Some New Books
I'd gotten out of the habit of keeping my reading list (in the left-hand column of the blog) up-to-date. I've corrected that. I am currently reading some great stuff, especially Edwin Friedman's A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix. If you are inclined hit the links and see if anything looks intriguing.
I've only read the first chapter of Gordon Mackenzie's Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace. Mackenzie worked at Kansas City's Hallmark Card for 30 years and struggled to maintain his creativity amidst a culture that always seemed to want to recycle old "successful" strategies rather than continue to be original and creative. I don't know Mackenzie, but I recognize at least one person who has provided some of the illustrations that accompany his great writing. Ironically, I discovered this book on a blog that my RSS reader aggregates daily, The Accidental Creative. Fantastic blog. Here is a description of Mackenzie's book by Accidental Creative creator Todd Henry. Check it out: Executional Love.
At the end of Shadow of the Hegemon, which is the second book of the Ender's Shadow series, Orson Scott Card has an afterword where he simply talks about writing the book. Somewhere in the middle of that afterword he mentions "America is in decline. The people of this nation no longer have the will to be led."
Sounds like he was talking about the same things Edwin Friedman is.
Posted by: Adam | June 29, 2008 at 01:34 AM
That is a great book, Adam. I love the writing Card does about his writing. I have found some really great stuff there. It does sound like some of the themes of Friedman's book are mirrored in what Card says. However, I don't think that Friedman would place responsibility for the problem at the feet of those being led, but rather 'a failure of nerve' speaks to leaders unwilling to do what is necessary, despite the personal costs, to lead.
Posted by: Tim | June 29, 2008 at 02:03 AM
As in most things I encounter, I think it's both.
Posted by: Adam | June 29, 2008 at 05:38 AM
No way you're reading Failure of Nerve! A seminary classmate recommended that to me a few weeks ago, and I've been reading it ever since.
So, how self-differentiated are you?
Posted by: Rocky | June 29, 2008 at 03:55 PM
We'll see, huh? Great stuff, though, don't you think, Rocky?
Posted by: Tim | June 30, 2008 at 01:32 AM
Yeah, as great as this:
"It will encourage leaders to focus first on their own integrity and on the nature of their own presence rather than through techniques for manipulating or motivating others . . . the importance of leaders being well-informed is greatly overrated."
Yikes!
Posted by: Rocky | July 01, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Tim, thanks so much for the kind words about AC and I hope you're enjoying Hairball. It's quirky, but oh...so...fun. And it contains one of my all-time favorite quotes: "Orville Wright did not have a pilot's license."
Posted by: Todd | July 02, 2008 at 01:20 PM
You're welcome, Todd. Thanks for the great blog.
Posted by: Tim | July 03, 2008 at 12:05 PM