Protect Your Achilles Heel: Crafting Armor for the New Age at Work [Hardcover]

Wess Roberts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1997

Protect Your Achilles Heel mirrors the immensely successful model created by Roberts in his two Attila books, which applied Attila's cunning leadership secrets to the modem business world. The story of Achilles illustrates how seemingly small character flaws are leading to the downfall of managers worldwide.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 166 pages
• Publisher: Andrews Mcmeel Pub (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0836221761
• ISBN-13: 978-0836221763
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,407,721 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Wess Roberts is The New York Times bestselling author of Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun, Straight A's Never Made Anybody Rich, Victory Secrets of Attila the Hun, co-author of Make It So, Protect Your Achilles Heel, It Takes More Than a Carrot and a Stick, The Best Advice Ever for Leaders, and collaborated with Brigadier General John C. "Doc" Bahnsen, Jr. in the penning of American Warrior. His books have been published in 24 languages.

After earning his doctorate in psychology from Utah State University, Wess opted for military service and was selected for an assignment with the US Army Combat Arms Training Board. He served to the rank of major in the US Army. His diverse career also includes senior management positions at American Express Company, Fireman's Fund Insurance Company, Northrop Services Company, and Courseware, Incorporated. He is also a former board member of the Health Plan of the Redwoods.

As an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University, Southern Utah University, and Utah State University, Wess instructed both graduate and undergraduate courses in business, education, and psychology. A former member of the Business School Dean's Advisory Boards at the University of Utah, Utah State University, and Westminster College, he served on the President's Advisory Board at Nova Southeastern University. Wess is the author of forty-five professional papers on human behavior, and the executive producer of six award-winning motivation and training films.

As an author, Wess has been a guest on over 400 radio and television programs including Oprah, CBS This Morning, CNN, and CNBC. In addition, articles about him and his books have appeared in every major news and business publication including Newsweek, Time, Across the Board, Vanity Fair, Barron's, Fortune, Forbes, and Success Magazine as well as in every major newspaper including The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, Investor's Business Daily, The Houston Chronicle, The Atlanta Constitution, The Detroit Free Press, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and The San Francisco Chronicle. His management classic, Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun, served as the basis for the A&E Biography on Attila.

As a speaker, he has addressed corporate, government, medical, military, trade association, and university audiences throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe.

Among other distinctions, Wess is a member of the US Army Field Artillery and Missile School OCS Hall of Fame, and the recipient of the US Army Field Artillery Association's Honorable Order of Saint Barbara, the US Department of Treasury's Patriotic Service Award, and a Professional Achievement Award from Utah State University's College of Business and Alumni Association.

Wess makes his home in Utah.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Too many negative lessons, April 4, 2002

By 

Matthew Dodd (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: PROTECT YOUR ACHILLES HEEL: CRAFTING ARMOR FOR THE NEW AGE AT WORK CASSETTE (Audio Cassette)

Not a bad book (paperback edition), but not as good as I expect from Wess Roberts. Unlike his other books, ("Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun" and "Victory Secrets of Attila the Hun") this one had a pervasive negative tone through use of many real-world "what-not-to-do" examples. This excessive negativity was de-motivating and made for heavy reading.

Roberts' strength is his use, understanding, and insightful leadership perspectives of historical figures. I learned a great deal about the myth of Achilles. Unfortunately, Roberts focused too many of his examples on the nine flaws of Achilles (disloyalty, greed, hostility, betrayal, withdrawal, inflexibility, deceit, vengeance, and arrogance) vice the nine shields of immortality (commitment, selflessness, cooperation, integrity, rigor, flexibility, honesty, respect, and humility).

I know there are many true stories of people in leadership positions who possess little to no true leadership qualities and lessons can be learned from them, but I prefer to read about true leaders who exemplify the true essence of leadership to learn what can be done. After reading his other two fine leadership books mentioned above, this book pales in comparison.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Roberts does it again, October 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Protect Your Achilles Heel: Crafting Armor for the New Age at Work (Paperback)

Using stories from our past, Roberts teaches us how to overcome moral weakness. Thanks.