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Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations: A Competency-Based Approach Focused on Keys to Performance
Winner - 2022 Global Book SILVER MEDAL / Business Leadership
The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born -- that there is a genetic factor to leadership. This myth asserts that people simply either have certain charismatic qualities or not. That's nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born. —Warren G. Bennis
Do you aspire to move forward in your career? Do you own your own business? Do you want to be a leader in your organization? Are you responsible for helping others to develop their leadership competencies and reach their potential?
If the answer is "yes" to any of these questions, then this book is for you!
This book is intended for individuals who want to develop their leadership competencies and those responsible for developing talent in their organizations. It follows a structured competency-based method to building knowledge and skills by following a systematic and proven approach.
Although the book is directed at individuals, faculty teaching in university and college leadership programs as well as trainers in organizations will find it useful as a text or guide to bridge theory and practice.
People in organizations who just want to learn and study more about leadership can use the book as a self-paced guide for workshops and seminars or learn-at-lunch programs.
As you proceed through the content and associated learning activities, it is helpful to apply what you learn to an organization that you are familiar with. This will help you better understand the concepts, as well indicate areas for potential organizational improvement.
This book utilizes the U.S. Department of Commerce - National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence as its basis for design. All the major chapters of this book are aligned with Baldrige’s seven primary criteria Leadership CompetenceFacilitating Strategic PlanningFinding and Retaining CustomersLeadership Data and MeasurementHow to Attract and Develop Employees Managing Operations and Quality Leading for Innovation and ResultsIf the areas look familiar, you are probably thinking that these same areas are typically associated with an MBA program. You are right. Some have referred to studying the content of this book as pursuing a Mini-MBA.
Structured Learning
All our books and workbooks align with the Centrestar research-based Competency Model. The model, which is rooted in work by the U.S. Department of Labor and others, gives you a framework for structured learning by helping you identify and develop specific competencies.
Competencies are sets of skills, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors that are observable and measurable. Our model has 35 competency dimensions associated with successful performance in leadership and professional roles. Competencies are clustered into five domains that may overlap.
This Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations guidebook focuses on all the competency areas associated with the Organizational Leadership competency cluster or domain. For more information or www.centrestar.com
The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born -- that there is a genetic factor to leadership. This myth asserts that people simply either have certain charismatic qualities or not. That's nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born. —Warren G. Bennis
Do you aspire to move forward in your career? Do you own your own business? Do you want to be a leader in your organization? Are you responsible for helping others to develop their leadership competencies and reach their potential?
If the answer is "yes" to any of these questions, then this book is for you!
This book is intended for individuals who want to develop their leadership competencies and those responsible for developing talent in their organizations. It follows a structured competency-based method to building knowledge and skills by following a systematic and proven approach.
Although the book is directed at individuals, faculty teaching in university and college leadership programs as well as trainers in organizations will find it useful as a text or guide to bridge theory and practice.
People in organizations who just want to learn and study more about leadership can use the book as a self-paced guide for workshops and seminars or learn-at-lunch programs.
As you proceed through the content and associated learning activities, it is helpful to apply what you learn to an organization that you are familiar with. This will help you better understand the concepts, as well indicate areas for potential organizational improvement.
This book utilizes the U.S. Department of Commerce - National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence as its basis for design. All the major chapters of this book are aligned with Baldrige’s seven primary criteria Leadership CompetenceFacilitating Strategic PlanningFinding and Retaining CustomersLeadership Data and MeasurementHow to Attract and Develop Employees Managing Operations and Quality Leading for Innovation and ResultsIf the areas look familiar, you are probably thinking that these same areas are typically associated with an MBA program. You are right. Some have referred to studying the content of this book as pursuing a Mini-MBA.
Structured Learning
All our books and workbooks align with the Centrestar research-based Competency Model. The model, which is rooted in work by the U.S. Department of Labor and others, gives you a framework for structured learning by helping you identify and develop specific competencies.
Competencies are sets of skills, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors that are observable and measurable. Our model has 35 competency dimensions associated with successful performance in leadership and professional roles. Competencies are clustered into five domains that may overlap.
This Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations guidebook focuses on all the competency areas associated with the Organizational Leadership competency cluster or domain. For more information or www.centrestar.com
Kindle Edition
Published July 17, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 20, 2022
Dr Weasley Donahue’s Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations is A Practical Guidebook for Professional Development. It presents a contemporary based approach focused on keys to performance.
The book is divided into seven core chapters. The first three chapters outline the following:
Chapter 1: Building Leadership Competence
Leadership is considered an art and a science where an individual applies deliberate impact over others. Donahue elaborates on the power and influence theory and differentiates seven types of ‘powers.’ The chapter then explores the Behavioral theory of leadership, which asserts that leaders are born, not made. The author provides well-researched and cited opinions from influential writers such as Douglas McGregor, best known for developing Theory X and Y, a leadership theory on two different leadership styles. The Leadership Cycle Model Approach: Strategy Development Guide is provided for readers to study and analyse.
Chapter 2: Facilitating Strategic Planning
The definition of Strategic Planning is examined to provide readers with the essential tools and concepts to understand strategic planning. Readers can anticipate gaining insight into organisational goals, objectives and policy creation. A brief history of strategic planning is given with the opportunity to enhance learning using recommendations to construct a strategic plan and the documents associated with same. Readers at this point can expand their skills by following the guidelines set forth by Donahue in this competency-based workbook. This chapter further examines how an organisation's Customer Focus decides clients' and markets' prerequisites, assumptions, and inclinations, and how an organisation constructs client connections and chooses consumer loyalty.
Chapter 3: Finding and Retaining Customers
The brief History of Marketing is elucidated, highlighting the importance of the “4 P’s”, product, promotion, place and price. Channels of distribution or trade channels are given consideration, and the use of visual aids is beneficial in ensuring readers entirely conceptualise the main ideas. Information is presented on preparing a sales, marketing and customer service plan and forecasting sales and marketing activities. The advantages and disadvantages of different media types are offered in a chart for exploration.
Below outlines the focus of the preceding chapters of Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations by Dr Weasly Donahue.
Chapter 4: Leadership Tools: Data Measurement
Chapter 5: How to Attract and Develop Employees
Chapter 6: Managing Operations and Quality
Chapter 7: Leading for Innovation and Results
The book features some impactful add-ons:
What to Do action Suggestions
A Remember Section, which lists essential points to commit to memory
Enhance Your Learning section presents links to additional learning and reference resources
Reinforce Your Learning section provides an application activity
Chapter Summary
Recap Checklist is a reiteration of all 30 What to Do actions in the workbook.
This is a significant book with a primary mission: to convey all the data and instruments necessary for outstanding leadership. As a sort of across-the-board leadership manual, it does so outstandingly.
Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations A Practical Guidebook for Professional Development gives hypothetical and pragmatic counsel, combined with substantial models, in a contemporary and comprehensive package. This volume can be effectively utilised promptly by any forerunner in any business association.
The book is divided into seven core chapters. The first three chapters outline the following:
Chapter 1: Building Leadership Competence
Leadership is considered an art and a science where an individual applies deliberate impact over others. Donahue elaborates on the power and influence theory and differentiates seven types of ‘powers.’ The chapter then explores the Behavioral theory of leadership, which asserts that leaders are born, not made. The author provides well-researched and cited opinions from influential writers such as Douglas McGregor, best known for developing Theory X and Y, a leadership theory on two different leadership styles. The Leadership Cycle Model Approach: Strategy Development Guide is provided for readers to study and analyse.
Chapter 2: Facilitating Strategic Planning
The definition of Strategic Planning is examined to provide readers with the essential tools and concepts to understand strategic planning. Readers can anticipate gaining insight into organisational goals, objectives and policy creation. A brief history of strategic planning is given with the opportunity to enhance learning using recommendations to construct a strategic plan and the documents associated with same. Readers at this point can expand their skills by following the guidelines set forth by Donahue in this competency-based workbook. This chapter further examines how an organisation's Customer Focus decides clients' and markets' prerequisites, assumptions, and inclinations, and how an organisation constructs client connections and chooses consumer loyalty.
Chapter 3: Finding and Retaining Customers
The brief History of Marketing is elucidated, highlighting the importance of the “4 P’s”, product, promotion, place and price. Channels of distribution or trade channels are given consideration, and the use of visual aids is beneficial in ensuring readers entirely conceptualise the main ideas. Information is presented on preparing a sales, marketing and customer service plan and forecasting sales and marketing activities. The advantages and disadvantages of different media types are offered in a chart for exploration.
Below outlines the focus of the preceding chapters of Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations by Dr Weasly Donahue.
Chapter 4: Leadership Tools: Data Measurement
Chapter 5: How to Attract and Develop Employees
Chapter 6: Managing Operations and Quality
Chapter 7: Leading for Innovation and Results
The book features some impactful add-ons:
What to Do action Suggestions
A Remember Section, which lists essential points to commit to memory
Enhance Your Learning section presents links to additional learning and reference resources
Reinforce Your Learning section provides an application activity
Chapter Summary
Recap Checklist is a reiteration of all 30 What to Do actions in the workbook.
This is a significant book with a primary mission: to convey all the data and instruments necessary for outstanding leadership. As a sort of across-the-board leadership manual, it does so outstandingly.
Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations A Practical Guidebook for Professional Development gives hypothetical and pragmatic counsel, combined with substantial models, in a contemporary and comprehensive package. This volume can be effectively utilised promptly by any forerunner in any business association.
September 18, 2022
Dr. Donahue delivers again with his writing skills to a new title called Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations. In this book, you will learn about:
- Being a competent leader
- How to make strategic planning (more easily)
- How to satisfy customers and not lose them
- Tools that you can use as a leader, such as data and metrics
- How to offer your leadership to your employees as to their development in the workplace
- Managing the Operations and Quality of the Company
- How your leadership can lead to innovation and results
This workbook is oriented toward professional development. So I would recommend this bopk to those in the field.
Like many other Dr. Donahue books I have read, the workbook offers structured content on how to accomplish a more effective leadership towards your clients and your employees. This gives an order in the content where you can learn easily and excitingly to learn all these new concepts. I would easily recommend this book mostly to managers or heads of departments looking to improve their leadership!
- Being a competent leader
- How to make strategic planning (more easily)
- How to satisfy customers and not lose them
- Tools that you can use as a leader, such as data and metrics
- How to offer your leadership to your employees as to their development in the workplace
- Managing the Operations and Quality of the Company
- How your leadership can lead to innovation and results
This workbook is oriented toward professional development. So I would recommend this bopk to those in the field.
Like many other Dr. Donahue books I have read, the workbook offers structured content on how to accomplish a more effective leadership towards your clients and your employees. This gives an order in the content where you can learn easily and excitingly to learn all these new concepts. I would easily recommend this book mostly to managers or heads of departments looking to improve their leadership!
September 22, 2022
Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations by Wesley Donahue is a comprehensive guide on developing leadership skills. This is not only a guide, but it helps to understand that leadership is not a trait that people are born with rather it's a process on how leaders are made. In this book, Mr. Donahue has outlined that the process is achieved through structured competency-based method in building knowledge and skills by following a systematic and proven approach. Overall, a powerful and impactful asset for leadership development. I am glad I was fortunate enough to come across this book, as a working professional it is important to understand the concepts presented to further in career. The author is organized and clear in his guidance. It is easy to understand the points and it's a great aide for people in business, to advance in professional development, current leaders in organizations and in faculty teaching in university and colleges. This book is highly beneficial, I can't recommend it enough.
September 27, 2022
Great professional development resource.
This is a great book, simple and easy to follow steps on being a better boss or part of the management. The book is divided into chapters where in the first 3 chapters concentrate on you being a better leader and improving your competence as a boss. Whilst the succeeding chapters discuss how a leader functions as a member of a team and a chapter on finding employees that are as capable as you expect yourself as a leader to be. I enjoyed the small icons and graphics that the author used used on this otherwise text heavy book. Pictures or icons make books like these easy for the readers to enjoy reading. It is short and concise and parts of it being a workbook makes the journey more measurable and helps involve the reader as if taking a class. The videos are also a great addition to the book. Highly recommended as a reference and mini course on leadership training.
This is a great book, simple and easy to follow steps on being a better boss or part of the management. The book is divided into chapters where in the first 3 chapters concentrate on you being a better leader and improving your competence as a boss. Whilst the succeeding chapters discuss how a leader functions as a member of a team and a chapter on finding employees that are as capable as you expect yourself as a leader to be. I enjoyed the small icons and graphics that the author used used on this otherwise text heavy book. Pictures or icons make books like these easy for the readers to enjoy reading. It is short and concise and parts of it being a workbook makes the journey more measurable and helps involve the reader as if taking a class. The videos are also a great addition to the book. Highly recommended as a reference and mini course on leadership training.
September 22, 2022
Another great book by Wesley E. Donahue where he writes about developing effective leadership in organizations, the blueprints for it, the talking points for it and the atmosphere one has to create for it. A book intended for anyone either in leadership roles, or looking to prove themselves to take on a leadership position at their company/organization. It's always been a competency-based system with Wesley E. Donahue's books, meaning he takes on practical approaches to learning and developing the skills you need to become a leader. The major chapters or learning points of the book are Building the leadership competence within yourself, Strategic planning, managing operations and quality, and many more. It's an effective book for people wanting to be more productive leaders, or even become one. A helpful read for anyone looking to take their career to the next level.
August 4, 2022
“Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations” presents itself as a useful guide, perfect to help in the development of workers inside a company or business. This book is dynamic and comprehensible. The text is accompanied by graphs, tables and exercises that facilitate understanding and help acquire the concepts in a natural way.
I am just starting to get involved in the world of business and this read has been extremely useful. By reading it, I understood that the development and formation of good leaders is completely necessary if we want to build a successful organization.
I recommend this valuable book and I advise readers to have it always at hand to go back and read it or to look for a specific concept whenever they may need it.
I am just starting to get involved in the world of business and this read has been extremely useful. By reading it, I understood that the development and formation of good leaders is completely necessary if we want to build a successful organization.
I recommend this valuable book and I advise readers to have it always at hand to go back and read it or to look for a specific concept whenever they may need it.
August 4, 2022
I saw the title and I took a chance on this book without knowing much about the author, other than what is included in this piece of work, and I’m pleasantly surprised.
This book has inspired many thoughts as I read it due to the clearness and easy vocabulary of the content. The seven criteria in which the material is divided are informative enough to understand in only one sitting the secrets of leadership. It gave me a roadmap of how to improve employees’ competences with easy activities to implement everything I learned.
This was a quick and engaging workbook that I'd highly recommend to people who enjoy this kind of reading or to professionals who need a change in their business.
This book has inspired many thoughts as I read it due to the clearness and easy vocabulary of the content. The seven criteria in which the material is divided are informative enough to understand in only one sitting the secrets of leadership. It gave me a roadmap of how to improve employees’ competences with easy activities to implement everything I learned.
This was a quick and engaging workbook that I'd highly recommend to people who enjoy this kind of reading or to professionals who need a change in their business.
August 5, 2022
I am currently trying to climb up the ladder and in the company that I work for, my boss told me that I needed to improve my leadership skills. To be honest, I did not know those skills could be actually improved, I thought that people were born with them and that they were sort of gifted people. I was seriously wrong.
This book explains how to cope with a range of situations that can allow us to make headway. Once I read a few pages of this book, I knew it was going to be an insightful read. The author offers us plenty of techniques, practical activities, charts and videos to watch and learn more about the topics he is trying to convey. All these things make the reading easier and faster since the book does not have a lot of dull and monotonous theory.
This book explains how to cope with a range of situations that can allow us to make headway. Once I read a few pages of this book, I knew it was going to be an insightful read. The author offers us plenty of techniques, practical activities, charts and videos to watch and learn more about the topics he is trying to convey. All these things make the reading easier and faster since the book does not have a lot of dull and monotonous theory.
September 22, 2022
This is an easy to read book, quite simple and understandable written by the prodigy Dr. Wesley Donahue.
The book reminded me how important is to build the basic blocks of a good professional development and it guided me to implement this. It has a good organization; divided into seven chapters, this detailed resource provides outstanding examples, experiences and different perspectives in leadership practices. Everything is more than useful and applicable to any small or big company.
As usual, the author has done a masterful job taking a difficult but interesting topic and making it more digestible.
I recommend “Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations” to anyone who enjoys this kind of reading but especially to business owners.
The book reminded me how important is to build the basic blocks of a good professional development and it guided me to implement this. It has a good organization; divided into seven chapters, this detailed resource provides outstanding examples, experiences and different perspectives in leadership practices. Everything is more than useful and applicable to any small or big company.
As usual, the author has done a masterful job taking a difficult but interesting topic and making it more digestible.
I recommend “Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations” to anyone who enjoys this kind of reading but especially to business owners.
September 22, 2022
Leadership is a non-negotiable skill having a need in almost all kinds of careers. I have been toiling to improve my leadership skill and was falling short of genuine sources to guide me. That’s when I found this book and nothing’s been the same since then. Through this book, I learned about the competency-based approach to focusing on keys to performance. It wonderfully bridges the gap between theory and practical scenarios. I have implemented all my insights gained through this amazing book and my colleagues have begun to look up to me, they trust me to lead them through any difficult situation. I wish I had found this gem before as I had progressed even more in my journey of becoming a competent leader.
September 22, 2022
Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations by Wesley Donahue is a practical guidebook for professional development. Donahue's work is presented in three books based on a contemporary approach focused on performance.
This book is divided into seven chapters. It has all the data and instruments necessary for outstanding leadership. The author has created a very rich resource for the ones who want to improve as a leader. The pages are full with knowledge, experience and research data. The way in which all this information is presented called my attention; Wesley managed to make it easy for everybody to understand. He did a wonderfull job leveling all the information together. I recommend this book 100%.
This book is divided into seven chapters. It has all the data and instruments necessary for outstanding leadership. The author has created a very rich resource for the ones who want to improve as a leader. The pages are full with knowledge, experience and research data. The way in which all this information is presented called my attention; Wesley managed to make it easy for everybody to understand. He did a wonderfull job leveling all the information together. I recommend this book 100%.
September 23, 2022
“Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations” by Wesley Donahue is specially aimed to readers who want to develop their leadership competencies and those responsible for developing talent in their organizations. This practical guidebook can also be useful for educational leadership programs, as all the books in this series are based in Competency Model and intended for Structured Learning. And, as stated by this experienced author, effective leaders achieve success through a combination of learning, planning, and acting. So, this valuable and rich volume should apply for workers at any management level, as the first step to an effective leadership and a later putting into practice.
I enjoyed this book and will be keen to continue reading more by this author.
I enjoyed this book and will be keen to continue reading more by this author.
September 25, 2022
Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations: A Competency-Based Approach Focused on Keys to Performance is one of three books in Wesley Donahue’s Competency Based Books for Structured Learning collection. I’ve read many of Donahue’s books, and think them all great for structured team learning or self-study. In this book, Donahue explores the key foundations of leadership: pursuing improvement, utilizing data, and accountability. It is a well-structured guide and has hands-on sections that walk you through how to honestly appraise yourself as a leader and then advise on how to improve. I like that key ideas are listed for remembrance at the end of each section, and there are outside materials to solidify what was learned. Overall, Donahue’s book is comprehensive and easy to follow.
September 26, 2022
Another five star workshop
Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations: A Competency-Based Approach Focused on Keys to Performance from the series Competency Based Books for Structured Learning by Wesley Donahue is a book and also workshop that aims to help any leader thrive.
This is a complete guide that goes for around five hundred pages. In each chapter there are some exercises to reflect upon the topic of the chapter.
Everything business or organizations leaders need to know is here: building competence, planning, finding customers, developing leadership tools, etc
I give this book five stars because it is well organized and super complete. I love the way the author transmits and shares his knowledge about the subject.
Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations: A Competency-Based Approach Focused on Keys to Performance from the series Competency Based Books for Structured Learning by Wesley Donahue is a book and also workshop that aims to help any leader thrive.
This is a complete guide that goes for around five hundred pages. In each chapter there are some exercises to reflect upon the topic of the chapter.
Everything business or organizations leaders need to know is here: building competence, planning, finding customers, developing leadership tools, etc
I give this book five stars because it is well organized and super complete. I love the way the author transmits and shares his knowledge about the subject.
September 26, 2022
Everyone can become a great leader
“Developing effective leadership in organizations” by Wesley Donahue is an amazing competency-based approach focused on keys to performance. If you are interested in becoming a better leader in whatever area you work in, then you should definitely read this book. Everyone can become a great leader with the help of the right tools. So, if you have big goals such as moving forward in your career and maybe even own your own business, then this is the perfect guide for you. You will learn things such as strategic planning, finding and retaining customers, innovating and getting results. I found this very helpful. I can definitely recommend reading this book.
“Developing effective leadership in organizations” by Wesley Donahue is an amazing competency-based approach focused on keys to performance. If you are interested in becoming a better leader in whatever area you work in, then you should definitely read this book. Everyone can become a great leader with the help of the right tools. So, if you have big goals such as moving forward in your career and maybe even own your own business, then this is the perfect guide for you. You will learn things such as strategic planning, finding and retaining customers, innovating and getting results. I found this very helpful. I can definitely recommend reading this book.
September 28, 2022
I was searching for a book to help me improve certain skills I need in order to get the position I'm aiming for. What I found in this guide is a lot of information. At first it was a bit overwhelming, but I managed to organize my reading in order to be able to understand everything.
Author Wesley Donahue describes some key information on how to better oneself taking into consideration some systematic methods.
To conclude, I think some of the things Donahue wrote I already knew, but most of them were very helpful and were explained from a different perspective, which was a very enlightening and interesting way to see it.
Author Wesley Donahue describes some key information on how to better oneself taking into consideration some systematic methods.
To conclude, I think some of the things Donahue wrote I already knew, but most of them were very helpful and were explained from a different perspective, which was a very enlightening and interesting way to see it.
August 19, 2025
Developing Effective Leadership in Organizations is a practical and insightful guide for anyone looking to enhance their leadership skills. Its competency-based approach clearly connects leadership abilities to real-world performance. The book is full of actionable strategies, exercises, and examples that make leadership development concrete and achievable. I especially found the sections on self-awareness, communication, and team influence very useful. A must-read for professionals aiming to lead effectively.
September 23, 2022
In depth leadership
This book is very detailed and could be used in an MBA program. It covers topics ranging from leadership development, strategy, business and customers, how to measure results and how to correct any missteps made. This is not a full detailed list though, there is simply too much to include here. The information is well researched and very well presented. Easy to understand and the excersises in here will help in practical applications.
This book is very detailed and could be used in an MBA program. It covers topics ranging from leadership development, strategy, business and customers, how to measure results and how to correct any missteps made. This is not a full detailed list though, there is simply too much to include here. The information is well researched and very well presented. Easy to understand and the excersises in here will help in practical applications.
September 23, 2022
I found this to a good guide to developing effective leadership. The book is well researched and the assertions made are well documented. With 15 years in middle management, so many of the statements in the book rang true and familiar. I learned some new things but it also brought clarity to some things I’d known only intuitively.
My only complaint is that it is a bit long and repetitive. Otherwise this can be an effective tool for growth as a leader.
My only complaint is that it is a bit long and repetitive. Otherwise this can be an effective tool for growth as a leader.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews