The Boss Whisperer – 10 Lessons in managing up for mutual gain
Just as a horse whisperer works with the horse, the intention of this new book from psychologist and executive coach, Richard Boston, is to give readers the insight and tools to develop authentic, mature and mutually beneficial relationships with the people that manage them. The result is that more genuine and trusting partnerships are created and the working environment becomes one in which both leaders, and those being led, can be themselves and thrive - whether thriving means accelerated career progression, a higher income, greater satisfaction, a better balance or simply getting out of a rut.
The book’s lessons and case studies are equally suited to readers with one boss, or those working in a matrix with multiple senior stakeholders. It helps us analyse our own and other’s behaviour, challenging us to consider ways in which we might inadvertently be derailing our leaders, or even causing or fanning the flames of conflict. The psychology at the heart of the book is thorough but highly accessible. There are many practical tips, tools and challenging questions to help the reader get the most from what is one of the most important and profound relationships in everybody’s working life – past, present and future. It’s also a book that leaders will want to read, to provoke new thinking about the relationships they have with their staff.
Commenting, Richard Boston says, “The people that lead us have the greatest individual impact on our happiness, mental health and ability to fulfil our potential. All too often, though, we leave it to them to do a good job of leading us. The real power in managing up comes from looking at ourselves and the lessons in this book immediately reflect that by calling on the reader to be proactive, self-aware and increasingly intelligent when it comes to understanding the person or people to whom they report. Make no mistake, this is not a book about sitting back, passively and waiting to be led. Neither is it a recipe for getting one over on your boss. It truly is about managing up for mutual gain.”
About the author: Richard is a psychologist specialising in driving organisational performance by improving the quality of leadership, followership and team performance. He has worked on six continents with a very diverse client base including BT, Deloitte, numerous charities and governments agencies, Gucci, Hawksmoor restaurants, Heineken, the military, the NHS, Nickelodeon, Siemens, Southampton Football Club and Virgin. He has also represented four leading business schools as a speaker, author and coach. His first book, ARC Leadership, was aimed at helping leaders be more Authentic, Responsible and Courageous.
