Managing Einsteins: Leading High-Tech Workers in the Digital Age
Author: John M.,Dr. Ivancevich, Thomas N.,Dr. Duening, Dr John Ivancevich
List Price: $24.95
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ISBN: 0071375007
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Trade (25 September, 2001)
Sales Rank: 112,434
Average Customer Rating: 3.71 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
Good Information and Resource
The authors have done a good job of defining the needs, wants, and motivations of high tech workers(Einsteins). I've personally worked with many Einsteins and see them reflected in many of the lessons provided in this book. I recently attended a CIO forum with Executives from large corporations and found much of what they said about retaining "Einsteins" mirror information in the book. As the moderator was metioning alternative sources on the topic of high tech personnel, I referred her and others in the audience to this book, which lead to a platform discussion ending the forum. I recommend it to anyone who is responsible for managing high tech workers. While this book is not the last word, the authors have developed a good introduction to an important topic.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Good Information and Resource
The authors have done a good job of defining the needs, wants, and motivations of high tech workers(Einsteins). I've personally worked with many Einsteins and see them reflected in many of the lessons provided in this book. I recently attended a CIO forum with Executives from large corporations and found much of what they said about retaining "Einsteins" mirror information in the book. As the moderator was metioning alternative sources on the topic of high tech personnel, I referred her and others in the audience to this book, which lead to a platform discussion ending the forum. I recommend it to anyone who is responsible for managing high tech workers. While this book is not the last word, the authors have developed a good introduction to an
important topic.
Rating: 1 out of 5
OK but only if you're not on the receiving end!
I agree with a couple of the other reviewers here. I think the real problem here is not the 'Einsteins' but the people who believe they are the right people to manage them. In an era that seems to be heading for 'employee talent' being the greatest asset a company has - it's interesting to note in this work, the implied pain and difficulty that this high level talent seems to be causing managers who want to impose their will, and their direction, on potentailly more intellegent, more insightful employees. Real 'Einsteins' (and I'd love someone to tell me I'm one) have huge problems in getting to grips with the infighting and turf battles that seem to dominate the big corporate agendas and their actions. Managing great employees, those with big, well founded ideas on how to progress, seems to cause these corporate politicians and career climbers a big problem - "Einsteins" are a significant threat to them. "Einsteins" know stuff they don't even begin to understand, they do unusual stuff - they are not scared - they speak to real customers on the front line, they talk to the sales guys and find out what's actually happening - not what the politicians tell them. Political managers see these guys as breaking ranks and telling it as it is - and that's political death. "Einsteins" see it as revitalising a dying corporations, breathing life back into the guys on the front line, the excitement that keeps the revenues flowing.The problem is not managing the talent - the problem is managers are often too weak and insecure to give them some more freedom and some delagated power to try the new stuff.
That's why in the end 'Einsteins' leave big corpoartes to their fate and go at it with outfits who appreciate them.
I'm sure the book will have a huge uptake in corporates and lengthen their core problems - weak management that has poor track credibility. i.e. Wouldn't you just love to fly on a airplane where the captain "is a people manager with great listening skills and big picture awareness, but can't actually fly an airplane," and someone lower in the management order actually flys and navigates. Would you write a book to promote that? In the Royal Airforce in the UK, every officer who gets to the senior ranks, has been a pilot for some years earlier in their career - do you think the RAF know something these writers don't?
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