Aesop and the CEO : Powerful Business Insights from Aesop's Ancient Fables

by Noonan, David C.

• ISBN13: 9780785288015
• ISBN10: 0785288015
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-05-23
• Publisher: Harpercollins Christian Pub

Summary

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of business books flooding the market today. Even more daunting is the task of weeding through them to find the "golden nugget" of wisdom inside. In Aesop and the CEO, David Noonan has simplified the process by providing this well-researched primer of the most essential advice from the greatest business books ever written. Further, in a clever melding of modern business sense and ancient wisdom, he has used the animal-based stories of Aesop as springboards to launch these 50 lessons. Both entertaining and informative, Aesop and the CEO includes advice from well-known leaders such as Bill Gates, Sam Walton, Donald Trump, and Lee Iacocca. The short, easy-to-read vignettes cover every aspect of corporate life: negotiations, hiring and firing, mergers and acquisitions, marketing and sales, and day-to-day management.

Table of Contents

Preface	xv
Introduction: Aesop 's Life and Fables	xxi
REWARDS and INCENTIVES
The Hound and the Hare	3	(4)
How a work-share mom solved a $460 million dilemma.
Personal initiative can mean the difference between business failure and success.
The Donkey Eating Thistles	7	(4)
Mary Kay Ash, Peggy Noonan, and Sumner Redstone share the same thought.
Pay raises and bonuses may jail to motivate employees seeking recognition, praise, or time off.
The Donkey Carrying Salt	11	(3)
ServiceMaster's C. William Pollard lauds a housekeeper named Shirley.
Inspire workers by helping them understand that their work has a higher purpose.
Jupiter and the Bee	14	(5)
GM's Alfred Sloan restructures bonuses to foster teamwork.
Putting self-interest ahead of the greater corporate good eventually will lead to failure.
MANAGEMENT and LEADERSHIP
(Communicating Effectively)
The Monkey and the Dolphin	19	(4)
Rudolph Giuliani is asked an unanswerable question after September 11.
Good managers give straight answers—including "I don't know."
The Rooster and the Jewel	23	(3)
A Wal-Mart manager gives Sam Walton a great idea.
Encourage every employee to uncover gems of ideas hidden in the organization.
The Rooster and the Fox	26	(3)
Colin Powell gets an uneasy feeling in Tehran.
Trust your instincts and don't believe everything you hear.
The Goatherd and the Goats	29	(5)
Howard Johnson's empire begins to melt.
When you delegate, it's your responsibility- to make sure that person successfully completes the assignment.
The Mice in Council	34	(7)
There are eight steps to running a successful meeting.
Run your meetings well to greatly increase the chances of accomplishing your goals.
EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT and LEADERSHIP
(Fostering Teamwork and Controlling Stress)
The Bundle of Sticks	41	(3)
One of the best teams in San Diego is actually in the zoo.
It's good business to promote teamwork.
The Fox and the Grapes	44	(2)
Duke University Coach Mike Krzyzewski wins it all.
Goals set too high are invitations for making excuses.
The Horse and the Laden Donkey	46	(4)
Reduce stress in the office with these nine steps.
Jobs with excessive demands need to be redefined, shared, or eliminated.
The Hawk and the Pigeons	50	(4)
Xerox suffers a huge paper jam.
Be wary of bringing in outsiders for executive positions.
The Horse and the Groom	54	(4)
Apple Computer burns out and fails to get a bigger piece of the pie.
For the long-term health of the company; encourage everybody, especially workaholics, to lead balanced lives.
The Lion and the Mouse	58	(7)
The best ship in the U.S. Navy sets a slightly different course.
Never underestimate the impact of one small deed on your organization.
WINNING BUSINESS STRATEGIES
The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox	65	(3)
Michael Dell walks off with the spoils.
Sometimes new opportunities exist even in a fiercely competitive market.
The Fox and the Cat	68	(3)
Dunkin' Donuts wakes up and smells the coffee.
Don't be distracted from what you do best.
The Fox and the Lion	71	(5)
A small local hardware store takes on Home Depot and wins.
Sometimes it makes sense to find ways to work with the competition.
The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing	76	(4)
General Patton storms Sicily.
A good plan executed today is better than a perfect one that's too late.
The Ant and the Grasshopper	80	(3)
W Edwards Deming outlines his first principle of management.
Long-term planning is the key to survival and success.
The Farmer and His Sons	83	(5)
Warren Bennis uses Avis Rent a Car to drive home a point about vision.
Encourage all employees to know the business inside and out.
The Eagle and the Beetle	88	(9)
Ulysses S. Grant dares to take Fort Donelson.
Constantly figure out what it takes to get ahead of your competition...and stay there.
BUSINESS STRATEGIES THAT FAILED
The Eagle and the Fox	97	(3)
Rupert Murdoch wins; the New York magazine's writers lose.
The scorched-earth approach to a hostile takeover works only if you threaten to burn what the other side wants.
The Eagle and the Crow	100	(3)
Albert Campeau bankrupts Allied and Federated Department Stores.
Don't let your ego convince you to take on more than you can handle.
The Frog and the Ox	103	(3)
People's Express makes a rough landing.
Make sure your planning, processes, and systems are compatible with your overall business strategy.
The One-Eyed Doe	106	(3)
AT&T's Michael Armstrong dials a wrong number.
Test critical assumptions to make sure they're grounded in reality.
The Donkey, the Rooster, and the Lion	109	(6)
Cyrus the Great goes too far.
The moment of victory is often the moment of greatest peril.
HUMAN RESOURCES
(Conflict Resolution)
The Wolf and the Lamb	115	(4)
Henry Ford II shows Lee Iacocca the door.
Don't sit back and do nothing when the boss has it in for you.
Jupiter, Neptune, Minerva, and Momus	119	(3)
Ted Turner tags out the Yankees' Joe Torre.
Good managers praise publicly and reprimand privately.
The Mischievous Dog	122	(9)
There are five steps to say good-bye to an employee.
One of the more difficult decisions a company must make is whether to keep or dismiss a nonperforming worker.
HUMAN RESOURCES
(Motivating and Inspiring)
The Fox and the Crow	131	(3)
Dale Carnegie and Paul Harvey get inspired by a blind boy and a mouse.
The best managers genuinely appreciate their employees.
The Gnat and the Bull	134	(4)
Southwest Airlines screens 200,000 job applicants.
The best new hire is the one with the right experience at the right salary and the right attitude.
The Hare and the Tortoise	138	(3)
The NY Knicks' Rick Pitino goes out on a limb for Mark Jackson.
Help workers gain confidence by building on their strengths.
The Peasant and the Apple Tree	141	(5)
Oprah Winfrey loses her night job.
Give employees challenging assignments to help them discover their hidden talents.
The Goose and the Golden Egg	146	(4)
3M's William McKnight refuses to meddle.
Hire well, train well, and then give people the freedom they need to do their jobs well.
The Ant and the Dove	150	(4)
Napoleon Hill tells the tale of the mystery woman and the kind clerk.
Treat potential customers with the same respect as longtime customers.
The Donkey and the Lapdog	154	(5)
Gauge your job satisfaction with these ten questions.
The more you engage your workers, the less employee turnover you'll have.
MARKETING PRODUCTS and SERVICES
The Two Pots	159	(3)
Sears stacked the deck on Montgomery Ward.
Continually lock for unique wars to package your products.
Mercury and the Sculptor	162	(4)
Bill Gates believes Jiffy Luke has struck oil.
Increase the potential for repeat business bv knowing your customers as well as possible.
The Lioness	166	(2)
Hallmark decides no send the very best.
Great companies usually start with a quality product.
The Stag at the Pool	168	(4)
Michael Porter talks about chickens, jets, cars, pianos, and baby food.
Help your company become unique at something that your customers truly Value.
The Donkey and His Purchaser	172	(7)
The test results are in: Procter C. Gamble wins; NASA and New Coke lose.
The right little tests can prevent great failures.
NEGOTIATIONS, MERGERS, and ALLIANCES
The Lion, the Donkey, and the Fox	179	(3)
Larry Bird's agent describes how the Beatles' manager blew it.
When you sit down to negotiate, be prepared, be patient, and be all ears.
The Fox and the Goat	182	(3)
Donald Trump digs his Atlantic City casino out of a hole.
Do your best to uncover the illusions that exist in every business deal.
The Lion in Love	185	(3)
The U.S. and Vietnam peace delegations book different lodging in Paris.
When negotiating, never be too eager to come to terms-true negotiating power comes from being able to walk away at any time.
The Porcupine and the Snakes	188	(4)
Mary Wells Lawrence's merger doesn't perform as advertised.
Friendly mergers usually don't benefit the stockholders in the long run.
The Lion and the Dolphin	192	(3)
The Founding Fathers make France an ally.
Form alliances with capable partners who share the same key goals.
About the Author	195	(1)
Bibliography	196