Leadership Is an Art

I read Leadership Is an Art by Max DePree for the first time almost 30 years ago. I highlighted it, wrote in the margins, and learned some of its lessons. I thought it was a great book then.When I opened the book this past summer, I was amazed by two things. I was amazed that I had not opened this book in more than two decades. And, I was amazed at how many things in this book had become part of the tapestry that is the way I think about leadership.Max DePree speaks to me in an especially strong voice because we start from a similar place. We are both Christians, and that affects how we try to live our lives. We both believe that leadership is a servant role and that what leaders are challenged to do is unleash the potential of others.Now, if any of that bothers you, you won’t enjoy this book. If you think any mention of faith is inappropriate in a business book or that servant leadership is mushy nonsense or that leaders are there to show people the way, not to unleash their energies, you won’t like this book. Don’t buy it. Don’t read it. If you do choose to buy it, here’s what you’ll find.There is a retired executive that I see frequently. We share good meals and good wine and other drinks. Occasionally, we have a cigar together. Some of the time we talk about what it’s like to be the person responsible for a group.My friend was an executive vice president in a Fortune 200 company. He created their international business in the 50s and 60s. He knows a lot about people and leadership and doing the right thing. Over meals and cigars and drinks and sometimes just sitting on the deck, we talk about those things.Reading Leadership is an Art is a lot like having a conversation with my friend. He’s principled and clear-thinking. He will challenge you from time to time.I suggest that if you buy this book you do a couple of things to get the most out of it. The first one is read the preface that DePree wrote for the latest edition of the book. The original book was published in 1987, DePree’s preface is from 2003.Then just start reading, but keep a pencil or highlighter or digital voice recorder handy. The first thing you’ll find in the book is a short true story called “The Millwright Died.” It sets the tone for the rest of the book. Make sure you read it. Mark the page so you can get back to it.Then read. Make notes. Take time to reflect. This is not a book about techniques or tricks or processes. It is about how a thoughtful and caring leader approaches his or her work. So, keep the book with you. Dip into it from time to time. Take time to reflect on what you learned and your insights.One more thing. When you finish Leadership is an Art, go back to it frequently. Don’t make this mistake I did and put it back on the shelf for a decade or more.

On page one of Leadership Is an Art Max Depree writes, "The book is about the art of leadership: liberating people to do what is required of them in the most effective and humane way possible". This is a theme that runs throughout this very wise and in every way excellent work. The following quotes provide some of the flavor of Depree's enlightened and inspiring thinking:* The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor.* In addition to all of the ratios and goals and parameters and bottom lines, it is fundamental that leaders endorse a concept of persons. This begins with an understanding of the diversity of people's gifts and talents and skills.* Understanding and accepting diversity enables us to see that each of us is needed. It also enables us to begin to think about being abandoned to the strengths of others, of admitting that we cannot know or do everything.* Leaders don't inflict pain; they bear pain.* First, as a Christian I believe that each person is made in the image of God. For those of us who have received the gift of leadership from the people we lead, this belief has enormous implications.* Leaders owe people space, space in the sense of freedom. Freedom in the sense of enabling our gifts to be exercised.* Participative management is not democratic. Having a say differs from having a vote.* Interestingly, though in organizations like ours we need a lot of freedom, there is no room for license. Discipline is what it takes to do the job.* One of the important things leaders need to learn is to recognize the signals of impending deterioration.* Without forgiveness, there can be no real freedom to act...Depree has given us an abiding philosophy of leadership. Actually operating in alignment with these principles demands a very high level of integrity - one that few leaders ever do attain. Those that do so unleash forces of transformation resulting in high performance high involvement organizations.This book characterizes a commercial arena filled with vocational potential. I give it the highest recommendation.

Max De Pree, the author of the book Leadership is an Art, is the retired chairman of a company founded in 1923 called Herman Miller, Inc., which is an extremely successful family business, being named one of the hundred best companies to work for in the United States. The main purpose of this book was to provide his beliefs of successful factors to have present when running a company and how to lead the people who work for you in that company. When explaining this, he uses anecdotes of Herman Miller, Inc. in the book for support.From his experience and observation, he knows that in order to have power you need to give power. His main purpose in his book is to show ways this can be achieved, which differs from most leadership books I have read, that only focus on achieving corporate excellence. He gives a strong emphasis to the importance of building relationships, initiating ideas, communication, and creating a lasting value system within an organization. He also thinks one of the most important aspect of leadership is to recognize the potential of the followers (in this case he is referring to the people who work in the company). In order to do this, he states that it is everyone's right to be part of the decision-making process and all information should be shared; this is why trust plays an important part of being a leader. De Pree tries to stimulate the readers thinking to be "out of the box" and create a very positive corporate culture, making employees enthusiastic and happy to work there, thus creating extremely positive outcomes from the company.However, throughout the book there is not a lot of "how" to do the things he says. Another area in the book I felt that lacked information was the facts and examples. De Pree uses examples and anecdotes from Herman Miller Inc, which helps get the point across. Nevertheless, it would be a book of much higher quality if case studies of organizations other than Herman Miller, Inc were used. A little bit of research and factual evidence would have gone a long way for this book.

This is a reading that informs the future by allowing the reader a good understanding of the past. There is information here that is as valuable now as it was in the writing of the at the time that it was written.

I've read this book several times through. Great read. Inspiring. Interesting. A valuable book in my library.

I have read dozens of leadership books, and would not put this one in my top 30. Not recommended.

I have quoted Depree many times, even though I had never read this book. That's because he is so quotable. Depree's book is different from two perspectives. One, he looks at leadership, not as a tactical exercise, but as a relational one. It is more poetry than formulas.Secondly, Depree advises that the "lowest" person on the organizational chart is a leader, and his/her role as leader should be cultivated and taken advantage of. He was ahead of his time in believing that every person in the organization has a significant role to play in the culture and health of the organization.

I stumbled upon this book one night in the office library while working late. It's a quick read but full of great leadership tips and anecdotes that really resonated with me. Anyone aspiring to lead - and those that are or have been leaders - can get something from this book. I enjoyed it so much I purchased this copy for my son.

Das Buch ist gut erhalten - Die Sendung erfolgte schnell und zuverlässig! Herzlichen Dank für die schnelle Bearbeitung des guterhaltenen Buches.

De fácil lectura y comprensión

This book is a masterpiece about leadership. I cannot stop reading that and using immediately. Thank you.

Excellent book about leadership in more clear language. Usually, one get the definitions and diffrences of leadership and manage,ment... this book gets into art and craft of leadership.

Ok