Warren Bennis Books

In today's dog-eat-dog world of competition and constant change, people in every position - especially the old dogs - must learn to work in teams rather than as lone wolves. They must learn the relatively new tricks of collaboration and innovation to create faster, better and more profitable organizations. These essays reflect the thinking and insights of Warren Bennis, showing how authoritarian managers may be transformed into collaborative and creative thinkers.

Read it in just 2 hours! A Warren Bennis Executive Briefing Series Book With this book, two distinguished experts present a proven five-phase process for making an organization leaner, more responsive, and more aware of it's customers' needs. Drawing on real-life change iniatives undertaken at Motorola, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard and other industry leaders, Bennis and Mische demystify the process of reinventing a company and address many questions critical to the success of comprehensive change efforts. Through trAnd analysis, case study examples, and facts lists--all presented in an easy-to-absorb SuperReading format-- The 21st Century Organization examines the economic, quality control, and productivity issues associated with organizational restructuring and demonstrates how each will impact a company's ability to compete in the growing global marketplace.

In this offbeat approach to leadership, college president Steven B. Sample-the man who turned the University of Southern California into one of the most respected and highly rated universities in the country-challenges many conventional teachings on the subject. Here, Sample outlines an iconoclastic style of leadership that flies in the face of current leadership thought, but a style that unquestionably works, nevertheless. Sample urges leaders and aspiring leaders to focus on some key counterintuitive truths. He offers his own down-to-earth, homespun, and often provocative advice on some complex and thoughtful issues. And he provides many practical, if controversial, tactics for successful leadership, suggesting, among other things, that leaders should sometimes compromise their principles, not read everything that comes across their desks, and always put off decisions.

In today's competitive landscape, the most successful companies are redefining value by focusing on emotional, experiential, social, and financial aspects for all stakeholders. These "Firms of Endearment" prioritize love, joy, authenticity, and empathy, creating deep loyalty among customers, employees, and investors. This shift is not merely a trend but a necessary evolution for long-term competitive advantage. Through 30 compelling case studies, including industry leaders like CarMax®, Timberland™, and Trader Joe’s, the text illustrates how these organizations thrive by aligning their missions with the deeper values that modern consumers seek. They are not just chasing profits; they aim to leave a positive impact on society and the environment. This approach transforms the very essence of capitalism, moving beyond traditional corporate social responsibility to a more integrated model of success. The book provides actionable insights for businesses aiming to enhance relationships with customers, associates, and partners. It emphasizes the importance of gaining “share of heart” rather than just “share of wallet,” advocating for a holistic view of stakeholder interests. As we navigate this Age of Transcendence, companies must adapt to survive and flourish, ensuring they contribute positively to the world while achieving remarkable performance.

In an era when change is constant, random, and, as Handy calls it, discontinuous, it is necessary to break out of old ways of thinking in order to use change to our advantage. Handy examines how dramatic changes are transforming business, education, and the nature of work. We can see it in astounding new developments in technology, in the shift in demand from manual to cerebral skills, and in the virtual disappearance of lifelong, full-time jobs. Handy maintains that discontinuous change requires discontinuous, upside-down thinking, and discusses the need for new kinds of organizations, new approaches to work, new types of schools, and new ideas about the nature of our society.

Our professional lives are full of challenges and setbacks, but those who achieve elite performance are able to consistently rally their emotional strength in the pursuit of their goals--no matter what gets thrown at them. If you read nothing else on mental toughness, read these ten articles by experts in the field. We've combed through hundreds of articles in the Harvard Business Review archive and selected the most important ones to help you build your emotional strength and resilience--and to achieve high performance. This book will inspire you to: Thrive on pressure like an Olympic athlete Manage and overcome negative emotions by acknowledging them Plan short-term goals to achieve long-term aspirations Surround yourself with the people who will push you the hardest Use challenges to become a better leader Use creativity to move past trauma Understand the tools your mind uses to recover from setbacks--

In this illuminating study of corporate America's most critical issue—leadership—world-renowned leadership guru Warren Bennis and his co-author Burt Nanus reveal the four key principles every manager should know: Attention Through Vision, Meaning Through Communication, Trust Through Positioning, and The Deployment of Self. In this age of "process", with downsizing and restructuring affecting many workplaces, companies have fallen trap to lack of communication and distrust, and vision and leadership are needed more than ever before. The wisdom and insight in Leaders addresses this need. It is an indispensable source of guidance all readers will appreciate, whether they're running a small department or in charge of an entire corporation.

With a new introduction by the authorWarren Bennis's formative years, in the 1930s and '40s, were characterized by severe economic hardship and a world war that showcased the extreme depths and heights to which leaders could drive their followers. Today's environment is similarly chaotic, turbulent, and uncertain. On Becoming a Leader has served for nearly fifteen years as a beacon of insight, delving into the qualities that define leadership, the people who exemplify it, and the strategies that anyone can apply to become an effective leader. This new edition features a provocative introduction on the challenges and opportunities facing leaders today, with additional updates and current references throughout.

An intimate look at the founding father of the modern leadership movement Warren Bennis is an acclaimed American scholar, successful organizational consultant and author, and an expert in the field of leadership. His much awaited memoir is filled with insights about the successes and failures from his long and storied life and career. Bennis' life and career have traversed eight decades of first-hand experience with tumultuous episodes of recent history-from Jewish child in a gentile town in the 30's, a young army recruit in the Battle of the Bulge to a college student in the one of the first progressive precursors to the civil rights movement to a patient undergoing daily psychoanalysis for five years, and later a university provost during the Vietnam protests. Reveals the triumphs and struggles of the man who is considered the pioneer in the contemporary field of leadership studies Bennis is the author of 27 books including the bestseller On Becoming a LeaderThis is first book to examine the extraordinary life of Warren Bennis by the man himself.

Over their distinguished careers, Warren Bennis and Joan Goldsmith have demonstrated how leaders are made, not born. In today's environment of crisis and uncertainty, the ability to develop leaders is arguably the most pressing concern, whether the arena is business, politics, education, health care, the environment, or the arts. Integrating wisdom from the world's most insightful and accomplished leaders, self-assessments, and dozens of interactive skill-building exercises, Learning to Lead reveals the underpinnings of true leadership. It shows you how to see beyond leadership myths, translate failures into springboards for renewed creativity, and communicate your vision for yourself, your team, or your organization.This new edition has been updated throughout, including bibliography and references, and contains substantive new material that reflects the authors' ongoing research on collaborative leadership, ethics, integrity, and personal development.