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  • Published: 24 March 2009
  • ISBN: 9781400082995
  • Imprint: Crown
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 288
  • RRP: $45.00

The Go Point

How to Get Off the Fence by Knowing What to Do and When to Do It




THE GO POINT will be the book for decision makers that Getting to Yes has been for negotiators, appealing to those making personal decisions about careers to those saying yes or not to multi-billion dollar deals.

What do you do when it’s time to get off the fence?

One of the world’s most noted leadership experts, Michael Useem uses dramatic story­telling to show how to master the art and science of being decisive. He places you smack in the middle of people who faced their go point, when actions–or lack of them–determined the fates of individuals, companies, and countries.

• Why on earth did Robert E. Lee send General George Pickett on an almost suicidal charge against the Union lines at Gettysburg?

• How does the leader of a firefighting crew make life-or-death decisions when one direction means safety, the other danger?

• You’ve just assumed responsibility for a scandal-wracked corporation, a company teetering on the brink of disaster. What you decide over the course of the next several days will have consequences for thousands of employees and investors. How do you fulfill your responsibilities?

You’ll discover why some decisions were flawless, perfectly on target, and others utterly disastrous. Most of all, you’ll learn how to make the right calls yourself, whether you’re changing your career, launching a product, or deciding on a potential acquisition or merger.

  • Published: 24 March 2009
  • ISBN: 9781400082995
  • Imprint: Crown
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 288
  • RRP: $45.00

About the author

Michael Useem

MICHAEL USEEM is professor of management and director of the Center for Leadership and Change at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of several books, including Leading Up and The Leadership Moment, and he runs programs for managers in the Andes, Patagonia, and the Himalayas.

JERRY USEEM is a senior writer at Fortune magazine, where he has covered management in such diverse contexts as Wal-Mart stores, the New York Yankees, and big corporate disasters.

PAUL ASEL was an adviser to start-up companies who helped pioneer venture capital in post-Communist Russia before bringing his experience to Silicon Valley. All three have wandered the world’s high—but mainly not so high—mountain ranges.

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Praise for The Go Point