Bookshelves overflow with wisdom about what it takes to be a remarkable leader, yet practical and substantive guidance on how to actually go about selecting leaders still seems scarce. This book fills the void. Peg Thoms, a management professor and director of the MBA program at Penn State-Erie, offers the right mix of “how to” advice and abstract reflection on selecting effective leaders for specific organizations.
Thoms begins by cautioning against the current trend of favoring individuals who are expected to be “transformational” or exact large-scale change in organizations. The best leaders for every company are not necessarily visionary; rather they should be chosen according to the organization’s specific context.
As outlined in this book, the first step to identifying potential leaders requires a comprehensive assessment of the organizational situation. Recruiting managers should consider events occurring within their local community as well as their industry overall. Equally important are internal issues and activities: What problems exist? What types of leaders have left the company? What types are missing now?
Many companies, after identifying the necessary skill set, fail to recruit for new leaders aggressively. Thoms delivers a step-by-step process for recruiting, selecting, and retaining appropriate candidates for a variety of positions, be they department or division heads, candidates for public elections, board members of religious organizations, management trainees, and even corporate chief executives.
In the end, it’s this all-encompassing view that makes Finding the Best and the Brightest a welcome addition to the leadership library.