The Code of the Executive: Forty-Seven Ancient Samurai Principles Essential for Twenty-First Century Leadership Success - Softcover

Schmincke, Don

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0452281539 ISBN 13: 9780452281530

Publisher: Plume, 2000

Synopsis

More than a thousand years ago, a group of business executives developed a set of principles for organizational leadership in a competitive market. Those executives were the samurai of ninth-century Japan, and their rigid code of ethics, known as bushido, was one of the most effective frameworks for management in history.

The Code of the Executive is business adviser Don Schmincke's modern interpretation of the Code of the Samurai—ancient wisdom written for today's corporate warriors. These principles provide a dynamic system of practical and moral training for effective leadership. In addition to interactive strategies for relating to the business world, this philosophy provides at its core a guide to the inner development necessary for consistent and long-term success.

A terrific gift for a friend, relative, new graduate, or business associate, The Code of the Executive is filled with relevant wisdom and offers an enlightened path to business fulfillment.

About this title

Review

Management advisor Don Schmincke believes leaders can thrive in the third millennium by utilizing principles developed during the first. They originate in a moral code known as Bushido that was followed by samurai warriors in ninth-century Japan and formalized by Daidoji Yuzan as the Code of the Samurai some seven centuries later. Now updating them as The Code of the Executive, Schmincke points out parallels between past and present and suggests this connection is a natural. In those days, he writes, the shogun was regulatory government, feudal barons the hard-driving CEOs, real estate their business, and samurai the executives hired to oversee it all. These samurai relied upon their rigid ethical guide to discharge both professional and personal responsibilities favorably, Schmincke notes, and today's corporate leaders can succeed by similarly following its teachings. Dividing fundamentals into categories such as "Personal Principles," "Roles and Responsibilities, and "Education and Development," he shows how ancient wisdom on cooperation, integrity, accountability, sacrifice, power, and so on can apply to contemporary situations. On "Respecting Personnel," for example, he suggests "reasonable argument" be used to "gain agreement" on serious infractions--while "for trivial issues" it is better to be "indulgent and patient and not sweat the insignificant." --Howard Rothman

From the Author

After working with thousands of CEOs over many years I was shocked to find executives struggling with the same issues centuries ago. These ancient executives used the work Daidoji Yuzan compiled to deal with leadership while they used Sun Tzu’s work to deal with strategy. Initially I wondered if Daidoji's insights were timeless enough for today’s leaders.I had hoped I would only have to substitute words like "executive" for "samurai" to bring Daidoji's text alive. But his ancient Japanese was hard to transfer into Western thought. It was exquisite poetry but unacceptable for today’s managers with no patience for personal interpretation and philosophizing as they try to make payroll and defend their markets. Managers want specific business principles they can apply immediately. So, my challenge was to analyze, separate and recombine the original translation into useful groupings while preserving its historical essence. After many painful reconfigurations and rewrites it emerged in its current form.

I hope the reader finds their leadership journey deepened from this work, but it is not for everyone. Those looking for philosophy will be sorely critical of the CEO focus. On the other hand, those seeking yet another popular management trend won’t get it at all. But those who are tired of shallow solutions and want to explore the deeper waters of leadership will find solace in the work of their fellow peers from centuries ago.

Edition details

• Publisher: Plume
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0452281539
• ISBN 13: 9780452281530
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 128