Leader Effectiveness Training L.E.T.: The Proven People Skills for Today's Leaders Tomorrow (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "The word leadership, I am told, did not appear in the English language until around the year 1800..." (more)
Key Phrases: confrontive model, mutual need satisfaction, chart pad, Active Listening, No-Lose Method, Behavior Window (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

L.E.T. has changed countless corporations and private businesses-including many Fortune 500 companies-with its down-to-earth communication and conflict resolution skills. Now, this indispensable source has been newly revised with updated research and timely case studies.

"The skill-building aspect is why L.E.T. training is a high priority for our managers and supervisors. The chance that leaders will make changes in this critical leadership skill area-the way they communicate-is higher with L.E.T. than with anything else that I've seen on the market." (H. Levine, Vice President, Business Consulting and Organizational Development, Merck & Co., Inc.)

"Leader Effectiveness Training (L.E.T.) is the best, most practical book that I've ever read on management." (Kent Stickler, President, The Stickler Learning Group)

"L.E.T. is a ground-breaking book and training methodology that has proven to provide skills and tools to managers in a corporate setting. The skills and tools are timeless." (Liz Mazzotta, Training Director, Mutual of Omaha)

About the Author

Dr. Thomas Gordon is the founder of Gordon Training International, an organization that teaches interpersonal skills and organizational systems to managers and supervisors. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and a member (and past president) of the California Psychological Association.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade; 1 edition (October 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399527133
• ISBN-13: 978-0399527135
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #162,189 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to make leaders out of managers, November 19, 2001

By	Joe Wilmot (Maui, Hawaii) - See all my reviews

This is the long-awaited update of the 1977 version of L.E.T. Dr. Gordon is a pioneer in teaching leaders to sharpen their most important skills: how to communicate, how to resolve conflicts so that no party loses, how to handle meetings, and provides an alternative to unproductive performance reviews.

Now that the economic (and political) future of the world seems so uncertain, this book is all the more timely and important. In fact, after September 11, nothing seems more important than improving our ability to resolve conflicts peacefully. Dr. Gordon - who is known for this book and his books for parents (P.E.T) and teachers (T.E.T.) - was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize because of how his work benefits our world.

But besides the high falutin' ideals about conflict resolution and its importance to the world, L.E.T. is all about skills that make your work easier, more productive and more rewarding. What this book does is simultaneously keep both feet firmly planted in two different worlds (a goal most business books don't even dream of achieving): it's both a life-changing philosophy of human relations and a book to give you and your company a competitive advantage.

I've been using this system for a few years now and it really works. It's not a magic cure, and it takes a commitment to learn and put the skills to use, but it's such a worthwhile payoff: problems with other people still pop up, but I don't get stuck dealing them like I used to and my blood pressure doesn't go nuts. Also, the communication and problem-solving skills you learn aren't ones you're able to just turn off and leave at the office -- they have a habit of insinuating themselves (and improving your relationships) when dealing with friends, spouses, kids.

Don't let the fact that this is a new version of a book that was originally published in 1977 keep you from buying it. Its concepts are universal and timeless. Lots of other books on leadership have come and gone in 25 years; there's definitely a good reason why this one's still around.

L.E.T. makes a great companion to Steven Covey's 7 Habits (another fine book, though it's not as straightforward and skill-laden as this one).

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LET Trainer - OD Leader, January 22, 2003

By	Sean Dwyer (Zeeland, MI United States) - See all my reviews

I was first introduced to Gordon's approach a couple of years ago. Sceptical at first, I took the time to read the book and found it very compelling. I immediately tried to apply the lessons at home and found success early in spite of the fact that some of the methods felt foriegn to me. The book and Gordon's philosophy are built on a model that respects the needs of both parties and that mutual respect becomes the foundation of a productive leader-follower relationship. The skills presented include active listening to help others, confrontive I-messages to help one's self and conflict resolution methods to build win-win solutions. Unlike other books on leadership, this book reads like a training program. You immediately know what to do with the information. I am a better leader, husband and father for having read the book and applied the approach.

Since then, I attended an L.E.T. program as a participant and an L.E.T. train the trainer program. I have now taught the course to dozens of grateful participants. It has become the foundation course in leadership at my company and has had a very positive impact on our culture. We are more productive and people are treated with more dignity and respect.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LET Leader Effectiveness Training, April 21, 2003

By	Dave Knutson (Salt Lake City, Utah) - See all my reviews

Tom Gordon has a unique skill - being able to provide clear and concise models to complex human interactions. His needs-based approach to conflict resolution has been consistently reinforced by research. His listening skill approach is the best, a reflection of his work with Dr. Carl Rodgers at the University of Chicago.

If a leader wants to build their interpersonal skills and strengthen work relationships - i.e. build their "emotional quotient (EQ)" - this is the book for them.