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The Rumsfeld Way
Book

The Rumsfeld Way

The Leadership Wisdom of a Battle-Hardened Maverick

Jeffrey A. Krames
McGraw-Hill, 2002

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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

Jeffrey Krames’ biography of current U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is laced with leadership advice and built on databases and clips. This short book, at last, places Rumsfeld’s long career into a coherent framework. Probably to hit a wartime deadline, Krames based the text primarily on work published about Rummy over a 40-year period, and not on independent research. In fact, a disclaimer says the book has no endorsement or authorization from Rumsfeld or anyone around him. In the 1970s, Rumsfeld published a long list of bland but entertaining aphorisms under the title, "Rumsfeld’s Rules." Krames draws many of his leadership suggestions from that compilation. But the chronology about Rumsfeld’s career dominates and fascinates. Rumsfeld is far more interesting than he seems, a much more potent and historic figure. For that reason, getAbstract.com recommends this book to corporate officers, journalists, news junkies, political operatives, disgruntled Saudis and all defense contractors.

Take-Aways

  • Despite his distinguished 40-year career in Congress, industry and the executive branch of government, no books have previously been written about Donald Rumsfeld.
  • Rumsfeld’s most reported-upon job was as President Ford’s transitional Chief of Staff.
  • Rumsfeld was credited with the exile of Alexander Haig, the throttling of Henry Kissinger and the removal of Nelson Rockefeller from the ticket.

About the Author

Jeffrey A. Krames is vice president and editor-in-chief of McGraw-Hill’s Trade Division. He is considered an expert on leadership. He is also the author of The Jack Welch Lexicon of Leadership.

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