Transforming Leaders into
PROGRESSMAKERS
Leadership for the 21st Century
Phillip G. Clampitt, Hendrickson Professor of Business, University of Wisconsin -- Green Bay
Robert J. DeKoch, President & COO, The Boldt Company
Leaders
H.R. McMaster Profile
Endorsements
Transforming Leaders into Progress Makers is an engaging and practical study of the key elements of leadership and what one must do to move an organization through change and to a more successful place. By way of excellent examples, reinforced by the real life experiences of the authors, one will be exposed to what it takes to lead and move an organization to a higher level of performance. The book is written in a way that makes it hard to put down and holds one’s interests. This should be required reading for anyone who is in a leadership position and searching for a comprehensive source and guide for success in the world of business or life in general.
Mark Gardner, President and CEO of Sappi Fine Papers North America
Transforming Leaders into Progress Makers: Leadership for the 21st Century will quickly become required reading for all who aspire to organizational leadership. Phil Clampitt and Robert DeKoch have crafted an insightful and practical approach to leadership development. Packed with organizational examples from their extensive business experiences, the book draws from a broad array of literature in management, science, arts and technology to explore change, innovation and other strategic leadership issues. The book is hard to put down.
Dr. Angela Brenton, Dean of the College of Professional Studies at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock
This work contains concepts and insights that advance the study and practice of leadership. It is to be celebrated equally for its humility as well as its assertions. Here there are no false claims of certainty, demonstrating that the authors practice what they preach. Instead of punctuating their work with a declarative statement of truth, they enjoin the reader to refine and explore. Yet just as we accept the caveat and invitation we should not overlook the helpful exploration that lies within this book. The authors are in search of a more sustainable form of leadership, a project that could be the next great platform of leadership theory.
Dr. George Reed, Professor of School of Leadership and Education Science at University of San Diego
In Transforming Leaders into Progress Makers, Clampitt and DeKoch offer leaders insightful analyses of the key challenges associated with achieving tangible, sustainable progress in large, complex and often decentralized organizations. I found the chapters dealing with the Focused Flexibility Mind-Set and Enlarging the Circle of Engagement to offer particularly useful insights that I can apply in leading my firm.
The book is filled with rich and diverse business examples that challenge the reader to re-evaluate long-held “truths” about how to move an organization ahead, in spite of inevitable roadblocks along the way.
I found Transforming Leaders into Progress Makers to offer valuable recommendations and tools for addressing the quintessential leadership challenges: knowing when to invest precious resources in improving existing systems and methods, and when to take the organization into unchartered territory that offers promise, but no guarantees. Readers are led through a series of case studies and check lists that propel them along the path to achieving significant, sustainable change within their organizations.
Jeannette Terry, President and CEO of Tercon Consulting; Director of Americas for Global Leadership Alliance
The increasing volatility of the business and political environments require new models to lead effectively in the 21st Century. Clampitt and DeKoch go far beyond the typical tomes on leadership by providing readers with an innovative model that challenges the conventional wisdom on leadership. Transforming Leaders into Progress Makers makes a compelling argument that effective leadership in the 21st Century is not a simple personality trait but a complex process of leading an organization through different phases of development and effectiveness. Clampitt and DeKoch enhance the reader’s understanding of their model by providing compelling examples of leaders who have transformed their organizations into highly effective, successful organizations; true Progress Makers.
Transforming Leaders into Progress Makers is one of the few books on leadership that will provide insight and enjoyment to the highly placed executive as well as the student who is preparing to lead in the 21st century.
Rick Fantini, Executive Vice President for Appleton Coated
Phil Clampitt’s and Bob DeKoch’s Transforming Leaders into Progress Makers is an insightful examination of balance and decision making translated into tangible action. They introduce the concepts of “Calculated Boldness” along with “Focused Flexibility.” Leaders must constantly balance exploring the future possibilities for their organization with spending time on refining current, known practices. And leaders must balance the fear of the unknown for their employees with the comfort and stability of current habits. Underpinning their theory are practical tools to help leaders make the right day-to-day choices and transform themselves into true “Progress Makers.” This is a must-read for navigating these extremely uncertain times and moving your company forward.
Terri Pawer, COO of Dental City
Transforming Leaders into Progress Makers is an enjoyable journey throughout history -- from great leaders of the past to current day executives. The stories of success (Netflix) and failure (why Sears didn't become Amazon.com) lead you to reflect not only on the current structure of your organization, but the future and what other platforms might emerge. Progress Makers has important lessons for our times.
Michael Sadoff, Investment Advisor/Co-owner - Sadoff Investment Management LLC