Reviewed by Katie Dean Williams
The focus of Stick Your Neck Out is to identify areas in communities and within organizations that need change. The book helps outline opportunities to foster this activity and offers a range of perspectives on how to do so over time. Obviously the first step to identifying an issue worth fighting for would be to do some research surrounding the topic and information already out there. This is the stage where it is a good idea to be relentless in your search because afterwards you will need to analyze and learn from your research so you can then make a decision about your action plan. A plan is also a good thing to have when a leader is moving forward and hoping to create a new movement. The end goal is to create awareness. In order to make sure you and your team do not get burned out during the process of planning, it is a good idea during this stage to check yourself and make sure this is something you want to be completely committed to. It’s okay to back out during this stage. Know your limits and don’t push them too far.
The author recommends having a reason why you are against a certain policy or in favor of change. Keep tabs on all the information you researched previously. The book gives several case studies and stories of people who found their problems and made a difference. Some of these include a girl in middle school who was able to get her community to build a facility for skateboarders instead of fining them for trespassing on parking lots. Thus, most of the stories illustrate a win-win solution to the problem at hand. In most cases synergy is used to create a better outcome than could have been achieved by the mere efforts of a few unconnected ideas. Other avenues include legal action and the importance of personal testimonies to the public. These are priceless because they are from the heart and people can connect with a cause easier if they have a face to put with a story. An important thing to remember if you want to lead a cause is not every leader is intelligent; you don’t have to be the smartest person, but you do have to be well prepared. Be prepared to speak in front of audiences about your issue.
Another important thing to remember is the team dynamic. Chances are your project is going to need more help than you can provide without getting overwhelmed. Make sure your team works well together and has a constant flow of communication to avoid conflicts and miscommunication. If conflicts do arise within your team, you will need to be prepared with a management plan. This plan will depend on you and the dynamics of those in your team. Goals are important as well. You should have a good idea of what it will take to accomplish each goal and what the next step will be after you succeed. All in all, the main thing to remember is change is possible if you work steadily and use a strategic plan.
The author of Stick Your Neck Out, John Graham, offers a good approach to leadership because he outlines a lot of the difficulties leaders most often face and gives relevant advice on how to avoid mistakes. Although his advice is sound, the most valuable part of this book remains the countless case studies crammed into the margins and weaved into the chapters. These real-life examples serve as a great resource for anyone looking to follow suit and create a successful movement of change within a community and beyond. Yet, at times the arrangement of material did seem a bit jumbled because there was so much information between his tips for success, practical advice and the case studies. In addition, a major weakness of this book can be found as stated in the first few chapters. Graham states the book does not contain any information about fundraising, maintaining social media or developing Web sites. This is a huge chunk of information to leave out because it is extremely valuable and pertinent to the success of most movements in today’s world. As discussed in class, sites such as Facebook and Twitter have transformed the way businesses approach younger audiences. Thus, any group looking to promote a new idea and gain active participants would be wise to explore these avenues in addition to maintaining a Web site regularly. Also, without fundraising events most movements would never gain the awareness or backing they need to move forward with a budget. This book does a great job of outlining some things leaders can do to find and work on important issues, but it also neglects a few crucial elements a campaign during the twenty-first century shouldn’t be without.
Of the case studies mentioned, one that stood out in particular was one about a community that came together around the concept of democracy when one young girl decided a space needed to be provided for children to exercise and play. Her specific goal, even though she was not a skater, was to build a skate park for those teens that had no other place to go. A park of this type would keep these young people off the streets and out of trouble, she argued. The girl passed a petition around and was able to garner support by posting flyers and talking to adults who were unaware of the issue. She took charge of a problem she saw not being addressed in her town and made it happen. Before too long the land was donated and a contractor was hired for the park that was now seen as a necessity for the growth of their community. With this and many other case studies outlined in the book, no real strategic business model was outlined. I do not think this type of leader (a young girl in her community) could really benefit from an MBO-style plan. The author does, however discuss developing leadership characteristics such as those discussed in class. A few of them are: establishing and communicating values, building relationships and having measurable and attainable goals. These leadership characteristics are essential to success because they are steps toward gaining trust and support as a leader in a community like those discussed in the book’s case study example portrayed.
As an established leader on campus, I have had the opportunity to attend several leadership retreats and seminars as well as read several books on the subject. Stick Your Neck Out is one of the more basic readings on leadership, but definitely a good read for anyone looking to find an issue around them and start a campaign to solve a problem or promote change. I personally have always been a fan of studying the theories behind leadership and management and not focusing so much on the execution style because everyone creates their own set of rules on how things should be done and each group’s experiences dictate what will be most successful. I would, however, recommend this book to any public relations student because it describes many case studies that have been successful. The case studies alone make this book a great resource. As public relations students we must learn to model ourselves after those who have come through the profession before us and learn from what has worked in the past as we add our own creative ideas to the mix. New problems are discovered everyday, and we must be prepared to face them. Books on leadership and management help us to better understand the world around us as opinion leaders and we are better able to see the various options available to us as we grow in our profession.
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