Customer Reviews

Power Plays: Shakespeare's Lessons in Leadership and Management

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O.K., we all know it's a gimmick, but it's such a good gimmick that you can't help but be won over. John O. Whitney and Tina Packer extract timeless truths about human nature from the works of Shakespeare and apply them to today's business world. Theme by theme, the authors tackle power, communication, trust, decision, action, hierarchy and women in management. Linking business dramas and dilemmas faced by today's companies and corporate leaders to those faced by Shakespeare's characters, the authors serve up a treasure trove of valuable insight and guidance in this immensely satisfying book. We [...] recommend this book to anyone in business or outside of it. Because like the works of Shakespeare himself, this book, while aimed at a specific audience, aspires to, and in many cases reaches, more universal truths.

Shakespeare is about management. A good manager should know his/her people, policies, practices, and products. Hamlet liked to think, but knew none of these four P's, and failed at management. Sure, something was rotten in Denmark; it was a lack of management expertise. Shakespeare is about power and the trappings of power. Weren't Macbeth and Richard III willing to kill for power? What would Macbeth have done with his power anyway? Did he have any agenda other than the top role? What are the players in Hamlet willing to do to stay close to the seat of power? Did Casius appear lean and hungry because Julius Caesar wouldn't share his power? Is Richard II, a play with a weak leader, about the consequences of the loss of power? Why couldn't Henry VI accept power? I have been waiting for this book to be published for a year! There are half a dozen business books that use The Bard as a foundation, but this is the best, without a doubt. This book is based on years of actual use in the classroom by Whitney, who has been affiliated with Columbia and Harvard B-Schools, and is one of Columbia's most popular teachers. Not only is he a teacher, but he is a respected turnaround expert and former leader of Pathmark. When Whitney was brought in to be COO of Pathmark, he felt he was in line for the top job. Like a tragic hero, he was blind to the fact that the organization saw him as an outsider, though he was succeeding, and he was unaware that he was being ostracized. Isn't this just like Henry IV who was overthrown by Richard the Third? Henry IV, though he reigned for 14 years, was blind to his competitors. Maybe Whitney should have acted like Prince Hal in Henry IV. Prince Hal ate among the commoners to learn of their intentions. Whitney is excellent at interpreting Shakespeare and applying it to biz. For example, he shows that Coriolanus failed because although he was strong in his conviction, he was too rigid. What about trusted lieutenants? In Othello, Iago was seeking revenge because he was passed over for promotion. The job was given to Cassio. What about Cardinal Wolsey in Henry VIII. Or Polonius in Hamlet? Polonius says "to thine own self be true", yet he never is true. He is foolish and scheming, and ends up dead. There are many lessons to be learned. The book is worth buying even if you just read about Falstaff.

John O. Whitney managed to relate business strategies to many of Shakespeare's plays; I truly was impressed... Many of his own experiences are related and it might seem as if the author is showing off but the stories he talks about are really interesting.
Before I read this book I really respected and admired Shakespeare and now my admiration goes beyond his literature, with the help of the author, his lessons on leadership and management are essential for any person working in a large corporation.
SHAKESPEARE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A CEO!!!

Every year there are several flavor of the month management books, whether they be lessons from patton, elizabeth I, sitting bull, goldilocks, lincoln, grant, or peanut butter parents. This book cuts through the novelty [junk]though. Shakespeare is about management. A good manager should know his/her people, policies, practices, and products. Hamlet knew none of these, and failed at management. Shakespeare is about power. Weren't Macbeth and Richard III willing to kill for power? What would Macbeth have done with his power anyway? Did he have any agenda other than the top role? What are the players in Hamlet willing to do just to stay close to the seat of power? What was Casius' lean and hungry look about in Julius Caesar? Was it about Caesar's inability to share power? Wasn't Richard II about the consequences of the loss of power? Why couldn't Henry VI accept power? ... I have been waiting for this book to be published for a year! There are half a dozen business books that use The Bard as a foundation, but this is the best, without a doubt. This book is based on years of actual use in the classroom by Whitney, who has been affiliated with Columbia and Harvard B-Schools, and is one of the most sought after teachers. Not only is he a teacher, but he is a respected turnaround expert and former leader of Pathmark. When Whitney was brought in to be COO of Pathmark, he felt he was in line for the top job. Like a tragic hero, he was blind to the fact that the organization saw him as an outsider, though he was succeeding, and he was unaware that he was being ostracized. Isn't this just like Henry IV who was overthrown by Richard the Third? Henry IV, though he reigned for 14 years, was blind to his competitors. Maybe Whitney should have acted like Prince Hal in Henry IV. Prince Hal ate among the commoners to learn of their intentions. Whitney is excellent at interpreting Shakespeare and applying it to biz. And you dont have to be familiar with the plays, since his prose explains the essential points for the reader. For example, he shows that Coriolanus failed because although he was strong in his conviction, he was too rigid. What about trusted lieutenants? In Othello, Iago was seeking revenge because he was passed over for promotion. The job was given to Cassio. What about Cardinal Wolsey in Henry VIII. Or Polonius in Hamlet? Polonius says "to thine own self be true", yet he never is true. He is foolish and scheming, and ends up dead. There are many lessons to be learned. The book is worth buying just for the discussion on Falstaff

one of the best books I ever read about management, insight on real life situations through the amazing writings of William, the analogical thinking works ! A book I would also recommend to shakespaere lovers !

The book was an excellent quick read. What one can derive from this comparison of leadership in Shakespeare's time and our modern corporate leadership, is that fact that back then, just as today, people face the same social ailments in the corporate setting as they did during the aristocratic rule. Shakespeare played upon these themes, which happen to be the same power struggle themes in our corporate worlds. I like the different opinions of the shared authors on the character's interpreted leadership. Very well written and in a light manner, that most managers might enjoy the read :)

Are you an English major, a Shakespeare devotee working in business? Or are you a business major who suffered through the required reading and complained, "Where would I use this?" Whichever describes you, Power Plays was written for you.

John Whitney and Tina Packer, both of whom are lovers of Shakespeare and business managers, have analyzed lessons in management and communication embodied in Shakespeare's plays. They have enhanced the lessons with examples: some from their own experiences (most interestingly, both successes and failures) and others from well-known cases in recent corporate histories.

Any book that causes you to pull the Collected Works down from the top shelf to see what you missed when you read the play so long ago, broadens your awareness of the world. We must always be seeking new and old ways to perceive what is going on in our own lives.

There are reasons why Shakespeare holds the foremost position in English literature. This is a good book for those who didn't grasp that fact during their formal education. We were so immature when we were first introduced to Shakespeare. Many of us were so involved in preparing ourselves for careers, that we failed to appreciate the treasures that were being offered to us.

So if to you Macbeth was just someone consumed by ambition, Hamlet one who let his chance go by, Henry V a king who made a long speech, Lear a father who failed to recognize hypocrisy - in reading Power Plays you will see more than you had seen, and possibly be inspired to reread these plays with a new perspective.

And if you already love Shakespeare, you may see the world with a new perspective.

I was given a great book for Christmas by my daughter, Laura, called Power Plays, Shakespeare's Lessons in Leadership and Management by John O'Whitney and Tina Packer. I think it is Laura's attempt to add some culture and literature to my life since she is taking her masters in English Literature. The book is about John O'Whitney's personal experiences in business and Shakespeare and what he has to say on life.

I have had many influencers in my life who are big Shakespeare advocates. One is Dr. Joe Martin who is a professor at the University of Toronto Business School who strongly recommends that any of his students attend a Shakespeare play to learn how to communicate. The second person is my Uncle Bruce Kellner who was a university professor and is a prolific author who is passionate about Shakespeare and culture. And of course my mom who took me to plays when I was young.

I enjoy live theatre but to be truthful tend to find Shakespeare daunting and sometimes boring. I tend to prefer Shaw and the lighter comedies.

Back to "Power Plays", John O. Whitney appears to share many of my values (he is a very frugal person, has work eithic, is down to earth etc). Part of the book talks about the need for trusted lieutenants. Often in business people think that it is one person who builds the business but this is not the case. The only way that business people are successful is by surrounding themselves with many good people.

The book talks about creating trust and how trust is needed for leadership. This is one of the goals that any leader needs to work towards; however, it tends to be very delicate.

The book has an entire chapter on the uses and abuses of perks, pay, and privileges. Clearly John would like my office with my used furniture purchased at an office auction, etc.

The book talks about the parallels between acting and being a good CEO. There are three characteristics that are in common that are needed: physical stamina, energy, and mental stamina. It seems that much of my life centers around trying to increase all of these three characteristics.

It also talks about being genuine and not copying from someone else. I have always found that if someone else tries to prepare a speech for me, it never comes off very well. I have often found if I try to be exactly like someone else, it just doesn't work. My best solution is to try to filter and take the best parts from different people.

John has been involved in a number of turnarounds and in turnarounds there tends to be hundreds of problems (SYNNEX is not a turnaround; however, there always seems to be hundreds of problems). What he looks for in these is to find a keystone. The one problem with solutions that will resolve the others. Solving that one problem will give the company the overall focus that it needs to get healthy again.

This book is great for people just looking for some impressiv Shakespeare phrases to spice up their speeches. The book is full of common sense and does not provide any in-depth analysis of the characters. Beside that the endless desriptions of how the authors succeed in their businesses (good for them!) is boring and do not provide concrete ideas or strategies.