Why Leaders Can't Lead: The Unconscious Conspiracy Continues

I ordered this book to read for my Educational Leadership class and man oh man was I surprised at how much I enjoyed it. In fact, I'm not sure if I have ever enjoyed an assigned reading so much! Bennis is an excellent writer who writes with passion and motivates you throughout the book. Not only does this book look at leaders throughout history and examine their strengths and downfalls, it simultaneously encourages the reader to look at their own character and pushes them to grow in those areas they might be lacking. Though assigned in graduate school, this book is not an academic style text but instead written as a cry for action for everyone who reads it. Whether you are already a leader or hope to be one in the future, this book is for you.

Purchased this book for suggested reading in a doctorate class. It is your typical book written for people who do not have alot of time to read. Packed with great information that gives a kick to any theme papers, reports or projects. Makes you think. Obviosly, some of his comparison stories are dated, but one can easily fit current events into the examples cited. I would reccomend to anyone studying management or leadership skills.

This book was okay but a challenge to keep focused. Although it had some great tips, I felt like I was going back in time and we really need to read it carefully and pull the good tips to place into today's perspective. Although I love to read, it was a challenge to stay focused on the book so when you begin reading it, stay focused and don't put it down.

This is one of the best books ever written on leadership. I suspect that the poor reviews come from Reagan acolytes since Bennis was willing to tell the world the emperor had no clothes back when it was first written.If you are looking for leadership strategies and tactics, you'll appreciate this book. If you believe the world desperately needs real leadership, you'll want to own this book. However, if you think greed is good and you're more interested in getting "yours" then you shouldn't bother opening the cover.

I really enjoy reading this type of book. It was another great book I've read because it was easy to read. After you read one chapter you can't help but read another.

Usually after I finish reading a book, I put it into the box to go to the thrift stores. Once in a while, though, I toss a book into the trash because it is so bad I want to protect anyone for wasting time and money on it. This is one such book. The first chapter is reasonably worthwhile. After that the book dissipates into unfocused rambling with occasional insults to Republicans. If that's what you like, of course, this is a book for you. I'm not much a fan of unfocused rambling myself.

In reading the other reviews I see a split along political lines. Of course thats true he is a Professor. But the one big takeaway I have never forgotten from this book is the 'unconscious conspiracy'. He's talking about his time in the sixties as President of the University of Cincinnatti. With all the the distractions and upheaval from the war and the times, a leader couldn't get anything done because of what he described as the 'unconscious conspiracy'. Of we look at that theory and put it to the test today its why our so called leaders get nothing done. If there were 5 special interest groups back in the sixties there are 500 today. Without that thought, which I find so true I would have given the book a 2 or 3.

This book is simply about the lack of leadership in America, and the reason behind it. Bennis' main point is that America has turned into a slothful, greed-fueled machine, with managers holding tightly to the nuts and bolts that barely hold it together. He talks about how Martin Luther King Junior, Winston Churchill, Einstein and the like were men of strong moral convictions and men with a "community aspect" in mind. Leaders, successful leaders are not merely men who can hold a machine together, but drive that machine to a better than where it began. Bennis writes immensely on the egocentric America, the one that sits at home in there small suburbia, eating from the microwave and becoming hypnotized by the screen, an America not engaging in life but simply living the easiest life style they can indulge in, at work, home, school, and the rest.He argues that community, not individuality, is the answer for a strong country/organization/college, etc. That while having your own morals, talents, and personality is important (if not essential) they must be used for and with a community if anything is going to improve and or progress. Bennis tells us that the time of the manager will never succeed, and that the time of leaders will always be needed.This book was encouraging and very inspiring to me personally. Not only do I agree with most everything Warren Bennis wrote on a practical sense, but I also agree with the urgency and great need for Leaders that he expresses and believes. There were few (if any) chapters which I did not find myself proclaiming, "I couldn't agree more!" or "Why does no one see this!?". The truths he examines and relates are so elementary but so rich and vital for any conglomeration of people joining together for a common goal that they need to be read, thought through, and applied on a day to day basis.The one thing that stuck out to me which I found issue with was simply that he separated managers and leaders into two different catagories. I believe management is still leadership, simply a different type then most of us think of when we hear the word "LEADER". While I would agree with Bennis that there is an overall lack of Leadership (the way he defined the word), I would disagree with his, what seemed like, disdain for managers. I believe both roles are vital, and that they stem from the same tree.Overall I would highly recommend this book to most anyone, not only for its way of rubbing your eyes open to a truth that stares us in the face day in and day out, but also for the understanding it provides on what our individual roles are as Leaders and Followers in the communities and organizations we are placed in.[....]

La version Kindle a visiblement été faite à partir d'un logiciel de reconnaissance d'écriture mais sans aucune relecture ni correction ce qui rend la lecture de la version numérique très pénible.