With today's managers under enormous pressure to produce results,
the guru trade is growing. "Anything - an idea, a tool, a word -
that can keep them ahead of the pack is fair game," says Stuart
Crainer,
author of
The Ultimate Book of Business Gurus.
"Gurus provide neatly packaged solutions or responses to managerial
problems. The ones who succeed are adept at packaging and
presentation. They virtually all have an overdeveloped eye for
publicity." Crainer believes the popularity of management gurus is
unlikely to wane anytime soon. As long as companies troll for
answers, they'll listen to their consultants. "Practical
application of most business ideas is a rarity," he explains.
"Management is a magpie science, picking up pieces of wisdom from
all over the place, and managers are natural magpies, picking up
pearls of wisdom where they find them."
Just like the philosophers of old, today's gurus have their own
individual management bent, their own following, their own claims
to fame. If you're wondering who's that consultant stepping out of
the limo in front of HQ - and want a peek at the philosophy you'll
soon be hearing - here's a guide to the likely suspects.
WARREN BENNIS
Born: 1925
Pedigree: Professor, Marshall School of Business, University
of Southern California
Education: PhD, economics and social science, MIT
Speaking Fee: Rarely accepts speaking engagements
Shtick: Leadership, leadership, leadership
Bio: Distinguished Professor of Business Administration at
the
University of Southern California and founding chairman of
USC's Leadership Institute, Bennis has written 27 books, including
On Becoming a Leader (which was translated into 22 languages).
Although Bennis has never craved the limelight, the advisor to four
U.S. presidents has emerged as an intellectual heavyweight. His
books examine the qualities that make a great executive; vision,
purpose, and a point of view are all central themes. But he also
points out that managers must recognize their limitations and focus
on only the most essential tasks.