Rating: Summary: Not Great Review: I'm going to say something that might sound odd: this is not a leadership book. It deals pretty well with the everyday tasks and details of Churchill's style, but strangely not his "executive success in the face of adversity." And Hayward's assertion that Churchill's style is like that of an executive seems a little red-faced: Hayward spends a lot of time defending against Churchill's critics that Churchill was disorganized and a bad judge of character. In all likelihood, he is forcing Churchill into a category that he does not belong: indeed, Churchill may have been disorganized, but he was a darn good prime minister. My opinion is that Churchill deserves more than this. In place of this book, I would recommend Lincoln On Leadership.
Rating: Summary: Not Great Review: I'm going to say something that might sound odd: this is not a leadership book. It deals pretty well with the everyday tasks and details of Churchill's style, but strangely not his "executive success in the face of adversity." And Hayward's assertion that Churchill's style is like that of an executive seems a little red-faced: Hayward spends a lot of time defending against Churchill's critics that Churchill was disorganized and a bad judge of character. In all likelihood, he is forcing Churchill into a category that he does not belong: indeed, Churchill may have been disorganized, but he was a darn good prime minister. My opinion is that Churchill deserves more than this. In place of this book, I would recommend Lincoln On Leadership.
Rating: Summary: Not Great Review: I'm going to say something that might sound odd: this is not a leadership book. It deals pretty well with the everyday tasks and details of Churchill's style, but strangely not his "executive success in the face of adversity." And Hayward's assertion that Churchill's style is like that of an executive seems a little red-faced: Hayward spends a lot of time defending against Churchill's critics that Churchill was disorganized and a bad judge of character. In all likelihood, he is forcing Churchill into a category that he does not belong: indeed, Churchill may have been disorganized, but he was a darn good prime minister. My opinion is that Churchill deserves more than this. In place of this book, I would recommend Lincoln On Leadership.
Rating: Summary: Curious and entertainig, otherwise superficial and arbitrary Review: Positives: the book is light, easy to read, and contains a few amuzing historical anecdotes from Churchill's life. That's it. Negatives: it is not a good biography of Churchill, nor a good book on leadership. The author isn't anyone who'd known Churchill closely enough for his "analysis" to be of any value. Neither is he a manager. The author is a writer who must sell books in order to make a living. Please proceed with that in mind. The book is not wholly bad and would qualify as decent airplane reading, but no more than that.
Rating: Summary: Winston S. Churchill's Leadership Style in Review. Review: Steven Hayward places Churchill's experience and approach to executive problem solving into historical context. This is a must read book for students of leadership & management as well as fans of Sir Winston. A relatively short book about such a significant topic, but well worth the time
Rating: Summary: A new perspective brings Churchill to life Review: Steven Hayward uses a new perspective to illuminate the achievements of Winston Churchill. Even though we all know of Churchill as a great leader, he has become such a titanic figure that in some respects his human dimension has been lost. Hayward recaptures this, particularly the drive, the self-confidence and the persistence in the face of adversity. Also, because he is British, we tend to see him in a cigar and brandy snifter environment. Hayward shows that he was a thoroughly modern man, once of whose accomplishments was as an outstanding hands on leader and administrator, with, among other things, the ability to make decisions of great weight with only partial information - the conversion of the British fleet to oil before World War I being only one of them. I was thrilled once again at Churchill's eloquence, courage, foresight and determination. I agree with one of the other reviews that the blurbs at the end of each chapter are a bit trivial, but that is, itself, a trivial criticism. This is an outstanding book, easy to read, and one that will stay with you as a "biography" of Churchill more than a management manual.
Rating: Summary: worth your time and money Review: The book is well written, entertaining, and to the point. I felt like I've learned something after reading the book and that's all the importance. The book doesn't get into too much details as some readers would like, but it serves its purpose as an easy-to-read book. As Churchill himself observed that leadership is pretty much inborn and can hardly be learned, the book doesn't offer you the definate way to leadership, or even as of how Churchill could be a great leader as he was. The book, however, offers you the general descriptions of the man and the elements of making a leader. It tells you "what", not "how". The point is -- you might pick up something useful for yourself from the book and that's all that matters.
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