Books

I’ve highlighted and dog-eared my copy while covering the margins with notes. It is one of those types of books I hand to my own clients as a manual for the evolution of their organization. Highly recommend the read. It’s now in my library as one of my “bibles” of business.

He articulates three intelligences – Emotional, Relationship and Corporate – that are essential in the new paradigm representing the “soft stuff” scoffed at by traditional managers. He postulates that this “soft stuff” has now become the “hard stuff” to complement the rational, logical thinking, executing for results and efficiency. It is about engaging people – body, mind and soul – which provide inspiration and meaning to the team member to meet organizational goals and objectives. This is how a manager transforms into a good leader.

In a world yet dominated by the machine metaphor and traditional hierarchical organizations, this is a brave message from Ron, yet it makes complete sense.

The old world of management, requiring rational intelligence, is passé. If leaders cannot manage their own emotions and relationships with others and understand the culture and the political structures, the inertia from a lack of loyalty and commitment will hold the organization back.

This also makes the task of leadership much more challenging. Not only do managers have to get results through productivity, efficiency, quality and profits, which is about managing skills, experience, process and systems, they have to get to know each team member intimately – their attitude, motivation and commitment to inspire them to take responsibility for action. A good manager has to be mindful and aware of so many different variables that may not be under central control. This requires a manager to hone a different set of people skills, as with human emotions there is no black and white.

Ron’s book is about dealing with these shades of grey, but written in such a simple way with specific case studies to take away the mystery of being a good leader. It is about basic human values of respect, appreciation and fairness and acknowledging that in an organizational setting too people have feelings and needs that impact ultimately on the bottom line.

This book is essential reading in business schools and for every manager.

How does he do it ? Building Organizations is not academic, it is accessible and practical. Every page has answers to the essential questions, e.g., With the abundance and accessibility of knowledge how does it give us competitive advantage? What makes an environment an environment where people create and learn together? Why are emotions so essential in business? What is the role of compassion in business? How do we use our emotions to strengthen us? Not only are these questions answered, practical tips from real experiences make them easy to apply.

Building Organizations is distinctive in that it targets the behavioural tensions that are the essence of effective leadership today. It embraces the importance of emotions, compassion, trust, deep connection and joy that are often overlooked in picking the path to profitability.

If WHY you are in business, HOW you do business and strategic execution are important to you, read Building Organizations and read it again. Although it is simple it is not easy; although it is accessible it is deep.

Thanks Ron for the gift of your insights, your compassion and your experience that you have shared with the world.

Thank you Ron for reaching out to us with this extraordinary work! Culture is the foundation of any business and, as you write, the industrial revolution’s footprints are very much to be felt in the 21st century, where ubiquitous digital information has become the norm.

Unfortunately, most companies/businesses are concentrating too much on quarterly results, rather than making a sustainable contribution to the environment (the one that feeds us), the workforce and customers. Profit is the driving force of business, and human greed will drive us to the bottomless pit if we do not change our business philosophy soon.

I look forward to blogging about this outstanding book once I have finished studying it. I will recommend that it should become mandatory reading! Your book is a breath of business fresh air that every manager and CxO ought to study.