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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir from General Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State. It basically consists of him telling stories from his life and career experiences, and then reflecting on the lessons learned (and counsel to be derived) from those experiences. They run a wide gamut, but there wasn't a single one that didn't engage me and make me think about how I could apply the lessons learned in my own life. I could wish that I had read it in my teens or twenties, rather than in my sixties, but I still found it valuable. As a college professor (of leadership), I will certainly bring much of it into my classes for the benefit of my students. My only wish is that I could find a way to bring the man himself to visit with my students.
I plan to find a copy of his first book, My American Journey and read (or listen to) that one as well. In his epilogue, he mentioned thinking about writing a third book, because he still has stories to tell. I would read that book, but I would also like to see him expand on the lessons learned from these stories, and give his readers deeper insight into the "how to" of some of them. His life story is inspiring, and I think of him as one of the most honorable and devoted public servants of recent years. I wish he were still serving in that way. We need as many of those great souls as we can get in public service.
Worth reading!
I plan to find a copy of his first book, My American Journey and read (or listen to) that one as well. In his epilogue, he mentioned thinking about writing a third book, because he still has stories to tell. I would read that book, but I would also like to see him expand on the lessons learned from these stories, and give his readers deeper insight into the "how to" of some of them. His life story is inspiring, and I think of him as one of the most honorable and devoted public servants of recent years. I wish he were still serving in that way. We need as many of those great souls as we can get in public service.
Worth reading!
Not only does this book have some great lessons on the art and science of leadership from Colin Powell's experiences, it also has alot of inspirational stories from his life.
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
"Loyalty is disagreeing strongly. And loyalty is executing faithfully."
Former general and politician Colin Powell describes the advice and lessons that have guided him throughout his career, both in the military and as a diplomat. There is nothing revolutionary in this book, and the teachings Powell talks about here are cliche and phrases you have already heard before - be kind to your subordinates, don't complain, sacrifice for the team, etc. I don't feel that I gained any newfound knowledge that is unique to this book. In fact, if you are looking for a book on military leadership that can be applied to any sphere of life, I would recommend Jocko Willink's books instead of this one. This book is for people particularly interested in Powell himself, or in what it takes to become a general. There were moments where I was gripped by what he had to say, but those moments were few and far between.
Powell does discuss, in this book, his fateful 2003 speech to the U.N. incorrectly claiming that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction, eventually leading to the Iraq War. The way he describes the mistakes he made in giving this speech run counter to the themes he tries to espouse throughout this book. He throws blame on others, takes little responsibility himself, and failed to verify information given to him. This makes it difficult to trust the rest of the advice he gives in this book, as it didn't necessarily "work for him." The main thing I learned about Powell from reading this is that he is fiercely loyal to the chain of command: he was willing to fall on his sword because his commanding officers told him to. And whether that is right or wrong is for the reader to decide.
Former general and politician Colin Powell describes the advice and lessons that have guided him throughout his career, both in the military and as a diplomat. There is nothing revolutionary in this book, and the teachings Powell talks about here are cliche and phrases you have already heard before - be kind to your subordinates, don't complain, sacrifice for the team, etc. I don't feel that I gained any newfound knowledge that is unique to this book. In fact, if you are looking for a book on military leadership that can be applied to any sphere of life, I would recommend Jocko Willink's books instead of this one. This book is for people particularly interested in Powell himself, or in what it takes to become a general. There were moments where I was gripped by what he had to say, but those moments were few and far between.
Powell does discuss, in this book, his fateful 2003 speech to the U.N. incorrectly claiming that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction, eventually leading to the Iraq War. The way he describes the mistakes he made in giving this speech run counter to the themes he tries to espouse throughout this book. He throws blame on others, takes little responsibility himself, and failed to verify information given to him. This makes it difficult to trust the rest of the advice he gives in this book, as it didn't necessarily "work for him." The main thing I learned about Powell from reading this is that he is fiercely loyal to the chain of command: he was willing to fall on his sword because his commanding officers told him to. And whether that is right or wrong is for the reader to decide.
challenging
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
FRTC
This book was an absolute delight and I'm glad I chose to listen to this one. Referring to some previous reviews I'd venture to guess that the reviewers did not actually read the book, or were so deep in their preconceived notions and prejudices that they did not pay any attention to the hot-button issues that have surrounded his service. There seems to be a wild expectation that government employees (military, politicians, advisors, etc.) are to be perfect. Mistakes and failures sometimes happen. Colin did, I think a great job in explaining the circumstances behind the failures. I personally came away with a much better understanding of the situations surrounding the controversial decisions. Perhaps it's coincidence but I had just finished James Mattis' book prior to this and given that these two men served in similar capacities during the same time period it was very interesting to learn the correlations between their perspectives.
Many things are said in this book that are of benefit to military leaders and policy-makers. I, myself am taking away some nuggets of wisdom for use in my own leadership.
Many things are said in this book that are of benefit to military leaders and policy-makers. I, myself am taking away some nuggets of wisdom for use in my own leadership.
informative
slow-paced
Parts memoir, self-help, and political/military biography.
A solid effort from the General. Not bad, not great, solid B/B- effort. "My American Journey" still ranks as one of my all time favorites, and a solid A+, 5 Star effort.