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The Leader's Handbook

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The Leader's Handbook

Making Things Happen, Getting Things Done

McGraw-Hill,

15 min read
10 take-aways
Text available

What's inside?

Leadership can be learned. You don’t need to possess charisma or a special aura; you need practical advice.

Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

Peter R. Scholtes claims that Knute Rockne’s classic “Win one for the Gipper” speech had nothing to do with Notre Dame’s victory over Army in 1928. What blasphemy! Instead, Scholtes says, Notre Dame won because of its superior “training, conditioning and coaching” – its unbeatable system. Throughout this outstanding business management book, Scholtes insists on the superiority of such team-driven systems, in which every member makes a contribution, over individualistic, top-down management. As a former colleague and disciple of the fabled W. Edwards Deming, who inspired the Japanese method of Total Quality Control, Scholtes speaks and writes with singular authority on this topic. His book is designed to be used, with a spiral binding, charts, bulleted lists, illustrations, sidebars (including the one about Knute Rockne) and suggestions for further reading. getAbstract suggests that if you want to learn more about business management, you’ll score a touchdown when you read this comprehensive guidebook.

Summary

W. Edwards Deming and the Japanese

During the U.S. occupation of Japan after World War II, General Douglas MacArthur summoned statistician and management expert W. Edwards Deming to teach Japanese manufacturers American techniques. The Japanese enthusiastically accepted Deming’s recommendations about production and quality control. Deming’s main point was that everything – manufacturers, customers, suppliers – forms part of a large system. Companies unable to recognize this fact ultimately fail. The Japanese perfected Deming’s ideas, now termed Total Quality Control (TQC). Indeed, they did so well adapting the Deming approach that many American manufacturers went to Japan in the 1980s to learn the following business “secrets”:

  • “The marketplace is now global” – Quality standards are international.
  • “The customer is all-important” – Establish long-term relationships.
  • “Quality is determined by managers” – Good managers make good products.
  • “The chain reaction” – Improving products and processes is the best way to decrease costs and increase market share.
  • “Production is a system” – Companies, suppliers...

About the Author

Peter R. Scholtes is a consultant, lecturer, author and keynote speaker. During the 1990s, Quality Digest rated Scholtes among the top 50 leaders of quality for the decade.

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