Obstacles Welcome and over 630,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle – Amazon’s new wireless reading device. Learn more

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
Give this as a gift certificate
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
or
Get a $6.40 Amazon.com Gift Card
Obstacles Welcome: How to Turn Adversity into Advantage in Business and in Life
 
 
Start reading Obstacles Welcome on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Obstacles Welcome: How to Turn Adversity into Advantage in Business and in Life [Hardcover]

Ralph de la Vega (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)

List Price: $24.99
Price: $16.49 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $8.50 (34%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it delivered Monday, August 2? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
27 new from $5.75 11 used from $5.51

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $9.60  
Hardcover $16.49  
Paperback --  

Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this book with The Extraordinary Leader: Turning Good Managers into Great Leaders by John Zenger$21.75 

Obstacles Welcome: How to Turn Adversity into Advantage in Business and in Life + The Extraordinary Leader:  Turning Good Managers into Great Leaders
  • This item: Obstacles Welcome: How to Turn Adversity into Advantage in Business and in Life by Ralph de la Vega

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • The Extraordinary Leader: Turning Good Managers into Great Leaders by John Zenger

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Ralph de la Vega, President and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, shares the lessons learned in business and in life along the journey from Cuba to Corporate America.

Ralph de la Vega arrived in the United States from Cuba in 1962. He was alone. He was scared. He was 10. Separated from his parents by Cuban authorities just moments before they were to board a plane to Miami, de la Vega was baptized early-and abruptly-in the waters of adversity. It would be four long years before his mother, father, and sister gained legal passage to America. But while the boy would never have chosen such circumstance, it's the man who can look back and say he would not have changed it.

In Obstacles Welcome, de la Vega recounts his journey as a young Cuban immigrant to president and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, a subsidiary of AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T). A frontliner in the converging worlds of technology and communications, de la Vega takes readers behind the scenes of the Internet revolution, shares insights from the nation's top technology companies, and chronicles the incredible obstacles intrinsic to successfully merging the largest wireless operations in U.S. history-those of Cingular Wireless and AT&T Wireless.

Obstacles Welcome is an innovation manifesto for those committed to bigger thinking and greater results both professionally and personally. He clearly defines how to:

* Create a detailed action plan to boost success

* Identify and take calculated risks without fear

* Create a values-centric, decisive leadership style

* Transform vision into measurable results

* Recognize opportunities and overcome obstacles

* Communicate well and build alignment

* Unlearn thinking that hinders innovation

* Dream big and throw off mental limits once and for all

Opening a powerful cache of business strategy and in-the-trenches wisdom, de la Vega illustrates that within each obstacle we encounter, there's an opportunity that carries the potential to transform our thinking, our organizations, our communities, and our world.

PRAISE FOR OBSTACLES WELCOME

". . . [T]hrough his compelling story, Ralph shows how to turn almost any challenge into the opportunity of a lifetime. This is great insight for any professional or any young person aspiring to learn how to overcome obstacles and accept new challenges." - Randall Stephenson, Chairman & CEO, AT&T, Inc.

"I recommend this book to those looking to improve their opportunities, as well as those providing leadership in this diverse society." - Ambassador Andrew Young, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, former Mayor of Atlanta, former president of the National Council of Churches

"His journey is an inspirational story of leadership vision and the ability to achieve success in the face of enormous challenges and obstacles." - Gerry Czarnecki, President, CEO & Managing Partner, O2Media

"This book is a must-read for anyone not afraid to make your dreams come true, regardless of where you are in your professional or personal life." - Ernest Bromley, Chairman and CEO, Bromley Communications, LLC

"Without a doubt, this is one of the most inspiring books and one of the best business publications that I've read in my 40-plus years in the communications business." - John Graham, Chairman, Fleishman-Hillard Inc.

"Ralph de la Vega tells an All-American story for our times." - Henry Cisneros, Executive Chairman, CityView; former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; former Mayor of San Antonio


Product Details

  • Hardcover: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 27, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1595552642
  • ISBN-13: 978-1595552648
  • Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #56,372 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
    #8 in  Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Ethnic & National > Hispanic & Latino

More About the Author

Ralph De la Vega
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Visit Amazon's Ralph De la Vega Page

Inside This Book (learn more)
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

 

Customer Reviews

79 Reviews
5 star:
 (20)
4 star:
 (33)
3 star:
 (19)
2 star:
 (5)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (79 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read!, May 12, 2010
This review is from: Obstacles Welcome: How to Turn Adversity into Advantage in Business and in Life (Hardcover)
This book is an inspiration and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to climb the corporate ladder. It provides wisdom, lessons learned, success stories, proactive steps to eliminate possible gaps in your career that prevent you from getting where you want to be, and talks about the importance of mastering public speaking skills as a key asset in corporate America. The author shares his success cycle and provides a success framework with which he explains how he assesses the situation and turns obstacles into opportunities. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be inspired, motivated and has big dreams to achieve success in the corporate world or in their personal life because the content of the book is applicable to both

Ralph de la Vega arrived alone in the USA from Cuba when he was 10 years old. He learned at that young age, one of most difficult and scary moments in his life, to turn adversity into opportunity and focus on the opportunities behind the obstacles. Other key learning's were:
* Hard work was going to pay off. Life was going to get better.
* The meaning of sacrifice and the power of making sacrifice in the present for the sake of a better future.
* The need to make plans and not just drift with circumstances.
* Take risks in search of opportunity.
* Focus on the possibilities.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Good resource on leadership, October 21, 2009
This review is from: Obstacles Welcome: How to Turn Adversity into Advantage in Business and in Life (Hardcover)
Obstacles Welcome is one of the best books I've read recently on leadership. Thought it is not from a church point of view, many of its principles can be applied.

de la Vega is the President and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. A Cuban refugee, he came to the USA in 1962 at the age of 10, without his parents. This book tells of his journey from being raised by friends of his parents in the U.S., to becoming the CEO of AT&T Mobility. It is an inspiring story of his ascent in the world of telecommunications, but more is told of his leadership principles and ideas, which is why I chose this book.

Some of the most interesting parts of the book, personally, is his behind-the-scenes stories of his work in telecommunications, and the merger of AT&T and Cingular Wireless - the largest cash merger in history. His stories of how he accomplished such a feat are interesting and make for a good, solid foundation in leadership that can be applied - at least to some degree - to all kinds of work, including leadership in the church.

I also liked this book because, unlike many books on leadership that tend to be all theory and not practicality (which is fine, to a point), de la Vega gives good, practical advice on creating actions plans, taking calulated risks, vision, recognition of obstacles as opportunities, unlearning "old-think", etc.

I would recommend this book for a couple reasons: 1). it's a good read just for the behind-the-scenes information and 2). it's a well-written, practical leadership resource.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Personal and Professional, October 26, 2009
This review is from: Obstacles Welcome: How to Turn Adversity into Advantage in Business and in Life (Hardcover)
I just finished reading the book Obstacles Welcome: turn adversity to advantage in business and life. This book by Ralph de la Vega is part autobiography, part leadership history, part leadership principles, part self-help, and part personal development. de la Vega, President and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets has been responsible and overseen everything from the move to mobile to the proliferation of the iPhone. The book starts out, though, with stories from de la Vega's youth in which he emigrated to the United States without his parents through a last minute glitch at the airport. At the age of 10, he began his life in the United States without his parents.

I really enjoyed reading Obstacles Welcome. It was a really accessible and easy read, and de la Vega takes the complexity of managing a huge corporation and a gives simple but not simplistic look into how he does it. I also appreciated the type of leadership de la Vegan seems to exhibit. He appears to be a person who values people, virtue, integrity, hard work, and determination. After reading this book, I thought to myself, "de la Vega would make a good mentor" and that is exactly what he does through this book, becoming a personal and leadership mentor. If you're in a leadership position, it's worth a read.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A hands-on guide from a CEO
"Obstacle Welcome" is a great master piece by Ralph which gives good insight into how he was able to lead AT&T to an unraveled position. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Raman Kumar Attri

4.0 out of 5 stars Success is learnable
Ralph De la Vega captures in one place the specific and practical techniques that he has used to become one of our country's most professionally and personally successful people... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Margarita Corriere

3.0 out of 5 stars Textbook for Success
I'm something of a geek(or so I'm told by family and friends), so getting insight into the leadership principles of Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility and... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mitch Blackburn

3.0 out of 5 stars Obstacles Welcome...Don't give up on the reading!
While the content of de la Vega's story is highly inspirational, I would advise anyone reading this book not to give up at the beginning! Read more
Published 2 months ago by Sharon A. Seeberger

5.0 out of 5 stars Obstacles Welcome - Ralph de la Vega
This is a MUST READ for the whole family and not just extremely useful for the career/business oriented individual. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Horazio B. Calcagno

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book...a must read!
Obstacles Welcome was a book that I was expecting with great anticipation and it did not disappoint. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Arsenio Velazquez

5.0 out of 5 stars Priceless Leadership Advice From a Master!
I experienced Ralph's leadership first hand and now you can too with his insights and gameplan on how to provide great leadership. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Kathy Dowling

5.0 out of 5 stars Encouraging and Courageous
What I appreciated most about Obstacles Welcome is that it inspires you professionally and personally - and in a simplistic way. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Caroline Crowe

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for those with short attention span
This is a decent biography about Ralph de la Vega where he spends a lot of time bringing leadership principles into the story. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mike W

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiration to all Americans...
After reading this book, it gave me an understanding of achieving the American dream. There are great tips in this book about not just overcoming adversity, but also on how to... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Luis A. Pardillo

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   





Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.