Bo's Lasting Lessons: The Legendary Coach Teaches the Timeless Fundamentals of Leadership [Paperback]

Bo Schembechler (Author), John U. Bacon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 4, 2008

During his record-setting tenure as coach of the Michigan Wolverines, Bo won thirteen Big Ten titles and finished as the winningest football coach in the school's storied history. But if you asked him, his most important achievement was having a remarkably positive impact on the hundreds of athletes he coached. In these pages, you'll hear Bo's distinctive voice as he shares the principles he applied on the football field and in the locker room to create a football dynasty, and he'll tell you how you can apply his insights to any leadership role. His words will educate, motivate, and inspire-just as the man himself did every day.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With a style so conversational that readers will almost be able to hear the voice of the late, great Michigan Wolverines football coach, Schembechler (1929-2006), it seems as if coauthor and sportswriter Bacon did little more than push the record button and let Schembechler dictate this exceedingly unconventional business title. The coach—who earned the respect of practically every player, coach and fan during his 30 years as Michigan's head coach—lets loose his boisterous personality in italicized and capitalized words, exclamation points and rhetorical questions that punctuate otherwise simple statements and observations. Completed just days before the coach was brought down by heart disease, this volume spells out the leadership principles by which he lived en route to 13 Big 10 titles and 10 Rose Bowl appearances. The book contains no complicated formulas or M.B.A. treatises, but rather commonsense approaches to everything from setting goals and motivating mid-level employees to emphasizing execution and maintaining focus under fire. Along the way, Schembechler shares details from both his professional and personal lives, in which he's always prepared for anything. Schembechler's lessons are practical, well-illustrated and based on a solid legacy of determination and hard work. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Absolutely wonderful. I hear my old friend in these pages, and his advice is just as direct as he was. Read it - and pay attention!" -- Mike Wallace, 60 Minutes

"Bacon had the great fortune to sit down with Bo and hear story after story, lesson after lesson. Read this book and you'll feel like you were there. Outstanding!" -- Dan Dierdorf, College and NFL Hall of Famer, NFL on CBS Analyst

"Bo's persona fairly crackles on the pages of Bacon's book. Good stuff from a good man who also happened to be a pretty darn good football coach. A classic." -- Keith Jackson, Hall of Fame Broadcaster, ABC Sports

"Having spent many days with Bo, I can tell you few men inspired others to be their best the way he did. A player once made the same mistake over and over in practice, he admitted, just to hear Bo yell at him. His athletes said they'd follow him to the ends of the earth, but beyond this world, even with his passing, Bo's words still inspire those who remember him. His voice was that strong. This book is a fine connection to that voice, which embodied, every day, true leadership." -- MITCH ALBOM, author and columnist

"If you knew Bo personally, this book is a chance to spend one more unforgettable day with him. If you didn't, you'll see some sides of him you might have missed from a distance: his humor, his compassion, even - dare I say it - his sensitivity. Make no mistake, though: Bo's leadership lessons are no-nonsense, straightforward - and incredibly effective." -- John Robinson, former Head Coach, USC Trojans and LA Rams

"In an era of corporate coaches who might as well be accountants, Bo's throaty growl and gruff but loving style are sorely missed. There is nothing superficial about Bo's basic philosophy of life and leadership - and his lessons are truly timeless." -- David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize winner and best-selling author of When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Business Plus; Reprint edition (September 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044658200X
• ISBN-13: 978-0446582001
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 0.9 x 8.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #53 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Football (American)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent - I should read it once a year... September 11, 2007

By Joel D. Dalton

Format:Audio CD

I read this book in one day during a long car ride from Ann Arbor to Virginia. I'll admit that I am a Michigan alum from Bo's final coaching years. Since I read Blue Ice (which I also highly recommend), I expected a thorough and historically rich book from Mr. Bacon. This book is different - it is all Bo. I was pleasantly surprised at how Bo's personality came through SO RICHLY in this book. Somewhere in the first quarter, I remember realizing that the narrator in my head had become Bo.

I'll also admit here that I shed a few tears while sitting in a nearly empty Cracker Barrel somewhere in Maryland at 9:30pm waiting for our late dinner and finishing the last few chapters. There's no way any person, U of M person or no, could read this book and not know and appreciate what Bo and his programs were all about - so much more than just football. I found out he was more of a hero than I knew, but also human.

The classic Bo stories are all here (plus plenty of new ones), of course, - but this book gets you into the head of Bo like no other. The man was a throw-back to more principled times - leadership, honesty, respect, attention to detail, preparation, long-term vision, personal sacrifice for others. THE TEAM, THE TEAM, THE TEAM. His personal, quiet generosity was unbelievable.

Standards and words to live by for anyone, sports fan or no. The tributes from friends at the end of the book just confirm the impact he had on so many. Reading it, I could easily imagine sitting in the room with Bo and Mr. Bacon during their collaboration; the gravelly voice, the chuckle, the occasional ribbing or profane reaction. One of those books that I didn't want to end.

This will be required reading for my young kids someday. Mr. Bacon has done a great job - I'm sure that Bo would have loved the final version.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great lessons for everyone from locker-room to boardroom November 16, 2007

By Corsoe

Format:Hardcover

This is a terrific book that captures the essence of what made Bo the ultimate Michigan man---clear goals, hard work, common sense, grace under pressure. John U Bacon has distilled Bo's lessons and turned them into more than the legacy of a great coach. These tried and tested principles can be applied to improve performance in so many areas: from developing great high school athletes to getting the most out of high-level business executives. Hey, you might learn a few lessons you can apply in your every-day life, like I did, reading this great book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Leading by example November 12, 2007

By Steven W. Mccornack

Format:Hardcover

The fundamental principle that Bo Schembechler espouses is that you cannot lead if you do not care about your people or your product. Bo was more passionate about his people than his product...and he was incredibly passionate about both! This remarkable book is a testament to a truly remarkable man, and the results he got both on and off the field. This inspiring story of the poor kid from Barberton Ohio who through sheer grit and determination rises to the top of his profession, yet never loses sight of what really counts in life, is one that anyone can appreciate. His lasting legacy is the countless lives he has touched.