- Email: [email protected]
The leadership wisdom of jesus
cheaper oil for all. On the other hand, Standard Oil could have had a permanent stranglehold on our gasoline consumption. Unfortunately, Rockefeller was not content to let the market decide the outcome for his oil company. He worked behind the scenes to ensure success and control. Could Bill Gates be another John Rockefeller? Does he have a stranglehold on computers and their operating systems? Read this book and draw your own parallels between these two billionaires and their colorful lives. Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, St-., by Ron Chernow. New York: Random House, 1998. 771pp.
aol.com HowSteve Case BeatBill
Gates, Nailed the Netheuds, and Made Millions in the War for the Web
By Kara Swisher i%e reviewer,Robert D. Gulbro, is a professor of management at Athens
State University, Athens, Alabama. Here is a book for anyone interested in computers, the Internet, technology, business comebacks, or how to succeed after everyone else has given up. aol.com documents the history of America Online and its major players, all from a very personal, “insider” perspective. Naming names and delving into details, it gives the reader a feeling of being present as history is made. Kara Swisher, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and a former business reporter for the Washington Post, writes in a reporter’s style, with great attention to details and personalities. The star of the book is Steve Case, who came up through the ranks to save AOL. He had a vision for the firm that encouraged employee support, and the employees were solidly behind him throughout the company’s travails. Business authors and others were quick to write off his little firm 80
in its early days. No outsider believed that this boyish-looking young man would be able to move AOL into the future. But Case, says the author, overcame many management mistakes to make AOL a tour de force on the Internet. Even larger competitors could not keep up with Case, lacking his vision of what the public wanted and what the Internet could become. The biggest of those competitors was CompuServe, which was eventually bought out by the smaller AOL. The large firms, it seems, were unable to change as their environment changed. Another major player in the AOL story is the president of the company, Robert Pittman. Among his actions helping AOL to survive were a massmailing of 250 million free computer disks to potential customers, deals with companies such as Amazoncorn to sell their products on the net, and having the AOL icon prominently located on the Windows 95 operating system. Without Case and Pittman, AOL might have been just another failure in the business world. AOL was founded in 1982 as Control Video Corp., a service company involved with computer games. Ten years later, after several changes in its name and direction, it became America Online and was big enough to go public on Wall Street. It has developed and matured along with the computer industry and the Net. Many companies, of course, have evolved over the years to become what they are today, but most have not changed so quickly or so dramatically. Although Swisher has written a good story with many facts and details, she has not probed deeply into AOL’s corporate culture. Her book does not attempt to explain why the company made so many mistakes along the way in this saga of survival. Insights on the day-to-day interactions among the major players would have made aol.com more interesting reading. For example, when the firm found itself swamped with new subscribers in 1996 and 1997, it was unprepared in both management and equipment to handle such a surge in customers and demand. Instead of connecting to the Net, many subscribers received only busy signals. Such poor service usually dooms the average firm.
At this point, a lesser company with less determined top management might have given up and sold out to some corporation such as Microsoft. Managing rapid organizational change and dealing with the dramatic evolution of the Net could have proved too much for most companies. But AOL hung in there, making it the success story of cyberspace. Back in 1993,Bill Gates told Steve Case that Microsoft could buy America Online or bury it. How AOL has survived this and other threats is a story well worth reading. Business students, technology buffs, and those interested in strategic change will all find value in aoZ.com. The story continues, especially with the recent acquisition of Netscape, so the next chapter for AOL is probably in the offing. aolcom How Steve Case Beat Bill Gates, Nailed the Netheads, and Made Mh!lions in the Warfor tbe Web, by Kara Swisher. New York: Random House, 1998.331 pp.
The leadership Wisdom of Jesus Pructicul lessons for Today By Charles C. Manz
i%e reviewer, Cbarles A. Rarkk, is an associate professor of business administration at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. Early in his work, Charles Manz, the Nirenberg Professor of Business Leadership at the University of Massachusetts, points out that his intention is not to preach or to convert readers. Although his book is based on biblical teachings and contains numerous Bible passages, its purpose is simply to show the spiritual side of leadership. The author is not out to promote Christianity, but rather to promote a more humanistic approach to being a leader. In fact, Manz stresses the importance of various perspectives-not just of Jesus, but also of Muhammad, Business
Horizons
/ &UXm)-FdXWi~
1999
Lao Tzu, Gandhi, and others. Having studied comparative religion, it is my opinion that readers of a religious orientation other than Christianity will not be offended by the material found in this book. Certainly some parts of Z%eLeadership Wisdom of Jesus are more meaningful than others. There are chapters that, although short and to the point, nevertheless contain quite powerful prescriptions. On the other hand, a number of them seem rather superficial and ambiguous. For example, in the chapter entitled “Cleanse Your Insides,” one may be left wondering whether the real message isn’t to simply stop drinking and engaging in other vices. Likewise, in the chapter “Love Your Friends and Your Enemies,” the message seems to be that a leader should strive to be a nice person. Although I don’t advocate any approaches that differ from these recommendations, I do think more could have been written in other key areas of the book. A primary criticism of Mar&s work is that it seems to lack much new material. Chapters encouraging readers to “follow the Golden Rule” and remember that “What goes around comes around” are perhaps useful as a simple reminder of what makes for good manners or common sense. In many cases, the reader is left with a number of superficial prescriptions that only seem to penetrate the surface of current management literature. Manz himself seems to discount the more empirical work on leadership, stating that “the magnitude and confusion of the leadership literature is itself blinding” (p. 129). True, the research is extensive and at times can be confusing, even contradictory. But a more indepth association between the pre-
Fi,cus on
Rooks
scriptions of this book and various research findings would have been helpful. Even though the work was intended to be a more philosophical look at the topic of leadership, Manz could have combined its main points with current empirical work to lend added support and credibility. It may appear at this point that there is little reason to read iSbe Leadership Wisdom ofJesus. But such is not the case. Readers will find a book that is easy to read, inspiring, and potentially useful in their daily practices. Of special interest are three chapters with intriguing titles: “The Power of the Golden Mustard Seed,” “Racing for Last Place,” and “The Value of Pennies.” In “The Power of the Golden Mustard Seed,” we are instructed to look beyond the surface when evaluating individuals. The chapter begins, “. .it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs” (Matt. 13: 31-32). The message is that leaders should strive to develop their human resources and value small improvements. The lowest member of the organization can be nurtured into greatness. A leader’s role is to spread good will and seek out that greatness, always remaining aware of the power of the “little things.” “Racing for Last Place” explores the biblical quote, “Whoever wants to be first must be last and servant of all” (Mark 9: 33-35). In this chapter, Manz encourages leaders to be humble, open-minded, and caring in their dealings with others. He suggests they go about their duties in a constructive manner, looking for opportunities to recognize the accomplishments of others. Leaders, he says, become great not by seeking greatness, but by avoiding it. They should be humble servants to those they lead and empower oth-
ers for potential greatness. The author refers to the theory of servant leadership and draws a number of parallels with the teachings of Jesus. In the chapter “The Value of Pennies,” Manz encourages readers to seek goodness in the contributions of all organizational members. Citing the passage from Mark 12: 41-44 about the greater contributions made by a poor widow who can only donate the value of a penny over the large donations of the rich man, Manz tells us that employees should be evaluated by their intent and willingness to contribute to the mission of the organization. From his example of Southwest Airline’s employment practice of selecting employees based on their spirit rather than their knowledge and skills, we can see the value of not selecting only the “shiny pennies.” In T&e Leadershap Wisdom of Jesus, Charles Manz has written a book with relevance for at least two different audiences. Practicing managers will find he addresses many of the problems they face on a daily basis, An easy guideline for putting into practice concepts that have some empirical support, the book also has propositions that would be of interest to academics and could serve a research agenda. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this book is the underlying mosaic woven among the various philosophical and religious orientations. Individuals wanting to view leadership from a nontraditional perspective will find very interesting reading here. The Leadersbfp Wisdom of Jesus: Practical Lessons for Today, by Charles C. Manz. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler Publishem; Inc., 7998. 178pages.
aol.com HowSteve Case BeatBill
Gates, Nailed the Netheuds, and Made Millions in the War for the Web
By Kara Swisher i%e reviewer,Robert D. Gulbro, is a professor of management at Athens
State University, Athens, Alabama. Here is a book for anyone interested in computers, the Internet, technology, business comebacks, or how to succeed after everyone else has given up. aol.com documents the history of America Online and its major players, all from a very personal, “insider” perspective. Naming names and delving into details, it gives the reader a feeling of being present as history is made. Kara Swisher, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and a former business reporter for the Washington Post, writes in a reporter’s style, with great attention to details and personalities. The star of the book is Steve Case, who came up through the ranks to save AOL. He had a vision for the firm that encouraged employee support, and the employees were solidly behind him throughout the company’s travails. Business authors and others were quick to write off his little firm 80
in its early days. No outsider believed that this boyish-looking young man would be able to move AOL into the future. But Case, says the author, overcame many management mistakes to make AOL a tour de force on the Internet. Even larger competitors could not keep up with Case, lacking his vision of what the public wanted and what the Internet could become. The biggest of those competitors was CompuServe, which was eventually bought out by the smaller AOL. The large firms, it seems, were unable to change as their environment changed. Another major player in the AOL story is the president of the company, Robert Pittman. Among his actions helping AOL to survive were a massmailing of 250 million free computer disks to potential customers, deals with companies such as Amazoncorn to sell their products on the net, and having the AOL icon prominently located on the Windows 95 operating system. Without Case and Pittman, AOL might have been just another failure in the business world. AOL was founded in 1982 as Control Video Corp., a service company involved with computer games. Ten years later, after several changes in its name and direction, it became America Online and was big enough to go public on Wall Street. It has developed and matured along with the computer industry and the Net. Many companies, of course, have evolved over the years to become what they are today, but most have not changed so quickly or so dramatically. Although Swisher has written a good story with many facts and details, she has not probed deeply into AOL’s corporate culture. Her book does not attempt to explain why the company made so many mistakes along the way in this saga of survival. Insights on the day-to-day interactions among the major players would have made aol.com more interesting reading. For example, when the firm found itself swamped with new subscribers in 1996 and 1997, it was unprepared in both management and equipment to handle such a surge in customers and demand. Instead of connecting to the Net, many subscribers received only busy signals. Such poor service usually dooms the average firm.
At this point, a lesser company with less determined top management might have given up and sold out to some corporation such as Microsoft. Managing rapid organizational change and dealing with the dramatic evolution of the Net could have proved too much for most companies. But AOL hung in there, making it the success story of cyberspace. Back in 1993,Bill Gates told Steve Case that Microsoft could buy America Online or bury it. How AOL has survived this and other threats is a story well worth reading. Business students, technology buffs, and those interested in strategic change will all find value in aoZ.com. The story continues, especially with the recent acquisition of Netscape, so the next chapter for AOL is probably in the offing. aolcom How Steve Case Beat Bill Gates, Nailed the Netheads, and Made Mh!lions in the Warfor tbe Web, by Kara Swisher. New York: Random House, 1998.331 pp.
The leadership Wisdom of Jesus Pructicul lessons for Today By Charles C. Manz
i%e reviewer, Cbarles A. Rarkk, is an associate professor of business administration at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. Early in his work, Charles Manz, the Nirenberg Professor of Business Leadership at the University of Massachusetts, points out that his intention is not to preach or to convert readers. Although his book is based on biblical teachings and contains numerous Bible passages, its purpose is simply to show the spiritual side of leadership. The author is not out to promote Christianity, but rather to promote a more humanistic approach to being a leader. In fact, Manz stresses the importance of various perspectives-not just of Jesus, but also of Muhammad, Business
Horizons
/ &UXm)-FdXWi~
1999
Lao Tzu, Gandhi, and others. Having studied comparative religion, it is my opinion that readers of a religious orientation other than Christianity will not be offended by the material found in this book. Certainly some parts of Z%eLeadership Wisdom of Jesus are more meaningful than others. There are chapters that, although short and to the point, nevertheless contain quite powerful prescriptions. On the other hand, a number of them seem rather superficial and ambiguous. For example, in the chapter entitled “Cleanse Your Insides,” one may be left wondering whether the real message isn’t to simply stop drinking and engaging in other vices. Likewise, in the chapter “Love Your Friends and Your Enemies,” the message seems to be that a leader should strive to be a nice person. Although I don’t advocate any approaches that differ from these recommendations, I do think more could have been written in other key areas of the book. A primary criticism of Mar&s work is that it seems to lack much new material. Chapters encouraging readers to “follow the Golden Rule” and remember that “What goes around comes around” are perhaps useful as a simple reminder of what makes for good manners or common sense. In many cases, the reader is left with a number of superficial prescriptions that only seem to penetrate the surface of current management literature. Manz himself seems to discount the more empirical work on leadership, stating that “the magnitude and confusion of the leadership literature is itself blinding” (p. 129). True, the research is extensive and at times can be confusing, even contradictory. But a more indepth association between the pre-
Fi,cus on
Rooks
scriptions of this book and various research findings would have been helpful. Even though the work was intended to be a more philosophical look at the topic of leadership, Manz could have combined its main points with current empirical work to lend added support and credibility. It may appear at this point that there is little reason to read iSbe Leadership Wisdom ofJesus. But such is not the case. Readers will find a book that is easy to read, inspiring, and potentially useful in their daily practices. Of special interest are three chapters with intriguing titles: “The Power of the Golden Mustard Seed,” “Racing for Last Place,” and “The Value of Pennies.” In “The Power of the Golden Mustard Seed,” we are instructed to look beyond the surface when evaluating individuals. The chapter begins, “. .it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs” (Matt. 13: 31-32). The message is that leaders should strive to develop their human resources and value small improvements. The lowest member of the organization can be nurtured into greatness. A leader’s role is to spread good will and seek out that greatness, always remaining aware of the power of the “little things.” “Racing for Last Place” explores the biblical quote, “Whoever wants to be first must be last and servant of all” (Mark 9: 33-35). In this chapter, Manz encourages leaders to be humble, open-minded, and caring in their dealings with others. He suggests they go about their duties in a constructive manner, looking for opportunities to recognize the accomplishments of others. Leaders, he says, become great not by seeking greatness, but by avoiding it. They should be humble servants to those they lead and empower oth-
ers for potential greatness. The author refers to the theory of servant leadership and draws a number of parallels with the teachings of Jesus. In the chapter “The Value of Pennies,” Manz encourages readers to seek goodness in the contributions of all organizational members. Citing the passage from Mark 12: 41-44 about the greater contributions made by a poor widow who can only donate the value of a penny over the large donations of the rich man, Manz tells us that employees should be evaluated by their intent and willingness to contribute to the mission of the organization. From his example of Southwest Airline’s employment practice of selecting employees based on their spirit rather than their knowledge and skills, we can see the value of not selecting only the “shiny pennies.” In T&e Leadershap Wisdom of Jesus, Charles Manz has written a book with relevance for at least two different audiences. Practicing managers will find he addresses many of the problems they face on a daily basis, An easy guideline for putting into practice concepts that have some empirical support, the book also has propositions that would be of interest to academics and could serve a research agenda. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this book is the underlying mosaic woven among the various philosophical and religious orientations. Individuals wanting to view leadership from a nontraditional perspective will find very interesting reading here. The Leadersbfp Wisdom of Jesus: Practical Lessons for Today, by Charles C. Manz. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler Publishem; Inc., 7998. 178pages.