Getting It Done

How to Lead When You're Not in Charge

By: Alan Sharp

Narrated by: Mario Machado

Does it seem that good ideas go nowhere at your company, that meetings are often a waste of time, and that nobody seems to be in charge? In Getting It Done, Roger Fisher and Alan Sharp tackle the inertia that afflicts many groups. The authors advance the idea of lateral leadership as a means of breaking apart the logjams that inhibit collaboration in organizations, and they offer surefire ways to help anyone get better results from coworkers.

Getting It Done explains how to best help a group formulate a clear vision of the results they want, suggest a course of action that everyone can all implement, and help everyone learn from past experiences. Gleaned from their decades of experience as negotiators, mediators, and consultants to organizations, Getting It Done gives you the practical tools needed to influence your peers and bosses and get the results you seek.

©1998 Roger Fisher (P)1998 Phoenix Books, Inc.

A timeless guide to real leadership

Getting It Done is one of the most quietly powerful leadership books I’ve ever read. Roger Fisher offers practical, human-centered wisdom for leading through influence—not authority. As an architect responsible for delivery, client success, and team alignment—often without direct control—this book felt like it was written for me. Clear, insightful, and decades ahead of Agile, it’s a must-read for anyone navigating complex, collaborative work.

Mediocre book

Content too micro. There are better business books that have higher and deeper principles (such as Principles by Ray Dalio)

Useless and examples-less!

This book is missing so many opportunities to give examples and leaves the listener not really understanding what is he talking about. He should learn how to write from Dale Carnage! It keeps telling (vs describing) you hypothetically what to do. But how? Needs many specific examples of circumstances and situations with every advise that he gives. Otherwise, absolutely useless. I don’t feel I learned anything! In fact, hardly remember any of his advice!

not well structured

not consise, ideas are randomly presented with no indication of breaks between thoughts or concepts.