Modern business management is like a religion. There are belief systems, processes and procedures that you must adhere to in order to make your company run smoothly. The idea that you might consider these tools as being detrimental to progress is something that isn’t even entertained. You deviate from these mantras at your own risk and no-one will follow you either.
Which is where “Heretical Leadership” by Barry Jacksoncomes in. Barry has written a fun book that pokes a lot of the hot air out of so-called management techniques. So if you know your S.M.A.R.T objectives or you want to avoid ‘Square Wheeled Management’ then this book is for you.
‘Heretical Leadership’ takes the world of objectives and targets and turns them on its head. Barry Jackson argues that in a world obsessed with numbers there is more to management and leadership than chasing some existential existence where everything balances. This is not to say that there isn’t value in having goals – there is, but this is not the most important thing for a business to consider.
First and foremost is your relationship with anyone else you may have working for you. Do you think about the effect to your business of an argument, or the benefit to an individual if you reward them for some good work. It is not about the reaction to the event that is heresy, it’s the proactive avoidance of the negative event that is.
Listening, Learning and Liking could be the mantra that guides this book. You may not find the most modern management technique in its pages. Instead you will find a laid-back but no more important lesson in realising that the most important thing you need to think about are the things that an MBA won’t tell you. The ability to communicate, listen and interact positively with your employees.
Read this book if you want to work better with your staff, and you want to get more out of them in a better working atmosphere. This is a book that can start to erode the S.M.A.R.T objective culture one chocolate biscuit at a time.
This book review was originally published on Family Friendly Working, a site packed with advice on flexible work for mums and dads. Have you enjoyed this review? If you have, click through and buy the book HERE!
