Feiner is fine on leadership.

The Feiner Points of Leadership, print, 2004, 282pp., Warner Books, Inc. (800-759-0190, www.twbookmark.com), $25.

When I learned that I was going to review The Feiner Points of Leadership, I thought, "Oh, no, not another leadership book." When I finished the book, my thinking had changed dramatically: "This is the book I've been hoping for book and didn't know it."

WHO IS MICHAEL FEINER?

Michael Feiner was an executive at PepsiCo. He is currently a management consultant and also teaches High Performance Leadership at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business.

WHAT'S IN THE BOOK?

The Feiner Points of Leadership has four parts:

Part I: What Is Leadership?

Explores the differences between leadership and management

Part II: Relational Leadership

Examines how a leader relates with subordinates, bosses, teams, and peers

Part III: Situation Specific Leadership

Discusses leading conflict, change, and differences

Part IV: Values-Based Leadership

Deals with two basic reasons why leaders and their organizations fail. The first reason is the lack of genuine pushback to the "big dogs"--the bosses. It focuses on the organization. The second reason is the danger that leaders will be seduced by pride, greed, and ambition. This area provides a top-down look. These two reasons together form the final, and most essential, ingredient that enables a leader to convince people to follow him or her: the leader's value system.

Also included in the Appendix in Part IV is a handy tool, The Laws Matrix, which serves as an easy-to-use quick reference guide. The matrix refers the reader to the specific laws that cover a myriad of unfortunately common scenarios such as "My boss is indecisive" or "My team seems discouraged and worn-out" or "Some people seem resistant to a change that has been announced."

HOW GOOD IS THE BOOK?

The Feiner Points of Leadership gives the reader 50 basic laws of leadership based upon the leader's values. Values-based leadership is the essential element that has been missing from the corporate world for too long. The lack of values-based leadership enabled fiascos like Enron to occur. Feiner provides the reader with ample opportunities to learn about the leadership approaches that work as well as those that don't. His uncomplicated teaching style connects sound business strategies with genuine scenarios provided courtesy of his numerous experiences as a business leader and a management consultant. Both seasoned and new leaders will find themselves referring often to the laws and lessons in this book.

I was intrigued when I read the following passage in the introduction:

      I want to provide Leaders with a visceral understanding of how
      crucial their value system is in motivating, galvanizing, and
      energizing people to achieve the great results they're under such
      tremendous pressure to produce, and to show them how to achieve
      those results without breaking the law, without cooking the books,
      and without violating people's need for dignity and respect.

I thought that that was a lofty goal. After reading the book, I am convinced that Michael Feiner succeeded in achieving his goal. This is a book whose time has come. It is a must-have for those folks in the business world who are sincerely committed to becoming a leader in the best sense of the word.

To an excerpt from the book, use this URL:

http://www.twbookmark.com/books/19/0446532762/chapter_excerpt18589.html

RECOMMENDATION

The Feiner Points of Leadership is an insightful and practical book. It provides useful insights, case studies, and key points to consider. It goes far beyond the what and how of leadership. The book is a useful addition to the resource library of leaders and to those of us who consult with, coach, or teach leaders.

The Feiner Points of Leadership star rating

CATEGORY

Holds reader interest  3.5
Instructional value    4
Self-study value       3.5
Value of content       3.5
Value for the money    3.5
Overall rating         3.5