The leadership and management skills development is a long process involving knowledge acquisition and application in practice. Many researchers dealt with leadership issues and presented their views on topic’s various aspects. John B. Miner’s (2005) book – Organizational behavior 1: Essential theories of motivation and leadership – is a valuable source on crucial leadership and motivation theories. Despite the descriptions’ brevity, the author also provides theories’ in-depth analysis, which requires some level of knowledge on motivation and leadership for complete understanding.
The book Organizational behavior 1 written by John B. Miner is of considerable interest to everyone developing leadership skills. The author is a well-known specialist in human resources and entrepreneurship and worked to share his knowledge as a professor at several universities, speaker, writer, and consultant (“John B. Miner,” n.d.). His bibliography contains more than 35 books, and his portfolio includes consulting clients such as Western Michigan University, McKinsey & Company, and other institutions (“John B. Miner,” n.d.). The author’s experience and recognition testify to the reliability of the book as a source for education.
Along with the author’s reliability, several additional reasons prompted the study of this book. It contains critical theories on leadership and motivation, considered in the context of their emergence, development, research by various theorists, testing in practice, validity and usefulness. The study and review of fundamental theories, especially in the presented analytical form, are valuable for students and practitioners. The book also has the advantages of all thematic collections, as the author highlighted and gave the theories’ essences for readers, leaving references to many sources that were used.
As noted above, the book is of interest to students and practitioners of disciplines related to management and leadership. In particular, specialists of the human resources department and managers of various offices will learn or recall much helpful information. The study of leadership and management is also necessary for leaders at multiple levels in all institutions, including work with people and some hierarchy. Therefore, the book will benefit those who develop their leadership and managerial qualities.
The book consists of three thematic blocks – a discussion of the scientific method, the theories of motivation, and leadership theories. In the first part, “Scientific Introduction,” the author raises questions about how research is done, ideas appear, and what is the nature of knowledge in the field of organizational behaviour (Miner, 2005). This topic’s disclosure helps to understand better the discussions presented in the following parts of the book. Parts two and three reveal questions of motivational and leadership theories, respectively. At the same time, the information in them is intertwined since the topics are close, and knowledge in them should be applied in an integrated manner. The author discusses such theories as the Motivation-Hygiene Theory developed by Frederick Herzberg, Equity Theory by J. Stacy Adams, Contingency Theory of Leadership by Fred Fiedler, and other approaches. The book contains 19 chapters – two devoted to scientific theory, 9 to motivation, and 8 to leadership.
Studying the book was very exciting and influential for me. The theories themselves and their discussion in the form chosen by the author contribute to the development of critical thinking and the search for causal relationships. In particular, recalling practical cases from work during the theory study, new ideas appear about what actions could be taken. Moreover, theoretical knowledge helps to understand the behaviour of my colleagues and my own. For example, the motivation behind specific actions and cases of its absence to perform some tasks becomes more understandable. Thus, the study of the book influenced my leadership practice through the expansion of knowledge, which can be applied in various situations, their analysis, and decision-making.
The theories described in the book are applicable in different situations in practice. For example, Normal Decision Process Theory and Contingency Theory of Leadership reminded me of the importance of flexibility in leadership behaviour. A professional must evaluate various factors that influence the situation and act on them. In turn, McClelland’s Achievement Motivation theory teaches an individual approach to employees – to determine their personal motivators and choose the appropriate leadership style. However, it is impossible to apply all techniques simultaneously, and for this reason, it is crucial to identify primary gaps that need to be addressed and choose the appropriate theory.
While reading, the book impressed me with its depth and attention to detail. For example, I would like to note that Miner (2005) represents a rating of importance, validity, and usefulness for each theory. The author also clearly and briefly explains theories, their development, and their applications. However, his analysis is profound and requires some knowledge on methodology, motivation, and leadership. For this reason, I perceive the book as a higher-level source – for those who studied leadership and management and want to deepen their knowledge.
Thus, the discussed book will be valuable for students and employees seeking to acquire leadership skills. John B. Miner has comprehensive practical experience in entrepreneurship and human resources, indicating the source’s reliability. The book’s structure comprises several thematic blocks, and the discussion of theories includes their background and assessment. The book is interesting and accurate, and the knowledge contained is applicable in practice. It will be attractive to everyone who wants to be an effective leader and widen their knowledge.
References
John B. Miner. (n.d.).
Miner, J. B. (2005). Organizational behavior 1: Essential theories of motivation and leadership. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.