Book Description
In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that physics—the basis for all other science—has lost its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin—a former string theorist himself— is the perfect person to deliver it.
Customer Reviews:
Scientific progress is never cut and dried.......2007-10-08
Lee Smolin presents a harsh critique of the last 30 years in theoretical physics, written by one of its practitioners. He makes the excellent point that science is a human activity like anything else. Progress is always hard to predict; scientists can and do get caught up in dead ends. Smolin thinks string theory is one such dead end, and makes a good case for it.
I think that, if anything, Smolin is a little too gentle on the field. The development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs left a tremendous impression that big money put into physics would bring big results. In recent years that hasn't happened. There are so many unanswered questions out there in science, so many important fields where solutions are desperately needed. When I consider the construction and operation of particle accelerators and other high-tech equipment, I can't help but think of the huge cost. The same amount of cash invested elsewhere might have brought much more in the way of useful results.
I am the mother of a 10-year-old boy attending public school. His instruction sometimes seems to me like a mishmash of well-meaning educational reforms that have been implemented with little or no testing to see if they worked or not. I am frankly disgusted by the quality of most research in the area of education--sample sizes too small, no proper controls, subjects followed for too short a time, etc. The cost of operating a single particle accelerator for six weeks probably exceeds all the funding for educational research around the world for the entire year. Yet which has the most potential for making major progress? Maybe it's time to back off on funding big physics projects for a while.
I would also like to point out that the building and use of instrumentation for high-energy physics is highly dependent on cheap fossil fuels. The future supply of such fuels is by no means guaranteed. The peak oil problem appears to be largely ignored by high-energy physicists today, but has the potential to significantly affect their ability to conduct experiments.
I really enjoyed Smolin's chapters on looking for seers rather than technicians in science. I especially liked his description of how unconventional scientists have built a career without a university job. Smolin points out that a typical professor spends a majority of his week on teaching, grant proposals, administrative tasks, and the like, leaving a surprisingly small amount of time available for actual research. Having a day job outside the field is not as big a hurdle as it might seem.
I tend to agree with Smolin that the big advances of the future are likely to come from completely unexpected directions. I can't wait to see what they are.
physics from many angles.......2007-10-05
This book provided several discussions pf physics and quantum theory. its good because the author speaks of the history the the originators of physics theory and the current champions of thought.
A mixed bag.......2007-10-04
At the moment, string theory appears to have many (possibly an infinite number) of "metastable vacua", each of which would allow for a universe with its own laws of physics. (For a brief, comic, yet essentially correct summary of the history of this idea, see Peter Shor's review here. For those who don't know, Shor is a celebrated quantum-information theorist.) According to the (far from established) inflationary model of cosmology, there is a vast collection of universes (the "multiverse") with diverse laws of physics. Which universe we find ourselves in is a matter of random selection, but of course we must be in a "biofriendly" universe, one whose laws of physics allow for the appearance of intelligent life.
The core argument of this book is presented on page 164-165 (US hardcover edition), where Smolin writes, "when it comes to the biofriendliness of our universe, we have at least three possibilities:
"1. Ours is one of a vast collection of universes with random laws.
"2. There was an intelligent designer.
"3. There is a so-far-unknown mechanism that will both explain the biofriendliness of our universe and make testable predictions by which it can be confirmed or falsified.
"Given that the first two possibilities are untestable in principle, it is most rational to hold out for the third possibility. Indeed, that is the only possibility we should consider as scientists, because accepting either of the first two would mean the end of our field."
I find this to be an astonishing argument. First of all, I don't know what "most rational" is supposed to mean. More importantly, to reject a scientific hypothesis for purely personal reasons (it "would mean the end of our field") is at best novel, and at worst absurd.
Very few string theorists are happy that #1 seems, at this point, to be the most likely outcome of string theory, and many hope that #3 will somehow eventually emerge. But to throw out the whole framework, simply because we don't like the result, cannot be said to be a scientific attitude.
One thing you won't learn in this book (unless you read it very carefully, and between the lines) is that the other approaches to quantum gravity advocated by Smolin have not come any closer to predicting specific experimental results than string theory has. Smolin talks about possible violations of special relativity, but these are not (as he admits on page 237) a definite prediction of loop quantum gravity. He has said (on Peter Woit's blog) that any quantum field theory in any number of dimensions is compatible with loop quantum gravity. If true, this would make loop quantum gravity even less capable than string theory of picking out our particular laws of physics.
Smolin also discusses issues of sociology in physics. On page 335-336, he asserts that the all the truly negative characterizations of job candidates that he has ever heard have had a component of racism and/or sexism. I am on the faculty of the physics department of a research university, and I can only say that my experience has been entirely different. I have simply never heard a racist or sexist denigration of one scientist by another, nor have I ever felt that anyone was being evaluated by criteria other than merit. I think that there are definitely issues of culture and how we can construct scientific communities that have broader appeal, and that there are physicists who are not as sensitive to these issues as they might be, but I cannot accept Smolin's claim that the relatively small percentage of women and blacks in physics is due to "blatant prejudice".
Finally, Smolin discusses the issues of "seers" vs "craftspeople" in science, and argues that we should be supporting more "seers". Among the existing seers, he lists some (such as Roger Penrose and Gerard 't Hooft) who made their reputations primarily as craftspeople ('t Hooft received the Nobel Prize for his work on the renormalization of gauge theories, and Penrose did celebrated work on the singularity theorems of general relativity). Their record as seers has been less successful; none of their recent ideas on modifications of quantum mechanics have panned out as yet. Smolin laments the fact that more attention is not paid to these forays into alternatives to quantum mechanics. But 't Hooft and Penrose do not agree on what modifications are needed. Other seers identified by Smolin propose violations of special relativity, rather than (or in addition to) violations of quantum mechanics. Perhaps this is all deep thought, but there is little to decide, at this point, which if any of these avenues should be pursued. Most physicists have therefore sensibly adopted a "wait and see" attitude.
Even if we accept Smolin's argument that we need new seers, how are we to find them? Smolin writes (page 353) that in order to discover "the visionaries who ignore the mainstream and follow their own ambitious programs", we should "find at least one accomplished person in the candidate's field who is deeply excited about what the candidate is trying to do". So, the candidate's program had better not be *too* far off the mainstream; there has to be at least one "accomplished person" who is "deeply excited" about it. But if one deeply excited professional is good, wouldn't more be better? Wouldn't that up the odds that the program was, indeed, worthwhile? Oh wait, that would be just what we have now ... a system where there is constant debate, emergent consensus on the most promising approaches, and distribution of research funds primarily (but by no means exclusively!) to those approaches that appear, in the consensus view, to be most promising. To paraphrase Winston Churchill on democracy, this system for distributing funds for science may be the worst ever devised, except for all the others.
So, should you buy the book? I feel that it gives a distorted picture, by emphasizing the weak points of string theory while ignoring the (many more, in my view) weak points of the alternatives. It seems to me that the essence of the book's argument against string theory is captured by the excerpts above, and by Shor's review. Then there is a lot of discussion of groupthink in scientific culture. For me, it doesn't add up to an appealing package, but your mileage may vary.
The Endless Quest Continues .......2007-10-04
I like Lee Smolin and this is a good exposition of the current quandary in Physics. When the mathematicians "hijacked" physics in the 1920's, they created ever-so elegant formulas and abstraction upon abstraction upon abstraction. "Just give me a formula!" was their mantra, and what it all really "means" was not their concern. This is the essence of Bohr's position (no pun intended), and Einstein was not able to answer, even though he knew something was missing.
String theory has many intriguing ideas, and it's supporters should not be easily dismissed. Again and again, we come back to the basic question...particle or wave? Wavicle? Partiwave? String?
Outstanding piece of writing, A must-read for any science enthusiast........2007-09-22
I found this book to be superbly written and full of fascinating insights. I really loved reading it. Many of the longer reviews here do a great job of reviewing the content of the book, so I'll stick to offering my opinion.
I will no doubt read this book again in the future as much of the content was way over my head. However, as with any great book on any subject, this did not prevent me from thoroughly enjoying it and learning a lot. What makes it so great is that each time I read it I will learn more.
I want to thank Lee Smolin for putting the current state of his field in some perspective. I highly, highly recommend this book!
Book Description
Twenty-five years ago Robert Greenleaf published these prophetic essays on what he coined servant leadership, a practical philosophy that replaces traditional autocratic leadership with a holistic, ethical approach. This highly influential book has been embraced by cutting edge management everywhere. Yet in these days of Enron and what VISA CEO Dee Hock calls our "era of massive institutional failure," Greenleaf's seminal work must reach the mainstream now more than ever. Servant Leadership helps leaders find their true power and moral authority to lead. It helps those served become healthier, wiser, freer, and more autonomous. This book encourages collaboration, trust, listening, and empowerment. It offers long-lasting change, not a temporary fix and extends beyond business for leaders of all types of groups.
Customer Reviews:
Still Ahead of Its Time.......2007-07-07
Even after 30 years, this book is still decades ahead of its time. Corporations and individual leaders are just beginning to understand the power that is bestowed upon them by using these concepts and are even slower to react. For the time being, this book will have to reside in the philosophy section since it's practical use is limited to individuals, not entire cultures; corporate or otherwise.
This book is recommended since it will challenge you to change your focus of leadership from self to subordinate, from getting power to sharing it, and from clique to community. "Primus inter pares" (first among equals) is the central theme running throughout the book and although the theoretical construct is worth exploring, the cultural change necessary for it to gain a foothold is immense and will take decades if not centuries to overcome.
Greenleaf is of the opinion that for this cultural change will happen, it will most likely happen within the confines of large corporate atmospheres, not churches, foundations, or universities. Unfortunately, it's like a scale with greed and hunger from power on one end and servant leadership on the other. I'm not sure "The Prince" will lose his weight anytime soon.
Servant leadership is a hopeful dream that will take a lot of work to be popular in practice instead of in an MBA program or on a large scale. Until then, it will have to be one person at a time. The question is, will it be you?
It's only communication if the message is received.......2007-02-23
I found the ideas in this book rather interesting. However, it's a tough book to get through. Greenleaf's writing style is difficult to follow, this is not an easy read. I would not recommend Servant Leadership to someone who is looking for quick practical advise on honing their leadership skills. In my opinion, this book is better suited to those who have an academic interest in the subject. Additionally, it's been ~30 years since this book was published, many of Greenleaf's ideas have filtered into more contemporary texts. I compare it to the music of Jimi Hendrix. While he is the brilliant innovator of a genre of music, 30 years later today's broad audience doesn't understand the context of his work, but can find and enjoy his influence in the music they relate to today.
Not For the Weak of Heart.......2006-06-08
Servant-Leadership is rapidly becoming a popularized term and a popular concept to bandy about in many circles.
This is the book that started that trend.
Published originally in 1977, it contains articles and concepts that found their germination in the turbulant decade of the 1960's. While you might imagine from the term "Servant-Leader" that the ideology of this book stems from religious conviction and it certainly does include that, you may be surprised to read in the first chapter of the book that it finds its inspiration in literature. Specifically, the Servant-Leader who captured Greenleaf's imagination and catalyzed the writing of this book was the fictional character Leo in Herman Hesse's "Journey to the East."
More surprises remain in store throughout this book that challenges concepts seemingly ingrained in human nature and counter-intuitively argues for several revolutionary premises, not simply on the basis of morality, but rather effectiveness and societal need.
In particular, Greenleaf argues that the advent of big business, large institutions, and corporate growth requires a paradigm shift in the view of leadership. Contrary to the anti-authoritarianism so ingrained in the 60's, Greenleaf argues that large organizations hold tremendous promise to accomplish correspondingly large results. What is needed are leaders who will embrace the organizations and see them almost as separate entities, living organisms as it were, love them, care for them and serve the population within and without through them.
The qualities that Greenleaf profers as indicative of such growth and service are:
1. Do those served grow as persons?
2. Do they, while being served become healthier wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?
3. What is the effect on the least privileged in society?
4. Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived? (Greenleaf 1977/2002 p.27)
In practical terms Greenleaf argues strongly for such Servant-Leaders to rise up and shake off the traditional trappings of leadership within archaic and dusty organizations and equally archaic leadership models, where the emphasis has been upon elevating managers to de facto leaders of these institutions and instead, elevating Trustee's and Board Chairpersons to reject passivity, reject the role of a rubber stamp and exert leadership that embraces values, takes risks and empowers people.
It is a clarion call to activist leadership that feels very much a derivitive of the 60's altruism, yet rejects the across the board discarding of all institutions as irretrievably corrupt and inherently in need of dismantling.
This 25th anniversary edition issued in 2002 comes after the fruits of this call have culminated in Servant-Leadership's adoption as a legitimate and growingly influential leadership model in both academic, private and public sectors.
The influence of this concept and the leadership institutions that are adopting the model in their training and operations is remarkably going beyond its author who passed away in 1990.
Notable as well for its forward by Stephen Covey and an afterword by Peter Senge, this edition should be a welcome addition to the leadership library of every student and participant in the leadership melieu. Whether you accept and adopt the premises contained, there is wisdom and insight for all who wish to read. Answers in some context are given, but more importantly, tools are provided with which to frame the question for those moving forward.
I highly recommend this book as an indispensible tool for understanding the leadership issues and needs of this generation.
A Challenging Read.......2002-07-18
If you are looking for a leadership book with a different approach from the usual leadership book, and one that is intellectually stimulating and thought-provoking, then you should definitely read this book of collected talks, essays, and articles from Robert K. Greenleaf.
Armed with varied and extensive civilian leadership experience, Greenleaf boldly took me on "a journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness." This journey challenged me early on when Greenleaf stated that the traditional hierarchical leadership used in most organizations, one person in charge as the lone chief atop a pyramidal structure, is the likely cause of most of our leadership problems. Greenleaf favored another, less frequently used tradition where the principle leader is "primus inter pares" - first among equals.
Throughout the book, Greenleaf made a compelling case that "primus inter pares" exists in important places with conspicuous success. With my leadership experience rooted in the traditional military hierarchical structure, at times it was difficult to understand Greenleaf's perspectives on the first or second read.
Greenleaf's insights into the servant as leader (one who makes sure that other people's highest priority needs are being served) in the first chapter lays the foundation for his subsequent chapters: the institution as servant, trustees as servants, servant leadership in business, servant leadership in education, servant leadership in foundations, servant leadership in churches, servant leaders, servant responsibility in a bureaucratic society, and America and world leadership.
With all the recent attention focused on moral and ethical breakdowns within some large and powerful institutions (Enron, WorldCom, Arthur Anderson, the Catholic Church, etc.), this book's continued relevance is obvious. Overcoming my challenges in reading this book was definitely worth the effort.
The best book on Leadership.......2001-10-02
You only need one book on the purpose and spirit of leadership and this is it. The single first essay is all that is really needed, yet Greenleaf offers several alternate versions for various professions and walks of life. Stick with the first and any specific one that applies to you.
This is why leaders lead. No tricks, no help here for someone wanting to learn leadership tricks to advance or get ahead. If you have a cause, if you want to serve, then this is for you. Corporate ladder climbers and greedy chumps need no waste their time.
Book Description
In The Dog Listener Jan Fennell shares her revolutionary insight into the canine world and its instinctive language that has enabled her to bring even the most delinquent of dogs to heel. This easy-to-follow guide draws on Jan's countless case histories of problem dogs—from biters and barkers to bicycle chasers—to show how you can bridge the language barrier that separates you from your dog.
This edition includes a new 30-Day Training Guide to further incorporate Jan's powerful method into every element of pet ownership, including:
- Understanding what it means to care for a dog
- Choosing the right dog for you
- Introducing your dog to its new home
- Overcoming separation anxiety
- Walking on a leash
- Dealing with behavioral problems
- Grooming
- And much more
Customer Reviews:
Best training book ever! .......2007-10-04
This book was reccomended to me by a friend when I bought my two puppies and I had them trained before they were 3 months old. You have to remember that the tecniques in this book are a way of life and you must continue to do them at all times. You get used to it and it becomes second nature and the outcome is very rewarding. Puppies can be very frustrating to train but by using this book, I am actually enjoying the energy of my pups and they are respecting me.
7 IMPROVEMENTS.......2007-09-19
Jan Fennell deserves high accolades for this book and 30-day training manual! I have 7 dogs and after 4 weeks, the change is very noticeable. I have largely achieved the behavior I want with 7 dogs inside the home and they are much improved in the back yard. Soon I will move on to the car and the world outside. Traditional dog training classes just didn't cut the mustard - there was little if no discussion on how to have your dog look to you as its leader. I so enjoyed Jan's informative, fast-reading, couldn't-put-it-down book that I am reading it a second time. It's almost as if she could read your mind as to problems and questions we owners have with our dogs and the frustration we are faced with not knowing how to solve them. I only wish more people in the U.S. knew about Jan like they do about Cesar Millan. Maybe her time is coming!
"Must have" for any dog owner!!.......2007-07-03
This book was recommended to me by my dog trainer, and I am so glad! I use this book so much - Jan really understands dogs. She has the solution to any training issue or behavioral difficulty you can think of. It's all about thinking like a dog, and trying to relate to them in order to understand and work with them more effectively. Training is so much easier and quicker when you apply her methods! And the dogs seem happier and more relaxed, just like she says! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who owns a dog, or is thinking about buying a dog!
Effective. Helps establish foundation for training your dog!.......2007-04-16
A must read for all dog owners. Helps you to establish leadership within your "pack" using her 4 basic principals. I used this book as a building block to understand my dogs and establish an "Alpha" position within my pack. Once this is established, it makes training a lot easier. Other good books for understanding your dogs are "Other End of the Leash" and "Power of Positive Dog Training". For basic training I recommend "Clicking with Your Dogs" and Karen Pyor's "Clicker Training for Dogs."
New perspective for me!.......2007-04-03
We are expecting a new puppy later this year and I've been educating myself on being a responsible and informed owner. We always had dogs, cats, lizards, rabbits and such growing up. I didn't think about it until I read this book but several of our dogs had, shall we say some interesting habits. Jan Fennell shares a little of the common history man shares with our beloved dogs, as well as what happens in a wolf pack in the wild. I have to say that my entire perspective regarding dogs behaviour and training have changed. Now, I see people walking their dogs or rather the dogs walking their human and I understand what their relationship is all about. I can't wait for our new puppy and so look forward to a happy and healthy life for her. If you want to know and love your dog on a whole new, healthier level this is a must read.
p.s. If you haven't already, please read up on a raw diet for your dog.
Book Description
Foreword by C.K. Prahalad
Some leaders are tough as nails, like a leather-hided reptile. Others are warm, like a fur- covered mammal. But the best leaders exhibit crucial attributes of both -- and emphasize them as particular circumstances dictate.
Those who can achieve this combination have the potential for greatness. Joe White explores these characteristics, with examples of leaders ranging from tough-minded Lou Gerstner at IBM to mammalian leaders like Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines and Wendy Kopp, founder of Teach for America. White also describes other prerequisites for truly great leadership, including a passion to develop talented people and the ability to innovate and create change. Those who have combined all these traits include Abraham Lincoln, Jack Welch, Steve Jobs, and Martin Luther King.
Most compelling are the many anecdotes from White's personal experiences -- great successes and a major disappointment, described with unusual candor.
In the long line of leadership books, this one stands out for its clarity, readability, unique metaphor, and the credentials of its author. Enlightening, encouraging, and written with warmth and humor, it is truly a book for all leaders and for those seeking to understand The Nature of Leadership.
Customer Reviews:
Taking over the world for dummies.......2007-07-13
Coming to this topic with no prior knowledge whatever, I found this book to be eminently readable, informative, entertaining, and easy to understand. Plus, I felt really smart carrying it around on the train, as if everybody assumed I was a future Eleanor Roosevelt-in-the-making. Joseph White has a very engaging style, and I found him an immensely likeable and effective teacher. He definitely knows what he is talking about, and he breaks it down for the layman, without talking down. His personal anecdotes are like icing on the cake, which keeps the book a quick and fun read. I also really enjoyed Yaron Prywes' contributions--being part of today's self-obsessed culture I loved finding out my leadership style in the Cosmo-esque survey at the back of the book. I also have an attention span eroded by over-stimulation and the Vh-1 pop-up-video type factoids gave me little nuggets of knowledge in an easily digestible format. Prywes and White make a great team, and I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to find out how to more effectively organize and influence people.
Reptile, Mammal, or Both?.......2007-03-17
Those who practice "tough love" in personal relationships (especially by parents in relationships with their children) constantly find themselves in situations that force a question to be answered: "How much do I [begin italics] really care [end italics] about this person?" Supervisors must also answer the same question each day in the business world. If I correctly understand the concept of tough love (and I may not), it requires those who practice it to make sometimes very difficult decisions which are nonetheless in the best interests of the other person involved. For example, refusing to enable behavior which - over time - could be especially harmful to that person as well as to others.
In this volume, B. Joseph White shares his own thoughts about effective, indeed "great" leadership. More specifically, as C.K. Prahalad so succinctly explains in the Foreword, White's core message is profound and clear: "The capacity to be focused on the critical economic and performance issues and at the same time be sensitive to the social dimensions of leadership - the reptilian `coldblooded and the mammalian `warm and caring' - is at the core of leadership." White asserts (and I wholly agree) that a great leader must be successful at achieving change - "important, consequential change in the results for which [she or he is] responsible. Making change successfully is a leader's greatest challenge."
Frankly, I was initially skeptical of White's use of the reptile and mammal metaphors but as I began to read this book, I soon realized that they are eminently appropriate and White reveals their relevance with admirable skill. Moreover, he includes a number of real-world exemplars such as Mannie Jackson whose name is probably unfamiliar to most of those who read the book. A former player for the Harlem Globetrotters, he later purchased the team and "brought a dying brand back to life." He saw both a need and an opportunity, he took a great risk because he had the vision to see what the once-successful organization could eventually become again, made necessary changes in how it was managed, recruited competent and principled people to help make his turnaround plan work, and eventually produced and continues to sustain strong results.
In my opinion, some of White's most valuable material is provided in Chapters 4 and 5 as he examines in detail the qualities of "reptilian excellence" and then "mammalian excellence." I commend White on his effective use of a pyramid metaphor to illustrate a three-phase process. First, having a foundation which requires a desire to be in charge in combination with ability, strength, and character. During the next phase, to maintain an appropriate balance of quite different but not mutually exclusive qualities (i.e. reptilian and mammalian) as the leadership development process continues. All great leaders know when to discipline and when to nurture...when to focus on details and when to focus on context...when to verify and control, when to trust and delegate. The material in Chapters 4 and 5 suggest the relevance of the term "tough love" to the business world. Those who complete the second phase, who aspire to become great leaders, care enough about their direct reports to hold them fully accountable for their performance and behavior. They realize that great leaders are not always popular but they are respected by everyone with whom they are associated. Their constructive criticism as well as praise is credible because those who receive either believe that it is always honest, sincere, and (yes) deserved.
Many readers will especially appreciate the Appendix which enables them to complete a self-diagnostic exercise. The results offer insights as to how each respondent likes to look at things and how she or he goes about making decisions. White: "As a current or aspiring leader, knowing your own preferences can help you identify your strengths, undersdtand what kinds of work you naturally gravitate toward, and spot the next step of your leadership development quest." White also includes an explanation of what the given scores mean. This helps each reader to determine (a) current leadership strengths and (b) other areas in which there is an apparent need for improvement.
Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out Bill George's Authentic Leadership and True North, Ram Charan's Know-How, and Tom Rath's Strengths Finder 2.0.
Must Read for All Future Leaders.......2007-02-03
The Nature of Leadership by B. Joseph White is a must read for all future leaders and it belongs on your bookshelf right next to Good to Great.
White distinguishes between two kinds of leaders: analytical and quantitative "reptiles" and emotional and qualitative "mammals." Great leaders are separated from good ones by their ability leverage both reptilian and mammalian skills.
"Reptilian leadership improves the odds that an organization will survive. Mammalian leadership improves the odds that an organization will thrive"- B. Joseph White.
The exercise in the back of the book is worth its weight in gold. Studies have shown positive links between leaders self awareness and their actual performance. This exercise will make you more aware of your strengths and give you the tools to develop opportunities for growth.
As an educator and President of the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, I have lent this book to promising young entrepreneurs as a text-book in leadership development.
Trite or Inane? Both.......2007-02-02
Could the animal comparison to management be any more overused? What's next, insects?
Great Food for aspired Leaders.......2007-01-28
I just finish the book. In my professional career I've seen so many good leaders and I can relate each and every point mentioned in this book. It is really a great and innovative way to look at the leadership. Book is full of examples and very well structured. I recommend it to each and every aspired leader. Once again great leadership material.
Book Description
In "Horses Never Lie," acclaimed horse trainer Mark Rashid breaks new ground by challenging the longstanding belief that a person must become the "alpa leader" in order to work with horses. Instead, "Horses Never Lie" teaches you how to become a "passive leader"—a reflection of the kind of horse other members of a herd choose to be around and to follow. It's a must read for all horse owners who care about their horses and the kind of relationship they have with them.
As he did in "Considering the Horse" and "A Good Horse Is Never a Bad Color," Rashid writes about his experiences with real horses, always featuring his sense of humor and an overriding compassion for the horse. His instructive anecdotes reach back to when he was a youngster under the mentorship of the "old man," and continue to his experiences today as a horse trainer and a popular clinician who has traveled the world to teach his remarkably effective methods to enthusiastic horse owners.
Customer Reviews:
Engaging Author.......2007-10-05
Mark Rashid's easy style of writing and his interesting personal stories made it hard for me to put the book down. So much of what he wrote really resonated with my own feelings about creating a partnership with my horse. His concept of passive leadership was described in a way that was easily recognizable in many personal situations of my own experiences. I am looking forward to reading more of Mark's books and have already ordered some. These are not the "training manuals" of other trainers and his experiences and approach makes me look forward to training my horse and building on the bond of friendship/partnership.
A wonderful book.......2007-09-03
I absolutely loved this book. I am so impressed with Mark's compassionate approach to working with horses. He is a master of behavioral psychology, using reinforcement principles to extinguish bad behaviors and then shape the positive behaviors he is looking for from a horse. This requires the ability to be able to really observe the horse and to never react out of frustration or anger. I recently started riding again after a 27 year absence and found myself wondering what kind of a relationship I could expect to have with a horse. This book helped me see that most horses do bond with people who are compassionate, consistent and thoughtful. Even though I ride English, I feel this book has helped me to be a better rider because I am being more observant and making sure I reward my horse by "relieving the pressure" when he gives me what I want. This book is a pleasure to read and very informative about Mark's philosophy of horsemanship.
This is an awesome book!!.......2007-08-23
I had great difficulty putting this book down. The personal stories Mark writes about pulls you right in. And I finally understood how to be
quiet and find the slightest try. It just clicked with me. I highly
recommend this book and can't wait to read his others!
horse human relationships.......2007-06-18
Mark Rashid shows other ways to fill in your relationship with horses. Sometimes having a dig at other 'natural horsmanship' guru's like Robertson or Parelli. I think this book is a must and an addition for all those who seek to improve their relationship with and understanding of the horse. Lovely book, reads like a novel but has great depth. Strongly recommended.
Chicken Soup for the Horsepersons Soul.......2007-05-12
This book is not only filled with wonderful stories, but also plenty of sage advice. It is less a course in horse training, and more a wonderful book of short stories that describe a horse behavior, along with the typcial method of dealing with it, and then the "old mans" method of dealing with it. I agree with most everyone here, and read the entire book from cover to cover before putting it down. It is just a great read, and if you are open to suggestions, it gives you plenty of ideas of new things to try with horses that sometimes seem to have issues we can't figure out.
Average customer rating:
- Definitively the state of the art
- No pain, no gain--go for the straight and narrow!
- Managers can read books, you know!
- A book to help you evaluate other leadership books.
- Helpful for those interested in the history of leadership.
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The Nature of Leadership
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ASIN: 0761927158 |
Book Description
“In
The Nature of Leadership, Antonakis, Cianciolo, and Sternberg provide a thorough review of the state of leadership research. I was impressed with the reviews of research methods, leadership assessment, the influence of context, and ethics. It is a must read for those who teach leadership.”
—Robert Hooijberg,
Professor of Organizational Behavior, International Institute
for Management Development
“
The Nature of Leadership is a masterful state-of-the-art-and-science compendium written to appeal to researchers, students, and practitioners of leadership. This book covers the leadership landscape with both breadth and depth of knowledge and practice possible only from real experts and their protégés. It will be off my bookshelf often, as I plan to use it regularly.”
—Fran Yammarino,
Distinguished Professor of Management and Director of the Center for Leadership Studies, State University of New York at Binghamton
"The Nature of Leadership will be useful to anyone with an interest in leadership. Its relevance extends beyond business to toher social sciences and humanities discplines as well..."
--CHOICE
Leadership scholars have made many inroads in understanding leadership. However, making sense of thousands of studies and hundreds of books is a difficult endeavor, which is why many still incorrectly think that leadership is an elusive phenomenon.
The Nature of Leadership is the first concise and integrated volume that addresses current issues in leadership research, including emerging topics such as gender, culture, and ethics.
More than ever before, leadership is seen as critical for the proper functioning of societies and social institutions. Written by a team of leading experts,
The Nature of Leadership will provide compelling answers to the most vexing questions surrounding leadership:
- Is leadership measurable?
- Are there traits that reliably distinguish leaders from nonleaders?
- Does the situation matter?
- Are there differences in women’s and men’s leadership styles?
- Is ethical leadership effective leadership?
- Are elements of leadership culturally bounded whereas other elements are universal?
- Does vision really matter?
- Can leadership be developed?
Editors John Antonakis, Anna T. Cianciolo, and Robert J. Sternberg have compiled a landmark volume that addresses all of the above (answers to all of which are “yes”) and much more. As Warren Bennis notes in the book’s conclusion, in our time, we witness scandals, bankruptcies, war, misery, and suffering mostly because of corrupt and immoral leadership. Beginning with an introduction from the editors, and ending with Bennis’s concluding chapter,
The Nature of Leadership takes students, scholars, and practicing managers through every facet of leadership from the perspective of the world’s leading experts.
Customer Reviews:
Definitively the state of the art.......2006-11-11
The Nature of Leadership is a book everybody claiming to speak about Leadership has to read. This book does not provide any easy method to be used to become a leader; instead, it demonstrates with scientific evidences what are the attributions of a leader. It will help any students interested by this field of research better understand what this matter is about.
No pain, no gain--go for the straight and narrow!.......2005-11-25
The reviewer that refers to this book as being "painful" is partly right. This book is difficult to read, that's for sure. However, leadership, as a topic is not simple. There are no quick fixes. To learn about leadership you will have to read a lot, particularly what the researchers have written. The topic is not simple and certainly cannot be summarized in simple graphs or charts. You'll need some level of intelligence to understand "The nature of leadership"
Managers or students, who have some basic education will be able to understand this book. If you are looking for quick stories, this book is not for you. Reading "Who moved my cheese?" or "Good to great" will be a better fit for you--these types of books are certainly easier; however, these kinds of books are very simplistic and not well researched (even though they pretend to be).
If you want to get fit, there is not simple way to do it. You have to watch what you eat, you have to exercise, you need persistence, and you need to work hard. If you are the type of person that believes in working hard then this book is for you. You are the type that likes to take the straight and narrow way. You believe in "No pain, no gain."
Managers can read books, you know!.......2004-10-07
I get the feeling that some of the comments by readers suggest that managers cannot understand academic books. We can, if we buckle down and read them. Sure, the quick one-liners of a Covey or a Blanchard are cool and easy to understand. After a while, though, those books become a bit empty. Too much of "how too" and not enough of "why".
I kind of liked the challenge of reading a book that is written by researchers. All of the chapters (14 in total) were quite easy to follow except for the second chapter (about definitions of leadership), which I skipped, and also the last part of the third chapter (on using science to study leadership). The other chapters were very applied. I liked the chapters on traits, information processing, contingency models, transformational and visionary leadership, culture, and ethics. The Bennis chapter is pretty good too.
A book to help you evaluate other leadership books........2004-07-30
Some of the reviewers below are bit too excited about this book. Okay, it is a good book but a bit heavy (I got a hard cover)! For the almost 500 pages you do get good bang for your buck ($50/500=$0.10 per page). What I liked about the book is the way it's laid out. It's pretty well organized and covers leadership from many angles. That's an advantage of this book. It doesn't have one message but many messages. The authors of the chapters know what they are talking about. The editors are psychologists/leadership specialists and have good credetials from Yale University. The downside (for some an advantage) is that it looks more at leadership models and says a lot about the state-of-the-art regarding leadership research but not about practice (well the book is not about that and the authors don't claim to do that).
This book will help you if you want to know what leadership model to invest your money in. It's a bit like a consumer car guide. Tells you what's good and what's not so good. If you have this book then you know how to spend your money wisely on other leadership books.
Helpful for those interested in the history of leadership........2004-05-29
This book has been very helpful. Especially the first chapter. It's the first time, really, that I have understood how leadership, as a body of research, evolved. Antonakis, Ciansiolo, and Sternberg divided the ways in which leadership models have been developed into 8 schools, classifying them according to the period they generated research interest and specifically how popular they were. Their classificaiton scheme has made me able to sort out and distinguish the various models of leadership. The leadership schools include:
*Trait (traits/attributes of leaders)
*Behavioral (types of behaviors linked to leadership)
*Contingency (how the situation is a moderator of leadership)
*Contextual (contextual factors inhibiting leadership displayed)
*Skeptics (those arguing that leadership doesn't matter/exist)
*Relational (describing the nature of relations between leaders/followers)
*New Leadership (charismatic and transformational leadership)
*Information processing (cognitive perspectives of leadership)
The book is based on the above 8 schools, and more. I think the book is realy useful for someone who is interested in leadership from a historical or a research perspective.
Customer Reviews:
Nuances with lots of food for thought.......2006-07-10
I picked up this book intending to read only a couple of chapters. I ended up reading the entire book with fascination. This is the kind of book that makes one think, reflect, and re-evaluate simplistic cultural paradigms. Those who confuse leaders with super heroes or think leadership has to do with wielding power to combat evil would benefit from reading this book. Wills does an excellent job of recognizing that people with a lot of influence or power are not necessarily leaders. I found this relavant to today's shortage of positive leaders.
Although each chapter cannot delve into the representative leader in great depth, each chapter does an excellent job of distinguishing between different types of leadership. The introduction, the conclusion, the notes, and the many citings of other books on leadership added to my learning. This very readable book provides an excellent sense of history and places leadership within the context of history. This is a pleasant change from the endless books on leadership and business.
My only complaint would be the lack of attention to the influence of media on today's leaders and followers.
weLEAD Book Review from the Editor of leadingtoday.org.......2002-02-12
Wills has a keen sense of the importance of followers to leadership. In the introduction to the book he states plainly "The leader most needs followers". He goes on to explain that in reality followers "have a say" in what they are led toward! The theme of Certain Trumpets is that a successful leader doesn't just trumpet or sound their own certain message, but instead they sound a specific call to others capable of following. He believes that leaders need to understand their followers more than followers need to understand them! What is Garry Wills basic definition of a leader? "One who mobilizes others toward a goal shared by the leader and followers". In other words, coercion of others is not leadership, it is just power.
With this introduction in mind the rest of the book consists of Wills discussion of individuals who have possessed leadership in various ways. The author believes that different leaders should be considered notable because of their own goals rather than their personalities, which is the most common perspective. As a result of this perspective, Wills does not treat leadership as a single thing, but mentions sixteen various kinds of leadership within the book. He also goes on to discuss various subdivisions within the sixteen kind's. Certain Trumpets attempts to define these distinctive types of leadership by using examples that range from Franklin Roosevelt (Electoral Leadership) to Dorothy Day (Saintly Leadership). To make this exploration interesting, and to provoke thought, he also provides an antitype character in contrast to each distinctive type of leader presented. It is Wills hope to exemplify the individual's characteristics by providing this contrast. Wills doesn't think we lack leaders today, but sufficient followers. He refers to this as the "real problem with leadership". Certain Trumpets is easy to read, stimulating and creative enough to look at leadership from a different lens.
Garbage, worst on the subject.......2000-04-18
This book is a mess. The thesis presented in the introduction is a rambling essay on the importance of followers and historical forces in leadership, which might leave the reader less informed about leadership than before he/she read it. What's worse is that the intro has nothing at all to do with the rest of the book (which is marginal in it's own right). The case studies are way too short and are made even less informative by Wills habit of not even mentioning the leader until five or six pages of nonsense. My overall feeling of this book is that it was poorly researched and badly written. I wonder (in all seriousness) whether Wills knows anything at all about some of the people he writes about. Skip this one. I suggest Lincoln on Leadership instead: it provides the rudiments of leadership with clear, well researched examples.
A Certain Miss.......2000-03-19
Good concept to discuss different types of leadership with good and bad examples. However, most of the work seems to be on the positive examples with the anti-types being included as an afterthought. Nearly all chapters are weak developments of leadership style with the notable exception being the one on Harriet Tubman. Additionally, both the types of leadership styles discussed and the people chosen to represent them appear to fit the author's preferences rather than true representations of leadership styles and leaders. This book was an easy read and parts were even enjoyable but the content was not as substantive as I had hoped.
The best recommendation that I can make is to check this one out of a library instead of purchasing it.
(review written by a life-long student of leadership with a library full of leadership texts.)
An outstanding book on types of leadership.......1999-06-09
As Wills notes, "tell me your admired leaders, and you have bared your soul." Wills has bared his and while I might choose others, his descriptions of each type of leader give me something on to which to hang my own leadership research. This is a helpful piece of research. If one is able to see that we are all subjective in our approaches to and understanding of leadership, there is a great deal to learn here.
Book Description
Between 300 and 600, Christianity experienced a momentous change from persecuted cult to state religion. One of the consequences of this shift was the evolution of the role of the bishop--as the highest Church official in his city--from model Christian to model citizen. Claudia Rapp's exceptionally learned, innovative, and groundbreaking work traces this transition with a twofold aim: to deemphasize the reign of the emperor Constantine, which has traditionally been regarded as a watershed in the development of the Church as an institution, and to bring to the fore the continued importance of the religious underpinnings of the bishop's role as civic leader.
Rapp rejects Max Weber's categories of "charismatic" versus "institutional" authority that have traditionally been used to distinguish the nature of episcopal authority from that of the ascetic and holy man. Instead she proposes a model of spiritual authority, ascetic authority and pragmatic authority, in which a bishop's visible asceticism is taken as evidence of his spiritual powers and at the same time provides the justification for his public role. In clear and graceful prose, Rapp provides a wholly fresh analysis of the changing dynamics of social mobility as played out in episcopal appointments.
Customer Reviews:
Who wears the mitre?.......2005-09-01
According to author Claudia Rapp, there are three powerful and evocative figures of late antiquity - the emperor, the holy man, and the bishop. Each in his own way provided leadership, sometimes on moral grounds, sometimes on political grounds. However, these three were not as separate as our post-Enlightenment, separation of church-and-state sensibilities might have us believe. However, for the period of late antiquity (roughly 300 - 600, the decline of the Roman Empire as a single, unified force and the rise of ecclesiastical hierarchies in place of the old imperial ones, both East and West), it is the figure of the bishop that takes centre stage in scholarship and thinking about the period. Some historians (Rapp cites Peter Brown, well-known Augustinian scholar) work out the change in society on a political/economic/military frame; some look to the general social roles; others look to the prominence of particular figures (again Augustine looms large).
Rapp suggests a different role, a three-part sense of authority that comes from spiritual, ascetic and pragmatic bases. The spiritual authority indicates a source of authority that is based in God, not in the worldly institutions or the man himself. Ascetic authority comes from the personal character and habits of the bishop - character is at issue, and what the bishop does is of primary concern. Finally, pragmatic authority derives in what the bishop does for and on behalf of others - it is also an action-based authority, but one that looks outside, not within.
Rapp organises the book into two major sections. The first compares bishops and holy men (desert fathers and others); the second compares bishops and other secular and/or civic leaders. The first section relies primarily from writings of and within the church; the second section looks to more independent sources. The chapters of the second section will be of special interest to those who have an interest in general late Roman history, as it describes in good detail and interesting writing the more general contexts of families, wealth and power, city/citizen life, and general imperial organisation in a post-Constantine world.
Rapp concludes the study with a survey of hagiographic material, looking at the way the more saintly of bishops were portrayed in the narratives of their lives. She contends that there is a discernable trend over the course of the late antiquity period in which the lives of the bishop-saints are shown to be more and more like the civic counterparts they have replaced in the overall civic/imperial structure.
Rapp does not take on the task of dealing with prominent figures, as many such histories might do. Figures such as Augustine and the Cappadocians and other key bishops of the time are not addressed specifically, so that a more general sense of the trends of the office and a more general survey of the office holders can be seen without the distortion that often occurs when historians deal with those who in statistical terms might be classified as outlying points away from the more typical stream.
It has a great index and a good bibliography (35 pages) of primary and secondary sources, very useful and up-to-date. Interesing, insightful, and accessible, the book is admittedly for a select audience of religious and historical scholars, but for this group, the book is a treat.
Customer Reviews:
Unique and beautiful.......2000-05-02
This book was one that I just couldn't resist picking up. Not too often do you come across a unique business book.
The pictures and lessons are excellent. This is a book I find myself turning to when I need some inspiration or just a kick in the pants.
If you're in business and a nature lover, it's a no-brainer.
An ideal gift to the one you love and care.......1999-05-03
The title of the book may be problematic without knowing the content. For those who love books of nature are likely to miss this one and for those who are serious readers on leadership may be disappointed. Perhaps a subtitle, something like "thoughts of life through nature" to go along with the main one is needed. Anyway, I love it.
masterpiece!.......1999-04-24
as a ardent covey follower for years I must say this is a must expierence for all! dont just read this book meditate about it, you will find great peace and principles that will be effective in the home or workplace.
Beautiful and thought-provoking. A superb gift for the boss.......1998-12-09
What an incredible adventure for the mind and the eye. The pictures enhance the concept of leadership and the concept of leadership enhances the meaning within the pictures.
Customer Reviews:
Not a Book for the Weak of Heart.......2006-06-09
Servant-Leadership is rapidly becoming a popularized term and a popular concept to bandy about in many circles.
This is the book that started that trend.
Published originally in 1977, it contains articles and concepts that found their germination in the turbulant decade of the 1960's. While you might imagine from the term "Servant-Leader" that the ideology of this book stems from religious conviction and it certainly does include that, you may be surprised to read in the first chapter of the book that it finds its inspiration in literature. Specifically, the Servant-Leader who captured Greenleaf's imagination and catalyzed the writing of this book was the fictional character Leo in Herman Hesse's "Journey to the East."
More surprises remain in store throughout this book that challenges concepts seemingly ingrained in human nature and counter-intuitively argues for several revolutionary premises, not simply on the basis of morality, but rather effectiveness and societal need.
In particular, Greenleaf argues that the advent of big business, large institutions, and corporate growth requires a paradigm shift in the view of leadership. Contrary to the anti-authoritarianism so ingrained in the 60's, Greenleaf argues that large organizations hold tremendous promise to accomplish correspondingly large results. What is needed are leaders who will embrace the organizations and see them almost as separate entities, living organisms as it were, love them, care for them and serve the population within and without through them.
The qualities that Greenleaf profers as indicative of such growth and service are:
1. Do those served grow as persons?
2. Do they, while being served become healthier wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?
3. What is the effect on the least privileged in society?
4. Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived? (Greenleaf 1977/2002 p.27)
In practical terms Greenleaf argues strongly for such Servant-Leaders to rise up and shake off the traditional trappings of leadership within archaic and dusty organizations and equally archaic leadership models, where the emphasis has been upon elevating managers to de facto leaders of these institutions and instead, elevating Trustee's and Board Chairpersons to reject passivity, reject the role of a rubber stamp and exert leadership that embraces values, takes risks and empowers people.
It is a clarion call to activist leadership that feels very much a derivitive of the 60's altruism, yet rejects the across the board discarding of all institutions as irretrievably corrupt and inherently in need of dismantling.
The influence of this concept and the leadership institutions that are adopting the model in their training and operations is remarkably going beyond its author who passed away in 1990.
This book should be a welcome addition to the leadership library of every student and participant in the leadership melieu. Whether you accept and adopt the premises contained, there is wisdom and insight for all who wish to read. Answers in some context are given, but more importantly, tools are provided with which to frame the question for those moving forward.
I highly recommend this book as an indispensible tool for understanding the leadership issues and needs of this generation.
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