Comments on: Leader Lab: My Interview With David Burkus http://www.bretlsimmons.com/2010-01/leader-lab-my-interview-with-david-burkus/ Leadership, followership, and purpose at work Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:29:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: davidburkus http://www.bretlsimmons.com/2010-01/leader-lab-my-interview-with-david-burkus/comment-page-1/#comment-2527 davidburkus Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:01:38 +0000 http://www.bretlsimmons.com/?p=2374#comment-2527 Jim, There's obviously a little hyperbole in the statement "the majority of leadership resources out there are garbage." However, Bret brings up the same point that I seek to make. I label them garbage because they're the anecdotal musings of one person or another. It's impossible to make a scientific, data-driven analysis of resources like these because there isn't any data. As I said, garbage is a little bit of a hyperbole, but the it stays true to the mission: help persuade people to move away from leadership resources that aren't supported by research. I am a big fan of Mintzberg. An article he wrote "Developing Theory about the Development of Theory" really inspired by stance on theory: useful lies. Jim,

There’s obviously a little hyperbole in the statement “the majority of leadership resources out there are garbage.” However, Bret brings up the same point that I seek to make.

I label them garbage because they’re the anecdotal musings of one person or another. It’s impossible to make a scientific, data-driven analysis of resources like these because there isn’t any data. As I said, garbage is a little bit of a hyperbole, but the it stays true to the mission: help persuade people to move away from leadership resources that aren’t supported by research.

I am a big fan of Mintzberg. An article he wrote “Developing Theory about the Development of Theory” really inspired by stance on theory: useful lies.

]]> By: Jim Taggart http://www.bretlsimmons.com/2010-01/leader-lab-my-interview-with-david-burkus/comment-page-1/#comment-2526 Jim Taggart Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:07:02 +0000 http://www.bretlsimmons.com/?p=2374#comment-2526 I don't disagree with your comment, Bret, about much of the leadership (and management) literature being repackaged. Indeed, I'm quite surprised and disappointed that many of the prominent authors, who I read almost 20 years ago, are not saying much in the way that's new. This is actually very disconcerting because of the rapidity and volatility of global change, a time when effective leadership and management skills are sorely needed. There are a few solid thinkers and writers out there, one of whom is Henry Mintzberg, who teaches at McGill University in Montreal (and formerly part of Insead in France). He's one of the few thinkers who is steeped in empirical research. Now in his seventies, Mintzberg recently released his new book "Managing." I highly recommend it. Cheers...Jim I don’t disagree with your comment, Bret, about much of the leadership (and management) literature being repackaged. Indeed, I’m quite surprised and disappointed that many of the prominent authors, who I read almost 20 years ago, are not saying much in the way that’s new. This is actually very disconcerting because of the rapidity and volatility of global change, a time when effective leadership and management skills are sorely needed.

There are a few solid thinkers and writers out there, one of whom is Henry Mintzberg, who teaches at McGill University in Montreal (and formerly part of Insead in France). He’s one of the few thinkers who is steeped in empirical research. Now in his seventies, Mintzberg recently released his new book “Managing.” I highly recommend it.

Cheers…Jim

]]> By: Bret L. Simmons http://www.bretlsimmons.com/2010-01/leader-lab-my-interview-with-david-burkus/comment-page-1/#comment-2525 Bret L. Simmons Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:44:17 +0000 http://www.bretlsimmons.com/?p=2374#comment-2525 Jim, I can't speak for David but I think what he might be saying is that most of the stuff out there on leadership is anecdotal with little empirical support. Even those books that claim empirical support often either don't show you the support of the study design cannot support their wild claims. And as you know there is VERY little new under the sun - a lot of leadership stuff is just re-packed and sold under a different buzz word. So I have to agree with David that there is a LOT of garbage out there. I rarely read new leadership books, and there are only a few I will recommend to others. Thanks for sharing, Jim! Bret Jim, I can’t speak for David but I think what he might be saying is that most of the stuff out there on leadership is anecdotal with little empirical support. Even those books that claim empirical support often either don’t show you the support of the study design cannot support their wild claims. And as you know there is VERY little new under the sun – a lot of leadership stuff is just re-packed and sold under a different buzz word. So I have to agree with David that there is a LOT of garbage out there. I rarely read new leadership books, and there are only a few I will recommend to others.

Thanks for sharing, Jim! Bret

]]> By: Jim Taggart http://www.bretlsimmons.com/2010-01/leader-lab-my-interview-with-david-burkus/comment-page-1/#comment-2524 Jim Taggart Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:28:34 +0000 http://www.bretlsimmons.com/?p=2374#comment-2524 Brett, I read this post and then checked out David's website. I have a concern wtih David's weeping statement that the majority of "...leadership resources out there are garbage." This is a judgement statement, based on no scientifically derived data. I would expect a more mature comment from an alleged leadership expert. Brett,

I read this post and then checked out David’s website. I have a concern wtih David’s weeping statement that the majority of “…leadership resources out there are garbage.” This is a judgement statement, based on no scientifically derived data. I would expect a more mature comment from an alleged leadership expert.

]]>