The Art of Constructive Confrontation - Hardcover

by John Hoover (Author), Roger P. DiSilvestro (Author)

Praise for The Art of Constructive Confrontation

"There's no magic formula for building a successful enterprise, large or small. If you're in the business of making a profit, you're in the business of building people. First you build your people. After that, your people produce the profit. The Art of Constructive Confrontation is an easy-to-follow, systematic process that makes sure you don't get those things backwards. Constructive confrontation is the closest thing you'll ever find to hold people accountable for what they do, while at the same time reducing the conflicts that get in the way of productivity and, ultimately, profits."
--Spencer Hays, founder, The Tom James Company Executive Chairman, Southwestern/Great American, Inc.

"The Art of Constructive Confrontation is a clear and concise road map to making the all-important conversations between team leaders and team members happen. More than that, the constructive confrontation process keeps those conversations happening, keeps them consistent and constructive, keeps everybody accountable, and unleashes the leadership potential in everyone."
--Angelo Valenti, PhD, leader of The Company Psychologist and coauthor, Unleashing Leadership

"Embracing constructive confrontation builds a strong, effective leader with a strong, effective team. This book covers the step-by-step process to make you that kind of leader."
--Danny Cox, coauthor, Leadership When the Heat's On

Front Jacket

There is a seemingly endless supply of new and overhyped methodologies for helping businesses get things done. But none of those methodologies address one of the most fundamental problems in business today: our fear of face-to-face confrontation.

The Art of Constructive Confrontation shows why confrontation isn't something we should fear at all, but is instead something we should embrace and use to our advantage. Constructive confrontation can be the difference between people just doing things and people getting things done.

Often, when we think of confrontation, we think of conflict and anger. But constructive confrontation isn't conflict; it's a structured, systematic approach to decreasing conflict and increasing accountability in the workplace. Unlike other business improvement methodologies, it doesn't cost you money and you can implement it today. Constructive confrontation works because it's simple.

In The Art of Constructive Confrontation, authors John Hoover and Roger DiSilvestro present their straightforward, common sense system in three easy steps. First, any project undertaken must be treated like a promise, or covenant, between each team member and his or her team leaders. This covenant includes well-articulated and precise expectations so that each person knows what to do and when to do it. Second, planned follow-up meetings--or confrontations--must be scheduled and consistently conducted to ensure that everyone makes progress as expected and gets past surprise roadblocks. Finally, satisfactory completion of all goals must be celebrated and rewarded as a foundation for the next task or project.

Continuous accountability is a simple concept, but can quickly get lost in the pressurized world of business, where good plans fall apart as work overflows and day-to-day crises take precedence. Constructive confrontation prevents this by keeping projects on schedule through a step-based, systematic approach. Goals are well articulated and documented, and confrontation is planned. Next, all parties to the constructive confrontation covenant are required to confront each other regularly in a spirit not of fear, but of dedication and commitment to a common goal. Finally, celebration and rewards reinforce each individual's importance, builds departmental and organizational character, and keeps everyone focused on the finish line.

As team members and team leaders journey through the cycle from start to finish, constructive confrontation provides ample opportunity for course correction and adaptation to new realities. Not only is it simple and effective, it's flexible and adaptive--and it works for any business in any industry. For anyone assigned to a task or project, as well as the leaders responsible for seeing that the work gets done--and gets done right and on time--The Art of Constructive Confrontation is the most powerful tool available to increase accountability and decrease conflict.

Back Jacket

Praise for The Art of Constructive Confrontation

"There's no magic formula for building a successful enterprise, large or small. If you're in the business of making a profit, you're in the business of building people. First you build your people. After that, your people produce the profit. The Art of Constructive Confrontation is an easy-to-follow, systematic process that makes sure you don't get those things backwards. Constructive confrontation is the closest thing you'll ever find to hold people accountable for what they do, while at the same time reducing the conflicts that get in the way of productivity and, ultimately, profits."
--Spencer Hays, founder, The Tom James Company Executive Chairman, Southwestern/Great American, Inc.

"The Art of Constructive Confrontation is a clear and concise road map to making the all-important conversations between team leaders and team members happen. More than that, the constructive confrontation process keeps those conversations happening, keeps them consistent and constructive, keeps everybody accountable, and unleashes the leadership potential in everyone."
--Angelo Valenti, PhD, leader of The Company Psychologist and coauthor, Unleashing Leadership

"Embracing constructive confrontation builds a strong, effective leader with a strong, effective team. This book covers the step-by-step process to make you that kind of leader."
--Danny Cox, coauthor, Leadership When the Heat's On

Author Biography

JOHN HOOVER, PhD, is a popular speaker and seminar leader. He has helped numerous companies, including Boeing, Delta Air Lines, Hilton Hotels, IBM, Motorola, Sanyo Fisher, and Xerox, engender and sustain internal andexternal -with enhanced organizational behavior and communications strategies. His revolutionary team/task alignment tool, based on composite personality, can be found at www.compositeam.com.

ROGER P. DiSILVESTRO is Chairman and CEO of Athlon Sports Communications, Inc., a Nashville-based sales, publishing, and sports marketing company.