Customer Reviews

Absolute Honesty: Building a Corporate Culture That Values Straight Talk and Rewards Integrity

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Recent corporate scandals have shaken confidence in leadership and the ethical underpinnings of the business world. Without significant change, we risk increasing problems in the years ahead. It's time for leaders to step forth, declare a commitment to ethical performance, and set the example.

"Absolute Honesty" tells it like it is, and like it must be. Johnson and Phillips, management consultants who have been inside and seen how things work, have produced a powerful tool. This easy-to-read book emphasizes that no one argues against corporate integrity, but some executives need support on HOW to apply the principles. Readers of "Absolute Honesty" will learn how to build the right kind of cultural infrastructure.

The authors argue that too many companies adhere to what they call "the Kumbaya Syndrome---embrace all decisions, no matter how stupid or unethical; smile and sing the company campfire song." It's too easy to just go along, and confronting or fighting superiors or The System is frowned upon.

The alternative is to apply their Six Laws of Absolute Honesty: Tell the Truth, Tackle the Problems, Disagree and Commit, Welcome the Truth, Reward the Messenger, and Build a Platform of Integrity. A chapter on each of the laws explains what needs to be done, with effective supporting material including advice, anecdotes, and a style that makes the whole process comfortable and acceptable.

The book is organized into three parts. The first part, The Challenge, includes chapters on The Naked Truth and A Culture of Absolute Honesty. These 52 pages set the stage nicely for the rest of the book. Part 2 presents the Six Laws, with engaging detail. Part 3 is aptly entitled "Where Do We Go from Here?" The final two chapters discuss building an ethical infrastructure and Key Points to Help Your Implementation Efforts. Lots of good, practical advice here. The book concludes with Notes and a good index.

You'll find this book to be a disarmingly fast read. There's a personal sort of feeling that draws the reader into the subject and keeps the flow moving. This book is one you'll keep in your office-for reference and to send a message to all who enter.

I enjoyed reading this book because anyone can relate to it. There are always "real" stories in each chapter which is an excellent way to describe what the writers are trying to emphasis. "Absolute Honesty" is also a wonderful book for women. Many times women find themselves in situations where they want to be honest, but are extremely uncomfortable or fear they won't be listened to. "Absolute Honesty" has great ideas on how to approach people allowing them to be sincere without the fear.

Absolute Honesty is not a book for the faint of heart. It takes courage to bring integrity to work. It takes commitment to long term, sustainable success to build a corporate culture founded on honesty. If you value this kind of courage and commitment, this is the book for you. It is practical, with loads of examples of what it takes to be honest at work, the obstacles that prevent us from being honest, and tips for overcoming these obstacles. These stories and examples come from genuine organization experience - no irrelevant academic theories here. The Six Laws of Absolute Honesty are a clear and compelling distillation of a complex bundle of information, and the last chapter on implementation is solid and helpful (and too often missing from corporate culture books).

And - especially rare in books of this genre - it is very well written. Practically a page turner!

Following a year in which Time magazine's "persons" of the year were whistle blowers who risked their careers and reputations to tell the truth, this is a timely and important book. Strongly recommended for everyone who cares about ethics in the workplace.

If you've ever disagreed with a manager or a co-worker and you've been scared to speak up, then this is the book for you! If you've ever known someone who thought that retribution was fair play, that there were "many levels" of honesty, that people who disagree simply aren't "team players", that public chastisement is acceptable, or that people with ideas different from their own are "just being confrontational", then this is the book for them.

This book is the only clear, precise, articulate book in support of unconditional integrity that I've seen in the management literature. It makes a great companion to Stephen Covey's "7 Habits" and Blane Lee's "Power Principle" because it builds a profound case for the value of honest dialog in interdependent relationships. Best of all, the book provides A MYRIAD OF EXAMPLES of what to do and not to do in situations of constructive confrontation.

Bottom line... buy yourself the book... buy your friends the book... and, your boss, well... if you think she'll be offended when you give her the book, then it's probably the best gift you can give her.

Steve

Finally a book that takes the black magic out of organizational development. Beautifully written. Easy to read. A must for HR professionals and executives who are trying to create an organization capable of thriving in turbulent times. Absolute Honesty pulls together the various concepts and processes needed to define and drive an enabling business culture. It then provides a road map for discovering the cultural attributes need in a given business, communicating the expected attitudes and behaviors, and ultimately walking the talk.

This book is outstanding. Bob has extensive experience in Intel, Tektronix and other technology companies as a senior HR executive and has captured the power of honest communication. There are so many things that get in the way of honest commination and working towards this end can be discouraging if your culture does not support it. However, using the principles that Bob outlines will provide a powerful bottom line impact and should not be ignored. Very powerful book. Now if only every one followed it.

This book cuts through the crap and addresses the problem of slime spreading smiling people who line up behind you to push you down stairs when your back is turned.

In each chapter I saw a little more of the truth that most will not tell you. Do not read this book if you are afraid of the truth.

Worth the price of admission just to leave it on someone elses desk!!!

This book should become a classic for not only Business Professionals but all Professionals. The authors outline a set of simple rules for effective interaction and expand on these topics with a fine set of examples from their consulting practices. The fact that there will always be conflict in organizations in which staff are effectively placed on the basis of their aggressiveness and their mode of data analysis (gut feeling versus hard data) is an extremely powerful tool that will allow managers to filter communication effectively. Also the authors found that the "win win algorithm" so poplar with modern managers does little for the organization and should be abandon.

Absolute Honesty by Larry Johnson and Bob Phillips deals with the critical role of honesty, ethics and morals in business. In 10 Chapters and 290 pages, the authors bring out the negative consequences of dishonesty, shying away from speaking up, lack of a clear policy on ethics etc. They point out the benefits of actively following Absolute Honesty. While the book focuses on the corporate scene in USA, especially in the wake of many corporate scandals that broke out in 2002, similar situations have arisen in many other parts of the world and this book strikes a welcome chord in many a heart.

The book is meant for every one but especially for leaders and managers of business organisations, big or small. Employees also benefit, since they will learn the need for courage and honesty, the need to stay away from illegal and immoral activities, so that one can not only sleep better but also look at oneself in the mirror after waking up, without guilt.

The authors accomplish what they set out to do, very effectively. The book is very well produced, with the important points well structured and effectively communicated. Reading the book was like attending a seminar and listening to Larry speak. The style is lucid and friendly. Bob's rich experience as a Human Resources expert has added significant value to the book, in the form of real life examples.

[...]

where Chapter 2 is available as sample. Chapter 1 is a good introduction to the book and chapter 10 is a good review of the whole book.

All in all, a very valuable addition to the bookshelf of every manager. The book serves the role of a good self-study guide too.

I would like to share with the readers of this review, excerpts from a mail which I wrote to Larry Johnson, after reading the book.

"I finished reading the book. It is excellent and I am really happy that I could read the book.

The book appealed to my own strong ethical and moral streak. ..............I found the tips for differing with boss, like off-line communication very useful.

I found a few places where I would have edited the matter a litle differently. But in general, the editorial standards are quite high.

Would you consider bringing out the contents of this book as a Seminar on Multi-Media CD, or as a companion to the book?


Thank you for this excellent book.

Swamy"

In another development, Larry asked me whether he can share with his readers his experience of my own honesty and integrity. I agreed.

This book sets out and reasserts the moral compass that all companies - and individuals - need to be successful, not only in business but as humans and partners. It's beautifully written, compelling and should be required reading for all executives and managers of companies. It may seem basic but the more sophisticated we are - or think ourselves to be - the more likely we are to neglect these lessons. A book to remind us of our essential fallibility - and our essential goodness, if only we care to care.