Table of Contents
Editor’s Note By
Warren Bennis xiii
Foreword By John A. Byrne xv
Prologue xxi
1 It’s All About Who 1 Hire the best • Seeking the enthusiastic yes • Five key things to look for • Hire when you don’t need to • Provide experience, demand the rest
2 The ABC’s of People 11 A simple truth revealed: relentlessly seek A players • Get rid of the C’s • Your first loyalty is to the organization • Know the difference between what is acceptable and what is possible • A’s attract other A’s
3 Building a Rich, Deep, and Ethical Culture 21 Why it pays off big-time to (1) Do what’s right and (2) Treat others with respect, fairness, and decency • Never abandon principle • Being scrupulously honest is enlightened self-interest
4 What Happens When You Ignore Culture, People, and Values 33 The soft stuff is the real stuff • In deal making, too little attention is paid to culture fit • People, culture, and values bring competitive distinction • Often the so-called little things make a difference
5 What I Learned from Peter Drucker 51 Improving the team is the leader’s primary job • Put your best person on your biggest opportunity •Meet regularly with the second- and third-level staff as CEO • Meet and greet the rank-and-fi le before management
6 Killing Yourself for Your Customer 69 Why superior customer service is a huge missed opportunity • Find a need and fill it • Create a culture dedicated to service • Always ask yourself how you could do better • A company devoted to customer service is in the business of exceeding expectations
7 Principles Make a Difference 79 Rules make “doing” easier and better • Smart policies liberate employees • Commit an organization’s core learning to written, visible guidelines
8 Factbooks: Key to Personal Discipline 89 How thoughtful standardized practices lead to better performance • Great execution requires discipline and focus • A painstaking devotion to the details • Break down a manager’s tasks into small manageable steps • Hold yourself and everyone accountable
9 Why We Swung Our Acquisitions Bat to Hit Singles, Not Home Runs 95 Buying niches, not size, is safer and better • Look for undermanaged businesses • Make carefully calculated risks, not bet-the-company gambles • Try to hit singles, not home runs
10 Lighting Candles 103 Lighting even one candle changes the world • Allow others to come up with and to help shape ideas • Group ownership brings a better result • Involvement leads to understanding • Understanding leads to commitment
11 A Gospel of Wealth 115 Pursue philanthropy as systematically as business • Bet on people • Select tough, persistent problems to tackle • Create mission statements, clear goals, and formal work plans
12 Using Business Ideas in the Social Sector 121 Sound management practices work in every setting and are a huge “missed opportunity” in philanthropy • Powerful results can come from seemingly simple business tools • Benefit from the lessons of the best performers • Commit to the continuing development of people
13 An Olive Tree 129 A simple truth re-lived: treating others in the proper way pays off big-time • Make your company a great place to work • Fully satisfy your customers • Fully satisfy your shareholders
14 Yes, I Can! 137 My leadership journey in business and philanthropy started when I first believed “Yes, I can” • Believe in yourself and your ideas to make the world a better place • Success does not come only from breakthroughs but also from hard work
15 Some Beacons to Steer By 147 Reducing stress is not an easy task—but worth tackling in a serious way • Carefully plan every workday • Diet, exercise, and sufficient rest • Adopt a formal personal system to help get more results • Think big, start small
16 If I Could Do It Over Again . . . 157 Why I would do the same thing over again in a heartbeat • Search for personal fulfillment • Do something significant with your life • Respect who you are and how you have lived your life • Love what you do
Appendix 163
Acknowledgments 173
The Authors 179
Index 181
