McKinsey's Marvin Bower: Vision, Leadership, and the Creation of Management Consulting [Paperback]

Elizabeth Haas Edersheim (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 24, 2006

"I had the privilege of working closely with Marvin and McKinsey for many years. This book makes Marvin come to life and perpetuates him as a role model."
-Peter F. Drucker

"A wonderful book about a wonderful man. In many ways, Marvin's McKinsey framed the hypotheses in our own search for excellence-for example, passion for values, belief in people as the prime resource, and willingness to let people experiment. As well as I thought I knew Marvin, however, this remarkable book, drawing on the collective memories of those who worked most closely with him, taught me a ton about how extraordinary the man really was and what made him that way. Many have called Drucker the man who invented management; I think history will conclude that both he and Marvin Bower share that pedestal."
-Bob Waterman, coauthor of In Search of Excellence

"Marvin Bower became a legend, not just within McKinsey & Company, but within professional services and the business world more broadly. In everything he did and said, he embodied the professional approach and the importance of values. This book sheds remarkable insight on a remarkable man and on the power of constancy of purpose."
-Ian Davis, Worldwide Managing Director, McKinsey & Co.

"It is as Marvin would have wanted it-simple, honest, fact-based, wonderful stories with a long-term perspective. An insightful read about the father of management consulting."
-Lois Juliber, retired COO, Colgate-Palmolive

"This book provides fascinating insight into the early days of modern management consulting. It is an extremely enlightening look at the origin of one of America's most important professions and one of America's most innovative leaders."
-Thomas H. Lee, founder, Chairman, and President, Thomas H. Lee Partners L.P.

Editorial Reviews

Review

" As well as being an excellent biography, it is the best handbook on leadership that has been published for many years." ("Professional Manager, Vol.13, No.6, November 2004)

" Read this book if you really want to understand what makes McKinseyites tick." ("Business Voice- The CBI Magazine, September 2004)

From the Inside Flap

"Marvin’s ideas were founded in basic human attributes of respect for others and promotion of self-esteem and courage. What made him a pioneer was that he took basic values into the business world–a fairly novel approach–to help leaders create value-based compasses for their own leadership. He valued the imagination of youth and understood the power of new ideas."
–From the Foreword by John McArthur

McKinsey & Company is one of the most successful management consulting firms in the world, serving a wide range of clients–from leading corporations to governments. But without the late Marvin Bower, McKinsey & Company would never have become the organization it is today. Former worldwide managing director Ron Daniel put it best when he stated that "McKinsey’s impact, reach, power, and influence are directly traceable to Marvin–to his vision, his energy, his relentless determination, and his selfless commitment to making his firm–our firm–the preeminent institution it has become."

So how did Marvin Bower transform McKinsey & Company from a nearly defunct accounting and engineering firm into the preeminent advisor to senior executives and, on occasion, governments? How did he become the founding father of modern management consulting? And how did he put his innovative ideas into action? McKinsey’s Marvin Bower: Vision, Leadership, and the Creation of Management Consulting takes you on a fascinating journey that details the personal beliefs and professional experiences that made Marvin Bower one of the most respected men in the world of business.

With the help of the late Marvin Bower and through numerous interviews with friends and colleagues, author Elizabeth Haas Edersheim offers an in-depth look at how this man made his vision of the consulting profession and the institution (McKinsey & Company) come to fruition. McKinsey’s Marvin Bower is filled with intriguing stories that capture the defining moments of Bower’s distinguished career. Decade by decade, you’ll watch as Bower develops the innovative concept of management consulting and travels throughout the business world–inspiring organizational change and courage at each stop.

Even after Bower’s retirement from McKinsey & Company, it is still fair to say that the story of Marvin Bower as an institution creator, profession builder, teacher, and leader’s leader can provide valuable lessons applicable to a variety of professions–lessons as valuable today as they were in 1933, when Bower first joined McKinsey & Company. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 305 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (February 24, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471755826
• ISBN-13: 978-0471755821
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.9 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #395,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read, April 29, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: McKinsey's Marvin Bower: Vision, Leadership, and the Creation of Management Consulting (Hardcover)

Having spent the past 20 years in consulting, I've read alot of business books and always buy a new book with the expressed purpose of learning something new. McKinsey's Marvin Bower did not disappoint. Although I bought it to read about Marvin Bower, the myth, I learned much more about Marvin Bower the man and his impact on principles I had been practicing throughout my career, and without knowing why. This book provides the fundamental lessons on how to do it right -- from creating values that guide an organization to placing customer and client interests first. To me, McKinsey was a side bar, the real story is about Marvin Bower and his impact on 20th century business. As such, it's a must read for everyone and anyone interested in "getting it right" regardless of their profession.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating, Uplifting and Very Useful Book, April 10, 2004

By 

A Reviewer (Bethesda, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: McKinsey's Marvin Bower: Vision, Leadership, and the Creation of Management Consulting (Hardcover)

This is a truly outstanding book. It is very well-written and thoroughly presents the principles and experiences that made Marvin Bower one of the giants of management consulting. Even with 30 years experience in management consulting, I learned a great deal about client relationships and other aspects of consulting. Marvin Bower was truly a remarkable leader. For skills and ethics in management consulting, he rates at the top.

The only negative about the book is that it's not balanced. No one is perfect- not even Mr. Bower or McKinsey- as the author might have you believe. And I don't think Mr. Bower was quite the non-autocratic and non-hierarchical leader as the author and others have asserted. Firing a partner because he was doing work for one client that didn't deal with "major problems;" firing an associate and ordering him to leave the firm and building in 30 minutes for a lapse in judgement (albeit a significant one); and putting the fear of God in associates if they were seen having a social rather than a business lunch or if they wore argyle socks sounds pretty autocratic to me. Even if he encouraged dissent in staff discussions.

Also, I don't agree that Mr. Bower was the founder of professional management consulting. I believe Ed Booz of Booz, Allen and Hamilton was. Of course, as a former Booz Allen partner, I may be biased.

Notwithstanding the above criticisms, this is one of the best books I've ever read.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!, April 12, 2004

By 

J. Barry (Elmhurst, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: McKinsey's Marvin Bower: Vision, Leadership, and the Creation of Management Consulting (Hardcover)

A compelling portrait of a leader who seemed to find just the right combination for success - creating value for clients, unwavering integrity, leading from the front, selflessness in the interest of the business' sustainability, consistency of vision and personal actions and continuous communication with and interest in his people. Bower's vision, values and approach shaped a generation of successful leaders.

This book leaves you thinking about how you can be a better leader and wishing that you'd been fortunate enough to work for Marvin Bower. In an age of corporate scandals, it's refreshing and inspiring to read about a greatly successful leader with true integrity and how that integrity was an integral part of his success.