Will the real realist please stand up? : Han Feizi's handbook for a mediocre leader / Nalei Chen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Chen, Nalei, author.

Series:

SAGE business cases.

SAGE business cases

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Leadership--Case studies.

Leadership.

Physical Description:

1 online resource.

Place of Publication:

London : SAGE Publications: SAGE Business Cases Originals, 2026.

Summary:

This case examines Han Feizi's (d. 233 BC) philosophy of leadership by focusing on selections from the Hanfeizi and their application in a modern business setting. When facing an unprecedented crisis, we naturally look for an extraordinary leader with strong skills and virtues who can lead us out of the crisis with innovative solutions. However, Han Feizi observed that most leaders are mediocre, which is probably true even in our modern context. He argued that the leader should not rely on their limited political agency and judgment, which often does more harm than good. Instead, the leader should govern through a bureaucratic administration that is rule-bounded, impersonal, operates based on the knowledge of professionals, and, overall, is highly similar to the administrative system in modern states and companies. In this system, most governance tasks are delegated to professional bureaucrats, while the ruler does nothing but is responsible for supervising the performance of bureaucrats. This case can help students develop a "realistic" expectation of leadership and obtain a lesson that is still relevant to modern leaders: Maintain a system where the knowledgeable can contribute effectively and try not to interfere!

Notes:

Description based on XML content.

ISBN:

979-83-488-3645-0

OCLC:

1569208983

Publisher Number:

T299706