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Leadership Bullshit Series

The Leadership Bullshit series comprises three common leadership models that can be thought of as: Leading with War; Leading with Cheese, Fish, and Carrots; and Leading with Science. Each book can be purchased separately in print or electronic format.

 

 

Leading with War: The Fallacies of Team Leadership
Some say that war, however brutal and disgusting we may find it, brings out the finest qualities in leaders: courage, honor, integrity, and, above all, character. The lessons of war serve as popular civilian leadership models. Should we study the great generals of history and Lead with War? The problem is that leaders and leadership principles are full of contradictions, as reflected in the views of military strategists and generals the world over. What we often fail to learn from history is that there are different perspectives on leadership that we tend to cherry-pick as we see fit. History supposedly informs the actions of the future leadership, and one can no doubt be enlightened by viewing leadership through a military prism. War is a profoundly human experience and as such is guided by human emotions and passion. But would those who have fought on our battlefields really recommend war as a classroom for learning team leadership in the civilian workplace? To make the best use of the insights the great historical generals offer us, we must watch for source bias, place their views in proper perspective, and modify the information in order to use it successfully within our own organization.

 

 

Leading with Cheese, Fish, and Carrots: The Propaganda of Team Leadership
Leadership books and seminars commonly open with anecdotal stories for engrossing the listener. A reason why these books and seminars are so popular, or even needed, is because the authors realize that employees naturally resist change, and that management will face a barrier every time they are the carriers of bad news such as job cuts, pay cuts, or reorganization where employees are negatively affected and forced into new positions or new duties. But the reliance on anecdotes and metaphors for success can backfire by making the employees feel underappreciated, or worse, insulted and manipulated. At its core leadership is about understanding human nature. Adolf Hitler, in Mein Kampf, spoke about the “small measure of thinking power the broad masses possess,” thereby reminding us that understanding human nature is also an essential key to controlling it. This book is not so much about leadership per se, as it is about how to think about leadership by learning to ask the appropriate questions and learning to find the appropriate answers. It explores the strengths and weaknesses of leadership propaganda, motivational sayings, and groupthink.

 

 

Leading with Science: The Logic of Team Leadership
Reality in leadership is often what your gut tells you and not what you wish for, nor what some mathematical equation or scientific principle suggests. The logic of leadership is grounded in empirical evidence of right or wrong behavior, and, yes, the leader must face a level of personal risk. Successful leadership requires a holistic approach supported by innovative ideas. Knowing how to think rather than what to think may be the leader’s greatest asset. Knowing how to think involves a conscious element of skepticism. It requires awareness of biases related to previous experiences, strong personal views, or current ambitions. This book explores the strengths and weaknesses of team leadership from a scientific/logic perspective and analyzes different ways to Lead with Science. It breaks down the parts that make up a team, and demonstrates elusive concepts such as why the team is not for everybody, and why there is in fact an “I” in team. It discusses logic argumentation, the importance of using proper definitions when communicating, and getting the employees to agree with the premises. It also debunks common motivational ideas and explores factors that increase motivation. It ends by recognizing the selfish needs of the team, and demonstrates how to achieve positive results when critiquing and evaluating performance.