Redesigning Leadership (Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life) [Hardcover]

John Maeda (Author), Rebecca J Bermont (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 25, 2011 | Series: Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life

When designer and computer scientist John Maeda was tapped to be president of the celebrated Rhode Island School of Design in 2008, he had to learn how to be a leader quickly. He had to transform himself from a tenured professor--with a love of argument for argument's sake and the freedom to experiment--into the head of a hierarchical organization. The professor is free to speak his mind against "the man." The college president is "the man." Maeda has had to teach himself, through trial and error, about leadership. In Redesigning Leadership, he shares his learning process. Maeda, writing as an artist and designer, a technologist, and a professor, discusses intuition and risk-taking, "transparency," and all the things that a conversation can do that an email can't. In his transition from MIT to RISD he finds that the most effective way to pull people together is not social networking but free food. Leading a team? The best way for a leader to leverage the collective power of a team is to reveal his or her own humanity. Asked if he has stopped designing, Maeda replied (via Twitter) "I'm designing how to talk about/with/for our #RISD community." Maeda's creative nature makes him a different sort of leader--one who prizes experimentation, honest critique, and learning as you go. With Redesigning Leadership, he uses his experience to reveal a new model of leadership for the next generation of leaders.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Redesigning Leadership is a gem of a book, and like a genuine gem is compact, short, succinct and a pleasure to read." -- Mohsen Shahmanesh, Design Talks

"It's short, beautifully designed and produced... There's none of the usual guff that afflicts the genre. Intead, clear crisp prose, a lot of common sense, and some points that were either new to me or worth reaffirming." -- The Enlightened Economist

"John Maeda adroitly separates and then blends perspectives on leadership--macro and micro, personal and institutional, familial and cultural--finding the connectivity among each. Whether you're a seasoned leader or just beginning to learn what leadership means, this book will help clarify what it means to you, to effectively lead others." -- Will Setliff , Vice President of Marketing, Target

"John Maeda is one of the most insightful thinkers on creativity and innovation in America. Plainspoken but playful, Redesigning Leadership offers Maeda's unique take on creative leadership." -- Roger Martin , Dean, Rotman School of Management

"John Maeda's roots as the son of an immigrant Japanese family, his visionary work in technology and design, and now his leadership of some of the most talented young people of this generation at RISD, give him a unique set of skills to lead. Redesigning Leadership is an important personal diary on the art, science and humanity of inspiration." -- John C. Jay , Global Executive Creative Director, Wieden + Kennedy

"No one but John Maeda can give us the secrets of simplicity and the power that comes through simply leading. This is a contemporary leader's handbook." -- Beth Comstock , Chief Marketing Officer, GE

About the Author

John Maeda is President of Rhode Island School of Design and former Associate Director of the MIT Media Lab. In 2008 Esquire magazine named Maeda one of the 75 most influential people of the twenty-first century. He is the author of The Laws of Simplicity (MIT Press, 2006) and other books.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press; New edition (April 25, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262015889
• ISBN-13: 978-0262015882
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.2 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #164,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Graphic designer, visual artist, and computer scientist John Maeda is President of the Rhode Island School of Design and founder of the SIMPLICITY Consortium at the MIT Media Lab. His work has been exhibited in Tokyo, New York, London, and Paris and is in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. He is the recipient of many awards, including the Smithsonian Institution National Design Award in the United States, the Raymond Loewy Foundation Prize in Germany, and the Mainichi Design Prize in Japan.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Simple does not follow from short June 15, 2011

By Gary

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this book because it was reviewed in the publication Nature. It is a short book, at only 80 pages, and is ghost written with Becky Bermont. Those should have been warnings. The author, John Maeda, conveys some of his wisdom through tweets he has sent. I think he may have been trying to capture the same feeling in this book by keeping it short. However, I found little insight into the skills of leadership. Maeda was appointed president of the Rhode Island School of Design and uses this to discuss areas he's had problems with and how he resolved it. However, some of the insights, like "you'll come across people you don't agree with and still have to listen to them" (my paraphrase) just aren't that interesting. Likewise, some books shouldn't be written, and I think this may be one of them.

2.0 out of 5 stars Pretty but empty. January 9, 2012

By monique18

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I truly hate to say this, but I was not inspired, enlightened, or impressed at all. Hearing Jon Maeda speak made me curious about this book, but unfortunately his ramblings were not particularly insightful. It opens with a note from his (co-writer?)Becky who acknowledges his unorthodox method of creating the book - he attempted to design the book before writing it - and quite frankly, it shows. The gold edging is the nicest part about it.

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice contribution to the subject of leadership December 27, 2011

By James Wu

Format:Hardcover

This is a nice contribution to the subject of leadership, which often glosses over the role of creativity and empathy (as informed and nurtured by art/design) in creating effective leaders. The book just scratches the surface on the subject, floating from idea to idea, but between the lines there's a lot of substance worth unpacking and exploring.