Speed Lead. Faster, Simpler Ways to Manage People, Projects and Teams in Complex Companies

Citation

Zaman Bin Ahmad, K. (2009), "Speed Lead. Faster, Simpler Ways to Manage People, Projects and Teams in Complex Companies", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 30 No. 8, pp. 778-779. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730911003920

One of the reasons why I chose this book titled Speed Lead was because I thought I could also “speed read” it. Unfortunately, I could not do so as I found that the book was not written in such a way as to facilitate speed reading. Although I do not expect every book on management to be written in such a way, I did expect this book to be written as such. The title Speed Lead was written presumably for leaders who already have too much to do and so very little time on their hands. However, personally I found that the main points in the book were hard to elicit at a glance, and I found that there is little in the way of new knowledge i.e. new insights, which are not already found in management text books.

A summary of the contents of the book is as follows: Chapter 1 discusses the difference between a star group (where the members do not need to interact much) and a spaghetti team (where each member needs to interact with everyone else in the team). The key point made here is that teams function well when they are small but not when they get too large. When it becomes too large, then a group would be better. Chapter 2 mentions that meetings are often a waste of time – a fact that is already obvious to us all. However, it does stipulate that when the objective of the meeting is decision making, then a spaghetti team of up to six people is best whereas to solve problems using different perspectives, six to ten people in a star group would be better. (A star group is where members communicate mostly to their one leader.) This is one of the valuable contributions of the book. However, on the positive side this chapter also gives some tips to conduct effective meetings such as clarifying outcomes, have an agenda beforehand, prepare, avoid irrelevant discussions and avoid interruption from mobile phones.

Chapter 3 outlines communication problems in organisations. The problem is not that there is too little communication. There is too much. This is an interesting point in that so many other books seem to suggest that problems in organisations arise as a result of a lack of communication. This book totally gives a different perspective. This chapter also points out the latest time waster – e‐mails – and how to tackle them. I think there are enough free tips about this on the internet already. Chapter 4 highlights the unique problems of multinational organisations. The advice given is that when making an international call, check the time zone of the person you are calling. Chapter 5 reiterates the current thinking that decentralisation of decision making is better than centralisation. In that way, decisions can be made closer to the source of the action rather than in the central headquarters. Chapter 6 advises readers not to micromanage. If you expect to be informed of everything you will be. Micromanaging also disempowers the workforce. This chapter contains several interesting stories that illustrate this point well.

Chapter 7 takes a different twist. So far this book focused on saving time, simplifying the ways people work together, fewer meetings, less teamwork, more focussed communication and reduced cost. But it can be at the expense of losing a sense of community that holds the organisation together. This chapter talks about the loyalties towards the overseas HQ versus loyalty to the locals. Where do you want the loyalty to lie? That is the question. This is one of the most painful chapters to read because the author goes on for pages and pages (30 to be precise). It is difficult to elicit simple practical advice. Basically, the upper management should be loyal to HQ whereas the lower levels should be locally focussed. The exception is where certain members, regardless of their hierarchy, need to work with counterparts in another country in which case, a sense of community should be built between them. However Chapter 8 is useful to read because it highlights the paradox where companies want diversity, but then mould their employees (through appraisal and reward systems) into clones. Basically, it is about balancing the needs for diversity and inclusivity with the requirement for a coherent shared corporate culture. People are much more able to adopt common practices than common values. Lastly, companies need to balance bureaucracy with relationships. Too much bureaucracy leads to mindless compliance, whereas too much relationship leads to nepotism and reluctance to take tough decisions. The book offers some advice on this.

In conclusion as with all books, it has its strengths and witnesses. On the one hand, there are many useful practical illustrations in the book – it is well organised, indexed and concise. On the other hand, some readers might find the book difficult to read and apply in that the book failed to list the essential points at the end of every chapter – and when it does so occasionally, the points are somewhat obvious and nothing new to someone with an undergraduate degree in business, or someone who browses the internet regularly. Some may even argue that for a busy leader who wants to save time, reading this book may not be a good solution. However, this book does present a fresh and interesting perspective of the well‐written subject of leadership.