A Symphony of Choices: How Mentorship Taught a Manager Decision-Making, Project Management and Workplace Engagement -- And Saved a Concert Season - Hardcover

by Gerald J. Leonard (Author)

Learn how to make decisions in the face of increasingly complex and multifaceted challenges

In A Symphony of Choices: How Mentorship Taught a Manager Decision-Making, Project Management and Workplace Engagement -- and Saved a Concert Season, workplace culture and strategy expert Gerald Leonard delivers a fascinating narrative following one Jerry Hall, the new Symphony Orchestra manager at a prestigious symphony concerned about the challenging plans for an upcoming season. In the book, you'll watch Jerry connect with a former college professor and learn the skills necessary to successfully manage his way through these unprecedented times in his business and personal life.

Does he have all skills necessary for effective decision-making and managing a major symphony's portfolio of projects? Will his fear of succumbing to daunting challenges prevent him from succeeding? The author answers these questions, and more. You'll also find:

• Hands-on strategies for decision-making and management you can implement today at your organization
• Methods for navigating an increasingly complex and interconnected environment
• Ways to apply subject-matter knowledge to your management even in the face of extraordinary personal challenges

A necessary and hands-on resource for directors, managers, executives, and other business leaders, A Symphony of Choices will also earn a place on the bookshelves of practicing and aspiring leaders in athletic, academic, military, and other environments.

Front Jacket

Recent research shows that the number of individuals working in project-based roles will increase significantly over the next several years, forecasted to reach 88 million by 2027. Likewise, the value of project-oriented economic activity worldwide will surpass $20 trillion, representing millions of projects that require millions of project managers per year! This exponential growth of the "Project Economy" is impacting not only organizations, but the very nature of work and our entire professional lives.

The traditional career path of previous generations is now a distant memory. Today, we don't remain at a single company for decades: we change jobs many times during our careers and are likely to be self-employed at some point. As this trend accelerates, professional careers will become a sequence of projects in which we apply the lessons we have learned from previous jobs, companies, and industries--all while positioning ourselves for our next career move.

Clearly, mastering the processes of effective decision-making and Portfolio Project Management (PPM) is no longer optional. Juggling multiple projects has become a major challenge, as every aspect of both our professional and personal lives is becoming a set of projects.

In A Symphony of Choices, workplace culture and strategy expert Gerald Leonard provides you with the practical tools and real-world examples that will help you build the knowledge and skills you need to thrive in a project-driven world. Through an engaging fable, Gerald offers invaluable advice on choosing the right people, projects, processes, performance metrics, risk and implementation strategies, and much more.

Regardless of industry and stage of professional development, A Symphony of Choices is a must-read for anyone who wants to level-up their decision-making, clearly define their goals, overcome challenges, and succeed in the face of interconnected adversities.

Back Jacket

"We live today in a hyper-connected world where the old expression that, when a butterfly flaps its wings in the East, it causes chaos in the West, and vice versa! Gerald has written the business parable that beautifully guides you through the challenges of successfully implementing projects and initiatives. More importantly, it provides you with the tools and tips to succeed. A must-read."
--ROBIN SPECULAND, Specialist in Strategy & Digital Implementation, co-author of Strategy Implementation Playbook and author of World's Best Bank

LEARN HOW TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THE FACE OF INCREASINGLY COMPLEX AND MULTIFACETED CHALLENGES

In A Symphony of Choices: How Mentorship Taught a Manager Decision-Making, Project Management and Workplace Engagement-- and Saved a Concert Season, workplace culture and strategy expert Gerald Leonard shows you how to diminish chaos and stay sane when your world is in crisis.

In this fascinating business parable, you will meet Jerry Hall, a musician who is given the opportunity to become the manager of a prestigious symphony orchestra. Quickly overwhelmed by the responsibilities of his new position, Jerry connects with a former college professor and learns the skills necessary to successfully manage his way through the unprecedented challenges he faces in both his business and personal life.

Does Jerry have all the skills necessary for managing a major symphony's portfolio of projects? Will he make the right decision in the face of extraordinary personal challenges? Will his fear of succumbing to daunting tasks prevent him from succeeding? You will learn the answers to these and other questions as you follow Jerry through his informative and inspiring journey.

Author Biography

GERALD J. LEONARD (productivityintelligenceinstitute.com) is CEO and Founder of the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute and CEO of Turnberry Premiere, a strategic project portfolio management and IT governance firm. Early in his career, Leonard worked as a professional bassist and studied with the late David Walters, a distinguished professor of double bass at both the Juilliard and the Manhattan Schools of Music. Leonard is a contributor to Thrive Global and PM World 360, an in-demand executive coach, and an acclaimed speaker on topics of workplace culture and strategy execution.