Solving the Leadership Jigsaw Puzzle You have a key leadership job to fill. You want the very best person. What exactly does this really mean? How often have you seen someone with great credentials and terrific buzz take an important job, but before long people are wondering “what exactly were we thinking?” Getting the best person is less about finding an individual superstar and more about deeply understanding what your organization needs, the kind of person who will fit into your culture and bring the right experience and skills to get the job done. Based on decades of experience at Spencer Stuart, the gold standard in executive search, Jim Citrin and Julie Daum cut through conventional wisdom and “rules of thumb,” whether the job that needs filling is that of CEO or a key leader in marketing, technology, finance, or human resources. • Landmark original research from the United States, the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands provides evidence for how an organization can diagnose its needs and decide on who is the right leader for a specific situation at a particular point in time, and whether an outsider or insider would best fit the bill. • Eye-opening case studies, including how the New York Public Library worked its way through the maze of pressures—rapidly changing technologies, diverse, demanding constituencies, changing demographics and economic forces—to find the president who could best carry on its mission in the twenty-first century; how Starwood Hotels assessed the value of experience versus potential in choosing a CEO; the person who failed in one circumstance but achieved extraordinary success in others. • Steering clear of the red herrings of age, experience, and ethnicity • Avoiding the biggest traps of leadership selection, such as “his charisma was intoxicating,” and “we thought we really knew him.” In a competitive environment as challenging as today’s, the one difference, as Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook notes, “Between companies that change the world and those that don’t is having the right people.” You Need a Leader—Now What? is the must-have guide for navigating the terrain.

You Need a Leader--Now What?: How to Choose the Best Person for Your Organization

Business & Money

Citrin, James M.

Daum, Julie

Management & Leadership

Crown Business

In the bestselling tradition of In Search of Excellence, a fascinating and authoritative selection of the most successful business leaders in America--and the strategies, methods, and motivational tools they use to help make their companies great. "I don't expect anyone to be perfect," says Mike Armstrong, CEO of a reinvigorated AT&amp;T. "It's not human nature. What I do expect is that they will take risks, correct mistakes, and learn from both." This is only one of the hundreds of comments and insights behind some of the most successful business minds in American industry. In Lessons from the Top, Thomas J. Neff and James M. Citrin--the U.S. Chairman and a Managing Director of the renowned executive search firm Spencer Stuart--set out to identify the most successful business leaders in America, based on the most exacting standards imaginable. Then, in an extraordinary series of what amounts to master classes, the authors sit down with each of the fifty executives to discuss the long-term strategies, key accomplishments, guiding beliefs, and career milestones that have helped to make their organizations among the best-run companies in the world. Lou Gerstner of IBM underscores the necessity of adapting to change. "We are constantly challenging what we do--building a culture of restless self-renewal." Ray Gilmartin of Merck discusses, among other things, the critical role of leadership. "My job is really to set the overall strategic direction of the company, to ensure that we are organized to carry out that strategy, and that we have the right management processes in place. I need to create an environment where everyone in the organization can achieve their full potential so that our company does." What makes a business leader great? This is one of the burning questions in companies and boardrooms across America. An even more compelling question: Are there things each of us can learn from these leaders that we can apply to our own lives? Not surprisingly, there is no single answer to copy or formula to follow in order to excel in business. In fact, the leaders selected in Lessons from the Top are wildly different in their personalities, their paths to the top, and the industries they work in. But perhaps the best way to learn how to excel is by studying the strategies and thinking of the wide range of leaders who have proved themselves the best in their industries. Of course, any list of the best business leaders in America would include such recognizable CEOs as Jack Welch, Bill Gates, Lou Gerstner, and Andy Grove. But the list the authors have so exhaustively researched and selected--with the help of the Gallup Organization and the analytical tools of investment advisors Lazard Frères--includes many names that are far less familiar--extraordinarily successful CEOs such as pharmaceutical industry leader Bill Steere of Pfizer, advertising executive Shelly Lazarus of Ogilvy &amp; Mather, Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco International, and Frank Raines of Fannie Mae. In the final section of the book, the authors distill the surprising number of qualities and characteristics that these extraordinarily accomplished individuals share, to offer lessons to help us in our own lives and careers. A groundbreaking book on business and success, Lessons from the Top should be required reading by leaders--and future leaders--everywhere.

Lessons from the Top: In Search of America's Best Business Leaders

Neff, Thomas J.

In the bestselling tradition of In Search of Excellence, fascinating and revealing profiles of the most successful business leaders in America and the strategies, methods, and motivational techniques they use to help make their companies great. What makes a great business leader? What qualities do the men and women at the top of the world's best-run companies have in common? What lessons can they teach other managers and CEOs? Thomas J. Neff and James M. Citrin provide the answers to these vital questions in Lessons from the Top. Using the most exacting standards imaginable, and employing the research expertise of the Gallup Organization and the analytical tools of investment advisers Lazard Freres, they selected the fifty best executives in business today and interviewed them about their long-term strategies, career milestones, key accomplishments, and guiding beliefs. The result is an unparalleled course in what it takes to create a successful, well-organized company in any industry. Lessons from the Top profiles such well-known people as Jack Welch, Bill Gates, Lou Gerstner, and Andy Grove, as well as less familiar figures like Bill Steere of Pfizer, Shelly Lazarus of Ogilvy &amp; Mather, Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco International, and Frank Raines of Fannie Mae. In the final section of the book, the authors distill the qualities these accomplished individuals share, as well as delineate six essential principles of business leadership. A winning combination of entertaining stories about life at the top (and how to get there) and rigorous business insights, Lessons from the Top received high praise when it was published in hardcover and went back to press six times. With a new Introduction, the paperback edition will bring its important lessons to an even wider audience

Lessons from the Top: The 50 Most Successful Business Leaders in America--and What You Can Learn From Them

A groundbreaking new book that examines the companies leading the charge in merging the practices of traditional and e-commerce business -- and the lessons we can learn from them. In Lessons from the Top, James M. Citrin, of the world-renowned executive search firm Spencer Stuart, identified and interviewed (with coauthor Thomas Neff) the fifty top CEOs in America, and distilled the essential principles of leadership they all share. In Citrin's compelling new management book, Zoom, he offers in-depth analyses of twelve market leaders -- including General Motors' e-GM, BEA Systems, eBay, Sun Microsystems, and General Electric -- and reveals how they are bridging the complex demands of yesterday's and today's economies. From the hard-won lessons these pioneering market leaders have learned along the way, Citrin identifies the principles that characterize success today and will help chart success in the future -- principles that other companies can use to redirect their thinking, resources, and energies. Among them: Encourage flexibility. Relationships are much more fluid and multidimensional today. Rather than using a strategic planning process, the best leaders use a strategic framework, with a lot of room for improvisation. Share the vision. It's not enough to just talk about the company's vision -- you need to evangelize about it, and repeat its mantra so often that it becomes second nature to everyone in the company. Create a genuine learning organization by shortening feedback cycles, effectively transferring knowledge, and expanding a company's "listening circles." Reward Failure. It is important to find ways to mitigate personal and organizational risk, and identify and encourage risk takers. They are the ones who can transform a company. What makes this book invaluable are the strategies top managers and executives reveal on how to implement their principles of success: how to flatten the organization, be first to market, measure the right things, and manage customer information. The result is an indespensable road map of the twenty-first century economy that corporate leaders can use to guide and shape their own efforts. In the bestselling fashion of First, Break All the Rules and Built to Last, Zoom is essential reading for those determined to triumph in the years ahead.

Zoom: How 12 Exceptional Companies are Navigating the Road to the Next Economy

Economics

Doubleday Business

Are you about to graduate and begin your job search? 
Or are you a young professional trying to choose the right field or looking for that perfect position that will catapult your career?
Figuring out a career and getting a great job has never been more difficult. On top of that, today’s graduates are looking for not only good jobs but positions that will help them launch careers in which they can grow and prosper. But knowing what to look for and how to actually land a great job is exceptionally challenging when you’re trying to get an interview, make enough money, and position yourself for advancement.
Based on an in-depth survey of thousands of graduates and young professionals, and hundreds of interviews with the world’s top business and nonprofit leaders—not to mention James Citrin’s decades of experience as a senior partner at the premier executive search firm Spencer Stuart—The Career Playbook offers recent graduates and aspiring young professionals actionable advice for excelling. From his practical tips on generating valuable introductions, nailing interviews, and negotiating compensation to strategic advice on the arc of a career, the importance of relationships, how to cultivate a mentor, and knowing when to change jobs or industries, Citrin provides an invaluable guide to the most urgent questions that are at the heart of every person’s career deliberations.
Packed with first-person advice from graduates and young professionals themselves, as well as the perspectives of seasoned CEOs, entrepreneurs, leaders, and experts, such as Virgin’s Sir Richard Branson, Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg, Third Point Advisors’ Daniel Loeb, author Malcolm Gladwell, and US Navy SEALs’ Admiral Eric Olson, The Career Playbook is an essential resource for landing, launching, and thriving in your career.

The Career Playbook: Essential Advice for Today's Aspiring Young Professional

Reference

Crown Currency

Product Description 
A timely and hands-on resource informed by lessons learned from Fortune 500 CEOs and executives 
Leading at a Distance provides executives with the necessary skills to successfully lead in the new virtual workplace, backed by the research and expertise of global leadership firm Spencer Stuart. Although working remotely is not new, the global pandemic has placed virtual work at the center of everyday life. And it has thrust workforce strategies to the core of business operations globally. As the shift towards large-scale virtual work continues to grow and become a permanent fixture―by some estimates, 30% of the workforce will be working virtually – leaders must understand how to build virtual work environments that foster connected, engaged, and high-performing teams. Although some forward-thinking companies and not-for-profit organizations have made significant investments in technology and virtual collaboration, many others have simply joined the “Zoom culture” without fully appreciating what it takes to operate effectively at a distance on a sustained basis. 
Leading at a Distance is a timely, research-based, and highly practical guide for developing and implementing strategies for conducting high-impact virtual work, building trust, and enhancing team unity. Designed to help leaders shape organizational culture remotely, this must-have resource demonstrates how to conduct virtual onboarding for senior leaders, build top teams from a distance, manage accountability in the new virtual environment, and much more. A hands-on toolkit filled with compelling examples, expert insights, and invaluable advice, this book:\nProvides clear guidance on establishing effective leadership in the virtual workplace 
Offers practical approaches for establishing strong relationships, increasing employee engagement, and coaching from a distance 
Addresses ways to keep geographically dispersed team members aligned and accountable 
Illustrates creative ideas for boosting team morale 
Features an overview of the unique challenges facing leaders in the virtual workplace 
Discusses often-overlooked topics such as virtual hiring and onboarding\nLeveraging the authors' in-depth research and consulting experience, Leading at a Distance is required reading for anyone needing to adapt to a virtual way of working and develop their virtual leadership skills to maximize organizational effectiveness and performance. 
 Review 
“It’s always a challenge for leaders to stay nimble as technology upends the old way of doing business, and the era we’re living in is no different. But they’ll find lots of great advice in Citrin and DeRosa’s timely new book – a primer for how to lead in a flexible and dynamic work environment.”– David Solomon, CEO, Goldman Sachs 
“We’re living in an unprecedented time that requires a new leadership at every level. Whether you’re running a company or a country, there is no playbook for how to engage people and drive meaningful action. But, through work like Leading at a Distance, we can learn from each other and find new ways of working, living, and leading.”– Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO Verizon 
“Remote work is here to stay; now comes the hard work of making it sustainable and inclusive. Leading at a Distance offers a roadmap. Jim and Darleen – both experts in their own right – cull timely research and insights from a who’s-who of business leaders into a compact and actionable guide that you’ll turn to again and again.”– Rachel Thomas, CEO, LeanIn.Org 
“Virtual, or remote, leadership is a timely topic. Fortunately for us, authors Citrin and DeRosa began their research 15 years earlier, and their wisdom will remain with us for decades to come.”– Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft 
“Leading at a Distance is remarkably timely, a much-needed tool for any business leader in a post-COVID world. You’d be foolish not to read this book. Citrin and DeRosa not only help adapt your organization to successful distance work.

Leading at a Distance: Practical Lessons for Virtual Success

DeRosa, Darleen

Business Culture

wiley

What is different about the careers of people like Lou Gerstner, the acclaimed, recently retired chairman and CEO of IBM? Or Senator Elizabeth Dole, Yahoo! COO Dan Rosensweig, and Tom Freston, chairman and CEO of MTV Networks? Why did they ascend to the top and prosper—why did they have extraordinary careers—while others equally talented never reached their potential or aspirations? Jim Citrin and Rick Smith of Spencer Stuart, the world’s most influential executive search firm, set out to explore this question. The result—based on in-depth, original research—is sure to be the most important and useful book for anyone seeking to crack the code of how to build a rewarding, personally satisfying career. Like weather systems and financial markets, careers contain patterns. What Citrin and Smith found from their research and extensive experience is that people with extraordinary careers are guided by five straightforward patterns that can be harnessed and used by everyone. These individuals: • Understand the value of you by translating their knowledge and experience into action, building their personal value over each phase of their career • Practice benevolent leadership by not clawing their way to the top but by being carried there • Solve the permission paradox, the dilemma of not being able to get a job without experience and not getting the experience without the job • Differentiate using the 20/80 principle of performance by storming past their defined jobs to create breakthrough ideas and deliver unexpected impact • Do not micromanage their careers, but macromanage them by gravitating toward the things they are best at and have a passion for, and working with people they like and respect No one manages your career for you. But with Citrin and Smith as your guide, you’ll be able to understand—and act on—the root causes of success. And what better source for strategic career advice than Spencer Stuart, the firm that over the past ten years has conducted more than 60 percent of the searches for Fortune 1000 CEOs?

The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers: The Guide for Achieving Success and Satisfaction (Crown Business Briefings)

SMITH, RICHARD

Job Hunting & Careers

Getting a new job or a big promotion is like building a house: You need to get the foundation right for both. With a job, the quick-drying cement is how well you do in your first hundred days, since they establish the foundation for long-term momentum and great performance. Tom Neff and Jim Citrin are two of the world’s leading experts on leadership and career success. As key figures at Spencer Stuart (hailed by the Wall Street Journal as the number one brand name in executive search), they must understand the criteria for success when they recruit top executives for new leadership positions. Through compelling, first-hand stories you will hear from people such as Jeffrey Immelt, CEO of GE, on how his career has been a series of successive first hundred days. Larry Summers, president of Harvard University, talks candidly about what he could have done differently in his early days to avoid dissipating goodwill among the diverse constituencies important for his future success. Gary Kusin of Kinko’s shares the specifics of the hundred-day action plan he crafted for himself before he started his new job. Paul Pressler of Gap Inc. shows how he developed a general strategic agenda that established fundamental principles and goals, waiting to prepare a more detailed strategic plan until later in his tenure. Tom Neff and Jim Citrin’s actionable eight-point plan will be the foundation for your success—whether you are moving to a new organization or being promoted—showing how to: • Prepare yourself mentally, physically, and emotionally from the time you accept until the time you begin • Manage others’ expectations of you—bosses, colleagues, and subordinates • Shape and build the team that will work with you • Learn the lay of the land and find out how things “really work around here” • Communicate your story effectively to people inside and outside the organization • Avoid the top ten traps that confront every new leader, such as disrespecting your predecessor, misreading the true sources of power in the organization, or succumbing to the “savior syndrome” When you start a new job you are in what AOL’s Jon Miller calls a “temporary state of incompetence,” faced with having to do the most when you know the least. But with the eight-point plan of You’re in Charge—Now What? you’ll understand and be able to take action on the patterns that will build your success. Also available as an eBook

You're in Charge--Now What?: The 8 Point Plan

James M. Citrin

When you start a new job, you are in a “temporary state of incompetence,” faced with having to do the most when you know the least. Tom Neff and Jim Citrin, two of the world’s experts on leadership and career achievement, know what it takes to succeed in a new position. Through compelling, first-hand stories, from CEOs like Jeffrey Immelt of GE and Bob Eckert of Mattel, You’re in Charge—Now What? offers an eight-point plan to show you how to lay the groundwork for long-term momentum and great performance.

You're in Charge, Now What?: The 8 Point Plan

The best-selling business leader offers a fresh and compelling path to success based on extensive research and candid interviews with some of the greatest winners of our time
In James Citrin's new paradigm-shifting book, he identifies the essential characteristics and disciplines that have led many of our outstanding athletes and other extraordinary performers to achieve equally significant accomplishments in their respective business careers. Citrin uses dozens of compelling interviews with personalities as varied and impressive as Colin Powell, Tony Hawk, Billie Jean King, Magic Johnson, Mia Hamm, and Buzz Aldrin, to name a few, to illustrate a new personal achievement program called the Dynamic Path―a plan that any businessperson can put to immediate use. Citrin identifies three stages on this path to greatness: • the Champion―combine the work ethic of Tiger Woods with self-confidence and mental toughness to reach the top • the Great Leader―follow Bob Iger's revitalization of Disney as one of our best brands • the Legacy―learn the ultimate lesson in good and lasting work from Lance Armstrong
With inspiring anecdotes, real-world business examples, and his trademark penetrating insight into what it takes to get ahead, Citrin once again provides a clear and concise roadmap for personal excellence.

The Dynamic Path: Access the Secrets of Champions to Achieve Greatness Through Mental Toughness, Inspired Leadership and Personal Transformation

Rodale Books

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