Why Leadership on the Line?
Most leadership books are written for mid-level managers aspiring to senior positions. Few are written to address the challenges of first-time or front-line managers and supervisors. Those that do usually focus on technical skills, not leadership. Yet it is the junior manager who so often directs a company’s customer-facing employees. Without strong, consistent leadership at this level to direct, motivate, and inspire employees, a company’s customer service efforts are at risk.
Leadership on the Line: A Guide for Front Line Supervisors, Business Owners, and Emerging Leaders, a book specifically written for first time and front line managers, was first published in 2002. Due to demand the expanded second edition came out in 2006.
Now we have brought out Leadership on the Line – The Workbook, a companion piece to the book that reinforces and expands upon the requirements of Service-Based Leadership in simple, easy-to-understand terms. Its focus is on building strong relationships with followers and serving the needs of all constituencies – boss, customers, peers, and employees. With Service-Based Leadership customers are treated well because employees are valued, trained, supported, and empowered by their leaders.
The Workbook takes the concepts spelled out in Leadership on the Line: A Guide for Front Line Supervisors, Business Owners, and Emerging Leaders and breaks them down into easy-to-absorb lessons for those just starting on the path to successful leadership. As such it is the perfect training tool for young managers and those who must direct them. The most frequent comment heard from senior leaders about Leadership on the Line is, “I wish I had read something like this years ago.”