Customer Reviews

Leadership Sopranos Style: How to Become a More Effective Boss

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Ms. Himsel has finally written a business book that can be ENJOYED! She has taken a rather boring subject(business)and wrapped it around with an exciting premise. This book is a MUST for anyone who is working today. Who doesn't want to become a better leader? Every leadership point is made very clear with great humor and wit. I especially liked the Charisma and Give it to my face chapters. After reading it I felt I am ready to lead my own business crew! Take my advice and get this book before everyone hears about it. Soon this book will be harder to find than Jimmy Hoffa! Thank you Ms. Himsel for writing a great book!

At work, I often struggle when I have to confront my staff. I don't like it. Most leadership books would offer me some platitudes, but not this one. Ms. Himsel suggests that we steal a page from Tony Soprano and speak our minds without any B.S. If an employee lets you down, don't mince words and make sure that there are consequences. Ms. Himsel also offers some good advice for structuring interactions away from the workplace and pursuing goals with higher-ups. Using Tony Soprano as a leadership model takes a lot of guts, and it may not work for everyone, but this book gave me some laughs and some ideas.

I just picked this up and WOW, what a great read! I bought it because I am a huge fan of the show and liked the twist on serious leadership (I'm a business book junkie). Out of all the leadership books I've read in the past, this ranks right up there with some of the best. It is easy to read thanks to the connection to the Soprano's tv show, and gives some really great tips and lessons to use in everyday life. You won't be disappointed.

What a great book! Ms. Himsel skillfully weaves 'refreshers' from the hit series with real advice on leadership. This is more than a fun book---it presents insightful new ways of handling the challenges faced by real people in real organizations, in a delightful combination of serious scholarship and fun. I'm giving this to several 'wannabe' bosses on my Holiday list.

Leadership Sopranos Style is an insightful, entertaining and provocative book. It provides real-life examples (although based on a fictional character) of how we can strive to become more effective leaders. My greatest learning is that direct and honest feedback will generate greater results for me, my direct reports and my company in the long term. I think one of the greatest challenges in today's organizations is communications (or lack thereof) and Ms. Himsel's techniques and very practical examples will support me in working more effectively with my teams. Thank you for providing new insights on this age-old topic of leadership. It has certainly opened my mind.

I thought this was a great book! It was well written, structured to facilitate understanding, and chocked with ways to apply what I learned along the way. As a fledgling manager, I know I have a lot to learn. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see how easy it was to apply the principles Ms. Himsel set forth. It was also good to know that she had used them successfully with her people. Much more real than theory. Thanks much!

WOW!!! Who else but Big Tony could teach us such lessons? By paying attention to Ms. Himsel's expert interpretation of Tony's style we learn to: BE STRAIGHT --"Look 'em in the eye and tell 'em why"; ENTER A ROOM LIKE YOU OWN IT: and, best of all, DON'T PLAY THE PART--Tony's leadership aha is "The best leaders are genuine human beings first and smart business people second."
I am so impressed with the fresh approach provided in this book that I've started changing MY style. Watch out Tony!!!

Chris Estrinada---retail sales

This is one of the most entertaining - and insightful - management books I've read in a long time. I've always been a devotee of the show and as a result of this book, I don't think I'll ever watch it the same way again. Without excusing Tony's amoral behavior, Ms. Himsel manages to make an extremely compelling argument for his effectiveness as a business leader. Unlike what you might think, beyond the gimmick, there is a lot of useful and thoughtful advice here, supplemented by the author's own considerable experience first as a Director of Strategy and Training and Pfizer and currently as the VP of Organizational Development at Avon Products, Inc. This level of credibility on the part of the author is truly what sets this Sopranos management book above the competition.

I recommend this for leaders at all levels of an organization as I look forward to another season of the Sopranos on HBO. I'll definitely be taking notes on Tony's leadership style.

This book really lays out what it takes to be an effective leader---even if you don't want to be a mob boss. I found two chapters especially useful--the one on business plans and the one on charisma. While both are not new concents, Ms. Himsel details them in a fresh and new manner! She adds sparks to old concepts! She provides detailed examples, from her own and other executives' experiences, that make the concepts come alive.

I put the book down with reluctance--waiting for more tidbits I could put to good use. GREAT!

How many books can change your life? This one could. As I read it, I saw myself interacting with those 'on the job' and looked at how I could change and improve those interactions. Ms. Himsel gives down-to-earth factual ways to put the positive things Tony does into action. She doesn't pull punches in 'gimme it to my face'. What a great concept.

The quizes and case examples are helpful. However, the whole is greater than the parts. What a gift!

I looked her up on the Internet and found that she is 'the real deal'. She's been doing this for awhile and it shows. I feel as if I've had her whole leadership development training. What a deal!