Introduction

This book is the reverse of most business leadership or management books. Instead of exploring the depths of particular theories and structures for success, this book bridges the chasm between what to do and how to do it for senior business executives. It offers ample theoretical foundations for the key management and leadership tasks these executives face, but provides clear and specific guidance about how and when to apply these powerful theories. It is especially for owners and CEOs, whose task is to lead successful growth in the face of a blizzard of advice. For simplicity, we'll use “leadership” for both leadership and management.

We move beyond advocating for growth alone, looking past earnings and net worth toward the true measure of a business: its value in the marketplace. That value is dramatically impacted by the experience of its customers and employees, which determines its ability to endure.

You haven't read this book yet, in spite of its promise to explore both leadership and improved organizational outcomes—evergreen themes for sure. (When we talk about “businesses,” we mean any organization of more than six people, where the leader can't keep her hands on all that goes on.) Here's what's different:

1. A higher measure of success: valuation of the business.
2. More practical application than theory of what to do.
3. A deeper focus on what produces success: human behavior, or what the people in the business choose to do or not do.
4. A carefully selected collection of structures and processes to help people do what success demands.
5. A pragmatic combination of immediately useful techniques and a range of theoretical templates covering the most vital topics facing leaders today.

This mix offers a faster answer to the perennial leadership question: What can I do with the time and resources available to deliver what's important for our organization? It's a survey course with chops, combining tools and guidelines for immediate application. It's deep enough to be effective, and broad enough to cover most of the prime topics for success. It provides enough theory to apply to most of the organizational situations that a leader will encounter. (Not that you should stop reading, but this will provide a foundation to build your own leadership practice as you raise the targets of your business.)