Harder Than I Thought : Adventures of a Twenty-First Century Leader

Today's CEO must be a global leader who also understands that parts of the business must be managed locally. Someone who sets a strategic vision, though industry and technology disruptions will surely threaten that vision. Someone who must live in the future to go to the future, while continuously creating economic and social value. Not an easy task. Harder Than I Thought is a fictional narrative that puts this increasingly complex job in context-by enabling you to walk alongside Jim Barton, the new CEO of Santa Monica Aerospace, as he steps into the role. Barton's story, developed in consultation with seasoned, reallife CEOs, contains crucial lessons for all leaders hoping to master the new skills required to move into the Csuite.

Being a great leader today is much harder than you think

Meet Jim Barton. He’s a newly minted CEO, rising leader of a firm in transition, and manager of massive complexity—thanks to our incredibly networked and increasingly unpredictable world of business. What if you were in his shoes?

If you’re a top executive today, you probably are.

Harder Than I Thought is a fictional narrative that puts the increasingly complex job of Chief Executive in a very real context. It serves as a practical guide by allowing you to walk alongside Jim as he takes on his new role and all its attendant challenges. Jim’s story—developed in collaboration with seasoned, real-life CEOs—includes crucial lessons for anyone hoping to master the new-world skills required of successful business leaders today.

As the narrative unfolds, Jim grapples with an array of business crises, some he inherited and some of his own making. As events push this new leader to the edge of his abilities, he seeks counsel from a panel of advisers—resulting in a wealth of teaching moments bound to keep you captivated.

Experts agree that many twentieth-century leadership practices won’t work in the turbulent twenty-first century. This engaging book gives you the insights you’ll need to navigate in a fast-changing business landscape.

Meet Jim Barton, new CEO of Santa Monica Aerospace. Jim's job won't be easy: the company's hemorrhaging cash, struggling to regain investors'trust after an accounting scandal, and striving to transform its military and manufacturing culture to become a global aerospace integrator.Jim isn't real: Harder Than I Thought is a novel. But his story--developed in consultation with seasoned, actual CEOs--contains crucial lessons for all chief executives. Walk in Jim's shoes to engage in challenges that include:1. Formulating and executing strategy2. Managing financial and labor crises3. Fostering a culture of innovation and continuous transformation4. Forging global partnerships5. Making ethical choices in an increasingly transparent environmentAs events in each chapter push Barton to the edge of his abilities, he seeks counsel from a panel of expert advisers. These collaborative reflections invite you to apply the lessons from this story to your own situation.Experts agree that many twentieth-century leadership practices are inadequate to the stormy twenty-first-century present. This engaging and provocative book equips you with the insights you'll need to rise with the occasion of a rapidly shifting business landscape. 1 First Day 1 -- 2 Getting to Know SMA 13 -- First Interlude: The Lords of Leadercraft 35 -- 3 Financials and Trust 41 -- 4 Transparency 57 -- Second Interlude: A Leader of Men 71 -- 5 Reunion 73 -- 6 The Board of Directors 85 -- 7 Getting Great Performance from People 101 -- Third Interlude: Your Lineup Is a Mess! 119 -- 8 Rallying the Team 123 -- 9 Restructuring the Board 137 -- 10 Consulting with a Peer 151 -- 11 Implementation 163 -- 12 Test Drive 177 -- 13 The Agony of Defeat 189 -- 14 Wildcard 201 -- 15 Bluebirds Fly In 217 -- Fourth Interlude: Execute, Execute, Execute 229 -- 16 Globalization 233 -- 17 Execution 245 -- 18 Public Life, Private Life 255 -- 19 Communicate, Communicate 265 -- 20 Partnering Risks Realized 273 -- Fifth Interlude: The Leadership Main Course 283 -- 21 There Is a Time ... 287 -- Finale: Still Figuring It Out 297 -- Ways of Using This Book 299 -- Cast of Main Characters 301.