Some time ago, I was seated in a large conference room with at least 1,000 other people, listening to Dave Ulrich. Suddenly he spotted me and asked, "Ken, what do you consider to be the single most important issue in leadership today?" My answer: leadership sustainability. Later, Dave and Norm Smallwood not only addressed this mega-issue but nailed it: This is the definitive work on the matter and an instant classic in the field.

The road to derailment is paved with good intentions. Who among us has not recognized something about ourselves that gets in our way--- reducing our effectiveness, blocking promotion, eroding relationships? And who among us has at the same time, and with the best of intentions, failed to make the changes we knew we needed to make? Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood, drawing on many years of experience analyzing leadership in the world’s most admired companies, have directly confronted that gap and provide both an in-depth understanding of why we often fall short and a set of tools for getting on with it. After reading this book you’ll have no excuses.

Leadership Sustainability is a no fluff book that is far from a self-help pep talk from ivory tower types. This book gets to the nitty gritty and exchanges beautiful prose for practical information. If you like a no nonsense approach to your reading, you’ll love it. There’s no suspense, there’s no punch line and there’s no surprise ending but there’s plenty of good practices and clearly defined techniques for increasing your effectiveness as a leader.
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Leaders all over the world will celebrate Dave’s and Norm’s powerful new gift: the concept of Leadership Sustainability, and its seven disciplines. Leaders across the sectors and at every level will find the new Ulrich-Smallwood book the indispensable companion for their leadership journey.

Evidence shows that on average one of every two individuals holding a position of leadership fail, an unacceptable record. The usual bromides found in most books on leadership have not helped with this problem. The seven leadership disciplines provided by Ulrich and Smallwood are the significantly unique features and contributions of this book. Finally, we have two scholar-practitioners who have correctly addressed the issues – they are less about the leader and more about leadership, and they are about proper execution that leads to sustainability.

In our jam-packed over-burdened world, I loved seeing a leadership book with seven one word chapter headings as the “meat!” Each one spoke to me as being essential to the leadership equation yet not quite fleshed out in any other book. They streamline the complexity of their subject and provide critical how-to’s! All you have to do to be hooked is to read the opening paragraph in the preface of this book. (How sad is that?) These authors call-it-as-they-see-it and win the rights to do just that because of their deep and wide experience in the corporate leadership arena. I resonated particularly with the authors’ belief that good leaders build future leaders and that they leave their legacy with the teams of people that they challenge, nurture and grow.

Finally, a “how to” book that is grounded in the real world dynamics of leading organizations! Unlike most others, this book unfolds as if there were a leadership coach at your side giving you useable counsel and tools to actually create your own self-sustaining leadership advantage.

Leadership can be instinctive; execution of those instincts takes discipline and maniacal execution -- read on -- you'll learn!!

Leadership Sustainability offers a unique perspective on seven disciplines that truly impact leadership. The tools and examples outlined in this book will enable emergent leaders to grow and existing leaders to sharpen their skills. All leaders can benefit from a reminder of why and how to lead, and this model provides very clear guidance. Excellent work by Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood.

Borrowing from Britney Spears, “Oops, they’ve done it again.” It seems every time we think we know everything we need to know from their last book, then they do it again. Are we ever going to get any rest? Now we have to memorize the seven disciplines and much more importantly learn how to apply them in our lives and to the leaders we serve. As usual, they are very right, again. As usual this book will add value to any manager or leader. Again, it keeps adding to the mosaic of leadership. Always right. Always surprisingly simple. Always doable. Always a “have-to-read”.

There’s no doubt that Leadership Sustainability will hold a reserved spot on bookshelves in business leaders’ offices the world over—that is, when it is not being referred to. Ulrich and Smallwood’s work helps ensure we understand the strategies behind sustained leadership. They understand that one of the keys to success is disciplined continuity and sustainability—which constitute a required core competency among leadership. Their newest book is a thoughtful and practical approach to accomplishing that.

Short-term impact by leaders is not easy but it is common. For those aspiring to achieve that rare leadership feat of effecting genuine, long-term change and success, the insights of Ulrich and Smallwood are not to be missed!

A must read for any leader who is genuinely interested in making real improvements in his/her leadership in a manner which is observable, sustainable and for the long term good for the organization.

No leadership skill matters if it cannot actually be implemented and sustained. In this timely, practical, and lucid book, veteran leadership experts Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood show us how to successfully influence others by influencing ourselves first. I recommend it highly!

Those who want to know Why, What and How of Leadership Sustainability, this book is a must read ! Dave and Norm have given the key to the readers to find direction and probable answers within, to the questions they always had in their minds. Finish what you start is one of the key message of the book. Live examples in the book help you to navigate better in your day to day life. I am sure readers will profit their mind and organization !

Sustainability is the greatest challenge in leadership development. Dave and Norm have done the best work I have ever seen in tackling this challenge! While some books can help you become a great leader, this book can help you remain a great leader! While good leaders understand the practice of leadership, great leaders practice their understanding of leadership. Leadership Sustainability shows you how!

In Leadership Sustainability, Ulrich and Smallwood do a great job about teaching leaders not just what to do, but how to make sure that they do it. The book’s global appeal come from cases and examples around the world of leaders who know what to do and now have the disciplines to do it. It will become the standard template for action planning out of coaching, training, development, 360, and other performance improvement efforts. The ideas in the book are insightful, specific, and actionable. Using these ideas will help any good leader become better.

Some time ago, I was seated in a large conference room with at least 1,000 other people, listening to Dave Ulrich. Suddenly he spotted me and asked, "Ken, what do you consider to be the single most important issue in leadership today?" My answer: leadership sustainability. Later, Dave and Norm Smallwood not only addressed this mega-issue but nailed it: This is the definitive work on the matter and an instant classic in the field.