Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing, shallow book
Review: Read this after hearing the interview
on First Voice. Often funny, a great
read for those who wonder about
"management"The interview is online at
http://www.7to7.net/fnk.html
They have transcripts too. --J. R.
Rating: 
Summary: Yep, that's it
Review: Read this after hearing the interview
on First Voice. Often funny, a great
read for those who wonder about
"management" The interview is online at
http://www.7to7.net/fnk.html
They have transcripts too. --J. R.
Rating: 
Summary: Meaningful and Entertaining
Review: Someone said, and I believe, that "Success is the result of a series of failures from which one has learned." This book is filled with important and interesting failures that you can learn from. Most business books focus on and celebrate successes in the business world, but here the author has focused on some of the largest blunders in recent history (e.g. Enron, Iridium), as well as lesser known mistakes. What makes it so valuable is that Finkelstein has taken a systematic approach to analyzing these missteps to find patterns that will be recognizable to anyone who has worked in a business. Beyond that, the book offers excellent insight on ways to get back on track and avoid a fate similar to the companies studied. As for the enjoyable part, the book is told through a series of anecdotes and in-depth retellings of mostly familiar blunders. Reinforced with insider interviews and extensive research of the contemporary media coverage, these stories come alive making it very readable. This combination of message and method make "Why Smart Executives Fail" an extremely valuable and somewhat unique resource.
Rating:
Summary: It raises questions which are hard to avoid
Review: Sydney's book brings important question for those who practice and teach leadership - why could reasons for managerial success and failure often be the same? The answer is organizational context. There is no leadership in vacuum. So if you get rid of those qualities which author calls as habits of unsuccessful people there is still no quarantee for success. Proper understanding of your organization is the key to take real advantage of many suggestions this insightful book offers and not to be misled by some of them.
Rating:
Summary: Insightful and Interesting, the best business book I've read
Review: This book is a great combination of "page turner" and "business bible". It begins by telling facsinating stories of some of the most famous business train wrecks in recent history. Some I had heard about, but many I had not. It was easy to get caught up in the stories because unlike so many other business books, it is written in the style of a novel or short story rather than a textbook. The second half of the book is where the rubber meets the road. It provides you with a lot of lessons that you can use in your everyday life, whether it be in your job or in managing your stock investments. It's a book you'll want to refer back to over time. I read it at a friends house and just bought a copy to keep at home.
Rating:
Summary: Great insight - good perspective
Review: This book was insightful - and well thought out. A good read - and presents the challenges, and the way the realities of today's business environment are faced by a wide variety of people. I liked it.
Rating: 
Summary: When smart executives get stupid...
Review: To the student of business history, the case studies presented in "Why Smart Executives Fail" reveal why hindsight is truly 20/20. The mistakes of the CEOs cited in the book -- ranging from merely misreading the competition to outright villany -- appear almost frighteningly obvious. In fact, the reader may well wonder where the "smart executives" were when these transgressions were committed. Indeed, anyone who has read more than a few business books will instantly recognize the lessons presented as both common sense and standard leadership thinking. The writing style is entertaining enough, the reasoning is clear, and the case studies themselves have their own riveting pathos... the business world's answer to VH1's "Behind the Music." But otherwise, this book breaks little new ground. The book's main thesis is that even smart executives make career-ending mistakes. However, after reading the case studies, one must wonder at what point did these executives quit bringing their brains to the office...
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't Put It Down
Review: To the student of business history, the case studies presented in "Why Smart Executives Fail" reveal why hindsight is truly 20/20. The mistakes of the CEOs cited in the book -- ranging from merely misreading the competition to outright villany -- appear almost frighteningly obvious. In fact, the reader may well wonder where the "smart executives" were when these transgressions were committed. Indeed, anyone who has read more than a few business books will instantly recognize the lessons presented as both common sense and standard leadership thinking. The writing style is entertaining enough, the reasoning is clear, and the case studies themselves have their own riveting pathos... the business world's answer to VH1's "Behind the Music." But otherwise, this book breaks little new ground. The book's main thesis is that even smart executives make career-ending mistakes. However, after reading the case studies, one must wonder at what point did these executives quit bringing their brains to the office...
Rating:
Summary: When smart executives get stupid...
Review: To the student of business history, the case studies presented in "Why Smart Executives Fail" reveal why hindsight is truly 20/20. The mistakes of the CEOs cited in the book -- ranging from merely misreading the competition to outright villany -- appear almost frighteningly obvious. In fact, the reader may well wonder where the "smart executives" were when these transgressions were committed. Indeed, anyone who has read more than a few business books will instantly recognize the lessons presented as both common sense and standard leadership thinking. The writing style is entertaining enough, the reasoning is clear, and the case studies themselves have their own riveting pathos... the business world's answer to VH1's "Behind the Music." But otherwise, this book breaks little new ground. The book's main thesis is that even smart executives make career-ending mistakes. However, after reading the case studies, one must wonder at what point did these executives quit bringing their brains to the office...
Rating:
Summary: A truly worthwhile read!
Review: While there are several books claiming to provide insights on the timely subject of corporate failures, this one stands out from the crowd because it is based on an extensive six-year research project that involved almost 200 interviews with senior leaders and detailed analyses of more than 50 companies. That is unique. The books conclusions show a remarkable pattern of behavior across different corporate disasters which are told in the form of easy to read anecdotes. You won't believe some of the stories!
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