Saving Big Blue: Leadership Lessons and Turnaround Tactics of IBM's Lou Gerstner

Abstract

From Publisher: When Lou Gerstner arrived as IBM's newest CEO in 1993 - after what The New York Times called the most vividly watched talent search in history of American - world's premier corporation was hemorrhaging money and teetered on verge of break-up. Gerstner, who had led debt-riddled RJR Nabisco from 1989 net loss of $1.1 billion to net income of $299 million in 1992, seemed to thrive on corporate misery. Now, Lou Gerstner - whom Fortune lauded as a sharp, even brilliant, energetic man who thrives on overhauling corporate cultures - faced challenge of his lifetime: Reviving dying IBM. Saving Big Blue is spellbinding saga of how, true to his legend, Lou Gerstner rolled up his sleeves, dug in, and resurrected IBM from and all-but-certain death into textbook example of corporate turnaround wizardry. How Gerstner, by infusing sense of urgency into company that had begun to equate aggressiveness with dishonor, led Big Blue from an $8 billion loss in 1993 to $3 billion profit in 1994 - an unprecedented $11 billion+ turnaround! Written by renowned corporate biographer Robert Slater - author of numerous books on American business and business personalities, including Business Week and Wall Street Journal bestseller Jack Welch and GE Way - Saving Big Blue reveals hidden secrets of world's biggest computer maker. Its chapters present numerous leadership secrets and success maxims, then look inside each to reveal management insights that can be applied to situations of any size or type. For example: Outsiders know more than you think. Discover how, despite his lack of computer experience, Lou Gerstner proved his critics wrong and addressed IBM's crisis from viewpoint of customer. Live and preach culture, or it just wont happen. Gerstner knew that renewed IBM would desperately need new corporate culture. Learn his rules for making change and managing itstop-to-bottom impact. Communicate self confidence, demonstrate leadership. Gerstner understands that communication is key to leadership. Quotes and anecdotes reveal how he got IBM customers and employees to join in his vision. Don't sell product, sell solutions. Read how Gerstner took IBM far beyond just selling computers - to company that helped customer resolve issues and move forward. Lou Gerstner's rescue of IBM is one of world's most inspiring - and instructive - corporate success stories. Filled with page after page of lessons that can be used in virtually any corporate environment, Saving Big Blue takes an honest, inside look at how Gertsner stressed service, propelled IBM into Internet revolution, and continues to this day job of restoring IBM as world's most powerful corporation. In doing so, it provides step-by-step blueprint for achieving success in today's turbulent corporate world.