Our three books are about a process of transformational learning, its product (authoritative-collaborative leaders who improve performance), and the structural methodologies necessary to improve performance. The following quote by a reviewer of one of our books speaks for all of them: "Jentz and Wofford offer us the hope of a new authority in leadership. Through their case studies and their commentary on them, they show us a conservative respect for the importance of authority that makes decisions and sets limits as well as a radical advocacy of the development of interpersonal skills in leaders that will help to bring out the human and emotional best in others."

All of us in leadership positions want to improve the performance of our organizations. Despite our best intentions and efforts, we often fail because we do not inspire trust and credibility. Authoritative-collaborative leaders act on the assumption that they must self-consciously build trust and credibility in order to improve performance. Essential to that effort is self-knowledge and interpersonal learning skills, without which leaders cannot adjust their own performance in response to feedback, demonstrating to others that the leader “gets it” and “can actually change, as he expects us to!” Equally as essential is the use of structural methodologies that direct people’s efforts to examine and then improve their practice together. “Structures” shape new leaders’ efforts to create conditions for learning, change, and improved performance.

Two of our three books focus on the process of transformational learning that yields self-knowledge and interpersonal learning skills: Leadership and Learning: Personal Change in a Professional Setting, Second Edition, and Talk Sense: Communicating to Lead and Learn. And our third book focuses on the “structures” that organize collective effort to examine current practice and improve performance: The EntryPlan Handbook: How to Begin a New Leadership Position Successfully.

© 2007 Leadership and Learning, Inc.