to contribute. This contribution and motivation must be independent from incen-
tives or motivating behaviors” (Malik 2001, p. 95).
Third Principle: Concentration on Quality, not Quantity
The principle of managing one’s organization or company effectively is of essential
importance. Many companies divide their work forces drastically in order to
become more productive but often lose leadership, cohesion and ultimately effi-
ciency. In the end it is quality, not quantity, that is most important in ensuring a
company’s longevity and success. Effective leadership is only possible by focusing
on a small number of carefully selected goals or opportunities. It is imperative that
companies are networked and interactive in our highly technological world. Con-
centration on the keys to a successful business requires self-discipline and setting
priorities. It also requires a clear, concise organizational structure.
From my own experience, I would also like to stress that “management by
objectives” does not lead to success if there are too many goals and too many
leaders, as the key to this management method is to have only a few, well-defined
goals; further, the employees involved are knowledgeable and committed until the
final product evolves. These goals are even reflected in the smallest tasks and at the
lowest levels. Managers should be able to summarize their goals for the coming
year on a half-page of paper.
Physical or manual labor requires little intellectual work. Yet reaching mental
achievements or pursuing thought processes takes large, uninterrupted segments of
time. At today’s workplaces, management is constantly being interrupted and
thought processes are rechanneled or put on hold. Time is one of our most precious
resources and it is often insufficiently used or wasted by upper-level management.
Malik poses the question, “What surgeon allows himself or herself to be interrupted
by a telephone call during open heart surgery?” Many managers have difficulties
suitably managing themselves and their own time. Their hours spent at work are
long but often lack in productivity – a serious problem, as leadership always begins
with leading ourselves.
Fourth Principle: Putting Strengths to Good Use
It is completely logical that one uses knowledge already present more efficiently
than starting with zero and accruing new knowledge. Nevertheless, most managers
do not follow this simple principle. Managers seek to minimize their employees’
weaknesses rather than focusing on their strengths. “The principle of putting stren-
gths to best use has enormous consequences for everything to do with people – for
the selection and training of employees, filling vacancies, for performance reviews
and for potential analysis” (Malik 2001, p. 114). Consistent evaluation of the
employees’ strengths may seem redundant to management, yet this evaluation
will provide a slimmer, simpler and more efficient team of employees. Malik
suggests that neglecting this evaluation and not focusing on employee strengths
may have disastrous effects for organizations.
The acknowledgement and utilization of employees’ strengths is based on the
assumption that managers actually recognize them. People tend to see negatives or
weaknesses more readily than they see positives or strengths in others or themselves.
32 2 Occupation or Calling: What Makes for Good Leadership?