Overview: Editorial Review

Winning 'Em Over: A New Model for Managing in the Age of Persuasion, by University of Southern California management professor Jay A. Conger, champions the cause of "teamwork" over "hierarchy" as the proper paradigm for effective leadership in our changing corporate environment. The key, he writes, is using constructive forms of persuasion rather than old-style methods of command to gain levels of commitment and motivation that otherwise might prove unattainable. Conger lays out four steps--building credibility, finding common ground, developing compelling positions, and connecting emotionally--that he contends will help managers more effectively direct their employees toward this goal. --Howard Rothman