Flight Of The Buffalo Chapter 4 Book Review

Today I review chapter 4 of “Flight Of the Buffalo” . If you read the first post in the series you know that this is a management book that I decided to review for you guys.
PART 1 – Our Personal Leadership Journey
CHAPTER 4 – “Leading in an Upside-Down World”
Why do the feelings of helplessness exist at the pinnacle of power? Using the old obsolete leadership paradigm is the biggest reason why. Under the old model leaders plan, organize, command, coordinate, and control.
The author goes on to describe a story. The CEO and consultant are walking out of a meeting. On their way out of the building they notice a grounds keeper raking leaves with a rake that is missing 25 of the original teeth. When the they asked the grounds keeper why, they replied that it wasn’t their job to get a new rake.
The CEO goes on to say that he would take the time to get the rake. The consultant stops him to say and ask him if that was the ‘real’ problem. The CEO gains insight and decides that the solution is in getting the grounds keeper to take responsibility.
The old mind set is a difficult one to change. We have been taught from birth to obey a person in authority and wait for them to provide us with what we need.
Understanding where the current model came from can help us understand how to change it. Karl Marx described how the capitalist owned the equipment and machinery, which were the tools of production. Financial capitalism was the economic system that wielded power.
Years later James Burnham, saw that the professional managers effectively controlled the corporations, which where the tools of production. This transfer of power occurred due to the fact that the brainpower capital supplied by the professional managers became more important than the financial capital supplied.
The last transition of power came about in the form of intellectual capitalism. That the principal tools of production are the ideas and talents of the scientist, the machinist, and the programmer.
In today’s market here are different and we have to take into account the following:
- Markets are global.
- Electronic highways enable instant communication and rapid competitive responses
- Work involves the creation, transmission, and manipulation of information and knowledge.
- Workers are highly educated.
End of Chapter Question: How must I change my leadership paradigm to utilize all the intellectual capital in my organization?
Leadership Solution: Become an effective leader by increasing the effectiveness of the people I lead.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter review and stay tuned as I cover the next chapter