Beschrijving

Crucial topics such as customer engagement and collaboration, automation and artificial intelligence, sustainability and social responsibility, and professional development are also covered. It includes real-world examples and case studies, as well as best practises and tools for managing large-scale Agile development.Have you ever wondered how the most effective leaders became so? Nature versus nurture? While some leaders are born with limited natural abilities, those who are most deserving of followership have attained that status through continuous improvement. This implies that everyone can improve their leadership abilities.However, merely possessing these qualities is insufficient; it is also essential to know how to effectively apply them in various situations. A section on assessing your own leadership skills and a discussion of the obstacles that can prevent you from reaching your full leadership potential are therefore included.

Beschrijving

A British diplomat shares lessons on leadership gained over his expansive career.

Simon McDonald argues that we should reflect on the nature and strategies of leadership before entering a leadership role, and we should look to examples of others to help us in shaping our own approaches.

Over nearly four decades in Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service, McDonald worked for four permanent under-secretaries and a dozen senior ambassadors before becoming a permanent under-secretary himself and leading the Service—which has over 14,000 staff members in 270 countries—for five years. He also worked directly for six foreign secretaries and under five prime ministers. Observing these people undertaking such important and difficult work, McDonald saw the behaviors which helped them achieve their objectives, as well as those which hindered them.

In this book, McDonald synthesizes the skills he’s learned through his many years working in diplomacy, offering an insightful contribution amid heightening debates over the leadership of the United Kingdom. Considering the future of British leadership, he makes a case for the reform of the monarchy, the cabinet, civil service, and, in particular, the House of Lords, of which he has been a member since 2021.