dispatches from the new world of work

Best Book, 2005!

My choice as my favorite Biz Book of 2005 is Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done, by Larry Bossidy (& Ram Charan). Fact is, it's a 2002 book, but I just read it word-by-word this year as I prepared to do a gig with Bossidy. Amazingly it is, as I see it, the 1st & only book wholly devoted to "getting things done," and the 1st and only book that suggests that there is a describable, "systematic" "discipline" (and "culture") of getting things done. I'm doing a seminar on change in a few weeks, and when the Client asked me for a pre-reading assignment I bypassed my books and recommended Bossidy/Execution.

(I'm not fully into dissing myself. I arrogantly think that our 1999 "Work Matters" troika—The Project 50, The Brand You 50, The Professional Service Firm 50—are far more relevant, and still inadequately appreciated & implemented, than in 1999. We are all under attack—"There is no job that is America's God-given right anymore"/Carly Fiorina—and the reason is summed up exquisitely in this terse quote: "'Disintermediation' is overrated. Those who fear disintermediation should in fact be afraid of irrelevance—disintermediation is just another way of saying that you've become irrelevant to your customers."/John Battelle/Point/Advertising Age/07.05. Answer—"the" answer?—to the "irrelevant" question: Cool Projects from Insanely Great, Value-adding PSFs which are stocked with Imaginative-Entrepreneurial Brand You Talent.)

Tom Peters posted this on 01/06/06.

Comments

I think Larry has done some great things in his career and that this book is compelling but the best that can one can recommend... I'm not so sure about that. What this book doesn't adequately address in my view are the self mechanisms required to put these tenets into motion.

Entirely too many people live their lives as a series of pie crust promises. That's why I've been singing from the rafters in praise of David Allen's two books, "Ready for Anything" and "Getting Things Done". He's giving people the tools that they need to meet their commitments, execute and balance priorities. Bossidy makes a strong case for eliminating "manana-itis" but Allen re-aligns the workers. Besides, you and him share the same tickler filing system.

Posted by michael at January 6, 2006 2:57 PM

Tom, I also still love the "50" books, and thing they deserved more attention. But, since the messages are as relevant as every now, it's not too late for people to dig in!

Posted by Steve Yastrow at January 7, 2006 12:35 AM

Tom, the "50" books played a key role in transforming my work life in 1999-2000, setting the stage for the leap from a dead-end job to a rewarding adventure as a solo consultant. I still hand out copies to Clients--who are always initially delighted by the size and feel of the little gems and later by the content. Many thanks.

Posted by Dave Rogers at January 7, 2006 12:48 AM

OK, next read for you -- "Confronting Reality: Doing What Matters to Get Things Right." Bossidy and Charan ring clear as a bell here too!

Happy New Year Tom!

All the best,
Laurel

Posted by Laurel Delaney at January 9, 2006 10:21 PM