Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value: Bill George
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
George, a former Medtronic CEO, sets the tone early in his book: “Somewhere along the way we lost sight of the imperative of selecting leaders that create healthy corporations for the long term.” It would be wonderful if George then provided readers hungry for change with a blueprint for how this could happen; alas, such is not the case. George’s thesis-too many CEOs think only in the short term and of the stock price, eventually losing a company’s focus in the hurtling pursuit of Wall Street validation-is not a bad one.. His proposal: a call for “authentic leadership,” that is, finding a leader who doesn’t try to emulate the greats, because such copycatting will never result in authenticity or honest leadership. It all gets a bit fuzzy at times, and George (who BusinessWeek recognized as a top-25 manager in 1998) relies far too much on his experience at Medtronic, a medical technology producer. Although George’s company seems a good example of what he’s talking about (he once made headlines by boldly declaring “Shareholders come third,” after customers and employees), there’s not a rigorous enough attempt here to make that example universally applicable. Though superbly moral and inspiring, this volume is not as helpful as it could be.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
“Authentic Leadership is a priceless dialogue with Bill George . . . This book is destined to be a classic.” — Harvey Mackay, author
“Authentic Leadership is a . . . call for genuine and ethical business leadership, made . . . more persuasive by Bill George’s own extraordinary life.” — Walter Mondale, former vice president of the United States
“A great deal of valuable insight…. One can only wish that Mr. George had written it five years ago.” — New York Times, July 27, 2003
“Anyone interested in how to become an effective leader should meet Bill George.” — Arthur Levitt, former chairman, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
“Bill George has won a legendary reputation for success and integrity in American enterprise. Read and grow!” — David Gergen, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard University
“Bill George is one of the most successful business leaders of all time.” — Richard M. Kovacevich, chairman and CEO, Wells Fargo
“In Authentic Leadership, Bill George shows why he is recognized as one of the world’s best corporate leaders.” — Hank McKinnell, chairman and CEO, Pfizer
“In a time when ethical leadership has more value than ever, . . . George shows us the way with clarity and conviction.” — Daniel Goleman, author
“This is the best book by a business leader that I’ve ever read!” — John C. Whitehead, former chairman and CEO, Goldman Sachs
“…even sceptics will like the book’s balanced tone…” (Management Today, Feb. 2005)
George candidly recounts his experiences as chair and CEO of Medtronic, a medical technology producer, and makes a case that we need new, authentic business leaders. The five essential dimensions of “authentic” leaders are purpose, values, heart, relationships, and self-discipline. In the scorched, post-Enron corporate world, this motivational how-to will help developing business leaders find the path to personal and business success. (Best Business Books 2003, Library Journal, March 15, 2004)
George, a former Medtronic CEO, sets the tone early in his book: “Somewhere along the way we lost sight of the imperative of selecting leaders that create healthy corporations for the long term.” It would be wonderful if George then provided readers hungry for change with a blueprint for how this could happen; alas, such is not the case. George’s thesis - too many CEOs think only in the short term and of the stock price, eventually losing a company’s focus in the hurtling pursuit of all Street validation - is not a bad one. His proposal: a call for “authentic leadership,” that is, finding a leader who doesn’t try to emulate the greats, because such copycatting will never result in authenticity or honest leadership. It all gets a bit fuzzy at times, and George (who BusinessWeek recognized as a top-25 manager in 1998) relies far too much on his experience at Medtronic, a medical technology producer. Although George’s company seems a good example of what he’s talking about (he once made headlines by boldly declaring “Shareholders come third,” after customers and employees), there’s not a rigor9ous enough attempt here to make that example universally applicable. Though superbly moral and inspiring, this volume is not as helpful as it could be. (Aug.)
Forecast: With appearances on Meet the Press and Talk of the Nation, George has a recognizable name in the media, and scheduled interviews on NPR and the Charlie Rose Show will only help with book sales. (Publishers Weekly, July 7, 2003)
“There is a great deal of valuable insight in Authentic Leadership. One can only wish that Mr. George had written it five years ago, before so many chief executives led their companies so badly astray.” (New York Times, July 27, 2003)
