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Book Review

Leadership is an Art
By Max DePree

Leadership is much more an art, a belief, a condition of the heart, than a set of things to do.

"This is the best book ever written on the subject of business leadership.”

- James O’Toole, Graduate School of Business University of Southern California

According to DePree, chairman of the board of directors of Herman Miller Inc., the art of leadership is "liberating people to do what is required of them in the most effective and humane way possible."  Thus the leader is the servant of his followers in that he removes the obstacles that prevent them from doing their jobs.  In short, the true leader enables his or her followers to realize their full potential.

  

Here are a few more thoughts from the book:  

The signs of outstanding leadership appear primarily among the followers. Are the followers reaching their potential?  Are they learning?  Serving?  Do they achieve the required results?  Do they change with grace?  Manage conflict?  Try to think about a leader as one who serves.

In addition to all of the ratios and goals and parameters and bottom lines, it is fundamental that leaders endorse a concept of persons.  This begins with an understanding of the diversity of people’s gifts and talents and skills.  Recognizing diversity gives us the chance to provide meaning, fulfillment, and purpose, which are not to be relegated solely to private life any more than such things as love, beauty, and joy.  The art of leadership lies in polishing and liberating and enabling those gifts.

In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.

“This is a wonderful book. It captures Max’s spirit - and he’s a truly exceptional person.  But it also says more about leadership in clearer, more elegant, and more convincing language than many of the much longer books that have been published on the subject.”

- Peter F. Drucker

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