LEADERSHIP by Rudolph W. Giuliani. 2002. 
Miramax books. New York, NY 407 pp.
                                                              
Reviewed by Scott Reed, Oregon State University and WELD Committee—June, 2003
 

"For having more faith than we had in ourselves, for being brave when required and rude where appropriate and tender without being trite, for not sleeping and not quitting and not shrinking from the pain all around him, Rudy Giuliani, Mayor of the World, is TIME 2001 Person of the Year"                             -TIME
 
Giuliani's book is an interesting read, containing elements of war stories surrounding the September 11, 2001 disaster, political lessons, and insights on leadership principles. To be clear, Mayor Rudy has a New York-sized ego, and he's not bashful about laying out his strongly-held philosophies. At the same time, few people have been so tested as has he to provide real leadership in the face of intense human suffering in the face of worldwide public attention.
 
I was given this book as a Christmas gift, and began reading it early in 2003, only to lapse for a few months into gathering dust on a corner table.  Then it accompanied me on a trip where it was my constant airplane and hotel room companion. It reads as an autobiography in which Giuliani shares elements of his upbringing and fundamental values towards life. Stories about "9-11" occupy perhaps a third of the book; the rest describes Rudy's philosophy, relationships and activities around life and leadership. The book cover depicts him with typical leader qualities. He writes, " ...leadership works both ways; it is a privilege, but carries with it responsibilities—from imposing a structure suitable to an organization's purpose, from forming a team of people who bring out the best in each other, to taking he right, unexpected risks. A leader must develop strong beliefs, articulate and act on those beliefs, and be held accountable for the results..."
 
So what makes his style distinctive? The most memorable behavior I drew from the book is his commitment to personally engage activities and events he finds meaningful. While not explicitly discussed, his persona is obviously a classic "Type A" with extremely high energy and a desire to be intimately associated with significant events. As Mayor, he was essentially on call "24-7" and immediately changed his personal plans for anything he deemed worthy to demonstrate that New York's Mayor was paying attention. Examples include his rushing to the scenes of major events to witness them first-hand and to illustrate that the Mayor of New York is connected and in-charge. This behavior also extends to personal appearances at more subdued but respectful funerals for police officers and other public officials slain in the act of duty. Among his noteworthy habits was to deliver cookies routinely to city workers on duty during Holidays. He is careful to point out that you don't want to micromanage or undermine the people you've hired, but there is no substitute for first-hand experience.
 
A few snippets from various book chapters will help to illustrate Giuliani's approach to leadership:

SET THE TONE BY ALWAYS SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF. He considers preparation for unseen emergencies essential, and shares the responsibility with his first-tier leaders.  In both normal and tense environments, he established a routine of a meeting the first hour of every working day as "the cornerstone of efficient functioning".  His idea is that by spending the first hour getting control of the day, much work could be accomplished -decision making, communicating and even socializing, but most of all, it helped keep Giulianni accountable.  The two-word sign on his desk prominently displays his commitment.  It simply says, "I'M RESPONSIBLE".    

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GREAT PEOPLE.  To do that, one must assess the strengths and weaknesses of those around you, including yourself.  Then, with an honest analysis, place those with compensating strengths in positions to inform and balance effective decisions.  Recognize that resumes are not everything.  Seek those with energy and drive who embrace a vision that will serve as their beacon.    

REFLECT, THEN DECIDE.  Take all the time possible to develop and evaluate alternative decisions and their consequences.  But-also know that balance is needed between speed and deliberation.  In some circumstances, one must be ready to pull the trigger when time is short.  On the way to making a decision, hear people out, even with competing views, so that the creative tension may be used to fully illustrate possible outcomes and to be sure that no information is withheld.  Then, during implementation, under promise and over deliver.    

STICK TO YOUR WORD (Or as Rudy says it, "Be your own man".) True leadership requires choosing the route that allows one to sleep at night, but that doesn't mean everyone is always happy. At any given moment during his reign, Rudy observed that someone who had supported him was upset with a decision. He cited Thomas Jefferson who, in reflecting upon the US presidency, described it as a "splendid misery" that involves "the daily loss of friends".

There are numerous additional intriguing passages that make LEADERSHIP worth reading. In case you're not hooked yet, pick up a copy to learn about Giulianni's views about
               ·        Loyalty, The Vital Virtue
               ·        Stand up to Bullies
               ·        Bribe Only Those who will Stay Bribed
               ·        Organize Around a Purpose
 
The most difficult thing for me was translating some of Giulianni's lessons into a university educational context rather than his line organization environment.  However, the entire book illustrates important perspectives of people of the type we find around ourselves every day.