A Message to Garcia

Rating:
Summary: Required Reading
Review: I think this was my first ever Amazon.com purchase. We were encouraged to read this short book in the Marine Corps. Good lesson in dependability, accountability, and responsibility. Basic message: Be the go to guy, get the job done, quit your whining. Send your college graduate into the work world with this in his/her brief case. Better yet, don't wait that long, instill these values as early as possible.

Rating:
Summary: Required Reading
Review: I think this was my first ever Amazon.com purchase. We were encouraged to read this short book in the Marine Corps. Good lesson in dependability, accountability, and responsibility. Basic message: Be the go to guy, get the job done, quit your whining. Send your college graduate into the work world with this in his/her brief case. Better yet, don't wait that long, instill these values as early as possible.

Rating:
Summary: Very insprirational
Review: If you do not know why do you do this or that task on your job, if you are not getting the feeling of fulfillment from your profession, if you do not see motivation in your employees' actions - read this book, it might help you. It did inspire even me a lot to do better at my workplace.

Rating:
Summary: The virtue of submission--
Review: In Hubbard's booklet lies the secret of service. It sounds simple, but so few people are able to swallow their giant egos to do it.

Using the true story of a messenger in the Spanish-American War as an example, Hubbard teaches this lesson: when a superior asks you to do something -- no matter how difficult or crazy or impossible it may sound -- just go get it done. Don't say anything; don't make any funny faces; don't look to others for help -- just go and do it.

In a society where authority is too often degraded, Hubbard's old-fashioned-radio-editorial-style essay reminds us that conformity can be good. I would qualify this by saying that any conformity should be conscientious conformity (you must not do something that goes against ethical principles).

To anyone really considering buying this really, really short, really, really over-priced book: you can find it online for really, really free.

Rating:
Summary: It's not Outdated
Review: It's one of the most inspire book i ever read. I strongly believe it's not outdated even it was written long ago, in fact the clear message is very relevant in today world. I.e. Good manager give a clear Objective (E.g. Send a message to Garcia), and the person who is in-charge shouldn't giving excuse, no delay, and no "blaming why me". Ask question if there is any thing you need further clarification. (In Rowan's case, no) Then Figure it out on how to accomplish it.
Now day, there are too many people like to say this is not accomplishable and that's not workable without having a try, without even "a Think". Many are giving too much of excuses.

In addition, personally i think, this book is not only should be given by employer to employee, employer himself also should learn the lesson. I.e. One of the reason that Rowan can successfully deliver the message is because, His "employer", after given the objective, They fully delegate the task to Rowan, They did not care for the detail, They did not pretend to be smart to teach Roman on how to do it, They did not interfere, They trust Rowan, and give Rowan all the neccessary authority to make decision. Just imagine if all the important decision that Rowan make have to get approval first then only can respond. Do you think The Message can be successafully delivered?
I hope Employer also have to bear this in mind before blaming your employee for not that responsible and self-motivate as Rowan. Think first. Think do you really trust your staff, Think do they have all the neccessary authotiry to make decison, think that did you did your job good enough as a employer...?

Furthermore, ensure the Objective that you give is meaningful to your employee, let your employee have that kind of feeling of important. Sure when Rowan recieve the task, in his mind he would say this :" WOW, this seem chanllenging, this task is important, i must accomplish it otherwise we would lose the battle. And they are giving this such a important task to me, they trust me, I must do it RIGHT!"
Right?

Finally, Don't forget Positive feedback or recognising that President give to Rowan. Remember, People will only doing things for two main simplified reason, i.e. pain and pleasure. This also a part which should we learn. Off cause i doesn't mean Rowan doing all this just for his own pleasure, but at least it's a part of it.

Rating:
Summary: Life changing
Review: My wife gave me this book -- she had given copies to all her employees and kept one back for me. The book is short, but to the point. It will change your point of view from "why" to "how" and led, in my case, to being more productive at work and more accepting of the dumb things I have to do but can't change. And I sleep better now!

Rating:
Summary: Loyalty Pays
Review: Reading and discussing Hubbard's small classic, "A Message To Garcia" should be a pre-requisite for anyone about to work anywhere for a boss. Much is written about leaders, and this book helps to fill the huge gap in what is written for and about followers. The few minutes it takes to read this book could change the rest of your life. I first read it back in 1985 and I re-read it frequently.

Hubbard's inspiration for his "preachment" was an obscure but important event in the 1898 Spanish-American War. President McKinley needed someone to quickly deliver a message to an insurgent general somewhere in the jungles of Cuba. An army officer was recommended and McKinley personally handed the message to this officer with the mission to deliver the "message to Garcia." This officer's unhesitating acceptance of his mission with no superfluous questions and his subsequent completion of the mission is Hubbard's definition of an invaluable subordinate.

Hubbard's lessons of initiative (doing the right thing without being told) and loyalty to yourself, your boss, and your organization (doing the right thing when told only once) are timeless and well told. Hubbard spoke to all leaders and subordinates when he wrote, "It is not book-learning young men need, nor instruction about this and that, but a stiffening of the vertebrae which will cause them to be loyal to a trust, to act promptly, concentrate their energies: do the thing -- "Carry a message to Garcia.""

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read For All Leaders
Review: Simply put, a book anyone in a leadership position should read. A good SGT. once made me read it, and one day I will make my soldiers read it.

Rating:
Summary: A vain attempt to fictionalize history
Review: The author evades all but the messengers name. The author even tells us that the facts of the matter are meaningless. The author also fails to tell us that Andrew Rowan was not a 41 year old lt. but a major or a Lt. Colonel. The author also fails to tell us that a 300 lb General & an Admiral made the same trip to meet with Garcia. The author also fails to tell us what message was transmitted. The author also fails to tell us what General Shafter & Admiral Sampson knew about the message, if anything.

Rating:
Summary: A reader from California misses the point
Review: The message of Hubbard's commentary on Col. Rowan's mission is not to do what you are told without question, but to think for yourself. What Col. Rowan did was amazing. He was asked to carry a message from President McKinley to an insurgent leader in Cuba named Garcia. This was leading up to the Spanish-American War and Cuba was hostile territory. If captured, Rowan would be shot by the Spanish. What you now know about Rowan's mission is what he knew at the time he took it up. And he succeeded! Hubbard's lament is that all employees are not more like Col. Rowan.