Leadership - What Really Matters: A Handbook on Systemic Leadership (Management for Professionals)

tools Malik himself has recommended. He even suggests doing away with the term
“motivation” entirely. Sprenger would also agree with Malik on this point, although
for other reasons.
For Malik, management is a teaching occupation, like many others: “As one can
see, management must only be learned once, provided it is correctly and profes-
sionally done. Once it has been learned, one can apply it step-by-step to more
difficult problems and complex situations. That is not to say, however, that one
has ever learned all there is to know when it comes to management” (Malik 2001,
p. 274) (Fig.2.1).

2.1.2.3 The Tools

In order to perform their duties, effective managers must possess a certain set of
tools. Mastering certain tools, along with the tasks involved, defines an occupation.
Mastering tools takes practice and dedication; however, Malik adds, it also requires
a certain degree of talent. So perhaps it’s not just a question of technique?
Malik describes seven tools consistently used by all upper-level managers in
every organization: the meeting, the report, job design and assignment control, the
personal working methods, the budget, the performance review, and the systematic
disposal of useless things. Superficially the tools appear quite simple, but they are
necessary for the work of both service and knowledge organizations. By properly
using these tools, managers can master a much larger volume of complex work.

First Tool: The Meeting
Most managers spend 60% of their time in meetings. Most admit that the majority
of the time spent in meetings is not productive, and that the meetings are run

leadership tools

communication

basic principles of effective leadership

communication

reports and

written

communication

job design and

assignment

control

individual work

methods

budgets and

budgeting

assessing

performance

systematic

removal of

garbage

leadership tasks

conferences supplying goals organizing decision-making

controlling,

measuring,

evaluating

human

resources

development

Fig. 2.1 The leader’s tools (Source: Malik 2001)

40 2 Occupation or Calling: What Makes for Good Leadership?