I was recently in a country, a democracy for generations now, that was reviewing its constitution. This, of course, prompted considerable debate and suspicions of political skullduggery. Even efforts to establish a committee to draft proposals for a new charter were attacked from this angle.
But an academic had what was to him an obvious solution: leave the politicians out of it altogether. After all, they are just consumers, more or less, of the product. Doctors of philosophy in politics, international relations, the law, and the like – they are the real experts.
In this august scholar‘s lofty view, the experts will produce the document, and the parliament will obediently approve it. Certainly, there is no question at all, he harrumphed, incredulous at the very thought, of a referendum on the matter. The ignorant masses passing judgement on the wisdom of their betters? Please.
Have you ever read a book on individual leadership that takes this attitude? One that – rather than inviting you into the author’s thinking process, presenting it so that you can grasp the concepts and even decide on your own if you accept them – almost begrudgingly suffers itself to pontificate to you on the subject?
It explains to you (lectures to you) how things are, and then goes right to the policies and actions that are consequent on that. After all, you are a mere consumer – no need to trouble your little head with the intricacies of matters beyond your ken. Just follow the instructions. Find this sort of person. Do what he (or, maybe, she) says. If it doesn’t work out, you did it wrong (you being a director or junior – these books aren’t really written for practicing or aspiring leaders).
Don’t think you’ve ever read such a book? Think again before committing to an answer. To one degree or another, you very likely have.
Please do bear in mind that many academics do good work – even, sometimes, good thinking – and help advance the understanding, development, and implementation of eminently practical and useful ideas in management, and even organizational leadership.
But when you pick up a book by an academic, look for a sense that the author feels he or she is examining a species of being (you and me) that is not meaningfully self-aware. Such an author may interact with us while conducting research, but will not assign any validity to our own assessments of what we do or why. We are expected to cede that to him (or her), the scholarly expert, whose role it is understand and explain. Ours is merely to learn as best we can, sufficient to be able to comply with the scientific prescription for our suffering – and that with submissiveness and gratitude.
Stay away from authors who think like this, or who market themselves this way. You – whether owner, director, or practicing or aspiring “leader” or “follower” – are the ultimate arbiter of what is or is not the efficient, practicable truth which helps you appreciate and advance your work. It may not be you who develops that truth, but it is you who will best know how to recognize its presence and exploit its value.
Do not let yourself become vulnerable to an academic coup. Keep the scholars in the campus. As for you, by all means cultivate an open mind – but do be sure you remain the master of it.
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Today’s tip: While we’re tossing labels around, we might want to remind ourselves of the side effects of this therapy. Please see this enlightening essay on the subject by Cam Beck, at ChaosScenario, about the value, and dangers, of using stereotypes – or being the object of them.
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Ahhh. Music to my ears. Here’s another article you might like about how amateurs habitually outperform the experts:
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/08/20/amateurs_outdoing_professionals
Many “experts” have a tendency to overestimate their expertise — actually presume that narrow knowledge can be extrapolated into other arenas.
It’s just not so. Isaac Newton may have been a genius mathematician, but he was a pedestrian alchemist.
Hello Cam,
It always seems to get down to this, doesn’t it? Either you accept that experts have not just knowledge, but the capability to understand and employ it that you lack either the resources or ability to attain, and then you submit to their prescriptions, or you stand on your own two feet.
Some people find it most convenient to submit, at least at first. The cost always and inevitably exceeds the presumed benefit, though.
Thanks for the link to the article – the use of education to make its point is brilliant – Thomas Sowell is terrific, I need to read more of his stuff.
Also a great point about Isaac Newton – most of what he did in his life was in fields other than physics and math – and some of it was more than a little way out there.
Thanks for the always thought-provoking contributions!
Wow, did you nail this post! And at a perfect time for me because you crystallized why so much of what I read in the management literature seems like the leadership version of that staple of predictions about the future, the food pill. All the nutrients are there, but none of the flavor.
A week or so ago, I decided that once my current deadline push is done, I’d make a reading list of the best business books by practitioners. What I discovered was that there simply weren’t that many.
I’ve got a pretty good library, so I did a quick check of a couple of shelves. There are gurus of all kinds represented: academics and consultants and historians. But there are very few actual practitioners. My unscientific, eyeball estimate is less than 10 percent. A good number of those are by entrepreneurs like Michael Dell who are telling the story of their company.
Hello Wally,
Fewer than 10% of management books are by practitioners – amazing.
I sure look forward, though, to seeing your list. Whoever makes it on there – whether consultant, academic, or practitioner – will undoubtedly be worth reading!
Thanks for stopping by with this, Wally – I’m sure a lot of us will be holding you to your promise about the reading list!