Rating: 
Summary: Succinct, to the point, not a fad
Review: A leader who actually executes to Powell's leadership principles will be very successful. This book does not set forth any new fads, nor offer any deep new insights. Instead, it focuses on the most important leadership traits, and explains them in plain English. Most important, Colin Powell is the role model who actually implements these leadership traits, and does so with tremendous success.
Rating:
Summary: Succinct, to the point, not a fad
Review: A leader who actually executes to Powell's leadership principles will be very successful. This book does not set forth any new fads, nor offer any deep new insights. Instead, it focuses on the most important leadership traits, and explains them in plain English. Most important, Colin Powell is the role model who actually implements these leadership traits, and does so with tremendous success.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Book
Review: Few leaders in the last century have been greater role models than General (Secretary of State) Colin Powell. He consistently communicates vision, inspiration, courage and character...critical components for leadership greatness. And, there is no better person to capture this extraordinary person than Dr. Oren Harari. His previous cutting edge books telegraph that he too is a person with similar traits. The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell is fast paced, well written and exquisitely illustrated with stories that make our vision of Powell one that is clear, compelling and worthy of emulation. Congratulations to Harari for a massive work that is thought provoking and powerful. I can see why it stays on the NY Times, Business Week and Wall Street Journal best-seller lists. My recommendation is one Willard Scott gave of another great book, "If you only read two books this year, read this one twice."
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Book
Review: Few leaders in the last century have been greater role models than General (Secretary of State) Colin Powell. He consistently communicates vision, inspiration, courage and character...critical components for leadership greatness. And, there is no better person to capture this extraordinary person than Dr. Oren Harari. His previous cutting edge books telegraph that he too is a person with similar traits. The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell is fast paced, well written and exquisitely illustrated with stories that make our vision of Powell one that is clear, compelling and worthy of emulation. Congratulations to Harari for a massive work that is thought provoking and powerful. I can see why it stays on the NY Times, Business Week and Wall Street Journal best-seller lists. My recommendation is one Willard Scott gave of another great book, "If you only read two books this year, read this one twice."
Rating: 
Summary: Blue Collar Book
Review: Finally!!!! This is a no hype type of book. The leadership principles are presented in a refreshing style that does not require any previous leadership book to be read. No Techno babble here. What I found to be interesting is how good of a book this turned out to be without interviewing Colin Powell for the book and yet the book is on his leadership style. If for nothing else get the book for the pithy chapter titles!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring
Review: I had read Powell's biography and figured it would be interesting to read about his "secrets." This book was an inspiring look at the issue of leadership and how to be flexible in our changing time. For me, it also helps highlights the everyday workplace and how leaders in this environment can lead by example, motivate and have employees who would move mountains for them because of the stock you place in them as a leader.
Rating:
Summary: A Change Of View
Review: I must admit that Colin Powell was not an autobiography that I would pick up and read. In my fast-paced life even I have formed a mental picture of what Powell is or isn't. I swept through the pages with vigor, as I formed a new image of Colin Powell. I never looked at Powell as a leader. I had stereotyped Powell as just another success story of a son of immigrant parents born in Harlem, New York and a decorated Vietnam veteran that has become on of the United States highest ranking government officials.
The author Oren Harari, a business management professor, did a great job highlighting 18 leadership principals of Colin Powell, before and after September 11, 2001. This book is definitely a clear and well written keeper. I really respect Powell's independence, leadership, and his ability to challenge traditional methods of leadership, and unknowingly created his own style.
What set the pace is how the author explained what the book isn't. I feel that it set the stage for an unbiased and scientific look at Powell's leadership qualities. This book is a good tool for entrepreneurs, business professionals, military personnel, and young people.
Harari is truly a gifted writer, I look forward to adding his books to my library.
Rating:
Summary: A Change Of View
Review: I must admit that Colin Powell was not an autobiography that I would pick up and read. In my fast-paced life even I have formed a mental picture of what Powell is or isn't. I swept through the pages with vigor, as I formed a new image of Colin Powell. I never looked at Powell as a leader. I had stereotyped Powell as just another success story of a son of immigrant parents born in Harlem, New York and a decorated Vietnam veteran that has become on of the United States highest ranking government officials.
The author Oren Harari, a business management professor, did a great job highlighting 18 leadership principals of Colin Powell, before and after September 11, 2001. This book is definitely a clear and well written keeper. I really respect Powell's independence, leadership, and his ability to challenge traditional methods of leadership, and unknowingly created his own style.
What set the pace is how the author explained what the book isn't. I feel that it set the stage for an unbiased and scientific look at Powell's leadership qualities. This book is a good tool for entrepreneurs, business professionals, military personnel, and young people.
Harari is truly a gifted writer, I look forward to adding his books to my library.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful and inspiring
Review: I've never been so inspired by an Amazon purchase that I felt compelled to write a review, but "Secrets" is my watershed moment. As part of my never ending quest to become the best Director of Sales / Manager / Leader possible, I have read countless books paralleling military structure and business structure. For the most part, I digest the material and attempt to adapt it to my personal situation, relationships with my employees, and relationships with my customers. Most often, any direct quote or application is seemingly too obvious an adaption from some military procedure or code. "Secrets", however, was different. Perhaps because it was written miuns direct contact with Colin Powell (can this *really* be true) that we get the perspective of Harari and his researchers on the relevancy, and not a direct military viewpoint. Perhaps. I can't imagine Harari enlisted the help of an Army platoon to write this book, but probably a young, talented MBA student with little real perspective on military life. Either way, I earmarked and bookmarked numerous ideas that I'll apply to my work environment and I highly recommend this book to managers who want to be true leaders.
Rating:
Summary: A great book on leadership!
Review: In "Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell," Oren Harari distills and expounds upon the leadership style of one of the most well respected leaders of our time. It is not a biography about or tribute to Powell, neither is it a book written by Powell. Rather, Harari has drawn from a wide range of sources such as personal communication with Powell, magazine articles, books, speeches, etc. The result is a powerfully motivating and thought-provoking book. "Leadership Secrets" has 16 chapters divided into 3 main sections: Section 1-Powell as Provocateur-jumps right in with "Know When to Piss People Off." The other chapters in include "Promote a Clash of Ideas," "The Ego Trap," "Don't Go Looking for No," "The Chief Dis-organizer," and, "When to Challenge the Pros." Section 2-Powell on Strategy and Character-is milder but just as thought provoking with, "Close With the Enemy," "People Over Plans," "Vigilance in Detail," "Situation Dictates Strategy," "Powell's Rules for Picking People," and, "Trust Those in the Trenches." Section 3-The Powell Character-dwells on some of the less concrete aspects of leadership with "The Powell Way," "Optimism Is a Force Multiplier," "Take Leave when You've Earned It," and, "Prepare for Loneliness." The book moves along at a good pace. Harari does a nice job of presenting concepts without feeling the need to spell things out in excruciating detail. Each chapter is self-contained making the book easy to pick up and read in spurts. Finally, each chapter ends with a nice summary of the main concepts. "Leadership Secrets" is certainly on the upper end of the bell curve of business and leadership books. I give it an unequivocal endorsement.
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