For managers, talk IS action. This ground-breaking book argues that what senior executives do should rest squarely on what they say. The logical conclusion is that organizations are a network of conversations - between employees, employers, suppliers and customers - the only thing executives can influence is the debate, discussion or dialogue they happen to be in at the moment. The authors explore how twelve global firms have tackled the art and science of strategic conversations and the book contains a range of new tools and techniques for leading effective change and implementing strategy using this philosophy.

'This book is aimed at anyone who believes that leaders make a difference in corporate, especially complex, businesses. The authors have delved through practical research, into deeper corporate thinking and in a lot of ways challenge the so-called traditional accepted norms of leadership...Anyone involved in working at a strategic level could benefit from using even a few of the tools included in this book...The authors mange to force the reader into analysing their own communications, unplugging some traditional leadership and communication theories.' - Financial Adviser

Autorentext
JACQUELINE MOORE is a senior journalist on the Financial Times where she has worked for 15 years on the News and Features desks as well as the World Stock Markets page. She was launch production editor of the Business Travel Page, launch writer and editor of the FT View column and launch editor and writer of the back page e-business column. In addition she co-designed and co-taught the first Workshop & Facilitation Skills course on the MBA programme at Cranfield School of Management and is a former Director of the Journalism Training Centre.

STEVEN SONSINO is an award-winning tutor and writer specialising in strategic leadership and leading change. He is Fellow of the Centre for Management Development at London Business School and is Director of one of the School's flagship executive education programmes. He consults principally to global organizations in the telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and financial services industries.

Inhalt
Introduction Leadership Unplugged: Debate, Discourse & Dialogue Building the Debate Model Devising Communication Strategies Politics of Change Complexity of Change Leading Opinions Making Sense of Change Connecting with an Audience Learning to Handle Emotions The Zone of Uncomfortable Debate Leadership Unplugged: the Organization as a Nexus of Conversations