Leader/Manager/Coach

By: Change Masters Leadership Communications Success Series

Narrated by: Carol Ann Keers

The more experienced you become, the more roles you need to juggle. This series explains how to balance more effectively and find time for the three major roles you will face every day throughout your career: manager, leader, and coach.

Change Masters has individually coached thousands of global executives to significantly improve their leadership communication skills since it was established in 1986. The Change Masters Leadership Success Series gives you usable information, containing pragmatic tools that have been road-tested by top leaders. Many times people consider a seminar successful if there is one usable nugget or idea. This series captures the most valuable nuggets we've gleaned to give you high value and save you time.

©2007 Significant Pursuit Institute LLC (P)2007 Significant Pursuit Institute LLC

If it was simple we would already be doing it.

Leader / Manager / Coach is a program designed to teach you how to balance these three critical roles of an executive position. Figuring out this balance can be a challenge, since the goals of each role are different:

"Leaders see the future and set the vision."

"Managers focus on results."

"Coaches find, retain and develop individual talent."

The question is, how do you know which role you should fill at any given time? Failure to answer this question can result in confusion and wasted time among staff. It can also increase your stress level and cause you to work less efficiently.

This program does a nice job of defining the three roles of an executive position and how these roles are often in conflict with one another. Understanding this helps you better grasp the program's advice on how to balance these roles. It may sound simple, but if it was simple we would already be doing it and wouldn't seek out programs like this.

The interview format of the program is helpful, especially when the interviewer summarizes what the interviewee said. But be forewarned: the interviewer *is* slightly goofy. For example, one time after the interviewee had answered her question, she said, "Oh, okay! Now, what exactly does that mean?"

If you are in an executive or leadership position, you should listen to this program. Not only will it help you to understand your roles - it will also teach you how to consciously seek balance for these roles. And, in theory, finding the balance will increase not only your own productivity, but also that of your team.

Very short

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Good information but definitely more of a sample than anything in depth.