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THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED FOLLOW-UP TO THE BESTSELLER THE EXTRAORDINARY LEADER
A breakthrough study of more than 20,000 of the world's
master motivators reveals the surprising truth about becoming
an inspiration to others-the key ingredient in legendary leadership

"Think of people whose leadership caused you to put forth extra effort, to be extremely creative and to be doggedly persistent. Whatever you were doing seemed like a ‘cause,' rather than a job or assignment. Work was something you wanted to do rather than had to do. You had a burning desire to be successful. Those around you were also caught up in the excitement. Everyone was working hard to make something important happen. ... Adequate leaders get everyone to do their jobs, but inspirational leaders are able to get people to rise far above that mark."
              

-FROM CHAPTER ONE OF THE INSPIRING LEADER

Many corporate gurus have spun theories about what makes a great leader, but the luminaries at Zenger Folkman undertook an intensive, empirical study to apply hard science to this "soft" subject. After the authors analyzed 200,000 assessments from 20,000 managers, the result was the bestseller The Extraordinary Leader, which identified the phrase "inspires and motivates to high performance" as the single most important competency for a leader to possess. But how do the very best leaders master this skill? Is the ability to inspire even a "skill" that can be learned? Absolutely, and John Zenger, Joseph Folkman, and Scott Edinger have distilled these proven lessons in THE INSPIRING LEADER: Unlocking the Secrets of How Extraordinary Leaders Motivate (McGraw-Hill; June 2009).

THE INSPIRING LEADER emphasizes crucial behaviors that can enhance a manager's ability to inspire and motivate others, including:

• Creating stretch goals for staff
• Fostering accountability
• Championing change
• Being a powerful communicator
• Encouraging risk taking

Yet these concepts are just the beginning. Filled with case studies and practical hands-on advice, THE INSPIRING LEADER isolates specific ways in which merely proficient managers can begin to excel. Examples include:

• The "battery pack" of leadership attributes: The process of becoming a role model and an initiator who embraces change is facilitated by creating a "battery pack" of energizing techniques, including using emotion, creating vision and direction, developing people, and being collaborative.

• Tapping emotion, the DNA of inspiration: The first step in becoming more attuned to your staff's emotions is to tune in to your own feelings. Emotions are contagious. The authors offer steps for spreading positive emotions in a highly extraverted way, even if your true nature is to retreat as an introvert.

• The real goal behind goal setting: With case studies ranging from the corporate world to the athletic realm, this eye-opening chapter reveals the power of implementing small, incremental increases in goals while using benchmarks effectively and ensuring that even lofty goals are realistic.

• Beyond the riveting speech: Think "inspiring" just means "delivering powerful speeches"? It can mean that, of course, but in the workplace, the truly powerful words are usually delivered one-on-one. The authors offer a full chapter that covers thorny rumors, protocols for meetings, and creating an atmosphere of openness-featuring the proven data linking successful teams to the consistent use of highly positive verbal reinforcement.

• The tandem between inspiration and innovation: The two are inextricably linked, but few organizations acknowledge this. Innovative environments are dynamic, not static, but many managers prefer the status quo. Before learning how to foster change in their teams, managers must get comfortable with fostering change in themselves. The book brims with ideas for opening the door to new ideas and embracing the creativity that often pours from some of the company's newest, youngest hires.

The authors also include illuminating findings about the importance of inspiration-the phenomenal business outcomes that can be achieved when inspiring leaders take the reins, resulting in increased customer satisfaction, increased productivity and increased profits. Written for audiences from all generations, with applications for the corporate world, the public sector, healthcare and related fields, or educational institutions, THE INSPIRING LEADER is an inspiration itself.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: John Zenger and Joseph Folkman are co-founders of Zenger Folkman, a leading training organization based in Utah, reaching more than 5,000 participants each year. The organization was named one of America's top 10 executive-education firms by the Wall Street Journal. Zenger is CEO of the company. Folkman serves as President. Scott Edinger is Executive Vice President. All three have extensive backgrounds in consulting, launching numerous successful initiatives on behalf of some of the world's most prestigious companies. In addition, Zenger serves on the Board of Regents that oversees higher education in Utah and was inducted into the Academy of Human Resource Development Hall of Fame.

THE INSPIRING LEADER: Unlocking the Secrets of How Extraordinary Leaders Motivate by John Zenger, Joseph Folkman and Scott Edinger; McGraw-Hill; Cloth; June 2009; ISBN: 13: 978-0-07-162124-3; 10: 0-07-162124-5; Price $29.95