Profit from Experience: The National Semiconductor Story of Transformation Management (Industrial Engineering) [Paperback]

Gil Amelio (Author), William L. Simon (Author)

Book Description

Series: Industrial Engineering | Publication Date: November 27, 1995

"Few organizations are so weak they can’t be saved, few so healthy they can’t be improved."
—Gil Amelio

This is the story of the transformation of National Semiconductor as told by the man who led it, CEO Gil Amelio. You’ll learn how in just three short years, Amelio and his management team took National from its worst loss in 30 years to the highest earnings in its history. In this book, Amelio shares the common-sense ideas that National used to become a profitable $2.3 billion organization. Presented in the book are specific, down-to-earth approaches that any chief executive can apply on a company-wide level, and that managers and supervisors can apply to revitalize their own organizations and improve their management style. The same principles and processes that worked at National can transform a failing organization or bring renewed strength to a healthy one. Amelio’s management success at National is based on straight-forward tools and principles, not theories. In these pages, you’ll find these techniques spelled out. Amelio and veteran writer William L. Simon illustrate what to do, what’s important, and how to measure your success—all in a readable style that will capture your attention and motivate you to action. The authors tell you how to create a viable action plan, heighten commitment in the ranks, establish excellence as the standard, and make the customer your best friend. Profit from Experience is divided into two parts. Part one focuses on "people leadership" and part two charts the course for "business leadership," from structure to finance. Here are just a few of the tools you’ll find in this transformation manual:

• 6 core business issues and why they’re critical to success
• The Team program
• 10 personal attributes to strive for
• 6 steps to empowerment
• Amelio’s Guidelines for General Managers
• Attributes to look for when hiring (in order of importance)

Amelio’s energy and charisma shine throughout every chapter. You’ll enjoy his personal anecdotes, which are as entertaining as they are instructive. Whether you want to turn a business around, learn the nuts and bolts of transformation management, or just get an up-close look at an industry legend, you’ll find everything you’re looking for in Profit from Experience.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Profit from Experience The National Semiconductor Story of Transformation Management Gil Amelio William L. Simon "Few organizations are so weak they can’t be saved, few so healthy they can’t be improved." —Gil Amelio This is the story of the transformation of National Semiconductor as told by the man who led it, CEO Gil Amelio. You’ll learn how in just three short years, Amelio and his management team took National from its worst loss in 30 years to the highest earnings in its history. In this book, Amelio shares the common-sense ideas that National used to become a profitable $2.3 billion organization. Presented in the book are specific, down-to-earth approaches that any chief executive can apply on a company-wide level, and that managers and supervisors can apply to revitalize their own organizations and improve their management style. The same principles and processes that worked at National can transform a failing organization or bring renewed strength to a healthy one. Amelio’s management success at National is based on straight-forward tools and principles, not theories. In these pages, you’ll find these techniques spelled out. Amelio and veteran writer William L. Simon illustrate what to do, what’s important, and how to measure your success—all in a readable style that will capture your attention and motivate you to action. The authors tell you how to create a viable action plan, heighten commitment in the ranks, establish excellence as the standard, and make the customer your best friend. Profit from Experience is divided into two parts. Part one focuses on "people leadership" and part two charts the course for "business leadership," from structure to finance. Here are just a few of the tools you’ll find in this transformation manual:

• 6 core business issues and why they’re critical to success
• The Team program
• 10 personal attributes to strive for
• 6 steps to empowerment
• Amelio’s Guidelines for General Managers
• Attributes to look for when hiring (in order of importance)

Amelio’s energy and charisma shine throughout every chapter. You’ll enjoy his personal anecdotes, which are as entertaining as they are instructive. Whether you want to turn a business around, learn the nuts and bolts of transformation management, or just get an up-close look at an industry legend, you’ll find everything you’re looking for in Profit from Experience.

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (November 27, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471287040
• ISBN-13: 978-0471287049
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,455,123 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It offers remarkable lessons & practical insights on People Leadership as well as Business Leadership, October 16, 2006

By 

Lee Say Keng "KNOWLEDGE ADVENTURER/TECHNOLOGY... (Ho Chi Minh City/Singapore) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Profit from Experience: The National Semiconductor Story of Transformation Management (Industrial Engineering) (Paperback)

Profit from Experience: The National Semiconductor Story of Transformation Management
by Gil Amelio

I have read this wonderful book around the mid-nineties. In a nut shell, it contains a first-hand account of "people leadership" as well as "business leadership" inside an industry giant, within the context of a corporate transformation that eventually achieved profitability growth, enthusiastic employees & happy customers.

I remember I had bought it because of my personal interest in strategic visioning. Also, I was attracted by a few of the tools as outlined in the book:

- 6 core issues critical to business success;
- 10 personal attributes to strive for;
- 6 steps to empowerment;
- attributes to look for when selecting, developing & keeping people;

The most interesting parts of the book are where the authors tell the reader how to create a powerful vision, chart out a course with a viable action plan, heighten commitment in the ranks (especially their desire to contribute), establish operational excellence as the standard by developing measurable metrics & benchmarks for success, & make the customer the best friend.

I remember I was transfixed for a while by a particular passage, on page 22, under the paragraph heading of 'Visualising the Dream.' Here the authors relates how they had recognised that a twenty-two page white paper, as part of the preamble to the Leading Change process, was too long for people to grasp readily. They then brought in David Sibbet of Grove Consultants. Sibbet & his team translated the Leading Change sessions (first for top-level managers throughout the world & subsequently moving down throughout the organisation) into creative visual rendering - sort of an artistic conception of the corporate vision. Some seven hundred people had participated. This eventually evolved into a single-page symbolic represention in the form of 'Spaceship National Semi-Conductor' vision poster. In reality, it had captured the thoughts & aspirations of all the employees within the industry giant.

Every employee in the organisation had a miniature copy of the vision poster to signify his/her contribution & commitment to the corporate vision. That's empowerment, at & across all levels!

The book did not fail at all in my expectations of the book. I have enjoyed it very much - & it's fun to read, too. Besides the strategic visioning, understanding the six critical business issues & empowerment aspects, I feel the personal attributes to strive for, as outlined by the author, are also real gems & are worth reproducing here, for the benefit of readers:

- be a role model, not a victim;
- know yourself;
- strive for balance;
- know how to deal with ambiguity;
- get out of your comfort zone;
- understand how to steadily raise the bar;
- pursue lifelong learning;
- be a good communicator;
- practise situational leadership;
- acknowledge mistakes & correct them quickly;

To conclude this review, this book, packed with real-life examples & personal anecdotes, is an excellent field guide to corporate transformation. It offers remarkable lessons & practical insights on People Leadership as well as Business Leadership.

[An inspiring companion to go with this book is Jim Clemmer's 'Pathways to Performance: A Guide to Transformin Yourself, Your Team & Your Organisation.']

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hard-hitting and Spot-on!, January 27, 2006

By 

Alan Danker (Singapore) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Profit from Experience (Paperback)

I was amazed that there are no reviews on this book. Perhaps it's because it was written so long ago and appears dated.
Make no mistake though that the steps that are in the book are timeless.
This is a book that anyone at any level can apply in day-to-day situations.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. It's not 'faddish' but is truly 'nuts-and-bolts'. If you want to know how to get things done, this book will be most helpful.