Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 224 pages
- Published by: Jossey-Bass
- Edition: 1st Edition April 2, 2003
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0787967076
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0787967079
-
Book Dimensions:
9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
- Weighs: 9.6 ounces
Product Review
In
The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership, University of Southern California President Steven Sample offers up a refreshing perspective on the characteristics of a successful leader. Some of Sample's prescriptions: try reading Machiavelli's
The Prince instead of
The New York Times, learn to work for those who work for you, and "Anything worth doing at all is worth doing poorly. It may be worth more if it's done well, but it's worth something if it's done poorly." This book is not just for CEO's: middle management and anyone interested in promoting good leadership will benefit as well. --
Harry C. Edwards
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Review
"enjoyable and friendly booka valuable and welcome read. This is a 'good sense' book" --
The Occupational Psychologist, December 2002"It is a cracking good read that fairly zips along and makes you think differently about leadership. A smashing inspirational read." (Personnel Today, 19 march 2002)
“…enjoyable and friendly book…a valuable and welcome read. This is a 'good sense' book …” (The Occupational Psychologist, December 2002)
"Provocative." --
Harvard Business Review, February 2002"Sample's is a very American story, and his is a very American book." --
Los Angeles Times Book Reviews, November 25, 2001One of the ten best business books of 2001. --
Toronto Globe & Mail, December 19, 2001…enjoyable and friendly book…a valuable and welcome read. This is a 'good sense' book … --
The Occupational Psychologist, December 2002
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Reader Reviews
This review is from: The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership (Hardcover)
First, let me say this book captures some wonderful aspects of leadership. The book is written well and captures the authors thoughts and ideas succinctly. Ultimately though the content goes in circles and he ends up presenting something not that different from any of the other books on leadership. If one steps back and looks at the forest presented here, it is that in order to be an effective leader one need make good decisions, evaluate data carefully, think freely, posses both Machiavellian tendencies and play the role of servant leadership to one's followers, and one needs to communicate and listen well. OK, so we have heard all of that before, so what is different? Well, one of the highlights is a section on what the author calls "supertexts". Great leaders ought to read the classics. Really. Forget newspapers and especially trade publications and read the story of Jesus in Matthew, the story of Paul in Acts, the story of Moses in Exodus, read Plato, Hamlet, Dante's Divine Comedy, etc., as understanding the human condition is far more valuable than the latest news articles or trade flash. This is a radical concept and a rare one coming from a leadership and business approach. It is summarized as "you are what you read". A novel and unique approach on what enables good leadership. I also loved the sections on "knowing which hill you are willing to die on" and the "art of listening. Both provide an enlightened view of well-covered topics. Overall, the book presents some great points but ultimately ends in the leadership paradox. Few can really articulate this well and fewer still can solve this paradox in practice. Books like this one often can derail effective leadership, which rely on a creative blend of all approaches depending upon the situation, by giving "sound bites" of information and directives which when taken out of context usually fail. In the end it is a person's ability to successfully navigate the paradox of giving direction and empowering others, making quick decisions and waiting for more information, and driving others and serving others, which will determine their success as a leader. The book implies this paradox, but throughout focuses on the trees and not the forest.
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