swopedesign's Full Review: Jeff Benedict - The Mormon Way of Doing Business
I was raised a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, though I was inactive for many years (I had a brief stint of about 6 months in the mid-1990s when I attended regularly; I am now 40 years old). I have seen that most of the Mormons I know are successful and happy, and I was curious how this is accomplished, what they have done differently than I have done. This book helps shed some light on tenets of the Mormon faith that have helped the CEOs in this book become successful leaders of Fortune 500 companies. It outlines the Mormon characteristics they share and how those characteristics impact their careers and families.
This book profiles 8 successful CEOs who happen to share the same Christian faith: David Neeleman, founder and CEO of JetBlue Airways; Kevin Rollins, CEO of Dell Computers; Jim Quigley, CEO of Deloitte & Touche USA (a professional services firm, including accounting and auditing); Dave Checketts, former CEO of Madison Square Garden Corporation, owner of the Knicks; Gary Crittenden, CFO at American Express; Rod Hawes, founder and former CEO of Life Re Corporation; Kim Clark, Dean of the prestigious Harvard Business School; and Clayton Christensen, a leading Harvard Business School professor and consultant to Intel, Eli Lilly and Kodak.
Divided into 15 chapters, this book examines topics documenting the characteristics shared by these 8 men, including but not limited to serving missions, playing hardball, serving in time-demanding church callings, developing disciplined personal habits, practicing infallible honestly, paying tithes, remaining humble despite the power of their professional positions, prioritizing their time and commitments to distinguish between what's important and what's urgent, honoring the Sabbath, cherishing the everlasting importance of family (Mormons believe that families can be together forever as a blessing of their religion), and marrying women who share the same beliefs and values (especially regarding eternal family relationships). It is clear that this book examines how the religious beliefs of these noteworthy men impact their families and careers. "The true definition or true defining situation for a person is what they do when they are alone and don't HAVE to do anything else," Dell's CEO Kevin Rollins told Jeff Benedict, the author, as he researched and interviewed to write this book. "What do they do? Do they do frivolous things? That's when you define what you are."
Three chapters, however, are unexpected. Two chapters deal with the 9/11 tragedy in New York and how a handful of the CEOs with offices in or near the Trade Center experienced and dealt with the aftermath of the attack. Though interesting at points, it is not clear how these chapters directly relate to the Mormon faith and the success of these leaders. I am not certain that similar leaders in the same situation would have acted any differently, regardless of their religion or lack thereof.
Another unexpected chapter deals with the role of these men's wives in their families and their careers. Though not about the men per se, it is nonetheless true that families and marital relationships are central to the Latter-Day Saints, so this chapter is an acceptable extension of the subject of the book. This chapter makes it clear the role that these women play in the success of their husbands, not only caring for the family but also providing a home for them to come home to when their workday is done, a haven from the storms that arise from time to time for any CEO or business leader. Mothers also serve as the cornerstone of any family, according to the LDS faith, so these women chose to stay at home and raise their families. Benedict notes, however, that these women are not only well-educated and intelligent, but likely would have succeeded in any profession they chose, had they not married and raised their families. They are remarkable in their own right.
Since I am Mormon myself, I found this book an engrossing read. It is not a how-to management or success manual. Rather, it describes how the character traits, faith and religious beliefs of these men have helped make them successful. Of course, readers must realize that being Mormon or joining the Church does not guarantee success, but it is clear that the principles of the Mormon faith, for these men, have served them and their families and careers well. For Mormons who may be similarly driven as these men, this book may stand as a guide how their faith can strengthen and empower their careers and their families' lives. For such members, this book is a must read, and will need to be read over and over again for the lessons it will teach them.
What do the following top business execs have in common? - David Neeleman (CEO and Founder, Jet Blue)- Jim Quigley (CEO, Deloitte & Touche)- Kevin Rol...More at HotBookSale
What do the following top business execs have in common? - David Neeleman (CEO and Founder, Jet Blue)- Jim Quigley (CEO, Deloitte & Touche)- Kevin Rol...More at HotBookSale
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