Taking People With You

The Only Way to Make Big Things Happen

By: David Novak

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

David Novak learned long ago that you can't lead a great organization of any size without getting your people aligned, enthusiastic, and focused relentlessly on the mission. But how do you do that? There are countless leadership books, but how many will actually help a Taco Bell shift manager, a Fortune 500 CEO, a new entrepreneur, or anyone in between? Over his 15 years at Yum! Brands, Novak has developed a trademarked program he calls Taking People with You. He spends several weeks each year personally teaching it to thousands of managers around the world. He convinces them that they'll never make big things happen until they learn how to get people on their side. No skill in business is more important. And Yum!'s extraordinary success (at least 13 percent growth for each of the last nine years) proves his point. Novak knows that managers don't need leadership platitudes or business school theories. So he cuts right to the chase with a step-by- step guide to setting big goals, getting people to work together, blowing past your targets, and celebrating after you shock the skeptics. And then doing it again and again until consistent excellence becomes a core element of your culture. This audiobook has specific tools at the end of each chapter that will challenge you to reflect on how you're really doing on key aspects of leadership. And if you apply it, you'll immediately start to improve.

©2012 David Novak (P)2012 Gildan Media Corp

Critic Reviews

"This is the best, most practical hands-on book on leadership I've ever read. If you apply these principles, your career and the people you work with will flourish." (Dr. Bob Rotell, a sports psychologist)

I would like to recommend this book... but can't.

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I have no idea... perhaps someone who has not read many popular books on management.

Has Taking People With You turned you off from other books in this genre?

Probably - I am pleased with the success of the Authors company, but the narrative was the same one I have read in countless other books of the same genus; Gee aren't we cool?! We just figured out if we work together with the idiots that report to us, we can actually do better as a company... I am sooo clever. In a future book, the Author will explain how he cleverly skirted US tax laws by moving the company HQ off-shore... or did they already? Please.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Sean Pratt?

He was fine.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Taking People With You?

Hard to say... I probably would have removed the words and replaced them with pretty pictures.... there would be more value added.

Any additional comments?

I think I nailed it.

Almost very good

Is there anything you would change about this book?

For an audiobook, the exercises at the end of each chapter should be available for download. I have seen this with other books and it is very helpful, especially if the intention is to learn and do. I listen in the car usually and not having a document to work off of later is a loss.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Good story with good examples.

Could you see Taking People With You being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No

Any additional comments?

Nope.

Makes sense!

Would you listen to Taking People With You again? Why?

I've listened to it twice, ordered a hard copy and I'll listen to it again. I'm recommending it to my entire staff.

What did you like best about this story?

The examples can be applied to many situations.

Well paced and interesting - exercises not so much

Would you listen to Taking People With You again? Why?

I don't tend to re-read books very often, but this one had enough different aspects to it and a good pace. I might well revisit it in a year.

What about Sean Pratt’s performance did you like?

The book was well read, clear and easy to follow. The infrequent other characters were subtly different from the main narration voice. Overall very well presented.

Any additional comments?

My only negative comment on the book was that it contains regular exercises to examine your own work and life situations. This sort of exercise is hard to picture in audio form, and clearly requires sitting down and working at the exercise. I tend to listen to audio books on the move, and will naturally not stop to do the exercises.

Very practical guidance on leadership

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Great step by step guidance illustrated by interesting stories.

What did you like best about this story?

Practical.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I liked the illustration of perception... Two shoe companies go to Africa to assess market where no one wears shoes. One company saw no market. The other saw huge potential.

Any additional comments?

I think there are some cultural elements that won't work everywhere... certainly aussies don't do a cheer or sing a team song at KFC. ..no matter what the book says.

Make goals, then make them bigger

Fantastic insight on goal setting, culture, and leading highly effective teams and organizations. The only downside as an audio book is the "homework" at the end of every section as that is difficult to do without the physical copy. That aside, this is a fantastic book.

Great book with great learnings

I love how the book gives you practical ideas and challenges you in ways to make others around you better. It is a true leadership Book and David Novak is quite brilliant!

Improve the World

When you care about, and do something about, other people's success, you success is guaranteed!

Seriously helpful

I found this book to be tremendously helpful and insightful. It has made me think a lot about how I lead in my work, my church, and my family. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to be a better leader.

Extremely insightful.

This book gets right to it and will open your eyes to what you already know but never thought profoundly about.

Adding this to my yearly books to re-read.