13L
Based on The Agile Manager's Guide to Leadership by Walter J.
Wadsworth
Since the 1970s, a variety of management gurus have penned tomes on the
topic of leadership. In this month's 13L Viewpoints column, I’m reviewing a
thin paperback book of less than a hundred pages that you can quickly peruse
during a couple of lunch hours. In The Agile Manager’s Guide to
Leadership, you won’t run across anything about “shifting paradigms” or
“managing by parallel sub-objectives,” but you will read a straightforward,
if somewhat clunky, rundown on the key characteristics and fundamental
practices of good leaders.
In the introductory section of the book, the author defines leadership and briefly describes the characteristics of an effective leader. As plainly noted by Peter Drucker, a well-known management expert whom the author liberally quotes, a leader is someone who has followers. Of course, engaging and maintaining those followers is the hard nut to crack. The author warns that posting this list of leadership characteristics on the wall of your office will not robotically make you a leader; you need to reflect on them, learn about them from others, and gain your own experience. In describing these leadership characteristics and practices throughout the book, the author provides anecdotal stories of his and others’ successes (and failures) as leaders and, not surprisingly, throws in the obligatory references to war heroes and business tycoons.
The author next deals with establishing values, mission, strategies, goals, and standards. The author states, for example, that values are more important than goals because values outlive goals. Values send a message, such as at the Steuben glass works: “We do flawless work.” Indeed, if a piece of glass shows a flaw, Steuben employees are to shatter it. The author points out that this powerful, symbolic act constantly affirms Steuben’s values, and employees learn quickly that they cannot compromise on quality. As part of this discussion, the author offers a list of over 60 “common values” from which a leader can choose to represent his or her organization.
The remaining portion of the book is arguably the most informative: a discussion of practices that create good leaders. The author argues, for example, that serving as a role model is one of the more significant practices of a leader: “Your published values, mission, and vision aren’t worth a dime unless you live them, without exception.” And that includes “getting in the thick of it.” Ray Kroc of McDonalds spent countless hours in the chain’s restaurants, often helping to sweep floors and bus tables. McDonalds employees relished seeing the boss living his ideals of “we’re all in this together.” Cleaning and maintenance company ServiceMaster keeps its managers humble by requiring them to do the jobs that their employees do a few days a year, including scrubbing toilets and changing light bulbs. Doing so reminds each manager of the employee’s perspective, including its challenges, frustrations, and rewards.
The author also calls attention to the significance of helping people achieve their goals. Good leaders know the people they lead well enough to know what their goals are. He argues that if you as a leader create circumstances in which employees can achieve their goals, you’ll gain their long-term good will. A crucial ingredient of this process is creating a trusting relationship. The author quotes leadership expert Michael Annison in noting that a cornerstone of trust is the sense that the leader is committed to something beyond his or her own well being. And what could that be? Mission, values, and helping people improve, of course.
I must say, the ending of the book was somewhat disconcerting. The narrative absolutely ceases in its tracks, with no wrapping up or concluding statements. The last chapter is entitled “Lead Change Gracefully,” yet the book ends anything but gracefully. Overall, The Agile Manager's Guide to Leadership is a quick, easy, and informative perusal. Most of the material will not be new to most readers, but it’s always good to gain a refresher. Place it on your reading list if you’re looking for something like a “Cliffs Notes” on leadership.
