Rating: 
Summary: Leadership as self-actualization
Review: If it wasn't for the first two chapters, I probably would have given this book five stars. The first chapter is completed outdated and the second chapter is monumentally bad. (I would honestly recommend skipping them). But the rest of this book is pretty good, essentially a collection of anecdotes and quotations of leaders experiences. I particularly liked the time Bennis took to review how leaders' failures can be turned into great learning experiences. I also like how Bennis describes leadership as a path to self-expression. I agree wholeheartedly.
Rating: 
Summary: Packed with Knowledge!
Review: In the mid-1980s, Warren Bennis wrote this classic model for modern leadership based on personal growth, self-expression, learning and integrity, drawing from interviews with dozens of leaders. Most importantly, he found, leaders do not seek to lead. Instead, they seek to express themselves fully. They embrace risks and mistakes, learning from adversity. They reflect on all of their experiences. With these skills, they inspire others to follow them. They turn organizations into communities which find each member's highest potential. Bennis falls into the one mistake he accuses American managers of making: he takes a poll (of successful leaders) and then gets caught in short-term thinking to address its results. As a result, this pessimistic analysis of American business is dated today. In the 21st century's light, some of his examples - i.e. the late Robert Maxwell and Apple Computer's John Sculley - seem quite dubious. However, we from getAbstract appreciate Bennis' basic, inspiring philosophy of leadership and so will you. Read this if you want to lead - and be good at it.
Rating:
Summary: Gets to the root of what it takes to be a self made leader..
Review: It's hard not to read the pearls of wisdom written in this book. Bennis does a fantastic job of expressing his thoughts and concepts on leadership. This book is not a one - two step solution on becoming a great leader. Bennis really attempts to drive down into the depths of what it takes to be a `self made leader.' He talks about learned childhood behavior and how it can effect the humane psyche. He also talks about unlearning old habits and reinventing oneself. Basically, drilling down into how to express yourself without any influence from external factors (society's influence). According to Bennis, this is critical in defining your place as a leader. He drives home how one can live, work, and think on his own terms without any influence. Good stuff... The books premise is laid out in Bennis' own terms, with supporting leadership behavioral backing point throughout the book. He gets most of this behavioral input from a series of interviews taken from various leaders; such as, John Sculley (Apple Computers) and Sydney Pollack (Director). What I liked about this book is its simple truth. Bennis makes a lot of since, plain and simple. I do feel however that there is a lot of filler text. The book could easily be condensed by a third. Definitely worth the money...
Rating:
Summary: Gets to the root of what it takes to be a self made leader..
Review: It's hard not to read the pearls of wisdom written in this book. Bennis does a fantastic job of expressing his thoughts and concepts on leadership. This book is not a one - two step solution on becoming a great leader. Bennis really attempts to drive down into the depths of what it takes to be a 'self made leader.' He talks about learned childhood behavior and how it can effect the humane psyche. He also talks about unlearning old habits and reinventing oneself. Basically, drilling down into how to express yourself without any influence from external factors (society's influence). According to Bennis, this is critical in defining your place as a leader. He drives home how one can live, work, and think on his own terms without any influence. Good stuff... The books premise is laid out in Bennis' own terms, with supporting leadership behavioral backing point throughout the book. He gets most of this behavioral input from a series of interviews taken from various leaders; such as, John Sculley (Apple Computers) and Sydney Pollack (Director). What I liked about this book is its simple truth. Bennis makes a lot of since, plain and simple. I do feel however that there is a lot of filler text. The book could easily be condensed by a third. Definitely worth the money...
Rating:
Summary: Contains good bits, worth reading
Review: There's quite a bit of wisdom in this book and it absolutely deserves reading. However, there are a couple of things that I didn't like, first, a liberal (pun intended) sprinkling of political verbiage and general attitude, plus a somewhat tendentious selection of "heroes" (Gloria Steinham, etc.), and second, the overall style is oh so refined and elevated, reminiscent of French "intellos", though of course never quite reaching the pinnacle of nonsensical ponderosity so typical of the original. Too many quotes adding nothing to the text, "as such and such says blah blah" twice per page, just to mention some name. Who cares... I wish I could give it five stars, but I can't because of too much liberal academia cackling all over. Some day the place will fall apart and it'll be partly because of noosphere pollution by politically beholden scribblers from both the left and the right, plague on both your houses. But overall the book contains enough good stuff, so disregard a laudatory blurb from Al "Cardboard Man" Gore prominently displayed on the front cover, suspend your judgement and read it, it'll be worthwhile, I think. I liked many places in this book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for anyone who "thinks" they are a leader
Review: This book wasn't about the 10 things to do to become a leader - it was much more! It was about the importance of self-realization, the importance of people, and the varied ways a leader can come to light. Highly recommended for every business manager. The material is a bit dated, but it don't let it impact the message.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for anyone who "thinks" they are a leader
Review: This book wasn't about the 10 things to do to become a leader - it was much more! It was about the importance of self-realization, the importance of people, and the varied ways a leader can come to light. Highly recommended for every business manager. The material is a bit dated, but it don't let it impact the message.
Rating: 
Summary: More about fulfillment than leadership
Review: This is a book that uses anecdotes and copious quotations from famous people to tell us to be ourselves, express ourselves, and learn to live with integrity. Although it pretends to be a book about leadership, it is not. For example, it claims that Lincoln was a good leader, while Hitler was a bad leader. No matter how horrific and evil Hitler may have been, he was one of the greatest leaders of all time. To say that he was a poor leader is to deny reality. The first quarter of the book rants about how the world has lost all its great leaders. That is why it is in such a mess, and if only we could go back to the good old days... What good old days! He claims that we don't have any Kennedys or Lincolns, but he fails to mention that we don't have any Hitlers or Stalins either. Is the world really as bad as Bennis claims? Sure there are problems but overall I think we are a lot better off than we were. He talks about all the scandals in politics and business that show how we have lost our morals and ethics. Au contraire! The truth is that we live in a world where scandal can be laid bare rather than covered up. You don't think politicians were crooked 100 or 1000 years ago? You don't think that clergy were abusing children 100 or 1000 years ago? I think we live in a pretty good world and Bennis' polemic about the lack of leadership in the world is misplaced at best. After all that, Bennis says "the ingredients of leadership cannot be taught." (p.73) If that is so, why does he expect anyone to read this book? On the positive side, I did like the parts of the book that dealt with the importance of taking control of your life and following your dreams. If you want an easy to read motivational book, this one isn't bad. If you want to learn how to be a leader, look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding book for current and aspiring leaders.
Review: This is an outstanding book for anyone who is serious about becoming the best leader he or she can. I gave it to all my people when they completed leadership education and training. I'm convinced it should be studied by anyone who wants to achieve the highest level of "Excellence in Leadership"!
Rating:
Summary: The book focuses on the lack of leadershp in America.
Review: Warreen Bennis shows how holding the status quo in management and leadership will provide a void in inspirational leadership in the 21st Century. He correctly writes about how management can get the best out of people by empowering them, by giving them input into things that affect them and by getting out of their way. The author correctly identifies so called leaders who have attained top positons but lack integrity, knowledge of human development, what motivates people and compassion. He calls them "destructive achievers" and pronounces them dangerous. Bennis has obviously devoted many years of his life to discovering what good leadership is and what it isn't. He notes that "Everyone deplores the alleged lack of leadership in America today" and further states that, "Greed, timidity and lack of vision are rampant among the current crop of psuedoleaders." He is correct in arguing that "Our culture is currrently dominated and shaped by business." He asks us to consider that "those who are skilled at achieveing prominence are not necessarily those who are ready to lead once they arrive." If we consider all of the violence in America, lack of health care, the working poor, starving children and homeless people how can we deny Bennis when he states that, "Our quality of life depends on the quality of our leaders?" Should not a government, with all of its "leaders" be judged on how well people at the bottom are doing instead of people at the top? Anyone reading this well written book will understand that American leadership is lacking and that we must develop better leaders if we are to increase our performance throughout the world. Dr. Norman Jones-author of Performance Management in the 21st Century:Solutions for Business, Education and Family (St. Lucie Press-1999)
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