In increasingly competitive, ‘knowledge worker’ environments, people working at all levels prize their freedom and resist direction. The challenging job of leading them can often feel like the business of ‘herding cats’. Herding Professional Cats offers advice and insights to leaders in the professions about tackling the classic ‘cats’ dilemma - how to manage intelligent, opinionated, independent and frequently difficult people without losing the competitive edge a professionalised workforce can bring. This is a gem of a publication.
Geoffrey Green, formerly Senior Partner, Ashurst LLP, London
This is one of the best business books I have read! The way you have structured the book really resonates with me. It was a joy to read, and offers some great insights. Satu Aavikko, Team Leader, Accenture Ltd, Sydney Herding Professional Cats is a new edition of the authors’ 2010 bestselling book Herding Cats. It draws on their own top-level leadership experience and contains the information current leaders might wish they had known when they set out on their leadership careers. Davies and Garrett combine wisdom from senior academic and research colleagues around the world with new insights from experienced and perceptive leaders in a variety of professions, from lawyers, accountants and architects to consultants, doctors, journalists, public servants and even politicians. Herding Professional Cats covers key management and leadership themes, including: ~ Governance and ethics ~ Motivating performance ~ Work-life balance ~ Making tough strategic choices ~ Social Media ~ Leading change effectively ~ Communication excellence Herding Professional Cats is a ‘must read’ book. I will describe my impression in one word. Brilliant! Dr Ramesh Mashelkar FRS , President, Global Research Alliance & Board Member; Reliance Industries Ltd; Tata Motors Ltd, Mumbai