From the former secretary of defense and author of the acclaimed #1 best-selling memoir, Duty, a characteristically candid, urgent assessment of why big institutions are failing us and how good leaders can change them.
ROBERT M. GATESserved as secretary of defense under both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama. He was also an officer in the United States Air Force and worked for the CIA before being appointed director of the agency. A member of the National Security Council staff in four administrations, he served eight presidents of both political parties. He was president of Texas A&M University from 2002 to 2006, is currently chancellor of the College of William & Mary, was named president of the Boy Scouts of America in 2013, and has served on several corporate boards of directors.
Selection, Huffington Post 5 Political Books for Insight This
Election Season (2016)
Selection, Publishers Weekly Business & Economics Top 10 for Fall
2015
"The book [politicians] should all admit to reading--and actually
read... Refreshingly nonideological... Mr. Gates preaches the value
of civility, internal transparency, and work-life balance." —The
Wall Street Journal
“[Gates] brings [his suggestions] to life through stories of his
own powerful and critical leadership roles.” —The Washington Post,
Nine Leadership Books to Watch for in 2016
"Characteristically direct, informed and urgent... [Gates] offers
us the ultimate insider’s look at how major bureaus, organizations
and companies can be transformed, which is by turns heartening and
inspiring and always instructive... Gates brings the full weight of
his wisdom, candor, and devotion to civic duty to inspire others to
lead desperately needed change." —Long Island Weekly
“A Passion for Leadership is a book that takes a pragmatic and
powerful look at leadership and is a must-read for people who want
to bring about a significant transformation within an organization…
Boldly demystifies the view that it’s difficult to bring about an
effective reform mainly in US institutions since they are either
too big or excessively onerous… The ultimate insider’s
perspective.” —Project Management.com
"Refreshingly free of managerial jargon, Gates' directness,
practicality, and palpable optimism will prove encouraging to his
audience." —Booklist, starred review
"Advice that should be passed on to leaders at any season of life
and particularly helpful to those new to such responsibility.
Highly recommended for public and academic leadership collections."
—Library Journal, starred review
“[Gates] takes a powerful and pragmatic look at leadership in this
book, a must-read for anyone who wants to be an agent of change…
Readers will be struck by Gates’s humility, humor, and undeniable
expertise. This practical, non-nonsense look at leadership will not
only provide a useful guide but also serve as an inspiration.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Informative, entertaining, and useful… The author’s real-life
examples… show a side of bureaucracy and of upper-level leadership
not often revealed to the public… A concise distillation of more
than five decades of leadership knowledge—good reading for all of
the 2016 presidential candidates.” —Kirkus
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