Customer Reviews

The Master Strategist: Power, Purpose and Principle

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

 

 

This is a book on the philosophy of strategy. If you're looking for a book on strat frameworks, then you're looking in the wrong place. But if you want to understand what makes a great strategist in life and business, then this book is for you.

As a keen student of Strategy, I found this book in amazing clarity in thoughts and flow. No book had such impact over me after the great article by Michael E.Porter (HBR 1996) - What is Strategy?. That article had broken the myth of Operation Effectiveness being portrayed as strategy.

This book goes beyond C.K.Prahalad with his BOP concept and Prof. Stuart L.Hart (Award winning Article: "Strategies for sustainable World" & Book: "Capitalism at the Crossroads: The Unlimited Business Opportunities in Solving the World's Most Difficult Problems") to introduce strategies that could help us look at the World differently - both as opportunity and threat.

It is a must read for people looking beyond their four walls. All Strategy evangelists must read this book before they preach.

Never since Charles Dickens did in his book "Tale of two cities" with his famous words - "Best of time, worst of times", there was such a convincing depiction of extremes of the today's World. The author has captured these dilemmas in a simplistic manner with examples and methodically tried to solve the big puzzle. Hats off to Master Strategist!

MOST of this excellent book mirrors the teachings of sufism ie,the science of tasawwuf in islam.
i also recommend the teachings of al ghazalli and rumi

This is a commendable start to a discussion that is long overdue. Why are inhabitants of this planet failing so miserably to develop themselves -- and improve conditions on the planet? Most of us should be able to step back and develop a comprehensive plan for going forward. Instead, we remain trapped in institutions that are ineffective and downright dangerous. As the author points out, all of our dominant institutions have failed to deliver the goods.

I rated the book at 4 stars because I thought that there could have been fewer lists and more detail on how we develop the power to implement strategy that is effective. (Is this power to be achieved by starting up a new investment management firm as the author has done?)

One of the keys to making a strategic shift is likely found in the background and interests of the author himself. He draws inspiration from both Eastern and Western traditions and has, through his work, been exposed to a diverse range of cultures around the world.

This is the worst book I have ever read. The author has no idea what he wants to convey or achieve through this book. It looks like the author is writing a gap analysis in a consulting overdrive.
Anyone reading 'economist' for a year will have better grasp of the topics he is discussing in this book. Pure waste of money, time and energy!!

The book is rated 'F'.