Leading Through Collaboration
Guiding Groups to Productive Solutions
- John Glaser - Napa Valley Unified School District
'What a marvelous blend of theory and practice! Glaser's writing is so engaging, so personal, and so informative that you will want to read every word. This book should be a requirement for every person who is serious about learning how to lead.' - Leonard O. Pellicer, Dean, College of Education and Organizational Leadership, University of La Verne
Many leaders have to deal with groups that are full of distrust, suspicion, and ill feeling. Rather than rely on coercive power to solve problems, John Glaser advocates a leadership approach based on the principles of coherence. Based on his many years of experience as a superintendent and consultant in conflict resolution and employment negotiations, the author has found a more successful and effective means of solving problems through the creation of alignment and a sense of shared leadership.
Containing practitioner-friendly resources, including charts, diagrams, sidebars, tools, strategies and real-life examples, this easy-to-use resource offers practical guidance to leaders experiencing conflict in their organizations. It will also help those leaders who want to create a community aligned around a common vision.
Glaser outlines the steps for team-building and collaboration as:
- Aligning the team
- Focusing on the vision
- Searching for solutions
- Reaching agreements
This book is intended for leaders in education, non-profit organizations, public administration and healthcare.
"Written by a very successful leader, problem solver, and negotiator, the book combines a strong rationale for its practices, well delineated practical strategies, and vignettes from Glaser's extensive background that provide the reader with a clear understanding of how to become a truly collaborative leader."
"What a marvelous blend of theory and practice! Glaser’s writing is so engaging, so personal, and so informative that you will want to read every word. This book should be a requirement for every person who is serious about learning how to lead."
"I love this book! It is practical, readable and wise. With this book, John Glaser has made an important contribution to our field. He has done a wonderful job of both describing the underlying theory of his approach and offering an effective translation into practice."
"One of the foremost practiotioner and trainer in organizational problem solving has finally put his knowledge and experience into a book."
"Educational leaders who hope to foster the shared vision, collective commitments, and collaborative cultures of true learning communities in their schools will require new ways of thinking and skills. Leading Through Collaboration represents a useful resource for those leaders."
"Glaser's conversational style and liberal use of examples from his own work and family life make this an enjoyable and very readable book and fabulous learning tool."