The Power of Minds at Work: Organizational Intelligence in Action

by Karl Albrecht

Reveals how the smartest (and dumbest) organizations function, and how executives and managers can make their own departments and companies work more intelligently. Provides a practical framework for defining, assessing, and developing the collective intelligence of any enterprise.

Genres: Business, Management

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Dr. Karl Albrecht is an executive management consultant, coach, futurist, lecturer, and author of more than 20 books on professional achievement, organizational performance, and business strategy. He is listed as one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in business on the topic of leadership.

He is a recognized expert on cognitive styles and the development of advanced thinking skills. His books Social Intelligence: The New Science of Success; Practical Intelligence: The Art and Science of Common Sense; and his Mindex Thinking Style Profile are used in business and education.

The Mensa society presented him with its lifetime achievement award, for significant contributions by a member to the understanding of intelligence.

Originally a physicist, and having served as a military intelligence officer and business executive, he now consults, lectures, and writes about whatever he thinks would be fun.

Reviews

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful book and I will make some significant changes to the way I manage people in my company because of it. Of the 7 categories of Organizational Intelligence he covers Performance Pressure is the one where I fall down, oddly, because its the one I care about the most. But his comments about managers being afraid to manage people hit home. I have to create a more supportive environment for all the people in the company, not just a few.

Aside from that, though, his perspective on past management trends and fads was really valuable, because it includes advice on what works and what needs to be avoided, including the consultants who tend to promote a particular prescription regardless of the diagnosis. We've used consultants quite a bit, and although I think we're better for it, we spent a lot of money on a prescription that was probably over the top for our level of development, but it will stand us in good stead going forward so I don't regret it.

One of his many pearls of wisdom was: don't make big changes unnecessarily. You don't have a successful program for change unless people perceive it as a real need. It seems basic, but some people think that just shaking things up is good for people. It isn't.

If you have an entrepreneurial bent or you would like to work within your own company to make it better, this is a great place to start.

[Stacey Brewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. Good examples of what positive and negative group think can lead to. I had a hard time staying focused enough to read the whole book.