REVIEWS
The Social Leader
Frank Guglielmo and Sudhanshu Palsule Bibliomotion
Discovery path: Going Green “Green business” is something a lot of people talk about, but what does it really mean? When you’re running a business, it’s important to know the options and implications for applying “green thinking” to your company strategy. Take part in the full discovery path here: http://www.bluebottlebiz.com/book/resilience
Contents:
One of the fun things for me in reviewing this book is seeing written down many ideas that I have observed Sudhanshu trying out in the classroom with serving executives over the past year or so. However, what does this book offer a reader who is new to all these ideas? Essentially, this is a call for leaders to engage in 21st century leadership and to move away from the military approaches of the past. Command and control leadership is simply no longer fit for purpose. The authors highlight the numerous phrases and metaphors we all use every day at work that show how deeply ingrained top down and combative leadership is within us. Phrases like “don’t put your head above the parapet”, “she shot down my idea” and “we need to cascade these ideas down the organization” all conjure up the same picture. The authors entreat us to reverse or upend much of our thinking, to become social leaders – ones who understand that the business world hasn’t just changed or evolved over the past 10 years; it has been revolutionized. They see the leader not as a general with a unique overview of the battlefield, commanding troops, but as a mayor, juggling the different needs and aspirations of multiple constituencies, who communicate directly with each other rather than through the mayor’s office. The book is organized into two halves, the first setting out the major societal and communication changes in a 24/7 connected world that drive the need for a new way to lead. The second half takes the leader step-by-step through the five stages of becoming an effective social leader – mindfulness, proactivity, authenticity, openness and social scalability. The appendix offers a self-assessment tool that can be used to identify areas of change. It’s hard, in an overcrowded market, to find something new to say on leadership. Chapter 8 on Authenticity is my favourite, because it looks innovatively and more holistically at the topic. If you want a step-by-step guide to update your leadership effectiveness for the age of social media, this book is for you. Liz Mellon chairman of Dialogue’s editorial board
Dialogue | Sep/Nov 2014
• The Green Scorecard The first chapter we’ll look at focuses on various green initiatives where we live and work, highlights the forces that are driving these initiatives and considers the implications of applying such changes. http://bit.ly/1pJyF02 • Street Smart Sustainability The choices you make with your company’s money have more impact than you think. The authors of this book say it best: “The most important message in this chapter is that you have enormous power to do good by choosing how you spend your money, whom you spend it with and what you spend it on. And if you believe that you are too small to make a difference or to be able to influence your vendors’ environmental practices, you are just plain wrong.” http://bit.ly/1qBBKEy • International Cases in Sustainable Travel & Tourism Let’s change gears a bit and look at a case study where Marriot proves that even larger, less “agile” companies can choose sustainable practices while not only maintaining, but actually growing their profitability. http://bit.ly/1nDH6Nv • Majora Carter: Greening the ghetto For further inspiration, take a few moments to watch this TED Talk, highlighting three stories of local ecoentreprenuership. http://bit.ly/1rNwJFW • The Green Guide For Business We’ll finish with the introduction from this book, which I consider an indispensable read if you’re serious about bringing a greener approach to your business strategy. Read on to learn why it pays to be brave and do the right thing. http://bit.ly/Uuv4ZE About the author: Tabitha Jean Naylor is the founder of SuccessfulStartup101.com, a digital magazine that provides answers to questions facing business owners. She is also owner of TabithaNaylor. com, a marketing firm for start-ups and small businesses.
99