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Title: Managing Einsteins: Leading High-Tech Workers in the Digital Age by John M.,Dr. Ivancevich, Thomas N.,Dr. Duening, Dr John Ivancevich ISBN: 0-07-137500-7 Publisher: McGraw-Hill Trade Pub. Date: 25 September, 2001 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.71 (14 reviews)
Rating: 1
Summary: OK but only if you're not on the receiving end!
Comment: I agree with a couple of the other reviewers here. I think the real problem here is not the 'Einsteins' but the people who believe they are the right people to manage them. In an era that seems to be heading for 'employee talent' being the greatest asset a company has - it's interesting to note in this work, the implied pain and difficulty that this high level talent seems to be causing managers who want to impose their will, and their direction, on potentailly more intellegent, more insightful employees. Real 'Einsteins' (and I'd love someone to tell me I'm one) have huge problems in getting to grips with the infighting and turf battles that seem to dominate the big corporate agendas and their actions. Managing great employees, those with big, well founded ideas on how to progress, seems to cause these corporate politicians and career climbers a big problem - "Einsteins" are a significant threat to them. "Einsteins" know stuff they don't even begin to understand, they do unusual stuff - they are not scared - they speak to real customers on the front line, they talk to the sales guys and find out what's actually happening - not what the politicians tell them. Political managers see these guys as breaking ranks and telling it as it is - and that's political death. "Einsteins" see it as revitalising a dying corporations, breathing life back into the guys on the front line, the excitement that keeps the revenues flowing.
The problem is not managing the talent - the problem is managers are often too weak and insecure to give them some more freedom and some delagated power to try the new stuff.
That's why in the end 'Einsteins' leave big corpoartes to their fate and go at it with outfits who appreciate them.
I'm sure the book will have a huge uptake in corporates and lengthen their core problems - weak management that has poor track credibility. i.e. Wouldn't you just love to fly on a airplane where the captain "is a people manager with great listening skills and big picture awareness, but can't actually fly an airplane," and someone lower in the management order actually flys and navigates. Would you write a book to promote that? In the Royal Airforce in the UK, every officer who gets to the senior ranks, has been a pilot for some years earlier in their career - do you think the RAF know something these writers don't?
Rating: 4
Summary: A necessary read for everyone in High Tech
Comment: Browsing the reviews available as I write this, all seems to have been written by non-Einsteins, "us" or "Normal People", as one reviewer put it. I'm one of "Them". I fit straight into the concept of an "Einstein". The book limits the concept of the Einsteins to the IT industry. While there may be relatively more Einsteins in that industry, do not make the mistake to beleive that that's the only place where you find Einsteins. They're everywhere.
The book can be criticized on form and prejudice. The "them vs us" form is perhaps taken a bit too far, where an objective statement of facts would suffice. The prejudice seeps through a few places where it doesn't need to. Not all Einsteins are asocial creatures apparently from a different planet (although some are). Chanses are that the Einstein may embarrass you on social occations by embarking in discussions on early Roman civilization, the life and times of Beethoven, or contemporary literature. However, that requires that another Einstein is on the other side of the table, so while bringing an Einstein may embarrass you personally, it may save the reputation of your company. Einsteins are everywhere, and they search each other out. An Einstein that finds you on thin ice will know. He sees right through you. Unless you acknowledge the fact that you are on thin ice and backs down, you will never earn the Einstein's respect. And there is nothing you can do about it.
The "Black Holes" and "Influence Tips" hit me straight on. I never considered myself an Einstein during education or the first part of my professional carreer. I made up my mind, from my own experience, on what was good and what was bad managment of projects. For instance, give me three good reasons for why people that don't know the field of e.g. engineering should manage a demanding project? What is the rationale for beleiveng that three ordinary competent/talented people should find the solution to a problem that one extremely competent/talented person must work hard to find? Does anyone really expect the works of Mozart, Michelangelo or Einstein himself to be equalized by committees? Imagine my surprise when I entered the real world...
"The mentioned Mozart, Michelangelo and Einstein were exeptional people" you may object. Wrong. While they were definately not mainstream, people with similar potentials (the "Einsteins") are not as far between as you think. What was exeptional with the mentioned people was that they could work and live with people that respected their talent, nurtured them and where they could develop theirs skill and test their ideas in their respective fields without undue intervention by "normal people". The "Black Holes" and "Influence Tips" are very relevant tips on what to do, and what not to, when dealing with such people. Take them seriously!
And you fellow Einsteins out there, read this book. Learn what world you live in. See what you may expect from a workplace. You are cats among sheep. Prepare for that. Know what the risks are when you search for jobs and sense that little doubt whether your prospective boss really knows what he or she is talking about. Chanses are you are right, and even more, they would not know of the Influence Tips you take for granted; they even may have a managing philosophy based on the Black Holes of this book.
The book provides a very valuable window to glimpse into the the world on the other side, whether you are Normal or an Einstein. Use it. Beleive me, there really are two different worlds. If you're an Einstein yourself, this book lists all those things you take for granted. If you're normal, it tells you to change every method and every technique you use in your managment. They will just not work with the Einsteins. Whoever you are, whatever you are, you are in for big trouble if you try to work with someone from the other side without knowing the differences in perception of the world, as outlined in this book.
Rating: 1
Summary: Not for technical managers
Comment: If you somehow became the manager of a development team from a completely non-technical background you might like this book. Otherwise, if you are in any way technical yourself and now find yourself managing technical people, this book will bore you to tears by repeatedly stating things you already know - high tech workers can't be judged by the timeclock, giving them fancy titles doesn't make them want to work for you, etc.
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Title: Managing Knowledge Workers : New Skills and Attitudes to Unlock the Intellectual Capital in Your Organization by Frances Horibe ISBN: 0471643181 Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Pub. Date: 05 March, 1999 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
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Title: Organizing Genius: The Secrets of Creative Collaboration by Patricia Ward Biederman, Warren G. Bennis ISBN: 0201339897 Publisher: Perseus Publishing Pub. Date: June, 1998 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: First Among Equals: How to Manage a Group of Professionals by Patrick J. McKenna, David H. Maister ISBN: 0743225511 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: 09 April, 2002 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
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Title: The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen ISBN: 0060521996 Publisher: HarperBusiness Pub. Date: 07 January, 2003 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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Title: The Innovator's Solution: Creating and Sustaining Successful Growth by Clayton M. Christensen, Michael E. Raynor ISBN: 1578518520 Publisher: Harvard Business School Press Pub. Date: September, 2003 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
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