Introduction
Success in technology means not only having good geeks, but also giving them good leadership - and most of the traditional methods of leadership are quite useless on this different breed of employee, for two reasons:
- Geeks are psychologically distinct, and quite different, from "normal" people
- The work that geeks do is significantly different from the kinds of work done by most employees of a business
While this is primarily true of geeks who work in computer technology, it is also true of others who do knowledge-intensive work: artists, doctors, researchers, etc.
This book is written as a how-to guide for any individual who faces the daunting task of managing or leading technology projects - including traditional leaders who lack experience with managing geeks, and geeks who rise to positions of leadership. It may also be of value to others, such as HR departments who hire knowledge workers, in understanding the psychology and motivation of geeks.