Little Book of Big Management Theories, The, 2nd Edition

INTRODUCTION

Dwight D. Eisenhower once described leadership as ‘the art of getting someone else to do something you want because he wants to do it’. While we’re talking about American generals, how about George Patton’s belief that ‘You don’t tell people how to do things, you tell them what you want doing and let them surprise you with the results’. What managers understand is that people are motivated by their own needs, expectations and interests. But great managers know that people also have overarching values that impact on their motivation to do things. Tap into these values and watch the person perform beyond your wildest expectations.

The entries discussed emphasise three broad approaches that writers on motivation have taken. These ...