Customer Reviews

Augustine's Travels: A World-Class Leader Looks at Life, Business, and What It Takes to Succeed at Both

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Norman Augustine is one of the most talented and thoughtful leaders in American business. This is a rare look at the personal philosophy that has allowed him to beat the odds, time and again. While head of Lockheed-Martin, Mr. Augustine pulled off the most successful series of acquisitions accomplished in recent memory. You will never find a better book on ethical standards in business. Mr. Augustine is a model we can all appreciate. Follow Mr. Augustine's advice, and you will be a great success, too. Be sure to read his other book, Augustine's Laws. It's full of important insights about how people really behave.

Augustine comes across as the type of person you would love to have as a dinner companion. He has wonderful stories and a very rich life experience to draw upon. The book is an easy ready and most people will get something from it. I was left wanting more depth in the deatils of the merger initiations. I also have enough experience with Lockheed Martin to know that Augustine views his company the same way that every parent believes their child is the star of their Little League team.

While preaching the imortance of sticking to "core competencies" in any enterprise, Mr. Augustine writes on a wide range of topics, some wonderful ... others not so wonderful. His insights about ethical conduct are unforgettable. He fails to deliver in the section on mergers, though. The author promises fresh insights on how the deal is really done, but the only thing in that chapter not available from newspaper accounts is his war stories of trying to maintain secrecy. All in all, a quick, easy, enjoyable read.