Leading Geeks: How to Manage and Lead the People Who Deliver Technology

Winner of the 2003 Financial Times Germany/getAbstract Business & Finance Book Award

Leading Geeks challenges the conventional wisdom that leadership methods are universal and gives executives and managers the understanding they need to manage and lead the technologists on whom they have become so dependent. This much–needed book written in nontechnical language by Paul Glen, a highly acclaimed management consultant gives clear directions on how to effectively lead these brilliant yet notoriously resistant–to–being–managed knowledge workers. Glen not only provides proven management strategies but also background on why traditional approaches often don‘t work with geeks. Leading Geeks describes the beliefs and behavior of geeks, their group dynamics, and the unique nature of technical work. It also offers a unique twelve–part model that explains how knowledge workers deliver value to an organization.

From the Inside Flap
In today‘s business climate, technology drives productivity, and competitiveness and ‘geeks‘ drive technology. More than ever, geeks–– those people who research, develop, design, build, test, install, and support technology–– are a critical factor in every organization‘s success.
Leading Geeks challenges the conventional wisdom that leadership methods are universal and gives executives and managers the understanding they need to manage and lead the technologists on whom they have become so dependent.
This much–needed book–– written in nontechnical language by Paul Glen, a highly acclaimed management consultant–– gives clear directions on how to effectively lead these brilliant yet notoriously resistant–to–being–managed knowledge workers. Glen not only provides proven management strategies but also background on why traditional approaches often don‘t work with geeks.
Leading Geeks describes the beliefs and behavior of geeks, their group dynamics, and the unique nature of technical work. It also offers a unique twelve–part model that explains how knowledge workers deliver value to an organization.
Leading Geeks clarifies the responsibilities and tasks of the geek leader and contrasts them to conventional approaches to leadership. Glen also shows you how to
* Motivate geeks to be productive
* Facilitate productivity within technical groups
* Represent geeks to the world outside the lab and cubicle
* Manage ambiguity to create an environment in which geeks and leaders thrive
* Structure groups of geeks to support an organization
Leading Geeks gives managers the tools they need to transform the chaos of the creative workplace into a coherent and compelling place for geeks to work.

About the Author:

Paul Glen is a management consultant who helps clients build effective technology organizations. For more than fifteen years he has advised clients in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member in the MBA programs at the University of Southern California‘s Marshall School of Business and Loyola Marymount University. Prior to founding C2 Consulting, he was western regional manager for SEI Information Technology, a national IT consultancy. And, yes, he is a geek.