A Passion for Leadership

October 19, 2015
Gates (Duty), a former U.S. secretary of defense, takes a powerful and pragmatic look at leadership in this book, a must-read for anyone who wants to be an agent of change within an organization. Drawing on his experiences at the Defense Department, the CIA, and Texas A&M University, Gates offers leaders “specific ideas and techniques that enable them to successfully reform and improve their organizations.” He goes on to expound on the qualities necessary for leading reform, including having a vision, strategic thinking, attention to implementation, transparency, a respectful attitude, and political finesse with stakeholders. The concepts come to life through Gates’s clear prose and illuminating examples of his own successes and failures, from an unpopular tenure as deputy director for intelligence at the CIA during the early 1980s, to successful efforts to increase diversity at A&M and transparency at the post–Cold War CIA. Readers will be struck by Gates’s humility, humor, and undeniable expertise. This practical, no-nonsense look at leadership will not only provide a useful guide but also serve as an inspiration for young people interested in entering public service. Agent: Wayne Kabak, WSK Management.

October 1, 2015
The former secretary of defense offers insights into being an effective leader. With an impressive record of service that also includes positions as director of the CIA, president of Texas A&M University, and, currently, chancellor of the College of William and Mary, Gates (Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary of War, 2014, etc.) knows more than most about being a productive, respected leader. In this informative, entertaining, and useful book, he delves into what it takes to be a leader who can get results without creating unnecessary enemies. He enumerates certain aspects or criteria that are required for someone who wishes to be a trailblazer in the private or public sectors and then backs up these ideas with rich examples from his own work experiences. "The important thing to remember is that in any public or private sector organization, whether it has three million employees or three," he writes, "having a clearly defined and achievable vision]or set of goals]and getting priorities right in moving forward are preconditions for successfully leading change." It's also important to maintain transparency regarding information, to consult with employees at all levels, and to establish methods of accountability. The author's real-life examples are the strongest part of the book, as they show a side of bureaucracy and of upper-level leadership not often revealed to the public. These scenarios give readers a better understanding about how these organizations function. "The task of reforming institutions is a difficult one," writes Gates. "A leader's heart must be on fire with belief in what she seeks to do. Changing institutions is a battle, and she must undertake it with courage, strength, and conviction." By following the author's advice, most aspiring leaders will be able to do so. A concise distillation of more than five decades of leadership knowledge]good reading for all of the 2016 presidential candidates.

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December 1, 2015

Having held positions as director of the CIA, president of Texas A&M University, and the U.S. secretary of defense, Gates (Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War) brings a depth of perspective and experience to bear on his goal here: helping leaders strengthen their organizations by guiding them to places they don't want to go. Highlighting his successes and failures in various positions, Gates sets the stage for offering valuable insights on organizational change. Imparted in a straightforward way that is similar to that in D. Michael Abrashoff's It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy, Gates's passion for leadership is evident in this volume and by his tenure in not one but three once-in-a-lifetime roles. In places the narrative feels like story time with Gates, but those moments are brief, and each leads to a principle that can be applied to real-life situations. VERDICT Solid 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.--Mark Hanson, Maranatha Baptist Univ. Lib., Watertown, WI

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2016
Is reforming a government bureaucracy actually possible? The former chief of the CIA, Department of Defense, and Texas A & M University resounding declares, yes. From his years at the helms of those very different institutions, Gates distills advice for would-be reformers who face a bureaucratic battlefield. Addressing throughout types of opposition to change inherent in any organization, Gates offers techniques for sidelining or firing deadwood, building internal support, and forging ties to outside influential parties, especially politicians, for whom, readers of his memoir, Duty (2014), will remember, Gates has low regard. On the other hand, he exhibits great esteem for people who help a leader carry out reform, and much of this handbook counsels about finding and hiring such people. Failure to enlist supportive talent, in Gates' view, allows a bureaucracy to mount its most effective resistancewaiting out the always finite tenure of the reformer. Refreshingly free of managerial jargon, Gates' directness, practicality, and palpable optimism will prove encouraging to his audience. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: An author tour and a 300,000-copy first printing presage high demand.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)