Includes bibliographical references and index.

Leaders in the middle and their challenges -- The journeys begin for Kurt and Stephen -- Categorizing stakeholders -- Leadership approaches for each category of stakeholders -- Avoid making stakeholders DEAF -- How do Kurt's and Stephen's journeys end? -- How can you lead change?

"Bookshelves abound with theoretical analyses, how-to guides, and personal success stories by famous corporate leaders, public officials, even athletic coaches, expounding on how to lead from the top. But what about those in the middle who are increasingly tasked with trying to reshape, reorient, or recreate the capabilities of an organization? Leading Change from the Middle takes you on the journeys traveled by Kurt Mayer, an information technology executive in the Department of Defense trying to build a new IT system in record time with limited resources, and Stephen Wang, a mid-level leader in city government trying to build a capability for supporting commercial agriculture. Kurt and Stephen have to navigate complex organizational and stakeholder landscapes in which they often have few decision rights and few resources - a common scenario for mid-level leaders. One succeeds; one does not."--Jacket.