Management of the AbsurdAn original, contrarian philosophy that challenges today's leaders to look past the quick fix and deal thoughtfully with the real complexities of managing people. In organizations, as in life, human behavior is often irrational -- and problems do not easily lend themselves to the simplistic answers and gimmickry offered in the myriad business "self-help" books and management training programs available today. In Management of the Absurd, Richard Farson zeros in on the paradoxes of communication, the politics of management, and the dilemmas of change, exploring relationships within organizations and offering a unique perspective on the challenges managers face. |
Contents
The Opposite of a Profound Truth Is Also True | 21 |
PART | 29 |
In Management to Be a Professional One Must | 31 |
Once You Find a Management Technique | 35 |
Most Problems That People Have | 42 |
The More We Communicate the Less | 53 |
Listening Is More Difficult Than Talking | 61 |
Every Act Is a Political Act | 71 |
The Better Things Are the Worse They Feel | 92 |
We Think We Want Creativity or Change but | 101 |
Big Changes Are Easier to Make Than Small Ones | 109 |
Everything We Try Works and Nothing Works | 118 |
Organizations Change Most by Surviving | 126 |
Every Great Strength Is a Great Weakness | 137 |
There Are No Leaders There Is Only Leadership | 144 |
Leaders Cannot Be Trained but They Can | 153 |
The Best Resource for the Solution of | 77 |
Organizations That Need Help Most Will Benefit | 85 |
Lost Causes Are the Only Ones Worth | 163 |
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Common terms and phrases
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