On Becoming a Leader

This is a great resource for learning new leadership traits as well as confirming that what you are currently doing is appropriate. I would highly recommend this book for first time leaders as well as those wishing to reach a higher level of leadership style.

The book On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis was originally published in 1989, however over the years it was credited with being one of the best books on the topic of leadership, so the author has added a new introduction in an attempt to make the book just as valuable in 2005's world as it did in the world of the late 1980's. The New Introduction does help make the reader have a feeling that the book is current but after only a few chapters and a review of the front cover of the book it is easily noticeable which other parts of the book are almost fifteen to twenty years out of date. For instance the front cover highlights that the book is "Recommended by Vice President Al Gore to All His Advisers", yet in the New Introduction Bennis goes on the chastise President Clinton over his lack of the third leg of the tripod of legacy, integrity. The book also goes on to question the presidency of George H.W. Bush, when most American's are not only aware of his presidency, but are living in his son, George W. Bush's, presidency. Despite the elementary contradictions offered by Bennis it is important to note the many benefits of the book that outweigh the trivial timeframe aspects. This book is filled with many important suggestions to the reader on how to become a leader. The most important of which is recognizing that neither any textbook nor any author can ever teach anyone to be the "perfect" leader. W. Bennis begins the book by highlighting the importance of the presence of leaders in an attempt to show the reader that it is needed for them to take the initiative and develop themselves into a leader. This is done by stating the fact that every organization is in need of a leader that can show integrity to the other members of the organization and that good leaders are needed to take those organizations to a future of success and greatness. The second theme found in On Becoming a Leader and that reappears constantly throughout the book is that only the reader can determine what is it that makes them happy and it is up to the reader to leave all of the excuses behind that are preventing the reader from accomplishing his goals. The important distinction between being "driven" and leading appear in at least three different chapters of the book. Bennis defines being "driven" as a desire to accomplish something individually while he defines leading as the ability to express yourself freely to the point that whatever it is you want to achieve you can share that with those that are under you to convince them that they want to follow you, rather than sit back and watch your "drive" accomplish everything. It is important for leaders to know that without Constancy, Congruity, Reliability, and Integrity they will not have any genuine followers and that only those individuals that are paid to follow you will follow you for the only reason of achieving that paycheck. The third and final theme found in the book is one of Reaction and Reflection. A

Great book not just for managers, but also for those being managed. It clearly articulates how to improve yourself, through a variety of motivational stories and excellent advice. Make sure to read the last chapter, though! The one ding I had while reading the book was that a lot of the advice wasn't actionable -- until I reached the last chapter, which closed off the book with a clear path forward for the reader.

I picked up Bennis' classic for my management/leadership library several months ago and I've already read it, highlighted it, and written notes in it twice!Bennis' research and interviews with several leaders he selected from various industries provides some very insightful advice to leaders of all levels. The direction from this book will not steer you wrong. The information presented seems common sense, but when all told, if the direction given were followed, we'd have better leaders in place than we do now.I can truthfully say that this book has inspired me to be a better leader. If you have some guts, take a chance and pick this book up and evaluate yourself. If you don't gain some insight into yourself as a leader, you're probably missing the boat somewhere along the line.The book is easy to read, and you'll finish it rather quickly the first time through. Do yourself a favor though, pause and reflect after each chapter. The information provided compells you to do some reflecting. This book will remain on my top 10 reading list for some time to come!

Warreen Bennis shows how holding the status quo in management and leadership will provide a void in inspirational leadership in the 21st Century. He correctly writes about how management can get the best out of people by empowering them, by giving them input into things that affect them and by getting out of their way.The author correctly identifies so called leaders who have attained top positons but lack integrity, knowledge of human development, what motivates people and compassion. He calls them "destructive achievers" and pronounces them dangerous. Bennis has obviously devoted many years of his life to discovering what good leadership is and what it isn't. He notes that "Everyone deplores the alleged lack of leadership in America today" and further states that, "Greed, timidity and lack of vision are rampant among the current crop of psuedoleaders." He is correct in arguing that "Our culture is currrently dominated and shaped by business." He asks us to consider that "those who are skilled at achieveing prominence are not necessarily those who are ready to lead once they arrive."If we consider all of the violence in America, lack of health care, the working poor, starving children and homeless people how can we deny Bennis when he states that, "Our quality of life depends on the quality of our leaders?" Should not a government, with all of its "leaders" be judged on how well people at the bottom are doing instead of people at the top?Anyone reading this well written book will understand that American leadership is lacking and that we must develop better leaders if we are to increase our performance throughout the world.Dr. Norman Jones-author of Performance Management in the 21st Century:Solutions for Business, Education and Family (St. Lucie Press-1999)