Leadership Book

Leader Effectiveness Training (L.E.T.) by Dr. Thomas Gordon

Tell us about the author. What qualifications does this person have? Do you think this author is qualified to write a leadership book? Should a leadership author have certain prerequisite skills? What are they?

I chose to read this book based on the recommendation of a friend whom I respect for his subtle but impressive leadership skills. He highly recommended L.E.T. despite the fact that it was originally published in 1977 (the year I was born, by the way).

Dr. Thomas Gordon was the founder of Gordon Training International. His Gordon Model concepts are now known world-wide. He was a licensed clinical psychologist with a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. He was the author of nine books, including Parent Effectiveness Training and Teacher Effectiveness Training. His books sold millions of copies in many languages. Dr. Gordon received many honors for his work including three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.

I don't think there is a set criterion that an author of a good leadership book must have. Dr. Gordon's degrees are certainly important, but good leadership does not necessarily come from good education. Dr. Gordon's success as an author and psychologist seem to be evidence of the effectiveness of his models, but popularity alone is not enough of a qualification either. I do think the longevity of Dr. Gordon's work, the large number of businesses, organizations, and people that have been helped by his leadership models, and particularly his experience - trying and testing his theories and practices - made him qualified to author leadership books.

In the book, what leadership traits or qualities are discussed? Select two or three you think are most important, list and describe them.

Listening Skills Gordon advises the use of four listening skills to facilitate open and effective communication: Door Openers, Passive Listening, Acknowledgment Responses, and Active Listening. All four skills must be used together to ensure effective communication.
Door Openers - "Generally, people with problems are afraid of imposing them on others... They usually need some kind of assurance of the willingness of the listener..." (p.54)
Passive Listening - "...when you have a problem and find someone who shuts up and listens, you are usually encouraged to keep talking about your problem." (p.55)
Acknowledgment Responses - "Most people... need something more from a listener than complete silence. They would like evidence that the listener is not woolgathering or engaged in his or her own thoughts. They need occasional acknowledgments of their messages..." (p.55)
Active Listening - "We can never be absolutely certain we have completely or accurately understood another person, so it is essential to test the accuracy of our listening and minimize the misunderstanding and distortion that occur... Active Listening gives proof that the listener has indeed understood... Listeners need only restate, in their own language, their impression of the sender." (p.56-57)

The No-lose Method"When conflict arises, the leader's attitude (paraphrased) is: You and I have a conflict of needs. I respect your needs, but I must respect my own, too. I will not use my power over you so I win and you lose, but I cannot give in and let you win at the expense of my losing. So let's agree to search together for a solution that would satsify your needs and also satisfy mine, so no one loses." (p.177)
Gordon outlines six steps to the No-lose Method:
1. Identifying and Defining the Problem
2. Generating Alternate Solutions
3. Evaluating the Alternate Solutions
4. Decision-making
5. Implementing the Solution
6. Follow-up Evaluation of the Solution

Does the author provide examples of effective leadership? If so, write about one or two incidents where leaders are described. Do you agree that these are examples of good leadership?

Dr. Gordon does not mention specific people as examples of good leaders, but he does offer several scenarios in which good leadership skills were used. He includes the actual transcripts of recorded conversations in which the skills he is teaching were used.

One such scenario demonstrates the use of an "I-Message" which has three components: 1) a brief description of the behavior you find unacceptable, 2) your honest feelings, and 3) the tangible and concrete effect of the behavior on you (the consequences). Following the "I-Message" a leader must often help the person they want to see a change in to "find and implement a solution that will be acceptable to the changee and the changer." (p.108)

The scenario presented as a good example of this skill was between a supervisor, Chuck, and a worker, Bob. Chuck starts out by using an "I-Message" to explain a problem he has with Bob's leaving early from work. Bob gets defensive from hearing about the problem, so Chuck responds with active listening. After actively listening and assuring Bob he understood his point of view, Chuck restated an augmented "I-Message" to show Bob he still felt there was a problem. Then, he led Bob to take responsibility for finding a solution to the problem that would be satisfactory to both of them - a "No-lose" solution.

Chuck had to use a lot of continued active listening and more "I-Messages" to help Bob see that the solutions he offered at first were not "No-lose" solutions. Bob's solutions at first were solutions where Bob would win and the company would lose. But by patiently offering more "I-Messages" Chuck was able to help Bob see that the solutions were not meeting both of their needs. In the end, Bob was able to come up with a solution that met both their needs, and he was more willing to use that solution because it had been his idea and it was a "No-lose" solution. (p. 108-110)

Compare this author's view of leadership with what you've learned about leadership in education and with educational technology. Does your book still apply to educational settings? Why or why not?

This leadership book definitely applies to an educational setting. One of Sheingold's three agendas for reform is restructuring. Gordon's book teaches leaders how to effectively restructure a business, a routine, employees' attitudes and work habits, or any relationship. The skills he teaches, such as listening skills and "No-lose" problem solving, are requisite for the the restructuring Sheingold suggests to be truly effective and lasting.

I think that Gordon's strategies are not unlike the strategies offered in the Disney article and the Hanlon article. Ultimately, the whole point behind these different strategies is to influence people in a positive way - to help them want to make the changes you see as necessary - and then allow them to be a part of that change, to take ownership for the restructuring taking place.

What do you want others to know about this book that I didn't ask?

Having read this book, I can see why Dr. Gordon had the success and renown he did in his career. In deed, I had heard many of his strategies before but had not known where they had originated. The skills he teaches are effective and now time-tested skills to improve interpersonal communication.

I was surprised by the interesting combination of Dr. Gordon's relaxed writing style - he comes across to me as very much a story teller - combined with his scientific approach to offering support for his theories. I liked it, and it made for an easy, yet enlightening and instructive read. I am very interested in reading his Teacher Effectiveness Training book.

One last note: I was particularly impressed with the evidence that Dr. Gordon was a very moral person. Throughout the book is the underlying tone that what he wrote about mattered to him. He genuinely wanted to help people, I think. In the final chapter of the book, titled "Some Deeper Issues for Leaders", Dr. Gordon says that ultimately the style of leadership you choose must be based upon the kind of person you want to be. He includes in this chapter "A Credo for My Relationships" explaining his basic philosophy underlying all effective human relationships. Here is a portion of the credo. (I recommend you later read it in its entirety.):

"You and I are in a relationship which I value and want to keep. Yet each of us is a separate person with unique needs and the right to meet those needs. When you are having problems meeting your needs, I will try to listen with genuine acceptance... However... I will tell you openly and honestly how your behavior affects me, trusting that you respect my needs and feelings... Thus ours can be a healthy relationship in which both of us can strive to become what we are capable of being. And we can continue to relate to each other with mutual respect, love, and peace." (p.261)

Gordon, T. (1977). Leader Effectiveness Training. New York, NY: Wyden Books.