Landing in the Executive Chair
How to Excel in the Hot Seat
By: Linda Henman, Ph.D.
Published: May 15, 2011
Format: Paperback, 288 pages
ISBN-10: 1601631537
ISBN-13: 978-1601631534
Publisher: Career Press
"The decisions that executives, especially CEOs, make during their first few months on the job have far-reaching implications and a decisive impact on whether they will ultimately succeed or fail",writes internationally renowned speaker, consultant, and coach Linda Henman, Ph.D., in her visionary and results oriented book Landing in the Executive Chair: How to Excel in the Hot Seat. The author describes how to avoid obstacles and make the best possible decisions during those critical first months in a new executive position.
Linda Henman shares her new model of leadership, that she calls F2 Leadership, that emphasizes the behaviors needed by the new executive to achieve success in the new role. The F2 Leader, according to the author, is both firm and fair. The effective executive makes events happen through a strong concern for people who can get the desired results. The F2 Leader not only wants results, but builds strong professional relationships with people. The F2 Leader:
* Demands results through involvement
* Gets to know and understand the people
* Maintains the focus on Us
* Demonstrates concern and responsiveness to the employees
* Solves disagreements and problems promptly
Linda Henman, Ph.D. (photo left) recognizes that the first months on the job present tremendous opportunity for the executive, but that they are also fraught with potential dangers. The author understands that many traditional management systems are not effective for ensuring new executive success. In a difficult economy, the new executive challenges are magnified even more, transforming the early decision making into a crucial test of effectiveness. Linda Henman presents the tools and concepts necessary to create a positive impact on the new position. The author points to developing a visionary and viable strategy, how to build lasting professional relationships with good people, and carry out the right decisions in an orderly and credible manner. For Linda Henman, the skills that led to the executive suite are not the ones needed to succeed in the new role. To remedy this possible skill shortfall, the author provides a proven blueprint for executive success.
For me, the power of the book is how Linda Henman combines both a theoretical framework for early executive success, with a practical road map for turning that theory into effective action. One of the key aspects of the author's recommendations is the focus on attracting and retaining the best people. Instead of placing the emphasis on the executive actions alone, the F2 Leader is a team builder who recognizes the importance of the staff members to the overall success of the organization. This book shines the spotlight on the crucial first few months in the new executive role. Those early decisions and actions set the tone for the entire career of the executive, and this book improves the odds of success greatly for anyone moving into the big chair.
I highly recommend the excellent and comprehensive book Landing in the Executive Chair: How to Excel in the Hot Seat by Linda Henman, Ph.D., to anyone seeking a very useful guide to hitting the ground running in a new executive position. The author takes a holistic approach that considers the entire organization, and not just the executive, in developing a fresh leadership model.
Read the valuable and essential book Landing in the Executive Chair: How to Excel in the Hot Seat by Linda Henman, Ph.D., and discover how to turn those critical first months in the new executive role into a long term success story. This book provides the background and skills necessary to transform any new executive into an effective leader.
