Bureaucratic Entrepreneur, The [Paperback]

Richard N. Haass (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0815733534 | ISBN-13: 978-0815733539 | Publication Date: December 1, 1998

How do you figure out what to do in a job? How do you get it done? How should you deal with demanding bosses? How can you get the most out of subordinates? What should you do to get along with difficult colleagues and handle powerful interest groups and the media? Just how can you succeed in a world where persuasion rather than direct command is the rule? Using a compass as his operating metaphor - your boss is north of you, your staff is south, colleagues are east and so on - Richard Haass provides clear, practical guidelines for setting goals and translating goals into results. The result is a lively, useful book for the tens of millions of Americans working in complex and unruly organizations of every sort and for students of both public administration and business. The "Bureaucratic Entrepreneur" is a new and updated edition of Haass's 1994 book, "The Power to Persuade". Richard N. Haass was a special assistant to President Bush and a senior director on the National Security Council staff, where he received the Presidential Citizens Medal. Director of Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, he has held posts in the Departments of Defense and State, and is a consultant for NBC News.

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Brookings Institution Press (December 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815733534
• ISBN-13: 978-0815733539
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #236,204 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A public good, October 24, 2002

By 

Charents (Paris, France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bureaucratic Entrepreneur, The (Paperback)

The federal government is a unique place to work. Most people agree that it is more difficult to fire subordinates there than in the private sector and, due to the government's arcane hiring process, it is often a challenge to put the right person in the right job. Add to this mix Congressional oversight, the occasional media spotlight, the lack of a bottom line, and the big-picture question (not asked often enough) "what are we doing and why are we doing it," and you have an environment foreign to many private sector employees.

Enter Richard Haass's book the Bureaucratic Entrepreneur, an update of his 1993 primer the Power to Persuade. Haass has held a number of positions in previous government administrations, including at the NSC and the Defense and State Departments. His book is packed with words of wisdom for the harried bureaucrat who at the end of the day may wonder just what he accomplished. Although Haass's advice appears machiavellian (he argues that Machiavelli is often misunderstood) and the author does not have a firm grasp on whether his audience is the entry-level employee or the senior-level political appointee, it is worth putting up with these drawbacks for the original focus and insight on managing and leading in the public sector. The bibliography alone is reason enough to buy the book.

Low-level or high, every public-sector employee should read the Bureaucratic Entrepreneur before starting his or her new government job. They should then re-read it every few years to ensure that they are on track and using the tools Haass lays out to be effective in one of the most "unruly" organizations around.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The art of getting things done in a bureacracy - without marginalizing yourself, making enemies, or committing career suicide, April 4, 2008

By 

Paul "dragon2eden" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bureaucratic Entrepreneur, The (Paperback)

Richard Haas's small book (Amazon lists it incorrectly as 260 pages -- the 1999 paperback, including bibliography, is only 198 pages) packs a tremendous punch. It is a one-of-a-kind, pragmatic primer with but one mission -- to increase the effectiveness of an individual who finds himself working in a large and uncoordinated organization, the kind of outfit where persuasion is paramount but the mission is often unclear.

The author uses a metaphor, a compass, to organize each section. The points of the compass are used to describe how the indiviudal should interact with those around him: north = bosses, south = subordinates, east = colleagues, and west = outsiders (media, Congress, and others).

The metaphor of a compass may be somewhat cliche, but it is only framework onto which is hung a surprising amount of very sage advice. Short stories are used as to illustrate each piece of advice given, from bureaucrats and public figures, both famous and obscure. The advice in this book covers a shotgun blast of topics: how to be an inspiring leader; negotiation tactics; chairing an effective meeting; surviving transitions and reorganizations; how to write a persuasive memo; etc.

I've worked in DC for the federal government for over a decade, and this book is the first one I turn to for advice and reminders of both what to do and what NOT to do, every working day. I highly recommend it for any individual who works in a bureaucratic organization.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required reading, June 25, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Bureaucratic Entrepreneur, The (Paperback)

This would be an excellent book for those majoring in the business field to add to their academic studies. It is also a gifted preparation for what lies ahead in service for any line of work.
I wish this had been available decades ago.