Do Nothing!: How to Stop Overmanaging and Become a Great Leader [Hardcover]

J. Keith Murnighan (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 14, 2012

Imagine you’ve just come back to work after a two-week vacation during which you actually relaxed, without calling in or checking e-mail. You discover that there are no pressing issues and that, on the contrary, your team scored a big new customer and fixed a nagging problem during your absence. No red flags or fires to put out.

 

Sadly, for most leaders this scenario is only a dream. They constantly check on what’s happen­ing because they expect the worst (and usually get it). But Keith Murnighan shows that not only is “do nothing” leadership possible, it is also far more effective than doing too much.

 

Great leaders don’t work; they facilitate and orchestrate. They think of great strategies and help others implement them. They spend their time preparing for the future. They take a comprehensive view of their terrain while also noticing key details so they can confidently choose the right forks in the road.

In other words, great leaders don’t do any­thing—except think, make key decisions, help people do their jobs better, and add a touch of organizational control to make sure the final recipes come out okay. In sharp contrast, most leaders are too busy actually working to do these things—and their teams suffer as a result.

 

Do Nothing!’s practical strategies and true stories will show you how to set high expec­tations for your team and watch it rise to the challenge. It will help you establish a healthier culture by trusting people more than they expect to be trusted. And it will help you overcome your natural tendencies toward micromanagement so you can let people do their jobs—even when you know you could do their jobs better.

 

As Murnighan writes, “My experience suggests that you will be surprised—wildly surprised. Peo­ple on your team will reveal skills you never knew they had and will accomplish things that go far beyond your estimate of their capabilities. They might not do things the way you would do them, but they will get results you never expected. Every­one has hidden talents, and most leaders never discover them. Before you reject this approach, ask yourself: what if you did nothing and it actu­ally worked?”

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Murnighan uses rigorous research to provide detailed advice that will help leaders do their jobs better, develop more adept and committed followers, and suffer from less stress and overwork. Even though most business books present new wine in old bottles, Do Nothing! is the rare book that provides a refreshing perspective and tangible advice on leadership that isn’t available anyplace else.”

—ROBERT I. SUTTON, author of The No Asshole Rule

 

“With Do Nothing!, Keith Murnighan has clearly done something—something sig­nificant. He’s reconceptualized the idea of effective leadership through a compelling analysis that allows existing and prospective leaders to see how to work both less and better at their craft.”

—ROBERT B. CIALDINI, author of Influence

 

“Too often, new leaders find it difficult to delegate previous responsibilities or create a sea of activity during times of crisis. Instead, fighting these tendencies will lead to more effective leadership. Murnighan does a fantastic job demonstrating how this contrarian approach can actually be applied successfully in business. A must read.”

—MATTHEW B. McCALL, partner, New World Ventures

 

“Murnighan has, in what is both a unique and an innovative turnaround, identified that, contrary to popular opinion, leadership turns out to be as much about what you don’t do as what you do. The best leaders today and in the future will look more like basketball coaches than great players, rarely engaging in the day-to-day delivery but more often focused on strategy and doing little other than letting great players run with the ball.”

—GLEN TULLMAN, CEO, Allscripts

 

“Do Nothing! provides a unique and somewhat counterintuitive approach to running a business. By moving away from micromanaging, Keith tells us that we can help employ­ees grow and give ourselves more time to focus on the bigger picture. This valuable guide will help everyone who reads it to manage better and accomplish more.”

—MICHAEL REINSDORF, president, Chicago Bulls

About the Author

J. KEITH MURNIGHAN is an award-winning professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and an active consul­tant and trainer for a host of companies around the world. His research has been cited in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Econo­mist, and Forbes. He lives in Evanston, Illinois.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Portfolio Hardcover; First Edition edition (June 14, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591845300
• ISBN-13: 978-1591845300
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,248 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars How to lead more effectively by doing less and helping others to do more...and do it better June 14, 2012

By Robert Morris HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

The title of this book attracts attention but is misleading. It implies that J. Keith Murnighan emphatically recommends that leaders literally do nothing. On the contrary, he has written a book--and a quite valuable book - in which he explains how to lead more effectively by doing less so that others can more...and do it better as they "learn by doing" rather than by admonition or passive observation. As is also true of countless other business books, the subtitle is far more informative than is the title. "In other words," Murnighan suggests, "stop working and start leading."

As he notes, here's a familiar challenge: "Things [begin italics] are [end italics] simpler when other people are in charge and you don't have to make big decisions. Taking over as a leader means that you must depart from the comfort of the status quo, and the anxiety, fear, and uncertainty that accompany your excitement really are noxious. To avoid these feelings, people naturally fall back on what's familiar and certain - that is, what they know how to do. Unfortunately, this can be truly counterproductive." Why? There are some tasks best completed by a leader; most other tasks can - and should - be completed by others (i.e. direct reports). No one person can do [begin italics] everything [end italics]. Leaders should commit most of their time and energy to being facilitators and orchestators.

I agree with Murnighan's analogy: "When things are really clicking, work will be like the performance of a great Beethoven symphony, with the notes in the right place, the crescendos coming on time, and at the end, a feeling of exhilaration at your collective accomplishments. Leaders and their teams [begin italics] never [end italics] experience this kind of thrill when leaders do too much." Quite true. The results are even worse, however, if leaders do nothing.

Here are several of the passages in Murnighan's book that caught my eye:

o A `litmus test" to determine whether or not you are doing too much (Pages 18-19)
o "Five Natural Problems of Individuals as Leaders" (40-51)
o A Japanese proverb ("Every stranger is a thief") and a rational model for building trust (86-88)
o "Door Fasteners" and "Dental Work": Two examples of why "Effective leadership is lonely" (128-132)
o Defining characteristics of a "profit-maximizing company" (161-163)
o Mini-profile of Norbert Brainin, the first violinist of the Amadeus String Quartet (183-187)

No brief commentary such as this one can do full justice to the scope and depth of information, insights, and counsel that Keith Murnighan provides within this volume. One of the core principles that he affirms throughout the narrative is rightsizing. However, it remains for each reader to determine the nature and extent of what is appropriate to her or his own circumstances insofar as two critical issues are concerned: division of labor and allocation of resources. The challenge and (yes) the opportunity is to determine correct proportionality (i.e. rightsizing) at any given time, in any given situation. That is a determination that only a leader should make, albeit after consultation with associates, and it will ultimately determine the success or failure of the given enterprise.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Orchestrator-Style Leadership in a Disruptive World June 17, 2012

By Kare Anderson VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

1. Be clear about your top goal for your group, whether it is a team or a whole organization.
2. Step into the shoes of those you lead, assume the best and provide them with the resources they need to succeed
3. THEN get out of their way, except when your orchestration is needed.

That seems simply yet, as I, and probably you, have experienced, first hand, it is remarkably rare. That's why Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management professor, J Keith Murnigham in his book, Do Nothing! lays out a rationale and road map to move away from micro-managing to "leading, facilitating and orchestrating." Not surprisingly Keith is a fan of Carol Dweck's advocacy of a growth Mindset - a book I heartily recommend Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

I agree with much of the common sense, general advice in his book, such as "doing too much is far worse than doing too little," yet in business as in art, it is often a matter of exactly where you draw the line.

He writes, "When things are really clicking, work will be like the performance of a great Beethoven symphony, with the notes in the right place, the crescendos coming on time, and at the end, a feeling of exhilaration at your collective accomplishments." I also know that feeling, first hand, when at the Wall Street Journal, with a bureau chief who seemed to know how to bring out the unique talents of each of us, and when to have a tight rein and when to let it loose. The art in leading or managing, it seems to me is in know when to do both, especially in times of internal conflict where I would have liked to have read more advice from Murnigham.

I disagree, in one small way, with his advice to "Dan" a great IT guy who was promoted up the organization and away from a place where he could use his IT skills: "He really didn't want to give up the skills he had worked so hard to perfect. His predicament is true of every leader: when you get promoted, you can't rely on your technical skills any more."

Some people who have great mastery of a needed skill are more valuable to the organization and will experience more meaning and satisfaction if they can continue to use those skills and have a separate promotional track in their firm, as 3M provided at one time. Plus, in an increasingly self-organized and disruptive world, the skills of initiating and participating in collaboration may be at least as valuable as traditional leadership skills. Companies that support self-organizing to capture an opportunity or solve a problem may thrive more than those that cite "leadership" as a top skill. This book indirectly supports that notion - set the vision, supply the resources and get out of the way of your people so they can perform at their best.

He cites some research and resultant insights not usually in a business book such as overcoming the empathy gap and the concrete benefits of starting from a place of trust in those you lead. One of my favorite examples about facilitative, collective team work is on page 111 where he describes how cardiac surgery teams, in learning a new and much less invasive surgical technique must move from a surgeon-as-God format to one in which everyone of the team is seeing different information on the technology they are responsible for and thus the team must be in constant verbal communication to perform at their best. Everyone must listen to and respond to everyone. This is an apt metaphor for many other kinds of work situations. In fact, it would probably serve us well if those in other sectors, such as politicians, were somehow forced/rewarded to act similarly yet I cannot think of a scenario in which that might happen.... unfortunately.

I recommend this book as a strong primer for today's leaders, with its focus on providing a clear vision, being transparent, facilitative and seeing yourself as an orchestrator rather than the boss who gives orders. If you follow this approach you will probably feel better when you answer Clay Christensen's question, How Will You Measure Your Life How Will You Measure Your Life? As apt companion books I recommend Great by ChoiceGreat by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck--Why Some Thrive Despite Them All, Willpower Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength, The Business Model Innovation Factory The Business Model Innovation Factory: How to Stay Relevant When The World is Changing, Collaboration Collaboration: How Leaders Avoid the Traps, Create Unity, and Reap Big Results and Little Bets Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Book!! July 4, 2012

By Bob Burg

Format:Hardcover

While I don't like the title for what it seems to imply, early on in the book he explains very nicely what he actually means.

On the other hand, the subtitle is perfect: "How to Stop Overmanaging and Become a Great Leader." Yes, perfect description, indeed!

The book was written by noted consultant and award-winning professor, J. Keith Murnighan (pronounced, Mernyin) of the prestigious Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His basic premise is that most leaders do too much actual work themselves. And, when they do, they cannot be as effective, thoughtful, or as strategic as they might otherwise be. More than that, their team members are underutilized and under-challenged.

This makes a lot of sense as many leaders, by their very nature, combine confidence in themselves with a lack of confidence - or trust - that others can do as good a job as they can.

Professor Murnighan suggests that instead, leaders should focus their attention on the areas that will leverage organizational success. He says they should think, make key decisions, help when needed and add some organizational control.

The result: team members reveal skills and performance that far exceed what others might think they are capable of. This increases morale, productivity, and... profitability! Throughout the book, the author raises a number of fascinating insights regarding human motivation and the differences in thought processes. I especially enjoyed learning about the differences in "fixed mindset" and "growth mindset." Really, the more I think about it, the author is a master in terms of what moves people.

This is a book filled with wisdom that can benefit all who embrace his teachings.

One of the many golden nuggets throughout the book that I enjoyed was what Professor Murnighan calls, The Leadership Law: "Think of the reaction that you want first, then determine the actions you can take to maximize the chances that those reactions will actually happen." Following just that one piece of advice can make a huge difference in one's effectiveness as a leader.

My suggestion is to not stop there, however. If you're a leader and wish to be a lot more effective, or if you feel that one day you might be in a position of leadership and want to add as much value as you possibly can to your organization and those your organization serves, this is a book you'll want to read, to study, and to keep by your desk as a handy reference.