The Workmanship of Leaders: Systems, Frameworks, and Information Processing

Leadership has been extensively studied and written about for 100 years. Yet the results are far more fluff than substance because the fundamental understanding of leaders and their purpose is incomplete or incorrect. The positioning of leadership as a profession means that we do not normally think of leaders' work in terms of workmanship. But what happens if we do? Because leader's work is not typically associated with the word "workmanship," it is important to explore what leadership would be like if it were thought of as workmanship and if leaders were workmanlike in carrying out their duties. Would it be any different than how leaders lead today or as they have led in the past? Could leadership be different in the future? The Workmanship of Leaders is an engaging technical analysis of the meaning of workmanship and workmanlike diligence in the context of systems, frameworks, and information processing. It shines new lights on how leaders think, how they behave, and why they do what they do. In doing so, it explains why the aims and actions of leaders have been remarkably constant for centuries. It also shows the futility of traditional leadership training programs and points to essential new directions for leadership development. Leaders at any level and in any line of work will find this book captivating and eye-opening.