Management Book Reviews

“Developing the Leaders Around You,” by John C. Maxwell

Reviewed by Kaitlyn Dennihy

 

Leadership is often described as a trait innate within a person; something one either possesses or does not; however this is not always the case.  It has also been said that leaders are not born but made, and John C. Maxwell makes a strong argument for exactly why it is important to groom one’s surrounding coworkers into becoming leaders in his book, Developing the Leaders Around You.

 

Maxwell focuses his ideas of business not on results, but on the people performing those results. Contrary to other popular leadership styles, Maxell suggests that everyone has the capability to become a leader, if only they are nurtured to do so. He stresses early on in the book a sentiment that carries throughout,

Water boils at 212 degrees, but at 211 degrees, it is still just hot water.  One extra degree, increase less than half of one percent, can make the difference between a pot of languishing liquid and a bubbling cauldron of power … That one degree is usually momentum.

Maxell’s driving idea behind his leadership style is not that of a single executive on top who demands results, but a team of leaders who by working together can produce results far beyond the typical checklist.

 

By producing a team atmosphere, Maxwell believes employees become more apt to not only execute their own jobs effectively, but also ask for help or provide help to other to develop better results. This in turn helps to foster each employee’s personal leadership development.

 

In order to create this environment, Maxell relies on the structure of what he calls the big three: responsibility, authority and accountability. It is not adequate to simply give employees a list of tasks, but rather develop each employee in a foundation of tasks that demand more from them. By reaching for responsibility, authority and accountability, Maxwell believes each employee will gain leadership skills and the feeling of becoming an asset to the company, a part of a team. He believes with guidance and development from the start, employees will value their role, delegate to other employees and increase morale and productivity within the team.

 

Maxwell stresses that “personal growth must be deliberate, planned and consistent” by all members of a company or organization, once again indicating that the top executive is not the only leader within an organization. Without subsequent leadership within an organization, not only will it become far less productive, it will have no future to build upon.

 

Although Maxwell does stress the importance of the development of the employee, many of his viewpoints also align with those of Peter Drucker and his management by objectives strategy. He calls upon Drucker early in the book, quoting him in saying “no executive has ever suffered because his people were strong and effective.” The management by objectives model set byDrucker does in fact focus on the idea of setting goals, planning, implementing and evaluating. Maxwell seeks to do this with each employee. He believes each employee should be developed continuously and thus the company will grow and succeed in turn. Like Maxwell, MBO also focuses on the future: how the company will succeed and where it will go once its top leaders are gone. Drucker also argued that subordinates should play a major role in setting their own objectives—a common theme repeated throughout Maxwell’s book of how to develop a team of leaders rather than leaders and followers.

 

However, MBO and Maxwell’s approach do have negative aspects. One of the main concerns of MBO is the artificial reassurance it gives to leaders. Maxwell stresses the need for accountability, and although it would be ideal that each employee develops into his or her own leader, this is sometimes not the case. Employees do not always perform to the potential desired by management and giving employees this responsibility can cause for a higher degree of failure later, an issue that Maxwell does not address.  

 

Often times throughout the book, Maxwell provides suggestions on how to build leaders relying on the tactics of other management leaders, but he does not provide a laundry list of steps to make this happen. Although this aspect may seem to be missing, it also feels to be done on purpose. To be a leader, much of what needs to be taught is done through experience, not a step-by-step program.  Throughout Maxwell provides suggestion on how you may succeed in leadership and how you can lead by example, not necessarily tell others what to do. This could ultimately distract from their abilities to flourish.  

 

Though Maxell’s book may not face various issues, it does provide one very important strategy to public relations and that is the idea of the relationship. Public relations practitioners are required to not only make and keep external relationships with clients, but also internal relationships within a company.

Maxwell’s viewpoints on leadership can prove very valuable to anyone from a CEO to a starting account manager. He stresses the importance of respecting each other and working as a team, which is key for those working in public relations. Without a strong foundation of knowledge in an organization or company’s own employees and their respective departments, a public relations practitioner would not be able to accurately represent all members of that organization or company. It is essential to build and maintain working relationships with all employees so that when a situation arises, the public relations department knows which department to turn to for advice and information and how to appropriately work with each. Maxwell’s book teaches that if each employee is successfully developed into a leader of his or her own accord, failure can and will become less of an option for any company and accomplishment will be achieved, a lesson that can be applied to all.

“On Target,” by Laura Rowley

Reviewed by Laura Lyn McLeod 

No matter the spoken goal or purpose of an organization, every organization, especially in corporate retail, is ultimately driven by the quest for profit. Realistically, making profit relies on a focus on customer relations, management, marketing, advertising, and all other aspects of business. In On Target, Laura Rowley reveals the evolving journey of the Target Corporation to its present esteemed position and the driving management forces behind the company’s success. Rowley details how Target establishes itself as a discount store with comparable style to leading department stores.

Rowley gives readers insight on the Dayton family’s history in retail sales that jump-started the now well-respected Target Corporation. Target stores were first opened in 1962 by the five brothers in the Dayton family. Because the Dayton family’s business experience was in department store sales, their aspiration for Target was to offer discount shopping as an up-scale, chic, stylish, and enjoyable experience.

One of Target’s biggest concerns highlighted in the book was capturing the interest of the bargain hunter. Rowley covers some of the customer relations measures taken by Target from the foundation to the present. From the easy, racetrack format to the merry red shopping carts, Target works to create a fun, convenient, and enjoyable store environment. In order to improve customer service, Target was one of the first retailers to use a real-time customer relationship management system. (Rowley, p. 13) This allows a customer’s records of transactions to be easily accessed for future service. Another customer relationships protocol that the book describes is the Target Visa Smart Card, which allows loyal customers to choose a school for Target to donate money equal to one percent of their purchases.

In the 1990s, Target referred to Walt Disney’s staff training initiatives to improve customer service.  The book gives examples of the measures Target took to improve internal operations. The store began referring to employees as “team members” and customers as “guests” (Rowley, p. 68). A training workshop was started in order to educate staff on the principles, history, and mission of Target. The courses cover Target’s traditions, understanding the guests, and displaying a fervent attitude. The book also states that executive visits were made more frequent and informal in nature (Rowley, p. 68). Rowley does an excellent job detailing the strategies taken for improvement in customer relations.

A great portion of the book is dedicated to the management of the corporation and the history of Target’s principles. Most of Target’s internal growth was over the past two decades under the leadership of Robert Ulrich. An interesting custom discussed in the book is “jetiquette,” where the highest present official in the corporation serves all the other passengers when on the corporate jet (Rowley, p. 86). This is a small example of the breakdown of barriers between levels of management in Target. The Target executive team created a substantial document for management called the Guides for Growth (Rowley, p. 144). This document is still used today in Target operations. The document explains issues of operation and plans of action to continually improve quality service. Plans of action are broken down into objectives for employees all the way down the management ranks.

In the context of management, I believe that the Target Corporation has a very successful system in place. Target understands the importance of branding and representing its products. For example, Target uses fashion icons, marketing programs, and highlights of its philanthropy in visual advertising in order to appeal to all types of people and make its logo universally recognizable. The Target Corporation also does an excellent job balancing the realms of great leadership and management. Target leads by individually delegating objectives to every employee in the company. In addition, the company exemplifies its focuses on people through employee benefits, customer service, and community philanthropy. Target uses an internal evaluation system to insure excellence in internal operations. Every level of employment is evaluated, all the way up the ranks to the CEO.

There were many aspects of Target management that have remnants of collaborative management and the TQM model of managing. Target promotes individual knowledge and competence through the Guides for Growth, which outlines the development of authority. Also, decisions are always being made, and the decisions incorporate opinions from all levels of employment. For example, the book says that Ulrich once pulled aside the best ten, female, front-end managers to tell him how to fix the efficiency problems of the line (Rowley, p. 152). Rowley also explains how upper management uses “walkarounds” to obtain input from employees. Quality is also very important to the Target Corporation. The company works to offer upscale shopping at a bargain price. Target purchasers work with designers to market valued, well-respected name brands. In addition, management and the inviting store environment are structured around customer service. The Target Corporation is always focusing long-term on building customer loyalty through its service.

If a public relations student had time to sit around and twiddle their thumbs, I would recommend reading this book. Although it highlights some keys to successful management, it intertwines a lot of useless information as well. There are parts of the book that really drag. However, I do feel that if a student has an interest in retail marketing, the book is very beneficial to read. Rowley stresses the importance of treating your employees well if you want happy customers. Target offers many examples on how to create a positive work atmosphere and instill leadership qualities in employees. In addition, Target has an exemplary model for diffusion of power in a corporation. The book is a great teaching resource for team management and management strategies to success in the retail sales industry. 

“The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader,” by John C. Maxwell

Reviewed by Emily Shuffield

“What makes people follow a leader?” This simple, yet commonly explored question is what opens John C. Maxwell’s book The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the person people will want to follow.  People have spent years researching the answer to this question. Thousands of books have been written to coach people on the actions they must take. So many people seek one answer, but there really is not one straightforward answer.  Everyone has his or her own opinion and solution on how to become a leader. 

According to Maxwell, the answer lies in the character qualities of the individual person.  The purpose of this book is to help one recognize, develop, and refine the personal characteristics needed to be a truly successful leader.  In order to write this book, Maxwell spoke with some of the world’s top leaders and listened to their stories.  In addition, he researched leaders of the past who have really made an impact in history. After a lot of time and reflection on the traits these individuals shared, he was able to establish the twenty-one qualities of this book.  Each chapter presents a quality and begins with an inspirational story of a leader who has exemplified that quality.  Then the chapters are broken up into three main sections: “Fleshing It Out,” a section that explains the quality and how to embody it; “Reflecting On It,” a section that encourages you to consider whether you possess the quality and how to develop it; and “Bringing It Home,” a section of tips on how to improve the quality. Each chapter ends with an uplifting quote or advice from a person who epitomized that quality. The twenty-one qualities that Maxwell believes each leader must have are: Character, Charisma, Commitment, Communication, Competence, Courage, Discernment, Focus, Generosity, Initiative, Listening, Passion, Positive Attitude, Problem Solving, Relationships, Responsibility, Security, Self-discipline, Sevanthood, Teachability, and Vision.  Because many of these are self-explanatory, I am going to focus on three qualities that were less obvious. Maxwell defines the quality discernment as “the ability to find the root of the matter…it relies on intuition as well as rational thought.”  Truly effective leaders must combine their intuition with their intellect in order to determine the cause of a problem or make important decisions.  Maxwell believes that leaders are not necessarily lucky people; instead, it is their discernment that allows them to create their luck.  Security is imperative in a leader because even if a leader is competent, they must have enough self-confidence to handle all the criticism and harsh words they may encounter. No one wants to follow a leader who is not confident in themselves and their beliefs. Another quality that Maxwell touched on was servanthood:  “You’ve got to love your people more than your position.” Servanthood is about attitude.  Followers can sense when a leader truly wants to help them or if he/she is apathetic to their problems.  Security relates back to this quality because it takes a secure leader to have the confidence to serve others. The main point of the entire book is that leaders are effective because of the qualities they have on the inside.  If you can fully embody all twenty-one of these qualities, then you can be a successful leader who people will want to follow. 

John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author who has sold over thirteen million books.  He is undeniably highly educated on leadership and the skills it takes to be a leader.  He presents what individuals need to be an effective leader and demonstrates how those requirements can be met. I believe that it is a good approach because of how he breaks each chapter down into the sections I described earlier. The story at the beginning of each chapter grabs the attention of the reader and allows them to start developing an idea of what it takes to possess that quality. His writing is very simple and straightforward when he explains each quality and what it takes to possess that quality.  He also uses bullet points for each step that you need to follow in order to improve that quality in yourself. The book as a whole is very well organized and well written for a wide variety of people who are seeking guidance on leadership.

I would recommend this book to other PR students because it is an easy and engaging read that I truly believe can aid in the development of becoming a leader.  It is not life changing and it does not contain any new groundbreaking ideas, but it definitely can be helpful if used properly. In order to use it correctly, you need to have the time to follow Maxwell’s instructions.  He believes that you should absorb the book “strategically and methodically.” If you read a chapter a day, each day you have to truly think about that quality and reflect on how you can develop that trait as a leader. Due to time constraints, I was not able to follow the instructions that Maxwell encourages the reader to follow.  I read it all in one sitting- the one thing he tells you not to do.  If you are to truly benefit from this book, you have to take it one day at a time and really evaluate yourself.  I would encourage other PR students to take the “Bringing It Home” section seriously and really try to improve and implement these qualities into their everyday self.  In addition, I would encourage PR students to read his first book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, before this book. He believes that it is necessary to read his first book to understand how leadership works.  According to Maxwell, before you can actually start being a leader, you must understand how leadership works. (Or this could just be a ploy to get you to buy both books!)

“Good to Great,” by Jim Collins

Reviewed by Molly Davis

Good to Great is a book about how to use different management and leadership strategies to transform a “good” company into a “great” one.  Curious about how a company can become great, Jim Collins and his research team decided to compare and contrast 28 companies in a five year long research experiment. The team identified the companies that took the leap from good to great, and compared them to companies that either failed to make the leap, or failed to sustain it. Of the 28 companies involved in the research, the team chose only 11 companies they considered to be good-to-great companies. The good-to-great companies are Abbott Laboratories, Circuit City, Fannie Mac, Gillette, Kimberly Clark, Kroger, Nucor, Philip Morris, Pitney Bowes, Walgreens and Wells Fargo. These companies made three times the market for a period of 15 years and were able to sustain these great results beyond the initial transition point. The team then compared the strategies and tactics of the good-to-great companies to 11 direct comparison companies and 6 unstained comparison companies. The direct comparison companies were in the same industry as the good to great companies and had similar resources and opportunities, but did not become great. The six unstained comparison companies were able to make a short term leap into the good-to-great category but were not able to sustain these results.  After analyzing the similarities and differences between all 28 companies Collins and his team were able define the transformation from good-to-great as “a process of buildup followed by breakthrough, broken into three broad stages: disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined action” (Collins 12) 

In all three of these stages, Collins focuses on the key concepts that enable the process from buildup to breakthrough. The research team discovered that the key concepts of the process were as follows: Level 5 leadership, finding the right people confronting the brutal facts of reality, establishing a culture of discipline and understanding the Hedgehog and Flywheel concepts. Collins describes a successful buildup as getting the right people, in the right positions and then deciding on a plan of action. He acknowledges that although people are an important asset to the company, the right people are the crucial factors in becoming great. As a transition from buildup to breakthrough he emphasizes the importance of making the right decisions for the company as a whole, and this means confronting the harsh realities of their current situation. Collins makes the point that by confronting reality the right decisions will become clear, even if the company is not currently headed in the direction in which it has the potential to be the best.  To go from good-to-great a company must have an understanding of the three intersecting circles of the Hedgehog concept: what they are deeply passionate about, what drives their economic engine, and what they can be the best in world at. Collins suggests that the company’s understanding of these three circles is necessary if the company is to make the leap from good-to-great. Each chapter of the book is dedicated to explaining how all of these concepts play a role in the transformation process from good to great. Throughout the book, Collins compares and contrasts similar situations between the good-to-great companies and the comparison companies by analyzing the steps taken by each company that either lead to success or failure.

I think that Collins offers a great approach to management and leadership in Good to Great. Collin’s explanation of the transformation process offers new and interesting insight to the management and leadership fundamentals discussed in class. Collins notes that good-to-great companies have several similar characteristics of the process team or “new management” system.  He found that companies who redesigned their management systems using horizontal organization often became good-to-great companies. By flattening the hierarchy but not completely disregarding it, companies were able to effectively combine related tasks and get rid of irrelevant ones. Collins found that good-to-great companies also compiled management teams of the best people for the company and worked as team to become successful. For example, when David Maxwell, CEO of Fannie Mae, completely reorganized his management team, he hired whomever he thought was best for the position, including those who had previously been lower level employees. Assuming that employees in a company have multiple competencies, Maxwell demonstrates another characteristic of horizontal organization. In Good- to-Great Collins states, “Great management teams consist of people who debate vigorously in search of the best answers, yet who unify behind decisions, regardless of parochial interests.” The comparisons of the success and failures of the different companies made it relatively easy to understand the importance of a company’s management structure. After reading Good to Great, I have a better understanding of the management systems discussed in class and how each system can work differently for individual companies.

I would definitely recommend Good to Great by Jim Collins for other PR students to read. The way he explains the key concepts can be easily understood by people who aren’t necessarily business savvy.  Although the main focus of this book is how to become a good-to-great company from a management perspective, Collins also emphasizes the importance of public relations practices. The ideas and concepts explained in Good to Great gave me additional insight to the administrative side of how a company works, and as a PR student it is crucial to understand your company inside and out. Good to Great would be a beneficial book to read for any PR student because Collins talks about PR practices and how good management strategies are important to maintaining an effective relationship.

“How the Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In,” by Jim Collins

Reviewed by Bridgett Johnson

 

Jim Collins' management book How the Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In explains how even big successful corporations can crumble if they are not managed properly. On the second page, Collins recalls the famous empires of the world that fell. He says:

History shows, repeatedly, that the mighty can fall. The Egyptian Old Kingdom, the Chou Dynasty, the Hittite Empire—all fell. Athens fell. Rome fell. Even Britain, which stood a century before as a global superpower, saw its position erode. Is that the U.S.'s fate? Or will America always find a way to meet Lincoln's challenge to be the last best hope of Earth?

From the very beginning Collins draws the reader into the theory that America might not live on top of the capitalist world forever. Fortunately the book does not stop on page two and Collins leads the reader into hope that the current economy situation can be reversed. With the help of the quote – “Don’t try to come up with the right answers; focus on coming up with good questions" – from his mentor, Stanford professor Bill Lazier, Collins uses research to understand why leading companies seemingly in possession of every competitive advantage so often manage to fall from greatness or out of existence.

 

 Collins’ research shows that there are five stages of decline. According to the book, Stages One through Three are invisible from the outside because a company can look great on the outside but be failing from within. By the time a company hits Stage Four, things are certainly in turmoil. Even though the road to recovery is challenging, a company can recover and return to greatness as long as it avoids Stage Five. The five stages are:

• Hubris born of success: In this stage, success entitlement turns into arrogance, leaders neglect a primary flywheel, “what” replaces “why,” learning orientation declines, and the company refuses to see that luck might have been apart of their success.
• Undisciplined pursuit of more: In this stage, companies confuse size with greatness and therefore cause an unsustainable quest for growth. Another characteristic of this stage is the decline of having right people in their key seats.
• Denial of risk and peril: In this stage, the company starts to see that there is a problem, but denies that anything is wrong. Leaders take a positive view of the problems instead of attacking them head on. Communication between departments is becoming nonexistent and instead of taking full responsibility leaders point to external factors to affix blame.
• Grasping for salvation: In this stage, the company looks for some type of “miracle worker” to come in and save the corporation. Expectations are set very high and instead of settling for small results, the leaders of the company want big changes to be made fast. If results don’t happen in a hasty manner, great disappointment and confusion will follow.
• Capitulation to irrelevance or death: When all the resources are used and every measure has been taken, the company has no choice to sell out to someone else or give of the fight and dismantle. Of course this is the hardest stage for leaders, shareholders, managers, and employees.

After each stage, Collins sums up the chapter by setting out bullet points that tell the reader what problems to look for and how to avoid falling into each particular stage.

 

At the end of the book, Collins lays out his hope and advice for the future of the economy. He uses the life and accomplishments of Winston Churchill as an example of how decline can happen to the most charismatic leader but redemption is possible with time and effort.

   

I believe that the five steps outlined by Collins are a good representation of the concept of new management. Characteristics discussed in class about new management include: being flexible, fluid, decentralized, tied together by a shared vision and value, and communication between groups. Collins believes that the only way for a company to have true success lies within internal leadership and communication between the higher leaders and the lower employees. Collins’ five steps also follow closely with Peter Drucker’s five roles of management, which include: setting objectives, organizing, motivating, measuring, and developing people. Collins says that the CEO of a company should most likely be an internal person who has worked with or for the company for many years. This internal person is best fit for the position of CEO because she or he not only knows the failures, successes, and structures of the company but also knows which people are best sued for positions within the company. Preparing for success and failure outcomes is crucial to the survival of a company. The financial and communication problems many companies face can be avoided by listening to the steps and advice given by Collins.

 

I would definitely recommend How the Mighty Fall to public relations students because it uses research findings to explain and correct common problems made by big and small corporations. The book is a good and easy read that clearly outlines the main and important points from Collins study. The bulk of the book is not filled with complicated charts or graphs, but Collins does include several appendices at the end for those who want to review his research. No matter how stable or great an institution might be it is vulnerable to decline. Decline does not have to be a permanent state and usually there are many measures a company can take before it reaches a point of no return. PR practitioners have active roles in recovery of a company’s image after a financial situation. It is important for the PR department to work with the CEO and leaders to make sure that the employees and customers know the plan of action to escape from decline. One of Collins’ key points said that communication is key to resolving the existing issues within a failing corporation. Because PR is all about communication and relationships, it is useful to learn from this management book about how relationships work in the business world. 

“Leadership Jazz,” by Max DePree

Reviewed by Kaki Read

In “Leadership Jazz,” author Max DePree cunningly compares one’s leadership position to the complex task of conducting a jazz band:

Jazz band leaders must choose the music, find the right musicians, and perform—in public.  But the effect of the performance depends on so many things—the environment, the volunteers playing in the band, the need for everybody to perform as individuals and as a group, the absolute dependence of the leader on the members of the band […]. (DePree, 8-9)

The conductor’s role is complex and important, as is the leader’s in the eyes of both his followers and his community. DePree continues his insightful assessment throughout the text, highlighting four particular correlations that stand out in the reader’s mind—their similar need to implement servant leadership, to embrace diversity, to effectively communicate, and to responsibly delegate.

The first similarity is both the conductor’s and leader’s commitment to servant leadership, a multi-faceted activity that will not only improve the community’s opinion of its leader, but strengthen the leader’s opinion of him or herself. According to DePree, the leader must practice integrity, open doors for amateurs who need such access to learn and develop, and advocate individual creativity that, sometimes, unexpectedly produces the organization’s most valuable surprises.  Like a jazz conductor offering a solo to the beginning saxophone player, the leader must relinquish some of his own talents in order to showcase those standing upon the lower steps of the totem pole.   

Second among the jazz band and leadership similarities is the need for both entities to embrace diversity. According to Dictionary.com, jazz music combines, “various increasingly complex styles, generally marked by intricate, propulsive rhythms, polyphonic ensemble playing, improvisatory, virtuosic solos, melodic freedom, and a harmonic idiom ranging from simple diatonicism through chromaticism.” What characterizes this musical type is its unique combination of traditional, soulful, and modern sounds, creating a distinctive juxtaposition that somehow creates perfect harmony and has since made jazz a timeless genre. Leaders create similar harmony when hiring individuals of all personalities, demographics, ages, and academic specialties. DePree offered the example of a business executive faced with the opportunity to hire Leonardo da Vinci. Though balancing account books and analyzing stock exchanges may not have topped Da Vinci’s list of qualifications, what manager would pass the opportunity to one of history’s most brilliant creative thinkers? Embracing diversity, the path to a group’s true potential, offers organizations access to a world of exceptional possibilities. 

“One of the most sacred relationships is that between leaders and followers,” emphasizes DePree, which leads us to the third connection between commendable leadership skills and the successful jazz ensemble—successful leader/follower communication (126). Without an accomplished conductor swaying his hands in the proper motion, musicians would be lost. Similarly, a leader must clearly provide goals, objectives, rules, etc. in order for his employees to work efficiently. On the opposing end, an employee and member of the music group must inform his or her leader when communication is not presented effectively, or when hardships of which the leader may not be aware appear within the general staff. Management doors must remain open in order for both groups to progress toward both personal development and a promising future for the entire organization.

Finally, DePree insists that both the conductor and leader must delegate. Just as a conductor cannot satisfy an awaiting audience as he solely attempts to play one jazz instrument after another, a corporate executive cannot possibly manage a successful company without a few helping hands. As organizations become increasingly complex, delegation becomes more and more imperative. Sometimes, “hard-driving business managers are often suspicious to abandon themselves to the consequences of real delegation […],” DePree sighs, but “jazz-band leaders know it for what it is” (153). Egotism cannot impede upon one’s responsibility to outsource tasks; not only will delegation provide for more effective time management and more attention to detail, but it offers amateur employees requisite real-world experience. The author concludes his comparison describing how a leader must effectively delegate—first providing the task’s who, what, when, where, and why (leaving the how up to the recipient), second expressing high expectation for the resulting product, and third, and perhaps most importantly, exuding unwavering confidence in trust in the task recipient’s abilities. 

Does DePree offer an Effective Approach to Leadership?

DePree discusses several theories that coincide with those we have discussed in class, making me consider his leadership approach effective. Edward Deming’s “Fourteen Points” reappear throughout DePree’s writing; for example, Point Six, “Institute Training,” reiterates DePree’s belief that a leader should allow avenues for both managers and amateurs to develop, whether that involve “open-door policies,” delegating responsibility so that everyone gains real-world experience, or offering training programs that will improve both the quality of work and employee self-esteem. Both DePree and Deming insist that the learning process does not slow as one climbs the organization’s hierarchy.

Deming’s Eighth Point, to “Drive Out Fear,” coincides with another quality DePree puts on his final list of requisite leadership characteristics—“comfort with ambiguity” (224). DePree stresses that all organizations exhibit a degree of chaos, and that the leader is responsible for honing that chaos (224). A successful leader channels such chaos into a steady pulse that breathes life into the work environment.

Diversity, another theme DePree considers requisite for successful leadership, was similarly suggested by our recent guest speaker, who deems that the inclusive practice breeds progress. Statistics reiterate this theory; for example, fortune 500 companies with women serving on the executive board have proven more successful. As our speaker suggested, diversity is a proven beneficiary and should not be a superficial goal, but should be a priority to “improve the critical mass where all viewpoints are welcome.” Because DePree emphasized these theories in conjunction with other scholars, I consider his leadership approach valid.

Would I Recommend this Text to Other PR Students?

Although I found his final few paragraphs helpful, as a whole, DePree’s book was unorganized, somewhat typical, and bogged-down with wordy language that made the reading process repetitive. Firstly, the text was not organized properly. I started reading the material expecting (from the title) it to be a thorough comparison between jazz and leadership. I also expected DePree to outline that objective in the introductory chapter, as well as provide a thoughtful definition of the jazz music genre. Rather, his comparison was only briefly addressed and then revisited sporadically throughout the book. I was never sure where DePree’s message was headed next, or if he had a unique objective that made his message different from any other scholar

Each of DePree’s chapters conveyed an important message; however each could have been stated in a more concise manner. DePree’s personal convictions, work stories from Herman Miller, and stories illustrating life experiences were exceptionally interesting, but his lists and other suggestions were repetitious. I would not think his book worth reading again, nor do I think it a vital source for leaders in complex positions; however, I would suggest that those entering a leadership position skim Leadership Jazz for its basic, helpful tips and empowering message.

“Clever,” by Rob Goffee & Gareth Jones

Reviewed By: Magan Jenkins

Many successful organizations are made up of skilled workers who specialize in areas important to that business and work toward an ultimate goal. Hierarchies form in these organizations starting with those who lead and those who are led. Leaders determine the most efficient way to lead their followers to achieve the goal at hand. However, how do you lead people who think differently from the traditional way of working? “Clever,” by Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones, examines how to lead the unique worker who possesses resourceful skills and talents and needs their organizations to fulfill their potential.

“Clever” opens up a bright new way of leading those who set a different standard of thinking in the workplace. Goffee and Jones define “clever” people as “highly talented individuals with the potential to create disproportionate amounts of value from the resources that the organization makes available to them.” Goffee and Gareth Jones believe that it is not the leader’s place to tell the worker how to do it; it is up to them to tell them what to do. By doing so, these clever people can take companies to another level because they have room to explore and test new boundaries.

Clever people are known to have a big impact on society. “Clever” goes into great details about clever people in our world right now. From computer gaming Sims inventor William Wright, to Jonathan Ive creator of the iMac, these people allow society to live in the fast pace world we have become acquainted with.

The book, “Clever,” not only examines the significance of one clever person and their impact, but clever teams as well. Leading companies have learned that teamwork is a growing innovation and to use this concept to their advantage. Goffee and Jones use examples of the Apollo landing to point out that one cannot just put clever people together and make a team and expect them to perform to the highest of standards. The goal should be to develop a team to perform collectively. “Clever” continues to discuss the importance of “clevers” in teams and the breakdown of how each team should be assembled to perform efficiently. Goffee and Jones continue to take their readers through the ups and downs that organizations experience by examining organizations using old ideas while others experience success with a new clever way of thinking.

 “Clever” provides a great outlook on a new kind of leadership. Leadership can be defined in so many different ways, allowing revamped ways of leading people in the hands of those who want to achieve as much as possible. Goffee and Jones allow the people they have deemed “clever” to finally be led by leaders who are now able to understand their way of thinking. Because of this understanding between the leader and the follower, success is unavoidable. This new way of leading the “clevers” reminds me of the Total Quality Management (TQM) strategy. The goal for TQM is to focus strictly on quality of not only the product but the quality of return to satisfy the needs of the shareholders. Leading the “clevers” by combining TQM and the advice given by Goffee and Jones would serve as a successful and creative strategy for organizations. However, with any plan there will be fallbacks. Because TQM suggests to breakdown barriors between its departments in its fourteen points, the “clevers” would no longer be individuals. This concern could be problematic, unless teams were developed in a collective way, rather than assigned, to achieve a goal. Leading “clever” people focuses on the “what to do” not the “how to do it” leaving room for creativity and freedom like TQM suggests. Overall, the suggestions made by Goffee and Jones are ones to be noted because of their simplistic genius of leading and flawless strategies of the clever mind. 

Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones did a great job at aiming their book “Clever” at audiences that are ready for a change and new way of thinking. This book makes leadership seem like a quest and their readers are sure to be excited about this new way of leading clever people. For those in or even interested in public relations, I would definitely recommend this book. It provides many successful examples of leading those who think on a broader scale and possess skills that need to be harvested and applied to succeed. These people are obviously needed by organizations to keep up with the economy’s growing competitiveness and will bring about success wherever they are employed. For the vast majority of us planning to be in positions that require great leadership, learning to lead the people that are needed for an organization is the first step.

“Becoming a Successful Manager,” by Jack H. Grossman & J. Robert Parkinson

Reviewed by Rosanna Cruz 

“Becoming a Successful Manager,” by Grossman and Parkinson, details the transition from being managed to managing others.  They provide the tools to create strong interpersonal relationships and an effective departmental culture.  Grossman and Parkinson first speak on the ways in which managers must define their new roles.  Building a solid foundation is an important aspect of any strong company and managers must think and act for the benefit of their respective organizations.  The four cornerstones of a strong business foundation consist of actions, practices, strong business principles, and values and principles.  Each of the cornerstones has an underlying theme of genuine caring and understanding for employees.  Grossman and Parkinson also advise always keeping two key principles in mind, “Strive to create a departmental culture that enables people under your influence to be productive and grow” and “Surround yourself with people who are trustworthy and whom you respect, both personally and professionally.”

Adopting positive and productive attitudes go a long way in determining positive outcomes.  Grossman and Parkinson say attitudes create self-fulfilling prophesies.  Once a person has a strong belief about an individual, relationship or situation, they do everything in their power to confirm that belief.  Their positive or negative attitude toward a situation almost guarantees an equally positive or negative result.  Negative attitudes can therefore be dangerous if an individual goes into a situation harboring pessimistic feelings.  To change an individual’s negative attitude to a positive one, they must change what they tell themselves and begin viewing situations in a positive and constructive light. 

For every symptom or problem, the author’s say there is a cause.  Do not treat symptoms but instead, find the cause and cure the problem.  Continually move from negative to positive thinking and positive results will follow.  Rather than expressing a problem as a complaint, be constructive and find a way to address the problem by also injecting a solution.  If there is a problem with an employee, acknowledge there is an issue, but also be willing to help the person remedy the situation.  Do not get caught up in egos and the need to be right.  Such attitudes foster defensive departmental cultures, which lead to negative results and lack of progress.  Employees need to feel secure in order to perform at their highest.

Grossman and Parkinson acknowledge that conflicts are an inevitable part of the workplace. Good conflict resolution skills are therefore essential to a healthy and cooperative department.  Conflicts are a product of individuality and the fact that each person views situations differently.  Positive attitudes, good communication, and a genuine want to resolve the disagreement aid in effective conflict resolution.  With positive attitudes, conflicts can become opportunities to learn about each other’s “needs, desires, perceptions, and goals.”

One of the final managerial duties Grossman and Parkinson mention is the ability to delegate effectively and allow employees to take risks.  A good manager makes their presence felt without being obvious about their influence.  It is important to encourage employees to grow and excel at their jobs by fostering open communication about new ideas.  Allowing employees to take reasonable risks helps people to grow professionally without fear of adverse consequences from failure.  One of the most important concepts from this book is that a manager’s actions affect people outside of the workplace.  A positive attitude and sensitivity are essential to becoming a successful manager. 

Grossman and Parkinson’s Becoming a “Successful Manager” is a good resource for both new and established managers in the workplace.  Their methods of management are similar to collaborative management where power is largely cooperative.  The manager has clear power, but treats employees with respect to foster a nurturing work environment.  Employees are encouraged to take reasonable risks to develop themselves professionally and are viewed as important parts of the departmental team.  Unlike scientific management, workers are not cogs in a machine because each has individual worth and potential.  Grossman and Parkinson’s managerial model is also unlike TQM in that they are focused on building interpersonal relationships rather than producing products and monetary cost.

While “Becoming a Successful Manager” offers good advice on how to build mutually beneficial relationships between managers and staff, it lacks practicality.  It seems too idealistic to have its base in reality.  Grossman and Parkinson address conflict in a removed sense that would most likely be difficult to implement when one is actually a part of the conflict.  Studying how to think positively might not be relevant to an angry coworker who wants prompt resolution for their problem.  As a general way to organize a department and foster positive attitudes, however, Grossman and Parkinson offer good management ideals.           

I would recommend “Becoming a Successful Manager” to other PR students because it has valuable insights into departmental cooperation.  Grossman and Parkinson offer many methods for positive thinking, which is essential for the success of any team operation.  They discuss how to create a healthy culture within the workplace, how to deliver constructive criticism, and how to delegate tasks.  All of these things are important for PR practitioners and this book may help educate future public relations managers on how to maintain a positive attitude.  Effective management skills are relevant to more than just managers. People who wish to efficiently manage their lives within and outside the workplace could also benefit from this book’s insight.  Their lessons on positive thinking and the effect of positive attitudes are things everyone can learn from.      

“The Book on Leadership,” by John MacArthur

Reviewed by Brooke Gerber

John MacArthur is an esteemed figure in the religious circles of American society. Although he is best known as the as the pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, MacArthur is also the voice of Christian radio program, Grace to You, the founder and president of The Master’s Seminary, and a best-selling author. In The Book on Leadership, MacArthur offers a description of what the ideal leader looks like, maintaining that a true leader is a person whose “life and character motivate people to follow.” His argument, although based largely on Christian principles, contains practical advice for anyone in a position of authority, whether it is a mother raising a child or a CEO aiming for higher employee productivity. 

Drawing inspiration from the powerful example of leadership set by Paul in the Bible, MacArthur’s picture of effective leadership looks vastly different than the conventional view held by the majority of today’s society. Rather than being a proud and self-promoting person who demands respect, MacArthur believes that a true leader should be a willing servant who naturally commands respect. He says that the majority of corporate leadership manipulates people with a system of “external pressure and coercion.” They use “threats and rewards” to get what they want, but having the ability to force people to follow you doesn’t make you a leader by any means. Contrarily, a true leader seeks to “motivate people from the inside” by showing genuine concern for their growth and success. Furthermore, MacArthur says that when people are confident that you have their best interest at heart, they will trust you, and this is vital because people in leadership cannot be effective if they are not trusted. He says, “People whose motives are selfish end up leading nobody because everyone abandons them,” but genuine leaders are easy to recognize because they are “surrounded by gifted, capable, diligent, effective people who are devoted to their leader." 

On the other hand, MacArthur recognizes that not every honest, servant-hearted person is cut out to be a leader. Instead he writes that leadership is synonymous with influence, and that influence is derived from strong character. In fact, The Book on Leadership outlines the “26 characteristics of a true leader,” all of which pertain to character in some way. For example, the first five principles are that a leader is trustworthy, takes initiative, uses good judgment, speaks with authority and strengthens others. Although all of these traits are good for a person in authority to possess, most people would agree that they are not novel ideas. What makes MacArthur’s argument unique is the fact that he takes character traits such as these, which are often undervalued in the corporate world, and prioritizes them above qualities like experience, style or technique when assessing leadership ability. For example, if MacArthur were conducting interviews for a management position in a company, he would hire a person with little experience and a great record of integrity rather than an extremely experienced and professionally successful candidate with questionable personal veracity.

Although MacArthur’s approach to leadership looks excellent on paper, I am not sure how well it would play out in the real world. Granted, it would be wonderful if people were selfless and prized the success of others above their own. It would also be nice to live in a society where leaders always maintain moral integrity, thus earning our trust and respect. However, I’m afraid it is unrealistic to expect that every person in a position of authority could adhere to such high standards. The fact is that everyone makes mistakes and even the best leaders with the most admirable intentions will sometimes let their followers down. Even so, there is no doubt that society is in desperate need of morally responsible leaders and MacArthur’s approach to leadership is a step in the right direction. Every person who is in charge of managing other people would benefit from striving to be the kind of leader MacArthur describes.

For this reason, I would not hesitate to recommend The Book on Leadership to another public relations student. If nothing else, it offers an alternative to the distorted picture of leadership that is unfortunately so prevalent in a corporate culture marked by dishonesty, greed and deception. It is refreshing to hear that true authority does not come from “power of prestige, personality, or position society,” but from influence gained by character, and that moral fiber is still a vital component of leadership despite the fact that the line of integrity in American business is becoming more and more blurred. I think that MacArthur’s character emphasis has the potential to do a tremendous amount of good, whether it is applied by the manager of a local restaurant or implemented throughout an entire corporation. 

“The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership,” by John C. Maxwell

Reviewed by Katie Cahill

 

“Follow them and people will follow you.” That is, follow the laws of leadership proposed by author John C. Maxwell, and you’re golden. Maxwell’s laws do not read as a laid-out plan for bettering oneself as a leader, but rather, as individual strategies that when applied altogether, can improve leadership.

 

According to Maxwell, there are four important ideas to consider as you go through the laws. One, the laws can be learned by anyone, regardless of prior leadership skills. Two, the laws can stand alone; you do not need to know one to understand another. Three, the laws carry consequences with them, meaning if you violate them, you will have a hard time leading others. Finally, these laws are the foundation of leadership, and must be put into practice if they are to be effective.

 

Some of the laws deal with important characteristics and qualities a leader should have. One example of this is the law of respect: people naturally follow those who are respectable. The greatest test of respect comes when a leader makes a major change to their organization. If their followers stand behind them and respects the major change, it means they respect the leader as well. The law of respect is relatable to the law of solid ground, which says that truth is the foundation of leadership.  Without trust, nothing can be accomplished because a follower will not follow an untrustworthy individual. A final law that deals with qualities is the law of intuition. A leader must have good intuition in order to plan ahead and foresee future problems that other have not yet realized. The law of intuition is not the only law that deals with guiding followers in the right direction.

 

Good leadership requires good guidance. This is demonstrated in the law of navigation. In the law of navigation, Maxwell says, “Anyone can steer a ship, but only a leader can chart the course.”  This implies that leaders must constantly remind themselves that when they redirect their organization, they are redirecting their trusting followers as well. Another law that deals with guidance is the law of timing. Why and how leaders make a change is just as important as when. Proper action at the wrong time can still be met with resistance by followers.

 

Another set of laws involves the types of people a leaders surround themselves with. One such law is the law of magnetism: who you are is whom you attract. Basically, whatever characteristics you possess you will likely find in the people who follow you. If you think the people you attract to your organization could be better, than you need to improve yourself. A similar law is the law of the inner circle, which states that only secure leaders are comfortable giving power to others. A follower’s capacity to achieve great things is limited by their leader’s ability to empower them. Maxwell provides another law called the law of explosive growth. It says that if an organization is to experience significant expansion, a leader must mentor not only followers, but other leaders as well, so those leaders can go out and mentor more leaders, as well as followers. Though these are not all the laws Maxwell covers, but the aforementioned laws do cover a broad range of the types of laws Maxwell considers irrefutable for strong leadership.

 

Maxwell’s book is great at providing tips for being a good leader; however, there are a few problems with the presentation of the book. As previously mentioned, the laws are presented as individual strategies, rather than as an overall plan or method for leadership. This might make it complicated for a manager to directly apply these leadership techniques to the everyday management process. The laws lack specificity on how they can be put into action sometimes, and they often fail to provide a sound approach to making goals and objectives. Additionally, Maxwell views management as inferior to leadership. Management is seen almost solely as a job or a task, while leadership is seen as more of a skill or an art form. This may come across as insulting to someone in a managerial position and make the book less appealing to read.

 

That said, I would recommend The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership to other public relations students. It is an insightful read, and each chapter does a thorough job of explaining the meaning and implications of the law it discusses. It is a great reference for learning the qualities a good leader should have and the tactics they need to know. Also, the book is filled with many examples of good leaders and their practices in the past couple of decades, which gives insight as to what we as public relations practitioners should look for in a good leader in the future. Another way this book is helpful to PR students is the special attention it pays to communication and what a huge role it plays in leadership. Maxwell claims that nearly forty percent of his time in a leadership role is spent communicating with his followers, and he stresses the importance of communicating with followers and other leaders throughout the book. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone hoping to increase their knowledge of the importance of leadership and how it influences people in their daily lives.