Leading Geeks: How to Manage and Lead the People Who Deliver Technology: How to Manage and Lead People Who Deliver Technology (J-B Warren Bennis Series) eBook: Paul Glen: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Review

Technology has so clearly woven itself into the fabric of business culture that publishing Glen′s book on how to manage the people who produce high tech makes perfect sense. The author, founder of a consulting firm specializing in IT organizations, assumes that "geeks" are not everyday people, and draws on his experience to present clear and simple techniques for employers to not just get what they need out of tech workers but to become the kind of managers who will mesh well with this new kind of employee. Glen′s insight is to treat high technology as a creative product produced by temperamental people who are a cross between artists and professionals. This view stems from the ambiguity of "geekwork" and the fact that geeks usually know more about what they do than do their managers. Though Glen doesn′t advocate turning the factories over to the workers, his aim is to make managers more effective by teaching them about the people they lead, not by giving them tools to bend employees to their will. He does an excellent job of enumerating geek characteristics and the context in which geekwork takes place, providing ample material on what works with geeks and what doesn′t, such as "intrinsic" or "extrinsic" motivators, and valuable advice, like "never underestimate the power of free food." Though it doesn′t contain much new material, Glen′s easily readable book will prove exceptionally useful for managers who feel left behind by the pace of technology or bosses seeking to better understand their information age employees. (Nov.) (Publishers Weekly, October 21, 2002)

"Winner of the 2003 Financial Times Germany and getAbstract Award for best book on business leadership"

"Winner of the 2003 Financial Times Germany and getAbstract Award for best book on business leadership"

Winner of the 2004 Books24x7 Referenceware Excellence Award for the Business category (from the Books24x7 web site: marketing.books24x7.com)

Review

"Managing technology talent is more critical today than ever before. This book brings an insightful and delightful perspective."
— James Champy, chairman of consulting, Perot Systems Corporation

"In this provocative book, Paul Glen provides excellent advice for managing ′geeks′ the computer nerds and other high–tech gurus of the 21st century. But his insights apply equally well to the challenge of leading any group of specialists for whom esoteric knowledge is more important than power, and expertise more determinative of social dominance than bureaucratic hierarchy, including actors, athletes, university faculty, musicians, doctors, and bond traders."
— Steven Sample, president, University of Southern California

"With an uncanny perception, Leading Geeks provides rare insight into managing often confusing and complex IT professionals. Whether you have minimal or extensive experience managing technologists, you will be inspired by this book."
— Craig McLeod, director of information technology, San Diego City Schools

"Highly talented technical people are a separate breed, and managing them is a delicate art. Paul Glen′s new book, Leading Geeks, is essential reading for any manager facing the difficult challenge of leading, motivating, and rewarding technical contributors. Paul has done the improbable he′s taken his experience and knowledge of technical leadership and produced a funny, engaging, and valuable work that is a treasure trove of wisdom for technical managers."
— Rick Freedman, author, The IT Consultant

"We ought to stop complaining about technical wizards and learn how to utilize their considerable talents. Paul Glen helps us to do that better than I ever dreamed possible."
— Alan Weiss, author, The Ultimate Consultant Series

"I identify with geeks and, therefore, recommend this book not only for those who manage, work, and live with geeks, but also for geeks. It helps us to get to know ourselves better. Read it once for fun and once for meaning, then keep it and expect to refer back to it."
— Dolph Santello, principal consultant, Microsoft Corporation

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

5 star

4 star

3 star

2 star

1 star

4 reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars

Write a customer review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

Geek an over used word 30 July 2004

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I recently started leading a team of software testers for my department and I purchased this book to give me a few ideas. However the author's over use of the word "Geek" becomes extremely distracting and any point that is made is lost by the over use of this word. Furthermore the over use of "Geek" comes across, at least to me, in a very negative way. Any good points the author makes is lost. The points that are made tend to be overgeneralised and at best loosely supported.

It is a good starting point for someone who has a manangerial respondsibility in an IT enviornment and wants further information. However I would not recommend it as an authoritive source or a reference. Only as a starting point for obtaining information for someone who is new to this area.

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Enlightening and informative - a very good read 25 Oct 2007

By RugbyMad

If 'overuse' of the word Geek is all that other readers have to complain about, they miss the point of the book or must be very insecure Geek. As an experienced Geek, this has opened my eyes to not only the qualities and attributes a 'Geek' has, but importantly the impact these have on non-Geek people. Paul Glen puts all this across in a simple and informative manner with ample real world experience examples that add credibility. Well deserving of the Financial Times accolades it has received.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful

Packed With Knowledge! 16 Jun 2004

By Rolf Dobelli TOP 500 REVIEWER

Management consultant Paul Glen's thorough discussion of geeks brings you brain-to-brain and eye-to-eye with high-tech, specialized knowledge workers. Don't blink: you need these people, so you need to know how to fit your management style to them. Glen describes their primary personality traits and attitudes: commitment to logic, interest in problem solving, independence and, to put it politely, occasionally under-developed social skills. The author, who doesn't seem to mind describing an entire subset of the labor force as if each worker in it had the same personality, explains what geeks need from a manager. You need to nurture motivation, provide internal facilitation, furnish external representation, and manage task, structural, and environmental ambiguity. We suggest this organized, authoritative guide to those who manage knowledge workers. If it's all geek to you, here's the codebook.