What would the world of business be like if it were run by the Greek gods of yore? Would Apollo be the right man at the helm of Acme Widget? What sweeping changes would Athena make if she controlled an ad agency? While this might merely seem like an entertaining concept, it also happens to be an extremely valuable framework for understanding management styles and the corporate cultures associated with them. In The Gods of Management , best-selling author Charles Handy uses four Greek gods to illustrate for managers the ...
Read More
What would the world of business be like if it were run by the Greek gods of yore? Would Apollo be the right man at the helm of Acme Widget? What sweeping changes would Athena make if she controlled an ad agency? While this might merely seem like an entertaining concept, it also happens to be an extremely valuable framework for understanding management styles and the corporate cultures associated with them. In The Gods of Management , best-selling author Charles Handy uses four Greek gods to illustrate for managers the basic approaches they can use in their own businesses. When power radiates throughout the company from a top boss, that would be an example of a Zeus or "club" organization, one that investment banks and brokerage firms often adopt for their corporate climates. An Apollo "role" culture, on the other hand, results in a stable bureaucracy, such as a life insurance company or a firm with a long history of success with a single product. The Athena "task" environment emphasizes talent, youth, and team problem-solving, as we'd find in ad agencies and consultancies. And lastly, a Dionysius "existential" design exists to let individuals achieve their purposes, as in a university or group medical practice. In this thought-provoking volume, Charles Handy shows managers how to be aware of the cultural choices they can make to create a more productive and satisfying workplace.
Read Less
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 272 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
If you've been frustrated using Meyer-Briggs to improve your business communication and team performance, read Handy's humorous and insightful take on organizational culture. I learned that I am an Athenian/Dionysian who works well when managed by Zeuses. Apollonians can still drive me crazy, but I have a deeper respect for why we can't have a healthy organization without a smattering of Apollo and how best to keep the temple guards at bay.
If your bonus depends on putting together a team, or making the people assigned to you fly in formation, this book will help you build mutual respect and assign the right responsibility to the right person(s).
Forget the last chapter, though. Handy is British and for some reason is totally enamored with the federation system. I suspect if he ever actually worked for a government agency, he would realize that they are not the utopia he seems to think they are. I do agree that federations of smaller organizations are the way of the future as Dan Pink first introduced the idea of federations of one in his landmark book, Free Agent Nation. However, Handy's explanation got a bit convoluted for me.
Anyway, Handy's book has much more practical value than moving cheese or throwing fish and even if you are a whiz at guessing someone's Meyers-Briggs acronym, knowing their "Grecian formula" will just be that much more effective!
