Relax, It's Only Uncertainty: Lead the Way When the Way is Changing [Paperback]

Philip Hodgson (Author), Randall White (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0273652419 | ISBN-13: 978-0273652410 | Publication Date: May 20, 2001 | Edition: 1

"In times of uncertainty, the ability to act without fear of failure can be a huge asset." In a world where the only thing you can be certain of is uncertainty, business leaders need to stop trying to control the uncontrollable, and start embracing the unknown. This book will show you how to be comfortable with ambiguity, confident with change, open to discovery and at ease with the new world of business. Then you can lead with confidence and flexibility, whatever the situation. Want to be more confident about the ambiguities that you and your business face? Ask yourself these questions: Am I drawn instinctively to the edge of my knowledge rather than the centre of it? Am I attracted to projects and problems with an element of the unknown in them? Do I have trouble with heated situations? Will I generally take a chance and make a decision? Do I prefer to have a full set of information before deciding? Do I ask penetrating questions about what's going on? Can I decide what are the most important things to do? Can I capture a business strategy in a single sentence? Your answers will reveal some of the essential elements of personal and corporate success in the new economy. Curiosity, risk taking, focus, persuasion and energy are personal skills that you can bring to bear to tackle tough issues, simplify complex topics, gather energy from complex challenges and carry people with you. Relax...will help you decide intuitively, act decisively and lead through ambiguity and change. This inventive and interactive book will help you develop the behaviours lead the way when the way is changing.

Editorial Reviews

Review

 "Finally! A practical approach to this world of uncertainty we all inhabit. As leaders, we all know that the increasing rate of change in our environment is here to stay. What Hodgson and White offer that is new is a measured approach with real, concrete steps we can take to help us embrace and exploit change with greater creativity and confidence.  Ms. Ellen McCoy, former CIO Mobil Oil"In today¿s complex and dynamic times Phil Hodgson and Randy White¿s thoughtful piece on ambiguity is a godsend. It provides as thoughtful a treatment of ambiguity as any piece of work and is of great service for anyone managing in today¿s times. I highly recommend this book." Blair H. Sheppard, President and CEO, Duke Corporate Education, Inc.  "Practical, wise, insightful, varied ... this book challenges business leaders to think and behave out of the box, in the process growing their understanding that uncertainty and confusion can be faced productively and entrepreneurally." Professor Leslie Hannah, MA, DPhil, PhD, CEO of Ashridge Management College  "It is often said that we live in a time of change, but what we see at present is more than that. Whole industries are in turmoil and we are faced with abandoning many of the things we have done in the past. Ambiguity is rife. This book moves the discussion on leadership in an age of uncertainty to a new level. It is alive with cases, wisdom and excellent advice" Sir Brian Pitman FCIB CIMgt, Chairman of LLoyds TSB Group plc  "Intriguing - a fast ride through uncertainty and how to deal with it. White and Hodgson pack a thousand pages worth of insight and tips into this brief volume." Michael Lombardo, Lominger Ltd.  "In today's world, if you are not leading change, you are not really leading. Relax It's Only Uncertainty will provide valuable insights as you meet the challenge of the future. A useful diagnostic and the practical insights of a trusted confidant of top executives are well worth the investment of a few hours of your time. Paul Hogan, Vice Chairman and Chief Risk Officer, Fleet Boston Financial Corporation.  "This timely book concludes all of the arguments we have heard regarding managing and leading and places leaders exactly where they should be: permanently at the forefront of market and business innovation. The authors bring an area that we thought we always intuitively understood into clear focus and provide a framework for identifying and developing leaders who will not only drive meaningful change, but also thrive in these uncertain times." Alphonsus Keogh, Director Global Programs, Siemens AG "Relax, it¿s only uncertainty points out eight factors that block a leader¿s ability to deal with an uncertain future. One is preoccupation with the past that is known and familiar. This book is a guide and "wake up call" for anyone worried about the future of their organization ¿ whether it will keep up or get left behind. Organizations with leaders like the ones described here are much more likely to be successful. The others are heading toward tough times."  Dr. Kimball Kehoe, an independent consultant in Spring, Texas

From the Back Cover

For executives, nothing's more stressful than uncertainty—and in the 21st century, nothing's more certain, or unrelenting than uncertainty. This inventive, interactive book doesn't merely show you how to cope. It shows you how to thrive—by helping you master breakthrough approaches to leading the way, no matter how "the way" changes.

World-renowned leadership consultants Randall P. White and Philip Hodgson present a complete, hands-on program for becoming an outstanding leader in a world of uncertainty. They identify the attributes and skills possessed by leaders who've proven successful in highly uncertain environments; show how to analyze your own uncertainty skills; and present specific techniques and exercises for improving the way you lead through uncertainty. White and Hodgson show how to make the most of your innate curiosity, focus, persuasive ability, and energy, as you become increasingly comfortable with ambiguity, confident about change, open to discovery, and at ease with the new realities of business.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: FT Press; 1 edition (May 20, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0273652419
• ISBN-13: 978-0273652410
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #856,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Discovery in Uncertain Times, July 23, 2002

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Relax, It's Only Uncertainty: Lead the Way When the Way is Changing (Paperback)

"Being on the tightrope is living; everything else is waiting." -Karl Wallenda (1904-78)

Do you act intuitively and act decisively? In the world, everything is changing so fast that you can't always control your own destiny, let alone feel confident enough to lead others through seeming chaos. This book demonstrates how you can become at ease with change and how you can analyze your own strengths so you can deal with ambiguity.

Aspects Covered Include:

The real work of leadership

Damaging illusions from the twentieth century
Motivation by mysteries
Risk tolerance
Polishing your Personal radar

The 8 Enablers - find out which type
of enabler you are.

Mystery Seekers - I started to highlight a ton of this area and figured
I must be a mystery seeker.
Risk-Tolerators
Future-Scanners
Tenacious Challengers
Exciters
Flexible Adjusters
Simplifiers
Focusers

However, you might have qualities of a Restrainer/ There are 8 Restrainers. I'm more than likely part "Detail Junkie." These are negative and overplayed sides of enablers.

Do you have trouble with transitions?
Are you unmotivated by work?
Do you fear conflict?
Can you put all the pieces of the puzzle together. What are
the signs of a "muddy thinker."
How can you communicate more effectively.
Are you hooked on detail?
Do you focus on the here and now or do you see the future?
Do you long for the bygone days?

My favorite section was the Enabler Section on "Mystery Seekers." It is a section that explains how this type of enabler gets energy from not knowing. They might even appear strangely happy when things don't work out perfect the first time. When writing recipes, this was true, because then I could test the recipe again! Ha!

"Imagine that everything was attractive. Imagine that the more you didn't know, the more you wanted to know. Imagine that maybe wanting to know was too weak a description, there was a hunger to know what drove you from whatever eles you were doing and pushed you to continually make further inquiries about the things you didn't know. Imagine insatiable curiosity. You are a Mystery-Seeker." pg. 30

More than likely, the "risk tolerant" segment is highly relevant right now. These types are not hampered by insufficient or ambiguous data.

I think that the best way to use this book is to highlight your own qualities or areas you want to work on. I don't see why you can't be a bit of all 8 Enablers. It is like being a personality type with elements of each. I don't think anyone can be a specific type, but can be a combination and then certain aspects will be highlighted and more obvious.

Complex at first and I thought this would be over my head, but once I started to read it became much clearer to me. I think you will enjoy this book if you are a business leader or just want to analyze your own qualities.

In uncertainty, there is certainly room for change. ;>

~The Rebecca Review

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Packed with Knowledge!, October 15, 2003

By 

Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Relax, It's Only Uncertainty: Lead the Way When the Way is Changing (Paperback)

Philip Hodgson and Randall P. White provide practical instructions for dealing with change, as all leaders must. Rather than assuming that only certain personality types and traits are suitable for leadership in changing times, they addresses the behavior patterns that mark a successful leader. The authors place their behavioral concepts in a familiar context with case histories. The true value of their book lies in specific exercises that will enhance your ambiguity-coping skills. Some level-headed readers may be slightly put off by the seeming wackiness of some of these notions (they range from "spend some time around children" to "analyze how you spend your time") and the light-hearted tone (they do refer to Star Trek). Lighthearted or not, the advice in this book may just save your job - or your company's future. We recommend this book to senior executives, regardless of industry, as well as to anyone who is concerned about the fast pace of change and wants some help keeping up.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Leading for Future Success, June 27, 2001

By 

Kimball Kehoe - See all my reviews

This review is from: Relax, It's Only Uncertainty: Lead the Way When the Way is Changing (Paperback)

"RELAX it's only uncertainty: Lead the Way When the Way Is Changing" is a terrific book - one that provides an answer for anyone worried about the future of their organization. And who isn't? "Innovate or get left behind" is the challenge facing most organizations, including those I am familiar with.. To meet this challenge organizations need leaders who can deal with uncertainty.

For anyone who thinks that this is a "slam dunk" answer, let me assure you, it is not. Most people in leadership positions CANNOT deal with uncertainty. They avoid it by focusing on "business as usual", what is known and familiar. This is the path to trouble in a world where technology and marketplace pressures are demanding something different and much better than business as usual.

In these conditions the work of leaders is not to follow the tried-and-true path, but to create the path forward in a world of "what-ifs".

Leaders capable of doing this can be identified. In fact, most of "RELAX it's only uncertainty" is devoted to describing what these leaders think and do. The authors identify eight characteristics of such leaders, including: Having a curiosity about what is not known, Tolerating risk, Gathering ideas about the future, and Simplifying information. This description is tremendously valuable because it enables anyone to spot this kind of leader.

The authors make this even more practical and useful. They identify behaviors indicative of each characteristic. For example, a forward-looking executive seeks out information about the future, formulates hunches or intuitions about future developments and listens constantly for "faint signals" of these developments. A list like this can be used to assess how strong or weak a leader is in a particular area and to coach and develop her/him to a higher level.

"RELAX it's only uncertainty" points out eight factors that block a leader's ability to deal with an uncertain future. One is a preoccupation with the past that is known and familiar.

This book is a "wake up call" and guide for anyone concerned about the future of their organization. Organizations with leaders like the ones described here are much more likely to be successful. The others are heading toward tough times.