Customer Reviews

Management of the Absurd

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

We generally believe that human behavior in a corporate setting is rational, a game with deterministic rules. The implication is that if we can just study the rules well enough, especially by learning them from the right guru, any reasonably talented person will know how to win. An enormous management training industry in books, tapes, seminars, consultants, etc. exists to teach various versions of the rules.

"Management of the Absurd" aims to show how such logical, conventionally-wise approaches to management are just too simplistic, in that they do not take into account the paradoxes inherent in human nature. In much the same way that the financial decisions of real people, taken individually, are much more complicated and unpredictable than the simple-minded 'homo economicus' which basic economics requires for its explanations, the workplace behavior of real people is much more complex than typical management theories are able to capture.

Parent-child and boss-employee relationships are hardly analogous, but a parallel can be usefully drawn between management training and parenting manuals. No one expects to become a good parent just by reading a book. Similarly, the many aspects of working together successfully in an organizational context are too subtle to effectively systematize. So this book's intent is to describe, not prescribe.

I did not give the book a fifth star because some of the illustrative examples were uninspired: the tired old "lower the truck by letting air out of the tires" anecdote as an example of seeing things from a different angle, the popularity of both fast food and gourmet cookbooks as an example of coexistence of opposites, and a few others. Also some of the observations seemed trite, e.g., "nothing is as invisible as the obvious" and "every great strength is a great weakness". Having said that though, I did find most of the observations to be genuinely thought-provoking. They are listed below in chapter order.

1. the opposite of a profound truth is also true
2. nothing is as invisible as the obvious
3. the more important a relationship, the less skill matters
4. once you find a management technique that works, give it up
5. effective managers are not in control
6. most problems that people have are not problems
7. technology creates the opposite of its intended purpose
8. we think we invent technology, but technology also invents us
9. the more we communicate, the less we communicate
10. in communication, form is more important than content
11. listening is more difficult than talking
12. praising people does not motivate them
13. every act is a political act
14. the best resource for solving any problem is the person or group that presents the problem
15 organizations that need help most will benefit from it least
16. individuals are almost indestructible, but organizations are very fragile
17. the better things are, the worse they feel
18. we think we want creativity or change, but we really don't
19. we want for ourselves not what we are missing, but more of what we already have
20. big changes are easier to make than small ones
21. we learn not from our failures but from our successes -- and the failures of others
22. everything we try works, and nothing works
23. planning is an ineffective way to bring change
24. organizations change most by surviving calamities
25. people we think need changing are pretty good the way they are
26. every great strength is a great weakness
27. morale is unrelated to productivity
28. there are no leaders, there is only leadership
29. the more experienced the managers, the more they trust simple intuition
30. leaders cannot be trained, but they can be educated
31. in management, to be a professional, one must be an amateur
32. lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for
33. my advice is don't take my advice

I enjoyed this book so much I made it required reading in the leadership course that I teach. (Although it is not the ONLY book that I require...linearity has its' place.) Interesting that some of the other reviewers treat the book harshly, if I may paraphrase, because Farson does not provide any "formulas" for leadership. The entire central thesis of the book is that leadership is not about "formulas," it is about finding balance between extremes. It is about paradox. An excellent book to stimulate reflection and introspection; a foolish one if you are bound too heavily by linear thought.

It's amazing this book isn't handed out to every literate adult in America. In so few pages, it completely challenges linear thinking about everything from running a meeting to raising kids, and you'll find yourself constantly finding real-world examples of what he's talking about after you read it. Though much of what he writes may not be new, as he frequently cites the predecessors he learns from, the ingenuity is how he coherently and concisely pulls it all together.

Farson's "Management of the Absurd" addresses business from a perspective rarely represented -- that of a wise man who understands business because he understands people.

Best example: Instead of viewing managing as akin to a sculptor molding clay into the desired form, Farson suggests that the very best a manager can hope for is to fall into a pile of clay and make an impression...

In other words, Who you are is more important than what you do.

Great advice for managers who substitute management techniques for integrity and character.

How or why I picked this book from the shelf, I don't know. Perhaps the word "Absurd" was so provocative that I was drawn to the book.

At any rate, this is certainly a must-read for anyone in business who struggles to be a leader - which Farson defines using Bennis' definition - one who does the right thing rather than one who does a thing right.

Too much time is spent in business doing the wrong thing right. We try to change organizations by changing the individuals most in need of change. Wrong, says Farson. Focus change on those who need to change least, because they are capable of changing most. Farson comments on technology, individuals, organizations, relationships, and much more. If you feel you cover lots of ground only to end up back where you where, I advise you to create a new perspective on your efforts by reading this book.

Farson has some great insights, many of which he identifies by reference to the noted psychologist Carl Rogers. Much of this book boils down to a realistic approach to managing people, and if you do manage people, that means managing yourself and how you come across to them. Farson can't stand know-it-all checklists, and he also points out that work is like life--there are things we all dislike, but interspersed with things that we value highly and would not change. People at work adapt amazingly well to bad conditions, and are much smarter than many "checklist" idiots give them credit for. Farson explores paradoxes of what does and does not work in a given situation (hence, the absurd angle, when the same thing works, yet does not work). The chapters are short. You can read them in traffic jams. If this book were longer, or more complex, it would not be as good.

This book may be listed under 'management' in the bookstore, but it's just as good for sole-proprieters, teachers, or even parents looking for new ideas on problem-solving. Farson's book is really about being self-aware, about learning how to step outside of a 'formula' mentality and see the deadly irony that sometimes the perfect approach under perfect conditions leads you exactly nowhere. Nonetheless, this same approach may be perfect the next time, so don't give it up. Just, well... just accept that both can be true, that's all.
One example that he gave was technology. Take the washing machine: for many years most people didn't have one, and women would often spend a full day--10 or 12 hours--doing all the wash for one week. Of course, the invention of the automatic washing machine would change all this, cutting down time and making the job and its speed so much faster. In hindsight, it's a technology that today we couldn't imagine living without.
So what happened?
Well, instead of having all this time, all this new convenience, we basically raised our expectations about clean clothes. 50 or 100 years ago people might wear something 4 or 5 times before washing a typical garment. Today, most of us wash something after one use. The new 'convenience' was in essence a gateway to a new standard--and suddenly the 'convenience' had practically disappeared.
The book is riddled with many such examples--how the best way to oversee is to let go, how to lead is not by demonstrating, etc. The book itself lives the same contradiction: it's title is just okay, I'm not a manager, and how can you possibly apply the theory that the opposite of a truth is very often just as true? I guess you can't. And yet, in spite of this, I consider it the best business book I've ever read, one that I will read over and over for many years to come.
Go figure.

After reading books that talk about 10 effective ways to leadership and 5 different ways to managing, this book was an eyeopener. It is business wisdom in action and I read this book at least 25 times and each and every time, its originality in managament thoughts stunned me. a must read for anyone interested in the philosophy side of management.

For me, the core of Richard Farson's message is that "individuals are resilient and relationships are fragile." On page 91 he writes about the impact of parental rejection, marital strife and problems with bosses; and about the devastating impact of isolation, alienation and erosion of community. What this means for managers and others in the workplace, as I see it, is that although self improvement and individual achievement are vital components of success, cultivating relationships is what matters most. And, you will be interested to read that this is more complicated and easier to accomplish than one might imagine. If my last statement is a little confounding, it will prepare you for even more confounding moments reading Management of the Absurd. One of the things that I love about the book is that you need not read it from front to back. For example, I started from back to front and then skipped about going from one fascinating section title to another. The author cautions in the end, "My advice is don't take my advice." Other examples? Chapter 27, "Morale is Unrelated to Productivity;" and Chapter 12, "Praising People Does not Motivate Them." I recommend this 172 page book of refreshing insights and ideas that are sure to, as (I think) Fritz Perls once said, lead you to "lose your mind and come to your senses." So don't take my word for it. After all, who am I? Instead, look at the credits inside the book cover and you will see that two smart guys from MIT recommend the book. Although I have never heard of them, they probably never heard of me either. But all three of us like this book. So, go get it!

"Management of the Absurd" is very very humorous and easy to read. It cleverly and logically exposes the reasons why quick and simple solutions (for simple minds) will generally fail in human relationships. As I read the book, I was struck by how the author captures the way people actually behave in a personal or business relationship. In the business world, I've noticed that the boss who talks least about integrity, teamwork, empowerment, etc. (all the buzz words) but instead conveys a sense of mutual respect is generally more influential as a leader. That's really what the book is about.