100 Pounds of Dynamite

I also read Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths And Total Nonsense: Profiting From Evidence-Based Management by Jeffrey Pfeffer & Robert I. Sutton this weekend. It was not as quick a read, but very interesting.

The authors introduce the idea of “evidence-based management”. Like evidence-based medicine, evidence-based management is a technique that calls for managers, at every level, to look at the evidence available for management practices. A very common sense, and practical idea, but one that is overlooked all too often.

The discuss the theory of evidence based management in the first sections of the book, but bulk of the book is dedicated to debunking “half truths”. Half truths in this case are management practices that may seem entirely intuitive, and are in common practice, but don’t really have any significant supporting evidence.

They give examples that debunk the efficacy of pay-for-performance incentives, “the war on talent” and overreliance on a small group of leaders.

As a manager at a company that espouses many of the practices they debunk, its a funny position to be in. I do feel that I’m armed with more knowledge and almost “allowed” to assess management processes with more of a sicentific rigor. Too bad I’m moving on to non-management position next month Its still useful though. Perhaps I can influence my next manager, and I know that I’ll carry it with me in the future when I’m a manager again.

If you are a manager, this is a great book for you to look into.