I appreciated the examples of the men and their families illustrated in this book who successfully integrate faithful religious living into their everyday lives. It has good insights for all of us seeking the balance of living in the world but also staying connected with a higher purpose in life.

I enjoyed the many real examples and insights shared about these real people who are both temporally and spiritually successful.

Ryan ( )

The Mormon Way of Doing Business: How Eight Western Boys Reached the Top of Corporate America (Paperback) P 223
ISBN 978-0-446-57859-2
by Jeff Benedict (Author)

85,000 books were published last year and among them was the Mormon Way of Doing Business. If you were to limit the number of books that you read this year, I would put this at the top of the list as a must read. This inspiring book by Jeff Benedict brings you the insight of what is right with the Mormon way of living and how it transcends into the business world. You do not have to belong to the church to put some of the lessons in this book into your daily life, but if you do, you and those around you will benefit greatly.

The epitome of excellent relationships is shown to ring true when you follow simple rules consistently. Having parents who teach you the morals that you need to have in order to succeed in business are one thing, but perseverance and darn hard work are another. Many people try to rise to the top of their professions, but it is the few who breathe the rarefied air at the top. Eight western boys are personified in this unusual biographical sketch of their lives in the Mormon Church, family ties, and work ethic. Based upon what is portrayed, these men are in a class by themselves.

Devoting 15 to 25 hours per week doing church business, working 75 to 80 hours for their companies, and spending Saturday and Sunday with their families make them truly models for business and best husbands of the year awards.

Who are these Super Heroes? David Neeleman, founder of Jet Blue; Kevin Rollins, CEO of Dell Computers; Jim Quigley, CEO of Deloitte Touch USA, Kim Clark dean of the Harvard Business School; Dave Checketts, former CEO of Madison Square Garden Corporation; Gary Crittenden, CFO at American Express; Rod Hawes, founder and former CEO of Life Re Corporation the world’s largest independent life reinsurance company; and Clayton Christensen, a leading Harvard Business School professor and consultant to Intel, Eli Lilly, and Kodak.

One of the concepts this book brings alive is that ‘Hardball is Good’. To argue for the sake of argument, is not good,. But, to argue to a right conclusion is the path. The old fashioned cowboy way of ‘My Word Is My Bond’ shows that by being a straight shooter, all of these men and the examples given, show how they have practiced this principle in their daily and business lives.

What is it that makes these Mormon heroes successful? Their devotion to church is the standard for these men. Tithing ten per cent of their income before tax to the church is only one way these very wealthy men support their religion. All of them have been or are currently Bishops in the Mormon Church and some are stake Presidents which carry additional obligations. These are terms readily explained and show the time involved in their responsibility to carry out the mission of their spiritual obligations. All of these men are committed first to family, second to church, and then to business. Truly, great men of our time! ( )