I don’t often read business books or even non-fiction for that matter. But I am very interested in social technology from both a personal interest as well as a business point of view. I have worked in an environment where leadership ranges from complete disinterest in social technology to a panicked “oh my god, we need to get on twitter, facebook, blogs, we have to launch a space” without any real thought about the how this applies to strategic goals or how this affects work flow.
As a result, often initiatives are launched without any clear sense of measurables, goals, desired outcomes and how exactly the work can be accomplished within existing corporate, bureaucratic structures. Jeremiah Owyang recommended the book and as I consider him an online trusted source I was immediately interested. I downloaded the first chapter for free and then went out to the nearest bookstore to buy the book. (yes, I’m still one of those…)
No matter where you are in an organization or in the open curve I consider this a must read….Charlene Li’s considerable business acumen, broad and specific knowledge of social technologies, and her ability to provide a step-by -step approach to building a case for open leadership make this book a must read. She also provides numerous examples of companies and leaders who have taken the plunge clearly outlining the benefits and drawbacks to a variety of open leadership styles.
If you’re interested in understanding and measuring the advantages of open leadership, how to craft a plan that will meet your strategic objectives, and how open leadership transforms organizations then this is definitely the book for you. I highly recommend this book.
Condofire 