Leading The Revolution.(Review)

Leading The Revolution Gary Hamel Harvard Business School Press, 2000 314 pp. hardcover $29.95

The capstone of my MBA was my class on corporate strategy. I found that course the most enjoyable of all I had taken to date. I did not realize until after its completion that many of the examples that I found most enlightening had been referenced from "Leading the Revolution". Much of what captivated me during the course were the examples used by the Professor to re-enforce the concepts. These were not based on pure academic "theory"; they were current and relevant even in this fast changing "dot.com" environment.

This is a book you will relate to almost immediately. You will find that many of the examples of young or new "revolutionaries" are miniature plots that could very well stand on their own in many instances. The tackling of impossible problems, the inspired thinking and creative solutions that come from many of the chapters make it a book hard to put down. It is enough to inspire even the most ardent pessimist or business book critic. You will find that the book flows logically and that the material is organized as follows:

Part I Facing Up to the Revolution Part II Finding the Revolution Part III Igniting the Revolution Part IV Sustaining the Revolution

Don't let the books break from the traditional doldrums of business book publishing lure you into thinking that it won't challenge your intellect, it does, but in a fun and entertaining approach to sound business principles.

 
   "I am no longer a captive to history. Whatever I can imagine, I can 
   accomplish. I am no longer a vassal in a faceless bureaucracy. I am an 
   activist, not a drone. I am no longer a foot soldier in the march of 
   progress. I am a Revolutionary". 

Gary Hamel as quoted above, squarely takes the responsibility for corporate success and places it evenly on the shoulders of each employee. Corporate success in the World economy is a battle against the status quo with the score-board of market share and market capitalization constantly in view.