Boundary Spanning Leadership

This book comes out of a study conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership on how to encourage collaboration among groups of people with a history of conflict. Drawing on case studies collected from a variety of organizations around the globe, the authors develop a structured six-step approach, each covered in a separate chapter. In addition to this methodology and concrete implementation illustrations, this book offers highly instructive insights in chapters 2 and 3 on the mechanisms and the impact of group identity—a very powerful psychological driver, whose effects are often poorly understood by management. Readers with limited time are urged to continue on to chapters 4 and 5, which explore the most enlightening practical implications, specifically how to create the conditions needed for people to feel secure and respect one another. The rest of the book provides useful complementary information, but fewer innovative contributions.