Thursday, June 18, 2009

The book Churchill's Secret Skills by Binden Shovel has a unique point of view: it takes examples of Churchill's expertise in leading Britain through the horrors of World War II, and applies them to the modern business world. In addition to providing real-world examples of business situations, the book is also a wealth of information about how Churchill skillfully dealt with very difficult people and problems. The subtitle of the book, "Keeping the Nazis off the beaches required more than fine speeches" is a humorous indication of the way the book delves behind the public persona of Churchill and examines his more subtle skills.

The chapter titles of the book indicate some of the advice that can be gleaned from observing Churchill's actions: The Weapon of Courtesy and Consideration; Tell it Like it is, Nicely!; Success is Hidden in Details; Focus on the Payoff and Put on a Show are some of the 21 chapters in the book.

The author, Binden Shovel, spent a great deal of time reading and analyzing Churchill's writings. Some of Churchill's memos and letters are included to help to illustrate particular points. The author also has a great deal of experience in the business world, and has dealt with superiors and subordinates who provide ample material for both what to do and what NOT to do!

Anyone who enjoys World War II and history will get a kick out of reading this book, and people who work in the modern business world can also pick up lots of useful tips and examples for becoming more effective in the workplace.

Final Verdict for Churchill's Secret Skills: Four Gherkins, for being a modern business novel with interesting historical roots!

2 comments:

Matt said...

Hi,

I'd really recommend an mp3 about Churchill and his wartime cabinet that you can get on Speechifications post about Charles Wheeler. It's derived from minutes taken by a civil servant at the time.

The main thing that I took from the broadcast was the extent to which it was a Cabinet government, rather than a Prime Ministerial government.

Lisanne624 said...

Thanks so much for the recommendation Matt! I'll load it up on my iPod for the trip home today!

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