Customer Reviews

How to Act Like a CEO: 10 Rules for Getting to the Top and Staying There

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I did get one soundbite that I hope I can use in my life from this book, "Be yourself, unless you're a jerk". However, I got so tired of: be nice, have integrity, be an example, on page after page I was only able to make it through half of the book. All of that is important, but they covered that quite well in kindergarten. If you pick it up to read on the plane bring a backup book; you will need it.

This book is dull and does not unravel anything that the average person who can rise to the top cannot derive on its own - if you are just graduating from college, this may seem appropriate, if you've been around in the business world - seek other material. One reading suggestion, which is light and very simple, but a good reminder of what's required is the book by Lencioni: " The 5 temptations of a CEO" - worth an hour while waiting at the airport between flights.

In How to Act Like a CEO, Debra Benton interviews CEO's from a broad range of industries, and then sets out the common elements that brought their power and success. In ten chapters - reflecting the ten rules for getting to the top - she intersperses her own assessment of how those success secrets work. Included are insights, advice and quotes from CEO's on everything from integrity to the CEO as number one salesman for the company.

Although the title suggests that "acting" is a CEO focus, and the book includes a chapter full of advice on just that, much broader leadership territory is covered. The chapter on integrity - "Be Yourself, Unless You're a Jerk" - is the first chapter and also the most compelling. You can act like a CEO, but the act will collapse without the continous practice of the highest integrity.

As leadership books go, How to Act Like a CEO comes down heavily on the side of long hard work in every aspect of your career. You must work at getting better every day. You must be passionate about your career. You must act like a leader and be of good cheer - even when you don't feel like it. This is a demanding book!

Fortunately, some of the ten rules - "Cut Through the Junk" and "Keep Good Company" - call for maintaining a healthy balance between work and play, and delegating effectively to take the pressure off. The CEO's interviewed come across as somewhat harried, but insisting on having fun, looking for opportunities, and emerging as the heroes of of any crisis - with many a war story to tell.

How to Act Like a CEO is an energizing work. It tells you how hard it is, but then gets you to see how you can meet the challenges that you think you can't. It belongs on the bookshelves of leaders everywhere.

I bought the book online after reading the marketing material without actually physically browse through the book. Upon receiving the book and start reading the book, I find that the author's approach might be fraud. She interviewed all the CEOs who say good things about themselves. Can we believe what they say? They of course say good things about themselves for their own ego. Even if they are honest, their board of directors and shareholders would not allow them to take about the bad side about themselves. Ruthann Quindlen said in her "Confessions of a venture capitalist" book that most enterpreneurs change the story about how they get started and be successful. The most funny thing about "How to act like a CEO" is the quotation from Richard Branson in Chapter 1 where he talked about his integrity. If you ever read Tim Jackson "Virgin King" book, you will know that Richard Branson own close friends do not think that he has integrity.

I was looking for books on CEO behavior and I stumbled on this one. Any book that states 'n' rules to success can get very tiring and boring very quickly. However I managed to complete the book very quickly as it turned out be a very light treatment of management theories based on conversations with some CEOs. No reason to believe this is the best advice out there on this topic. If there was any research, it was not evident or not postulated well. What I liked about the book includes the chapter titles (the most important reason I was drawn to this book) and a streak of sincerity I felt in the overall message.

"How to Act Like a CEO" captures the strategic business savvy of Corporate stars! Like everything else written by D.A Benton, this book provides us with insight into the minds of industry leaders. I have yet to read a book by any other author that even remotely compares to this treasured information. Bravo, Ms. Benton...you have done it again!

D. A. Benton's expertise got me a promotion. Thanks!

JMC

"How to Act Like a CEO" captures the strategic business savvy of Corporate stars! Like everything else written by D.A Benton, this book provides us with insight into the minds of industry leaders. I have yet to read a book by any other author that even remotely compares to this treasured information. Bravo, Ms. Benton...you have done it again!