specific issues and we will explore them with you. We realize that not everything in this workbook is directly relevant to your current or imminent circumstances. That’s OK. Let’s proceed through the material together and then you decide which activities will be most helpful to you.”

   Kouzes and Posner devote a separate chapter to each of the five practices of exemplary leadership. In my opinion, the term “exemplary” has at least three separate but related associations: first, with the most effective leaders whom Kouzes and Posner have interviewed over the years; also, with the example that the most effective leaders set for their colleagues; and finally, with initiatives to develop effective leadership in others, at all levels and in all areas of the given enterprise. It may be helpful to think of this workbook’s potential value in terms of what it can help to accomplish within these three dimensions organizational transformation.

   As I worked through the material, I was again reminded of Peter Drucker’s observation: “There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all.” Also, of something Thomas Edison once asserted: “Vision without execution is hallucination” to which I presume to suggest a corollary: “Execution without vision is expediency.” This workbook will help those who absorb and digest the material, complete the various exercises, and then apply what they have learned to reach the “summit” of exemplary leadership and then lead others to do so.

   James Kouzes and Barry Posner duly acknowledge the difficulty of completing that journey, deferring to Don Bennett to suggest the best approach to take: “One hop at a time.”

3. 
   T. Hobby says:
   May 27th, 2010
   10:41 am
   

   Review by T. Hobby for http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Challenge-Workbook-James-Kouzes/dp/0787968218%3FSubscriptionId%3D1XFYEN19ZAM23PGB1HG2%26tag%3Dhotbooksco-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0787968218
   This is a well designed workbook for use in the classroom with other leadership materials developed by Kouzes and Posner.

4. 
   Mina Brown says:
   May 27th, 2010
   10:51 am
   

   Review by Mina Brown for http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Challenge-Workbook-James-Kouzes/dp/0787968218%3FSubscriptionId%3D1XFYEN19ZAM23PGB1HG2%26tag%3Dhotbooksco-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0787968218
   I had hoped to be able to use this workbook in a teleclass, but it’s really not designed for that. It’s strictly designed for one person to start on a project and follow the prescribed program in the workbook. While that might be valuable for someone just starting out, it seems unrealistic for most leaders who are multitasking all the time.

5. 
   Douglas Hoskins says:
   May 27th, 2010
   11:03 am
   

   Review by Douglas Hoskins for http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Challenge-Workbook-James-Kouzes/dp/0787968218%3FSubscriptionId%3D1XFYEN19ZAM23PGB1HG2%26tag%3Dhotbooksco-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0787968218
   Product arrived in great time and In great condition. Now I just need to make time to review material and put it to work for me.

6. 
   Greg L. Thomas says:
   May 27th, 2010
   11:26 am
   

   Review by Greg L. Thomas for http://www.amazon.com/Reframing-Organizations-Leadership-JOSSEY-BASS-MANAGEMENT/dp/0787987999%3FSubscriptionId%3D1XFYEN19ZAM23PGB1HG2%26tag%3Dhotbooksco-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0787987999
   Reframing Organizations is considered by many to be a modern masterpiece. Today it is used as a class textbook by some major universities in their management and leadership classes. Bolman & Deal encourage leaders to step back and re-examine the operation of their organization through the use of various frames or windows. These different lenses can bring organizational life into a different or clearer focus. They allow the leader to view the workplace from different images to make judgments, gather information and get things done. The authors label four windows and name them the structural, human resource, political and symbolic frames. The purpose of the book is to examine the elements and advantages of the four frames presented by Bolman & Deal. The end result is that we learn the importance of stepping back and looking at a situation from more than a single pane of glass. This is vitally important because most of us have the tendency to look at situations or problems from a limited narrow perspective, and this hinders our ability to be effective and visionary leaders. The Structural Frame attempts to look at the social context of work and not simply at the individual. Once an organization designates specific roles for employees, the next decision is to form or group them into working units. Coordination and control of these various groups are achieved either vertically or laterally. The best structure depends on the organization’s environment, goals and strategies. Bolman & Deal list six assumptions behind the Structural Frame. 1) Organizations exist to achieve established goals and objectives. 2) Organizations work best when rationality prevails over personal preferences and external pressures. 3) Structures must be designed to fit organizational circumstances. 4) Organizations increase efficiency and enhance performance through specialization and division of labor. 5) Appropriate forms of coordination and control are essential to ensuring that individuals and units work together in the service of organizational goals. 6) Problems and performance gaps arise from structural deficiencies and can be remedied through restructuring.

   The Human Resource Frame is another window to bring an organization into a unique focus. It views an organization like a large extended family. From this perspective, an organization is inhabited by individuals. These individuals have needs, prejudices, feelings, limitations and skills. The goal of the leader is to mold the organization to meet the needs of its people. The leader will seek to merge the peoples’ need to feel good about what they are doing with the ability to effectively get the job done. Bolman & Deal state that the key to this window is a “sensitive understanding of people and their symbiotic relationship with organizations.”The Political Frame is a window that looks at the workplace as a jungle. This may not sound pretty but the reality is that “it is a jungle out there”. It is a competitive environment or contest in which different people compete for power and limited resources. Reframing Organizations recognizes the work environment is one of rampant conflict immersed in negotiation, bargaining, compromise and coercion. Bolman & Deal offer five propositions as a summary of this frame. 1) Organizations are coalitions of various individuals and interest groups. 2) There are enduring differences among coalition members in values, beliefs, information, interests, and perceptions of reality. 3) Most important decisions involve the allocation of scarce resources and what gets done. 4) Scarce resources and enduring differences give conflict a central role in organizational dynamics and typically make power the most important resource. 5) Goals and decisions emerge from bargaining, negotiation, and jockeying for position among different stakeholders. Unfortunately, this is truly the business and social world most of us live in.The Symbolic Frame is a powerful window that builds on cultural and social anthropology. It views organizations as carnivals, theaters or tribes. An organization is a unique culture driven by stories, ceremonies, rituals and heroes. This is in contrast to an organization being driven by rules, authority or policies. The organization is analogous to a theater. With this theater, various actors play their respective roles in the drama and the audience forms its own impressions of what is seen on the stage. The Symbolic Frame also looks at team building in a different light. It views the development of high-performing teams as a spiritual network also enhanced by rituals, ceremonies and myths. One does not need to look far to discover these symbols. They exist from the proverbial “corner office”, to corporate seals, to the camaraderie of military units.The four windows or frames presented by Bolman & Deal allow a leader to see events in new ways and to shift perspective. The use of the multiple frames can assist the leader to see and understand more broadly the problems and potential solutions available. It encourages the leader to think flexibly about their organization and opens various opportunities to the leader to view events from multiple angles. Reframing Organizations is the kind of book that forces you to view organizational life from a different viewpoint and new reality.

7. 
   Turgay BUGDACIGIL says:
   May 27th, 2010
   11:37 am
   

   Review by Turgay BUGDACIGIL for http://www.amazon.com/Reframing-Organizations-Leadership-JOSSEY-BASS-MANAGEMENT/dp/0787987999%3FSubscriptionId%3D1XFYEN19ZAM23PGB1HG2%26tag%3Dhotbooksco-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0787987999
   “Managers, consultants, and policymakers draw, formally or otherwise, on a variety of theories in efferts to change or improve organizations. Yet only in the past few decades have social scientists devoted much time or attention to developing ideas about how organizations work (or why they often fail)…Our purpose in this book is to sort through the multiple voices competing for managers’ attention. In the process, we have consolidated major schools of organizational thought into four perspectives. There are many ways to label such perspectives. We have schosen the label ‘frames.’ Frames are both windows on the world and lenses that bring the world into focus. Frames filter out some things while allowing others to pass through easily. Frames help us order experience and decide what to do. Every manager, consultant, or policymaker relies on a personal frame or image to gather information, make judgments, and determine how best to get things done” (from the Introduction).In this context, Lee G.Bolman and Terrence E.Deal devote four parts of their book to detailed description and discussion of these frames. And they firstly determine basic assumptions behind each frame as following:1. The Structural Frame: *Organizations exist to achieve established goals and objectives. *Organizations work best when rationality prevails over personal preferences and external pressures. *Structures must be designed to fit an organization’s circumstances. *Organizations increase efficiency and enhance performance through specialization and division of labor. *Appropriate forms of coordination and control are essential to ensuring that individuals and units work together in the service of organizational goals. *Problems and performance gaps arise from structural deficiencies and can be remedied through restructuring.2. The Human Resource Frame: *Organizations exist to serve human needs tarher than the reverse. *People and organizations need each other: organizations need ideas, energy, and talent; people need careers, salaries, and opportunities. *When the fit between individual and system is poor, one or both suffer: individuals will be exploited or will exploit the organization-or both will become victims. *A good fit benefits both: individuals find meaningful and satisfying work, and organizations get the talent and energy they need to succeed.3. The Political Frame: *Organizations are coalitions of various individuals and interest groups. *There are enduring differences among coalition members in values, beliefs, information, interest, and perceptions of reality. *Most important decisions involve the allocation of scarce resources-who gets what. *Scarce resources and enduring differences give conflict a central role in organizational dynamics and make power the most important resource. *Goals and decisions emerge from bargaining, negotiation, and jockeying for position among different stakeholders.4. The Symbolic Frame: *What is most important about any event is not what happened but what it means. *Activity and meaning are loosely coupled: events have multiple meanings because people interpret experience differently. *Most of life ambiguous or uncertain-what happened, why it happened, or what will happen next are all puzzles. *High levels of ambiguity and uncertainty undercut rational analysis, problem solving, and decision making. *In the face of uncertainty and ambiguity, people create symbols to resolve confusion, increase predictability, provide direction, and anchor hope and faith. *Many events and processes are more important for what is expressed than what is produced. They form a cultural tapestry of secular myths, rituals, ceremonies, and stories that help people find meaning, purpose, and passion.Finally, in the last part of the book, they focus on the implications of these frames for central issues in managerial practice, including leadership, change, and ethics.Highly recommended.

8. 
   Lars Bergstrom says:
   May 27th, 2010
   12:35 pm
   

   Review by Lars Bergstrom for http://www.amazon.com/Reframing-Organizations-Leadership-JOSSEY-BASS-MANAGEMENT/dp/0787987999%3FSubscriptionId%3D1XFYEN19ZAM23PGB1HG2%26tag%3Dhotbooksco-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0787987999
   Without a doubt, this book is the authoritative source for applications of psychological motivations and group behavior analyses to how an organization views and reacts to change attempts. It also analyzes different change initiative styles and presents guidelines on how to see them through the eyes of each of the different frames.

   The low rating on this book is because it’s more useful as a reference than an immediate how-to guide or problem-diagnosis. To apply it, read cover to cover, perform an in-depth observation of your organization and your own skills, and then come up with a plan. So, like I said, it’s comprehensive, but neither reads smoothly nor is it immediately applicable for most people.

9. 
   Anonymous says:
   May 27th, 2010
   1:10 pm
   

   Review by for http://www.amazon.com/Reframing-Organizations-Leadership-JOSSEY-BASS-MANAGEMENT/dp/0787987999%3FSubscriptionId%3D1XFYEN19ZAM23PGB1HG2%26tag%3Dhotbooksco-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0787987999
   This text has enlightened me and has opened my eyes to the four frames: structural, human resource, political and symbolic. I now understand that without being cognizant of all four frames and planning appropriately, no plan of action will succeed. So many times we have made emerging, empowering decisions in the workplace only to see our ideas fail. More often than not we have missed addressing one of the frames. The text clues us in to the reasons for failure and through many very appropriate case studies, shows us how to act effectively in the future.The authors take the ambiguity of effective leadership and sort it out, write it down and meld lasting principles to the reader.A must read for anyone desiring to be effective in an organizational beast.

10. 
    Anonymous says:
    May 27th, 2010
    1:53 pm
    

    Review by for http://www.amazon.com/Reframing-Organizations-Leadership-JOSSEY-BASS-MANAGEMENT/dp/0787987999%3FSubscriptionId%3D1XFYEN19ZAM23PGB1HG2%26tag%3Dhotbooksco-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0787987999
    The book looks at organizations and organizational performance/effectiveness using four frames (essentially tinted looking glasses)- structural, human resources, political and symbolic. We used the book in our first MBA course, with a primary focus on high performance teams. The book provides a good cognitive idea base to observe and analyze any organization- your church, your family, your corporation or your favorite bar.

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