John Zenger

The landmark guide that built a generation of extraordinary leaders—fully updated and revised The definitive guide to 21st Century business leadership, The New Extraordinary Leader shook the foundations of leadership as we knew it when it was published in 2002. Since then, we have seen tectonic shifts in the world of business—and this revised and updated edition provides the data and insights you need to address them all. Jack Zenger and Jim Folkman’s proprietary 360 feedback assessment of leaders in the real world—how they lead, what works, and what doesn’t—provides the data that makes The Extraordinary Leader unique in a crowded field of such books. In this new edition, the authors deliver proven lessons based on feedback from 120,000 leaders from all corners of the globe. Inside, you’ll find: • New chapters on leadership competencies, cross training, and self-development • New methods for getting inspired and empowered by demystifying leadership• New evidence on many ways leaders can singlehandedly boost innovation, employee engagement, profitability, and more• New research on the importance of developing strong leadership teams If you’re looking to dramatically step up your leadership game, if you’re looking for hard evidence of how to do it the right way, and if you’re looking to drive measurable positive change in your organization—you need look no further. The New Extraordinary Leader, Third Edition delivers the information and insight you need to lead effectively in today’s volatile, global economy.

Seize the competitive advantage by building speed into your leadership DNAThe rapid pace at which change occurs in business today is unprecedented. Speed has become a major source of competitive advantage. Leaders who act quickly and inspire others to do the same are the ones who ultimately win the day. But achieving increased levels of speed is not always easy. Culled from the data of one million 360-degree feedback assessments, Speed provides valuable insights into the qualities that make a leader successful and productive. Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman reveal eight essential leadership behaviors shown to improve performance and ultimately drive organizational effectiveness. The authors will help you assess the pace at which you work and determine how you stack up against others in their firm’s database. You’ll discover tactics for speeding up critical elements of your day and learn how you can use the eight companion behaviors—including innovation, develop courage, initiate action, and set stretch goals— to help you increase your speed.

Discover your strengths, produce exponential results, and increase the bottom line Based on solid empirical research, The Handbook for Leaders reveals the keys to becoming an extraordinary leader, showing you how-and why-to focus on your core strengths rather than correcting your weaknesses. This precise, no-nonsense rulebook outlines the essential competencies and guidelines for effective leadership, including: Focus on results Cultivate interpersonal skills Lead organizational change Learn from your mistakes Develop your people Build positive relationships Be open to new ideas Take initiative Fix fatal flaws Take a nonlinear approach Be accountableThe Handbook for Leaders shows you how to develop and implement the proficiencies you need to gain the respect and support of your people, enhance productivity and individual performance, and make an enormous contribution to the long-term success of your organization.

One of The Globe & Mail's Top 10 Business books of the Year! Rethink Everything You Know About Leadership Strengths"A must-read for anyone wanting to positively stand out in an organization or for leaders wanting to raise the overall performance of the organization." -- Cindy Brinkley, Vice President, Global Human Resources, General Motors"Zenger Folkman's findings related to companion behaviors is exciting. It enhances what's been presented in prior books and makes extraordinary leadership seem like an achievable goal. I would recommend this book to anyone committed to the journey." -- Pam Mabry, Director, Human Resources, The Boeing Company"The authors take the groundbreaking concept of driving leadership effectiveness by building our strengths to a whole new level of practical implementation, providing us with a brilliantly clear road map. I have found this body of work to be absolutely invaluable . . . I cannot imagine a person in a leadership role today who would not find value from reading this book cover to cover." -- Loren M. Starr, Senior Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Invesco Ltd. How to Be Exceptional is a milestone in the emerging business case for evidence-based management. Building on two decades of earlier research, the authors brilliantly lay out a simple, concrete, scientifically validated model for achieving consistently superior business results through leadership. . . . Its magic is its simplicity, pragmatism, and focus." -- Eric Severson, Senior Vice President, Talent, Gap Inc." How to Be Exceptional is the best book on professional development I have read in decades. It reinforces the emerging wisdom that the path to greatness is really about building profound strengths, rather than through relentlessly focusing on one’s weaknesses. This is a great road map for any leader seeking to optimize their growth and impact." -- Michael A. Peel, Yale University, Vice President, Human Resources and Administration

Tackle every management challengewith skill and confidence! Managers are faced with a variety of challenges every day. There are decisionsto make, conflicts to resolve, and strategies to implement, among many otherresponsibilities. As a new manager you need to build the skills necessary fortackling problems head-on. The Complete New Manager is a valuable toolkit that helps you meet day-to-day challenges quickly and effectively. Filled with tips, techniques, andproven advice from renowned experts, The Complete New Manager teachesyou how to:Become a dynamic leader who instills confidencein both employees and upper managementHire the right people and cultivate an environmentthat makes them want to stayDevelop and encourage free-flowing, two-waycommunication with your staffUse proven techniques to deal withdifficult people and problem employeesSuccessfully plan and implement businessstrategies large and smallProduce sustained, positive results thatimpress your bossesThe key to successful management is the ability to meet challenges as theyarise. Here, in one volume, is everything you need to bolster your on-the-jobskills and reach the highest levels of success.

COACH YOUR BUSINESS TO SUCCESS USINGTHIS “INTERACTIVE” APPROACH FROM TWO OF TODAY’SMOST FORWARD-THINKING LEADERSHIP GURUS“A wonderful and indispensable guide to the practice of coaching. The authors are among the mostseasoned practitioners around . . . and it shows! Whether you are coaching subordinates or clients,you will want to keep this book close at hand—full of detailed guidance.”—Jay A. Conger, Kravis Professor of Leadership Studies,Claremont McKenna College, and author of Building Leaders and Learning to Lead“Stinnett and Zenger provide a comprehensive look at the value of coaching inside the organization,complete with a process, tools, and supports for getting started. This book is a great resource and contribution to the field!”—Pam McLean, Ph. D., CEO, Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara“Finally, and I do mean finally, a book has emerged that is the very best guide to the philosophy,competencies, and discipline required to be a coach who makes a true difference in lives ofothers. This is not a book to read. It is a book to study and live by. Why? Because it is all there: theright questions, the right answers, and the right motives of giving your best to others.”—Larry Wilson, CEO, The Wilson Collaborative, and author of Play to Win!“The Extraordinary Coach offers a compelling view of what it means to be a truly effective leader—one who empowers and grows capability through coaching. It demystifiescoaching into an actionable framework that generates immediate change.”—Christy Consler, Vice President, Leadership Developmentand Sustainability, Safeway, Inc.“Powerful, thought-provoking, and packed with practical tools, concepts, and ideas you can useimmediately. It will change the way you think about coaching, and about yourself.”—Lou Kaucic, retired Chief People Officer of Applebee’s International, founder of CoachesCollective InternationalAbout the Book:Imagine your workplace filled with curious,creative, committed employees. Peoplewho take initiative, who are fearless decisionmakers, who “own” their work. With theright coaching system in place, this dream willsoon become reality. With The Extraordinary Coach, leadershipguru Jack Zenger and coaching expertKathleen Stinnett deliver an entire toolboxfor coaching your organization to success. While other such books simply tell you howto coach, The Extraordinary Coach uses companionvideos (at www.zengerfolkman.com),worksheets, checklists, sample questions, andthe latest research fi ndings to provide a fullimmersioncourse on becoming the kindof coach who brings dramatic changes toan organization. Applying Zenger and Stinnett’s system,you’ll see immediate results in your businessincluding:Increased productivityHigh-energy company cultureDynamic supervisor/employeerelationshipsCreative problem solvingGreater risk takingHeightened innovationThe authors collected 360-degree feedbackassessments from some of the most effectiveleaders in business today and identified thosewho were excellent coaches. Then they combinedthe research with the latest findingsfrom the worlds of psychology, adult development,and systems theory to map out the realscience behind effective coaching. The resultis a practical, evidence-based coaching systemthat can be applied in any type of business. When you coach individuals to success, youlead your entire organization to success. This“interactive” package is exactly what you needto master one of today’s most critical businessleadership skills.

In their bestselling work The ExtraordinaryLeader, performance thought leaders JohnZenger and Joseph Folkman revealed the 16key competencies that separate the top 10percent of leaders from the rest. Since thatbook’s publication, they and coauthor ScottEdinger discovered, through an extensivestudy conducted over four years, that leaderswho possessed the ability to inspire and motivateoutperformed all others. The authors found that the impact of inspiringand motivating others is consistent acrossdifferent kinds of organizations and withindifferent cultures. The Inspiring Leader revealsthe authors’ newest proprietary research onhow top leaders inspire teams to greatness. It discusses the behaviors exhibited by themost successful leaders and includes adviceon how to implement them. Drawing fromstatistically significant data and objective empiricalevidence, the book shows how to:Establish a clear vision and directionUse the power of emotionsCreate stretch goals for your teamFoster innovation and risk takingEncourage teamwork and collaborationChampion change, and much moreZenger, Folkman, and Edinger lay out thestrategies and concepts used by the world’sgreatest leaders to motivate their teams. WithThe Inspiring Leader as your guide, you willlearn how to put those strategies to work inyour own business.

"The Handbook for Leaders" contains 24 lessons for extraordinary leadership. 'What makes a great leader?' Thousands of workers in both North America and Europe were asked that one simple question. Their top responses are compiled in "The Handbook for Leaders". This precise, no-nonsense rulebook lists the 24 competencies and guidelines identified time and again as essential for becoming an effective and extraordinary leader, including: focus on results; cultivate interpersonal skills; lead organizational change; learn from mistakes; develop your people; be open to new ideas; take initiative; build strengths; fix fatal flaws; take a non-linear approach; and, be accountable. The ability to lead is far more than just a natural gift. Study after study shows that leadership is a concrete and learnable skill, one that can be acquired and honed by studying and applying specific proficiencies, attitudes, and habits. Let "The Handbook for Leaders" introduce you to the requirements for effective leadership, then provide you with a systematic program for attaining, developing, and implementing those skills. John H. (Jack) Zenger, D. B. A., is executive vice president and a director of Provant, Inc. , and the author or coauthor of a number of books on the drivers and principles of leadership, including "The Extraordinary Leader" and "Results-Based Leadership". Joe Folkman, Ph. D., is managing director of Novations Group, Inc., and the author of "Turning Feedback Into Change", "Making Feedback Work", and "Employee Surveys That Make a Difference".