Review of How to pick leaders

Abstract

Reviews the book "How to pick leaders" by G. L. Freeman and E. K. Taylor (see record 1950-06552-000 ). This book "attempts to distill out of past and current research, the common elements of the leadership pattern. It then goes on to indicate how such a pattern can be employed to improve the search for executive talent to eliminate...the vagaries of unscientific selection practices." The book begins with pointing out the inefficiency and high cost of most of the present day methods of selecting executive trainees. Next the criterion problem is discussed, stressing its importance and a number of ways of measuring leadership success are suggested. Following a section on the building up and administration of a scientific selection program, the main portion of the book is devoted to selection tools and techniques. The book concludes with an overview of the total selection program and a section on the importance of continuing follow-up of those selected. Overall, the reviewer notes that the authors have done an especially good job of bringing together into a single volume almost all of the promising tools and techniques for the scientific selection of executives. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)