Jeff Wolf - Seven Disciplines of a Leader

Cover design: Michael J. Freeland

Copyright 2015 by Jeff Wolf. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Wolf, Jeff (Economist)

Seven disciplines of a leader: How to help your people, team, and organization achieve maximum effectiveness/Jeff Wolf.

pages cm

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-119-00395-3 (hardback); ISBN 978-1-119-00396-0 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-00409-7 (ebk)

1. Leadership. I. Title.

HD57.7.W6495 2015

658.4092dc23

2014027703

To my mom and dad who always believed in me, taught me right from wrong, and provided unconditional love and support in everything I ever did.

First and foremost, my thanks go out to my family who puts up with me through thick and thin. My beautiful wife Maria who many years ago suggested I go into this wonderful business of leadership development. You were right! My daughter Melissa, who has grown into a very successful young leader, whom I'm very proud of. My stepsons Greg and Alex, my brother Earl, sister-in-law Jacky, and, last but not least, Charlie (man's best friend) who keeps me humble during our nightly walks together.

Martin Smith, an honest and caring man who took me under his wing and helped me get published.

Ken Shelton, who said my original title, The Essence of Effective Leadership, would not resonate with peoplebut Seven Disciplines of a Leader would. I hope you are right!

All the leaders I've been privileged to coach and work with during the past 14 years; I'm sure I've learned more from you than you've learned from me.

My literary agent, Jill Marsal, for believing this book had merit.

John Wiley & Sons for investing and showing confidence in me.

My PR team: Jessica, Marcie, and Jennifer. You bring unlimited energy to work each day, and I truly appreciate all that you do.

Thanks also to the people who read this book. I hope it will help you on your leadership journey.

Christopher had recently been promoted from shift supervisor to department manager in an online retailer's large distribution center. Unfortunately, Max, his boss, the shift manager, who leaned toward the theoretical side, was not as helpful or supportive as he could be and Christopher floundered. The distribution center's general manager recognized Max's failing and transferred him into a staff job that required no supervision. He replaced him with Janelle, a leader of considerable accomplishments, who understood how to develop promising employees.

Within weeks, Christopher's performance improved significantly, and he went on to become an outstanding leader for his company. Although he didn't realize it at the time, this experience was invaluable. In essence, what he discovered was that the very best people to teach leadership are those who have been there, done that, learned from it.

In this book I highlight similar observations to help you learn hard-earned leadership lessons. I call these hands-on advice. Regard them collectively as your own personal leadership adviser, the spirit hovering over your right shoulder, whispering in your ear.

Okay, let's get started with the first of these based on Christopher's experience.

Hands-On Advice: Find somebody to advise you who's been there, done that, learned from it.

Why? Because that's the person who can give you the most valuable advice on leadershipthe person who has insights into the job based on his practical real-world experience. This is what I mean by the term hands-on. It has a corollary:

Hands-On Advice: Find a mentor, regardless of your level in the company.

You might be a first-line supervisor, a middle manager, a top executive, a specialist, an aspiring manager. You should have somebody in your corner, somebody you can turn to when you need advice, somebody who can provide an objective opinion. That person might be your boss, another employee who you respect, possibly an outsider. The point is you will always benefit from the association.

And that's what I bring to the table. I've been there, done that, learned from itadmittedly, sometimes the hard way. The point is I've worked my way up from the lower ranks of a company to its highest position. Along the way I acquired some priceless lessons on what works and what doesn't in leadership positions throughout the organization. And I founded my company based on teaching others those very same principles.

How Does This Book Address the Answer to Today's Leadership Challenges?

• The book is based upon 14 years of coaching and training leaders at all levels and in all types of industries. I developed and refined the Seven Disciplines through my coaching practice and observing how the Seven Disciplines and Eleven Practices took leaders I've coached and worked with from good to great performers.
• Because of the inordinate amount of pressure exerted on leaders today, coupled with the business necessity of continually doing more with less, leaders have little or no time to hone their leadership skills. This book takes you through the process, step by step, with succinct and descriptive steps, each with real-life examples, and a guide and practice application at the end of each chapter to help coach you through the journey.