Customer Reviews

Start with the Answer: And Other Wisdom for Aspiring Leaders

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Practical wisdom is something every new CEO needs. Start With The Answer is like wisdom in a bottle-it's refreshing, easy-to-swallow and ultimately hydrating. I think there's something in it for every leader. I found Bob's "wisdoms" not only insightful, but highly useable.

Chris Foster
CEO
Fallon Worldwide

Unlike so many other business books which either flow from ridiculous premises designed solely to sell books ("The Leadership Lessons of Vito Corleone"), or from consultants who have never even led a local school board (too many titles to list), "Start with the Answer" presents clear-headed guiding principles from an executive who has led five different global organization. The book is extremely well organized, practical, implementable and a fun read. Seelert's one sentence take-aways on each lesson provide a useful summary and mental hook. I would strongly recocommend this book for newcomers to the business world, and for experienced business leaders needing a reminder that sometimes the best advice makes the most common sense.

Bob Seelert is a proven CEO who offers first hand insight into how leaders can successfully steer their company and personal fortunes. This book isn't business management theory, it's a handbook that offers proven strategies re-told through 40 years of first hand, blue chip company, real world experience - Experience that could mean the difference between making it in your business life.

I found it to provide a lot of rich advice in change management, company turnarounds, dealing with mergers, marketing management, leadership lessons and personal career.

No exec is too senior or experienced to take something from this. I highly recommend it.

Antony Young,
CEO, Optimedia International Inc.
New York

"Start with the Answer" is the perfect graduation present for a college or business school graduate looking forward to a successful career in business. With a clear, honest, principled voice, Bob Seelert, chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi, relates his experiences in college, business school, and in the various jobs he's had. His stories are wonderfully short (1-3 pages) and to the point. Each one ends with a quick summary, such as, "Everyone has the same amount of time, but people who decisively separate the important from the urgent matters of the day end up with more of it."

This ruly follows the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) philosophy that works so well in business and life. Great job!

I purchased this book for our son who was transitioning from sales to management and on his recommendation, read it myself. What a gem! The author's words drew me in immediately with his relaxed approach and amusing anecdotes. I discovered that his bits of wisdom would work in my English class--I teach seniors in a girls' college prep school. Mr. Seelert offers valuable insights mixed with a flair for writing; he excels at metaphors, for example "planting, growing, nurturing, blooming" and offers key nuggets of wisdom for students--highlighted in red, wonderfully brief and practical--for example, "Cultivating a foreign language," "keep yourself grounded" from my favorite segment "Driving a Ford Fiesta," "making your own good luck by continually preparing yourself" from his chapter title "Work Your Ass Off," and "Don't look for excuses when you underperform," but he drives it out of the park with his warning about E-mails, my most cherished bit of advice, "Every communication that goes out over your name forms a lasting impression. Make it the best it can be." Mr. Seelert follows his own advice with this book.

I confess I've read several business related books over the last twenty five years. Ever since I entered the working world I wanted to grasp its intricacies.

Most business books that intend to impart wisdom do so in one of two ways. They are either very formal and as dry a read as the Sahara, or they are the go getter type that tell you how to become a CEO in 48 hours or less the day you leave college. Okay, maybe 72 hours. But only if you're dumb and need to read it twice.

Which is my way of saying I don't often read a business related book that isn't boring, full of fluff nor has delusions of grandeur in the end. I'm delighted to say I've found one that didn't disappoint.

Start with the Answer: And Other Wisdom for Aspiring Leaders
(Wiley, ISBN: 978-0470450321) doesn't fall into those categories. The author's honesty and professionalism blazes a trail that I dearly wish other business book writers would follow. Written by Bob Seelert, Chairman of Saatchi and Saatchi, this isn't an autobiography although it does cover many highlights of his business career. This is a man who knows what he's talking about. Bob is a proven champion at taking lack lustre, broken down companies in disarray and building them back up. Finally a voice that needs to be heard!

In Start with the Answer: And Other Wisdom for Aspiring Leaders, Bob relays how he got where he is today using that talent and in a very personable, friendly yet professional style. From his first chapter about when his Careers Officer told him not to waste his time applying to Harvard in 1960 (which he did anyway with his mother's encouragement and got in) right up to the present day, Bob freely shares the business wisdom he gained throughout a business career that spanned four decades and the practical application of strategic initiatives and approaches.

This 256 page hardcover book consists of an introduction followed by eight sections: preparing for a career in business, managing your career, planning and other essentials of business strategy, business operation- looking beyond the obvious, finance and economics or dollars and sense, lessons in leadership, building culture through communications, and personal style and spirit.

Within those are small chapters, ninety four in all. Each contains a real life illustration of tried and tested tactics and ideas. Most chapters in Start With The Answer are only a few pages long and all will end with "Bob's Wisdom". These final sentences, short and to the point, summarize what the lesson was. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can't learn much in a two page chapter! Start with The Answer has taught me many new ways to look at situations, especially troublesome ones, and how to relate better to staff, clients and managers.

The real pleasure in reading Start with The Answer is how down to earth it is. Bob's honest about the mistakes as well as the successes. He also includes very personal details that aren't purely business related.

Bob doesn't claim to be anything more than the very hardworking man he obviously is. He started work at General Foods the Monday after graduating from Harvard Business School. When asked in later years why he didn't take time off back then, Bob told the truth: "at the time, I had no money and a wife and child to provide for". That kind of honesty makes this a great read. The man is brimming with intelligence and energy yet gives no impression of being egotistical nor condescending.

Having been CEO of five companies in three different industries and a primary force behind successful mergers and turnarounds even I could forgive a tinge of arrogance creeping into the pages. There's none. Bob Seelert is the kind of boss staff would love to work for and managers would love to be.

In Start with The Answer, you have a real live mentor on your bookshelf. The reader is learning from someone who has walked the walk, rather than just talked the talk. That is very important to me and I know I'm not alone in that.

Personally I find far more value in the author having experienced something than all the business buzzwords and strategies in the world. Theories all look very nice on paper but unless you've actually gone through what you're advising others they should do and can tell me why, you don't impress me. I'm dubious of how effective untested strategies are, even when they're penned by best selling authors.

Bob Seelert impresses me greatly with his straightforwardness and integrity.

With chapters that have titles like "Don't Get Fat-Headed By Winning", "Layoffs are Hard", "Don't Tell, Ask" and "You Learn More from Failure than from Success" how can the reader fail to appreciate his candour? I couldn't.

Bob shines. He consistently delivers sometimes difficult to understand strategies in an easily comprehensible manner. He speaks from the voice of experience each and every time and his passion is unfettered for what he does. A very impressive man and a very impressive book!

If you want to learn from a business mastermind, you'll do well to absorb Start with the Answer's lessons. The wisdom is timeless, meaty, authentic and enduring. It's entertaining while being instructive. Bob Seelert's counsel is effective, on target and inspirational to anyone wanting to reach the pinnacle of their career sooner rather than later. When you tire of buzzwords from the latest gurus and are ready for true success, get real and read Start With the Answer from cover to cover and back again.

Accept no imitations! Drop the genies for the genius. Five stars.

Kay Elizabeth,
Editor/Owner,
The Cuckleburr Times.

Start With The Answer contains ninety-four snapshots from a business leader who has earned the title of Chairman and role model.

Bob Seelert brings decision making and problem solving to life with an impressive array of busness experiences. Encountering the inevitable cross currents of career he gains through course correction and navigates to that place called wisdom.

This collection of episodic memories has a powerful immediacy with its economy of words and penetrating ideas. Each episode concludes with a dart of wisdom. Its plain spoken and straighforward; ideal for teaching.

Aspiring leaders of all ages and career stages should read this book.