Leadership by Giuliani

Leadership

Rudolph W. Giuliani

Preface

1. Throughout the book Leadership, Mr. Giuliani says that leadership does not simply happen. It can be taught, learned and developed, but it does not happen automatically.

2. “Surround yourself with great people. Have beliefs and communicate them. See things for yourself. Set an example. Stand up to bullies. Deal with first things first. Loyalty is the vital virtue. Prepare relentlessly. Whenever forced to make a decision, under promise and over deliver.” These are the principal leadership qualities that Mr. Giuliani drew upon to handle the events of September 11, 2001.

3. Understandably, the events of September 11, 2001 affected Mr. Giuliani more than any other experience in his life. Mr. Giuliani states that he was prepared to handle the events of that fateful day because of the leadership he used throughout his tenure as Mayor of New York City as well as previous positions held in life.

Part I

Chapter 1

September 11, 2001

1. The significant point made in this chapter is that a leader should make it a policy to see with their own eyes the scene of every crisis in order to evaluate it first hand. When the first plane hit the north tower of the world trade center, there was a great deal of confusion. Mr. Giuliani knew that he needed to go to the site of the world trade center to order to make informed confident decisions.

2. Mr. Giuliani knew it was important to set up a command center and to find a way to communicate with people in the city. A few minutes after the second plane hit the south world trade center tower; a decision was made to establish two command posts, one for the police department and one for the fire department. This was necessary because they had different requirements.

3. In order to stay calm on September 11, 2001, Mr. Giuliani gave credit to being prepared. Tabletop exercises designed to rehearse responses to a wide variety of contingencies were held throughout his time as mayor.

4. Although Mr. Giuliani lost many close friends and colleagues on September 11, 2001, he kept working. He never allowed himself an opportunity to grieve until the next morning when he was alone. He knew that people were depending on him to be strong and make decisions.

Chapter 2

First Things First

1. The importance of the “morning meeting” cannot be overstated. It is the cornerstone to efficient function within any system. The most important purpose of the morning meeting is to get control of the day. A system is needed to process the day’s challenges. The morning meeting also affords your staff the opportunity to see and meet with you at a specific time and place every day. A daily meeting where everyone is entitled to air concerns means that information is passed to the right people.

2. Taking care of first things first and taking control early are passionate concepts to Mr. Giuliani. Before a challenge even manifest itself, it is best to learn as much as possible. The point is not to get a head start on a task at hand, but to set a tone. Once you set a tone it is good for your employees and the organization.

3. Starting small with success is a significant point made in this chapter. Mr. Giuliani ran on a platform of increasing public safety. His goal was to change the notion that New York is a dangerous place. Mr. Giuliani started his goal to turn New York around by banishing squeegee operators. By cracking down on squeegee men, crime reduced by 5,000 felonies per week. Mr. Giuliani also reduced the New York City tax from 6 percent to 5 percent. This stimulated enough business to offset any immediate loss in revenue.

4. Always sweat the small stuff might lead to being labeled micromanaging, but understanding how things work is the responsibility of a leader. It also makes him a better leader because he will be able to let people do their jobs. The idea of sweating the small stuff applies to every challenge a manager faces and as a way of not allowing minor issues to spiral into major disasters.

Chapter 3

Prepare Relentlessly

1. A significant point in this chapter is the importance of being prepared. It is vital to never assume anything. You must make sure that every “i” is dotted and every “t” is crossed. Trying to imagine every possible scenario possible is the secret to preparing relentlessly. Relentless preparation means not just preparing for disasters but anticipating potential trouble.

2. Visualize things for yourself is a technique that can