Transforming Leaders Into Progress Makers

Phillip G. Clampitt (PhD, University of Kansas) is the Blair Endowed Chair of Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. He was previously designated the Hendrickson Named Chair of Business. The Wall Street Journal and MIT Sloan Management Review has highlighted his work on "Decision Downloading," which details how companies can effectively communicate decisions to those not involved in the decision-making process. He is the author of a SAGE Publications best seller, Communicating for Managerial Effectiveness 5e (see www.imetacomm.com/cme4), co-author of the forthcoming Progress Makers: Beyond the Desire to Lead (SAGE, and co-author of Embracing Uncertainty: The Essence of Leadership. Along with being on the editorial board of numerous professional journals, his work has been published in a variety of journals including the MIT Sloan Management Review, Academy of Management Executive, Management Communication Quarterly, Journal of Business Communication, Communication World, Journal of Broadcasting, Journal of Communication Management, lvey Business Journal, and Journal of Change Management. In addition to many guest speaking opportunities in the U.S., he has also been invited to speak internationally at The University of Pisa, The University of Aberdeen, The University of Ulster, as well as to numerous multinational businesses and professional organizations. As a principal in his firm, Metacomm, he has consulted on communication issues with a variety of organizations, such as PepsiCo, Manpower, Schneider National, American Medical Security, Dean Foods, The Boldt Company, Stora Enso, The U.S. Army War College, Appleton Papers, Foremost Farms, Thilmany Paper, Dental City, and Nokia (see www.imetacomm.com). Robert J. DeKoch received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Lawrence University and his Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. His career has spanned numerous manufacturing industries where he has held various management positions in operations, engineering, and research. He is currently the President and Chief Operating Officer for a major U.S. construction services firm, the Boldt Company (see www.theboldtcompany.com). He is also Co-Chairman of the Board of New North, Inc., a regional economic development initiative in Northeastern Wisconsin. The initiative's mission is to harness and promote the 18-county region's resources, talents and creativity for the purposes of sustaining and growing the regional economy (see www.thenewnorth.com). Throughout his career, Mr. DeKoch has focused on developing work environments for high involvement and continuous learning. He has instituted progressive communication processes in the workplace to promote understanding, focus and alignment. He strives to build organizational relationships that foster innovative thinking, recognition of achievement, and genuine teamwork. He co-authored the book Embracing Uncertainty: The Essence of Leadership and leadership articles in various journals.

SECTION ONE 1. Introduction Our Purpose Our Approach 2. Exploring Attributes of Explorers Exploring and Progress Making Concluding Thoughts 3. Refining Attributes of Refiners Refining and Progress making Concluding Thoughts 4. Platforms How Platforms Emerge Features of Platforms Concluding Thoughts 5. Progress Defining Progress Implications of the Progress Definition Concluding Thoughts Progress Maker Profile: Oscar Boldt and The Boldt Company 6. The Progress Model How the Progress Model Works So What? Concluding Thoughts 7. How Explorers and Refiners Make Progress The Explorers Mode of Making Progress The Refiners Mode of Making Progress The Challenges Faced by Explorers and Refiners Concluding Thoughts 8. Progress Makers The Central Conundrum The Progress Maker's Response Making the Right Choices Progress Maker Profile: Ron Reed and the Discovery Channel SECTION TWO 9. Envision the Future with Calculated Boldness Defining the Concept What Inhibits Calculated Boldness What to Do? Concluding Thoughts Progress Maker Profile: Brigadier General H.R. McMaster 10. Cultivate a Focused Flexibility Mindset A Deeper Look at Focus and Flexibility Why is Focused Flexibility so Difficult? What to Do? Concluding Thoughts 11. Enlarge the Circle of Engagement The Concept Why Don't We Enlarge the Circle? How do You Enlarge the Circle of Engagement? Concluding Thoughts Progress Maker Profile: Vicki Wilson and Door County Coffee & Tea 12. Foster the Growth of Investment-Worthy Employees Defining the Concept Barriers What to Do? Concluding Thoughts 13. Seek, Nurture and Evaluate Actionable Ideas Defining the Concept Phases to Generate Actionable Ideas Barriers What to Do? Concluding Thoughts Progress Maker Profile: Laura Hollingsworth and The Des Moines Register & Gannett 14. Select, Detect, and Correct the Proper Errors Background Error Management Framework The Counter Forces What to Do? Concluding Thoughts 15. Practice Receiver-Centric, Strategy-Based, Feedback-Driven Communication Defining the Concept Barriers What to Do? Concluding Thoughts 16. Conclusion Appendix 1: Progress Makers Appendix 2: UMM and the Origins of Focused Flexibility Index About the Authors

This book will quickly become required reading for all who aspire to organizational leadership. Phil Clampitt and Robert DeKoch have crafted an insightful and practical approach to leadership development. Packed with organizational examples from their extensive business experiences, the book draws from a broad array of literature in management, science, arts and technology to explore change, innovation and other strategic leadership issues. The book is not only readable, but hard to put down. -- Angela Brenton This book contains concepts and insights that advance the study and practice of leadership. It is to be celebrated equally for its humility as well as its assertions. Here there are no false claims of certainty demonstrating that the authors practice what they preach. Instead of punctuating their work with a declarative statement of truth they enjoin the reader to refine and explore. The authors are in search of a more sustainable form of leadership, a project that could be the next great platform of leadership theory. -- George Reed "The book is filled with rich and diverse business examples that challenge the reader to re-evaluate long-held "truths" about how to move an organization ahead, in spite of inevitable roadblocks along the way." -- Jeannette Terry "Clampitt and DeKoch enhance the reader's understanding of their model by providing compelling examples of leaders who have transformed their organizations into highly effective, successful organizations; true Progress Makers." -- Rick Fantini "Underpinning their theory are practical tools to help leaders make the right day-to day choices and transform themselves into true "Progress Makers." This is a must-read for navigating these extremely uncertain times and moving your company forward." -- Terri Pawer