Warren Bennis

Warren Bennis Gameliel ( born March 8, 1925 in New York) is an American economist and one of the leading authorities in the field of organizational development ( organizational development), leadership theory and change management. He is currently a professor of Business Administration at the University of Southern California, where he also founded the Leadership Institute. In addition, he is Chairman of the Supervisory Board at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government 's Center for Public Leadership. Bennis taught at the MIT Sloan School of Management and Boston University.

Life

Trained 1943-1947 at Antioch College and MIT, Bennis did his military service in the U.S. Army and was awarded for his work in Germany with the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

With 42 years Bennis gave up his position at MIT and assumed the position of Deputy President ( Executive Vice-President ) of the State University of New York at Buffalo (1967 to 1971). 1971-1977 Bennis was president of the University of Cincinnati. This practical experience flowed in his writings. Since 1979, Bennis teaches at the University of Southern California.

As an advisor to four U.S. presidents, including John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, Bennis had many years of influence on the U.S. government. Bennis wrote 27 books on leadership or was involved in its creation, advised companies and has lectured worldwide.

His title "Leaders" (1985, in collaboration with Burt Nanus ) was named by the Financial Times as one of the 50 most influential management titles. His essays "An Invented Life: Reflections on Leadership and Change" were nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. A total of about 2 million books from Bennis were laid.

Works

Bennis main focus is on the concept of leadership, which he treated like other theorists as Different from management. For Bennis Leadership is a learnable skill for managers who are willing to invest the energy and work. In his view, managers and leaders differ in many respects:

For his book Leaders he spoke with 90 top managers of U.S. companies and public institutions. As a key insight, he finds that there is not the perfect style. Leaders need to develop their own. Still can Bennis and his co-author Burt Nanus work out some essential similarities

  • Management of attention - You need a vision to focus the mind.
  • Management of meanings - You must be able to communicate the vision.
  • Management of trust - You have to be consistent and credible.
  • Management of Self - One must be aware of his own weaknesses.

In addition, a leader in must be able to

  • To accept criticism when it is justified
  • To change, if it is necessary, and
  • Keep going anyway

His interest in leadership is also reflected in Organizing Genius, where he studied successful team. To be successful, teams must

  • Have a common dream
  • Have members who are willing to subordinate the common their personal dream
  • Have young members who are willing to work long hours
  • Have protection against the " suits " ( the driving management )

From a German perspective, Bennis ' aforementioned findings can easily show up to the 2006 World Cup in the career of former soccer national coach Jürgen Klinsmann and the German national team.

His work on groups led Bennis to the realization that his former concentration may have emphasized on individual leaders individualism too strong and he speaks today preferred over partnership.

Quotes

"Managers are people who do their job properly, while leaders are people who do the right thing. Managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing. "

" The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born - that there is a genetic factor management. This myth reinforces the belief that one has either or not. This is nonsense! The opposite is true leaders are made, not born. This myth asserts did people simply have Either Certain charismatic qualities or not. That's nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made ​​rather than born. "

" ( In the future, problems are solved by ) ... project teams, composed of relative strangers with diverse professional skills ( In future problems will be solved by) task forces composed of relative strangers who represent a diverse set of professional skills. "

" No leader has begun as a leader. People live their lives and express themselves in it to the full. And if this expression is valuable, then they will guide No leader sets out to be a leader. People set out to lead Their Lives, expressing Themselves fully. When that expression is of value, THEY become leaders. "

" Good leaders give people the Chill that they are at the heart of the matter, not at the edge. Everybody feels that he or she make a significant contribution to the success of the organization. When that happens, people feel in balance, and that gives their work meaning. Good leaders make people feel they're did at the heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels he or she did makes a difference to the success of the organization. When did happens, people feel centered, and did Their work gives meaning. "

" The core competency of leadership is character. The core competency of leadership is character. "

Works (selection)

  • Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge. ( with Burt Nanus ), Harper Business 01 /1997, ISBN 0-06-055954-3 -
  • Managing People is Like Herding Cats. Executive Excellence Publishing 01 /1997, ISBN 1-890009-61- X.
  • Organizing Genius: The Secrets of Creative Collaboration.
  • Co - Leaders: The Power of Great Partnerships.
  • Geeks and Geezers: Leading and Learning for a Lifetime. ( with Robert Thomas ), Harvard Business School Press 08/ 2002, ISBN 1-57851-582-3.
  • Learning to Lead: A Workbook on Becoming a Leader. ( with Joan Goldsmith ), Basic Books 10/2003, ISBN 0-7382-0905-8.
  • Managing the Dream: Reflections on Leadership and Change. Perseus Publishing 07/2000, ISBN 0-7382-0332-7.
  • Old Dogs, New Tricks: On Creativity and Collaboration. Executive Excellence Publishing 05/1999, ISBN 1-890009-34-2.
  • On Becoming A Leader: The Leadership Classic Updated And Expanded. Perseus Books 04/ 2003, ISBN 0-7382-0817-5.
  • Organizing Genius: The Secrets of Creative Collaboration. Perseus Books 06 /1998, ISBN 0-201-33989-7.
  • The Temporary Society: What is Happening to Business and Family Life in America Under the Impact of Accelerating Change. ( with Phillip Slater ), Jossey -Bass 10/1998, ISBN 0-7879-4331-2.
  • Why Leaders Can not Lead: The Unconscious Conspiracy Continues. Jossey- Bass 05 /1998, ISBN 0-7879-0943-2.
  • Beyond Bureaucracy: Essays on the Development and Evolution of Human Organization.
  • Beyond Counterfeit Leadership: How You Can Become a More Authentic Leader.
  • Beyond Leadership: Balancing Economics, Ethics and Ecology.
  • The Unreality Industry: The Deliberate Manufacturing of Falsehood and What It Is Doing to Our Lives.
  • Visionary Leadership: Creating a Compelling Sense of Direction for Your Organization.

Sources and References

  • Economist ( 20th century)
  • Military person (United States Army )
  • Carriers of the Bronze Star
  • Carrier of the Purple Heart
  • Americans
  • Born in 1925
  • Man
Bronze Star Medal Buffalo, New York Integrated Authority File
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