The Book of Management Wisdom : Classic Writings by Legendary Managers

Rating:
Summary: A Truly Unique Resource
Review: Peter Krass has edited the Wisdom Series series which includes this volume. Each anthologizes brief essays by different "icons of business." A brief bio of each author precedes her or his essay. In the Introduction, Krass asserts that "Management boils down to this: Whether you're into management-by-walking-around, management-by-objective, management-by-exception, or management-by-crony, it's the attitude to the job that matters most.. He then suggests that "The Legends included [in this book] offer a complete arsenal of techniques, ideas, and instructional anecdotes" to help you address your own needs. Krass organizes the 53 essays within the following framework:

Part I: Essential Qualities of Great Managers

Part II: Productivity, Empowerment, and Conflict Management

Part III: Hiring, Firing, and Day-to-Day Management

Part IV: The Power of Technology

Part V: Lessons from Around the World

Part VI: Evolution of the Organization

Part VII: Bashing Bureaucracy

Part VIII: Reengineering and Transformation

Of the 53 essays, the ones I found most valuable are "How to Make Confrontation Work for You" (Andrew S. Grove), "Creating a Culture" (Sam Walton), "Managing Creativity" (John Sculley), "Managing Crown Princes" (David Ogilvy), "Friction Freedom" (Esther Dison), "The Mind of the Strategist" (Keniche Ohmae), and "Removing Walls" (John F. Welch, Jr.). A wide range of individuals discuss an even wider range of business issues. My suggestion is to select a topic or two of greatest interest and dive in. Because business circumstances can so often change so rapidly and (sometimes) unexpectedly, what you learn from what you read today may well help you to prepare more effectively for an uncertain future in which a new peril or opportunity emerges. Moreover, my guess is that there will be several other essays in this book to help you then, also.

I have reviewed most of the other volumes in this series and also recommend each of them highly.

Rating:
Summary: Unique resource offering timeless wisdom & practical advice
Review: The Book of Management Wisdom is a unique resource offering insight into how legendary business managers have triumphed over the conflicts, challenges, and dilemmas that come with the territory. Never before have the deepest insights of such a large and diverse group of brilliant managers been collected into a single informative and inspiring volume.

This volume brings together the essays and speeches of more than fifty of the most successful business managers of all time and presents their ideas, tips, and management secrets in their own words. Drawing on their own personal experiences, these world-class managers offer a range of practical advice, case studies, humorous anecdotes, and management philosophy. Major business figures reveal fascinating details of their characters and personalities as they educate, enlighten, and entertain you with their often surprising views on the most compelling issues faced by managers in every corner of the business world.

Offering timeless wisdom and practical advice from the most successful business managers ever, The Book of Management Wisdom is must reading for managers at every level, from the junior executive cubicle to the presidential suite.

Peter Krass, a freelance writer and editor who lives in New Hampshire, is the editor of all five volumes in Wiley's Wisdom series. He has contributed extensively to Investor's Business Daily.