The Competent Manager: A Model for Effective Performance

In "The Competent Manager: A Model for Effective Performance" Richard Boyatzis uses empirical data to define the competencies of effective leaders. While many of today's `leadership' books are overly generalized leadership philosophies or biographies of leader idiosyncrasies that worked in special situations, few books are specific in enumerating overarching leadership competencies. Boyatzis has been very disciplined in empirically measuring competencies that enable leadership success in earning business results. In light of Boyatzis's more recent work in Emotional Intelligence, one might anticipate that emotionally intelligent operational managers would evaluate and review their individual management competencies to identify their most relevant opportunities for either developing their deficient competencies or partnering with co-leaders who compliment their identified shortcomings. "The Competent Manager", though a difficult read, would be a valuable starting point for one's initial competency self-evaluation. I recommend "The Competent Manager: A Model for Effective Performance" for anyone leading their organization's initiatives for leadership and management development.

Boyatzis offers a critical look at what makes up management competencies. It contains much more than just "what someone thinks," or "what looks right." This book's findings come from extensive research. It is an excellent book for someone serious about understanding what makes a manager competent.