The Rumsfeld Way: The Leadership Wisdom of a Battle-Hardened Maverick - Hardcover

Krames, Jeffrey A.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0071406417 ISBN 13: 9780071406413

Publisher: McGraw-Hill, 2002

Synopsis

Just Published! A dramatic new leadership model from one of twentieth-century America's most accomplished leaders

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is one of today's most recognized public figures, but few people are aware of the astonishing range of his leadership successes over the past four decades. Whether directing battles in the mountains of Afghanistan or guiding multibillion-dollar corporations through troubled waters, Rumsfeld has carved out a position among the most remarkable leaders of our time.

The Rumsfeld Way explores Rumsfeld's skills, methods, and strategies through the prism of his own words and accomplishments, and arrives at a leadership model that is distinctive, powerful, and proven effective under unprecedented duress. Both a stunning addition to today's business library and an excellent read, The Rumsfeld Way outlines a step-by-step model for success in any field and writes a new chapter in the literature of leadership.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

"The best plain-speaking Midwesterner since Harry Truman went to Washington."­­The Chicago Tribune, on Donald Rumsfeld

Over the past four decades, whether in the offices of corporate America or the corridors of the White House, Donald Rumsfeld's uncanny knack for clear thinking and no-nonsense action has repeatedly been called upon during times of crisis. Now, in the most important assignment of his career, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld finds himself leading America's war on terrorism. The Rumsfeld Way provides an enlightening and provocative look at the man the Washington Post has called "the Articulator in Chief," and outlines the leadership skills, methods, and strategies that have made Donald Rumsfeld one of today's most trusted and accomplished public figures.

The Rumsfeld Way examines Rumsfeld's many career challenges, details what he did to quickly and clearheadedly deal with each, and reveals how he has engineered some of twentieth century America's most stunning victories­­when those around him had all but conceded defeat.

• Position yourself for success­­Guard against fantasy
• Gain knowledge and make it work­­Craft coalitions
• Set a strategic direction­­Speak your mind

When President Gerald Ford­­on the heels of Watergate­­needed a chief of staff with the skills and energy to reunite a fractured and fragmented White House, he called on Donald Rumsfeld.

Later, when ailing pharmaceutical giant G.D. Searle needed a visionary, decisive CEO to pull it from its near-death spiral, it too called on Don Rumsfeld.

And when the United States, reeling from the deadliest act of terror ever committed on its native soil, needed a solid and experienced leader to guide it through a newly treacherous and high-stakes battle, who stepped up to the front line?

Rumsfeld.

But who is Donald Rumsfeld, this man who always seems to find himself in the right place at the right time, with the right answers? What is it about him that invites such praise, and ignites such controversy? And what lessons can be gleaned for addressing your own everyday decisions and dilemmas?

The Rumsfeld Way is the first book to examine Donald Rumsfeld through the prism of his unprecedented and highly successful leadership abilities. A portrait of a compelling yet complex man who, even under the most demanding of circumstances, refuses to be moved from his core set of values, it scrutinizes Rumsfeld's career to arrive at the private methods behind the all-too-public persona. Look to this proactive, leadership guidebook for:

• Leadership insights­­From reviving the Republican party in the 1960s to waging war on terror today, specific examples illustrate Rumsfeld's leadership in action
• A Tale of Two Rumsfelds­­Discover how the sometimes contentious Rumsfeld adapts his techniques to changing times, while maintaining his unbending core of beliefs and priorities
• Portrait of a CEO­­Whether pulling off dramatic corporate turnarounds or presiding over the world's largest military organization, Rumsfeld continues to demonstrate his leadership versatility

Just as Donald Rumsfeld's brilliance and candor represent a refreshing change in the world of American politics, The Rumsfeld Way represents a dramatically new model for leadership. Short on theory, long on tools and strategies, it will open your eyes to one of America's true heroes­­a man who has literally altered the course and destiny of a nation in two presidential administrations some three decades apart.

About the Author:

Jeffrey A. Krames is vice president and editor-in-chief of McGraw-Hill's Trade Division. Author of the bestseller The Jack Welch Lexicon of Leadership and a leading authority on the subject of leadership, Krames has been published in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, Financial Times and the Los Angeles Times. He has been interviewed by national media such as CNN, PBS, the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, Business Week, the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and Publisher's Weekly.

About this edition

• Publisher: McGraw-Hill
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0071406417
• ISBN 13: 9780071406413
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 172