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FIRST
AMONG EQUALS:
How
to Manage a Group of Professionals
The Free Press,
Authors Patrick McKenna & David Maister
ISBN 0-7432-2551-1
FIRST AMONG EQUALS is more than a catchy title
of a book promoted as a guide to managing others in professional environments.
When you finish reading this book and the depth of knowledge presented by its
authors, you will agree that it is first among equals. Often times books written by two authors come across as disjointed
or unconnected. However, McKenna & Maister seem
to complement each other’s skills very well and the end result is clearly
evident.
FIRST AMONG EQUALS was written to fill a
large need in most modern organizations. Its premise is how to manage a group
and lead them to peak performance without possessing formal authority. Today,
it is common to be leader of a group of individuals without possessing any real
power or authority over the embers of the group. Wise leaders also know that
even if they do have formal authority over others, the high
performance leader doesn’t act like they do. Instead, the way to get the most
out of the individuals we serve with is to be primus inter pares, the
first among equals. The authors then boldly take you step by step
through an enlightened process of how to interact with and manage groups as an individual
group leader. McKenna & Maister state in the
introduction that, This is a book about
“doing.” It is not concerned primarily with theories, concepts, or insights.
It’s a book we wish we had read when we were first given the challenge of
leading a group!” This is achieved by providing frank observations,
stirring questions, and wise advice from two respected consultants. FIRST
AMONG EQUALS is also replete with quizzes, sidebars and checklists to
enhance your personal growth as a group leader.
Part one of the book deals with
the issue of how to prepare or “get ready” for your role as a group leader. It
discusses how you add value to the group as its leader, and your rights and
responsibilities within this important role. It discusses how you can build
valuable relationships with other members and examine your essential people
skills. It also deals with the question of what it means to be an
inspirational leader.
Part two is a section dedicated
to help you to learn to be a superior personal coach. It shows you how
to get others to accept your guidance. Why unscheduled, informal “one-on-one”
coaching is the most powerful way to improve a group’s success. It deals with
issues of building support for change, helping the underperformers who
need assistance and dealing with the proverbial “prima donnas” or difficult
people.
Part three of FIRST AMONG
EQUALS moves on to the skills needed to coach the team. This part of
the book deals with diverse team leadership topics such as developing group
rules & goals, building trust among members, presenting an exciting
challenge and how to energize group gatherings with good meeting discipline.
This part of the book concludes with a discussion of how to resolve
interpersonal conflicts and how to respond to a group crisis!
Part Four of the book looks to
the future and how to prepare for it. It will show you how to nurture
the next generation of junior staff and insure the success of newly hired
personnel. It also discusses problems associated with group size, and how to
properly measure the groups’ success. The final chapter in the book entitled
“Why Bother” concludes with a summery of the various lists provided throughout
the text grouped by category in an effort to help you implement and synthesize
much of the material.
If you are involved with managing or
leading groups you should buy this book! No matter what level of experience or
expertise you possess, FIRST AMONG EQUALS is a winner and is guaranteed
to broaden your perspective on leading your group to peak performance.
weLEAD rating highly recommended
You can read an exclusive weLEAD interview with Patrick McKenna
and learn more about this book here!
You can read an exclusive weLEAD interview with co-author David Maister here!
Buy
This Book at a Discounted Price Here!
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