Action Inquiry : The Secret of Timely and Transforming Leadership

Action inquiry is the process of transformational learning that individuals (and even whole organizations) can undertake to better assess current dangers and opportunities, act in a timely manner, and make future visions come true. Through short stories of leadership and organizational changes in the areas of business, politics, health care, and education, this book illustrates how this process can increase personal integrity, improve relationships, and lead to company profitability and long-term success. Contents......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Introduction: The Promise and the Power of Action Inquiry......Page 14 PART ONE: Learning Action Inquiry Leadership Skills......Page 24 1 Fundamentals of Action Inquiry......Page 26 2 Action Inquiry as a Manner of Speaking......Page 37 3 Action Inquiry as a Way of Organizing......Page 51 INTERLUDE: Action Inquiry: The Idea and the Experience......Page 68 PART TWO: Transforming Leadership......Page 76 4 The Opportunist and the Diplomat: Action-logics you probably resort to, but don’t want to be circumscribed by......Page 78 5 The Expert and the Achiever: The most common managerial action-logics......Page 91 6 The Individualist Action-Logic: Bridge to transforming leadership......Page 104 7 The Strategist Action-Logic: Developing transforming power......Page 117 PART THREE: Transforming Organizations......Page 132 8 Transforming Meetings, Teams, and Organizations......Page 134 9 Facilitating Organizational Transformations......Page 146 10 The Social Network Organization and Transformation Toward Collaborative Inquiry......Page 161 11 The Quintessence of Collaborative Inquiry......Page 175 PART FOUR: The Ultimate Spiritual and Societal Intent of Action Inquiry......Page 188 12 The Fresh Action Awareness of Alchemists......Page 190 13 Creating Foundational Communities of Inquiry......Page 207 Appendix: Concluding Scientific Postscript on Methods of Inquiry......Page 222 Bibliography......Page 242 A......Page 250 C......Page 251 I......Page 252 N......Page 253 R......Page 254 T......Page 255 Y......Page 256 Bill Torbert and associates illustrate how individuals and organizations can progress through more and more sophisticated "action-logics" -- strategies for analyzing the world and reacting to it -- until they will eventually be able to practice action inquiry continually. Offering action inquiry exercises at the end of the chapters, the book moves from junior managers beginning to practice action inquiry through CEO's transforming whole companies, to world leaders transforming whole countries, as exemplified by Czech president Vaclav Havel. Through short stories of leadership and organizational transformations, this groundbreaking book illustrates how action inquiry increases personal integrity, relational mutuality, company profitability, and long-term organizational and environmental sustainability. "Action inquiry" is a fresh approach to learning leadership in the midst of action. This highly accessible process takes each of us beyond muddling through daily dilemmas to exercising transforming power at key moments and more timely action in general. Bill Torbert and Associates lead you through more and more sophisticated "action-logics"--strategies for analyzing the world and reacting to it--until you are able to practice action inquiry continually. Speaking to everyone from new managers to CEOs to world leaders, real-life stories of leadership and organizational transformations show how action inquiry increases personal integrity, relational mutuality, company profitability, and long-term organizational and environmental sustainability

Action inquiry is an approach to learning leadership in the midst of action. Torbert (management, Boston College) leads readers through strategies that lead readers to practice action inquiry continually. Speaking to everyone from new managers to CEOs and world leaders, he offers real-life stories of leadership and organizational transformations to show how action inquiry increases personal integrity, company profitability, and long-term organizational and environmental sustainability. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

"Action inquiry is an approach to learning leadership in the midst of action. Torbert (management, Boston College) leads readers through strategies that lead readers to practice action inquiry continually. Speaking to everyone from new managers to CEOs and world leaders, he offers real-life stories of leadership and organizational transformations to show how action inquiry increases personal integrity, company profitability, and long-term organizational and environmental sustainability"--Booknews.com This title introduces readers to action inquiry - a type of disciplined leadership practise that increases the timeliness of one's actions. Timely leadership action helps teams, institutions and organizations become more creative, more aware, more just, and more capable of self-transformation as warranted Through an insightful parable, Your Leadership Legacy shows how to create a positive, empowering legacy that will endure and inspire. Three Leadership Imperatives guide readers in creating a positive and lasting impact "By ""action inquiry,"" we mean a kind of behavior that is simultaneously productive and self-assessing."