Summary

An intimate expert on Sir Winston-his own granddaughter-offers insights on Churchill's greatness and explains his leadership strategies that managers can easily emulate. Winston Churchill has long been one of the world's preeminent leadership role models and certainly one of the most important motivational voices of the twentieth century. That was illustrated on the night of September 11, 2001, when New York mayor Rudy Giuliani read a biography of Churchill for inspiration on how to guide the city through the aftermath of tragedy. In We Shall Not Fail, Celia Sandys, with coauthor Jonathan Littman, offers a new take on the greatness of Churchill, highlighting the traits he employed throughout his life, especially the remarkable strength he displayed leading the British people through the horrors of World War II. Among the lessons she highlights: Nothing works like a simple passion for excellence Encourage a culture where what counts is thinking, trying, and testing Champion innovators and protect them from bureaucrats Do not allow different standards for top executives and workers Put bad news in perspective. Things usually get better, especially if a positive attitude prevails Part biography, part leadership manual, We Shall Not Failis a brief, enjoyable guide to one of history's greatest leaders.

Author Biography

Celia Sandys is the granddaughter of Winston Churchill. She is the author of The Young Churchill and Churchill: Wanted Dead or Alive.

Jonathan Littman is a journalist.

List of Illustrations

Chronology

xiii

Introduction

Be Courageous

(22)

Challenge Convention

(18)

On Speaking and Writing

(24)

Be Magnanimous

(14)

Resist Bullies

(22)

Touch the Troops

101

(18)

Turn Details into Action

119

(18)

Never Surrender

137

(20)

Experiment

157

(14)

Build Hope and Confidence

171

(18)

Forge Alliances

189

(24)

Find Your Clementine

213

(12)

Follow Your Canvas

225

(14)

Winning the War

239

(26)

Epilogue

265

(2)

Acknowledgments

267

(2)

Index

269

Supplemental Materials

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Excerpts

Introduction "When did you realize that your grandfather was a great man?" This is a question I am often asked and one that I find impossible to answer. I only knew one of my grandfathers and quite naturally assumed that he was like any other grandfather. I never gave it much thought, but if I had to describe a grandfather he would have been a loving and much-loved man, dressed in a siren suit, puffing a huge cigar, with everyone-secretaries, colleagues, friends, and family-running around trying to make his life as comfortable and easy as possible. He was a man who seemed to have endless knowledge and interests, who recited poetry, made people laugh; and loved animals, walking around his garden at Chartwell, and above all, painting. One day a present arrived with the message: "Please look after him for me, Your Loving Grandpapa." In feverish excitement I unwrapped a strangely shaped parcel and found inside a lifesize toy bulldog with a head that moved from side to side when it was pulled along on the wheels set into its paws. My mother explained that someone had sent this to grandpapa and he thought that I might like it. I did but wanted to know why anyone would send him a toy dog. Armed with the explanation that during the war he had been described as a bulldog I set off for school determined to find out what sort of dogs my friends had for grandfathers! Little by little it dawned on me that there was something very special about my mother's father with whom we spent a lot of time while we were growing up. Part of this was a gradual realization that other people regarded and treated him as though he were some kind of god. They talked to him and about him in a very special way. As I grew up, he grew old and it was about this time that I began to understand how much he had done for his country and the world. A year before the terrible events of September 11, I had decided to write this book. I had the good fortune to meet Jonathan Littman, and we decided to form an Anglo-American alliance. We believe that the legacy of Winston Churchill as an inspiring example of leadership is as relevant today as it was sixty years ago. This was borne out in the aftermath of September 11 when the speeches of both President Bush and Prime Minister Blair took inspiration from his famous wartime speeches. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said: "Winston Churchill is my great hero. I modeled myself on him. He helped me a lot before, during, and after [the attacks]." There were notices in New York shop windows repeating his advice to the boys of Harrow, his old school, after it had been bombed in 1940: "Never, never give in." For two weeks following the terrorist attacks The Churchill Center was kept busy attributing Churchill quotations for everyone from the White House staff to the New York Times. Winston Churchill was like every one of us, a unique person. He was above all a very human man who lived life to the full and enjoyed everything he did. A man who believed in truth, courage, and loyalty. He was not afraid to show his emotions. Anyone who is old enough to remember will recall exactly where they were on the day President Kennedy died. I was with my grandfather in his London house. I had never seen him watch television before, but on that day it was firmly placed on the dining room table and we watched as the tragic story unfolded before our eyes. Tears poured down his face as the news came that the young president was dead, and once more when we watched his beautiful widow, still dressed in her blood-stained clothes, witnessing the swearing in of the new president. I soon realized that I must treasure these moments when I had to myself the man the whole world thought they owned. I am lucky to have known and loved Winston Churchill. I hope that in this book you, too, will discover the qualities which made him great. Any present or