Drawing on his experience as a leader in some of the nation's largest corporations, Baum issues a convincing call for honest, ethical, "transparent" dealing throughout the business world. Baum outlines the management techniques he uses within and without the company to get outstanding results without skirting the rules or bending the truth. Baum maintains that by fostering trust, integrity and accountability at all levels within the corporation, managers can stop the erosion of employee loyalty, restore consumer trust in brands, products, and American business. Baum teaches executives fresh ways of managing Wall Street analysts, communicating with shareholders, and wading through the complex maze of social responsibility issues.

As a member of six corporate boards, Baum offers unique insight into transparent leadership, including the advantages and pitfalls of corporate governance, and the pressures executives face in reporting earnings. He also discusses the importance of setting standards for ethical business practices, yet highlights the dangers of government regulations that may result in excessive compliance costs at the expense of shareholders, creative risk taking, and innovation.

800 CEO Read Top 25 (as of Dec 11, 2004)

Room at the Top, for Improvement: Every season seems to offer some new piece of advice for corporate leaders, who have been told at various times to be coaches, cheerleaders, mentors or even students of Lao Tzu. Now there is a book suggesting that they try...integrity. (@ Wall Street Journal)

Ten Secrets of Successful Leaders: The Skills, Competencies, and Knowledge Leaders at Every Level Need to Succeed by Brooks Donna
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't by Collins, James

Don't buy this book
The entire book can be summarized in less than one page. Poorly written. Tedious, repetitious, naive and therefore, unrealistic. Author represents a "Disneyland School of Management" approach. Unifocus and not comprehensive. If you want to buy an excellent book on Management, buy Harold Geneen's "Managing".