Books
People lessons from leaders
Toyota Culture
Jeffrey K. Liker and Michael Hoseus
McGraw-Hill, £15.99/$27.95
Toyota’s journey from start-up to the world’s second largest car manufacturer is partly thanks to the company’s unique people culture, argue the authors.
Jeffrey Liker, now professor of industrial and operations engineering at the University of Michigan, and Michael Hoseus, executive director of the Center for Quality People and Organizations who worked at Toyota for over 12 years, expand on the original examination of Toyota culture in The Toyota Way with an in-depth look at the company’s people systems.
The book examines how these motivate staff to build high-quality products through a four-stage process – attract, develop, engage and inspire. Interspersed with employee testimonies as well as the authors’ experiences, it highlights how Toyota’s culture differs from that of many Western companies, with its emphasis on teamwork, long-term relationships and even the Hoshin Kanri strategic planning process.
Pros: Packed with inspirational examples
Cons: Requires top-down backing
The Secret to GE's Success
William E. Rothschild
McGraw-Hill, £17.99/$27.95
Once a corporate strategist at GE and now owner of his own consulting business, William Rothschild draws on his former employer’s history to develop a set of leadership principles and management strategies for today’s business leaders.
He divides GE’s history into four phases, from its conception in 1879 to its recent past under Jack Welch and Jeff Immelt. He identifies five reasons for its success and argues that firms should learn from this to create an effective succession system, know when to change successful strategies, invest in high-potential people, react to external events and establish systems in core disciplines to bring organisational stability and ensure longevity.
But it is let down by Rothschild’s failure to distance himself from a company for which he has genuine admiration. The less praiseworthy elements of the company’s past are omitted and the book would appear more convincing if it were written in a less deferential manner.
Pros: Basic concept works well
Cons: Tendency to glorify GE
It’s Not About the Coffee
Howard Behar
Portfolio, £10.09/$19.95
Howard Behar oversaw Starbucks’ transition from a 28-store chain to the global organisation it is today. The secret of its success, claims the former president of Starbucks International and Starbucks North America, is how the company treats its staff.
The basis of this philosophy is 10 leadership principles, such as having clear goals, encouraging independent thinking and creating a culture of accepting responsibility, which are contained in a company booklet.
Every principle is evaluated in its own chapter, using Behar’s memories, particular cases or company initiatives to illustrate how creating a people-focused culture can translate into customer satisfaction and increased sales. At the end of each chapter is a series of questions to make the reader think how he or she could implement such softer people skills in their business.
Pros: Easy read and entertaining
Cons: Won’t suit all companies
Leadership Therapy
Anna Rowley
Palgrave Macmillan, £15.99/$27.95
Anna Rowley, a consultant psychologist who has worked with top managers from Microsoft for the past decade, develops strategies to overcome common problems and help individuals to survive in a competitive environment.
She has heard at first hand the stresses and expectations modern managers face through one-to-one sessions and seeing clients in action in their day-to-day activities. The answer to this, she believes, is a “short-term corporate therapy” technique.
Rowley explores the five key struggles for most of her clients: beliefs, self-awareness, self-confidence, trust and power. By asking self-examining questions, she forces the reader to assess his or her character, performance and ambition within the corporate environment.
Pros: Different approach to leadership
Cons: Needs open-minded attitude
