In Owning Up, business advisor and corporate governance expert Ram Charan answers these and other burning questions on the minds of directors and business leaders. He describes best practices that are emerging in boardrooms he has observed firsthand. And he provides practical recommendations on a range of issues, from compensation to dealing with external constituencies.

A serious crisis looms in American management today. More and more CEOs are failing; there remains an acute shortage of capable replacements. The true dilemma in leadership is the stagnant state of corporate leadership development. Because companies fail to hone their unit managers' leadership abilities, they are never able to fill their succession pipelines. With unit managers stagnating, companies have difficulty executing at every level, compounding the crisis.

More than ever, these days, the sales process often turns into a war about price: a frustrating, unpleasant war that takes all the fun out of selling. But there's a better way to think about sales, says best-selling author Ram Charan, who is famous for clarifying and simplifying difficult business problems.

How often have you heard someone with a commanding presence deliver a bold vision that turned out to be nothing more than rhetoric and hot air? All too often we mistake the appearance of leadership for the real deal. Without a doubt, intelligence, vision, and the ability to communicate are important. But something big is missing: the know-how of running a business.

Growth is everyone's business, not solely the concern of the sales force or top management. Just as everyone participates in cost reduction, so must everyone be engaged in the growth agenda of the business. Every contact of each employee with a customer is an opportunity for revenue growth. That includes everyone from the people working in a company's call center to the CEO.

Some people just can't make up their minds. The same goes for some companies - and their performance suffers as a result. Research shows that leaders can eradicate indecision by transforming the tone and content of everyday conversations at their organizations.

This month, we'll hear summaries of three great business books: The Spider's Strategy by Amit S. Mukherjee; The Adversity Paradox by J. Barry Griswell and Bob Jennings; and The Leadership Pipeline by Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, and James Noel.

This month, we'll hear summaries of three great business books: The Three Laws of Performance by Steve Zaffron and Dave Logan ; Leadership in the Era of Economic Uncertainty by Ram Charan; and The Power Presenter by Jerry Weissman.

Here's how you can increase and sustain organic revenue and profit growth, whether you're running an entire company or in your first management job. Over the past seven years, Procter & Gamble has tripled profits; improved organic revenue growth, cash flow, and operating margins; and averaged earnings per share growth of 12 percent. Through eye-opening stories, A. G. Lafley and Ram Charan show how P&G and companies such as Honeywell, Nokia, LEGO, GE, HP, and DuPont have become game-changers.

Here's how you can increase and sustain organic revenue and profit growth, whether you're running an entire company or in your first management job. Over the past seven years, Procter & Gamble has tripled profits; improved organic revenue growth, cash flow, and operating margins; and averaged earnings per share growth of 12 percent. Through eye-opening stories, A. G. Lafley and Ram Charan show how P&G and companies such as Honeywell, Nokia, LEGO, GE, HP, and DuPont have become game-changers.