Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
A former president of the Coca-Cola Company, Keough has assembled an enviable Rolodex in his 81 years, and his book counts Bill Gates, Jack Welch and Warren Buffett among its champions. His lessons draw upon his long and varied career—from his early days as a philosophy major to his first job as a TV sports announcer and employment at Butternut Coffee and Coca-Cola—and comprise a list of tongue-in-cheek rules guaranteed to make the follower a true loser in business: from quit taking risks and be inflexible to don’t take time to think and be afraid of the future. Keough supports his commandments with stories of business mistakes and failures, both his own—the roll-out of New Coke, for example—and those of others—namely, Schlitz beer and IBM. While the author’s clear and encouraging tone and renown within the business community will likely garner his effort publicity, the unoriginality of the material—all standard business-book fare simply phrased in the negative—keeps this well-meaning book from standing out or offering original advice to business leaders in the market for a little self-improvement. (Aug.) “”
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Review
“Don possesses a special combination of experience, wisdom, self- confidence, and self-awareness. His commandments for failure will teach you more about business success than a whole shelf full of books.”
— Bill Gates
“This is a great book, filled with terrific advice from a management icon, and brought alive by real stories from business history. It is a must-read for every leader.”
— Jack Welch
“Don’s best ability is to cut to the chase on an issue, to cut through the bureaucratic fog. Keep it simple is his principle and mine too.”
— Warren Buffett (from the foreword)
“Don Keough, with his sixty years of business experience, is well equipped to comment about business leadership. He is an outstanding man, and I am proud to call him friend.”
— Former President George H. W. Bush
“I would rather listen to Don Keough on almost any subject – his empathetic wit and wisdom are a cure all for what ails on any day. He’s now written it down and if you want to learn about life and work, learn from this master.”
— Barry Diller, Chairman and CEO, IAC/InterActive Corp.
“Only Don Keough could outdistance Moses and his commandments. Don’s self-deprecating style adds great credibility to a well done book. It’s a roadmap for winners and must reading for everybody. It’s proof that integrity never takes a holiday.”
— Andy McKenna, Chairman, McDonald’s
“I have found no one better than Don Keough at giving counsel that is clear, unpretentious, grounded in experience, full of useful insight, and exhibiting profoundly good judgment.”
— Fr. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., President, University of Notre Dame
“Anybody who can write a book about the subtleties of high level business management — including what you do with all those little cubicles and all — and not only keep a guy like me interested but keep me laughing out loud deserves a medal.”
— Sydney Pollack, Academy Award-winning director
“While this profound and highly readable book is likely to become required reading in management circles, it will reward anyone who wants to be a more successful and better person.”
— Kevin M. Cahill, M.D., President-General, The American Irish Historical Society
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