Thursday, July 15, 2010
Malaysian Maverick - Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times(Barry Wain)
The book Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times is about the Malaysian Prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and his political journey in times of disturbance. The author Barry Wain talks tries to explore various aspects of Mahathir Mohamad’s personality.
According to Wain Mahathir one hand being a Malayan Heroic figure was a fiercely tireless campaigner on the other who advocated against the domination by the Western economy. The author expounds the unknown persona of Mahathir by this book by the series of exhaustive interviews he had with him.
The author says that there is much more yet to be known in his personality rather than just what he has always presented himself in the outer world and the entire world’s perceives about him.
The issue that catches attention in this book is about the assertion that around RM100 billion may have been wasted like water on huge projects undertaken by Mahathir in order to engineer the modern Malaysia we see today by revolutionizing industries and underneath these projects also accompanied corruption.
Wain also writes that Malaysia was left handicapped due to its national car policy thus making Thailand the major center for car manufacturing.
The author portrays a very balanced description by throwing light on the fact that though the Malaysian Maverick directed all his plans towards the notion of modern, industrialized and globally respected nation of Malaysia for which he even directed the ruling party into business but this accelerated corruption as party’s nature and goals changed. Consequently this led to massive financial scandals. Though involvement of Mahathir in any of this corruption is not confirmed anywhere yet all these disturbances left him unapologetic.
The author concludes in the final chapters of his book that despite of these turbulences and confusions Mahathir created the very nation that he dreamt about that is the modern industrialized Malaysia with its iconic twin towers. Although the corruption that accompanied the process of transformation of Malaysia has much to blame on Mahathir only due to his dissolution of independent judiciary but still he proved to be true to the title given to him as The Malaysian Maverick.
Mahathir, as he himself confessed to the author says that even today he has resentment towards the west, the British in particular. The author writes about this exhaustively that this very antagonism against the British has been a hallmark of his career.
This book thus captures Mahathir Mohamad, the PM of Malaysia for 22 years in true unbiased light, highlighting his true personality and the political situations that Malaysia went through to be what it is today. For all those who would like to explore this Malaysian Maverick and his nation must get started as this is an appreciable piece of work.
Warren Buffett - illustrated biography
"Warren Buffett - The Oracle of Everything. He has been right about the stock market, rotten accounting, CEO greed, and corporate governance. The rest of us are just catching on." - Fortune
"Warren Buffett has turned value investing into an art form, piling up the world's second largest individual fortune and persuading millions to mimic the low-tech, buy-and-hold style of stock picking he practices at Berkshire Hathaway." - Time
"Buffett and Munger are, without doubt, two of the greatest investors and capital allocators of all time, so investors would be well served to study their thinking carefully." - The Motley Fool
"Warren Buffett - Ace stockpicker, and now, an empire-builder." - BusinessWeek
Can I have your Attention(Cardillo)
It is an eye-popping adventure that combines ancient, high-speed attention-building processes with cutting-edge attention research in psychology, neurology, and biology. Through Joseph Cardillo's engaging personal account of the world of human attention--which synthesizes the stories of more than two dozen experts--you will uncover surprising secrets about the workings of your own mind.
Did you know that:
* You can use your attention to perfect any daily activity--from piano playing to work--related activities to perfecting your golf swing?
* In just one-six-hundredth of a second, a random detail you glimpse in the corner of your eye can determine whether you like someone you just met, cause or avoid an accident, make you feel happy or depressed all day, and lead you to succeed or fail at anything you try?
* Specifically designed meditation techniques can be used to scan and shift brain waves, altering one's attention as effectively as electrode-packed biofeedback instruments?
* Most importantly, you can train your attention to turn such processes on or off, on command?
This fresh look at ancient attention skills and new science will transform your thinking about what human attention is as well as offer a guide to incorporating its insights into your daily life. Can I Have Your Attention? even presents a redefinition of attention deficit and reveals a variety of natural, non-medical tools that can significantly amp up anyone's attention!
How to Give a Damn Good Speech(Theibert)
What Got You Here Won't Get You There(Goldsmith)
The Warren Buffett Way(Hagstrom)
To Digress A Little(Akbar Ali)
Zero Limits(Vitale)
"This riveting book can awaken humanity. It reveals the simple power of four phrases to transform your life. It's all based in love by an author spreading love. You should get ten copies of it----one for you and nine to give away. It's that good."
---- Debbie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Dark Side of the Light Chasers
"I love this book! I feel it will be the definitive personal-change/self-help book for at least a generation and viewed as a watershed event by historians. There is real potential for this book to start a movement that will end war, poverty, and the environmental devastation of our beloved planet."
---- Marc Gitterle, MD, www.CardioSecret.com
"This book is like a stick of dynamite, and the moment you start reading, the fuse is lit.
It blows away all the complex and confusing success paradigms of the past and reveals a refreshing and clear path to transform your life with just one simple step. As you explore Zero Limits with Vitale, be prepared for a journey that is both challenging and inspiring beyond anything you've imagined."
---- Craig Perrine, www.MaverickMarketer.com
"There are more than 6 billion different manifestations of human existence on the planet?and only one of us here. In Zero Limits, Vitale has captured the truth that all great spiritual, scientific, and psychological principles teach at the most fundamental level. Boil it all down to the basics and the keys are quite simple---- the answer to all life's challenges is profound love and gratitude. Read this book; it's a reminder of the truth and ability you already possess."
---- James Arthur Ray, philosopher and bestselling author of Practical Spirituality and The Science of Success
"Wow! This is the best and most important book Vitale has ever written!"
---- Cindy Cashman, www.FirstSpaceWedding.com
"I couldn't put it down. This book elegantly sketches what I've learned and learned about in twenty-one years of personal study, and then it takes it to the next level. If you're looking for true peace along with 'the good stuff,' then this book is for you."
---- David Garfinkel, author of Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich
"Zero Limits is Vitale's adventure into the most mind-altering reading experience of your life."
---- Joseph Sugarman, President, BluBlocker Sunglasses, Inc.
How to Lead(Owen)
A unique and brilliant combination of authoritative guidance and stimulating and entertaining advice, it includes novel material on career limiting moves, advice on what to do when you look like you are about to become an involuntary member of the cock up club and how to lead by following.
This leadership handbook will help managers become leaders and help them rise to the top. It is the single book, whole career guide.
Work Less, Make More(White)
Tired of holding your breath, waiting for exactly the right moment to arrive before you can start living the life you really want? When will it be safe for you to stop working so hard and feeling stressed out, burnt out, and generally dissatisfied with life? When you get married? Promoted? When your kids finish school? When you pay off your mortgage? When you retire?
Its time to stop waiting and start living. As renowned success coach Jennifer White proves in this amazing book: You can have it all–more time, more money, and more fun–on your own terms–starting today!
Based on Whites popular courses and seminars through which she has helped thousands of people nationwide live more fulfilling and productive lives, Work Less, Make More™ is an easy-to-follow 10-step program for overcoming your fears, unblocking your passions, channeling your energies, and managing your time more efficiently so that you can:
Fearlessly take more risks
Do the kind of work that really makes you happy
Achieve success on your own terms
Enjoy the freedom of being your own boss
Have more fulfilling relationships
Put the passion back in your life and work
A complete design for living and working, Work Less, Make More is the key that will unlock your potential for living life to its fullest.
The Secret Language of Business(Hogan)
Trump How to get Rich(Donald Trump)
Then he made The Apprentice.
Now The Donald shows you how to make a fortune, Trump style.
HOW TO GET RICH
Real estate titan, bestselling author, and TV impresario Donald J. Trump reveals the secrets of his success in this candid and unprecedented book of business wisdom and advice. Over the years, everyone has urged Trump to write on this subject, but it wasn’t until NBC and executive producer Mark Burnett asked him to star in The Apprentice that he realized just how hungry people are to learn how great personal wealth is created and first-class businesses are run. Thousands applied to be Trump’s apprentice, and millions have been watching the program, making it the highest rated debut of the season.
In Trump: How To Get Rich, Trump tells all–about the lessons learned from The Apprentice, his real estate empire, his position as head of the 20,000-member Trump Organization, and his most important role, as a father who has successfully taught his children the value of money and hard work.
With his characteristic brass and smarts, Trump offers insights on how to
• invest wisely
• impress the boss and get a raise
• manage a business efficiently
• hire, motivate, and fire employees
• negotiate anything
• maintain the quality of your brand
• think big and live large
Plus, The Donald tells all on the art of the hair!
With his luxury buildings, award-winning golf courses, high-stakes casinos, and glamorous beauty pageants, Donald J. Trump is one of a kind in American business. Every day, he lives the American dream. Now he shows you how it’s done, in this rollicking, inspirational, and illuminating behind-the-scenes story of invaluable lessons and rich rewards.
Rich Dad Poor Dad(Robert Kiyosaki)
Among some of the book's topics are:
the value of financial intelligence
that corporations spend first, then pay taxes, while individuals must pay taxes first
that corporations are artificial entities that anyone can use, but the poor usually don't know how
According to Kiyosaki and Lechter, wealth is measured as the number of days the income from your assets will sustain you, and financial independence is achieved when your monthly income from assets exceeds your monthly expenses. Each dad had a different way of teaching his son.
Increase your Financial IQ(Robert Koyosaki)
Now, in this latest book in the popular Rich Dad Poor Dad series, Kiyosaki lays out his 5 key principles of Financial Intelligence for all to understand. In INCREASE YOUR FINANCIAL IQ, Kiyosaki provides real insights on these key steps to wealth:
o How to increase your money -- how to assess what you're really worth now, what your prospects are, and how to start mapping out your financial future.
o How to protect your money -- for better or for worse, taxes are a way of life. Kiyosaki shows you that "it's not what you make....it's what you keep."
o How to budget your money -- everybody wants to live large, but you have to learn how to live within your budget. Kiyosaki shows you how you can.
o How to leverage your money -- as you build your financial IQ, knowing how to put your money to work for you is a crucial step.
o How to improve your financial information -- Kiyosaki shows you how to accelerate your wealth as you learn more and more.
The Secret(Rhonda Byrne)
In this book, you'll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life -- money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You'll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that's within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.
The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers -- men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible.
How Toyota Became #1(Magee)
Time Out for Leaders(McDermott)
What the Dog Saw(Gladwell)
"[Malcolm Gladwell] is one of the brightest stars in the media firmament...Gladwell's clear prose and knack for upending conventional wisdom across the social sciences have made The Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers, as well as his lengthy magazine features on topics ranging from cool-hunting to ketchup, into must reads." (Time.com Alex Altman )
"This evidence of a Gladwell effect helps to predict something larger: that Mr. Gladwell's new book will be as successful as his first three...This book full of short conversation pieces is a collection that plays to the author's strengths. It underscores his way of finding suitably quirky subjects (the history of women's hair-dye advertisements; the secret of Heinz's unbeatable ketchup; even the effects of women's changing career patterns on the number of menstrual periods they experience in their lifetimes) and using each as gateway to some larger meaning." (New York Times Janet Maslin )
"Gladwell is a writer of many gifts. His nose for the untold back story will have readers repeatedly muttering, "Gee, that's interesting!" He avoids shopworn topics, easy moralization and conventional wisdom, encouraging his readers to think again and think different...Some chapters are masterpieces in the art of the essay." (The New York Times Book Review Steven Pinker )
"Uniformly delightful...Malcolm Gladwell can write engrossingly about just about anything...His witty, probing articles are as essential to David Remnick's New Yorker as those of Wolcott Gibbs and A.J. Liebling were to Harold Ross's...Gladwell has a gift for capturing personalities, a Borscht Belt comic's feel for timing and a bent for counterintuitive thinking. He loves to start a piece by settling you onto a cushion of received ideas, then yanking it out from under you."- (Bloomberg News Craig Seligman )
"Malcolm Gladwell triumphantly returns to his roots with this collections of his great works from The New Yorker Magazine....Do yourself a favor and curl up with What the Dog Saw this week: It is more entertaining and edifying than should be legal for any book." (Louisville Courier-Journal Scott Coffman )
"In What the Dog Saw, Malcolm Gladwell leads the reader on delightful side excursions, shows with insightful conversation how one path interweaves with another, and suggests meaning-he is, in short, an interpretative naturalist of American culture." (The Oregonian Alice Evans )
Effective decision making(Adair)
"Effective Decision Making" is the definitive guide to the crucial managerial skill of creative thinking. In this classic book John Adair, Britain's foremost expert on leadership training, tells you everything you need to know to enable you to analyse your own thought processes, think outside the box and know when to turn to others to help you make your decisions. Including advice on every aspect of the decision-making process, "Effective Decision Making" will help you to:
- Approach problems efficiently and effectively - define objective, collect information, develop options, evaluate, decide and implement
- Think in a more imaginative way
- Know when to rely on your intuition
- Feel more confident about arguing your case
- Develop your thinking skills
With examples of good and poor decision making, as well as exercises designed to help you maintain and improve your mental fitness, " Effective Decision Making" will enable you to master one of the most important skills needed to make you an effective leader.
MOJO(Marshall Goldsmith)
In his follow-up to the New York Times bestseller What Got You Here Won't Get You There, #1 executive coach Marshall Goldsmith shares the ways in which to get--and keep--our Mojo. Our professional and personal Mojo is impacted by four key factors: identity (who do you think you are?), achievement (what have you done lately?), reputation (who do other people think you are--and what have you've done lately?), and acceptance (what can you change--and when do you need to just "let it go"?). Goldsmith outlines the positive actions leaders must take, with their teams or themselves, to initiate winning streaks and keep them coming.
Mojo is: that positive spirit--towards what we are doing--now--that starts from the inside--and radiates to the outside. Mojo is at its peak when we are experiencing both happiness and meaning in what we are doing and communicating this experience to the world around us. The Mojo Toolkit provides fourteen practical tools to help you achieve both happiness and meaning--not only in business, but in life.
Change your questions, Change your life(Adams)
Golden Rules for Managers(McNair)
Often, the advice that makes the most impact does so because it's delivered in a clear, memorable saying that cuts to the heart of the issue. For business readers fed up with long books that say little, nothing could be more refreshing than The Golden Rules for Managers. Management expert Frank McNair distills the best business wisdom into 119 memorable nuggets that speak directly to management issues, then explains the lessons behind the each saying.
Paint a Clear Picture of the Target (goal setting)
What you Reward is What You Get (providing employee feedback)
Employees will Respect what you Expect if you Inspect (follow-up)
A Plan Is Not a Straightjacket (flexibility in execution)
The Madder You Get, the Dumber You Are (self-management)
Packaged for visual impact and easy reading, The Golden Rules for Managers is the new golden standard in management guides.
Think and Make It Happen(Augusto Cury)
Every person is a genius because everyone has the power to think.
Harnessing "mind power" has been scientifically proven to enhance a person's physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
The human act of thinking is the greatest wonder of the universe.
In Think, and Make It Happen, Dr. Cury unveils the multifocal intelligence process showing readers how to master their emotions, stress, thoughts, and relationships, as well as how to become creative thinkers and revolutionary leaders. Complete with a 12-week program, participants will learn to apply the universal laws for quality of life to their own lives: authorship, beauty, creativity, sleep, thoughts, emotions, memory, listening, dialogue, drive, and spirituality and celebration and start experiencing the life they desire.
Power(Greene)
The Art of Talking to Anyone(Maggio)
This essential communication handbook includes:
Sample dialogues, topics, and responses
Quick-reference dos and don'ts
Tips for handling special situations
Confidence-building advice and quotations
Key words that get to the business at hand
Whether it's small talk or big, social or work-related, The Art of Talking to Anyone gives you all the tools you need to speak up with confidence, to charm and persuade, and to talk your way through any situation--successfully.
Blue Ocean Strategy(Mauborgne)
The Definitive Drucker(Edersheim)
GO Put your Strengths to Work(Marcus Buckingham)
Research data show that most people do not come close to making full use of their assets at work -- in fact, only 17 percent of the workforce believe they use all of their strengths on the job. Go Put Your Strengths to Work aims to change that through a six-step, six-week experience that will reveal the hidden dimensions of your strengths. Buckingham shows you how to seize control of your assets and rewrite your job description under the nose of your boss. You will learn:
• Why your strengths aren't "what you are good at" and your weaknesses aren't "what you are bad at."
• How to use the four telltale signs to identify your strengths.
• The simple steps you can take each week to push your time at work toward those activities that strengthen you and away from those that don't.
• How to talk to your boss and your colleagues about your strengths without sounding like you're bragging and about your weaknesses without sounding like you're whining.
• The fifteen-minute weekly ritual that will keep you on your strengths path your entire career.
With structured exercises that will become part of your regular workweek and proven tactics from people who have successfully applied the book's lessons, Go Put Your Strengths to Work will arm you with a radically different approach to your work life. As part of the book's program you'll take an online Strengths Engagement Track, a focused and powerful gauge that has proven to be the best way to measure the level of engagement of your strengths or your team's strengths. You can also download the first two segments of the renowned companion film series Trombone Player Wanted.
Go Put Your Strengths to Work will open up exciting uncharted territory for you and your organization. Join the strengths movement and thrive.
Executive Presence(Harrison Monarth)
Marshall Goldsmith, New York Times bestselling author of What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
“On the corporate battlefield a true leader’s success is based upon his or her ability to communicate effectively, persuade others to follow a goal, and execute it. This leads to success for all. When the stakes are high, you’re well advised to read this book first.”
Scott A. Gaines, vice president, Hertz Corporation
“If you are seriously looking to be perceived in the light you choose, Executive Presence is the book that not only answers the question, but shows you how to apply the answers.”
Kevin Hogan, author of The Psychology of Persuasion
“Harrison Monarth is a first-rate thinker who writes as clearly as he thinks. No matter where you are on the career ladder, Executive Presence will put you a step ahead of your competition.”
T. Scott Gross, author of Positively Outrageous Service
“Most people know that to move up in your career, you need to have self-awareness and the ability to manage the perceptions of those whose opinions count. . . . Executive Presence is your comprehensive guide to help you become more profi cient at self-marketing and the art of ethical persuasion to achieve your personal and professional goals.”
Larina Kase, PsyD, MBA, author of The Confident Leader and coauthor of the New York Times bestseller The Confident Speaker
The 5 Essential People Skills(Dale Carnegie Training)
The business leaders and trainers from Dale Carnegie Training® have discovered that applying appropriate assertiveness to all your interactions is the most effective approach to creating a successful career.
The 5 Essential People Skills will help you be the most positively assertive, prosperous and inspired professional you can be. You will learn to:
• Relate to the seven major personality types
• Live up to your fullest potential while achieving personal success
• Create a cutting-edge business environment that delivers innovation and results
• Use Carnegie's powerhouse Five-Part template for articulate communications that grow business
• Resolve any conflict or misunderstanding by applying a handful of proven principles
Once you know and can employ these powerful skills, you will be well on your way to a new level of professional and personal achievement. You will see a transformation once you put these five essential skills to work for you.
Talking the Winner's Way(Leil Lowndes)
"The lost art of verbal communication may be revitalized by Leil Lowndes." -- Harvey McKay, author of How to Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive
What is that magic quality makes some people instantly loved and respected? Everyone wants to be their friend (or, if single, their lover!) In business, they rise swiftly to the top of the corporate ladder. What is their "Midas touch?"
What it boils down to is a more skillful way of dealing with people.
The author has spent her career teaching people how to communicate for success. In her book Talking the Winner's Way (Contemporary Books, October 2001) Lowndes offers 92 easy and effective sure-fire success techniques-- she takes the reader from first meeting all the way up to sophisticated techniques used by the big winners in life. In this information-packed book you'll find:
9 ways to make a dynamite first impression
14 ways to master small talk, "big talk," and body language
14 ways to walk and talk like a VIP or celebrity
6 ways to sound like an insider in any crowd
7 ways to establish deep subliminal rapport with anyone
9 ways to feed someone's ego (and know when NOT to!)
11 ways to make your phone a powerful communications tool
15 ways to work a party like a politician works a room
7 ways to talk with tigers and not get eaten alive (This last one is for when you need to WIN.)
In her trademark entertaining and straight-shooting style, Leil gives the techniques catchy names so you'll remember them when you really need them, including: "Rubberneck the Room," "Be a Copyclass," "Come Hither Hands," Bare Their Hot Button, The Great Scorecard in the Sky," and "Play the Tombstone Game, for big success in your social life, romance, and business.
Talking the Winner's Way is based on solid research about techniques that work!
Mavericks at Work(William Taylor)
We think of Mavericks at Work as a how-to book for what-if executives and entrepreneurs-a collection of new and provocative answers to some of the most basic questions facing companies of every size and leaders in every field:
What does it mean to have a winning competitive strategy when the world keeps getting more and more competitive?
How to you make enduring connections with customers when customers have more choices and higher expectations than ever?
What's the smart way to unleash innovation? Where do new ideas come from?
How do you attract more than your fair share of the best people in your field? How do you win the battle for talent?
Our core message: Business as usual is bust. In industry after industry, the old guard is cutting back and losing ground. Meanwhile, organizations and entrepreneurs that were once dismissed as upstarts, wildcards-mavericks-are making waves and growing fast. There's a reason: In an age of hyper-competition and nonstop innovation, the only way to stand out from the crowd is to stand for something truly original. Mavericks show you how-by helping you to rethink your strategy, reinvent your approach to innovation, reconnect with your customers, and rediscover the power of your people.
The strategies, tactics, and advice in Mavericks at Work grow out of in-depth access to a remarkable collection of 32 forward-looking companies. From a culture-shaping television network with offices in sun-splashed Santa Monica, California, to a little-known office-furniture manufacturer rooted in the frozen tundra of Green Bay, Wisconsin, from glamorous fields such as advertising, fashion, and the Internet, to old-line industries such as construction, mining, and detergent, the organizations featured in Mavericks at Work are winning big at business by rethinking the logic of how business gets done.
Individually, these maverick companies are attracting millions of customers, creating thousands of jobs, generating tens of billions of dollars of wealth. As a group, they demonstrate that you can build successful organizations around high ideals and fierce competitive ambitions, that the most powerful way to create economic value is to embrace a set of values that go beyond just amassing power, and that business, at its best, is too exciting, too important, and too much fun to be left to the dead hand of business as usual.
The goal of Mavericks at Work is to provide a fresh alternative to business as usual-an eye-opening, energetic, flat-out useful set of ideas and case studies that is as true to the maverick spirit as the break-the-mold ideas it champions and the unconventional leaders it chronicles. We hope the book helps you to think bigger, aim higher, and win more decisively.
Power of Impossible Thinking(Colin Crook)
The key questions: How do you know when an old model is worn out? How do you avoid "cognitive lock," filtering out information that conflicts with your model? How do you know a new model will live up to its hype? Many of the answers lie in "Mind R&D"--developing an inventory of new and old models and refining your intuition to fit your current reality. These engaging ideas are detailed with portraits of three impossible thinkers (Oprah Winfrey, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Intel's Andy Grove) and vivid examples (The music industry vs. Napster, a French fry cancer scare, O-rings on the Challenger). Wind and Crook make such a brilliant case for new ways of seeing that readers may wish for more coaching to recognize the obsolete models that keep us from changing our minds. --Barbara Mackoff
Living like you mean it(Ronald Frederick)
Good to Great(Jim Collins)
Collins calls Good To Great a "prequel" to his hugely successful Built To Last. I call it the most important Business Leadership book I have read in a long time. 1997's Built To Last was a great book. It set a target for all of us. However, it left out critical information, because those companies were already great. What about those of us struggling to move our companies from Good To Great as opposed to those trying to hold on to greatness? The missing piece is clearly identified in Collins' Good To Great.
Collins and his team identified 11 companies that followed a pattern of "fifteen-year cumulative stock returns at or below the general stock market, punctuated by a transition point, then cumulative returns at least three times the market over the next fifteen years." Public companies were selected because of the availability of comparable data.Fifteen-year segments were selected to weed out the one-hit wonders and luck breaks. While these selection criteria exclude "new economy" companies, Collins contends that there is nothing new about the new economy, citing earlier technology innovations of electricity, the telephone, and the transistor.
Having identified the companies that made the leap from Good To Great, Collins and his team set out to examine the transition point. What characteristics did the Good To Great companies have that their industry counterparts did not? What didn't the Good To Great companies have?
Collins maps out three stages, each with two key concepts. These six concepts are the heart of Good To Great and he devotes a chapter to explaining each of them.
•Level 5 Leadership
•First Who... Then What
•Confront the Brutal Facts
•The Hedgehog Concept
•A Culture of Discipline
•Technology Accelerators
Collins characterizes the Level 5 leader as "a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will." The Level 5 leader is not the "corporate savior" or "turnaround expert". Most of the CEOs of the Good To Great companies as they made the transition were company insiders. They were more concerned about what they could "build, create and contribute" than what they could "get - fame, fortune, adulation, power, whatever". No Ken Lay of Enron or Al Dunlap of Scott Paper, the larger-than-life CEO, led a Good To Great company.
This kind of executive is "concerned more with their own reputation for personal greatness" than they are with "setting the company up for success in the next generation".
In this book, Jim Collins also challenges the notion that "people are your most important asset" and postulates instead that "the right people are." I don't know that I yet completely agree with his philosophy that it's more important to get the right people on the bus and then see where it goes than it is to figure out where to go and get the right people on the bus who can get you there. However, he makes his point clearly and you can decide if you agree with him.
This nearly 300-page book is packed with leading edge thinking, clear examples, and data to support the conclusions. It is a challenge to all business leaders to exhibit the discipline required to move their companies from Good To Great.
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