Passion for Excellence [Paperback]

Nancy Austin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 13, 1994

The authors divulge the three secrets of long-term excellence: superior customer or client service, innovation, and full use of the abilities of every company employee. But the one element linking these three is leadership, and the heart and soul of the concept is Management by Wandering About.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

A Passion For Excellence is the single most existing, inspiring, career-transforming book ever published for people who want to get ahead. It takes you behind, the scenes in some of the most successful organizations and analyzes what makes them distinctive.

Here are real people, real companies, real numbers. Here is what you need to know about the crucial elements of success: constant innovation, staying in touch with customers, encouraging the contributions of everyone in the company, and maintaining the integrity that is basic to leadership. Here are the secrets of building excellence. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 437 pages
• Publisher: Profile Books (June 13, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1861975899
• ISBN-13: 978-1861975898
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,787,628 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SUPERB CASE HISTORIES OF WHAT PRACTICAL PASSION CAN DO, February 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Passion for Excellence: The Leadership Difference (Paperback)

Many people have written that they like Tom Peters, but do not think that he has much to say that is new or different. Others criticize Peters for being changeable in his views. What these people miss is that Tom Peters is passionate about using passion for customers, employees, and everyone else to create great results for all of us. By awakening our passion, we will do more, we will try more, and we will succeed more often. In many ways, this book is much more important than IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE. A PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE clearly shows that passionate leadership about the right things sets a good example and the right tone for the organization. This book is helpful in that each section is meant to be read as a stand-alone, so you can go to the places that you did not feel very passionate about when you read IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE and get some good reinforcement about the value of passion in that area. A good companion piece if you need more passion and self-direction is Tony Robbins' AWAKEN THE GIANT WITHIN.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read, June 11, 2006

By 

Elijah Chingosho "Dr Elijah Chingosho" (Nairobi, Kenya) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Passion for Excellence: The Leadership Difference (Paperback)

Having read and enjoyed "In Search for Excellence", I decided to also read "A Passion for Excellence". This book proposes that it is unnecessary to go through the traditional data-based doctrine of management. Instead the book advocates championing an innovative, customer and people oriented spirit. The authors give hundreds of actual, real-world examples, focusing on the key areas of competence that add up to excellence, offering scores of anecdotes and practical insights to help all business people on their road to leadership, success, and more importantly, excellence.

The book provides imaginative management practices and techniques that should help organization stay competitive and profitable. It is instructive and inspirational with useful reminders to managers. It is an important handbook to a brave, new way to manage people and companies.

A Passion for Excellence examines some of the most successful organizations and offers a thoughtful analysis of what makes them distinctive. Readers should benefit from gaining an insight about the critical elements of success namely constant innovation, staying in touch with customers, encouraging the contributions of everyone in the company, and maintaining the integrity that is basic to leadership.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent! Easy and straightforward., May 12, 2007

By 

Anamaria Pelegrini - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Passion for Excellence: The Leadership Difference (Paperback)

It's a book to keep for future reference. I've used it many times with colleagues and subordinates. Its examples are fantastic, it's written in a direct and easy way. All managers should read it to grasp hints on how to manage people and achieve the aimed results. Worth every penny spent on it. I've also read 'Thriving on Chaos' from the same author. Some chapters overlap, but it is an even deeper book on the subject matter. 'A Passion for Excellence' is written in a passionate way. You'll never forget it while working in management.