Book Description
An award-winning news anchor presents methods for better communication in any business environment
During her 20 years in broadcasting, award-winning news anchor Suzanne Bates conducted more than 10,000 interviews, during which she witnessed business leaders, politicians, and celebrities at their best and worst. Now a top CEO communication coach, Bates is renowned for her uncanny ability to transform even the shyest oratorical mouse into a public-speaking lion. In Speak Like a CEO, Bates:
- Reveals the secrets for communicating in any situation
- Describes simple techniques for acing speeches, presentations, media interviews, Q&A sessions, business meetings, and more
- Outlines self-improvement plans that can easily be customized to your needs
- Shares secrets from top leaders, including Mario Cuomo's technique for overcoming stage fright and Colin Powell's secret for projecting authenticity
Customer Reviews:
A great asset to any public speaker or presenter.......2007-05-08
I wish I had read this book a long time ago. It is consise and an interesting read. Above all it has provided me with several great tips on improving presentations which I have already started to use. Unbelievably, both my audience and I have noticed the difference.
Didn't finish it!.......2007-04-27
While some stories were interesting to listen to; there just wasn't enough substance to the (audio)book. I didn't finish listening to it, and unless this is your first book on leadership, I would recommend against it.
More could be gotten from a public speaking book and a few leadership books (Tom Peters is my latest read who is pretty good).
Mike
A true resource.......2007-01-11
The author knows of what she speaks! A former reporter, she has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly and helps the reader be one of the good, if not the great. Useful, practical tips for anyone who wants to be more successful both professionally and personally. Well worth your time and money.
Public speaking essentials.......2006-11-30
For anyone who wants to learn about basics on how to conduct public speaking engagement in front of business audience, this is a good starter book. You will learn on how to tell the story, build the humor and keep everyone's focus in place while presenting. Like everything else in life, this skill requires preparation, practice and planning. You must not only know what you are talking about, but also know your audience too. I particularly liked the part of the book with tips on how to answer questions not anticipated during the preparation process (trigger method and making a qualifying or opinion statement).
Worth the read.......2006-11-27
I'm a professional speaker, and was critiquing this book to see if I would recommend it to others. It's a very simple read - you'll get through it in a day or so, I'm sure. It's got some good basic tips, and some interesting insights into leadership styles. The important thing is to DO what the book recommends - not just read it and think the info will infuse into your psyche!
I do recommend it - it would make a good gift for a mentee, as well.
SusanBaughman.com
Amazon.com
Due to the timing of its publication, Unfit for Command could be dismissed as the sort of controversial, loaded book typical in a presidential election year: Either courageous and necessary, or untruthful and malicious, depending on one's political point of view. Filled with interviews of men who served in Vietnam at the same time as John Kerry, the book poses the following question: "Why do an overwhelming majority of those who commanded or served with John Kerry oppose him?" (Note that the issue of "service" has sparked investigation into its definition--in other words, just how close was the interaction between Kerry and those cited in the book during Kerry's Vietnam tour of duty?) The charges leveled against Kerry in this book are severe and include filing false operating reports; lobbying for and receiving three Purple Hearts for minor wounds, two of which were self-inflicted; receiving a Silver Star under false pretenses; offering false confessions of bogus war crimes in both print and testimony; and recklessness in the field, including the burning of a village without cause or direct order. The book also claims that Kerry left Vietnam after serving just four months instead of the usual one year tour and that he returned home and accused his fellow soldiers of atrocities without offering any evidence, endangering POWs in the process. It is debatable whether the book will change any minds, or votes. Instead, readers will likely reach one of two conclusions: Either John Kerry grossly misrepresented his military service or the authors are spinning the interviews that they conducted for ulterior motives. There is a third option, however; readers will further investigate both sides of the debate, and by doing so, may reach conclusions independent of partisan extremes. --Brian Neff
Book Description
A shocking indictment of John Kerry by some of the men who knew him best.
Customer Reviews:
Riveting Revelations .......2007-10-04
This book took guts to write--Not many would have the courage to speak out publically about such a powerful man. My hat's off to the writers of this book.
A Good Read Before the 2004 Election.......2007-03-09
I'm glad I read this book before the 2004 election. I'm a Vietnam era vet, but I had forgotten many of the events covered in this book. It was eye-opening to realize that the guy most of us thought of as a traitor back then, is now pawning himself off as a war hero and presidential material. It was good to see Mr. Kerry pay for the sins of his youth.
Whose Kidding Who?.......2007-02-01
America knows characters the likes of John Kerry! No surprise here!
Unfit for Command.......2007-01-11
I know in our world there are two stories to all conditions in life but if half of this book is true then John Kerry should not be in public office. What a disgrace to all service members who served our great country. He should placed on the same list as Jane Fonda.
Never more timely than it is today..........2006-11-02
God Bless Swift Boat. This book was a blessing when it came out, and it truly is a testament to this "man's" character today as it was then. As Kerry, who still can't come to terms with the fact that America simply did not want his sorry excuse for a life to lead this fine country, tries to figure out how to dig himself out of the hole in which he has dug himself by stating that the men and women of our nation's Armed Services (myself included, as I am a Captain in the USMC) are uneducated nitwits "stuck in Iraq,"....well, there is nothing more relevant than this treatise to serve as an example why this piece of garbage should never have been, nor should ever be, our Commander in Chief. It is clear that his contempt of the men and women of the military runs deep, just as deep as it did when he returned from Vietnam and began holding hands with Hanoi Jane.
I take great issue with his recent comments. Above all else that this so-called "man" represents and claims to represent, the bottom line is that he is a bonafide loser. He can't get past that, nor accept it. To degrade our nation's finest in the manner he did is simply atrocious, above and beyond being outright incorrect. Sure, it was a "joke" that went wrong. Whatever you say Johnny boy. It was clear to all what you meant and, more importantly, what you actually SAID.
But, I must heartily shake your hand for one thing. The one thing you seem to have accomplished is that you single-handedly set the Dems back even further for the upcoming election, just days away. Great job. Leave it to Kerry to do such a job. You know you've done wrong when you have the likes of Billy and Hilly rushing in to beg you to apologize...yet even still, you chose not to do so publicly, but simply, coward that you are, post a little note on your website. Pathetic. Thank GOD this trash was so devastingly beaten and never had a chance. He never will. He simply cannot see what lies right beneath him, and trips over his own feet simply by being the idiot that he is. He's an arrogant, petty, stupid, whining, petulant little man, who will be resigned to the footnotes of history as nothing more than the penultimate loser of a bid to the White House.
God bless the United States of America, God Bless our troops both home and abroad, and SEMPER FI.
Book Description
Provocative insights on leadership from a "who's who" of leadership thought including: Tom Peters, Charles Handy, and Jim Kouzes
A stellar cast of the world's foremost leadership gurus comes together in one place to offer their thoughts on leadership in the new economy. Edited by renowned leadership expert Warren Bennis, the book addresses issues that Bennis identifies as the ones that "keep CEOs up at night", including why we tolerate bad leaders, why leadership is everyone's business, and how ethics will play into new leadership. With contributions from Charles Handy, Tom Peters, Barry Posner, Jim Kouzes, and Warren Bennis-as well as from such young entrepreneurs as Michael Klein and Tara Church-no other book includes the caliber of authors and the range of thinking found in The Future of Leadership.
Warren Bennis (Santa Monica, CA) is University Professor and Distinguished Professor of the Marshall School of Business. He is the author of nineteen books, including the bestselling Leaders (coauthored with Burt Nanus) and On Becoming a Leader. Gretchen M. Spreitzer (Pacific Palisades, CA) is Assistant Professor at USC Marshall School of Business and a faculty affiliate of both the Center for Effective Organizations and the Leadership Institute. Thomas Cummings (Palos Verdes Estates, CA) is Dean of USC's Marshall School of Business.
Customer Reviews:
weLEAD Book Review from the Editor of leadingtoday.org.......2002-02-12
This interesting work is a collection of essays by some of the world's most respected leadership thinkers. Contributors include Charles Handy, James O'Toole, Thomas Stewart, Tom Peters, Barry Posner and James Kouzes. These essays were first presented at a special conference held to honor Warren Bennis. Organizers labeled the conference a festschrift, a German word for a volume of essays assembled by colleagues to be a tribute to a renowned scholar. The essays were edited and divided into five parts:
1. Setting the Stage for the Future.
2. The Organization of the Future
3. The Leader of the Future.
4. How Leaders Stay on Top of Their Game.
5. Insights from Young Leaders.
The result is an insightful examination on the state of leadership today and the challenges it can expect to experience in the future. For example, Bennis writes the first essay and presents a number of challenging issues, including the widening disparity of talent among income levels, growing demographic changes between young and old and balancing the demands of work and home. James O'Toole looks at the organization of the future and remarks that leaders should view their tasks "as creating the systems under which others would be encouraged to do all the things that typically end up on the desk of the do-it-all leader."
The Future of Leadership is a comprehensive examination of leadership today and tomorrow provided by a number of insightful modern day thinkers. It asks some judicious questions and dares to look into the future with assurance and confidence. Some essays are better written than others, but every reader will find some valuable material and learn a new perspective from its pages.
Highly Recommended!.......2002-01-30
The Germans call it a festschrift - a book stemming from the celebration honoring a renowned scholar, in this case Warren Bennis. The luminaries (including Bennis himself) who gathered in May 2000 at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business for this festschrift offer 19 thoughtful chapters on leadership issues. In fact, the consistent quality and creativity may pleasantly surprise you. The only exception is an imaginative, but shallow and self-absorbed clunker from Tom Peters. We [...] recommend this thought-provoking collection to students and practitioners of the mysterious art of inspiring others to follow.
Great edition of diverse thinking on leadership.......2001-12-12
This work is a tribute to Warren Bennis, a celebration of his career. In praising him, he challenged those around him to address issues that continue to interest and perplex him. And, despite his years of experience and two million books of his own in print, the questions that remain are often simple and profound.
Answering these questions are top researchers, professors, commentators and consultants. The variety of authors provides a rich tapestry of information, experiences and opinions. What are the keys to great leadership? What makes one high-performing team do great things (The Manhattan Project) and another perpetrate evil (The Final Solution)? As the percent of one's life likely to be engaged in full-time employment declines (from 50 of 68 years in 1960 to 38 of 76 years today), how does this affect the way we lead and live? What happens when good leaders go bad? Is leadership aptitude widely distributed or possessed by a select few? Are business schools up to the task of developing the management and leadership talent for tomorrow?
Given the approximately hundreds of articles and dozens of books on leadership published each year, you might expect to have had these answers or at least these questions raised before. "The future of leadership" offers a fresh, readable perspective, for the business student and the manager. Sure, you might quibble with the eclectic responses and styles of this broad spectrum of authors, but the quality lies in their diversity.
Book Description
Whether you speak to ten people or ten thousand, you want your audience to pay attention. Learn how to present your material clearly and to speak with confidence.
Customer Reviews:
Packed With Knowledge!.......2004-05-08
Jack Valenti's updated edition of this classic instructional text on public speaking includes all the name dropping and funny anecdotes you would expect from a man who spent his career behind the scenes in Washington, D.C., and Hollywood. Insisting that anyone can be an effective public speaker - and he clearly has heard the best and the worst - Valenti's watch word is "preparation." Although his writing is a bit repetitious and florid, and the information is basic, the book does what it promises: coaches the reader through the difficulties and details of composing and delivering an effective public presentation. If you drone on at a lectern while staring down at reams of notes, speak longer than your allotted time, have nightmares about the speech you gave that went wrong, count on momentary inspiration to carry you through important moments in the spotlight or don't know the first thing about giving a speech, we prescribe this book for your condition.
Carol Kent brings public speaking to an accessible skill........1999-02-07
I read Carol's book before I met her at a retreat where she spoke. I can affirm that she is an exemplary speaker. She practices what she preaches. The book provided practical wisdom plus numorous asides on the art of communicating while still upholding the integrity of both the message and the message-giver. I've adapted many of her suggestions to my own speaking outreach.
Book Description
Assertive people are able to clearly make their point, speak their mind, and express their needs while maintaining others’ self-esteem. How to Speak Up Without Putting Others Down, Leader’s Guide from the popular 60-Minute Active Training Series offers facilitators a ready-made, effective one hour program that will teach participants to express themselves clearly, directly, and tactfully. Specifically, participants will learn how to
- Express themselves in a straightforward way¾without offending others
- Stand their ground, tactfully even in the face of resistance
- Persist with people who fail to fo
Average customer rating:
- From a dear young friend...
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My Dear Young Friends: Pope John Paul II Speaks to Teens on Life, Love, and Courage
Pope John Paul II
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John Paul II, Every Child a Light: The Pope's Message to Young People
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For the Children: Words of Love and Inspiration from His Holiness Pope John II
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The Way to Christ : Spiritual Exercises
ASIN: 0884897249 |
Book Description
“My Dear Young Friends,” a collection of fifty-two weekly reflections on living in the Spirit, invites young people to read and act on Pope John Paul II's inspiring addresses to young people gathered at annual World Youth Day celebrations. Each of the fifty-two weekly reflections in “My Dear Young Friends” contains the following sections:
* a Scripture passage related to the theme for the week
* a message from the pope
* “Think About That,” asking the reader to ponder the pope's message
* “Take Action,” inviting the reader to act on the pope's message
* “Say a Prayer,” inspiring the reader to keep the pope's words fresh in his or her heart and mind
* “Did You Know?” a fact about the pope's life
Young people around the world adore Pope John Paul II. He has won their hearts and minds because he genuinely believes in their ability to change the world for the better. He cares about them. He respects them. Most important, he challenges them to a deep and profound love for Christ through his church. In a rapidly changing world, the pope's unwavering message of life, love, and courage inspires and enlivens in their hearts a burning fire for the Good News of Jesus Christ!
Customer Reviews:
From a dear young friend..........2006-04-16
I went on a retreat and was given this book at the end. Over the past few months and months I have read this book and gone through it. John Paul II was my hero and therefore this book especially struck with me.
Each week there is a quotation from both Pope John Paul II and the bible. Then there is a small reflection which reads like he is actually talking to you. Then, following the reflection is a prayer, and a suggestion on how to live out the faith in the comming week.
This book has really helped to change my perspectives on certain things. It is very uplifting and inspires young people, such as myself, to live the words JPII spoke when he said 'be not afraid'.
Book Description
The world tries to keep up when JACK WELCH SPEAKS:
"Jack Welch has long been one of my heroes. When you read this book you will understand why." -Warren Buffett Chairman, Berkshire Hathaway.
"Jack Welch is a management genius who attacks life as he does business-with unconventional flair, a restless intellect, and no tolerance for phonies. And I'd say that even if he weren't my boss!" -Tom Brokaw Anchor and Managing Editor, NBC
"Jack Welch describes himself as 'just a man in a room.' Janet Lowe takes us into this room by letting the man speak for himself. Through his own words, it becomes clear why he is listened to and emulated all over the world. Big man, big room." -Sam Nunn Former U.S. Senator; Partner, King and Spalding.
"All too often, the journalistic adulation heaped upon business leaders is misplaced or vastly overstated. In the case of Welch, he's even better than his press." -Larry Bossidy Chairman and CEO, Allied Signal Inc.
"Jack Welch Speaks shows business at its most fascinating. It gives the reader a valuable insight into the mind and personal philosophy of one of America's keenest, most effective business leaders." -Ely Callaway Founder and Chairman, Callaway Golf.
"The gold standard against which other CEOs are measured." -BusinessWeek.
"The most acclaimed SOB of the last decade is the most acclaimed CEO of this one." -Industry Week.
He is one of the most praised, perhaps the most feared, and certainly one of the most confounding and controversial bosses in America-a complex, intensely private man, revered as the manager's manager. As Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric, Jack Welch has been at the forefront of the reconstruction of American industry. From the moment he assumed his position 16 years ago, Welch sought dramatic and swift change. He quickly realized the demands of the new, global, high-tech environment, and met the challenge with decisive action and, in the opinion of many, ruthless determination. He broadened corporate America's vocabulary with words that still strike terror in the hearts of many an employee: restructuring, downsizing, rightsizing. In the process, Jack Welch turned an aging, albeit highly respected and historic, business icon into what is considered by many today to be the best managed company in the world and, above all, one of the most profitable.
Now, Janet Lowe, author of the bestselling Warren Buffett Speaks, presents in Welch's own words the insights, vision, passions, and persuasions of a legendary leader. Here's just a sample of what you'll find inside:
* "We're going to demand from you earnings growth every year. . . . Those are the rules of the road. . . . You take charge of your destiny. If you don't, we will."
* "As I went to bigger pieces of GE, I found bigger bureaucracies, layers and all that stuff and it wasn't friendly. Business was very serious-turf-boxes. Business isn't that. Business is ideas and fun and excitement and celebrations, all those things."
* "When you're running an institution, you're always scared at first. You're afraid you might break it."
* "If someone tells me 'I'm working 90 hours a week,' I say, 'You're doing something terribly wrong.' I go skiing on the weekend, I go out with my buddies on Friday and party. You've got to do the same or you've got a bad deal."
* "Speed is everything. It is the indispensable ingredient in competitiveness. Speed keeps business and people young. It's addictive, and it's a profoundly American taste we need to cultivate."
Customer Reviews:
Wise words on how to transition from industrial to post-industrial commerce.......2007-05-11
The personal viewpoint of Jack Welch (former CEO of General Electric) on how the industrial world transitioned into a post-industrial network of commercial systems, led by those with passion to succeed at any cost. Here are a few favorite quotes:
--Operating as a political democracy (or nearly so) with a capitalist economy. That, he said, gives a competitive advantage.
--"You know, all of a sudden `manager' isn't the status word it has been for a century.
--"Punishing failure assures that no one dares."
--"Quality means literally providing something that's better than the best, not just better than most."
Winning is a winner.......2005-08-12
It's easy reading and extremely informative. You can't go wrong with this book. Enrich your life by reading this book.
Thank you Jack Welch for sharing your wisdom and experience.
Better than Staight from the Gut.......2003-11-16
Janet Lowe does a great job of distilling the essence of Jack Welch's business wisdom. The quotes, which were often used by Welch for motivation, are very powerful. This makes for a more compelling book than Jack Welch's autobiography, Straight from the Gut.
Jam packed with great stuff from Jack!.......2001-09-13
I've read (studied) most of the books written about Jack Welch and felt this particular book was well worth a review too. As an inspirational children's book author I love books that inspire, teach and have messages that I can use to make life better. All of Jack Welch's wisdom, management messages and lessons are all packed into this book. In this book you'll learn about how managers shouldn't muddle but lead by exciting and inspiring their team. The importance of speed, simplicity and self-confidence. It goes into Sigma Six, Workout Sessions and more. My book shelf has just about every book ever written about Jack Welch. I call it my "Jack Pack." If you are like me you will want to read them all! I am looking forward to reading "Straight from the Gut" and would highly recommend you read Jack Welch's new book as well.
Eloquent and Practical Wisdom.......2001-05-23
This is the best single source of comments by Jack Welch, at least that I am aware of, as he approaches the conclusion of his illustriuous career at GE. Lowe deserves great credit for her editorial skills. Her selections are outstanding and well-organized. For me, this book offers a rare opportunity to share Welch's insights re subjects such as setting proper priorities, allocating resources, anticipating and then preparing for an uncertain future, responding to unexpected crises, healing self-inflicted wounds, eliminating deadwood, adjusting or abandoning ineffective strategies, and -- meanwhile -- remaining committed to non-negotiable core values. When Welch "speaks", all of us should listen very carefully. This book probably comes as close as any single source could to maximize the value of such an interaction.
Book Description
In a postmodern world, it is ironic that the lessons of "yesterday" often resonate more with leaders than those of the countless modern-day leadership "prophets."
Customer Reviews:
Unlike Yours.......2006-04-25
The read is brisk and sensible. Fleming does well to qualify himself as an established follower of unlikely voices. Analogies by way of jail cells, salad bars and dog poop (not metaphorically speaking) invite the reader to ease into reality of the past and the humor and hope of today. Fleming's work and reflective technique are such that the inspired leader takes up his pen and renders poetically the lessons gleaned, accessible, now owned, and the worth therein, steadily approaching the forte of a new unlikely voice...one's own.
Interesting perspectives, but not revolutionary.......2006-04-21
As thoroughly postmodern as this Leadership Wisdom feels, it has significant contributions for Christian leaders trapped in dictatorial methods. It will be the most valuable for those least likely to read it. Fleming consistently stresses balance. Balance between guiding and letting go, between rigidity and apathy and between chaos and order.
The books is primarily composed of brief biographies and excerpts from the writings of leaders from generations past, with Fleming developing his own thoughts through examples in the lives of others. Instead of moving through parables, as many leadership books have done recently, he moves through real lives, demonstrating how commitment to various principles impacted their leadership. More importantly, the principles are demonstratably true, because they have worked.
Fleming does a wonderful job in formatting his book in such a way as to make it accessible for even the busiest of leaders. Each chapter begins with a sentence labeled "The Point" and is broken down into a few sections that range from very short to manageable. Each section concludes with a reminder to "Pause," something brief to "Ponder," and sometimes an opportunity to place the point into "Practice." The chapters conclude with a sentence or two labeled "Tying it All Together" which helps focus the different discussions in the chapter into a single, unifying point.
Unlikely Voices speaks to leaders because despite the progress of the centuries and the advent of a new millennium, people have not changed. What people respond to in leadership has not changed, and the fallen nature of leaders, which creates many of their problems, has not changed.
OK Content But Style is Distracting.......2006-04-18
The introduction to this book criticizes the bulk of leadership books accusing them of predictability and staleness. This introduction promised new and important ideas that narrow, popular leadership books miss. The author does not really deliver on his promise, writing a leadership book that is in many ways hard to understand and in other ways doing the very thing he ridiculed- writing predictably.
The author is clearly writing to a postmodern audience, a characteristic of the book which is truly original. The book is littered with negative references to `modernism' and traditional 20th century thinking. In the author's effort to avoid modernism and logic, he writes in a lot of code. In one sense this can be refreshing, but in another sense it can be frustrating, I found myself thinking, "Stop the verbal vomit and just say it!:" Here is a sentence which reflects this `code', "For the story of creation continues to this day as the invitation from the Divine Mystery, calling us forth as creators to enter his dream." Some of the chapters lacked any kind of coherence, which I consider a fault, but which was probably done purposefully.
Having said this, there are parts of the book that are truly insightful and understandable. Chapters 3,8 and 9 all have good insight into leadership, the topics of these chapters being; maintaining proper focus as a leader, the importance of a leader's authentic relationships, and the value of a leader's education (not necessarily formal). While excellent, two of these chapters are not really original (8 and 9), these are rehashed leadership insights that this book puts into postmodern garb. However, I found chapter 3 regarding `proper focus' very helpful. The author suggests that the leader should step back from the details and daily schedule of his life and take a look at his overall `big picture'. Visualizing our lives and ministries as a narrative can really help us see our lives in focus of eternity.
I would not recommend this leadership book unless the reader thinks through a heavily postmodern framework. While there are some great truths in this book, it is not worth the frustration trying to read through it all.
Timeless Wisdom!.......2004-09-14
This book is by far one of the best leadership books I've read. It hits at the heart of what every future leader needs to develop in order to be successful ~ relational team building skills. Dave is exceptionally gifted in his unique writing style as he creatively infuses 'timeless wisdom' into current culture to inspire, encourage and educate. His insights are engaging and practical. Don't miss this opportunity to gain greater leadership vision!
Book Description
This collection brings together some of the premier minds of library and information science in North America to reflect on where the field has been, where it is now, and most importantly, where it is going in the new century. The diverse backgrounds and areas of specialization of the contributors creates a panoramic view of the library world, addressing such diverse topics as the library needs of children, library services on Native American reservations, and the status of current professional organizations. This volume serves to illuminate the past and forecast the future of one of the most integral social institutions in our society.
Book Description
Leaders Talk Leadership is an impressive collection of interviews with some of the world's most respected corporate leaders and management scholars. Edited by Ashby and Miles of the preeminent executive search firm Heidrick and Struggles, this compilation of thought leadership spanning industries and geographies addresses the key issues facing executives today such as governance, leadership and strategy, how to lead in volatile times or through a corporate transformation, how to best leverage human capital and how to achieve competitive advantage in today's environment. Some of the CEO's featured in the book include Ken Chenault, of American Express, Steve Reinemund of PepsiCo, Heinrich von Pierer of Siemens, Ken Lewis of Bank of America, Edward Tian of China Netcom, Fred Smith of FedEx, Hank McKinnell of Pfizer, A.G. Lafley of Proctor and Gamble, Klaus Zumwinkel of Deutsche Post World Net, William Haseltine of Human Genome Sciences, Linda Sanford of IBM, Larry Weinbach of Unisys and Michael Dell of Dell Computer. Framing these cutting-edge concepts are interviews and written essays by preeminent academics, including Jay Conger from London Business School, Jim Collins of Good to Great, Mohanbir Sawhney of Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and Jeffrey Pfeffer of Stanford University. Serving as the line executive's roadmap to recruiting, retaining and developing talent and an encyclopedia of MBA students worldwide, this book represents path-breaking leadership perspectives from path-breaking leaders.
Customer Reviews:
The New Leader: Catalyst of Distributed Leadership.......2003-01-15
There is really nothing new in this book and yet the interview material it provides is first-rate and brilliantly presented by Ashby and Miles. After the Foreword ("Leading in the New Century: Storm Clouds and Silver Linings on the Horizon") and Introduction ("Factors Affecting Leadership and Human Capital Management"), they organize 49 interviews within five chapters, followed by an Epilogue ("Optimizing Human Capital with a 'People Operating System' Approach"). Actually, during their research for this book, they conducted hundreds of interviews with all manner of executives, selecting responses which, to varying degrees, helped to answer questions such as these:
* What gives companies competitive advantage?
* What are the burning issues for corporate leaders today?
* How do leaders lead in times of crisis or instability?
* How do companies identify, attract, develop, and retain the best and brightest people in the marketplace?
The title of each chapter correctly indicates the primary focus of the interviews assembled within it: Leadership, Managing Human Capital, Establishing Competitive Advantage, Strategic change and Transformation, and finally Chapter 5, The Stakeholder's View. The value of this book will no doubt be determined by each reader in terms of the nature and extent of material most relevant to the reader's specific needs and interests. Here are brief excerpts from a few of the conversations which were of greatest interest to me. Hopefully they give those who read this review a sense of the quality of the responses to important issues.
Jim Collins on leadership: "We [Collins and his research associates] concluded that the answer to making companies great was not leadership itself. The real distinction was that there is a special form of leadership that takes companies from good to great....Level Five leaders are ambitious first and foremost for the company and its long-term greatness, not for themselves as individuals. As a result, they tend to be personally modest, humble and reserved,, but enormously willful on behalf of the organization....They tend not to become celebrities. They don't have their egos wrapped up in making themselves well-known....We found that there is an inverse relationship between high-profile, charismatic, egocentric leadership -- the Level Four leaders -- and the journey of the company from good to great."
John Hagel on how to respond to increased performance demands, shifts of surplus from from a structural advantage to a human capital advantage, and a bottleneck to value creation caused by shortages in key skill sets/experience: "What can companies do about these trends? As talent increases its ability to capture value, companies will need to rethink their businesses on a profound level. This includes even the most basic question of all: What business are we in? What business are we really in? Perhaps the most significant challenge involves the need to adopt a different mindset. Rather than looking at cost-cutting and automation as ways to cope, businesses will need to focus on accelerating growth as a way to reward talent and increase returns to the business at the same time. Rather than focusing on attracting and retaining talent, companies will need to concentrate on developing privileged relationships with talent, wherever it may reside."
Michael Dell on the New Economy: "The most essential trend, indeed the trend that spawned the New Economy, is the transition from atoms to electrons and now photons as a medium for information. With each of these transitions, the vehicles upon which information rides have become lighter. Thoughts, ideas, and productivity now flow with less friction than ever before, decreasing transaction costs and removing barriers to communication. As a result, it's now as simple and inexpensive to communicate a world away as it is to send a message across the room."
David M. Rubenstein on Jack Welch's leadership: "When he took the helm of General Electric 20 years ago, it was a well-respected company. At the time, no one thought that GE had any significant problems, yet Welch, in a mere two decades, transformed it into a completely different organization by building on existent strengths. Now, ha he just [in italics] presided during his period and not [in italics] led, GE would still be a reasonably successful electrical appliance company. But by dramatically expanding its mission and turning it toward a path it would never otherwise have taken, he set the gold standard for business leadership. Welch will be remembered for asking questions that others hadn't asked, motivating people, asking employees to dig a little deeper and work a little harder, and giving them a sense of why that was important to them, to their families, and to their communities."
In the Epilogue, written in collaboration with Jay A. Conger, Miles and Ashby present what they describe as a "new method of managing talent -- a systemic, holistic approach that leverages upside potential in the day-to-day workplace by translating it into sustainable value." It is called a People Operating System (POS) and is, in effect, a human capital management team. They suggest that there are seven specific attributes to be considered when identifying leadership talent. The seven are sensible enough and the points of emphasis, insofar as the attributes are concerned, are appropriate if rather obvious. However, I was unprepared for the introduction of the POS in the Epilogue. There is no indication that the POS was significantly influenced by what was learned during the interviews, from what Miles and Ashby call "leadership vignettes." I question the appropriateness of the Epilogue. Frankly, I had expected and would have preferred some correlations between and among the responses from those interviewed which suggest how the five chapter subjects may be separate but are also interdependent.
Whereas the Foreword and Introduction are eminently appropriate to the material in this volume, the Epilogue is not...at least not as Conger, Miles, and Ashby present it. Perhaps they will write another book which focuses entirely on the design, implementation, and subsequent development of a POS.
user-friendly guide.......2002-11-11
Top CEOs give their views on all that matters in business.
Strong on visionary leadership of talent, these top execs all view employees as their most valuable assets. You'll find innovative thinking on finding, hiring, developing, challenging, retaining and continuing to motive workers in demanding, volatile environments. User-friendly format with helpful Contents and Index tables allow you to dip into this book just to glean your favorite moguls' musings. But most readers will probably devour it in one sitting, start to finish. It's that captivating.
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Books Index
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