Leading with Science: The Logic of Team Leadership: How Teams are Formed, Managed, and Maintained

Reality in leadership is often what your gut tells you and not what you wish for, nor what some mathematical equation or scientific principle suggests. The logic of leadership is grounded in empirical evidence of right or wrong behavior, and, yes, the leader must face a level of personal risk. Successful leadership requires a holistic approach supported by innovative ideas. Knowing how to think rather than what to think may be the leader's greatest asset. Knowing how to think involves a conscious element of skepticism. It requires awareness of biases related to previous experiences, strong personal views, or current ambitions.

This book explores the strengths and weaknesses of team leadership from a scientific/logic perspective and analyzes different ways to Lead with Science. It breaks down the parts that make up a team, and demonstrates elusive concepts such as why the team is not for everybody, and why there is in fact an "I" in team. It discusses logic argumentation, the importance of using proper definitions when communicating, and getting the employees to agree with the premises. It also debunks common motivational ideas and explores factors that increase motivation. It ends by recognizing the selfish needs of the team, and demonstrates how to achieve positive results when critiquing and evaluating performance.

The material in this book is excerpted from the previously published book, Leadership, It Ain't Rocket Science: A Critical Analysis of Moving with the Cheese and Other Motivational Leadership Bullshit, also by Martina Sprague.