1st Edition

Applied Leadership Development Nine Elements of Leadership Mastery

By Al Bolea, Leanne Atwater Copyright 2016
    328 Pages
    by Routledge

    328 Pages
    by Routledge

    Intended for courses on leadership, practicing managers, consultants, and practitioners, this approachable guide teaches readers about how to become a leader. By blending the real-world insights of business executive Al Bolea with tested research findings provided by leadership scholar Leanne Atwater, it effectively bridges theory and practice to outline powerful leadership behaviors. Based on Bolea’s original "J-Curve" model of leadership, the authors identify and describe nine essential elements for leadership mastery, including skills such as setting direction, creating key proceses, and nurturing behaviors.

    Each chapter pairs concrete narratives with succinct research synopses to show how to expand the potential of people and organizations. A unique, experiential text, Applied Leadership Development engages students with self-reflection and self-assessment exercises, and encourages them in their own development as future leaders.

    Context Setting

    PHASE 1: What Leaders Do

    Element 1: Set Direction

    Element 2: Build a Team of People

    Element 3: Create Key Processes

    Element 4: Steward Structure

    Element 5: Nurture Behaviors

    PHASE 2: How Leaders Lead

    Element 6: Conversations

    Element 7: Provide Support

    Element 8: Set Boundaries

    Element 9: Space to Deliver

    Conclusion: The Journey

    Biography

    Al Bolea is the founder and architect of the Applied Leadership Seminars, the former CEO/GM of a large independent oil company in the United Arab Emirates, and a retired executive from a major international oil and gas company, as well as Distinguished Visiting Professor of Leadership at the University of Alaska and a guest leadership lecturer at the University of Houston.

    Leanne Atwater is Professor of Management in the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston. She has published over 50 journal articles and two books in the areas of leadership and feedback. She teaches leadership development at the graduate and undergraduate levels. She is also the current editor of The Leadership Quarterly.

    There aren’t that many books that I feel that I want to go back and re-read – but this is one of them. Or if time doesn’t allow, I will at least check through all my multiple underlinings and notes in the margins.

    -- Emily Hutchinson, The Psychologist

    Al Bolea and Leanne Atwater have distilled the essence of leadership and answer questions that aspiring leaders ask. This is among the most valuable and insightful books on leadership I have seen, one that works well at the intersection of theory and practical leadership. A very worthy read.

    -- Governor Sean Parnell, Alaska

    Al and Leanne’s experiences and teachings in Applied Leadership Development drive home the message of what we take on in our roles as leaders. Leadership is about courage, accountability and the willingness to grow and change.  This book is more than a one-time read, it is a tremendous resource manual that will help you grow regardless of where you are in your leadership journey.

    -- Scott Knutson, Vice President, Executive Accounts, Nalco Champion

    A great read on what I call ‘doing’ leadership. What sets this book apart is its focus on the way leadership characteristics that we read about, can be ‘applied’.  By combining research findings with anecdotes that speak to the fine art of leadership, Leanne and Al provide a useful reference tool for going from ‘learning’ to ‘doing’ leadership.

    --Latha Ramchand, C. T. Bauer College of Business, University of Houston, USA

    Bolea and Atwater do a masterful job of blending practical experiences with cutting edge research. Their story-telling approach powerfully combines wisdom with theory into a book that reads more like a weekend novel than a leadership development guide. Suitable for corporate development as well as university classrooms, practitioners and scholars alike will find the book to be highly informative, research supported, and a pleasure to read.

    -- Kevin B. Lowe, University of Auckland, Fletcher Building Education Trust Chair in Leadership

    The book is a treasure trove of information that provides practical examples of, as well the theoretical bases for, leadership principles that work. This insightful book is written in a style that presents complex ideas in a highly accessible and usable manner. It is a good cover-to-cover read as well as great reference to review when specific leadership opportunities arise.

    -- John R. D. Stalvey, University of Alaska, Anchorage, USA

    True to its title, Applied Leadership Development delivers plenty of application in the art and science of leadership. Co-author Al Bolea adds his insights from a lifetime of field experience to the tested research of co-author and leadership scholar Leanne Atwater. The resulting synergy not only bridges theory and practice but also prescribes powerful leadership behaviors, based on Bolea’s 'J-Curve' model, describing nine elements for leadership mastery.

    --Ken Shelton, editor/publisher of Leadership Excellence magazine, 1984-2014