Book Review: Where have all the Leaders gone?

http://www.amazon.com/Where-Have-All-Leaders-Gone/dp/1416532471
Here is the Bullish Bear's first Book Review>>

Down to earth straight talk from Lee Iacocca, the man who brought the Ford Mustang and the Chrysler minivan to America.
Where have all the Leaders gone? is a candid and easy to follow guide to what leadership is all about.

His Nine Cs of Leadership: Curiosity, Creativity, Communication, Character, Courage, Conviction, Charisma, Competence and Common sense help support his argument. Through an analysis of the US Presidential candidates, he urges American voters to exercise their vote prudently in the upcoming elections.

He pays tribute to leaders who inspired him, starting with his dad, his first boss, and others along the way, highlighting the success they achieved through leadership by example.

Iacocca talks about the consequences of American Foreign Policy, including the disastrous War in Iraq, free trade, fair trade and trade barriers; encouraging US citizens to stand up and ask questions.

Here are some other issues he covers:

• The real price of oil, not in dollar terms, but in terms of lives lost.


• The US Trade deficit and America’s addiction to debt


• The healthcare costs and the under funded pensions of the baby boomers.


• America’s lawsuits for damages: that are killing creativity, increasing insurance costs and adding to the backlog of unsettled litigation.


• America's middle class that is struggling in their pursuit of the American dream.

Discussing the problems of the US Auto Industry, he explains the impact of globalization, Japanese competition and the UAW. The Car Industry was once the “heart beat of America”, and Iacocca comes up with his ideas on turning around the automakers at Detroit. His views on mergers are clear: resist the urge to merge, citing the example of Daimler Chrysler.

Coming to renewing the ‘Trust in Corporate America’, he criticizes poorly performing companies paying out high bonuses to top executives while their pension funds continue to remain under funded, thus defeating the idea of attaining reward through hard work.

It is an inspiring book, clearly highlighting the need for “leaders” in times of crisis, whether it's the Automakers in Detroit or the US presidential elections; encouraging leaders to take a stand and be counted