Leading Geeks

PAUL GLEN is a management consultant who helps clients build effective technology organizations. For more than fifteen years he has advised clients in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member in the MBA programs at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and Loyola Marymount University. Prior to founding C2 Consulting, he was western regional manager for SEI Information Technology, a national IT consultancy. And, yes, he is a geek.

• Editor’s Note xiWarren BennisForeword xiiiDavid H. MaisterIntroduction xvAcknowledgments xxiOverview: The Challenge of Geeks 11. Geeks, Leadership, and Geek Leadership 3Part One: The Context of Geek Leadership 192. The Essential Geek 273. Groups of Geeks 444. The Nature of Geekwork 575. Performing Geekwork 74Part Two: The Content of Geek Leadership 976. Nurturing Motivation 1037. Providing Internal Facilitation 1228. Furnishing External Representation 1429. Managing Ambiguity 15810. Selecting and Organizing Geekwork 17911. Uniting Geeks and Geekwork 197Conclusion: Harmonizing Context and Content 21912. How Geek Leaders Lead 221Appendix: Models and Lists 235Notes 241References 243The Author 247Index 249

Technology has so clearly woven itself into the fabric of business culture that publishing Glen's book on how to manage the people who produce high tech makes perfect sense. The author, founder of a consulting firm specializing in IT organizations, assumes that "geeks" are not everyday people, and draws on his experience to present clear and simple techniques for employers to not just get what they need out of tech workers but to become the kind of managers who will mesh well with this new kind of employee. Glen's insight is to treat high technology as a creative product produced by temperamental people who are a cross between artists and professionals. This view stems from the ambiguity of "geekwork" and the fact that geeks usually know more about what they do than do their managers. Though Glen doesn't advocate turning the factories over to the workers, his aim is to make managers more effective by teaching them about the people they lead, not by giving them tools to bend employees to their will. He does an excellent job of enumerating geek characteristics and the context in which geekwork takes place, providing ample material on what works with geeks and what doesn't, such as "intrinsic" or "extrinsic" motivators, and valuable advice, like "never underestimate the power of free food." Though it doesn't contain much new material, Glen's easily readable book will prove exceptionally useful for managers who feel left behind by the pace of technology or bosses seeking to better understand their information age employees. (Nov.) (Publishers Weekly, October 21, 2002) "Winner of the 2003 Financial Times Germany and getAbstract Award for best book on business leadership"