Maximum Performance: A Practical Guide to Leading and Managing People at Work

Based on twelve years involvement with more two thousand MBAs, managers and professionals, Maximum Performance is a comprehensive analysis of leading and managing people set against a backdrop of accelerating organizational, business and technological change. It covers traditional topics - such as personal performance and stress management, employee motivation and performance, power and politics, communication skills and leading and managing change, as well as more contemporary issues, such as business ethics in a global economy and leadership in high-tech and virtual organizations. It also looks at how leaders and managers can create cultures to promote essential modern organizational competencies such as creativity and innovation, the effective dissemination and use of knowledge and intellectual capital, and creating systemic intelligent learning capabilities amongst employees. Maximum Performance represents a distillation of the best practical ideas about leadership and people management of recent times, condensed into a form that busy managers and professionals can assimilate and make immediate use of at work in large, medium-sized or small organizations, and in the public or private sector.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Preface 1. The Foundations of Leadership and People Management 2. Personal Performance and Stress Management 3. Communication at Work 4. Employee Motivation, Empowerment and Performance 5. Leading and Managing Teams 6. Doing it Differently? The Emergence of Women Leaders 7. Managing Power, Politics and Conflict 8. Leading Organizational and Cultural Change 9. Innovation and Organizational Learning 10. Managing Employee Knowledge and Intellectual Capital 11. Leadership and People Management in High-Tech, Networked and Virtual Organizations 12. Leadership and Business Ethics Conclusion: Leading and Managing People at Work Appendix 1: The Business Case for Emotional Intelligence Appendix 2: The Benefits of Health and Wellness Programs Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Nick Forster, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, KSA

Review :
"'In my experience a major shortcoming of most "how to" books on leadership and management is that they purport to offer "Silver Bullets" - magical solutions that, once revealed, will enrich and transform the reader and his or her organisation. Regrettably, business life is not that simple. Rather, it is characterised by uncertainty and lack of precedent and complicated by the different wants, needs and motivations of people. Nick Forster's practical book, grounded in many years of leadership and management development and MBA education, recognises this complexity and the folly of "one-size-fits-all" solutions. It is a valuable source book, packed full of useful ideas for current and aspiring business leaders.' - Michael Chaney, Australian Businessman of the Year 2003 and CEO of Wesfarmers - the Australian Financial Review's Company of the Year 2002; 'Maximum Performance delivers what it promises. It is practical, useful and well grounded in up-to-date research findings from across the globe. Nick Forster writes well, with a lively voice and has peppered the text with rich examples and case studies. The diagnostic skill exercises and inventories offered throughout are especially helpful. The book meets the needs of both managers and students alike, across a wide span of experiences. Well worth the investment.' - Barry Posner, Santa Clara University, California and co-author, with James Kouzes, of The Leadership Challenge; 'Maximum Performance is an essential read for all business owners, managers, consultants and key decision makers. It is an outstanding and comprehensive insight into the broad range of managerial and leadership issues which confront business people today. It is practical and littered with excellent case study examples and illustrations. Its unique style is easy to read, thought provoking and demystifies concepts that are easily misunderstood outside an MBA course. Grasp and digest this book quickly because it's the smart thing to do.' - Barry Smith, the General Management Consulting Group; 'Nick's book is an energetic and down-to-earth exploration of the many dimensions of this enigmatic thing we call leadership. It is a distillation of much knowledge, experience and insightful observation. There is refreshing and satisfying clarity of discussion; with comment on many management theories, explanations of evidence and research and the consequences of their applications in organisations. The pages are brimming with examples, keeping the messages real, practical and always interesting. Maximum Performance is thought provoking, and the reader is constantly challenged to assess his or her own knowledge, experience, attributes, perceptions and behaviour. It is a wonderful resource for those beginning their endeavours, introducing them to the complexities of leading people, and a delightful summary of instantly recognisable experience to those who are well on the journey. It is hugely valuable to all, whether for new knowledge or a welcome refresher. And, there is just a touch of irreverence, adding an enjoyable balance to a serious subject.' - Penny Flett, CEO of the Brightwater Care Group and Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year, 1998"