Management of the Absurd by Richard Farson positions itself as a book that turns other management books on their heads. In that, it succeeds and fails.

Farson uses his training as a CEO, psychologist and consultant to peek into the nature of leadership, as superior to management. He posits that most workplace “problems” aren’t problems at all; they’re predicaments to cope with rather than solve. True leadership comes from offering genuine compassion to the led.

His concept bears weight. His delivery waves a heavy hand, and barely escapes the frame of that it denies - the business book. It lacks worksheets and bulleted lists punctuating chapters, but it reads like any number of its ilk.

Still, I took away ideas to aid my climb over backs of other rats:

1. Any solution by definition contains problems. Consider the array carefully while not forgetting “gut” reactions.

2. Everything works, and nothing works. It’s about doing something, anything.
3. A good manager hosts that party. He or she takes care of the little things that drag on the mood.
4. [Insert profession here] is like being in love. That follows from a F.L. Wright anecdote related to Farson. (I couldn’t find independent verification.) In my case, editing is like being in love. Or, at least it should be.

Overall, Absurd deserves a read. For me, it was the inaugural installment of a regular book club. The 172 pages go quickly, so it doesn’t take too much time, and readers interested in leadership should take away a conceptual fruit or two as nourishment for the rat race.