Competing Values Leadership

by Kim S. Cameron, Jeff Degraff, Anjan V. Thakor

"Creating value in a firm is an enormously complex endeavor. Yet, despite its complexity, value creation is the objective of every enterprise, every worker, and every leader. The Competing Values Framework can help leaders understand more deeply and act more effectively. In the first book to comprehensively present this framework, the authors discuss its core elements and focus attention on rethinking the notion of value. They emphasize specific tools and techniques leaders can use to institute sustainable change." This accessible resource will be of great use to organizational scholars interested in the concepts of value creation, organizational effectiveness, and competing values; to leaders and managers interested in enhancing and creating value in their organizations; and to change agents and consultants who use the Competing Values Framework as part of their intervention strategies or who are looking to help improve organizations.

Genres: Business, Leadership

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Jason Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book builds upon the ideas presented in The Four Colors of Business Growth by Anjan Thakor, reviewed previously, by expounding upon the ways in which a leader can apply the four colors.

The quadrants are presented in a modestly different, though consistent, way as the previous book. They are Clan, Adhocracy, Market, and Hierarchy, rather than Collaborate, Create, Compete, and Control, respectively.

A fair amount of time is spent discussing the tensions along the diagonals, including (in my opinion) the most helpful chapter in the book: Chapter 5, Creating Value through New Leadership Behaviors. In this chapter, the authors describe four leadership archetypes that effectively hold opposites in tension: Autonomous Engagement, Practical Vision, Teachable Confidence, and Caring Confrontation. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

Recommended, but probably only after reading and appreciating Thakor's aforementioned tome.

[Denis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the idea and structure itself very useful(4*+). That is why I would rather recommend to read the book.
But the text style and content were well below the expected level. A LOT of self-praising, almost advertisement-style text (only a simple phone number was missing to complete the picture of a cheap commercial). Some statements/paragraphs, it feels, were added to add volume, not sense.
I guess this is a scholar papers style, but when you do a book, I it’s worth reworking it to a different, better standard.

[Daniel Lambauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

While at times a bit too academically and scientifically written - and therefore a bit repetitive- a classic leadership book where a lot rings true. My main takeaway is that leaders need to be able to resolve competing tensions and cultures in any organisation and be adaptable in their styles in doing so. I am also attracted by their change approach based on the model.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this one for school, so while parts were interesting, there was still some rather dull parts as well.

[Nick Whiteley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new lens to look at organisational culture. A must read.