The Leadership Solution (Hardcover)

~ Jim Shaffer (Author) "First they tell me one thing..." (more)
Key Phrases: employee communication function, formal communication media, five information categories, Ingram Micro, Mayo Clinic, Jack Stack (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Jim Shaffer's The Leadership Solution is about communication leadership. It may be the only book on business communication that your CEO will actually read. -- Council of Communiction Management Communicator

Product Description

Everyone communicates, problem is, most don't have the necessary skills to communicate effectively. The Leadership Solution offers six steps for developing better leadership communication skills to improve performance. Using lively anecdotes and real-world examples, Jim Shaffer provides firsthand accounts of how Towers Perrin has helped dozens of Fortune 500 companies to fully engage their employees, and consistently keep the company's strategies and goals in mind.

Far from a gimmick or method du jour, The Leadership Solution is a complete program designed to focus employees on achieving valuable, measurable business results. It features:

• Twenty ways to connect people to strategy now.
• Three communication sources that most influence action.
• Nine guidelines for negotiating through a merger or acquisition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 307 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (April 20, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070790639
• ISBN-13: 978-0070790636
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 3.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #701,768 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Leadership Solution, May 31, 2000

By	David A. Lough (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews

For over twenty years, I have been an advisor to management in the field of rewards and compensation. Traditionally, discussions of rewards at work focus on cash compensation, benefits, and, more recently, stock deals. These monetary and wealth-building vehicles help one have great experiences in life outside of work. But what about the experiences at work, where a dedicated employee might spend more than half of waking time? What makes the day-to-day work experience itself rewarding? In an age where the war for talent demands that every organization address this question successfully, Jim Shaffer provides powerful, practical answers for CEO's, executive teams, general managers, and heads of human resources.

At the heart of the day-to-day work experience is the process of communication. As Mr. Shaffer writes, "You can't not communicate. Everything you say and do communicates." Forget about bringing dogs to work and on-site concierge services. These are fluff, not substance. Mr. Shaffer gets to the substance. He demonstrates that the quality of organization communication is, by far, the greatest governor of the quality of the work experience for all employees.

Mr. Shaffer shows leaders how to develop a communication environment that shapes a highly rewarding day-to-day work experience for everyone in the organization. He shows how to build and lead ongoing organization communication processes and disciplines that align people to a common purpose and motivate them to pursue it with vigor. In the war for talent, he shows how to span the generations and ensure that one and all agree: "Our company is a great place to work! "

Do you face unprecedented challenges in attracting, retaining, aligning, motivating and rewarding top-notch staff at all levels? "The Leadership Solution" delivers distinctive know-how for building a huge advantage in getting, keeping and deploying the people you need. And, it's an enjoyable read, sprinkled with metaphors, quotes and anecdotes that produce many rewarding "Aha!" experiences.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LEADERSHIP SOLUTION SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING, May 8, 2000

By	Suzanne W. Peck (Evanston, Illinois) - See all my reviews

This is an amazingly useful book for anyone who wants to learn how to motivate people. I love the stories from best practice companies -- Jim has been there, and it's easy for the reader to learn from his vast experience and thoughtful observations. This book should be required reading for M.B.A. and Executive Education programs. The practical tools and techniques are invaluable for leaders who want to mazimize productivity. Five stars on my list -- I've already recommended it to several hundred people.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shaffer delivers primer for leaders, May 12, 2000

By	Bob Libbey (Scarborough, Maine) - See all my reviews

Just when you thought you couldn't handle one more piece of Information Age data, Jim Shaffer mercifully reveals the secrets to managing message bombardment, recognizing and maximizing all forms of communication, and connecting people with purpose to run any business better. With insights from many of the world's top CEOs, two "case studies," plain old good writing and a spot-on sailing metaphor to top it off, Shaffer proves what the best leaders have known (or at least have sensed) for some time: "informed people outperform uninformed people..." Better still, Shaffer steers a clear course -- with plenty of helpful examples -- through the sea of ambiguity that is business today, mapping the route for leaders who need to connect their employees to their business strategies. He calls it "connecting the dots." Business schools everywhere should use it and call it "Leadership 101." This is a terrific book for great leaders seeking to gain further marketplace advantage, leaders in training seeking instruction for "putting it all together" and the managers who serve them. The chapter on "earthshaking" events would be especially helpful for any one managing through a merger, acquisition, turnaround and the like.