When Opposites Dance: Balancing the Manager and Leader Within [Hardcover]

Roy G. Williams (Author), Terrence E. Deal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 25, 2003

Captures the essence of what it takes to develop new skills for success today: a manager-leader who can balance the coolness of analysis and the warmth of the heart.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Exceptionally well written, personality examining, goal-oriented self-help aid. Very highly recommended for corporate managers and executive policy makers. -- The Bookwatch, October 2003

Firm roots in modern business and culture bring its contents to a level that allows readers to glean valuable ideas. -- Soundview Executive Book Summaries, January 2004

These are great hands-on tactics for realizing an employer's lofty ambition. -- Booklist, October 15, 2003

Treatment of the management-leadership profiles is witty and highly effective due to the use of well known people as examples. -- Stern's Management Review, Sept. 22, 2003

Very good job explaining the difference between managers and leaders. A must-read. Serves as a guide for becoming a manager-leader. -- Asheville (NC) Citizen-Times, March 21, 2004

From the Publisher

The four styles are explained through profiles of these notable figures:

Rationalists (Richard Nixon, Robert Crandall, Pat Summitt) focus on details and leave little to chance and often come across as cold and impersonal.

Politicsts (Lyndon Johnson, Frank Lorenzo, Hillary Clinton) are shrewd and astute in their determination to implement chosen agendas.

Humanists (Jimmy Carter, Donald Burr, Betty Friedan) champion people, facilitate meeting personal needs, and work to liberate human potential.

Culturists (Ronald Reagan, Herb Kelleher, Oprah Winfrey) are symbolic leaders who communicate through stories, rituals, and ceremonies rather than facts or figures.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Nicholas Brealey Publishing (June 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891061797
• ISBN-13: 978-0891061793
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,728,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Balance managerial tendencies against the needs of workers, October 10, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When Opposites Dance: Balancing the Manager and Leader Within (Hardcover)

Expert educators Roy Williams (Adjunct Professor of Leadership, Vanderbilt's Peabody College) and Terrence Deal (University of Southern California) combine their considerable expertise and experience in When Opposites Dance: Balancing The Manager And The Leader Within, to knowledgeably examine the four natural styles of managing and leading (rational, political, humanist, and culturist) and explore how to balance managerial tendencies against the needs of workers within the context of current and volatile situations for optimum productivity. An exceptionally well written, personality examining, and goal-oriented self-help aid, When Opposites Dance is very highly recommended reading for corporate managers and executive policy makers.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When Opposites Dance, September 6, 2003

By 

Dan Francis (Erlanger, Kentucky United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When Opposites Dance: Balancing the Manager and Leader Within (Hardcover)

When I pick up a book I want relevance, clarity, and inspiration. I got all three in this book and that is why I just ordered 10 more copies for my friends!
It is a fabulous read for anyone who takes seriously their journey with self awareness and leadership. The personalites anaylzed are well-known and interesting, the chapters are concise and well-organized and the take-home value is immediate and longlasting.
I would recommend it for anyone who desires a practical mechanism for personal growth and leadership maturation. I intend to use it with all the staff members of the church where I am a pastor. Matter of fact, it would be a great resource for leadership teams to use in team-building opportunities.
Dan Francis

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Know Who You Are and Who You Are Dancing With, September 2, 2003

By 

L. Scott Merritt (Sarasota, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When Opposites Dance: Balancing the Manager and Leader Within (Hardcover)

I found the book superb! It gives a logical spectrum to evaluate yourself and others you deal with. It helps to organize needed communication skills to effectively interact with people of different mindsets. I graded a strong politicist and could see how I need to understand different styles and incorporate them rather than confront in a win/lose scenerio. The book also clearly shows the need for both leaders and managers and that talented, aware people can move between the two. While a book focused on life-approach styles, it subtlely suggests the needed balance in peoples lives between inward(spiritual) and outward(action)components. Those that weren't balanced accomplished goals but significant problems came their way that diminished their effectiveness. The book is useful in business, government, education, the church and anywhere social interaction is required for success.