Your Leadership Legacy

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 1 APR. 2004

Part of the Ken Blanchard series of business books, which aims to show how"Simple Truths Uplift the Value of People in Organizations," this sentimental volume ascribes to the Nice Guy theory of management: i.e., treat people well and business will take care of itself. Brooks, Stark and Caverhill pass along their ideas in story form. An arrogant, young CEO named Doug is placed on a six-month apprenticeship program to determine whether he can develop the qualities necessary to lead the Mooseland Stoneware company. Doug begins the story as a no-nonsense, bottom-line type of manager, uninterested in the touchy-feely aspects of nurturing workers. However, mentored by a plant-shop owner named Adoi, Doug learns timeless truths of business leadership:"Dare to be person, not a position";"Dare to connect with people"; and"Dare to drive the dream." At the end of his training, not only has Doug won the CEO's job at Mooseland, he has also learned to care for a small fern. It's a comforting tale, but the authors' warm and fuzzy management ethos seems quite opposed to that of successful real-life CEOs like Jack Welch, Bill Gates and Larry Ellison. None of these would appear to follow the leadership maxims in this book:"Keep your ego in check";"Respond to the perspectives of others with empathy";"Genuinely have fun." Certainly the authors' advice could still apply usefully to small businesses, where executives and employees have more day to day contact. But, for better or worse, the principles they describe here are not the ones that guide the leaders of most large companies.