| Of the many people who helped with this book, my first acknowledgments go to those senior executives who shared their experiencespositive and negativewith me. Some were clients, of course, but most were not. Only two asked not to be identified in the book, and three were more comfortable in disguised examples. Dozens of others, however, were most generous in allowing me to learn about, comment on, and interpret their experienceseven when it cast them in a less than favorable light. I truly appreciate their openness, insight, and cooperation, without which the book would be much less realistic. |
| Next, I would like to thank a small group who helped me nourish the initial idea, and enabled me to develop it. Of my partners and colleagues, William Matassoni was the first to suggest the topic to me, and Roger Kline, Larry Kanarek, and Steven Dichter saw the potential in my early drafts. Richard Cavanagh, executive director of The Conference Board, as he has so many times before, provided sage counsel and insights on the substance of the material. |
| The real work, however, was shouldered mostly by my assistants, Debbie Shortnacy and Lisa Rawlings. Lisa, in particular, managed a vast array of case write-ups, drafts, redrafts, and revisions. She somehow tracked us through more than ten complete versions before a final manuscript emerged. In addition, Gene Zelazny deserves special thanks for his creative contributions to the charts, tables, and exhibits. Of course, the professionals at Harvard Business School Press were diligent throughout, and I particularly appreciate the wise counsel and advice of Marjorie Williams in helping shape and clarify my arguments and messagesand in urging me to take the time to get it right. |
|
