Rating: 
Summary: The Title Grabbed Me, But You Should Be More Careful!
Review: As a person who majored in history, I knew that very little is known about Attila the Hun. Having deliberately avoided the book for over a decade, it suddenly occurred to me that there might be a lot of interesting information here that I had been ignoring. So I read the book. I goofed! I should have skimmed a couple of chapters first. There is nothing in here about Attila that I did not know when I started. And the leadership secrets are not based on anything Attila said, but the author's conclusions about what leaders should do. Each chapter is introduced with a little Attila vignette to help justify the title of the book, and provide some context. Sometimes it works, and often it doesn't. Let me explain my rating system for the book. As a leadership book, I rated this book as two stars. The reason I rated it so low is that the book has over 200 aphorisms in it that are vague, pretty disconnected from today's world and usually contradict one another. For example, each of them is phrased in terms of what Attila and a Hun should do. On the other hand, at some point, I began to read the book as a satire on leadership books, and I thought it was pretty funny. On that account, I rated it as four stars. I would have rated it higher if it had been shorter or the chapter sequencing had made more sense to me. The chapter on surviving defeat comes after the chapter when Attila voluntarily removed himself from Italy after meeting the Pope, many years after the defeat that is discussed in the next chapter. But that comes as no surprise since the author has told you about both of these things many times before in this short book. If you average a 2 and a 4 star, that's a 3 star rating. On the positive side, Attila did show remarkable flexibility in learning new strategies and tactics after the battle of Chalons (which was a horrible defeat for the Huns). If the book had focused on the lessons of that battle and its aftermath, this book could have been a lot more valuable. However, if the Attila the Hun analogy fits, wear it. Any approach that helps you overcome your stalled thinking is a good one. This one didn't happen to carry me away. If you do decide to read the book, the best two chapters are 9 and 10 on the responsibilities of a leader and decisiveness. Donald Mitchell Coauthor of The Irresistible Growth Enterprise and The 2,000 Percent Solution (donmitch@fastforward400.com)
Rating: 
Summary: Its about the principles of leadership
Review: As an Air Force enlisted member and now an officer, I've read this book several times. Its on the shelf at many of the Air Force book stores and professional development organizations because of the leadership principles the author writes about, not for its historical content. Its a good book, using Attila as the back drop, to promote sound leadership principles, tactics, and methods to help one lead and guide their section, branch, division, etc. I'm recommending this book to my sister, who's looking for leadership guidance within her organization. I recommend it to others, without hesitation.
Rating:
Summary: Review from the Huns
Review: Book Review of:
Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun
Written by Wess Roberts
Published by Warner Books in 1990
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
110 pages
The authors credentials are not revealed in the book other than he has a Ph.D. No background of the author is given in the book. An internet search of Wess Roberts reveals that he has written many books on leadership that appear to be in the same format as this book. The author wrote of his trouble publishing the book in his note in the beginning of the book. I can see the reason I believe he had so much trouble right from the top. He did not use any references and did not even state his own qualifications on the book. I think this takes away from the credibility of a very useful book. References and personal qualifications would have made a big difference in the book.
The purpose of the writing of this book was to teach leadership principles from a persons' life who was not considered a great leader. The reason he chose Attila is, as Dr. Roberts states about books based on the lives of more acceptable persons, "It is, however, sometimes a painstaking challenge to extract from these books the essence of the leadership principles contained in them. Even more challenging is the application in these books to our own lives" (Roberts, 1990, p. xiv). He chose Attila because he believed Attila faced a great challenge in taking hordes of barbarians, and turning them into a nation and "...performed challenging feats
against `seemingly' insurmountable odds..."(Roberts, 1990, p. xv-xvi). The point of view the book is written in is as an observer of Attila with his troops in the camp between conquests. Although no written documents remain from Attila and the Huns, the author put himself in this viewpoint and points out the lessons as he sees them.
The book chronicles the life of Attila the Hun, and explains how he rose to be a leader. It then uses his conquests and what he must have gone through to teach his chieftains how to be leaders. The book then goes through the lessons that Attila would have learned in his life from leadership qualities and the want to be in charge to how to treat your subordinates and what you can learn from them.
The goals of the author were achieved especially through the "attilaisms" at the end of the chapters, and in the last chapter. These bring out the main points of the chapter and how it can relate to your life today. They also show leadership as something you have to continually strive for in all aspects of your leadership and life, which I believe is one of the main goals of the book.
I found the book to be very readable but each chapter is an individual lesson. To read the book in one setting would be very laborious. It is written as examples for anybody. It is a good read for top management and is just as good for someone wanting to rise to the top. The manager can see how the troops view him, and the "Hun" can use the lessons of acting as a leader to move up. The largest problem with the book is the lack of academic references these lessons of leadership have. The logic is pointed out in the attilaisms in each chapter and at the end of the book. The lack of academic support of the logic is missing, however purposeful this is by the author, I think it does take away some of the credibility of the book. Even with the lack of academic support, there is a common sense in the logic that is used in the book and the lessons
could still be used by anyone in their day to day lives. It reminds me of the common sense
sayings my father told me such as, you have to make the team before you can wear the uniform. Nothing academic about it, but it is still a useful statement.
This book would best be read many times. It is easy to read the chapters that interest you at the time. It would be a good book for personal reference and to have a new and refreshing view on life and management. The book lacks an index, but the table of contents is all that is needed to find the subject you want to read about. A glossary is not needed, and a bibliography is lacking. Although the author does credit all who contributed in the book, with no references or bibliography, you kind of have to trust him at his word. Dan Grubb, RN
Terre Haute, IN Reference Roberts, W. (1990). Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun. New York: Warner Books
Rating:
Summary: Review from the Huns
Review: Book Review of:
Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun
Written by Wess Roberts
Published by Warner Books in 1990
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
110 pages
The authors credentials are not revealed in the book other than he has a Ph.D. No background of the author is given in the book. An internet search of Wess Roberts reveals that he has written many books on leadership that appear to be in the same format as this book. The author wrote of his trouble publishing the book in his note in the beginning of the book. I can see the reason I believe he had so much trouble right from the top. He did not use any references and did not even state his own qualifications on the book. I think this takes away from the credibility of a very useful book. References and personal qualifications would have made a big difference in the book.
The purpose of the writing of this book was to teach leadership principles from a persons' life who was not considered a great leader. The reason he chose Attila is, as Dr. Roberts states about books based on the lives of more acceptable persons, "It is, however, sometimes a painstaking challenge to extract from these books the essence of the leadership principles contained in them. Even more challenging is the application in these books to our own lives" (Roberts, 1990, p. xiv). He chose Attila because he believed Attila faced a great challenge in taking hordes of barbarians, and turning them into a nation and "...performed challenging feats
against 'seemingly' insurmountable odds..."(Roberts, 1990, p. xv-xvi). The point of view the book is written in is as an observer of Attila with his troops in the camp between conquests. Although no written documents remain from Attila and the Huns, the author put himself in this viewpoint and points out the lessons as he sees them.
The book chronicles the life of Attila the Hun, and explains how he rose to be a leader. It then uses his conquests and what he must have gone through to teach his chieftains how to be leaders. The book then goes through the lessons that Attila would have learned in his life from leadership qualities and the want to be in charge to how to treat your subordinates and what you can learn from them.
The goals of the author were achieved especially through the "attilaisms" at the end of the chapters, and in the last chapter. These bring out the main points of the chapter and how it can relate to your life today. They also show leadership as something you have to continually strive for in all aspects of your leadership and life, which I believe is one of the main goals of the book.
I found the book to be very readable but each chapter is an individual lesson. To read the book in one setting would be very laborious. It is written as examples for anybody. It is a good read for top management and is just as good for someone wanting to rise to the top. The manager can see how the troops view him, and the "Hun" can use the lessons of acting as a leader to move up. The largest problem with the book is the lack of academic references these lessons of leadership have. The logic is pointed out in the attilaisms in each chapter and at the end of the book. The lack of academic support of the logic is missing, however purposeful this is by the author, I think it does take away some of the credibility of the book. Even with the lack of academic support, there is a common sense in the logic that is used in the book and the lessons
could still be used by anyone in their day to day lives. It reminds me of the common sense
sayings my father told me such as, you have to make the team before you can wear the uniform. Nothing academic about it, but it is still a useful statement.
This book would best be read many times. It is easy to read the chapters that interest you at the time. It would be a good book for personal reference and to have a new and refreshing view on life and management. The book lacks an index, but the table of contents is all that is needed to find the subject you want to read about. A glossary is not needed, and a bibliography is lacking. Although the author does credit all who contributed in the book, with no references or bibliography, you kind of have to trust him at his word. Dan Grubb, RN
Terre Haute, IN Reference Roberts, W. (1990). Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun. New York: Warner Books
Rating: 
Summary: Solid advice..however book requires proper perspective
Review: Business is a battle, and while it is no longer accepted to "kill the hun" that is under performing, the advice, when put in the proper perspective is very robust. I recommend reading this book when you are tired of the same wordy, self complimenting "normal" management book that saturates bookstores. This book will take what little you have learned out of those books and help put it into a context that is useful.
Rating:
Summary: Thought Provoking book
Review: For first-time managers, this is not for you. If you are about to be thrusted into the responsibility of supervision, find another book. For the more tenured folks, it should prove to be thought provoking. Although it's certainly no "how-to" book, the author does a wonderful job of using his "Atilla" analogy and applying it to modern management. I enjoyed the book; was a quick read and made me looks at things from a different perspective.
Rating: 
Summary: Audio version was not useful.
Review: I didn't hold the title agaist this audio book but... The story did not inspire me at all and I didn't find much useful info on leading people in a management and sales enviornment.
Rating:
Summary: Disliked this book
Review: I found it appalling to glorify a character like Attila the Hun as an example of leadership and found the many lists in the book quite boring. Attila left no seeds of growth, he motivated soley through material gain, and his empire died with him. These really are not the signs of a remarkable leader. I sincerely hope this book does not inspire future leadership writings guised behind other abhorable characters; this would serve a great injustice on young, impressionable minds.
Rating:
Summary: Dogbert, thou hast met thy Waterloo....
Review: I liked this book so much i bought one for all my Huns
who could read. Makes me want to take Dogbert out to the woodshed and beat him soundly about the head and shoulders with his top secret management handbook. Alas, poor Babylon, I long for Thee....
Rating:
Summary: Bad advice mixed with some good advice
Review: I once worked for a boss who kept a copy of this book on his desk - I hope I never work for or with anyone else who does. A book for overly aggressive, autocratic managers who view their daily interactions with people as competitions to be won or lost.
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