PUBLISHED IN THE ASSOCIATION FOR

STRATEGIC PLANNING

SEPTEMBER 2013 NEWS LETTER

Manage to Lead, by Peter DiGiammarino, presents a structured approach to plan and implement next steps for an organization as it strives for long-term growth and performance.

I’m a business author and consultant who has read just about everything on management and leadership, but this soft cover book blew me away. It’s full of fresh content, practical exercises and an innovative linkage to on-line strategic planning templates and support resources. Gadzooks – this book verges on disruptive technology for strategic planning consultants!

The author, Peter DiGiammarino, is CEO of Intelliven and Chairman of Compusearch. He is also a strong supporter of ASP and delivered a rousing keynote at the 2013 Annual Conference in Atlanta, GA. ASP’s NorCal Chapter will host him on September 25 at 12:00 Noon PST for a worldwide webinar, Make Strategy Real: Manage to Lead and The Seven Truths.

Whether you want to change personal habits, implement a new information system, improve a business process, get team members to work together, increase a community’s appreciation for diversity, or even to topple a monarchy, following his seven disarmingly simple truths will individually and collectively help achieve the goal. His seven truths are creatively labeled: Get Loose, Get Clear, Get Aligned, Plan Change, Do & Review, Get Help, Focus and Grow.

These “Seven Truths” incorporate both the “soft skills” needed to lead, and the analytic frameworks that are needed to be effective from a business standpoint, regardless of industry.

This is a workbook that educators, consultants and executives can use to help their students, clients and staff become effective leaders of strategic change. This book serves as the core content for a class in Organization Analysis, Strategy and Development (OAS) at one of the top MS OD programs in the United States. Change agents and consultants who want to create maximum social and business impact in a high manner will reference it often.

Peter’s book distills the lessons he has learned throughout his career as a successful COO and CEO, integrated with perspectives of the leading OD experts.

Unlike books with page after page of dense paragraphs, the pages are visually inviting. He made this an easy almost breezy read by including 127 different figures and illustrations, each offering meaty insights just by themselves. This easy to follow layout, with visual variety and plenty of color, make this book accessible to just about anyone.   The pages are populated with plenty of interesting exercises that small groups can use to address practical organization issues (for example, getting role clarity). The workbook is available digitally as an Apple i-Book and in soft-cover from Amazon.

If you are looking for a straightforward framework to describe and assess any organization, along with a structured approach to plan and implement next steps for long-term growth and performance, you won’t find a better book on the market.

Terry Schmidt is founder of www.ManagementPro.com, author of Strategic Project Management Made Simple and an ASP Strategic Management Pioneer.

For more reader reviews of Manage to Lead see posts in the REVIEW category.

To buy Manage to Lead or  to download the free chapter on Inkling visit: www.intelliven.com/managetolead/