On Work and Leadership (Rsa Lecture Series) - Hardcover

Royal Society Of Arts

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0566081083 ISBN 13: 9780566081088

Publisher: Gower Publishing Ltd, 1999

Synopsis

The world of work is changing in a way which challenges many of our most deeply rooted preconceptions. Companies and individuals are grappling with the concept of 'no more jobs for life', streamlined structures, dramatic technological developments, issues of corporate ethics, and with organizational and social repercussions of all these. This selection of RSA lectures by leading commentators and practitioners explores the changes that are taking place, presents what different organizations who blazed the trail are learning, and analyses the leadership qualities that can steer us through change.

The book opens with author William Bridges' lecture on 'the demise of the 'job', followed by stress management expert Professor Cary Cooper's exploration of the psychological implications of changing work patterns. Against the backdrop of 'the death of distance' described by Frances Cairncross, subsequent lectures explore the meaning of corporate citizenship today and how ethics in the workplace can be measured and practised. The Tomorrow's Company lectures demonstrate how companies adopt an inclusive approach which takes account of all their stakeholders: from the long-established principles of the John Lewis Partnership to demands of the financial sector (Birmingham Midshires) and the legal sector (Osborne Clarke). The six concluding lectures in the book focus on leadership issues, and the innate or teachable qualities of successful leaders, drawing insight from leading management colleges, business, the armed forces, the health service and the world of sport.

As Charles Handy says in his Foreword, this book offers '... the outlines of a map for the journey that all businesses are already committed to ...' One of a series of Gower collections of RSA lectures, On Work and Leadership provides reassuring signposts for any organization faced with major change and the need to review the fundamental principles on which it operates. The stories it tells will inspire senior managers to carry through change to successful conclusion and will also be of interest to academics and consultants specializing in change management, ethics in the workplace, and leadership.

About this title

About the Author

The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) was founded in 1754 with a mission to 'embolden enterprise, to enlarge science, to refine art, to improve our manufactures and to extend our commerce'. Believing that a thriving economy was the determining factor in the development of a civilized society, the RSA's founding Fellows sought to encourage innovation, the acquisition of new skills and the creation of new markets.

The RSA today uses its independence and the resources of its international Fellowship to stimulate debate, develop ideas and encourage action in its main fields of interest: business and industry, design and technology, education, the arts, and the environment. It forms partnerships and works with others to increase the pressure for change.

The Society provides a forum for discussion within which ideas may be shaped and action stimulated. Often the process starts with a lecture, seminar or conference, and then may be followed by active promotion through a project, campaign or award scheme.

Edition details

• Publisher: Gower Publishing Ltd
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0566081083
• ISBN 13: 9780566081088
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160