Subtitled 'how great leaders bring out the best in themselves and others', this book looks at the qualities needed by successful leaders in the challenging operating environment that now prevails - where no matter how secure or thriving a business appears to be, pressure and uncertainty are the new normal.
Redefining leadership
Menkes goes so far as to say that the need to perform optimally under consistently demanding circumstances has redefined leadership as fundamentally about 'realising potential, in yourself and in the people you lead'. This, he says, is a very practical process of rising to ever higher levels of achievement to the best of the individual's abilities. The life-long desire to stretch towards new achievement is an innate human driver that successful leaders tap into.
The new paradigm for leadership, says Menkes, is not unidirectional. Instead it is about the co-creation of a fluid, virtuous cycle of exchange and growth between leaders and the people they lead.
Three cornerstones for working better under pressure
Menkes identifies three key characteristics that are found in excellent leaders who thrive under pressure. Encouragingly, he says that these can be learned with practice.
- Realistic optimism - recognising the real risks without delusion or irrationality while also retaining confidence in ultimate success
- Subservience to purpose - having dedication to a noble cause and winning their team's commitment to that cause
- Finding order in chaos - finding clarity amid the many variables and complexity, leading to meaningful solutions
"A diamond is a chunk of coal that was put under pressure."Henry Kissinger