《牧者的七堂課》
楊旭平
一、內容簡介
當作者之一的威廉‧潘塔克還是一個菜鳥記者時，採訪了曾擔任通用科技公司（General Technologies）執行長達17年之久的成功企業家西奧多‧麥克布萊德（Theodore McBride），想探詢他管理5000名員工的成功之道，沒想到透過他們長時間的訪談，麥克布萊德娓娓道出一段45年前師生間的傳承故事。
原來當麥克布萊德還是個MBA學生時，就在即將畢業，進入通用科技公司擔任部門經理之前，因擔心自己不能勝任管理的職務，故前去請教教授管理課程的老師──傑克‧諾伊曼博士，卻意外地獲得諾伊曼老師在牧場上額外教授的七堂課。
諾伊曼博士透過田野教學方式，以最淺顯的觀念、簡明的譬喻及沒有壓力的對話方式，傳授他流傳千百年的七個偉大的管理要訣—-「牧者的管理智慧」—-由先人智慧導引出的成為偉大領導者的祕訣。
而這七堂課使得麥克布萊德一生受用不盡，成為全美令人尊崇的企業家。麥克布萊德口述了恩師傳承下來的這七個偉大的管理經驗，藉由潘塔克的編輯成書—-《牧者的七堂課》。麥克布萊德希望讀者可將牧者的七個管理智慧融入工作與生活中，讓讀者可以試著去改變自己的人生。
本書共分七章，每一章都是一堂課，從第一章＜瞭解自己的羊群＞，一直到最末章＜牧者之心＞，諾伊曼博士循序漸進將牧者的智慧一一道來，經由牧羊的經驗—-關懷、引導等，簡單而清晰地傳遞出成功的領導精義。
由於，管理的精髓，在於以簡馭繁。因此，作者也將牧者的領導經驗，歸納出七項簡明的有效領導心法：
一、要瞭解近況：瞭解自己的羊群
Know the Condition of Your Flock
1．瞭解工作，也要瞭解自己的部屬（才能、夢想、挫折等）。
2．瞭解你的部屬，一次一位。
3．經常和你的部屬交流。
4．睜亮眼睛，豎直耳朵，多多發問，要後續追蹤。
二、能認識特質：發現你羊群的特點
Discover the Shape of Your Sheep
1．不同的羊，會影響羊群管理的容易與否。
2．挑選健康的羊，否則就會承接別人的問題。
3．瞭解你羊的SHAPE﹕
長處（Strengths）—-本領
用心（Heart）———熱情
態度（Attitude）——正向
個性（Personality）–適性
經驗（Experiences）-
三、建立歸屬感：幫助你的羊認同你
Help Your Sheep Identify with You
1．率先表現出你的誠信、正直和包容，以贏得跟隨者的信任。
2．訂出高的績效標準。
3．不懈地傳遞你的價值觀和任務感。
4．為屬下描繪出努力的宗旨，告訴他們在其中的角色。
5．別忘了，偉大的領導不只是專業能力，還得帶著情感。
四、賦與安全感：把你的草場弄安全
Make Your Pasture a Safe Place
1．讓屬下充分獲得訊息。
2．強調每個位置的重要性。
3．揪出團隊中經常的煽動者
4．定期輪換部屬到新的位置。
5．務必經常在屬下面前露面。
6．別讓問題有時間惡化。
五、 指引方向的牧杖：The Staff of Direction
1．知道你的方向，在前面帶路，讓團隊跟著你走。
2．指導下屬時，要採說服方式，不可強制。
3．給屬下發揮的空間，但要讓他們知道界限所在，而允許他們在這範圍內自由發揮。
4．當屬下出了麻煩，要伸出援手，把他拉出來。
5．提醒屬下失敗是不會致命的。
六、 用來糾正的牧棒： The Rod of Correction
1．保護：居間為屬下據理力爭。
2．糾正：把教訓當成是教育的機會。
3．檢視：經常探詢屬下工作的進展。
七、 抱持牧者心： The Heart of the Shepherd
1．偉大的領導是一種生活方式，而非技巧。
2．你每天都必須決定誰將為你的領導付出代價
—-是你或你的部屬。
3．最重要的是，對你的羊群要用心。
二、本書讀後心得
「牧者的管理智慧」這一套「生活化」的領導方式，始於古代，且曾經幫助帝王統治他的子民。例如古代統治者，即被稱為人民的牧者。
由於人民與羊具有不少的相似性，如：
人有很強的群體性，需要歸屬感，這跟羊很相似；
此外羊群有互牴的習性，就如同常會出現在人群中的互鬥現象；
再者羊有一種只看眼前草地的習性，就如同人們經常埋首於工作裡，直到一天結束才把頭抬起來等……。
因此，即使在現代的企業組織中，用羊群來比喻組織，也相當的適切且簡明。
本書作者將牧羊人幾千年來的智慧，藉由牧者牧羊的過程與譬喻，融入現今的管理學，簡單的道理，卻蘊含了深刻的體會。藉由牧者和羊之間的相處，點出人與人間的關係和互動，教導經理人管理部屬的方法。
基本上，本書從人性關懷的角度出發，透過歸納出的七項領導要訣，深入淺出地揭示成功領導的哲學，引導讀者掌握領導統禦的心法。
藉此，作者教導你，要衷心關懷、瞭解你的部屬﹔將部屬放在確實能反映他們SHAPE的職位上，他們將能發揮潛力、創造績效、感受成就﹔而你只要表裡如一，有著正直、誠信、包容等生活態度，你就會贏得羊群認同與跟隨，給予團隊歸屬感，並引導部屬明瞭團隊存在的偉大價值，及成為大家共同努力的方向﹔而牧者的走動式管理，可安撫羊群不安的心，並在問題惡化前找到解決方法﹔定期輪調則可避免羊群因為重複性的事務而怠惰，並防止為卡位而互牴﹔牧者的責任是將羊群聚在一起，並帶領羊群去更嫩綠的草地，羊群跟隨牧杖是出於信賴﹔有時，牧者需要揮舞牧棒，以保護羊群不被獵食，且當有某隻羊做出危及自己及羊群安全時，牧者也會使用牧棒教訓牠﹔當個牧者需要付出代價，必須對你的羊群用心投入………
所以，偉大的領導是一種生活方式，而非技巧。
此外，在本書第五章—-指引方向的「牧杖」中，作者希望用說服取代命令，因為唯有讓屬下真正明白事情的重要，他們才會真正用心在事務上面，並且樂於為領導者工作。
而第六章—-用來糾正的「牧棒」中，作者強調責備部屬所用的方法也很重要，因為沒有人喜歡受到責難，只要一不小心，可能會失去組織的向心力，這比業務上的錯誤還要嚴重，所以領導人必須取得深厚的信任，才能去糾正別人。
當我讀完這七堂課的內容時，我相信這流傳千百年之久的牧者智慧，不僅可應用於職場，甚至可延伸至家庭或任何團體的種種人際關係互動與經營，讓我領悟到管理的藝術，事實上與每個人成長過程中，對生命意義的經營，是息息相通。
誠如《一分鐘經理人》作者 肯恩‧布蘭查（Ken Blanchard）所言﹕「這本書充分地展現領導者應該如何善待其部屬，研讀此書得以習其真理，用其智慧。」
因此，本書不僅是一本符合時代潮流的管理書籍，更是幫助心靈成長的勵志佳作，值得大家細細品味，希望新的一年來到時，你也能成為開心的牧羊人。
三、「帝王學」的聯想
「帝王學」是指少數人統治多數人的智慧工具，而《牧者的七堂課》這本書即帶有「現代帝王學」的味道，亦即是將傳統帝王學運用到現代的領導統御﹑經營管理方面。
提到中國帝王學，一般人常會聯想到的著作：例如日本人奉為至寶的《貞觀政要》、《韓非子》等。
中國《帝王學》最早成書于唐朝開元四年(西元716年)，原書其十卷，現存九卷六十四篇。該書集儒家、道家、法家、兵家、雜家和陰陽家思想之大成，以謀略為經、歷史為緯，包括國家興亡、權變謀略、舉薦賢能、人間善惡四大部分內容，同時又以權謀政治和知人善任兩個重點為論述核心，是一部千古難得的謀略全書。
又《貞觀政要》大約寫於開元十八、九年間，為的是要讓唐玄宗發揚太宗勵精圖治的治國精神。《貞觀政要》是本實用的帝王教科書，不是一般的領袖嘉言錄。唐玄宗是歷史上第一位從《貞觀政要》獲得帝王學真傳的皇帝，此後，歷代帝王將相以及講求經世致用的知識分子，幾乎沒有不讀《貞觀政要》的。唐玄宗果然不負所望，繼太宗「貞觀之治」之後，又出現了「開元之治」的盛世。
我們可以回想中國歷史，為什麼秦朝、隋朝傳至二世即亡國？
而為什麼漢朝、唐朝能擁有天下數百年？
同樣是少數民族入主中原，為什麼元朝短命、而清朝長壽？
原因是：前者行霸道，後者行王道。霸道得天下，瞬間即失；王道得天下，四海皆服。中華傳統文化中的“王道”，乃古代傑出帝王所體現的管理最高境界：以人為本，以德服人。
事實上，假如我們溯本歸源的話，在中華傳統文化中，帝王學中的「帝」就相當於「地」—生養萬物的意思，「王」就相當於「往」—使民歸往的意思，所以「帝王學」就是一種經營人間良好生養環境、使萬民歸往的學問。
在古代，當社會型態正從遊牧走向農耕的時候，人們對土地的依賴日重(土地可供種植榖糧，是人們賴以維生的主要憑藉)，就形成許許多多的聚落，有生產力的壯丁就成為搶手貨，部落主間起初多是運用盜、搶、騙的方式來互相爭奪人力資源，嗣後經過反省，才漸漸揚棄這種暴力的爭奪，發展出較柔性的競爭「人力資源」方式，帝王學乃因此才一步步成型。
所以，中國帝王學的發展，是經歷四大階段的演進而來：
第一階段：原始帝王學階段。
這時候的帝王是靠著個人為民興利除害的英雄事蹟，來爭取民心歸向的，例如共工之為王，是靠著為人民解決水患而獲得天下人民擁戴的(當時洪水為患)，黃帝為王，是靠著為人民燒山林、砍叢木、焚沼蟲去瘴氣、驅逐猛獸，使人民生命住居獲得安全，而贏取天下民心。
第二階段：正統帝王學階段。
這個階段的時間大約從堯、舜開始，使用教化之術爭取民心起，迄戰國止。
正統帝王學主要是以文化的方法(文者，紋也，美善之意，化者，調理化成也)，調理良好生養環境，施仁義、行教化，來爭取民心歸附的。周文武、周公、孔子等原始儒家的思想，就是主幹。
第三階段：專制帝王階段。
這個階段時期大約從秦、漢天下一統以後，迄民國實施民主憲政時期為止。
這時期的帝王學本質上已與先秦時的帝王學有所不同，它的本質已由原先目的在爭取民心歸附，變成目的在宰製人民了。之所以有這麼大的轉變，主要是先秦的社會未經統一，列國各自分立，人民要歸附那一國，選擇權在人民。致使春秋戰國時期各國人才交流十分普遍，也使得各國君主為留才、吸才都得費盡心思。但是自從秦漢天下一統之後，形勢逆轉，普天之下莫非王土，人民已豪無選擇，只有當皇朝子民的份，君王對人民的關心，已不再是爭取來歸附，而是不要造反。
這時期的帝王學還有一個特色，那就是規範論之帝王學的逐漸產生。由於君王權力太大，為加以制衡，由知識分子領軍，想建立一套帝王守則，防止君王濫用權力，董仲舒的陰陽五行學說即適例。
第四階段：世俗化的帝王學階段。
這個階段的帝王學由於受到民主社會的自由思潮衝擊，觀念上產生大幅的變化，最明顯的是已轉身進入企業界，成為一種指導企業主如何經營企業的高階企業管理學。像戰後日本業界鑽研中國的帝王學盛行即是一例。
所以，當今的管理者如何將一流的人才吸引到自己麾下？
如何才能心知、肚明、眼亮不被蒙蔽？
如何才能當機立斷、借勢開創千秋基業？
答案是：學管理王道，用王道管理。
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