The Power of Collaborative Leadership by Bert Frydman, Iva Wilson and JoAnne Wyer has arisen from the spirit of partnership and mutual inquiry. It is a rare book, one that actually captures "thinking in the moment" from experienced practitioners. It reflects the complexity of feelings and multiplicity of interpretations that coexist in complex change efforts.
In short, the book is for those who are genuinely interested in expanding their capacity to learn from history. For those looking for easy answers and quick fixes, it would be better to look elsewhere.
Co-author Iva Wilson was always on the periphery of the mainstream. She was the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in engineering at a prestigious German university. In virtual all of her engineering managerial positions, she was the first woman. Eventually, she became the highest-ranking woman manager for a global electronics firm. Hers is an impressive CV, but it was not an easy journey, just as it is not easy for most women like her who have breached the walls surrounding previously male-dominated workplaces.
The Road to Transforming Management
The Power of Collaborative Leadership is written primarily as a conversation between two senior managers, Bert Frydman and Iva Wilson. It takes that form because the authors wanted to capture the spirit of exploration. The field of organizational learning is new, and the challenges to its proponents, especially to business people, are many. In the book, Bert represents our pragmatic side, and Iva our visionary tendencies. Of course, everyone has aspects of both. As they share experiences and reflections, you are invited to shape your own arguments, your own change strategy.