New book teaches open leadership skills for communicating effectively in the social media landscape

 

Charlene Li, author of the bestselling book, Groundswell, released her latest book this month, called Open Leadership. 

The book gives you the tools to first determine how open, authentic and transparent you are as a leader.  And, then it teaches you the behaviors you need to develop the trust, deep engagement, rigor and structure to build sharing customer and employee relationships that are necessary to thrive in today's social media culture.

Filled with case studies, action plans and practical self-assessment questions, the book is an important and timely read for leaders in both large and small organizations. 

Li shows you that by using this new approach and mind-set -- and by using social media covenants (not policies) and boundaries for your customers and employees -- you can create a collaborative and ROI-producing communications strategy that ties to your organization's strategic goals. 

The 300-page, hardcover book is the best first read for leaders who also plan to read other books about how to use social media because it shows you how you will have to first rethink leadership control and power before your organization dives into the social media arena.  Fortunately, as Li explains in her book, new open leadership behaviors can supplement your current leadership skills.

Most readers will want to allow ample time for taking the self-assessment tests, and then for applying what they read into the action plan worksheets/exercises.

Li was named one of the 12 most creative minds of 2008 by Fast Company, and one of the most influential women in technology in 2009.

Open Leadership is a good book to read along with any of these other "best" leadership books.