Executive Thinking: The Dream, the Vision, the Mission Achieved

Rating:
Summary: Clarifying the Vision
Review: Ms. Kossoff has crsytalized the vision of executives and their missions. She alone has listened to all manners of executives and discovered their shared visions and fears. In Executive Thinking, Ms. Kossoff describes in an easily readable and entertainingly visual manner how to sustain an organizational dream.

Rating:
Summary: A Solid Effort!
Review: Remember the old Broadway song, "You gotta have a dream, or how you gonna have a dream come true?" This is the executive version. Author Leslie L. Kossoff maintains that executives must have - and must clearly and enthusiastically articulate - a dream of what a company can be in order to get everyone else in the company excited, aligned and active. As an executive (or as a climber of that ladder), you may find this a pretty reasonable introduction to leadership, though it could also sound fairly simplistic. Kossoff offers a few non-specific examples, either citing news stories or alluding to individual executives, but primarily she tells us how she thinks successful executives should behave. Like the content, the book's tone also is a little reminiscent of a show tune -not too challenging and enjoyable to hum - but its attitude is sincere. We at getAbstract recommend this refresher as a philosophical pep talk that reminds executives how their approach to their jobs affects the realization of their dreams.

Rating:
Summary: Your own executive coach
Review: This book is so timely! With leaders in all kinds of institutions failing at an alarming rate, we have a leadership crisis. Why do so many fail? Evidence indicates they lack vision and/or do not implement their vision well. Both qualities are essential. In writing about leaders of the future, Rosabeth Kanter has said that those who can balance dreams with discipline will do best. Just how can they do that? Leslie Kossoff in her EXECUTIVE THINKING provides clear, practical directions to help leaders develop personal vision for their company and translate that into a successful reality. Reading this book is like having your own executive coach. It is rich in insights and suggestions about what leaders should know and how they can develop themselves and their employees to build a dynamic company of people who are committed to realizing the leader's dream. The secret of success lies in learning how to develop and promote "executive thinking" throughout the organization. Bill Sadler, Ph.D. Chair of the Business Department. Holy Names College. Oakland, CA.