I finished reading Constellation by Danny Wareham back in March, but I decided to wait a few months before posting a review. Why? Because my track record with non-fiction business titles has been consistently abysmal. Here’s what tends to happen.
Occasionally, I’ll take umbrage with something (or several things) an author has written, conclude that the book in question is nonsense, and revert to my default way of working. More often, I appreciate and admire the author’s insights, find myself genuinely compelled by their arguments, and revert to my default way of working.
By and large, I’ve proven to be (self-)helpless, which is why I prefer novels.
That said, there have been a couple of notable exceptions – non-fiction books that, despite my closed-mindedness/pig-headedness/self-destructiveness, have contributed to at least a scintilla of behavioural change. I wanted to see whether Constellation might be the third, hence the delay.
So, here’s the section of the review I could have posted back in March.
Constellation is a superbly written, tightly structured debut that draws on a broad array of pertinent real-world examples to shine a light on the concept of leaderless leadership.
It illustrates how popular leadership styles have been shaped by historical context, it explains why some of the most successful models may no longer be fit for purpose, and it sets out the conditions under which an organisation’s culture – rather than an individual – might take the lead.
In summary, this is a fascinating book that you should absolutely make time to read. Five stars. Well done, that man.
Now, here’s the section of the review that required a little extra time.
As you’ve no doubt guessed, I am not of the opinion that Constellation is nonsense. I appreciated and admired the author’s insights, and I found myself genuinely compelled by his arguments. But have I reverted to my default way of working?
I’m delighted to report that the answer to this question is a resounding: “Not quite.”
Constellation didn’t result in an immediate change in my behaviour. Regrettably, it seems I’ll need more than three months before I’m ready to hand over the reins to organisational culture. Nevertheless, I’m convinced that leaderless leadership could prove hugely beneficial to our business, our team and our clients.
As someone who’s fortunate enough to work alongside some exceptional human beings, I know that – from time to time – my default way of working can be more hindrance than help. What Constellation has given me is a roadmap. Through rigorous theory and easy-to-understand practical examples, it has allowed me to identify the circumstances in which purpose, culture and context can guide our organisation forward.
My job now is to help build an environment that is conducive to leaderless leadership. Hopefully, Constellation has provided some of the tools needed to make this a reality.
