dispatches from the new world of work

Book Recommendation

We at tompeters.com are proud to say that Tom is included as one of the heretics of the title in The Age of Heretics, by Art Kleiner, the editor-in-chief of strategy+business magazine. The book's subtitle is A History of the Radical Thinkers Who Reinvented Corporate Management, and leadership expert Warren Bennis, a friend of Tom's, writes in the foreword that "... each of us helped destroy, if not the Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, the soulless organization that stole his labor and his days. And in doing so, each of us contributed to a new organizational reality in which the personal and business are inextricably linked and success is measured in human terms as well as dollars and euros."

The heresies—business theorems that go against the flow of accepted opinion—which are endorsed in the book, include: "Business is always personal." "To change an organization, you must know—and change—yourself." "The purpose of an organization is to change the world." Tom is mentioned in relation to that last one, as you might have guessed, and he, along with Bob Waterman, is credited with moving the heretics out into the open. Kleiner points out, by means of a quote from Thomas Huxley, that "New truths begin as heresies." We think this is a book you'll be glad to take a look at.

Cathy Mosca posted this on 10/17/08.

Comments

Cathy... It is good to see you recommending the latest book from my friend Art Kleiner. As you can imagine Art and I disagree about a lot of core ideas and basic concepts of C20th and C21st management but that makes his views all the more interesting to me.

Given that he and I share a love of the field of "organisational development" I read his expansive interviews in S+B carefully and always learn from them - in his writing his considerable intellect is clear for all to see... Art has a first class "inquiring mind" that brings the best out of the top quality thinkers - in a wide range of fields - he interviews for his journals' readers.

Art Kleiner has been a serious contributor to his field of 'organisational development' for a couple of decades - it is good that his new book is being so well received.

Well done Art!

Richard.

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at October 17, 2008 3:49 PM

Thank you, Cathy, for a very nice post. I love the quotes and how nicely the piece fits.

Considering heretics, I couldn't help but to think of a recent interview with Republican Congresswoman Michelle Backman who called for a "penetrating investigation" into Democratic Congresspersons who might hold "anti-American" ideas. These are Senator Barack Obama, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Senator Harry Reid. The ideas they hold are heretical, of course, in that they are in opposition to hers.

Senator McCarthy held many hearings, essentially witch hunts, that sought to root out heretics. They evoked tremendous fear and brought about the destruction of so many lives. This was all caused by one man who sought to uproot un-American activities who became himself one whose actions were indeed un-American. One person can make a difference, negatively or positively. The problem with Senator McCarthy and his witch hunts is that the hunter was indeed the witch. Careful Congresswoman Backman.

Heretics must be allowed to express themselves. (Although, I haven't read the book but just from the words of the post I might be considered a heretic.) They must also consider the environment, the method, and timing of their actions for the best results. Thanks for the recommendation. I'll order the book. It appears to have relevance to the broad sense of governance that can be specifically applied.

Posted by Judith Ellis at October 18, 2008 6:20 AM

Found this quote from Chapter 1:

"At various times, the promoters of these ideas--the heretics within corporations--have been reviled on political grounds. Critics on the left see them as ineffectual apologists for a corporate system that is so corrupt it ought to be destroyed, not reformed. Critics on the right see them as disloyal, effete, snobbish, and maybe communistic. Both sides have seen them as utopian, Pollyannaish, deluded, unrealistic, silly, pretentious, or self-serving. And there's a case to be made that many heretics are snake-oil salesman (and saleswomen) of one sort or another, putting forth ideas about, say, leadership and management that don't pan out and charging enormous (or at least significant) fees in the process."

How can a thing be changed if you're not in it? This is why I appreciate Paulson and Bernanke, not that they are heretics. They are, however, knowledgeable of the financial system, even those practices that have caused the crisis. Perhaps others (even heretics) have/will come from both the inside and outside to assist in reform.

I should receive the book soon.

Posted by Judith Ellis at October 18, 2008 3:56 PM

Hear, hear. It's hard to tout this book too much, I've been a fan of it since it was originally published a while back. It's one of those few business books that completely transcend the genre, so while there are fundamental takeaways that will inform the most important decisions of executives (i.e. people whose decisions have a material impact on a company), there's a rich sociological and historical book here as well, one that will appeal to those folks who might not otherwise care about business per se.

Posted by Tom Ehrenfeld at October 20, 2008 2:58 PM

I remember the quote about truths & heresies being attributed to GB Shaw in the audio version of Tom's book The Circle of Innovation...?

Great to see Tom's contribution being recognised once again!

Posted by Stephen Spencer at October 21, 2008 7:28 AM

A great reminder for me to dust off my copy of the book and - after 12 years - jump back into it. Kleiner's latest strategy + business magazine has a good interview with Daniel Goleman (who has written extensively on emotional and social intelligence). http://www.strategy-business.com/press/article/08308?pg=0

Posted by John O'Leary at October 21, 2008 1:32 PM