Colin Powell is a hero of mine for many reasons. He rose
to the rank of four-star general in the United States Army. He was
the first African-American to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
and as Secretary of State. To the best
of my knowledge, he was the first ROTC-commissioned officer to become chair of
the Joint Chiefs. Powell has served his
country as a diplomat under three U. S. Presidents. He is a Republican who refuses to be
partisan. And, most of all, he doesn’t
take himself too seriously.
One of Powell’s greatest talents, however, is his skill
as a story teller. Colin told the story of
his rise from the streets of the South Bronx to halls of power around the world
in A Soldier’s Story (2001) and My American Journey (2003). Others have written about his diplomatic work and
his leadership philosophy. In It Worked for Me, Powell shares his own approach to leadership, personal responsibility, relationships,
and work. Although his anecdotes about
various world leaders and celebrities are interesting, he also shares stories
about the little known people who helped him along the way and the Army
officers with whom he served. One of the
more humorous essays concerns his pet peeves as he travels today as a
professional speaker—unfamiliar plumbing fixtures for example.
I highly recommend this book. Although Powell tends to
see military life through rose colored glasses, he is on target with his
assessment that it is one of the few institutions where a person from an impoverished
and/or minority background can succeed through hard work, discipline, and
commitment. Once you have read the book, you will understand why he is one of
the most popular motivational speakers on the circuit today.
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