By Philip J. Harkins

Through many years of consulting and coaching, we have observed that smart, action-oriented leaders who make good decisions rapidly can thrive in bad times. These leaders quickly adjust, sometimes even before markets shift. Anticipating the worst, they focus on short-term wins and adapt their style to the reality of the “new world” around them. They lead by setting clearer direction and by stepping away to enable passionate champions to drive results and accept accountability. In this way, they build a committed work environment. Having been through it before, for example, they spend their time talking to all levels in the organization; particularly, they will go directly to the front-line sales force and learn more about what customers say they really want. They talk to supervisors about what employees are thinking, feeling, and needing. These experienced leaders become sleuths and question everything.

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About the Author

Philip J. Harkins is CEO of Linkage, the company that he founded in 1988. Phil is also an internationally-known expert in the fields of organizational development, leadership, communications, and executive coaching. His clients include senior executives and teams at leading organizations worldwide. All told, Phil has worked with leaders, leadership teams, and boards in more than 25 countries in Asia, North America, South America, Europe, and the Middle East. In addition, along with leadership expert and Linkage board member Warren Bennis, Phil is co-chair of The Global Institute for Leadership Development, which has trained and developed thousands of leaders from around the world.

Phil has authored and edited several best-selling books, including In Search of Leadership: How Great Leaders Answer the Question "Why Lead?" (with Phil Swift; McGraw-Hill, 2009); Everybody Wins: The Story and Lessons Behind RE/MAX (Wiley, 2004); The Art and Practice of Leadership Coaching (Wiley, 2004); and Powerful Conversations: How High-Impact Leaders Communicate (McGraw-Hill, 1999). He has spoken on these and other topics at more than 400 conferences, seminars, and programs around the globe.