On the High Wire How to Survive Being Promoted

Subjects:

• Business » Management
• Business » Human Resources/Personnel Management

Reviews:

• Gunn, a human resources consultant, and Gullickson, an executive coach, offer strategies for tackling leadership issues such as delegation and conflict management. At the heart of the book is the idea that productive and fulfilling management is not simply a collection of skills and techniques, but a mindset. Illustrating this theme with first-hand examples, the authors guide readers towards the awareness of feelings that influence behavior and respect for multiple points of view.
  —Reference & Research Book News August 2005
• [A] manual for achievers who have reached their goal and need to transition to new responsibilities and challenges. The authors have decades of management leadership and executive coaching on their sides, and use their experience to outline common pitfalls and solutions managers face in their new position. From how to motivate people to identifying new resources and strategies. On the High Wire covers it all.
  —MBR Bookwatch October 2005
• This book provides a guide to obtaining the skills, techniques, and, more important, the mindset of a great leader.
  —T+D Training & Development June 2005

• Endorsement From Mary Adolph, President
  National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation: The fact that this book was written by two individuals who are speaking from real life/work experience, not theory, differentiates it from many others in this space. It will challenge your current thinking and give you the opportunity to look at things through a different lens. Very helpful.
• Endorsement From Louis Patler
  Chairman, Near Bridge, Inc.
  Author of The Consistent Consumer, TrendSmart, Tilt!, and If it Ain't Broke, Break It!: On the High Wire is the ideal metaphor for how you feel the morning after you get the promotion and the greater leadership responsibilities that come with it: exhilarated, slightly scared, seemingly alone. This book is just what you need to move from the Panic Zone to the Comfort Zone--and Gunn and Gulklickson have filled and important gap in leadership development.
• Endorsement From Tim O'Connor
  President and CEO, U.S. Potato Board: On the High Wire offers provocative and compelling ideas on leadership--and leaders are eminently more valuable to an organization than managers.
• Endorsement From Andrea M. Booth
  Founder and President, AMB Resources, Inc.: The question is: do managers need yet another book on management? The answer is an emphatic yes if we are talking about On the High Wire. Because it puts the transition of being promoted into context, On the High Wire does so much more than cover the necessary tactical skills and knowledge. It provides what you really need in your attitude and abilities to be successful in your business world. And it shows you how to survive and thrive on that high wire!
• Endorsement From Safi Jiroh
  Executive Director, Marcus A. Foster Educational Institute: On the High Wire provides a solid leadership framework by which to lead yourself, your staff, and your organization forward, especially during challenging times. Because it is experientially authentic, written to reflect the wisdom gained in the authors' leadership experiences, readers will be inspired to integrate its concepts.
• Endorsement From Jan Shivers
  Executive Coach and Board Member of The Carter Center and Rollins School of Public Health: Breathe. Read this book. Breathe and then read it again. This is a significant contribution to help people craft a work and personal life that feels worthwhile. It is chock full of good sotires, metaphors, and practical examples that reflect the collective years of wisdom, character and deep expertise of the authors.
• Endorsement From Mary Taverna
  President, Hospice of Marin Foundation: A must-read for every supervisor, manager, and CEO. It is one of the very best leadership resources I have found. It should be read, reread, referenced, and kept in your personal library. The honest, practical advice is unbeatable.

Table of Contents:

• Foreword
• Preface: Authors' Perspectives
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction: Stepping Into the Unknown
• Masterful Managers Artfully Balance Doing and Being
• Grace in Change
• The Productivity Paradox
• Creativity and Strategy
• Better Decisions
• Letting Go To Get Ahead
• Strong Connections Begin With Respect For Separate Thinking
• Job One--Setting the Right Tone
• Sales and Meetings
• Teams--Working as One
• Managing Conflict
• Employee Relations
• The Calmer You Become, The More Powerful You Become - And the More You Can Achieve
• Focus & Clarity
• The Antidote to Stress
• Measuring Up
• Wellspring
• Afterword: Why Lead?
• Appendix A: Additional Resources
• Appendix B: Fundamentals
• Notes
• Index