Leading Geeks challenges the conventional wisdom that leadership methods are universal and gives executives and managers the understanding they need to manage and lead the technologists on whom they have become so dependent. This much-needed book? written in nontechnical language by Paul Glen, a highly acclaimed management consultant? gives clear directions on how to effectively lead these brilliant yet notoriously resistant-to-being-managed knowledge workers. Glen not only provides proven management strategies but also background on why traditional approaches often don't work with geeks. Leading Geeks describes the beliefs and behavior of geeks, their group dynamics, and the unique nature of technical work. It also offers a unique twelve-part model that explains how knowledge workers deliver value to an organization.
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Book Description
Winner of the 2003 Financial Times Germany/getAbstract Business & Finance Book Award
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From Publishers Weekly
Technology has so clearly woven itself into the fabric of business culture that publishing Glen's book on how to manage the people who produce high tech makes perfect sense. The author, founder of a consulting firm specializing in IT organizations, assumes that "geeks" are not everyday people, and draws on his experience to present clear and simple techniques for employers to not just get what they need out of tech workers but to become the kind of managers who will mesh well with this new kind of employee. Glen's insight is to treat high technology as a creative product produced by temperamental people who are a cross between artists and professionals. This view stems from the ambiguity of "geekwork" and the fact that geeks usually know more about what they do than do their managers. Though Glen doesn't advocate turning the factories over to the workers, his aim is to make managers more effective by teaching them about the people they lead, not by giving them tools to bend employees to their will. He does an excellent job of enumerating geek characteristics and the context in which geekwork takes place, providing ample material on what works with geeks and what doesn't, such as "intrinsic" or "extrinsic" motivators, and valuable advice, like "never underestimate the power of free food." Though it doesn't contain much new material, Glen's easily readable book will prove exceptionally useful for managers who feel left behind by the pace of technology or bosses seeking to better understand their information age employees.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
Technology has so clearly woven itself into the fabric of business culture that publishing Glen's book on how to manage the people who produce high tech makes perfect sense. The author, founder of a consulting firm specializing in IT organizations, assumes that "geeks" are not everyday people, and draws on his experience to present clear and simple techniques for employers to not just get what they need out of tech workers but to become the kind of managers who will mesh well with this new kind of employee. Glen's insight is to treat high technology as a creative product produced by temperamental people who are a cross between artists and professionals. This view stems from the ambiguity of "geekwork" and the fact that geeks usually know more about what they do than do their managers. Though Glen doesn't advocate turning the factories over to the workers, his aim is to make managers more effective by teaching them about the people they lead, not by giving them tools to bend employees to their will. He does an excellent job of enumerating geek characteristics and the context in which geekwork takes place, providing ample material on what works with geeks and what doesn't, such as "intrinsic" or "extrinsic" motivators, and valuable advice, like "never underestimate the power of free food." Though it doesn't contain much new material, Glen's easily readable book will prove exceptionally useful for managers who feel left behind by the pace of technology or bosses seeking to better understand their information age employees. (Nov.) (Publishers Weekly, October 21, 2002)
"Winner of the 2003 Financial Times Germany and getAbstract Award for best book on business leadership"
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
If your company's product is high tech, you'll find them in product development, research. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
If your company's product is high tech, you'll find them in product development, research. Read the first page
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Concordance
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
Format:Hardcover
The ï¿geeksï¿ Paul Glen talks about in ï¿Leading Geeksï¿ are those employees involved in the ï¿creation, maintenance, or support of high technologyï¿ from help desk technician to system designer to CIO.
I can sympathize with technical people who resent the term "geek". I don't like it applied to myself -- but I understand the harsh reality that books need eye-catching titles. If you can get past the title, the contents are sane and sensible.
Glenï¿s point is that the general management techniques enforced by most corporations are nearly always wildly inappropriate and self-defeating when used on technical staff. As obvious as that might sound to most technical workers, companies continue to teach a command and control approach using ï¿bribesï¿ to coerce staff into certain behaviors. As Glenn says, what is usually a magnificently effective technique for dealing with salespeople, is nearly always a disaster when applied to the introspective personalities common in IT.
If youï¿ve ever delivered a morale-raising talk to developers and received only sniggers and eye-rolling in return, Paul Glenï¿s book will explain why.
Also recommended:
Peopleware by: Tom DeMarco & Timothy Lister published by Dorset House Publishing ISBN: 0-932633-05-6
Format:Hardcover
I have been successfully applying the concepts and practices from this book for the last few years. The book captures the essence of what is needed to lead teams of technical people. Although it does have some bits of practical advice, it is not a cookbook of what to do.
The patterns identified in the book dovetail very well with the progressive software development processes such as Agile (Scrum/XP) that I practice.
The patterns identified in the book dovetail very well with the progressive software development processes such as Agile (Scrum/XP) that I practice.
By Rolf Dobelli
Format:Hardcover
Management consultant Paul Glen's thorough discussion of geeks brings you brain-to-brain and eye-to-eye with high-tech, specialized knowledge workers. Don't blink: you need these people, so you need to know how to fit your management style to them. Glen describes their primary personality traits and attitudes: commitment to logic, interest in problem solving, independence and, to put it politely, occasionally under-developed social skills. The author, who doesn't seem to mind describing an entire subset of the labor force as if each worker in it had the same personality, explains what geeks need from a manager. You need to nurture motivation, provide internal facilitation, furnish external representation, and manage task, structural, and environmental ambiguity. We suggest this organized, authoritative guide to those who manage knowledge workers. If it's all geek to you, here's the codebook.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Lack of Substance
I feel that I have been a "geek" for the last 8 years. I am in the process of moving into a position of leadership and am striving to gain information on the most... Read more
Published on April 4 2004 by T. Hiltbrand
1.0 out of 5 stars
Who would like to read "Leading Geeks"?
I looked through this book and decided not to read it in depth. Who would like this book?
Someone who...
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Someone who...
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Published on April 4 2004 by Patrick Buckley
1.0 out of 5 stars
Who would like to read "Leading Geeks"?
I looked through this book and decided not to read it in depth. Who would like this book?
Someone who...
1. Read more
Someone who...
1. Read more
Published on Mar 21 2004 by Patrick Buckley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Useful tips on leading, poor sections on management
There's excellent advice and concrete suggestions for a lot of the important things about leadership, particularly for those at the top of the hierarchy. Read more
Published on Dec 21 2003 by Lars Bergstrom
5.0 out of 5 stars
Right on!
I bought this for my brother-in-law who considers himself a computer geek. He said the book described him perfectly and thought it would be helpful for anyone having to lead this... Read more
Published on April 23 2003 by Julie Peters Akey
1.0 out of 5 stars
Is Bigotry REALLY innovative management strategy?
I would think the first and foremost principle of management would be that human beings are individuals, each with unique properties; and that to entice them into fulfilling your... Read more
Published on April 7 2003 by Steven H. Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars
A+ Resource to Improve One's Management Skills
This was a clear, concise book illustrating a number of simple concepts in managing scientists and engineers- also known as Geeks. Read more
Published on Mar 29 2003
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome Information!
This is an excellent read. For any of us out there who need to understand the "make up" of the IT professional and how to lead them, then this book is for you. Read more
Published on Jan 8 2003 by Steve Richards
5.0 out of 5 stars
Where was this book when I needed it?
This book hits the nail right on the head. I have seen too many otherwise-excellent managers fail miserably to motivate technical teams. Read more
Published on Dec 21 2002 by SJasthi
5.0 out of 5 stars
Packed with Knowledge!
Management consultant Paul Glen's thorough discussion of geeks brings you brain-to-brain and eye-to-eye with high-tech, specialized knowledge workers. Read more
Published on Dec 10 2002 by Rolf Dobelli
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