The Art of Business: In the Footsteps of Giants [Hardcover]

Raymond T. Yeh (Author), Stephanie H. Yeh (Author), Stephanie H. Yeh (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2004

Discover how modern business giants such as Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines, Gordon Moore of Intel, and Earl Bakken of Medtronic have developed enterprises with soul by applying the five strategic arts of possibility, timing, leverage, mastery, and leadership outlined by the ancient strategist Sun Tzu in The Art of War. Such enterprises achieve organizational excellence and lasting market dominance, and their leaders are envied, copied, and avidly followed by many. This book offers you the opportunity to walk with these giants, learn their secrets, delve into their minds, and experience these five arts as they do.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I absolutely loved, and love it, even now, as I think about it, as I fell into its extraordinary grace. -- Michael Gerber, author of E-Myth Mastery

In this brilliant book, Raymond Yeh talks about what really matters—the soul and spirit of business. -- Gary E. Hoover, Founder, Hoover’s, Inc., and author, Hoover’s Vision

This book is an inspirational revelation and a seminal contribution. -- Herb Kelleher, Chairman, Southwest Airlines

This book is timeless! -- Red McCombs, Chairman, McCombs Enterprises; Owner, Minnesota Vikings

About the Author

Raymond T. Yeh

Raymond Yeh, PhD, is a senior research fellow at IC2 Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. He taught at various universities for 20 years and led two Computer Science departments to top ten national rankings. He was also the Control Data Corporation Distinguished Professor at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Yeh co-founded and was CEO of three successful software companies over a 15 year period. He also co-founded two professional societies. He has been a management consultant to many nations and works with executives of many leading edge global companies such as IBM, GTE, AT&T, Siemens, NEC, Fujitsu, and Hitachi, as well as with founders of many start-up companies. In addition to being on the editorial boards of many journals, Dr. Yeh has published ten technical books and the highly acclaimed business book titled, "Zero Time: Providing Instant Customer Value—Every Time, All the Time!"

Stephanie H. Yeh

Stephanie Yeh is cofounder and president of the Esoteric School of Shamanism and Magic. She has spent many years in the business world in marketing, sales, documentation, consulting, and training. She was editor of "Zero Time: Providing Instant Customer Value—Every Time, All the Time!" and publishes several weekly electronic magazines. She is also the president of Zero Time Publishing.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 298 pages
• Publisher: Zero Time Publishing (July 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0975427717
• ISBN-13: 978-0975427712
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #444,452 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Art of Business is also the Art of Life, August 25, 2004

By 

P. Goodro - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Art of Business: In the Footsteps of Giants (Hardcover)

The Art of Business is one of the most entertaining business books I've ever read, especially considering its topic-strategy-which can prove dry and uninteresting except to the academically inclined, under the best of circumstances. What I found most fascinating was the discussion of strategy, broken down into five "arts," is just as applicable to my personal life as it is to my business life.

The book starts out with some Zen-type prose about doing business, which had me wondering whether this was going to be a good book or not, but then it moved into the stories and that's when it really took off. The authors outlined five different arts: possibility, timing, leverage, mastery, and leadership.

All of these apply to business. What really struck me were the arts of possibility, leverage and leadership. In the chapter about possibility, the authors really made me step out of my comfort zone. They ask, "How will your business make a difference in the world?" or "What is your dream?" In terms of my personal life, it got me wondering, "What is my dream?" I have what my mother calls, `gypsy feet,' so it got me wondering about my wandering, what is my dream? How do I want to make a difference in the world and my own life? The other aspect of the art of possibility is the art of thinking big. I especially like the story about Grameen Bank, where the professor has the dream of eliminating poverty. How big a dream is that!? It gets me thinking that anything I want to achieve is possible. I just have to dream it first.

Then in the leverage section, they further bring to light the fact that I can create everything that I dream about-I just have to leverage everything around me. They gave this formula: first identify what you want, then figure out where it exists, and finally figure out how to get it. I was a little stumped at first, but then began to see how it works. They cite the story of an ancient general who ran out of arrows halfway through the battle. What did he do? He figured out that the enemy army was really jumpy and would shoot arrows at anything coming. He waited until a foggy morning then sent over ships filled with straw men wearing army uniforms. The enemy shot the straw men full of arrows and presto, the general had arrows again. I began to see that I could apply that kind of cleverness and resourcefulness to what I want in my personal life. Plus, there's a real sense of fun in that kind of clever art.

Finally, leadership was a great concept to really make me think. I've always thought about leadership in terms of leading groups of people, but in reading I began to realize that I could become the leader of my own life. The way these authors write about it, leadership is about not letting my ego get in the way of my vision. It's about humility and service, concepts about which I've learned the hard way, both of which have benefited my life greatly. I never realized the extent to which these qualities are leadership qualities. The good news is, I now know I am the leader of my own life.

As I got further into the book, got used to the Zen aphorisms I actually started to like them. I realized that this book is just as much about the Art of Life as it is about the Art of Business!

Sincere thanks to the authors,
Paula Goodro

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book About Strategy That Provides Meaning in Business, August 21, 2004

By 

Alan Joel "philosopher at large" (Western Slope of Colorado USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Art of Business: In the Footsteps of Giants (Hardcover)

The authors of The Art of Business seem to know that work can be total drudgery for the average Joe. Whether you own your own business or work for someone else, the daily grind can be really hard to face day in and day out, year in and year out. What the authors do that is so great is add purpose, vitality, and fun into the workplace.

Even though this book is ostensibly about strategy, I would say that the true purpose of this book is to give meaning to work. The stories in this book demonstrate that when you have meaning in your work, it turns the dull day-to-day stuff into something that you really want to do. When they talk about Herb Kelleher, Chairman of Southwest Airlines, going out on "Field Days" and moving luggage around do he can stay in touch with the daily activities of the people that work for him, that really touched and moved me. That was meaning in work-when the execs really care and they show it through action, not just through words.

The five arts show us that even if we work for other people, we can bring meaning and strategy to the work that we do, and it will help not just us but also the people we work for. For instance, in the Leverage chapter, they talk about all the ways we can bring all the resources we want and need to us with leverage. Well, you don't have to be your own boss to do that. If you work for someone, they will appreciate you being resourceful and leveraging everything in your environment to get the job done. Plus, that kind of leverage allows for creativity and actual enjoyment in the workplace.

Finally, the leadership chapter is staggering. It makes me feel that I can be a leader no matter what I am doing and who I am working for. Leadership is seven qualities: big dreams, commitment to the vision, excellence, vulnerability (allowing others to help you), humility, peace of mind, and strong values. I'm learning from the stories in this book, which outline not just the leaders but also the followers of great companies, that I can be a leader, and how that's important because only companies that are companies of leaders truly succeed.

I'm not always sure how I might implement all the principles talked about in this book--it sometimes brings up more questions than it answers. But it does show me where I need to be looking for answers.

It's an astonishingly inspiring book for a business book, and gives me hope for meaning in the daily routines of life in business.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thumbs Up for YEH!, August 26, 2004

By 

N. Frankle "CFP" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Art of Business: In the Footsteps of Giants (Hardcover)

I love this book and you will too.

The ART OF BUSINESS is a spirtual blend of eternal wisdom gleaned from super successful companies and laser-like insight from Ray Yeh. The stories he tells and the way he tells them will help anyone interested in improving the organization - from the family to Fortune 500 companies!

Ray Yeh obviously did more than write a book - he made a contribution to us all. The book will force you to ask yourself questions you may not have ever thought about before:

Am I doing the right thing?

Am I doing the right thing....right?

Am I contributing to the world? How?

What difference do I make?

I love this book because its so much more than a book; its a journey and Yeh comes along to make sure we stay on the path.

Who ever said "Nice guys finish last"? Not Ray Yeh! He makes the clear statement that we can contribute to the world and profit at the same time. Its inspiring work that everyone will enjoy and benefit from.