Business Culture
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Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact
Why do some people break through and make an impact while others get stuck going through the motions?
In every organization there are Impact Players—those indispensable colleagues who can be counted on in critical situations and who consistently receive high-profile assignments and new opportunities. Whether they are on center stage or behind the scenes, managers know who these top players are, understand their worth, and want more of them on their team. While their impact is obvious, it’s not always clear what actually makes these professionals different from their peers.
In Impact Players, New York Times bestselling author and researcher Liz Wiseman reveals the secrets of these stellar professionals who play the game at a higher level. Drawing on insights from leaders at top companies, Wiseman explains what the most influential players are doing differently, how small and seemingly insignificant differences in how we think and act can make an enormous impact, and why—with a little coaching—this mindset is available to everyone who wants to contribute at their highest level.
Based on a study of 170 top contributors, Wiseman identifies the mindsets that prevent otherwise smart, capable people from contributing to their full potential and the five practices that differentiate Impact Players:
While others do their job, Impact Players figure out the real job to be done. While others wait for direction, Impact Players step up and lead.While others escalate problems, Impact Players move things across the finish line.While others attempt to minimize change, Impact Players are learning and adapting to change. While others add to the load, the Impact Players make heavy demands feel lighter.Wiseman makes clear that these practices—and the right mindset—can help any employee contribute at their fullest and shows leaders how they can raise the level of play for everyone on the team. Impact Players is your playbook for the new workplace.
In every organization there are Impact Players—those indispensable colleagues who can be counted on in critical situations and who consistently receive high-profile assignments and new opportunities. Whether they are on center stage or behind the scenes, managers know who these top players are, understand their worth, and want more of them on their team. While their impact is obvious, it’s not always clear what actually makes these professionals different from their peers.
In Impact Players, New York Times bestselling author and researcher Liz Wiseman reveals the secrets of these stellar professionals who play the game at a higher level. Drawing on insights from leaders at top companies, Wiseman explains what the most influential players are doing differently, how small and seemingly insignificant differences in how we think and act can make an enormous impact, and why—with a little coaching—this mindset is available to everyone who wants to contribute at their highest level.
Based on a study of 170 top contributors, Wiseman identifies the mindsets that prevent otherwise smart, capable people from contributing to their full potential and the five practices that differentiate Impact Players:
While others do their job, Impact Players figure out the real job to be done. While others wait for direction, Impact Players step up and lead.While others escalate problems, Impact Players move things across the finish line.While others attempt to minimize change, Impact Players are learning and adapting to change. While others add to the load, the Impact Players make heavy demands feel lighter.Wiseman makes clear that these practices—and the right mindset—can help any employee contribute at their fullest and shows leaders how they can raise the level of play for everyone on the team. Impact Players is your playbook for the new workplace.
Editorial Reviews
"If you're trying to navigate the new world of work, this book is your GPS. With solid research and sparkling examples, Wiseman shows how to do the things they don't teach us in school-tackling ambiguous problems, surmounting unforeseen obstacles, hitting moving targets, and traveling beyond the boundaries of your job description to make a real contribution." -- Daniel H. Pink, number one New York Times bestselling author of When, Drive, and To Sell is Human
"If you want to stand out early in your career, this book is required reading. Liz Wiseman highlights the practical, often surprising habits that will help you reach your potential and make your mark." -- Adam Grant, number one New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLife
"Impact Players will teach you how to have empathy for your boss without kissing up, how to step up and take charge even when you don't have formal authority, and when to step back and follow, so you can make big things happen for your team and your career." -- Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor and Just Work
"Liz Wiseman has done it again. Impact Players is an engaging and practical guide to how anyone can be more effective at work. In a refreshing departure from the relentless emphasis on leadership that dominates the field, Wiseman digs into the important question of how people make themselves valuable and how they find ways to make an impact when and where it matters most." -- Amy C. Edmondson, professor, Harvard Business School, and author of The Fearless Organization
"In building innovative Silicon Valley companies and running US economic diplomacy, I've learned that Impact Players are the essential ingredient for growing transformative organizations. And Liz Wiseman's book gives you the recipe. Impact Players will help you develop the desperately needed next generation of bold, principled, transformational leaders to address our challenges and make sure the world of tomorrow is a better world for all." -- Keith Krach, former United States undersecretary of state, chairman and CEO of DocuSign and Ariba
"Being busy? Easy. Having an impact and making a difference? Well, that's hard, really hard. Liz Wiseman, in her typically brilliantly, generous, and rigorous way, shows how any of us can change what we do so we too can be an Impact Player. This book is every bit as important and as good as Multipliers. And that book changed the working world." -- Michael Bungay Stanier, author of The Coaching Habit
"Impact Players is a gold mine! It is filled with powerful insights and actionable recommendations on how to move beyond being a compete...
"If you want to stand out early in your career, this book is required reading. Liz Wiseman highlights the practical, often surprising habits that will help you reach your potential and make your mark." -- Adam Grant, number one New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLife
"Impact Players will teach you how to have empathy for your boss without kissing up, how to step up and take charge even when you don't have formal authority, and when to step back and follow, so you can make big things happen for your team and your career." -- Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor and Just Work
"Liz Wiseman has done it again. Impact Players is an engaging and practical guide to how anyone can be more effective at work. In a refreshing departure from the relentless emphasis on leadership that dominates the field, Wiseman digs into the important question of how people make themselves valuable and how they find ways to make an impact when and where it matters most." -- Amy C. Edmondson, professor, Harvard Business School, and author of The Fearless Organization
"In building innovative Silicon Valley companies and running US economic diplomacy, I've learned that Impact Players are the essential ingredient for growing transformative organizations. And Liz Wiseman's book gives you the recipe. Impact Players will help you develop the desperately needed next generation of bold, principled, transformational leaders to address our challenges and make sure the world of tomorrow is a better world for all." -- Keith Krach, former United States undersecretary of state, chairman and CEO of DocuSign and Ariba
"Being busy? Easy. Having an impact and making a difference? Well, that's hard, really hard. Liz Wiseman, in her typically brilliantly, generous, and rigorous way, shows how any of us can change what we do so we too can be an Impact Player. This book is every bit as important and as good as Multipliers. And that book changed the working world." -- Michael Bungay Stanier, author of The Coaching Habit
"Impact Players is a gold mine! It is filled with powerful insights and actionable recommendations on how to move beyond being a compete...
Readers Top Reviews
Andy Storch
I've long been a fan of Liz Wiseman's work and have given copies of Multipliers to many clients and friends and cited in many of my conversations, podcast interviews, and coaching calls. It was a game changer. And now Liz has published Impact Players, which is the perfect follow-up book and one that we can all use to play bigger and truly multiply our impact. I've worked in corporate consulting for more than ten years and I've seen the rising stars and the people who just get it and make a huge impact. I've also seen lots of other people drifting along and sometimes even dragging the team down. So many of my clients ask how do we get more of our employees to act like those stars. How do codify what they are doing and help others? In Impact Players, Liz explains what the most impactful players are doing and how we can leverage their mindset to help so many others make the little changes needed to move up to the next level. This book is a winner and I can't wait to share it with more people. Andy Storch Author of Own Your Career Own Your Life
JoshuaKWadeJohn W. P
I loved this book…couldn't put it down. Wiseman does an amazing job sharing stories that illustrate her points and keep the reader engaged. Impact Players is the perfect companion book to "Multipliers". It’s for both leaders and contributors. As a surgeon, I see its application for me and my team in the operating room…getting copies for the whole team to read. I think this book is a must read for people just entering the workforce, those who want to improve their output and those who lead teams.
Alisa Cohn
I love Multipliers and recommend it to all my clients and Impact Players is an incredible follow up. It's filled with insights about the ways you can change your mindset to allow you to step in more gracefully and effectively. It's told in Liz Wiseman's usual accessible and interesting style so you are hooked from the very beginning. I also love her structured approach - she synthesizes each chapter with a grid showing the contributor habit as compared to the impact habit. I've already started using this in my work with my clients, in particular the high impact habits and how to increase you impact. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to lead and make a difference.
