These are some of my current readings & references I’ve found useful:
Think Again: Why Good Leaders Make Bad Decisions and How to Keep it From Happening to You
This book references current research into how the brain enables us to cope with complexities via two processes: 1) Pattern recognition 2) Emotional tagging
In certain conditions, these processes can mislead us, resulting in poor judgments and bad decisions, even by some of the most seasoned leaders. This book has been outlined in the Harvard Business Review Feb. 2009 and is starting to pick up some play in blogs and in the social media.
This recent book includes engaging, layered storytelling and some research, including many intriguing examples (including the Beatles) of the 10,000 hour rule; that it takes about 10,000 hours (about 10 years) of intense study and practice to master any subject, practice, sport, etc. Musicians. World-class athletes. Writers (including Malcom Gladwell, the author, mentioned his “sweet spot” around 10 years of writing.) Gladwell is also the author of the well-known book, The Tipping Point, however, well-before his 10,000 hours.
A video overview of maybe the next new, best thing after the Wisdom of Crowds shows weakness in the ethos of the current financial global crises. Synopsis from the BNet site: The book “Tribal Leadership” argues that groups of 20-150 people, or “Tribes”, have more influence than teams, companies or CEOs in determining how much and what quality work gets done. Co-author Dave Logan identifies five tribal stages: Life sucks, My life sucks, I’m great and you’re not, We’re great and Life is great - and shows how they can be recognized by the language members use when they communicate. Logan explains how tribal leaders can elevate the people in their organization to the next level.
As mentioned in an earlier blog post, these leadership qualities and the model leader list itself are as impressive as the challenging environments in which they are using their leader skills. And you think you’ve got it tough….
Community: The Structure of Belonging
This new book has 19 – 5′s (best) ratings right out of the gate. It is written by Peter Block, a highly respected organization development leader of leaders. Sample review from Midwest Book Review: Most communities are fragmented in their structure and purposes, but communities can emerge from such fragmentation strong and purposeful. How are stronger communities built? [This book] tackles this subject, considering shifts in perspective, the impact of leadership choices, and what a healthy community looks like.
The Wiki Way and University Leadership (Wired blog- Chronicle)
What kind of leadership is called for as the academy meets social media? UM’s decentralization may help us understand. Quote this blog entry: Acknowledging our common vulnerability, we may be willing to trade some measure of control to gain the benefits of broad group participation in finding solutions. We may find that the wiki way shows the most effective kind of leading from behind.
