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Augustine's Travels: A World-Class Leader Looks at Life, Business, and What It Takes to Succeed at Both
Augustine's Travels A WorldClass Leader Looks at Life Business and What It Takes to Succeed at Both Author:Norman R. Augustine When the top-ranking executive of one of the world's largest corporations takes a trip -- both the introspective and the transcontinental kinds -- you can bet that people want to tag along. And they can. Because Norman Augustine, Chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corporation, is sharing his adventures -- the mind-boggling challenges, hea... more »dy successes, mistakes made and remedied -- in his new book, Augustine's Travels. Following the success of his first book, Augustine's Laws, the Travels takes a more wide-ranging and in-depth approach to the author's experiences. The book is a wisdom-packed and wit-infused compilation of observations on an array of important business and social issues, including: *Ethics: Dispelling the popular notion that CEOs are just a pack of scoundrels, Augustine recounts his experience with executives who have put ethics first -- making it the backbone of their endeavors and behaviors.
*Leaders: As an engineer turned manager turned executive, Augustine learned the art of leadership by watching and doing. He pinpoints and explains what makes successful leaders tick: inspired management, motivation, courage, integrity.
*Competitiveness: With the U.S. at a global crossroads, the author focuses on six key areas where we lag behind, as well as what it will take to close the gap... and leap ahead.
*Mergers & Acquisitions: Having witnessed both hostile, chaotic takeovers and relatively smooth, successful mergers, Augustine turns a trained eye to these gargantuan business deals -- and explains what really happens.
*Education: The author outlines a model that he spearheaded in Maryland for business to help improve public schools, and he examines ways to replicate its success across the country.
Augustine's Travels also explores such challenging issues as crisis management, reengineering, the changing role of the CEO, and "providing value."
This fascinating book is a call to action, as well as an engrossing and entertaining read. As Augustine says in the Preface: "I want this book to help the reader deal with issues, make decisions, and solve problems.... The time to come to terms with the issues raised here is right now. Not later, now. Because anyone who wants to be a business -- and a personal -- success in the 21st century had better take full advantage of what little is left of the 20th."
With its sage advice and probing insights, Augustine's Travels is one adventure that's not to be missed.« less