Leading for SuccessThis series of books aims to provide practical guidance on a range of soft-skills areas for those in IT. They may also be used to good effect by others, including those who deal with IT professionals, in order to facilitate more effective and co-operative working practices.Leading for Success is intended to provide IT managers with practical advice and tips on how to become an effective leader. Whatever the environment in which you work, providing effective leadership fosters a climate where team members want to give of their best and where organisational goals are more likely to be reached. Furthermore, there is a strong focus on leadership and the creation of stakeholder value for an organisation.Whether you are new to leadership, or have been a leader for some time, this book will help you develop your leadership skills. It is designed to assist you in understanding the characteristics of an effective leader, to help you assess where your strengths and development areas are and to create a plan of action for realising your leadership potential.The author, Sarah Cook is the Managing Director of The Stairway Consultancy Ltd. She has 15 years' consulting experience specialising in leadership, team building and change and a background in industry. Sarah is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, with an MA from Cambridge University and an MBA. She is an accredited user of a wide range of psychometric and personal diagnostic tools.