Rules & Tools for Leaders
Author: Perry M. Smith, Major General Perry M. Smith
List Price: $14.95
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ISBN: 0399527869
Publisher: Perigee (02 July, 2002)
Sales Rank: 40,405
Average Customer Rating: 4.17 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
The Best Practical Guide to Taking Charge I have Read
I would recommend this book to anyone that is looking for practical, down-to-earth ideas covering various phases or chronological events (accepting a new position, hiring, firing, counseling, etc.) in the leadership continuum. This is not fluff, theory or high-level stuff, but practical chapters, well-arranged, that can, in a 15-20 minute read (per chapter), provide you with a number of things you can implement immediately. Lots of common sense, checklists, to-dos, techniques ideas, etc. I have used many, and shared them with members of my staff. I have recommended this book to many and will continue to do so. More than worth the price of the book and the time to read.If you are a seasoned, leadership professional, you will find some good reminders, fresh ideas, and things you can use. If you are new to leadership, just got promoted, or aspiring to management, you have got to have this book. It will get you started quickly, and moving and thinking in the right direction. It is in my office 24X7 and I make it a point to reread every few months at least parts. I wish I would have had this book 20 years ago.
Rating: 5 out of 5
This book is a collection of excellent advice for leaders.
If you are looking for common sense and practical advice for managers to use on the job, this book will be of benefit to you. Perry Smith has put together a series of narratives on timely topics from today's business world. The topics include integrity, ethics, getting the most from your people, how to hire and fire etc. all of which are useful to those who work with and/or manage people. The book also has a number of brief checklists which are tailored for specific situations and high stress events. Gen. Smith has provided a reading list at the end of Rules & Tools for Leaders for those who would like to read additional material on leadership. The author has a broad background, having been career military, an academic, a popular speaker at business conferences, and a consultant to corporations and non-profits. This broad point of view is beneficial, as he is able to provide situations that challenge leaders based on his personal experience. In addition, several of the organizations he has worked with are at the top tier of the business world, including Microsoft and the Harvard Business School. If you are seeking solid ideas that you can use immediately, this book is worth your time.
Rating: 5 out of 5
How to book for managers and professionals
Smith has trained executives in the military and large corporations and through it all has developed a strong knowledge of how to run a business from top to bottom. The book not only goes over the most important aspects of running a business, but also provides best practices type information for each area.
Because each chapter is self-contained it does not depend on you reading prior chapters to understand the current one. So, if you need to jump to the area on hiring and firing then you can do so and understand the chapter. By the same token, if you don't need a chapter then you can just skip it (but I wouldn't advise you to do that because you never know when you may suddenly need it). I liked the thoroughness and depth of coverage of the book. In a world where too many books are nebulous and vague in their advice it is nice to find one that gives practical and useful advice.
Another high point of the book is the checklists. The use of the checklist frees you from having to remember all the steps in a process or all the little problems that can emerge if something is missed.
The book is filled with practical advice and is sure to broaden your knowledge of management and provide you with more tools to manage your business. From any level of management up to the top executives, this is a very useful book and a nice concise summary of the dozen or so separate books from my management courses in college. Similar Products
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