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The skills they don't teach you at business school

You Don't Need An MBA is a book on strategic leadership - without all the buzzwords and bullshit.

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MBAs are old news. In this ground-breaking book, leadership expert Alicia McKay teaches leaders to focus on what they don't teach you at business school.

Leaders are made, not born. But they are not made in lecture halls and seminar rooms; you don't need an MBA to be an effective leader.

To face a complex and uncertain future, they need to get smart, be strategic about the next step, and expand their range. They need paradox: clear values and open minds, high performance and meaningful space, dedication to detail, and a big-picture perspective. They need to ask different questions, design different options, and most of all, they need to do that with others on the same journey.

In this thought-provoking book, Alicia McKay outlines the five skills every strategic leader needs:

  • How to develop true flexibility.
  • How to make good decisions.
  • How to create powerful systems.
  • How to drive real performance.
  • How to have meaningful influence.

Drawing on the latest global thinking on leadership, You Don t Need an MBA uses Plain English to demystify the skills leaders of the future need and outlines a way forward; united leadership that focuses on real outcomes, not quick-fixes.

Editorial reviews

'In this moment, we need leaders more than ever. But, as Alicia McKay helps us understand, waiting two years for a piece of paper isn t required to make a difference. Start where you are, and start now.

- Seth Godin, author of This is Marketing

'Credit belongs to Alicia because she is actually in the arena. Read this book if you want a down-to-earth, what-really-works guide to leadership.'

- Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism

' What you need [to succeed] is a structured way to think about building your career and a good network. This book offers you an approach to building both that is practical and accessible. Most importantly, it's a fun read.

- Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor and Just Work

'Accessible, quirky, moving, funny and, above all, practical and applicable. If you are in leadership or aspire to be, this book should be at the top of your recommended reading list.'

- Peter Cook, author of Implement!

‘Alicia has deconstructed leadership to the point where it’s easy to understand and action. Managers no longer have the excuse of not knowing how to step up – instead, they now have a choice. Read this book and grow… or don’t, and become slowly irrelevant. It should be an easy choice to make.’

- Colin D. Ellis, author of Culture Hacks 

Reviews

"This really is a playbook for growing leaders. It will challenge you to deeply reflect on your own leadership, to acknowledge where you’ve come from, where you find yourself and where you need to get to. It will undoubtedly prove to be a reliable mirror, a coach and guide for leadership transitions at any stage of your career.

You need to read this book. But be warned, it will dare you to lead differently!"

Major Street Publishing - read the full review here

National Business Review

Media

Buy in bulk

Preferential bulk purchase rates are available for government departments, Councils, NGOs, conferences and industry associations.

Enquire at info@aliciamckay.co.nz

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alicia McKay is a strategic leadership expert

Alicia McKay is New Zealand's straight-talking strategist. Author, speaker and facilitator, Alicia has partnered with over 120 clients across Australia and New Zealand, and trained thousands of senior leaders, to develop cutting-edge strategies, lead change, and become more effective leaders in uncertainty.

In this, her second book, Alicia shares her fresh thinking, irreverent humour, and sharp insight with readers worldwide.

Alicia is also the author of From Strategy to Action: A Guide to Getting Shit Done in the Public Sector and Local Legends: How to Make a Difference in Local Government.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ALICIA

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