Leadership Without Easy Answers

5 Responses to “Leadership Without Easy Answers”

1. Anonymous says:

   October 15, 2010 at 12:40 pm

   It may work for folks that like being spoonfed a mishmash of catchphrases, anecdotes, and simplistic conclusions. But are persons the people you really want in charge? I reflect not.
   Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
2. Anonymous says:

   October 15, 2010 at 3:30 pm

   does anyone else reflect Heifetz is pushing a liberal agenda…Every liberal politian/action is praised, and every republican is demonized. What else can we expect from a Harvard professor?
   Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
3. J. D Macloud says:

   October 15, 2010 at 4:37 pm

   The most disappointing part of this book is its blatant political slant. The book is NOT about a theory of leadership, but about an ideological judgement of the performance of leaders. Heifetz starts by insisting that leadership is automatically tied to values because if you disagree….then the rest of his book is having no effect. Heifetz believes that to be a excellent leader you have to adopt positions that he advocates and if you don’t, then you aren’t a excellent leader. So, in Heifetz’s world, Reagan wasn’t a excellent leader, but LBJ was.

   Do yourself a favor and keep surfing….
   Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
4. Anonymous says:

   October 15, 2010 at 4:45 pm

   Paraphrasing economist Frank Night, Mr. Heifetz, the leader of the book, says something right and something new. Sorry to say, persons things that are right are not new, and persons things that are new aren’t right. Before reading Heifetz book, I fervently encourage you to read a excellent sociology book (i.e. Randall Collins’ Four Sociological Traditions), and a excellent strategy book (i.e. Dixit’s Thinking Strategically). After that, you will have a better understanding of how and why individuals, groups, and societies behave the way they do. Furthermore, you won’t be fooled with Heifetz’s “scientific discoveries”, pretentious claims, and naïve and simplistic conclusions.
   Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
5. Mark A. Savage says:

   October 15, 2010 at 6:31 pm

   I just finished this book, not even 10 minutes ago, and I made my way to the computer so that I could tell you who is reading this that you better get this book, “go out on the balcony” and start changing things.

   Talk about an intelligent read, WOW! The leader is certainly entitled to that praise, and the writing is also. Although a bit technical and nearly similar to a post-graduate course text, one can still read this book and really delight in it. It’s a excellent read which I establish hard to walk away from sometimes. But talk about food for thought.

   Mr. Heifetz has a lot of methods for you to consider and apply to your leadership position. His theories are clear, a bit detailed but understandable, and permanently supported by historic incident. His discussion of LBJ and MLK during the Voting Rights demonstrations in Selma during the 60’s is an endless source for leadership rights and wrongs. His anaylsis of better “adaptive work” will make you reflect. And the next time you have to break terrible news to a name, well, here’s the source. I watched President Bush give his speech on stem cell research last night, and he follows the guidelines that can be establish in this book. When you read it, this will all become clear.

   4 stars just because it’s not the most entertaining book I’ve read, but it’s 5 stars, even 6 for the level of leadership analysis and instruction you get when you read this book, and you will. See, it’s already effective……
   Reader’s Rating: 4 / 5