IN the introduction to his just released “Objective Economics”, M. Northrup Buechner refers to the concept of method this way: “Method gives the steps by which men create the content of their science”.

This captures nicely the intent of the Method Leadership framework.  I’ve never felt comfortable with references to leadership as “an art”, as though there was something ethereal or non-explainable about good leadership.  There isn’t.  Good leadership results from a specific set of behaviors, and the foundational knowledge and skill-sets can be studied, learned and practiced.  One could almost say that leadership is the science of rational behavior.

People might argue that dealing with people requires more than reason, because people are often irrational, or are guided by their emotions.  But there need be no dichotomy between reason and emotion, and the correct response to irrational behavior is not more irrational behavior, it’s reason.