Customer Reviews

Operation Excellence: Succeeding in Business and Life -- the U.S. Military Way

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Finally someone is confronting our country and the fact that we are living in denial. But Mark Bender suggests that we can indeed handle the truth and that in fact, the truth will set us free. This book is rich with insight and no-nonsense wisdom, presented with clarity and an entertaining writing style. Mark enriches us with the skills and knowledge to tap into our potential and summarizes his work with 50 Train Tough strategies that highlight his main points. From navigating a complex bureaucracy to managing your health, Mark gives us the benefit of his personal experience and extensive research. I've already made gains in my professional and personal life from Mark's wisdom - and I'm recommending that our management staff at The Boeing Company (my employer) pick this book up for one of their book study and review sessions. This is a terrific read.

This book fired me up! I read a lot of books on personal development as I am the host for a radio show that focuses on personal and business success. Unless the book has good stuff in it, I won't feature it. "Operation Excellence" is more than just good. It's got a "charge" to it that ignites the spirit to believe that most anything CAN be achieved and accomplished in. That's why I wanted to write this review.

The anecdotes are perfect serve well to help make Lt. Col. Bender's points crystal clear. The writing style is comfortable and smooth. I am very impressed with "Operation Excellence". I must be. I rarely write reviews for books I feature on my show on Amazon, or any other internet book site. So when I do it means I am VERY enthused about what I believe it offers to everyday people looking for valid, strong, understandable, doable keys for Living In Success.

I definitely recommend this book and invite you to listen to Lt. Col. Bender preview this book at www.600.kcol.com/lis.html

I like Part One (4 chapters) of this book discussing Motivation, Discipline, Confidence and Sacrifice very much. As far as I can recall, there's no other self improvement book I had read (tens of them) that emphasized so much the equivalence of discipline to habit building through tough training/exercise, and committment to sacrifice. The self-question sessions named "Train Tough Challenge" after each chapter are quite intelligent and helpful. However, I am sorry to comment that the other three parts or 12 chapters were much less attractive. The author did not write as skilfully and vividly as the average self help book writers. He should have compensated so through exhaustive elaboration on his military/business analogy to differentiate his book from its sea of competitiors. He had done so in Part One, but failed to follow through till the end. Though he had quoted Einsenhower, Patton and some other war heros on his book, those stories seemed disorganised and irrelevant to the contexts where the stories were told.

I am afraid that you will not be satisfied if you really want to learn "the military way" for your own or your business. With all due respect, "Victory" by Brian Tracy is a much better choice.

p.s. Anyway, I like the following messages very much.

Above all discipline; eternally, and inevitably, discipline. Discipline is the screw, the nail, the cement, the glue, the nut, the bolt, the rivet that holds everything tight. - Private Gerald Gersh pg 13

Strategy 13: Commit. Your level of commitment is measured by sacrifice - the two go hand in hand. You cant walk off the field when you're committed; you accept a certain amount of pain, even fear. That's why, as human beings, one of our most treasured attributes is the ability to sacrifice. When we're committed, distractors lose their power. Our focus is on moving forward. pg 36

Train Tough Challenge: List two areas where you're willing to sacrifice. pg 41

The only easy day was yesterday. - Navy Seal pg 211

This book is a must read for anyone! Mark Bender challenges the reader to get out and get at it! This is an easy and entertaining read that motivates one to "be all you can be". I most highly recommend this book-especially if you want to turn over a NEW you and tap your hidden potential!

Motivational. Inspirational. Practical. Succes with an attitude. Good stuff! This is the second Mark Bender book I've read and each one kicks @$$ and takes names.

Chicken soup with steroids for the soul of anyone who wants to accomplish more!