Deming Leadership Handbook (Harvard Business School Classics Translation Series · Masterpiece Series)

Author: Peter Scholtes
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: The theme of this book is that transformation in management is necessary, meaning a shift from the old "command-and-control leadership" to "inspirational leadership." The author points out that this necessity stems from many changes: including the increasing education level of employees, the growing technological content in their work, and the fact that employees often do things better than their supervisors. As a result, supervisory work is becoming outdated. The numerous restrictions currently placed on employees prevent them from utilizing all their job-related knowledge, while supervisors fail to recognize the need to "help employees develop the ability to innovate every day." Supervisors must enable employees to "grow," which means having a clearer understanding of their own and others' needs and desires, and being more capable of fulfilling them. Only when all stakeholders are developed can the organization itself thrive. This is like a team of horses pulling a carriage—the speed cannot be faster than the slowest horse.