“Tough Calls from the Corner Office offers invaluable insight into the mind of the CEO.” —Bill Steere, President, Chairman, and CEO of Pfizer “The stories in this book should inspire and give confidence to the many people looking to make their mark in business, or for that matter life.” —General Richard B. Myers, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Fortune 500 executive Harlan Steinbaum collects the wisdom of America’s most successful business leaders in this powerful and inspiring guide to decision-making for your life and career. Thirty-nine of America’s top executives, from ESPN’s Bill Rasmussen to United Airlines’ Gerald Greenwald, along with many other, relate the most important decisions of their careers, sharing why they struggled, how they decided, and what the lessons are they learned along the way—enabling you to achieve more, today.

“Tough Calls from the Corner Office offers invaluable insight into the mind of the CEO.” —Bill Steere, President, Chairman, and CEO of Pfizer “The stories in this book should inspire and give confidence to the many people looking to make their mark in business, or for that matter life.” —General Richard B. Myers, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Fortune 500 executive Harlan Steinbaum collects the wisdom of America’s most successful business leaders in this powerful and inspiring guide to decision-making for your life and career. Thirty-nine of America’s top executives, from ESPN’s Bill Rasmussen to United Airlines’ Gerald Greenwald, along with many other, relate the most important decisions of their careers, sharing why they struggled, how they decided, and what the lessons are they learned along the way—enabling you to achieve more, today.

For better and for worse, few companies have been so prominently and constantly in the public eye as AT&T. Through decades of growth and dominance, followed by its 1984 breakup and a litany of well-documented troubles, the company has soldiered on, by turns thriving and hanging on for dear life.Perhaps no individual experienced as much of the roller-coaster ride as Dick Martin, an executive vice president and 30-year AT&T veteran with both a bird’s-eye view of and a crucial role in the company’s bumpy history.Tough Calls is the ultimate inside look at how AT&T tried to cope with a “perfect storm” of fierce competition, economic turmoil, and punishing media scrutiny. Mixing unflinching candor with love for the company he helped steer -- and clear respect for many of his long-time colleagues -- Martin takes you through boardroom and back room to shed unprecedented light on:* How the 1996 bungled announcement of 40,000 layoffs nearly destroyed the company* How flawed succession planning precipitated sharp declines in AT&T’s stock price* The never-ending, ugly turf battles with the “Baby Bells” brought on by the AT&T breakup* How even small interest groups can have a tremendous influence on business decisions, and how the media are largely responsible for determining what is business news on any given dayTough Calls is also a cautionary tale to be heeded by all businesses, using AT&T’s experience in the brutal telecom wars as a backdrop for new strategies in weathering unforgiving business conditions. Just a few of the lessons to be learned include:* How to avoid the most common mistakes that executives make, such as being held hostage by unrealistic expectations, waiting too long to make critical changes, and building their celebrity rather than their credibility* How to balance internal and external communications, and how and when to deal with the business media* How to improve relationships between PR executives and the “C” suite -- CEO, CFO, Chief Counsel, etc.--and how to make public relations more strategic* How to build and sustain favorable brand recognition and investor allure even in the face of bitter competition and unpredictable market conditionsAs candid and fascinating as it is constructive, Tough Calls is itself a call to attention and to arms, in preparation for the many battles that every business must eventually face, against fierce adversaries, and even within its own camp.

Dozens of top CEOs reveal their candid insights on the keys to effective leadership and the qualities that set high performers apart What does it take to reach the top in business and to inspire others? Adam Bryant of The New York Times decided to answer this and other questions by sitting down with more than seventy CEOs and asking them how they do their jobs and the most important lessons they learned as they rose through the ranks. Over the course of extraordinary interviews, they shared memorable stories and eye-opening insights. The Corner Office draws together lessons from chief executives such as Steve Ballmer (Microsoft), Carol Bartz (Yahoo), Jeffrey Katzenberg (DreamWorks), and Alan Mulally (Ford), from which Bryant has crafted an original work that reveals the keys to success in the business world, including the five essential personality traits that all high performers exhibit—qualities that the CEOs themselves value most and that separate the rising stars from their colleagues. Bryant also demystifies the art of leadership and shows how executives at the top of their game get the most out of others. Leadership is not a one-size-fits-all skill, and these CEOs offer different perspectives that will help anyone who seeks to be a more effective leader and employee. For aspiring executives—of all ages—The Corner Office offers a path to future success.

In Tough Calls: Game-Winning Principles for Leaders Under Pressure, pastor and high school football official Travis Collins offers encouragement and inspiration to Christian leaders. Travis selects famous moments from sports officiating history to bring to life key principles of spiritual leadership. Written for both men and women, this easy-to-read book mixes stories and quotes from the sports world together with biblical wisdom and input from leadership experts.