Bøker av Matthew Kohut

A new lens for understanding how to navigate political and social issues in business leadership communicationsCorporate leaders are increasingly expected to issue statements on a range of complex and controversial political and social issues as they arise. As a result, chief executives run the risk of falling into the "talking trap," and thus needing to comment on every issue du jour. However, those whose only strategy is to avoid risk by saying nothing do so at their own peril.Speaking Out offers a new framework for understanding how to manage corporate communications challenges with a shared emphasis on actions and words. Case studies of leaders who have spoken out and backed their words with action are contrasted with those of others who have had mixed records on accountability, failed to show progress in public commitments or faced consequences for taking a stance. These real-world examples demonstrate the difference between public relations efforts that can be easily dismissed as spin and authentic communication that enhances credibility and trust.Speaking Out demonstrates that managing risk today involves knowing not just when to speak and what to say but also what to do. Providing much-needed guidance, this book will be an invaluable compass for effective corporate communications for established and aspiring C-suite leaders alike. Professionals working in corporate and executive communications, marketing and branding, government relations, corporate social responsibility, and public relations will also benefit from the wisdom within Speaking Out.

Why human skills and expertise, not technical tools, are what make projects succeed.The project is the basic unit of work in many industries. Software applications, antiviral vaccines, launch-ready spacecraft: all were produced by a team and managed as a project. Project management emphasizes control, processes, and tools—but, according to The Smart Mission, that is not the right way to run a project. Human skills and expertise, not technical tools, are what make projects successful. Projects run on knowledge. This paradigm-shifting book—by three project management experts, all of whom have decades of experience at NASA and elsewhere—challenges the conventional wisdom on project management, focusing on the human dimension: learning, collaboration, teaming, communication, and culture.The authors emphasize three themes: projects are fundamentally about how teams work and learn together to get things done; the local level—not an organization’s upper levels—is where the action happens; and projects don’t operate in a vacuum but exist within organizations that are responsible to stakeholders. Drawing on examples and case studies from NASA and other organizations, the authors identify three project models—micro, macro, and global—and their different knowledge needs. Successful organizations have a knowledge-based culture. Successful project management guides the interplay of knowledge, projects, and people.