At Weaving Influence, it feels like we’re always buzzing about one book or another, and that’s just the way we like it. If you haven’t caught on by now, our team is primarily made up of readers, people who can never have one too many books on their shelves. There is always a book (or 5) on my Christmas wish lists, and every night I try to squeeze in as many chapters as I can before my husband reminds me that work comes early.
Although so many books are available on the e-reader of your choice, I will always be a fan of the paperback. There’s just something about opening up a new cover and losing yourself in the pages. And I don’t care how exciting the e-reader display is, nothing beats the smell of a bookstore. But, where was I? As you can see, a passion for books can quickly carry us away, which is why I love what I do. And why I am so excited to introduce you to today’s author, who also happens to be the focus of our buzz this week!
Meet Ralph Jacobson
On a personal level, Ralph is a nice guy – laid back and easy to work with, but he is also one of the top leadership developers and coaches in the United States. Focusing on leadership and organization change, Ralph is the Principle of The Leader’s Toolbox, Inc. In 2000, he published Leading for a Change: How to Master the Five Challenges Faced by Every Leader, which went on to be named as one of the top business books by mgeneral.com, and eventually created the framework to build The Leader’s Toolbox® methodology. With advanced degrees in City Planning, psychology, and human resources, Ralph currently teaches in the Physician’s Leadership College as well as the Executive Masters of Healthcare Administration program at the University of Minnesota. We have had the honor of working with Ralph on the launch of his newest book, Getting Unstuck: Using Leadership to Execute Paradoxes with Confidence, which we’ve been buzzing about all this week.
Where to Find Ralph
Training Magazine Network – Webinar (registration required)
The Strategic Learner – Guest Post
Amazon – Getting Unstuck
Connect With Ralph:
Visit Ralph’s website, follow him on Twitter and connect on LinkedIn.
About Getting Unstuck
{From Amazon} Humans are naturally wired to solve problems. Implement the right solutions and the problems generally go away. Paradoxes are quite different. They consist of opposites that do not appear to be able to coexist, but must. Most of the issues that keep organizations from achieving strategic success are not problems, they are paradoxes. Getting Unstuck: Using Leadership to Execute Paradoxes with Confidence will teach you how to balance key paradoxes to achieve greater long-term growth and enhanced sustainability than those who rely on financial data and problem solving methods alone. You will learn how to see conflict with a fresh set of eyes, how to redefine your roles, and how to become more effective professionally and personally. If you have experienced trouble implementing strategic objectives, difficulties getting people from different parts of your organization to work together; if you want to achieve a higher level of success, if you feel stuck, then read this book.
You Tell Me! What books made your holiday shopping list?
Carrie Koens joined the Weaving Influence team in May 2012 and has held a number of roles, including three years as the Book Launch Director (a title she stepped away from in June 2016 in order to focus on the needs of her growing family), and she currently serves the team as a Writer and Consultant. An INTJ with a penchant for culture, book stores, Parisian cafés, Indian curry, British mystery shows, and her passport, you can find her on Twitter @CGKoens.