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Why do managers at all levels shy away from the tough decisions that lead to success rather than mediocrity? This book is about why managers often have so much trouble making tough decisions. It pinpoints the types of problems and failures that result from organizations that suffer from a lack of courage. The heart of the book will be ten obvious, hard-core principles- comprising a roadmap with which managers will be able to confront their inner wimp and find their inner courage. The more responsibility a manager gets, the likelier he or she will face tough decisions. Often, however, there is: no ideal option; a lack of data; guaranteed disappointment; or long-term perspective needed. A whole lot of managers, when faced with tough decisions, will crumble. Whether making decisions for a department, a division, or the whole company, all managers have experienced the situation where they know what they need to do, but also know that these steps will be unpopular. And they worry that it might in fact be dead wrong. They will decide to delay, further analyze, massively compromise, ignore the whole thing, or employ any other tactic to avoid dealing with the situation. Often, managers fail to provide courageous leadership on the tough issues because they fall victim to one or more of the following types of very human behaviors: avoiding conflict; striving for certainty; avoiding a career risk; lack of self-confidence; lack of a sense of urgency; or protecting their turf. There are huge implications for this lack of courage to confront the critical decisions. Operational and innovative excellence can only come with gutsy leadership. This book will tell every manager how to get there, with 10 clear steps, featuring dynamic real world examples from Microsoft, Porsche, Philips, IBM, Merck, Canon, Sony, Dow, Whirlpool, IDEO, Tesco, P&G, Target, Tyco, Deere, 3M, Starwood, Gillette, Sprint, Hyundai, HP, Apple, BP, Volkswagon, Bayer, & Nestle.
About the author
Robert J. Herbold was hired by Bill Gates to be Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft Corporation. During his seven years as COO, from 1994 to 2001, Microsoft experienced a fourfold increase in revenue and a sevenfold increase in profits. Prior to Microsoft, Herbold spent 26 years at The Procter & Gamble Company, the last five years as Senior Vice President of Marketing. Herbold is now the Managing Director of Herbold Group, LLC. He is also a Senior Executive in Residence at INSEAD in Singapore, a member of President Bush's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and a director serving on several corporate boards.
