Leaders can inspire and engage, or they can disappoint and disillusion employees. Survival of the Hive: 7 Leadership Lessons from a Beehive takes the lid off a beehive and provides a fun look at effective leadership through the eyes of one of the world’s most industrious creatures, the honeybee.
Deborah Mackin and Matthew Harrington use the bee colony and specifically Zync, the queen-in-waiting, as an entertaining fable to help leaders build accountability, communicate more effectively, engage and motivate the workforce, and sustain loyalty and commitment.
“Over 70% of employees are not fully engaged in their jobs and only 12% of organizations report having the leaders they need,” says Mackin referring to a recent Gallup poll. “Survival of the Hive was written to create a new leadership model most commonly seen in a honeybee hive and apply it to today’s workplace.”
Being on opposite ends of the workplace generations as mother-and-son co-authors, Mackin and Harrington bring the best in old and new-school leadership practices including Reflections for Today’s Leaders at the end of each chapter, as well as Group Discussion Questions to help facilitate an ongoing conversation on the “Survival of the Hive” philosophy.
“Management and leadership are at a critical juncture,” says Harrington. “Many employees are disengaged at work because they have an ineffective boss, manager or leader. We also know management and leadership are at a point of fatigue from years of recession, cuts, limited resources and being asked to do more with less. The book provides a way to have a new conversation about leadership including key lessons around the Front Porch of Accountability, a leader’s Footprint Factor, the Communication Waggle Dance and the importance of the Colony Culture.”
About the authors
Deborah Mackin is the author of three best-selling teaming books, including The Team-Building Tool Kit. Mackin is an international business consultant, leadership coach and workforce development trainer with over 28 years of experience. She has worked alongside executives, leaders and managers in some of the world’s most prestigious companies, including Coca-Cola, Alcoa, Delta Faucet, the US Navy and Sanofi Pasteur. Mackin is a veteran when it comes to what works in the business world today.
Matthew Harrington is the son and business partner of Mackin. Harrington is viewed as an expert on social media, social learning, the Millennial generation and new forms of workplace leadership. Harrington has quickly become a leading strategist working with organizations to help usher in a new era of leadership excellence.
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