The nature of human work has changed fundamentally over the millennia. Knowledge work has become predominant in the United States and other highly developed countries. Changes in work, brought about by the Neolithic, Industrial, and Post-Industrial revolutions, were accompanied by changes in workers themselves (Drucker, 1968; Bell, 1973; Liebowitz and Beckman, 1998; Davenport, 2005). This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in Post-Industrial society.

Senior leaders are responsible for translating strategic focus and direction into day-to-day operations. These leaders must possess technical competence and enterprise-specific knowledge. Of greater importance, however, is their ability to work successfully with people. Often leaders are required to produce results through others, and to accomplish their desired objectives, leaders must be able to manage people.

The step up from employee to supervisor has always been a big one. Taking on new assignments, getting work done through others, shifting from being a buddy to a boss—any one of these transitions is a handful. Together, they can be overwhelming, as any novice supervisor—or firsttime manager, for that matter—can tell you. In the past, new supervisors had some time during their first weeks and months on the job to pick up what they needed to know.