Available:*
Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 35000000011295 | HF5549.5.M63 D454 2011 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
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Summary
Summary
Named one of 100 Leadership & Success Books to Read in a Lifetime by Amazon Editors
Confronted by omnipresent threats of job loss and change, even the brightest among us are anxious. In response, we're hunkering down, blocking ourselves from new challenges. This response hurts us and our organizations, but we fear making ourselves even more vulnerable by committing mistakes while learning something new.
In Flying Without a Net , Thomas DeLong explains how to draw strength from vulnerability. First, understand the forces that escalate anxiety in high achievers and the unproductive behaviors you turn to for relief. Then adopt practices that give you the courage to "do the right things poorly" before "doing the right things well."
Drawing on his extensive research and consulting work, DeLong lays out:
- Roots of high achievers' anxiety: fear of being wrong and lack of a sense of purpose, and a craving for human connection
- Destructive behaviors we adopt to relieve our anxiety: busyness, comparing ourselves to others, and blaming others for our frustrations
- Behaviors we must adopt to gain strength from vulnerability: putting the past behind us and seeking honest feedback
Packed with practical advice and inspiring stories, Flying Without a Net is an invaluable resource for all leaders seeking to thrive in this Age of Anxiety.
Author Notes
Thomas DeLong is the Philip J. Stomberg Professor of Management Practice in the Organizational Behavior area at the Harvard Business School. His research focuses on the challenges facing individuals and organizations in the process of change.
Reviews 1
Choice Review
Employing a psychodynamic perspective, DeLong (Harvard Business School) examines the factors that drive the performance of high-achieving professionals and how these factors also adversely impact high achievers' continued success. Starting with David McClelland's theory of human motives, DeLong describes the attributes and characteristics that contribute to the success of professionals with a high need for achievement. Conversely, he also posits that it is these very same 11 traits that stall the careers of high achievers. After providing readers with a four-factor performance framework, DeLong examines in detail three primary anxieties: purpose, isolation, and significance. The author then describes the four things that keep high-achieving professionals from changing: busyness, comparing, blame, and worry. He concludes the book with a set of tools that high achievers can use to precipitate their success. Throughout the work, DeLong provides probing questions that enhance the reader's level of self-awareness. This book will appeal to serious students enrolled in upper-level undergraduate and graduate business, leadership development, or counseling psychology courses. Readers will gain professional knowledge and personal insights from DeLong's book. Extensive bibliography. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections. M. J. Safferstone University of Mary Washington
