People say 'leadership' but describe 'management,'talk only of a commanding style, serve up speeches about how more than one leader creates chaos, or talk in mystical terms. I have witnessed this cluttered thinking endless times in intelligent people. When capable individuals make such remarks, we have a clear indication of the need for a better understanding of what leaders really do.

WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED AS THE orlds foremost authority on leadership, John Kotter has devoted his remarkable career to studying organiza-tions and those who run them, and his bestselling books and essays have guided and inspired leaders at all levels. Here, in this collection of his acclaimed Harvard Business Review articles, is an astute assessment of the real work of leaders, as only John Kotter can offer. To complement these articles, Kotter also contributes a new introduction, a thoughtful reflection on the themes that have developed throughout his work.

Convinced that most organizations today lack the leadership they need, Kotter's mission is to help us better understand what leaders--real leaders--do.True leadership, he reminds us, is an elusive quality, and too often we confuse management duties and personal style with leadership, or even mistake unworthy leaders for the real thing. Yet without leadership, organizations move too slowly, stagnate, and lose their way. With John P. Kotter on What Leaders Really Do,readers will learn how to become more effective leaders as they explore pressing issues such as power, influence, dependence, and strategies for change.

1   Leadership at the Turn of the Century

Part 1 Leadership and Change

2   Choosing Strategies for Change

3   What Leaders Really Do

4   Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail

Part 2 Dependency and Networks

5   Power, Dependence, and Effective Management

6   Managing Your Boss           

7   What Effective General Managers Really Do

 Notes                   

 Index                  

 About the Author