Make Leadership, Not War

 

Analogies between war and business are imperfect (Executive Forum: "The Secrets of Guerrilla Management," February).

"Guerrilla" may be how some people like to think of themselves, but in this context it doesn't make any sense. What Fred M. Gibbons is really talking about is leadership, a quality that is in short supply in most companies. "Show your troops the way" translates into "lead by example," and "give your troops responsibility" becomes "grow your organization's future leaders."

I disagree with the statement that "management is our scarcest resource. . . ." Common sense is any company's scarcest resource. Managers are only a phone call away, as any headhunter will tell you. Managers with common sense, however, are a rare breed.