Originally published in the November 2002 Issue of Link & Learn.

A leader lends him or herself to every challenge, bearing a unique set of skills collected over his or her lifetime - a blend of instincts, abilities, and choices, some of which are innate, others of which are acquired, all of which are valuable. In Rudolph W. Giuliani's book, Leadership, the former mayor of New York City reveals the principles and beliefs that guide his decisions; describes the influential people and events in his life that have prepared him to face, understand, and defeat formidable opponents; and provides insight on the man who earned his stripes long before he led his city and the nation through the dreadful events and aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

Leadership is not about the events of September 11, although Parts I and III (entitled "September 11, 2001" and "Recovery," respectively) do bookend the fourteen chapters on leadership with an engrossing account of Giuliani's first reactions to the attacks. Instead, the book is equal parts treatise, autobiography, and celebration of his administration. Giuliani's whip-crack prose is as logical and direct as his public speech, and the simple, effective chapter titles (e.g. "Underpromise and Overdeliver," "Stand Up to Bullies") clearly chronicle his personal values. In each chapter, he underscores his point with a lively mix of anecdotes from his work as a corporate lawyer and U.S. Attorney, his experiences as mayor, and even a few stories from his personal life.

Throughout the book, Giuliani gives the reader an inside look at his practical management principles and hands-on style. He states very early on that before you can be effective as a leader, you must understand your own strengths and weaknesses. By knowing where your shortcomings lie, you can begin to figure out the kinds of people you need to surround yourself with. He asserts that everyone possesses leadership qualities; the secret to bringing them out is creating "unexpected personnel marriages" that create dynamic partnerships. "Telling someone who's quantitatively oriented that he's not qualitatively oriented makes him feel bad," he says. "Having him work with someone who is qualitatively oriented will often achieve better results."

Giuliani credits his success as mayor to many things: learning as much as he could about himself and his personal style, learning about the things that people with different styles could bring to the table, and having a dedicated staff that he could communicate with. He dispels the criticism that he selected staff who bent to his will, emphasizing that he and his staff were able to present a unified front because he held daily check-in meetings with his top counselors and deputies. He describes the debates and meetings he held with his staff before making a vital decision or setting an important policy. He cites accountability, preparedness, and communication as key to the success of his administration.

Rudy Giuliani was an indisputable force during his tenure as mayor of New York City. As the Appendix of "Before and After" figures will attest, his administration was credited with affecting significant positive fiscal and social change, including a 57% drop in overall crime, the economic revitalization of Times Square, and a 60% reduction in welfare rolls from 1.1 million in 1995 to below 500,000 in 2001. However, his greatest glory came at the very end of his term; the entire nation was there to bear witness to the mighty, level-headed, and inspiring display of leadership which earned him the honor of being named Time magazine's "Man of the Year" in 2001. In the end, the lessons offered within Leadership are solid, practical, and perhaps nothing new, but coming from a proven leader like Giuliani, they have a gravity that is impossible to refute.

The opinions expressed in this review are those of the reviewer and not necessarily those of Linkage, Inc.

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