Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)

Team success doesn’t start with results. It starts with the building of an effective team that can deliver on its promise. This book is for managers and leaders who have responsibility for the creation and success of teams. If you are a department head or project manager, or if you are the senior-level champion or sponsor of a proposed team, thi...

More and more managerial challenges require leaders to be accountable-to take initiative without having full authority for the process or the outcomes. Accountability goes beyond responsibility. Whereas responsibility is generally delegated by the boss, the organization, or by virtue of position, accountability is having an intrinsic sense of ow...

Whatever level you occupy in an organization, from line manager to senior executive to team leader, the skill of giving meaningful and effective feedback is an important component to helping other people develop and to getting the job done. Creating and delivering a specific message based on observed performance is key to effective feedback. You...

This guidebook is about changing the way you think about setting goals. It is about identifying goals that are important and meaningful. Creating those kinds of goals means taking stock of your values—what you believe and how you act to carry out those beliefs—in five key areas of your life: career, self, family, community, and spirit. Once you’...

During the course of your career, you are likely to have many different kinds of developmental experiences. You may be assigned to or seek out a challenging position that tests your limits. You may establish a relationship with a mentor. You may feel called to provide leadership for some community activity. Or you may seek out further training a...

Have you ever wondered how to deal with a sensitive issue within your team? For example, how do you raise the issue that the women rarely get listened to? How do you bring up your observation that the team members from Marketing always dominate the meetings? This guidebook focuses on ways to determine whether to raise such an issues in a team me...

Influence is an essential component of leadership. Your position in an organization and the power it gives you aren’t always enough to motivate people to do what you ask. Developing your influence skills can help you gain commitment from people at all levels: direct reports, peers, and bosses. This book includes an assessment tool to help you de...

As individuals, we can be creative and ambitious in our personal lives and in our professional lives. But individual efforts can’t always match the energy and productivity of a group. Cultures, societies, clubs, schools, and militaries arose out of our need to band together for mutual support. Organizations were created to deal more effectively ...

To build morale, pride, and spirit, a leader needs to possess certain characteristics and skills. This book will help you determine your current level of readiness in these areas. It describes two key factors: time spent together in shared experiences and communication among team members. When morale, pride, and spirit are enhanced, there is a p...

If you want to be an effective leader--at any level--you should pay attention to vision. Leaders who communicate a strong vision are seen by their bosses and coworkers as more effective in several important areas than those who do not. The content of your vision affects employees' perception of your organization. Your articulation of the vision ...