Leading Leaders: How to Manage Smart, Talented, Rich, And Powerful People

by Jeswald W. Salacuse

The most valuable people in and around an organization are often the most difficult to manage. They are the "elites" -- executives, highly educated professionals, investors, board members, experts in critical functions, and others -- whose special talents or positions give them unusual power and independence from those who seek to lead them. These influential individuals are not motivated by visionary speeches, by teambuilding sessions, or by a need to prove themselves (or keep their jobs). They are important assets to the company -- but only when their strengths can be harnessed and aligned with organizational goals. Leading Leaders shows the reader how to develop one-on-one, up-close-and-personal relationships with these movers and shakers, and how to leverage their expertise for better decision making. Rather than top-down processes that might apply in a typical leadership hierarchy, the book establishes processes that resonate with these very special "followers," including negotiation, strategic planning, brainstorming, and more.

Genres: Leadership, Business, Nonfiction

218 pages, Hardcover

First published November 3, 2005

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I suspect this book was written in an attempt to convince highly motivated sociopaths to play nice, because - this book suggests -- niceness won't trigger the defensive reaction that will get in the way of success. To that end, it suggests various strategies like "[i]f you want to lead other leaders, you must focus on their individual interests," and meeting people in person rather than sending memos. (26, 29).

It also stresses reliability. "Reliability also implies honesty. As many politicians like President Richard Nixon and countless corporate executive like WorldCom's CEO Bernard Ebbers have discovered," one of the quickest ways to lose your power to lead is to be caught committing act acts that are illegal, immoral, or unethical." Well that hasn't aged too well. Pace Trump.

It had some good stories. A hospital that was failing its patience because of lack of communication between staff and patients for whom, largely, English was a second language and all lacked cross cultural communication strategies finally got the doctors educated by framing it as "Grand Rounds" rather than diversity training. Then-Senator Biden was very good, apparently, at turning nominal adversaries into allies by saying he needed their help to persuade his senate colleagues. LBJ. Oh, LBJ.

But it also had stories I wonder on. It spends a long time talking about how a small group of leaders at Goldman Sachs convinced their colleagues, over more than a decades, to take the company public so it could better compete with the other big financial houses. Two years later, financial shenanigans at these houses helped cause the Great Recession. Was that worth doing?

At one point I was intrigued because the book suggested leaders need to move between deciders and mediators depending on the issue to be resolved. But it gave no insight into when to take which approach, and it stressed so much the importance of making sure the nonprevailing party felt valued and heard that I couldn't tell the difference in the approaches.

Probably the best piece of advice in the book was from Machiavelli. Machiavelli noted:

And let it be noted that there is no more delicate matter to take in hand, nor more dangerous to conduct, nor more doubtful in its success, than to set up as a leader in the introduction of changes. For he who innovates will have for his enemies all those who are well off under the existing order of things, and only the lukewarm supporters in those who might be better off under the new. This lukewarm temper arises partly from the fear of adversaries who have the laws on their side and partly from the incredulity of mankind, who will never admit the merit of anything new, until they have seen it proved by the event.

(quoted in part at 72).

Aside from that, not a particularly insightful book. But a fast read.

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a student and practitioner of executive leadership I found this work exceptionally useful. Salacuse has established credibility and the bonafides to write it and it captures well what it means to be the best and chief leader among other leaders. At the core of it, in my humble view, is reflecting genuine concern for the people you lead and represent, while simultaneously appealing to their base motivations—all while developing and maintaining their trust. After all, as the subtitle reads, the key is getting ‘smart, talented, rich and powerful’ people to follow you, which under the best of circumstances most can find challenging. I thoroughly enjoyed the practical approach the author takes and I think you may as well.

[Shalom · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit simplistic and very repetitive. There is nothing in here you can't get from a business management course, plenty of reading or a dose of common sense.

[Ehsan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An above average book.
Too many examples of George W. Bush.

[Brandon Pettersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As many can attest, we rarely work in positions where others are not equally as smart, educated, or motivated. So how do we lead our peers and allow ourselves to be led in return? This book is a great retrospective of the key ingredients to being an effective leader for and towards anyone, with an emphasis on communication skills, trust-building, education, motivation, mediation, and representation.

[C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an extremely useful tool for anyone who has to manage people w/major constituencies ~ academics, managers, investors, etc. Herding cats can get tricky and involves a little strategy .. I like Salacuse's approach to managing/leading leaders because he takes into account the multi-layered networks of people who are ultimately affected by the decisions those leaders make, putting the onus of responsibly influencing leaders on you.