Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? - by Louis V Gerstner (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

In 1990, IBM was a corporate dinosaur on the brink of extinction, with the business world watching what looked like the final chapter of an American icon.

The company was paralyzed by its own bureaucracy, losing billions, and had completely lost touch with its customers. The consensus was clear: IBM was too big, too slow, and had to be broken up to survive.

Then Lou Gerstner was brought in as CEO. In a story that has become a legend in the annals of business, the non-technologist CEO undertook one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in history. This first-hand account details the high-stakes journey of a massive business transformation.

Gerstner reveals the vital management strategy and leadership principles he used to rebuild the company from the inside out, challenging a dysfunctional corporate culture to refocus on the marketplace.

Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? is more than just the story of the revival of IBM; it's a powerful business case study in crisis management and the relentless execution required for true business leadership. From the decision to keep the company whole to the strategic bet on services and the creation of "e-business," Gerstner offers a bracingly candid look at what it takes to change a company and an industry.

Gerstner's hard-won lessons provide a masterclass in high-stakes leadership:

• Leading Through Crisis: Discover the day-one principles Gerstner used to stop the bleeding at a company that was losing billions, and how he made the critical decision to keep IBM together against the advice of nearly every expert.
• Driving Cultural Transformation: Learn how to tackle an entrenched, inward-looking bureaucracy and rebuild a company from the inside out by changing how people think, work, and collaborate.
• Relentless Execution: Go beyond theory with a playbook for turning strategy into action, famously summarized by Gerstner's statement that 'the last thing IBM needs right now is a vision.'
• A New Vision for the Tech Industry: Understand the strategic thinking that shifted IBM from a hardware-centric company to a services-led powerhouse and created the concept of "e-business," changing the industry forever.

From the Back Cover

Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? sums up Lou Gerstner's historic business achievement, bringing IBM back from the brink of insolvency to lead the computer business once again.Offering a unique case study drawn from decades of experience at some of America's top companies -- McKinsey, American Express, RJR Nabisco -- Gerstner's insights into management and leadership are applicable to any business, at any level. Ranging from strategy to public relations, from finance to organization, Gerstner reveals the lessons of a lifetime running highly successful companies.

Review Quotes

"[Gerstner] entertains as he educates." - New York Times Book Review

"(Gerstner) entertains as he educates. The book leaves the reader thinking that a few more Gerstners around in the '90s might have prevented the bubble from swelling so large--and popping with such a bang." - New York Times Book Review

"A well-rendered self-portrait of a CEO who made spectacular change on the strength of personal leadership." - Publishers Weekly

"Effective, to the point...Louis V. Gerstner Jr deserves his place in the management hall of fame." - Financial Times

"The best business book I've ever read." - Imus in the Morning

"[Lou Gerstner] has the substance of a genuine and ... interesting story." - Wall Street Journal