He seemed well qualified to lead the organization. In addition to great credentials, he had a
good team of subordinate leaders who were anxious to excel. He had read the best leadership
books available. The stage was set for dynamite success. How could he fail? Well, as he went on
to prove, it wasn’t hard to fail. He knew what the books said, but didn’t know how to implement
what he’d read. He tightly controlled his subordinate leaders and tried to force each situation into
a mold based on what he’d read in those books.
Another leader was faced with a difficult issue for which he had only rudimentary
knowledge. He too had a good team of subordinate leaders who were anxious to excel. He too
had read the best leadership books available. But he succeeded because he used the lessons in
those books to develop a framework that he could apply to the situation.
I was in one of my favorite places the other day, the bookstore, when it occurred to me if all
the books that tell you how to lead and manage were placed end to end, they would reach to the
next star. For you literalists, I didn’t actually calculate that, but I know there are a lot of
leadership and management books. So, if there are so many books, why aren’t there an equal
number of great leaders and managers? I’ve read quite a few of these books myself, and most of
them are pretty good, containing a lot of terrific information, valuable suggestions, and
techniques that should ensure success. And yet, many companies and organizations still plod
along and wonder why production isn’t what it should be, why employees aren’t happy, and why
they can’t seem to reach their goals.
It’s fairly common for new leaders and managers to read the popular books on the subject.
Unfortunately, they don’t always understand how to implement what they’ve read. The leaders
who are successful take the author’s lessons and use them to hone their own techniques.
There is another important point though. A book’s author has learned about leadership either
through personal experience or diligent study so what you read is usually a mature take on what
they’ve learned. No one writes a leadership book after a month on the job. Unfortunately, the
reader is often reading after only a month, or less, on the job which means they haven’t
developed the self-awareness that leads to great leadership. They are unsure of themselves in the
leadership role. By the way, that isn’t always unique to new leaders. Some never develop the
self-confidence to be effective.
The best leaders I know are secure in themselves. They know what they know, but more
importantly, they know what they don’t know and aren’t afraid of it. Leaders who are the most
successful aren’t afraid to admit to a lack of knowledge or experience and are comfortable
relying on subordinates. Of course they were also good at recognizing who had the necessary
skills and experience and using those people effectively. They also were very quick to learn and
become, if not experts, at least very knowledgeable. Conversely, leaders who are not secure in
themselves also are not good at relying on others.
Many management and leadership books spend a lot of time talking about things like group
dynamics and interpersonal relationships. What I’ve noticed though is many people in leadership
positions assume they have it right and their subordinates need to change to meet their leadership
style. I made this mistake as a young military officer. I approached my assignment to lead a
maintenance shop of about 100 people with what can only be described as an arrogant attitude. I
had been instructed by the boss on what needed to be done and therefore, I believed, I was
blessed with superior knowledge. All those people needed to do was listen to me. After all I had
training in leadership and management and knew everything I needed to know. Fortunately I had
a few people in that shop who did not hesitate to let me know, not only did I not know
everything, they were pretty sure I didn’t know anything. My leadership style changed very
quickly and the assignment turned out to be a very good experience.
How a leader implements the ideas in those books will be the critical difference between
success and failure. The authors usually are free with their good and bad experiences, but the
readers often miss the point of flexibility.
So, curl up with a good leadership book, but when you finish reading the book, think about
how to apply it to your situation, not how to apply your situation to what you read in the book.
Bob Mason is a speaker, trainer, facilitator and president of RLM Planning and Leadership, a
consulting firm dedicated to helping businesses meld smart strategic planning with leadership
excellence. He helps all kinds of organizations improve through strategic planning and
leadership training/coaching. To learn more visit http://www.planleadexcel.com and download
his "Inviolate Rules of Leadership."
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