By Rolf Crocker

Happy New Year!  2005 is going to be the best year yet – I guarantee it (with no apologies to George Zimmer)!  Why would I make such a bold and audacious statement?  Because it is truly a blank slate, a clean sheet of paper, a fresh starting place with nothing but possibilities on the horizon.  Will it all be perfect?  Of course not – life is not perfect, nor is it necessarily fair.  However, what you do with what you have (or don’t have) – that is entirely up to you.  One of Jack Welch’s 7 Rules (and the title of a great book reviewed below) is, “Control your destiny, or someone else will.”  Do not leave your future in someone else’s hands – be a participant in your success, not a spectator to failure or, even worse, mediocrity.  Let me speak plainly – DO SOMETHING!!  J  What is something radical you can do to change your life?  A modesty and humble suggestion – start by reading some great books!!

Control Your Destiny Or Someone Else Will by Noel Tichy and Stratford Sherman (©2001 HarperBusiness). The definitive analysis of General Electric under the tenure of Jack Welch, written by two insiders – Noel Tichy (also author of The Leadership Engine reviewed in this column in ’04) ran the GE Crotonville Training Facility at its inception.  Stratford Sherman covered GE and Jack Welch for Fortune Magazine.  This book is part history, part analysis, and part leadership training, with material culled directly from the GE archives  This book is required reading at most business schools and it’s concepts will change your view of business.  Highly recommended!  5 Stars!

Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed The Art of War by Roger Coram (©2004 Back Bay Books).  This book is not for the faint of heart – people will either love it or hate it.  However, I can tell you without hyperbole that the concepts of Col. John Boyd have completely changed how I look at business and life.  This book is a biography of the man who, more than any other, revolutionized how the military (particularly the Marine Corps) conduct warfare in the 21^st century.  An honest, sometimes brutal and well-researched book, Col. Boyd devoted his life, both in service and out of service, to his country in ways that have yet to be measured, at enormous personal sacrifice.  Again, this book is not for everyone (read some reviews at Amazon.com first) – but if you decide to tackle it, you will walk away richer for the experience.  Look to hear more about Col. Boyd and his concepts in future book reviews and articles.  5 Stars!