The Wisdom of Failure - Hardcover

by Laurence G. Weinzimmer (Author), Jim McConoughey (Author)

The "how-not-to" leadership book

There is a paradox in leadership: we can only succeed by knowing failure. Every accomplished leader knows there are minefields of failures that need to be navigated in order to succeed. Wouldn't it be great to have the insights to help you prevent from making avoidable mistakes? Unfortunately, in business talking about mistakes can be taboo, and, at a certain level, learning from failure is not an option. Weinzimmer and McConoughey speak frankly about the things that are difficult to talk about - the unvarnished truths necessary to become a successful leader.

• Based on a groundbreaking 7-year study of what almost 1000 managers across 21 industries really think about lessons from failures
• Includes exclusive interview material from CEOs at a wide range of organizations, including major firms such as Caterpillar, Priceline.com, and Allstate; startups; and entrepreneurial small businesses
• Drills down into failure to uncover the strategies that aspiring leaders need in order to avoid the most damning leadership mistakes: unbalanced orchestration, drama management, and reckless vanity

Learning from the mistakes of others is a necessary part of the journey of effective leadership, and this book offers an indispensable guide to learning these powerful lessons--without paying the price of failure.

Front Jacket

"These fresh voices on the leadership stage show us that by looking honestly at failure, we can better navigate around it. An essential read for current and aspiring leaders."
--Jack Stack, CEO, SRC Holdings; bestselling author, The Great Game of Business

There is a paradox in leadership: we can succeed only by knowing failure. Every accomplished leader knows there are minefields of failures that need to be navigated in order to succeed. Unfortunately, at a certain level, learning from failure is not an option. Wouldn't it be great to have the insights to help you prevent avoidable mistakes? Yet, in business, talking about mistakes can be taboo.

In The Wisdom of Failure, Laurence Weinzimmer and Jim McConoughey speak frankly about the things that are difficult to talk about: the unvarnished truths necessary to become a successful leader. Based on a groundbreaking seven-year study of almost 1,000 managers across 21 industries and exclusive interviews with CEOs at a wide range of organizations including Intel, Caterpillar, and Priceline.com, the book uncovers the three most damning leadership mistakes:

• Unbalanced Orchestration--leadership failures at the organizational level
• Drama Management--leadership failures at the team level
• Personality Issues--leadership failures at the personal level

The authors share real-world stories of mistakes leaders have made or avoided and offer practical strategies to help you identify and proactively prevent the potential for failure.

Learning from the mistakes of others is an invaluable part of the journey of effective leadership. Weinzimmer and McConoughey offer an indispensable guide to learning these powerful lessons--without paying the price of failure.

Back Jacket

"These fresh voices on the leadership stage show us that by looking honestly at failure, we can better navigate around it. An essential read for current and aspiring leaders." --JACK STACK, CEO, SRC HOLDINGS; BESTSELLING AUTHOR, THE GREAT GAME OF BUSINESS

There is a paradox in leadership: we can succeed only by knowing failure. Every accomplished leader knows there are minefields of failures that need to be navigated in order to succeed. Unfortunately, at a certain level, learning from failure is not an option. Wouldn't it be great to have the insights to help you prevent avoidable mistakes? Yet, in business, talking about mistakes can be taboo.

In The Wisdom of Failure, Laurence Weinzimmer and Jim McConoughey speak frankly about the things that are difficult to talk about: the unvarnished truths necessary to become a successful leader. Based on a groundbreaking seven-year study of almost 1,000 managers across 21 industries and exclusive interviews with CEOs at a wide range of organizations including Intel, Caterpillar, and Priceline.com, the book uncovers the three most damning leadership mistakes:

• Unbalanced Orchestration--leadership failures at the organizational level
• Drama Management--leadership failures at the team level
• Personality Issues--leadership failures at the personal level

The authors share real-world stories of mistakes leaders have made or avoided and offer practical strategies to help you identify and proactively prevent the potential for failure.

Learning from the mistakes of others is an invaluable part of the journey of effective leadership. Weinzimmer and McConoughey offer an indispensable guide to learning these powerful lessons--without paying the price of failure.

Author Biography

LAURENCE G. WEINZIMMER is an endowed professor of management at Bradley University. He is an internationally recognized speaker and advisor to numerous Fortune 100 companies on issues relating to strategy and leadership. He is the author of the bestseller Fast Growth: How to Attain It, How to Sustain It.

JIM MCCONOUGHEY is an experienced CEO, sought-after business development and community leadership expert, and an active fund manager for venture and early-stage capital investments. Jim's particular focus is working with small to mid-size organizations to identify and evaluate strategic growth opportunities.

For more information please visit www.TheWisdomofFailure.com