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The Will to Lead: Running a Business With a Network of Leaders
The former CEO of McKinsey & Company shares his experiences and advice on building new businesses, recruiting the best people, leading effectively, and managing successfully
224 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 15, 2023
Read to imagine a time when McKinsey was not an industry mainstay in management consulting and for the earliest inklings of what someone from those times might imagine a flat hierarchy could look like. (Hint: Not very flat.)
It might be unfair to critique this book for saying a lot of obvious and high-level notes about leadership, similar to someone criticizing Shakespeare for writing too many cliches. At the time of his writing, some of these ideas might have been pretty novel. It's more interesting to keep that in mind and see the origins of conversations that are now much more fully fleshed out in our vocabulary, like arguments for the value of holistic approaches, diversity, and empathy, or that the term "human resources" needs some reframing. Using "customer experience" as a rallying point and speaking of it as a competitive advantage is also ancient - is there really any new thought since the "discovery" that humans are intrinsically creative and motivated to do worthwhile work and should be treated as intelligent beings?
Some parts also amused unintentionally, like the casual way Bower simply accepts the universe bending to give him connections and job offers through informal lunches and conversations that he can have just by walking in and explaining his business. It comes off pretty naive and blind now, but I'm sure there are many people who still just take this on as a matter of course and don't really question how or why things come so easy.
At one point, Bower proceeds to name a massive list of qualities of leadership, which ends up overwhelming rather than providing focal points for anything. Then again, he warns upfront that this book is not about cultivating individual leadership but about changing how one's company might work.
It might be unfair to critique this book for saying a lot of obvious and high-level notes about leadership, similar to someone criticizing Shakespeare for writing too many cliches. At the time of his writing, some of these ideas might have been pretty novel. It's more interesting to keep that in mind and see the origins of conversations that are now much more fully fleshed out in our vocabulary, like arguments for the value of holistic approaches, diversity, and empathy, or that the term "human resources" needs some reframing. Using "customer experience" as a rallying point and speaking of it as a competitive advantage is also ancient - is there really any new thought since the "discovery" that humans are intrinsically creative and motivated to do worthwhile work and should be treated as intelligent beings?
Some parts also amused unintentionally, like the casual way Bower simply accepts the universe bending to give him connections and job offers through informal lunches and conversations that he can have just by walking in and explaining his business. It comes off pretty naive and blind now, but I'm sure there are many people who still just take this on as a matter of course and don't really question how or why things come so easy.
At one point, Bower proceeds to name a massive list of qualities of leadership, which ends up overwhelming rather than providing focal points for anything. Then again, he warns upfront that this book is not about cultivating individual leadership but about changing how one's company might work.
December 14, 2018
Excellence in Corporate Governance and cultivation of Organizational Leadership.
June 4, 2022
I had read this book soon after it came out in 1997. While some of the facts are outdated (upon publishing in 1997 CEO pay was 120 times line employee pay - something Bower thought was outrageous - today it is 250 times line pay) the concepts and principles are enduring. His basic premise is that the command-and-control company is an anachronism that has created numerous negative impacts on families, companies, nations, and individuals. He urges a shift from managing with authority to leading people.
As noted in the title this shift to shared leadership or a network of leaders requires the will of both governance and senior leaders. Characteristics of leaders includes trustworthiness, fairness, unassuming behavior, listening, open minded, sensitive to people and situations, initiative, good judgment, broad mindedness, flexibility, capacity for sound and timely judgment, capacity to motivate, and finally a sense of urgency. It is worth comparing this list with Jim Collins description of "level 5 leaders". Different, but very consistent.
He deals thoughtfully with governance, structure, roles of teams, and my favorite is his treatment of human beings who are employees. He calls typical layoffs and treating employees as disposable as "unjust and inhumane". Some of this might be thought of as radical, but again you might consider it simply being reasonable, thoughtful, and deeply profound.
It is only 159 pages long, but there is a lot to think about that is as timely today as it was in 1997. I am glad to have re-read this thought-provoking book of what is possible for companies, and so different from the short sighted and destructive command-and-control model still prevalent.
As noted in the title this shift to shared leadership or a network of leaders requires the will of both governance and senior leaders. Characteristics of leaders includes trustworthiness, fairness, unassuming behavior, listening, open minded, sensitive to people and situations, initiative, good judgment, broad mindedness, flexibility, capacity for sound and timely judgment, capacity to motivate, and finally a sense of urgency. It is worth comparing this list with Jim Collins description of "level 5 leaders". Different, but very consistent.
He deals thoughtfully with governance, structure, roles of teams, and my favorite is his treatment of human beings who are employees. He calls typical layoffs and treating employees as disposable as "unjust and inhumane". Some of this might be thought of as radical, but again you might consider it simply being reasonable, thoughtful, and deeply profound.
It is only 159 pages long, but there is a lot to think about that is as timely today as it was in 1997. I am glad to have re-read this thought-provoking book of what is possible for companies, and so different from the short sighted and destructive command-and-control model still prevalent.
August 4, 2013
READ JUL 2013
A follow-up to an earlier volume, The Will to Manage. I like the focus of "leading through a network of leaders" versus taking the more common autocratic leader/manager approach. I expect this would be difficult for many organizations to make the shift. Nice examples from McKinsey's rich legacy of work to make this real.
A follow-up to an earlier volume, The Will to Manage. I like the focus of "leading through a network of leaders" versus taking the more common autocratic leader/manager approach. I expect this would be difficult for many organizations to make the shift. Nice examples from McKinsey's rich legacy of work to make this real.
Read
October 5, 2008I wonder where can Iｆｉｎｄ ｉｔ？
January 18, 2011
Lumayan, banyak kata-kata menarik, menyegarkan ingatan, agar gak terlalu birokratik
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews