Tools and Techniques of Leadership and Management

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Many of today's books on the tools and techniques of leadership and management provide descriptions of long lists for use in decision-making, leading, coaching and project management. This book takes a completely different approach. It contests the claims that the tools and techniques are based on evidence and explains why human activities of leading and managing are simply not amenable to scientific proof and consequently, why long-term futures of organizations are unpredictable.

The book undertakes a critical exploration of just what these tools and techniques are about; showing that while they may lead to competent performance they cannot go further to expert performance because expertise involves going beyond rules and procedures. Ralph Stacey investigates the many questions that are thrown up as a result of this new approach. Questions such as:

This book will be relevant to students on courses and modules that deal with leadership, decision-making and organizational development and behaviour as well as professional leaders and managers who want to develop their own understanding and techniques.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Preface (p. viii)
• 1 Introduction (p. 1)
• The split between managers and leaders (p. 3)
• Outline of the book (p. 4)
• 2 The theory of complex responsive processes: understanding organizations as patterns of interaction between people (p. 9)
• Introduction (p. 9)
• Chaos and unpredictability (p. 11)
• From the complexity sciences: local interactions and emergent global order (p. 13)
• Interdependent individuals and the interplay of human intentions (p. 16)
• The emergence of Facebook in the interplay of intentions (p. 18)
• Conclusion (p. 21)
• 3 Understanding organizing activities as the game: implications for leadership and management tools and techniques (p. 23)
• Introduction (p. 23)
• The nature of local interactions: communication (p. 24)
• The nature of local interactions: power relations (p. 28)
• The nature of local interactions: ideology and choices (p. 31)
• Local interaction: the impact of the social background (p. 34)
• Implications for leadership and management tools and techniques (p. 37)
• Conclusion (p. 38)
• 4 The leadership and management tools and techniques of instrumental rationality: rules and step-by-step procedures (p. 40)
• Introduction (p. 40)
• The management tools of instrumental rationality (p. 42)
• The nature of the tools and techniques of instrumental rationality (p. 48)
• Conclusion (p. 52)
• 5 The limitations of the tools and techniques of instrumental rationality: incompatibility with expert performance (p. 54)
• Introduction (p. 54)
• Competence, perhaps, but not proficiency or expertise (p. 54)
• Critique of the tools and techniques of instrumental rationality and responses to the critique (p. 57)
• The tools and techniques of leadership: development programmes and models of leadership (p. 62)
• Leadership models (p. 63)
• Conclusion (p. 65)
• 6 The leadership and management techniques of disciplinary power: surveillance and normalization (p. 66)
• Introduction (p. 66)
• Disciplinary power (p. 67)
• The effects of disciplinary power in organizations (p. 73)
• Thinking about leadership programmes (p. 74)
• Conclusion (p. 77)
• 7 Taking the techniques of disciplinary power to the extreme: domination and coercive persuasion (p. 79)
• Introduction (p. 79)
• Coercive persuasion (p. 80)
• The techniques of coercive persuasion (p. 81)
• Complex responsive processes of discipline (p. 85)
• Taking the application of the techniques of disciplinary power to extremes: institutionalized bullying (p. 87)
• Further thoughts on taking the application of discipline to extremes: 'Doublethink' and 'Newspeak' (p. 89)
• Conclusion (p. 91)
• 8 Institutions and the techniques of leadership and management: habits, rules and routines (p. 92)
• Introduction (p. 92)
• The nature of institutions (p. 92)
• Institutional change (p. 94)
• Power and institutions (p. 95)
• The differences between the theory of complex responsive processes and the theories of institutions (p. 98)
• Institutions and complex responsive processes: patterns of human interaction (p. 102)
• Institutional techniques (p. 105)
• Conclusion (p. 105)
• 9 The leadership and management 'techniques' of practical judgment: reflexive inquiry, improvisation and political adroitness (p. 107)
• Introduction (p. 107)
• 'Technique' as a mode of inquiry: narrative and reflexivity (p. 110)
• Participation in conversation: group processes as 'techniques' of widening and deepening communication (p. 113)
• 'Techniques' of spontaneity and improvisation (p. 115)
• 'Techniques' of ordinary, everyday politics: rhetoric and truth telling (p. 117)
• Conclusion (p. 120)
• 10 Conclusion: frequently asked questions (p. 122)
• Appendix: reflexive narrative inquiry: movements in my thinking and how I find myself working differently as a consequence (p. 133)
• Notes (p. 160)
• Bibliography (p. 166)
• Index (p. 174)