By Daniel Pittino
econcise (2022)
Paperback, 163 pages
Reviewed by OMAR OLIPHANT & JAY BRAND
Daniel Pittino’s accessible, timely resource provides for interested readers succinct, fresh insights from the fundamental theories and practical ingredients of leadership. Employing an inviting format featuring workshop-style tasks and activities to illustrate and expand on the conceptual foundations within each chapter, the book highlights the primary influential ideas about leadership using clear, simple language. Navigating a broad sweep of leadership topics, the author immerses readers in practical scholarship that explains the essential dynamics of contemporary leadership sure to appeal to a wide variety of interests. In particular, Pittino— joining other contemporary leadership development gurus—invites leaders to intentional self- awareness and an understanding of their increasingly crucial role in a changing world.
The book could be summarized as a series of conversations with leaders that iterate essential areas of personal growth within a framework that balances theory with practice, self-awareness with “others-consciousness,” and with an appreciation of the contexts and challenges in which the leader- follower relationship occurs. Although informed by relevant research, the book’s contents seem designed primarily for enhancing leader-life practice and personal growth. Indeed, perhaps this area of focus represents its greatest appeal.
The Audience, Style, and Author’s Writing Tools
The author designed the book as a “map” for readers to discover their “own path to becoming an effective leader” (p. 3) and thus uses relevant language, organizational format, images, and tools to assist in the fulfilment of this worthy objective. Although clearly not intended as original theoretical or empirical scholarship on leadership, this text intersperses compelling case studies, illuminating activities, reflective exercises, and summaries between its theoretical, research-based perspectives; this makes the book clear and engaging. Given the focus of the author on personal growth for leaders, the format perhaps could have been more balanced by featuring development objectives at the beginning of each chapter, complemented by clear action steps at the end. To optimize its claim to be “the map,” the book could have outlined a clear set of standards within an assessment framework that could easily be implemented by leaders seeking to grow.
The use of multiple practice modalities to emphasize essential points remains consistent throughout the book, creating a unique leadership resource informed by theory yet illustrated by rehearsal. Thus, readers can not only grasp essential knowledge but also understand how to use it by reflecting on best practices and one’s personal leadership, growth, and goals within the theoretical framework advanced. This helpful process of learning, illustrating, applying, and reflecting is reinforced by the variety of exercises in each—ranging from reflective scenarios, aptitude inventories, and self-discovery assessments—all of which enable readers to apply the concepts to their personal leadership contexts.
Basic Ideas
Some familiar streams of thought move from one chapter to the next, focusing the leadership lens through which Pittino describes leadership. From a wide view of leadership theories, principles, and concepts, he emphasizes selected leadership approaches to the exclusion of others, granting prominence to the historically familiar trait, behavioral, situational, and contingency theoretical categories. Nevertheless, Pittino also explores more recent views that focus on leader-follower interaction and the dynamics of teams.
This resort to the mere highlights limits how comprehensive the text’s review of leadership theories can be; in the aim for clarity and brevity, much may have been sacrificed, including crafting and maintaining organizational culture, active listening, “sense-making,” learning organizations, design thinking, succession planning, critical thinking, and perhaps yet other essential tools to prepare leaders for a constantly shifting global landscape. Although one of the book’s fundamental points claims that “good leadership practices are rooted in extensive knowledge and research” (p. 139), it could hardly be said that the book, overall, provides a deep, comprehensive understanding of leading or leadership.
Structural Formatting
To his credit, the author employs a multi-dimensional writing approach. The book begins with a 15-page definition and summation of leadership—ending with its importance in solving “wicked problems,” the “lion’s share” of difficulties faced by today’s leaders. It then progresses through an exploration of the personal characteristics resident, acquired, and needed in leadership (Chapter 2). Following this, the text unfolds the contextual variables that impact leadership with others (Chapter 3) and the salient contemporary challenges leaders face (Chapter 4). The book closes (Chapter 5) by exploring strategies and techniques to enrich one’s personal growth as a leader. In view of the author’s stated aims, the structural format appears to be appropriate and relevant, with helpful engagement tools interspersed throughout the chapters. From this perspective, it could be said that the book’s format reflects its purpose. Although the content may fall short of being comprehensive, the formatting aligns with the overall purpose.
Strengths
The book’s attempt to be concise, clear, and engaging, focusing leaders on the basic theories and concepts of leadership, constitutes a laudable objective. Too often, theories of leadership can be shrouded in mystery and inordinately lengthy nit-picking. Reflection and self-awareness as mandatory disciplines for “harvesting” wisdom from experience can be overlooked in these conceptual treatises. Thankfully, Pittino chooses to unravel these mysteries and unfold great leadership principles in manageable, bite-size pieces. This practical utility represents perhaps its greatest contribution to the conceptual landscape of leadership.
Its conversational tone and style of writing exemplifies another strength of the book. It was encouraging, friendly, and contemporary—allowing readers to understand key leadership concepts without disengaging disciplinary jargon. This informal elegance is richly complemented by the inventories, reflective activities, and tables that make the book a tool in the hands of readers attempting to understand the maze of contemporary leadership claims.
Weaknesses
As has previously been discussed, the book’s focus on being concise may have left it deficient in depth and comprehensiveness of content. To do justice to the broad, expanding field of leadership, one might expect the exploration of some key leadership concepts and theories in greater depth, without sacrificing clarity or brevity. For example, the exploration in Chapter 2 of a critical contemporary theme—emotional intelligence—could have been deeper and more refined. Emotional intelligence’s rich history in the leadership sphere could have encouraged more integrated commentary.
Overall Impressions
In spite of these weaknesses, the author presents a well-researched, focused, and appealing work on some of the essential attributes, elements, and principles of leadership. For those simply needing a brief, accurate overview of leadership, this helpful book will stimulate interest and guide readers to key, personal insights about their leadership potential through its practical exercises.
Omar Z. D. Oliphant, with 17 years of varied leadership experience, is completing his PhD at Andrews University with an emphasis on organizational leadership and management, focusing on the multigenerational workforce.
Jay L. Brand, PhD, is a professor of leadership and organizational studies, as well as the director of the leadership PhD program, in the School of Leadership at Andrews University.