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Publications
  • 2012
  • Book

Harder Than I Thought: Adventures of a Twenty-First Century Leader

By: Robert D. Austin, Richard L. Nolan and Shannon O'Donnell
  • Format:Print
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Abstract

Being a great leader today is much harder than you think—meet Jim Barton. He's a newly minted CEO, rising leader of a firm in transition, and manager of massive complexity—thanks to our incredibly networked and increasingly unpredictable world of business. What if you were in his shoes? If you're a top executive today, you probably are. "Harder Than I Thought" is a fictional narrative that puts the increasingly complex job of Chief Executive in a very real context. It serves as a practical guide by allowing you to walk alongside Jim as he takes on his new role and all its attendant challenges. Jim's story—developed in collaboration with seasoned, real-life CEOs—includes crucial lessons for anyone hoping to master the new-world skills required of successful business leaders today. As the narrative unfolds, Jim grapples with an array of business crises, some he inherited and some of his own making. As events push this new leader to the edge of his abilities, he seeks counsel from a panel of advisers—resulting in a wealth of teaching moments bound to keep you captivated. Experts agree that many twentieth-century leadership practices won't work in the turbulent twenty-first century. This engaging book gives you the insights you'll need to navigate in a fast-changing business landscape.

Keywords

Leadership; Complexity; Crisis Management; Problems and Challenges; Volatility

Citation

Austin, Robert D., Richard L. Nolan, and Shannon O'Donnell. Harder Than I Thought: Adventures of a Twenty-First Century Leader. Harvard Business Review Press, 2012.
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About The Author

Richard L. Nolan

→More Publications

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    • March 2022
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    Boeing Commercial Airplanes: Industry Leadership Lost (Four Key Decisions)

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    • 2020
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    Performance Hacking: The Contagious Business Practice that Corrodes Corporate Culture, Undermines Core Values, and Damages Great Companies

    By: Robert D. Austin and Richard L. Nolan
    • 2019
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    The Creative Consulting Company

    By: Robert S. Kaplan, Richard Nolan and David P. Norton
More from the Authors
  • Boeing Commercial Airplanes: Industry Leadership Lost (Four Key Decisions) By: Richard L. Nolan and Robert D Austin
  • Performance Hacking: The Contagious Business Practice that Corrodes Corporate Culture, Undermines Core Values, and Damages Great Companies By: Robert D. Austin and Richard L. Nolan
  • The Creative Consulting Company By: Robert S. Kaplan, Richard Nolan and David P. Norton
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