Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value (J-B Warren Bennis Series)
by Bill George

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Book Reviews of Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value (J-B Warren Bennis Series)

Book Review: Very timely criticism of American values but not far enough
Summary: 4 Stars

There?s plenty of good material in here about how to become an Authentic Leader and how to build an Authentic Company, but I don?t see this book as the panacea to all ills. It?s a timely criticism of American Values, but it doesn?t go far enough, because Bill is still a victim of his Culture.

When you open the book, you have to wade through no less than 33 advance reviews from other CEO?s and Academics ? this is overkill ? let me get at the book proper!. Also this book was published in July 2003, and so it is ironic that one of those acclaiming ?authenticity? is the former CEO of the NYSE.

Bill has a few good words to say about having a Balanced Life, but the USA is still on a different planet.

On page 46 he rightly criticises those people who ?live for work?, and do 80 hours per week; but then he praises those who work 50-60 hours per week, and who in his opinion have achieved ?a balance between their work and the needs of their families?. In my experience, the only way to see your kids weekdays as they are growing up, to read them a bedtime story or help them with their homework, is to try to never exceed 45 hours per week. Then on page 48 Bill talks more about the need for a Work-Life Balance, defining the problem, but then never discusses the solution. This 1-page is all you get, in a 200+ page self-help book?

All good stuff thereafter for the next 80 pages.

Then on pages 128-131 Bill describes an Ethical Challenge he experienced with a European subsidiary. No problems with what he did and why, but only with the principles he advocates in general. He was accused of being a typical American ?trying to impose American values on Europeans?. He?s in favour of global principles, but only if they?re on the American model ? a true hegemonist. Bill is in favour of ?when in Rome...? just so long as the Romans are Americans. Americans should try to learn the opposite ? to import European values. Anyone found consistently working more than 50 hours a week should be investigated ? they can?t be up to the job, or they are doing the job wrong ? and that applies at all levels.

Bill never comments about the Minimum Wage, but since its now 'official' that if you're only paid the Minimum Wage you can't ever earn above the Poverty Level, its a shame he doesn't discuss what he think about the ethics of that?

In closing, before any American Reader refutes my claims, let?s just point out that the UK has (a) a higher Minimum Wage than the USA, (b) we work less Hours than the USA (48 hours max by law for most workers), (c) we have more Holidays/Vacation than the USA (20 days minimum by law, typically more than 30 days), and yet we have a lower Rate of Unemployment & a Lower Rate of Inflation. The higher standard of living in the USA is based upon working longer hours, and I?m afraid Bill isn?t proposing to challenge that regime.

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