Publishers Weekly
01/31/2019
Bustin—chair of three Vistage International groups, for CEOs, presidents, and partners—issues lessons on aping the successes, while avoiding the errors, of history’s greats in this slapdash, skimpy guide. After witnessing Vistage members struggling with decision-making, Bustin was moved, he explains, to assemble this collection of stories, some “stirring,” others cautionary. Businesspeople are meant to read it over the course of a year, one lesson per week, in 10 minutes or less. Each describes a decision made by a notable figure during a critical moment, such as Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon or General Custer ordering the pursuit of Native American forces before the Battle of Little Bighorn. However, with 52 separate chapters, the individual entries can only touch briefly on each person—including Charles Darwin, Charles Dow, Alfred Nobel, and Steve Jobs—and thus rarely have the opportunity to say anything new. Moreover, of the 52 people and groups profiled, all but five (Hattie Caraway, Marie Curie, Queen Elizabeth I, Emily Post, and Mary Edwards Walker) are men and all but four (Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, and Jesse Owen) are white. The would-be tycoons of tomorrow are unlikely to feel either inspired or enlightened by this superficial survey. Agent: Cynthia Zigmund, Literary Services, Inc. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
"Greg’s collection of the best and worst decisions in history is a practical, nuanced and timeless guide for today’s decision-makers." — Mark Schortman, Chairman, Coca-Cola Bottlers Sales & Services, LLC
"Exceptional leaders are lifelong learners, and Greg has collected, organized and presented these leadership lessons to stimulate learning, inform decision-making, and inspire action. This is a book that all teams and business leaders should read." — Elizabeth Bryant, Chief Learning Officer, Southwest Airlines
"Decisions—no matter the scale of those decisions—by those at the top of the organization are critical to get right to keep the business on track and running successfully. Greg’s book provides the thought-provoking techniques to help leaders make the big calls." — Steve Dalton, OBE, Managing Director, SONY UK Technology Centre
"For busy executives who appreciate the power of brevity, insight and pragmatism, these 52 historical gems served up by Greg Bustin hit the bull’s eye." — Ashley Sheetz, Chief Marketing Officer, At Home
"Through 52 inspiring and instructional vignettes, Bustin’s unique vantage point – which exposes him to hundreds of contemporary leaders at the top of their game – creates a book of true long-term value. How Leaders Decide focuses on brilliant and bungling decisions from history while prompting incisive questions for your own organization right now. How can you not love a book that demands only ten minutes a week but gives back so much food for thought?" — Hugh Kennedy, Partner, EVP Planning, PJA Advertising and Marketing, and co-author of The Unconventionals
"How Leaders Decide is an engaging, highly snackable read. From William McKnight’s "codifying curiosity" at 3M, to Henri Dunant’s founding of the International Red Cross, to Henry Ford’s decision to double the pay of his factory workers, the book is rich in examples that celebrate ethical judgement and action, not the pursuit of personal profit or shareholder return." — Mike O’Toole, President at PJA Advertising + Marketing and co-author of The Unconventionals
"Through 52 inspiring and instructional vignettes, Greg Bustin’s unique vantage point – which exposes him to hundreds of contemporary leaders at the top of their game – creates a book of true long-term value. How Leaders Decide focuses on brilliant and bungling decisions from history while prompting incisive questions for your own organization right now. How can you not love a book that demands only ten minutes a week but gives back so much food for thought?" — Hugh Kennedy, supporting partner at PJA Advertising + Marketing and co-author The Unconventionals
"Talk about the perfect combination! In How Leaders Decide, Greg Bustin combines fascinating history with succinct leadership insights to showcase 52 of the greatest leadership decisions the world has seen. Whether we’re hurtling through space with the ill-fated Apollo 13 astronauts, gazing across the river Rubicon with Julius Caesar, or watching Steve Jobs rescue Apple from insolvency, we are learning from momentous decisions made by proven leaders. How Leaders Decide is designed to provide a decision lesson for each week of the year, but readers should not be surprised if they find themselves rushing through its compelling lessons the first day." — Gordon Leidner, author of The Leadership Secrets of Hamilton
"Through 52 inspiring and instructional vignettes, Bustin’s unique vantage point – which exposes him to hundreds of contemporary leaders at the top of their game – creates a book of true long-term value. How Leaders Decide focuses on brilliant and bungling decisions from history while prompting incisive questions for your own organization right now. How can you not love a book that demands only ten minutes a week but gives back so much food for thought?" — Hugh Kennedy, supporting partner at PJA Advertising + Marketing and co-author The Unconventionals
"Greg’s fast-paced, insightful stories about history’s greatest triumphs and tragedies are punctuated with provocative questions that invite leaders to pause, reflect, and then apply these lessons in their own world. Though I was familiar with many of the events Greg examines, I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the story-behind-the story of these history-shaping decisions. I also appreciated the connection Greg makes between the stories of yesterday and leadership today. This is a great read with powerful takeaways." — Ray Napolitan, Executive Vice President, Nucor
