Understanding Leadership: The leadership and organizational dynamics

The I of Leadership: Strategies for Seeing, Being and Doing, by Nigel Nicholson

The author gives a critical message for a leader to understand himself. Who you are matters in everything you do as a leader. This book analyzes the paradoxes and dilemmas of leadership. The stories of well-known leaders who succeeded or failed are discussed. Every leader is unique and handles a given problem in his/her way, but his/her action matter to lot more people in lot more ways. The book begins with George Bush and Tony Blair's very first reaction to the news of Islamic terrorists' attack on 9/11 and 7/7 respectively. Their reaction at that time has lot to say about their leadership, says the author. This is an insightful book that puts together real life examples that blends evolutionary psychology, cognitive theory, behavioral sociology and management.

A given story could be written in many ways, and handling of a social, political or an economic crisis may be approached in several ways, but the author goes behind the story which he calls "I" of leadership. The consciousness of the leaders, their self-management and strategy impacts us all, but it is the moment they act and react also matters. If the leadership of a leader is analyzed using, the "Seeing-Being-Doing" model of psychology, interesting results emerge. The author emphasize that the leadership is not just about education, experience and overall skills but the nature of his leadership itself. We need a V.I.P leadership to lead: Vision (a realistic approach to the challenge), identity (a deep appreciation who they are, and who we are) and passion (care deeply about what they are doing and the ability to express that). V+I without P is un-communicative filled with self-absorption; V+P without I is empty sloganeering; and P+I without V is egoistic and unrealistic. Of these three I is the lynchpin and this has been the argument running throughout this book. True effectiveness comes from self-management, and he/she must have conversation with oneself. The sudden flood of thoughts that occurred in the minds of Bush/Blair after they heard about the catastrophic hit on their countries says a lot about that leader. What gives these leaders a frame of mind to do the right thing and secure our future? The author says there are five principles for good leadership is; be real, decenter, build ensembles, scan & scout, and frame the journey.

The book reads well and the author has made the subject of leadership interesting.