The Future of Leadership

Addressing business managers facing a kaleidoscopic future, the authors advocate embracing a condition of permanent uncertainty and urge managers to make up strategy as they go along, winging it a day at a time. It's a brave but not new concept. This is, however, an exceptionally thorough treatment of it and could serve as the text for a college course or a business workshop. Choice, the authors warn, has increased at every stage of the decision-making process, rendering decisions more perilous. Today's rules will not apply tomorrow, so what's to be done? White (coauthor, Breaking the Glass Ceiling), consultant Hodgson and freelance writer Crainer recommend developing abilities for taking on what they call ""difficult learning""--""deliberately seeking out areas of maximum business benefit and developing the capabilities... to meet the challenge."" These capabilities are applied through two channels: resonant simplicity and multiple (as opposed to linear) focus, an idea that goes back to Marshall McLuhan. The authors attempt to nail down their approach with graphs, guidelines and examples, trying, it would seem, to bring exactitude to their nebulous subject. 50,000 first printing; $75,000 ad/promo; Newbridge Executive Book Club main selection. (Oct.)