Risky Business

To position an organization for growth, you cannot shy away from disruptive, high-stakes, pivotal decisions about the future.

So why DO you?

Why do so many smart leaders cringe when they face disruption?

Most people think of disruption as negative while some leaders make disruption their goal. Organizational Psychologist Dr. Linda Henman considers both approaches preventable and costly mistakes. The surprising truth about improving anything you do—personally, professionally, publicly, or privately—lies at the intersection of your ability to think abstractly and your willingness to take prudent risks.

Drawing on a rich trove of original, cutting-edge research and four decades’ worth of consulting, Henman knows what it takes to succeed in the C-suite. She dispels myths by presenting a clear and compelling summary of what she has observed—and in many cases, helped to create. Her in-the-trenches experiences spurred her to arrive at this conclusion: Myths about leadership have blinded us to what leaders really do. Many leaders believe in the concept of creative disruption but remain skeptical about trusting it.

Jam-packed with big ideas, Risky Business arrives just in time—a rare book that will transform the way you think about risk, change the way you view disruption, and help you understand what you must do to think strategically, to grow dramatically, and to do it quickly. Inspiring and revelatory, filled with story-driven narratives and practical takeaways, Risky Business brings together decades of counterintuitive research to shed light on how you can effect change.