The Code of the Executive: Forty-Seven Ancient Samurai Principles Essential for Twenty-First Century Leadership Success [Paperback]

Don Schmincke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2000

The samurai of 9th century Japan lived and died by a rigid code of ethics known as Bushido. This ancient set of principles for organisational leadership can be applied to your professional life by developing the skills and techniques needed to compete and succeed in today's world.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Management advisor Don Schmincke believes leaders can thrive in the third millennium by utilizing principles developed during the first. They originate in a moral code known as Bushido that was followed by samurai warriors in ninth-century Japan and formalized by Daidoji Yuzan as the Code of the Samurai some seven centuries later. Now updating them as The Code of the Executive, Schmincke points out parallels between past and present and suggests this connection is a natural. In those days, he writes, the shogun was regulatory government, feudal barons the hard-driving CEOs, real estate their business, and samurai the executives hired to oversee it all. These samurai relied upon their rigid ethical guide to discharge both professional and personal responsibilities favorably, Schmincke notes, and today's corporate leaders can succeed by similarly following its teachings. Dividing fundamentals into categories such as "Personal Principles," "Roles and Responsibilities, and "Education and Development," he shows how ancient wisdom on cooperation, integrity, accountability, sacrifice, power, and so on can apply to contemporary situations. On "Respecting Personnel," for example, he suggests "reasonable argument" be used to "gain agreement" on serious infractions--while "for trivial issues" it is better to be "indulgent and patient and not sweat the insignificant." --Howard Rothman

From the Author

After working with thousands of CEOs over many years I was shocked to find executives struggling with the same issues centuries ago. These ancient executives used the work Daidoji Yuzan compiled to deal with leadership while they used Sun Tzu’s work to deal with strategy. Initially I wondered if Daidoji's insights were timeless enough for today’s leaders.I had hoped I would only have to substitute words like "executive" for "samurai" to bring Daidoji's text alive. But his ancient Japanese was hard to transfer into Western thought. It was exquisite poetry but unacceptable for today’s managers with no patience for personal interpretation and philosophizing as they try to make payroll and defend their markets. Managers want specific business principles they can apply immediately. So, my challenge was to analyze, separate and recombine the original translation into useful groupings while preserving its historical essence. After many painful reconfigurations and rewrites it emerged in its current form.

I hope the reader finds their leadership journey deepened from this work, but it is not for everyone. Those looking for philosophy will be sorely critical of the CEO focus. On the other hand, those seeking yet another popular management trend won’t get it at all. But those who are tired of shallow solutions and want to explore the deeper waters of leadership will find solace in the work of their fellow peers from centuries ago.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Plume (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452281539
• ISBN-13: 978-0452281530
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #285,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for life that offers a paradigm shift of focus., September 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Code of the Executive (Hardcover)

In ancient times, Samurai warriors lived by a rigid code known as Bushido. At the heart of this "code of life" lie forty-seven ancient principles. In his stellar book "The Code of the Executive", Don Schminke has rebirthed these ancient principles and codes, and the practice of Bushido.

"The Code of the Executive" contains ninety-eight pages of ancient text used by the Samurai warriors on a daily basis as they lived and fought. This text has been updated for use by executive managers in the 21st Century. In its entirety, this small book contains the entire code for successful leadership. Mr. Schminke offers these essential tools of life and leadership to managers throughout the world in the conferences that he conducts, now the philosophy is available to everyone in book form.

There is a myriad of books available to the business manager searching for enlightenment, interested in improving his skills, or satisfying a thirst for knowledge. Over the years I have read many of them. Unfortunately, virtually no page did I turn contain the philosophy essential to life. Not one page spoke of the foundation that we must establish before we can be successful in life. In fact, these books that I read spoke of business success as a tangibility to be acquired. Good managers do not become good managers with out a foundation. Executives can not effectively steer their organizations without Honor and Respect, without Integrity or Bravery. The principles necessary for success are not found, they are learned, they must be understood and practiced. The journey toward true leadership is profound and "The Code of the Executive" is the 21st Century Guide.

As a developing manager my journey continues. My own change, development, and growth can be traced. Mr. Schminke's book provided me with a paradigm shift of focus. My understanding of Role and Responsibility drastically changed as the Bushido introduced to me the concept of Death, and how all of the mighty principles are tightly woven around its strength. This book teaches that success is not found, the path to success cannot be memorized, and success cannot be taught. Business success coincides with life success. "The Code of the Executive" offers forty-seven principles of self fulfillment that must be learned, understood, and practiced.

Even though this book speaks in terms of the executive, it is not for a limited audience. The sooner that this book is read and the journey toward fulfillment begins the sooner that change and understanding will be realized. This journey is long and difficult. Once it begins, these principles will build the person who becomes the successful leader in life and business. I highly recommend "The Code of the Executive" as essential text for leadership training and development in all aspects of life. Students in high school or collage may never take a class as powerful as this self-study.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect ethics and leadership companion to "Art of War", May 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Code of the Executive (Hardcover)

Prof. Schmincke's conversion of ancient samurai leadership material illustrates how strong an infra structure could be, especially when all management considers the cold hard fact that death could occur in their ranks at any time. Samurai warriors knew that today's battle may take them, but that their corporate entity will be strong and most supportive for all remaining.

Samurai leadership took calculated risks after years of strict training and a lifetime practicing values of honor, integrity, respect and loyalty (among many principles guiding their lives). Schmincke contends that leadership transcends when one learns to remove the workings of ego. As the writings suggest "One who is an executive must before all things keep constantly in mind, by day and by night, the fact that he has to die." In "killing off" ego, leadership is elevated to the spiritual and becomes effective in many more aspects.

My training in U.S. Army Special Forces (green berets) and as a martial artist (blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do and Kempo)taught me to respect my competition, to display loyalty, to speak with purpose and to deal with others honorably, even though I remained "cautious" in all things. This is the heart of Schmincke's work, coming from the rigid code called "bushido". General Colin Powell relates a similar predisposition when he and Secretary Schultz faced Gorbachev in Moscow--for a meeting that resulted in the ideological and physical restructuring of the U.S.S.R. for greater purpose. I give the powerful 98-page "The Code of the Executive" as gifts to executive friends. Most often the feedback begins with "I've read the book three times so far and it is helping me make changes in my business that are appreciated throughout." and "This book helped mend relationships in my family and improve my leadership in the company."

Point is that such a short book is packed with relevant principles, used religiously about a millenium ago by one of the most respected organizations. It is no wonder that Dr. Steven R. Covey, Brian Tracy, the prestigious Aspen Institute and other organizations are touting the work. Schmincke's work advises CEOs how to handle about every situation from pure business meetings and politics to social events, family situations and even golf.

Integrity rules throughout this simple work. Among the personal principles described are sections on self worth, right and wrong, alertness, thrift, reliability, humility and accountability. Schmincke advises against bragging and rumor starting, being oppressive, abusing power or defiling the executive position. He further recommends continuous learning, especially in management arts and corporate history.

I heartily encourage the brave, bold, and dynamic leadership of today to invest in Professor Schmincke's book for every manager in their organizations. Once read, it can make critical differences in how and why things get done. If one of your goals is to promote the best that you can deliver, adopt the forty-seven tried and true principles Schmincke describes for leadership at home and in your corporation.

Integrity is an element most needed throughout family, corporate, national and international realtionships. In less than a 100 pages, integrity is considered and promoted in every aspect of these ancient but highly relevant principles of a millenium ago. We need leaders who act on what is right to do. If an executive doesn't know what is right, how can she or he be respected by those he or she expects to lead? The Code of the Executive offers a simple course on right leadership. Right leadership into the coming millenium needs the same "egoless insights" to work for us all.

I recommend "The Code of the Executive" for all leadership training, from government agencies and MBA courses to international CEOs and military commanders and for the management they direct. Schmincke might consider another version of his work for "heads of households", principals of schools and directors of local agencies such as county social services to rebuild our values from "ground up" as well as "top down".

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book which enhances one's personal and professional lives., September 14, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (New York City, NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Code of the Executive (Hardcover)

THE CODE OF THE EXECUTIVE, by Don Schmincke

The Code of the Executive ("The Code") is a long overdue, yet ancient, wake-up call for all executives but most especially for CEOs. The philosophy expounded in these moral, ethical and business precepts, called principles in the book, will enhance the personal as well as professional lives of those executives who follow the philosophy. The way is arduous for the executive who does so but the benefits are great. Inner growth, success and security in one's professional life await the intrepid executive. "The Code" puts forth a philosophy of responsibility, for individual executives and for organizations. A way of thinking and behaving is posited. Ethical and healthiest growth for the organization is at the forefront, yet the CEO is the symbol of the organization and must be supported as strongly. "The Code" asks all executives to give their organizations and their CEOs the utmost in loyalty and duty. Even more so, the CEO of an organization is required to give a greater amount of his or her life to the organization in return for greater benefits than the lower level executives enjoy. By following the precepts in "The Code" an executive can climb in the organization while being an aid to the real success of the organization. Those who wish to one day become an executive will also find their way made much smoother by following these precepts. In one's private life, the lessons of "The Code" are available to repair or build and enhance lasting relationships, to gain control over your ego, mind and life, and to balance your life between the inner and outer person, between an ideal and the ego. These lessons are similar in most cases, and the same in some cases, as the precepts handed down by Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, the Boy Scouts, and many more whose philosophies betokened a peaceful and balanced humanity. When I first read "The Code," I disagreed with most of what I read, until I read about half of the book. Then, I "got" it and was able to move my ego aside as I read. I had been reading with a modern mindset. I was thinking that people owed only as much loyalty as a paycheck would buy and no more! Then I realized that "The Code," besides being a business book, is a manual for those seeking to belong to something greater than themselves (as we all are) and who want to have their lives stand for something at the same time. When "The Code" speaks of death, in the first chapter, it seemed like it was asking too much of an executive, but the "death" it was speaking of was the death of the ego and the philosophical idea that "freedom's just another word for nothing else to lose." In other words, one can only risk what one is willing to lose. Of course, preparation and self-control make the risk, which is often necessary for success and growth, tolerable. So, "The Code" builds, from the first precept to the last. Each precept relies on the ones which come before for true appreciation of the wisdom is being offered. In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend that every executive, including all CEOs, read Don Schmincke's book, THE CODE OF THE EXECUTIVE. It is a road map for ethical and successful organizations, large, mid-sized and small. This is a very useful tool for growth even for the sole-practitioner, who is the CEO of his or her firm, or the head-of-household who wants to do the best possible job in his or her 'organization'. As a New York attorney, and CEO of my own firm, this book has become a golden treasure in my personal and business library. THE CODE OF THE EXECUTIVE has, in a relatively short period of time, proven itself to be a valuable asset in both my personal and professional lives.