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Running Head: EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP

Effective Leadership Literature Review
































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Building the Bridge As You Walk On It: A Guide for Leading Change: Author: Robert E. Quinn.
Effective leadership is critical to an organizations achievement. There are several
common characteristics that effective organizational leaders share. Without these characteristics,
initiatives and change can fail. Leaders can take various different steps to help keep projects
from failing.
In this book "Building the Bridge as You Walk on it" the author proposes a new model of
leadership. Quinn the author of this book calls this the fundamental state of leadership," which
is developed and supported through the firsthand stories of others who have experienced
personal transformation.
The author goal is to illuminate how we can transform ourselves and our organizations."
This process, he argues, requires a new way of thinking. Normally we pursue change through
telling others why they need to change and, if this fails, we attempt to make them change.
Quinn addresses multiple meanings, all metaphors for the process of leading. Leadership is not
due to position or authority; instead, leading is engaging in a new endeavor while in the midst of
the change itself.
This book of "Building the Bridge as You Walk on it" has three parts, as follow, An
Invitation to the Fundamental State of Leadership, Eight practices for entering the fundamental
state of leadership and Developing Leaders.
In the first part an invitation to the fundamental state of leadership." in this part of the
book Quinn explains the concept and presents his reasoning behind the need for personal
transformation before one is able to lead.
In chapter two of the part one, the fundamental state of leadership is about change. We
look to find that change by stepping outside of our comfort zone and asking what results do we
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want or need to create. One becomes less self focused and more other-focused (Quinn, R.E.
(2004). Within these transformations of self and putting others first in addition to giving of
oneself can also be view as maturity. An example comes to mind, when flying on an aircraft the
flight attendant will instruct the passenger in the event of an emergency the oxygen mask will
release. If you are traveling with a child place the oxygen mask over your face and then they
instruct to assist the child. This is a real life example of how you must help yourself first and
then you can help other. It is the same in the growth process. That is how leaders are positioned
to lead people within an organization. Leaders first feed their need for knowledge with education
and they also acquire life experiences and then they can become self less.
The fundamental state of leadership, differentiated from the normal state, is
characterized by four qualities. The leader is purpose-centered; he or she is committed and
engaged in pursuit of a meaningful task. The person is internally directed, always self-examining
and attending to value-behavior inconsistencies. Other-Focused, One must transcend his or her
ego and be other-focused, putting others first and being authentic. Finally, the leader is externally
open, with a real interest in learning.
In the second part eight practices for entering the fundamental state of leadership.
The fundamental state of leadership, differentiated from the normal state, is characterized by
four qualities. The leader is purpose-centered; he or she is committed and engaged in pursuit of a
meaningful task. The person is internally directed, always self-examining and attending to value-
behavior inconsistencies. Other-Focused, One must transcend his or her ego and be other-
focused, putting others first and being authentic. Finally, the leader is externally open, with a real
interest in learning.
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The author used some stories of others, to present, clarify, and support is argument, is
clear and serves their purpose. At the end of each chapter, readers are invited to submit their own
stories or insights to a web page (www.deepchange.com).
Making Strategy Work: Leading Effective Execution and Change
How to make strategy work? Hrebiniak focuses his attention on the processes, decisions,
and actions which are needed to execute an appropriate strategy effectively. It soon becomes
obvious that Hrebiniak is a pragmatist. His observations and recommendations are based on an
abundance of real-world data. Both he and his content are results-oriented. He is determined to
help his reader to see the Big Picture but also to be ever-alert for significant details. A realist,
Hrebiniak fully understands that strategy execution initiatives inevitably encounter all manner of
barriers, challenges, etc. and so he correctly stresses the importance of managing change as a
complicated, sometimes volatile process. The author comes to the point in the first sentences of
the introduction. This book focuses on a critical management issue: Making strategy work or
executing strategy effectively. Hrebiniak introduces a step-by-step plan for the execution
process, which can assist people during this process.
In this book, Hrebiniak offers the first comprehensive, disciplined process model for
making strategy work in the real world. Drawing on his unsurpassed experience, Hrebiniak
shows why execution is even more important than many senior executives realize, and sheds
powerful new light on why businesses fail to deliver on even their most promising strategies.
Next, he offers a systematic roadmap for execution that encompasses every key success factor:
organizational structure, coordination, information sharing, incentives, controls, change
management, culture, and the role of power and influence in your business. Making Strategy
Work concludes with a start-to-finish case study showing how to use Hrebeniak's ideas to
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address one of today's most difficult business execution challenges: ensuring the success of a
merger or acquisition.
The material is carefully organized within ten chapters whose subjects range from
"Strategy Execution Is the Key" to "Summary and Application: Making Mergers and
Acquisitions Work," followed by an Appendix in which Hrebiniak provides a strategy execution
survey conducted by The Wharton School of Pennsylvania and GartnerG2 in 2003. There are
references to survey results throughout the book. For example, responses to a section on
"Obstacles to Strategy Execution" I also appreciate various reader-friendly devices which
Hrebiniak employs such as graphic illustrations and checklists as well as a Summary of key
points at the end of each chapter.
The purpose of the third chapter is to clarify the link between planning and execution and
show how strategy creation affects strategy creation. Strategic planning at the corporate level is
primarily involved with portfolio decisions and a resource allocation across businesses.The
goal [at business level] is to develop a strategy that leads to competitive advantage in an industry
or market segment. The final point is that strategy makes demands on the development of
organizational skills, resources, and capabilities.
"The operational aspects of strategic and short-term objectives mean that these objectives are
measurable. They are useful for strategy execution if they measure important results. Strategy
must be translated into metrics that are consistent with strategy and measurable. Only then can
the results of execution be adequately assessed. Without these useful metrics, successful
evaluation of execution results is not possible." (Page 88)
The Path to Successful Execution: Good Strategy Comes First: A number of points in the
present chapter relate to the success of a companys execution or implementation efforts.
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Strategy is the essential ingredient, the driving force behind execution efforts
It is vitally important to integrate corporate and business strategies. This means that effective
communication is needed between levels, along with processes that enable decision-makers to
reach agreement on strategies, goals, and performance metrics
Long-term strategic needs of the organization must be translated into short-term operating
objectives in order to successfully execute-strategy
Finally, strategy makes demands on organizational resources and capabilities

















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References
Hrebiniak, L. G. (2005). Making Strategy Work. New Jersey: Wharton School Publishing.
Quinn, E. R. (2004). Building the Bridge As You Walk On It: A Guide for Leading Change.