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“After long deliberation, I have decided to close down Slow Leadership and retire from blogging. I think I have written almost all I want to write and the extensive demands of a regular publishing schedule no longer work for me. I am also more and more conscious that I retired from active business nearly four years ago and am becoming increasingly out of touch with how things are today.
My last word is this: the very best leadership, I am convinced, is engaging in as few “managerial” activities as possible. By this I mean creating plans and budgets, setting strategies, setting up mergers and acquisitions, discussing policies, holding meetings, marketing, branding, analyzing data and the like. Nearly all such actions get in the way of real business and lie at the heart of most problems that leaders face. If you must do something, encourage and train your staff, talk with customers, monitor quality and spend as much time as you can with “non-managerial” actions like inventing new products and services and improving old ones.
Management has become a self-replicating and self-justifying process we would be better off without. People do managerial things, not because they are useful or even necessary, but because that is what they think managers are expected to do. When corporations cut payrolls to save money, they start at the bottom. That’s wrong. Begin at the top, where there are now large numbers of expensive people doing nothing useful or important to the real business, just managerial “stuff” that no one would notice missing if it went away.
Business schools need a belief in the vital importance of management to justify their own existence, so it’s no wonder they teach nothing else — although even their own data shows nearly all “managerial” activities like mergers, marketing initiatives and fancy financial engineering destroy value on a massive scale. Management today is more of a religion, based on unquestioning belief in semi-sacred texts and dead prophets, than a useful and practical way of spending time.
I think the Tao Te Ching had it right: “Doing nothing, everything gets done.” My ideal for each of you, as a manager and a leader, is that you never waste your time and talent again on any conventional “management” tasks.
Thanks to everyone for your support and interest over the past five years. I wish you all the best for the future.
Carmine Coyote.”
Popularity: 9% [?]
August 31st, 2009 at 6:49 am
I am disappointed to read this Carmin, I have been a regular reader of your blog for many months now and appreciated your view points on Leadership.
Regards,
Raj
August 31st, 2009 at 6:59 am
I sincerely hope that you will keep slowleadership.org online for future generation to read your wisdom.
Good luck for the future,
Shadow_x99
August 31st, 2009 at 7:27 am
Carmine,
Cheers mate! I’ve greatly enjoyed your missives and will recall your words as I continually re-think both personal and corporate leadership.
Chris
August 31st, 2009 at 7:58 am
Carmine,
I’m very sad on two regards to read this post:
1) I very much enjoyed reading your blog. It was the only one that fed partial content via RSS that I would actually click through to read.
2) Your complete dismissal of “management” activities is perhaps cathartic, but somewhat disappointing. I’ve come to understand that planning and execution tracking are vital to software project success so that we know when projects are complete. I’ve also learned first hand what it is like in an organization that lacks strategic focus — liberating at times (free to do whatever one likes), but unpleasant and scary (groups cannot agree on a single course of action, so resources are spent going halfway to everywhere). Both of these are important management tasks that sometimes are dismissed to great peril.
Best luck in your future endeavors!
~ Paul
August 31st, 2009 at 8:34 am
I am sad to know that you have decided not to continue with your blog. During your summer pause I have started to read your old articles.
Reading your posts is part of my very regular after lunch siesta (I read it on my mobile at the restaurant).
I would be very curious about your recommendation for inspiring books about the topics you wrote about.
It would be nice if you share it with us. Thank you for all your writing and enjoy your time!
Pavel
August 31st, 2009 at 10:02 am
Carmine~
Thank you so much for your input into the various communities. I have appreciated and learned, not just from your direct input, but also from the results of that input being applied by myself and others.
Your reference to “religion” struck a chord with me. As with almost any successful endeavor, I believe that these sorts of things should be dealt with more as “relationships.” And, when that connection is lost, the ability to affect positive change is diminished.
I believe that one (among many) difference between manager and leader is keenly attributed to the ability to treat and value entities as relationships – not parts of a religion or formula.
Sincerely,
~Toby
August 31st, 2009 at 3:02 pm
This has been consistently one of the most interesting blogs I’ve followed over the past few years: a “must read” since resigning from my former corporate role three years ago to become a freelancer. I wish I’d found you earlier, though maybe the only result of that hypothetical situation would have been to hasten my resignation sooner.
You’ve made me feel less of a misfit unable to adhere to the requirements of a conventional job and more an ethically motivated individual who found himself unable to follow a set of codes and behaviours that had come to have absolutely nothing to do with the reasons that he wanted to be a manager in the first place. Thank you.
August 31st, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Sorry to see this news. On the other hand, how many people actually stop when they know they have said all they want to say? Will now have to systematically ensure I have read them all, going back. Have already found Peter Vajda’s site and it appears all his guest posts are archived there.
Thanks for what you wrote.
August 31st, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Carmine,
I’m sad to say goodbye. Thank you for your insight and contributions. I have posted my goodbye on Leadquietly.com featuring some of your words and thoughts that really resonated with me.
Don
September 1st, 2009 at 12:57 am
Very best wishes and thanks for all your useful and interesting posts. I learned a huge amount from this blog.
September 1st, 2009 at 1:18 am
I also would like to thank for sharing your thoughts.
> Begin at the top, where there are now
> large numbers of expensive people doing
> nothing useful or important to the real business,
> just managerial “stuff” that no one would notice
> missing if it went away.
Indeed, I find this true for many, many cases. Many companies have grown to big bulls and then enter into the china shop (= people down in the factory working hard).
I am a software developer but in the last years managed many projects on my own freeing my boss from all related work. Although I fully agree with you that it is much more important to focus on the productive and creative work, I have learned that – especially for bigger projects or if bigger companies are involved, there is some “management activity” needed to keep everything together and on track. With “management activity” I mean not necessarily actions that comes to mind first when thinking about management because of the negative aspect, that is attached to this word especially in recent days.
When working together on a project or running a company together is not all only about the creative and productive work. There are psychological, organizational, philosophical and other issues that have to be dealt with. Your blog helped me improving my management skills and I would like to thank you for that.
Live long and prosper,
Martin.
September 1st, 2009 at 2:42 am
Sorry to see you go, but I wish you all the very best in your 2nd retirement. Thank you for sharing you wisdom with us.
September 1st, 2009 at 5:23 am
Good morning,
While I am very sorry to see you end this blog-it is one of the few I read immediately upon receipt-There is something to be said for going out on top. Thank you for engaging style and insightful posts!
September 1st, 2009 at 5:56 am
I felt stunned upon reading “Goodbye.” Slow Leadership has been a breath of fresh air, in a culture that does so little to feed the soul. There is very little “greatness” out there, but Carmine’s blogs were soulful, truthful, insightful, and pointed the way to the “healthy” way of seeing and doing things.
Now that we have had the “best,” all we are left with is the “rest.”
September 1st, 2009 at 7:31 am
Carmine, This is a real disappointment as I always look forward to your feisty, counter-cultural, just plain fed up point of view. But I also completely understand.
How about another book about what you are thinking about now? Whatever you are thinking about, it is of value. Also your reading compilations have always been wonderful. Something to consider.
Appreciative of your tart, wise point of view, and I will miss you,
Kirsten
September 1st, 2009 at 8:48 am
Dear Adrian,
While I’m sad to hear of your retirement from Slow Leadership, I do hope you will continue to write inspired books about “co-creative” management. Your words about the corporate world resonated with me and my experiences in that world. I have appreciated your Zen viewpoint of getting things done from a more holistic approach. My hope is that world events will force business (and people) to transform into new uncharted terrain that is beyond our present status quo (ego driven) world. What the end result will look like…who knows, but I think it’s a grand opportunity to get back to being human again. Your writings fit the new paradigm that is emerging while the old paradagm dies.
Many blessings to you and your family, and I wish you success in all you do.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:57 am
I will miss it. But then there is a time everything must end so that it can take new life. I am sad to see it stop. Good luck and Good Bye.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:59 am
Thank you for many great posts and my best to you in your new adventure.
September 1st, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Carmine
Let me say: FABULOUS. You know your time and you are making a wonderful shift. I’m sure you will find a way to express yourself in other, even more meaningful venues. The most beautiful days often are the ones we use to start or re-start our directions. Although there may be the grief of some GOODBYE in the process, they are often days of great receiving.
Like the ancient potlatch, you have shown your wealth (and wisdom) by giving it away. Many best wishes and blessings!
September 4th, 2009 at 5:38 am
@ Janet, above,
I publish a weekly reading , every Friday, “food for thought”. Many of those readings have appeared here at Slow Leadership over the past few years.
If you, or anyone else, would like to receive these Friday pieces, email me at:
pvajda(at)spiritheart dot net, let me know you’d like to be on the recipient list and I’ll add you to the list. It’s free.
All of my writings can be found on my website here (and a new one is added weekly):
http://www.spiritheart.net/index.php?pr=Peter_Articles
September 5th, 2009 at 4:11 am
Really sorry to hear that this site has closed. The need to have the sort of discussions and thought-provoking contributions ‘Slow Leadership’ has played host to has probably never been greater. Maybe someone will pick up the baton?
Thanks for a job well done. Very best wishes for the future.
Martin.
September 5th, 2009 at 5:51 am
I am sorry to learn of your decision to “retire” again. Just because you have less contact with the business world does not mean your advice is dated. We all too often over look the true challenge in management, that of dealing effectively with people. The true challenge and rewarding part of management is the effective relationships with people. It truly is the non-management part of the work which is most satisfiying.
Good luck with your next retirement from one who is in his second retirement in the non-profit world.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Your efforts will be missed VERY much. You were one of the first leadership bloggers I read. I hope you’ll take some time to export your best and turn it into a Slow Leadership book or something to memorialize this great place, maybe as a blook or on Lulu or something?
If you ever want to guest write, my place is always open for you friend!
September 9th, 2009 at 10:05 am
Thank you for all you’ve done and shared. I hope you write a book. I would buy it in a second. The words of wisdom are timeless…as wisdom is.
All the best and many thanks!
September 10th, 2009 at 3:37 am
Never let it be said that because someone has ‘retired’ they lose touch or relevance. I have read and shared your blog with many colleagues in our somewhat challenging and at times toxic organisation – it has bought us comfort by reminding us of what is right, just and good in the world… and has also challenged our thinking.
I too, as others have said previously, refer to older postings and still get much from them… please leave them alive and accessible to others…
With sincere and heartfelt thanks
Gerardine
September 18th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
You and your site will be missed – the words of wisdom and experience you have imparted about leadership and management has helped me, my site, and my writing to think differently and search for new managerial ideas.
Thanks for always keeping it fresh and speaking from your heart about business and communication – that to me is the best reason why Slow Leadership has worked – you’ve dealt with how leaders communicate less to do more.
Best wishes from Leader Skills Training,
-Anthony
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:12 pm
I just came upon this beautiful blog in the process of launching my own blog on Effortless Leadership. Its message resonated with me and I’m so sorry that I’m only coming to it now as its author moves on…. I very much want him to know that he is not alone and he is not out of touch. Wisdom has been misunderstood over the millennia, and is always in touch if not in vogue. Carry on, my friend, knowing that others will carry on your message as best we can.
October 8th, 2009 at 6:49 am
Hello Carmine,
I’m late to the party of wishing you farewell, now it is October already. I’ve completely enjoyed the wisdom you’ve offered here so Thank You!
Enjoy whatever you find comes next!
SMG
October 20th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Thank you very much for producing the Slow Leadership blog. I have enjoyed slowly absorbing your business paradigm — I will miss your words of wisdom.
Best wishes!
November 11th, 2009 at 2:38 am
“That’s wrong. Begin at the top, where there are now large numbers of expensive people doing nothing useful or important to the real business, just managerial “stuff” that no one would notice missing if it went away.”
There is really nothing to add to this – so absolutely right.
It would be a great loss if you would stop sharing your very useful thoughts, Carmine!