Donald R. Keough (1926–2015)

Substance: Very worthwhile information not only for business leaders and managers but for any type of project or relationship; especially applicable to politicians. Read in conjunction with Phil Vischer's biography "Me, Myself, and Bob" to see many of the "failure principles" in action. Reverses Tolstoy's dictum that (paraphrasing) happy families are all happy in the same way, and unhappy ones in many different ways. Keough says that there are many paths to success, but most failures incorporate his ten rules.
Style: Casual and informative.
Notes:
The Ten Commandments for failure are: Quit taking risks, be inflexible, isolate yourself, assume infallibility, play the game close to the foul line, don't take time to think, put all your faith in experts and outside consultants, love your bureaucracy, send mixed messages, be afraid of the future, (#11) lose your passion for work and for life.
Note that being flexible is good, but not if it includes waffling on your principles (and know what those are).… (more)