Book Review: The Man Who Broke Capitalism: How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of Corporate America―and How to Undo His Legacy by David Gelles

For the longest time, I think I took for granted that corporate America was all about appeasing shareholders, paying CEOs huge sums of money, treating employees like cogs in the machine, and making huge profits at any cost. I figured I should just expect companies utilize huge layoffs, give executives enormous golden parachutes even if they totally screw up, and outsource jobs to foreign countries. Profits and the bottom line were of utmost importance even if a company was degrading the environment, cheating customers and clients, or putting out shoddy products or services. Yes, I’m quite cynical.

But it wasn’t always that way. Once upon a time, many corporations wanted to offer top notch products and services, CEOS didn’t make 400 times what a lower level employee made, appeasing shareholders wasn’t always of utmost importance, and employees were treated like assets, not costs. What changed?

Well, you can blame a lot of what changed and how things went wrong on the late Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric. It was Welch who helped create the hellish landscape that is so much of America’s corporate landscape.

Welch, grew up poor and scrappy, but through obtaining a college education and a lot of hard work, he was able to climb the ladder at General Electric. That alone may seem admirable, but it is what he did during his tenure at General Electric that caused so many problems for the company, its employees, and its customers.

Once upon a time, General Electric was one of the most respected and successful companies in the United States. Often referred to “Generous Electric,” GE provided topnotch products that filled our homes and businesses. And GE also provided its employees, blue collar, white collar, and pink collar, with excellent pay and benefits. Workers expected to work at GE for nearly a lifetime, and retire with a decent pension.

But that changed once Welch took over as CEO and chairman in 1981. And in the twenty years that followed, Welch and his cronies made decisions that both hurt GE and its reputation.

To Welch, shareholder profit was of utmost importance. And he implemented three key tools while at GE-downsizing, deal making, and financialization. Through downsizing, Welch began laying off thousands of workers by massive firings, offshoring jobs, and outsourcing. Through deal making, Welch padded the bottom line through billions of dollars in acquisition, which had very little to do with GE’s initial business. And with financialization, Welch got rid of GE’s manufacturing base, and instead magnified GE Capital, which focused on investments and insurance. And you thought GE was just about toasters and ovens.

At first, Welch’s tenure looked good, at least to shareholders as profits and stock prices were rising. Welch was treated like some golden god of corporate America, and was the focus of many business articles praising him as an effective leader and businessman. Welch wrote several books and Trump was a fan of his (because of course, he was).

But appeasing shareholders and increasing stock prices isn’t everything, and Welch’s twenty year tenure did cause a lot of problems, and not just for GE. Many of Welch’s practices were implemented at other companies, and soon became standard operating procedures for most corporations. And Gelles goes into great length how these practices are not good for the companies, its workers and customers/clients, and America as a whole (not to mention the rest of the world).

Reading this book, I got really pissed off. I joined the workplace a bit after Welch took over at GE, and for the longest time, I thought his way of managing a company was just how things were and I had to put on my big girl panties and cope with it. But no. We don’t need to do things Welch’s way, and it’s better for all of us if were reverse course, and get back on track on making sure we make a world free of Welch’s malfeasance.

Book Review: On Purpose Leadership-Master the Art of Leading Yourself to Inspire and Impact Others by Dominick Quartuccio

What makes an effective leader? Without a doubt, I’m sure I’d get countless answers if I asked this question. But how does one become an effective leader? To author, speaker, and coach Dominick Quartuccio, the best answer is to look within and find one’s purpose. Once a leader finds his or her purpose, he or she can become more effective, make positive changes, and get stellar results. Quartuccio tells this in his book On Purpose Leadership: Master the Art of Leading Yourself to Inspire and Impact Others.

In On Purpose Leadership, Quartuccio explains when someone looks within and find one’s purpose, he or she can be a stronger leader who inspires others and brings about stellar results. Leaders face many challenges, but the can’t be tackled unless they become self-aware, recognize their purpose, and use various strategies to lead their teams.

To find one’s purposes as a leader, Quatuccio provides best practices, suggestions, lessons, and exercises. This book is not to be simply read; it is interactive and I encourage readers to put the exercises to use.

Quartuccio also provides real-life examples of people who have found their purpose as leaders. Their stories are interesting and inspiring.

Towards the beginning of On Purpose Leadership is a on purpose manifesto that aspiring leaders can modify for their own unique goals and needs to find their purpose and lead their teams successfully. He also encourages looking outward if needs-find a mentor, hire a life coach, do activities that energize you (not drain you), and seek like-minded people to help you on your journey to on purpose leadership.

As mentioned before, there are many exercises throughout On Purpose Leadership to help readers find their purpose. I have to admit, I found the sheer amount of them to be a bit overwhelming. However, if you take your time and got at your own pace, you will benefit from them greatly. And the quotes, lists, and illustration add a compelling touch to Quartuccio’s narrative.

Who is the ideal audience for On Purpose Leadership? Well, obviously leaders in the workplace, but I can see religious figures, coaches, teachers and artistic types finding value in On Purpose Leadership.

Book Review: Rethink-Smashing the Myths of Women in Business by Andi Simon, Ph.D

Kamala Harris is the Vice-President of the United States. Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart are wildly successful moguls. Women run Fortune 500 companies. Women have been in outer space. And women are at the helm of major colleges and universities. Many glass ceilings have been shattered, yet there is still this idea that women don’t belong at the top of various businesses. Thus thinking is wrong. And author and consultant Andi Simon wants people to reevaluate this mindset in her Book Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business.

In Rethink, Simon tells the stories of several women who have achieved greatness in their respective fields. These fields include entrepreneurship, business, law, education, science, and technology. Some of these women come from modest backgrounds, others more privileged. Yet, the recall obstacles they faced and naysayers who said they’d never make it.

All these women excelled not only due to talent and skill, but also because they believed in themselves and had tenacity and strong work ethic.

The women profiled include knitwear designer Babette Ballinger, college president Dr. Maria Gallo, business leader Delora Tyler, and IT expert Samantha Radocchia.

Though these women come from different backgrounds, races, and age groups, there are similarities among them. Many of them came from supportive families who encouraged their ambitions. These women had various jobs and career paths. Some of them never expected they’d be in their current positions. They dealt with a lot of sexist behavior and sometimes, self-doubt. They’ve written books and given TED talks.

For the most part, I appreciated this book. I found the women’s stories interesting. In fact, I wish for more stories of successful women in show business, media, politics, sports, and philanthropy.

Still, I found Rethink to be a timely book in an era where women have come so far, yet have ways to go.

Book Review: Leading from the Roots-Nature-Inspired Leadership Lessons for Today’s World by Dr. Kathleen E. Allen

“Leadership today is about unlearning management and relearning being human.” – Javier Pladevall, CEO of Volkswagen Audi Retail

You know I like a book when I mark it up with post-its, write notes in the margins, highlight certain passages and nod my head along like one of those bobble-head figurines. Which is exactly what I did while reading Dr. Kathleen E. Allen’s fascinating, timely and revolutionary’s book Leading from the Roots: Nature-Inspired Leadership Lessons for Today’s World.

This book implores organizational leaders (and pretty much anyone else with a stake in the workplace) to look beyond the confines of the physical spaces where we toil to nature and how it can help us and our companies thrive.

Leading from the Roots is divided into 11 well-researched,  and finely-written chapters on concepts like cooperation, diversity, lack of waste, curbing excess, the power of limits and so much more.

Each chapter gives ample evidence on how nature can help worker’s productivity and commitment to their jobs and how simple it is to work these practices into the workplace that won’t break the bank, take up too much time, or distract us from our tasks at hand. Dr. Allen provides ample evidence through both her extensive end notes and bibliography. And each chapter concludes with a summary of the chapter’s main focus and points to ponder and discuss.

Simply put, Leading from the Roots inspired me. Dr. Allen’s lessons are doable, practical and very audience-friendly. It’s ideal for everyone-managers, workers, students and grads, religious leaders, politicians, activists, teachers, creative types, social workers, medical personal, entrepreneurs, and so on.

Leading from the Roots is a great addition to my book shelf. I highly suggest you add it to your book shelf.

Book Review: Becoming Michelle Obama by Michelle Obama

Even my cat, Pokey Jones, liked this book!

Once upon a time, in land called the south side of Chicago, lived a girl named Michelle Robinson. Instead of living in a huge castle, she lived in a modest house on a street called Euclid Avenue. And instead of having to deal with an evil stepmother, she had two loving parents and a protective older brother. Like a lot of girls, Michelle Robinson dreamed of adventures that would take her beyond her humble roots and finding her own Prince Charming. She did that and so much more, thus becoming the history-making first lady Michelle Obama, not only the first black first lady (not to mention one of the most educated and admired, and if I may dip my toes into the shallow end of the pool, one of the most stylish first ladies, in the history of the United States).

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or are so “unwoke” you might as well be in a coma, you are fully aware of Michelle Obama’s years of living in the White House – her “Let’s Move” campaign to alleviate childhood obesity, her work with second lady Dr. Jill Biden on veterans’ issues, her loving marriage to President Barack Obama, and her challenges of raising two children in the White House under the glare of the media. This is a very compelling part of Becoming, and Mrs. Obama is fully honest about the good, the bad, and the ugly she dealt with during the White House years.

However, most of Becoming focuses on Mrs. Obama’s life before her time as First Lady, and it is both extraordinary and ordinary, which I’m sure a lot of readers with relate to.

Mrs. Obama describes these years in rich detail that had me riveted. Her family was firm and loving, inspiring her to be a striver and excel in whatever she pursued. She writes about teachers who supported her from grade school through law school. She lovingly mentions the girlfriends who inspired her, and are still with her today (even if one standout friend is only with her in spirit). Mrs. Obama discusses the various mentors she was blessed with while navigating the difficulties in the workplace. And she’s brutally honest about these privileges and her gratitude seems truly sincere.

However, she also had to deal with the thorny issues of both racism and sexism, and plenty of naysayers who claimed she’d never make it. For instance, one person tried to convince Mrs. Obama that she wasn’t Ivy League material. Ha, she showed this person, didn’t she?

And yes, Mrs. Obama also dishes on a certain fellow named Barack Obama, from her initial meeting when she was his mentor to her twenty-five plus years of their marriage.

But just as Mrs. Obama is grateful for her blessings, she is also honest about the trials and tribulations she faced personally. Prince Charming was sometimes a bit of a challenge and often their marriage was less than ideal. Mrs. Obama also faced issues with having children, finally reverting to using fertility treatments and later giving birth to her cherished daughters Malia and Sasha. In other words, her life is at turn both typical and atypical, one that inspires and one that a lot of us can relate to.

Now, it’s no secret I’m a huge fan of Michelle Obama. However, as a book reviewer I realize I must be truthful of my assessment of Becoming. Not to be gross, but you can’t crap on a cone and expect me to call it ice cream. Thank goodness, Becoming is a sundae of a read and truly exceeded my expectation. It’s both down to earth and out of this world, one that takes a treasured place on my book shelf. I can’t recommend it enough.

Book Review: The Common Good by Robert B. Reich

Considering I gave Robert B. Reich’s Saving Capitalism a rave review, it’s no secret I’m a huge fan of the former secretary of Labor under President Clinton. So I am thrilled to give Reich’s latest book, The Common Good, another rave review.

The Common Good is a call to arms to anyone who cares about the state of our country and all of its citizens.

And when I mention a call to arms I don’t mean guns and ammunition. This book is a call for us to bring a sense of empathy, sensibility and basic human decency when it comes to politics, business, religion, education, media, activism, and our communities as a whole. And The Common Good is written in an enthusiastic and perceptive manner that will connect with a wide audience.

The Common Good is divided into three distinct parts:

1. What Is the Common Good?

2. What Happened to the Common Good?

3. Can the Common Good By Restored?

Part one is a primer on the common good. It starts out using the sheer awfulness of Martin Shrekeli and how he fully encompasses what is not the common good.

As part one moves on Reich explains both the common good most of us share and origins of the common good.

In part two Reich examines what exactly happened to our nation’s common good through a 3-prong dismantling of the common good’s structure. Believe me, it’s not pretty.

But before readers gnash their teeth in despair, Reich wraps things up with a manifesto on how we can restore the common good, which includes leadership we can trust, the use of honor and shame, resurrecting truth and finally but most importantly reviving civic education for all citizens starting in grade school and high school.

Some of ideas may be a bit difficult to implement and others will be quite simple. But all are vital.

The Common Good is written in an audience-friendly style that instructs and inspires and will hold your interest long after you are done reading it.  I can’t recommend it enough. The Common Good is both timely and timeless.

Book Review: Herding Tigers-Be the Leader That Creative People Need by Todd Henry

“Much of the dysfunction and tension that exists in the workplace is the result of highly creative people’s needs not being met. If you step back and examine the patterns, you’ll find that a lot of bad behavior occurs when there is poor or inattentive leadership”-Todd Henry

And that, my fellow citizens of the Island of the Misfit Creatives is the gist of Toddy Henry’s practical, timely and eye-opening book Herding Tigers: Be the Leader That Creative People Want.

There is an idea that dealing and managing creative types is like managing cats, but Todd thinks that idea is insulting to creative types. No, it’s more like herding tigers-creative types are often brilliant, driven and need the proper environment to bring all their talents that provide results that satisfy management, clients and yes, creative types.

After a brief introduction, the book leads off with a chapter on what creative people need. It also dispels myths about creative types. These myths include concepts like creative types wanting full control to create and we’re obsessed with working on ideas that are considered “cool.” Creative types are totally insecure (when we aren’t being total egomaniacs). Creative types are flaky and flighty and lack analytical ability and business acumen.

Okay, we got the myths out of the way. But what do we need in the workplace? Creative people need both stability (clarity and protection) and challenge (permission and faith) to thrive in the workplace.

Now, this is easier said than done and Henry builds on this theory throughout Herding Tigers. After providing us a clear mantra on what creatives need. Herding Tigers divides itself into two distinct parts. The first part implores management to focus on its current mindset. In the second part Henry shares the mechanics when it comes to leading creative types for both established management and for those who go from being peers to management.

While reading Herding Tigers I kept nodding my head, thinking to myself, “Yes, someone who gets it!” I also felt a wee bit bereft because as a creative it is Henry’s idea of managing creatives, which has been missing the most in my life as a working creative. I’ve often felt misunderstood, caught up in feelings of lost, angry and stuck in places where I should have flourished. If I was queen of the world, every manager and every organization that relies on work by creative types, would be required by law to read this book and implement Henry’s wise, compassion and practical advice, concepts and checkpoints when handling me and my fellow tigers. And don’t worry managers of Tigers, Henry is also in your corner. He truly cares about all of us. (And to be honest, I think Herding Tigers is just a good management book even if you’re not leading creative types).

Herding Tigers is a book that I can imagine reading again and again. In fact, my copy is littered with little post-its, highlighting passages and ideas that I agree with or I find interesting and valuable. I’ve also written down Henry’s advice in a notebook to refer to again and again.

I highly recommend Toddy Henry’s Herding Tigers to both management and creatives. Creatives will recognize themselves and management will be enlightened by Henry’s timeless and timely book. Herding Tigers isn’t just one of the best books on leadership I have read this year; it just might be one of the best books leadership I’ve ever read.