No-Drama Leadership: How Enlightened Leaders Transform Culture in the Workplace

Leadership consultant Chism (Stop Workplace Drama) offers much-needed advice on a problem that many leaders have but few will admit to: namely, that they are ill-equipped to manage their employees. This business manual shows how to overcome this hurdle and get the results you seek. The most important step for any organization, Chism writes, is internal alignment of its mission and values. She cites the NFL as a prominent example of misalignment, in that its policy on players who commit violent crimes has, in several prominent cases, gone unenforced. Some of the factors Chism names that can lead to alignment include awareness, accountability, and responsibility. While sage advice appears throughout, the book's strongest point is the chapter on communication. Chism urges leaders to view communication as not only a relationship builder but as a brand and a strategy. She also discusses how to deal with change, both desired and unwanted. The book's last third discusses how to create healthy corporate cultures, align a company's energy with its mission and values, and use employee empowerment to drive profits and reduce turnover. Chock-full of valuable insights for leaders at all levels, this book will help demystify the secrets of effective leadership. (May)