IIPM, GURGAON
“No seed can grow if it is dug up and examined every week.”
Classic text-book description of management characterizes it as the process of leading and directing various organizational activities – often a business and its various resources like human, financial, material, intellectual and so on. It’s said to encompass five basic functions, such as planning, organising, leading and co-ordinating. But years upon having taken that last leap – over the threshold of those uber BSchools, as managers, most, more often than not, find themselves at the epicentre of a constant grapple, a struggle to last either for a lifetime or for their respective jobs. “Today’s managers often need guidance and advice in figuring out what to do but can’t – or won’t – spend lots of time reading long treatises on each of these domains,” to quote Jeffrey Pfeffer in his new book What Were They Thinking? Unconventional Wisdom About Management.
Twelve times author and co-author, Pfeffer’s is a name that stands tall in the field of Organisational Theory and Human Resource Management. As always, lending a breath of fresh air with in-depth analysis in a pattern comprehensible with utmost ease by the neighbourhood grocer, this Stanford Professor, in his latest offering, traverses like a wise old grandfather through a wide array of subjects that influence one’s daily work-life. Though, at heart, he stands all for people. Whether its ‘people-centered strategies’ or ‘creating effective work-places’, ‘it’s people, not software, that build customer relationships’, says Pfeffer. No wonder in cutting employees’ benefits when in red, he sees short sightedness, ‘it seldom fixes anything’.
“Education, as I understand it, during more than three decades as a business professor, is not telling people things they already know nor providing themselves with ideas they necessarily agree with. Education is concerned with helping people see and understand things in different ways, mostly helping them think and ask questions to uncover some fundamental insights.” And it is these grounded and exceptionally well argued insights that make it differ from an existing hoard of jargons that usually infest bookshelves, making it a delightfully inquisitive experience for the dilettantes, whereas, always a pleasure for those familiar with Pfeffer’s past works, The Knowing-Doing Gap, Hidden Value, The Human Equation, and Hard Facts being other well-known and frequently read titles.
Also, in a way, this book begs to differ if you are hoping for a chapter to chapter, classroom spoon-feeding style. Structured it is, but can be picked up from any chapter (preferably the one closer to your liking), be it Organisational Strategy or profound expositions on Leadership and Influence; in every chapter lies an overview of what is precisely to be done and what not with enough guidance for further personal analysis and research.
To not be afraid and stand out, an antithesis to Collins’ Level 5 Leadership, to a constant focus on the importance of human interaction, Pfeffer’s brand new essay immediately finds itself in the ‘must read and constant reference’ section, particularly for those stuck-up managers restlessly waiting for the next big change in their careers or monotonous work lives in general. Though at times, partly subjective on certain principles, Pfeffer tends to dismiss negative consequences of certain lenient policies.
Nevertheless, a great read, definitely for those over-fed with ‘Management Vani’. “It’s a collection of management insights and data designed to help you do your job more effectively.” As simple as that.
Edit Bureau: Shashank Shekhar
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
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