Synopsis

Managers in cultures where business are traditionally managed with directive styles, struggle with effectiveness and motivation of their employees. Increasing education levels within their organisation create the need for a different kind of management style. This book will teach managers to apply equality, speed and trustworthiness as values or ingredients of their behaviour. They will get insights in why these values are needed and what the effects of them will be, especially on the motivation and engagement of their employees. I have branded this as "Danish Leadership Style". The book will also explain where this style originates from. Readers will understand how to get a different management style in their own organisations. I will specify this using some key business processes as examples and explain main problems, why things should be changed, how to apply Danish Leadership and what the effects will be.

The book is unique in the sense that the "participative" management styles as presented in traditional overviews and books is only recommended to use when employees work together, staff has experience and the working environment is stable. My view is that it can also be applied in cases of crisis and lack of competency. Many authors describe different styles and conclude that the key to being an effective leader is to have a broad repertoire of styles and to use them appropriately. Very rarely they explain how to do this. The reality is that it is very difficult for people to adjust their style continuously. That is where Danish Leadership can help them as it consistently includes elements of different styles without the need for changing "hats" all the time. As a consequence Danish Leadership is pragmatic and easy to apply.

The book will be written for managers all around the globe. Based on the response on some articles I have written on Linkedin, I expect a lot of interest in the UK, the US and India for some reasons, a.o.:

- Management education has been around for several years and is given on a high academic level. Managers are used to reflecting on their behaviour.

- Staff reporting to managers has received good education, often also on a high academic level. These people tend to be critical, factual and find it difficult to respect leaders who rule based on non-intellectual power

- Historically and culturally, managers have applied directive styles without too much involvement of their people in decision-making.

Outline

1. Frustrations of the directive manager; In most large world economies the dominant style of managers is being directive. Many of them are faced with reduced effectiveness of their behaviour in business. They see their people disobeying, being critical and asking for explanations and facts. The consequence of this can vary from reduced respect and loyalty to undermining or even threatening the position of the manager in the company.
2. The impact of education; Every manager educated in the eighties or later was taught how to build teams with well educated people and to train them continuously. Very few have reflected on the impact this may have on themselves. Well educated people require and demand different things from their management.
3. Limitations of current management style models; Management theory originally identified three styles: Autocratic, Democratic, and Laissez-Faire. Later these main styles got detailed into variations and surrounded by additions like management by walking around, self managed teams. The limitation of existing theories is that every style has a clear list of prerequisites of when to apply or not to apply it. As a consequence managers are taught to master different styles and use them when appropriate. Although very logical, this is not very easy to do and confuses employees as well.
4. Happy Danish employees; For many years research has shown that Danish employees are among the happiest in the world and the most productive and efficient as well. One of the main reasons for this is they way they are being treated in their organisations.
5. Danish leadership; The style of a typical Danish leader is based on three values: Equality, Speed and Trustworthiness. Equality requires participation and involvement. Speed comes from small steps instead of big bangs. And trustworthiness is created by "what you see is what you get" which reduces complexity in business significantly. All three values are rooted in Danish society which is characterized by simplicity and pragmatism.
6. How to become the new people manager; To adopt the new style managers shall prioritize three activities: Active recruitment of educated people in expertise that your business lack, continuous training of existing employees and leading by example. As a consequence you will see the three values of Danish leadership grow in your business, regardless of the society you live in.
7. Changing business processes; People in an ecosystem of Danish leadership will automatically question existing business processes. As a manager it is your task to identify the most important ones and change them together with your people by applying the three values and three activities described in chapters 5 and 6.

Audience

The book is written for managers all around the globe. Based on the response on some articles I have written on Linkedin, I expect a lot of interest in the UK, the US and India for some reasons, a.o.:

- Management education has been around for several years and is given on a high academic level. Managers are used to reflecting on their behaviour.

- Staff reporting to managers has received good education, often also on a high academic level. These people tend to be critical, factual and find it difficult to respect leaders who rule based on non-intellectual power

- Historically and culturally, managers have applied directive styles without too much involvement of their people in decision-making.

Research by the Chartered Management Institute in the UK underpins this. When asked, 'What is the dominant type of management style in your organisation?', the most common replies were 'authoritarian' or autocratic (21%) and 'bureaucratic' (16%). Far fewer of those surveyed identified positive features of management such as 'innovative' (7%), 'trusting' (9%), and 'empowering' (7%).

Promotion

• 1.436 LinkedIn followers will be continuously informed about the process of writing the book and also about how to buy, as well as interest groups like Harvard business review.
• 28.509 readers of my LinkedIn article about Danish Leadership https://www.linkedin.com/pulse... indicates great interest in this topic, and I will use the same methodology to inform all of them about the book.
• I will promote the book within business communities and network groups that I am a member of.
• As a guest speaker for events I am already today talking about the subject regularly, which can be used for promotion as well.
• I will connect to important blogs in this area who are open for guest content
• All my Facebook friends will be invited to like the Facebook page with continuous updates
• Danish companies with a large workforce abroad will be approached individually, I will contact the CEO and head of HR.
• People who pre-ordered will be thanked and reminded to share and recommend my campaign

Competition

1. Leaders at Last: Why some teams pull together and others don't; Simon Sinek; Penguin; 2014
2. Leadership: Theory and Practice; Peter Northouse; Sage publications; 2010
3. Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow; Tom Rath; Gallup press; 2009
4. The 360 Degree Leader: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization; John Maxwell; Thomas Nelson; 2011
5. The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow; John Maxwell; Harper Collins; 2006