[.ca] The Warren Buffett CEO: Secrets from the Berkshire ... (ISBN 0471430455)

A Pedestrian Book Saved Only by the Managers Themselves:
Thank goodness Berkshire Hathaway is populated by so much management talent. Even Robert Miles' mediocre writing and pedestrian insights can't obscure the real value of this book, which is to document, in a detailed and therefore fairly convincing way, Warren Buffett's exceptional ability to choose and motivate people. Buffett's techniques for dealing with people are well-known (he talks about them constantly) and this book has almost nothing really new to reveal, but Berkshire junkies will enjoy the anecdotes and facts that bring Buffett's concepts to life in a more concrete way. Even though many of the stories are recycled, hearing a few of the managers speak in their own words and tell their own versions is revealing. That Buffett himself made a kind remark about this book is unremarkable. What else could he possibly say about a book that features some of his key people? Bottom line: this is definitely a book for those already familiar with, and enthusiastic about, Buffett. Miles' publisher, Wylie, has created a virtual industry out of quickie trade books about Buffett. Wylie's new twist in this book is the Berkshire managers, who provide whatever shine it emits. But somewhere along the way, a mighty big assist must have been delivered on the editorial end to tone the writing style down into something publishable. How so? Miles himself comes across as one of the most self-aggrandizing, uber-promotional, un-Buffett-like people imaginable. That someone could write about Warren Buffett, with seemingly so little concept of what the man is about, is amazing. It wouldn't be the first time Buffett's name has been exploited by someone who barely knows him, but Miles takes exploitation to a whole new extreme. The Robert Miles web page, which reminds one of a three-card monte dealer or perhaps, one of the more gelatinous used car salesman types, speaks for itself. The headline, "You May Never Meet Warren Buffett, But Hear Robert P. Miles Speak and You'll Feel Like You Have" says it all. If you want to read a book about the value of humility by an author who has the nerve to compare himself to Warren Buffett, well, this is that book.

Understanding BRK real sucess secret - letter to the author:
Dear Mr. Miles, I believe this is the first time I have been moved to contact an author to congratulate him on his work. I have just finished reading your "Warren Buffett CEO" book and wish to thank you for your efforts in capturing on paper the thoughts and business sense of this marvellous group of individuals and their unique relationship with the indefatiguable Warren Buffett. I have more than an academic interest in your work - your studious and fluently written examination of the managers of BRKs operational subsiduaries finished off the mosaic of my understanding of this extraordinary business and has encouraged me to pursue the development of my own company within the guidelines that I and my partners have been formulating for the past fifteen years and putting into practice for the last three with even more vigour and singlemindedness of purpose. Along with hundreds of other active business investment managers, I have been strongly influenced by the writings of Graham, Fisher and others. It has been inspirational to watch Mr. Buffett putting these principles into practice over the last two decades (I wasn't paying attention in the first decade as I was too busy doing things that teenagers in the UK customarily do) and I have always been grateful for his efforts made to share his thoughts and articulate his principles with interested outsiders. As a consequence my own business which is a simple capital allocation vehicle - set up to manage the wealth of small collection of private individuals and their families - is strongly influenced by the examples of those mentioned above. Your in-depth description of Berkshires managers and their traits was a joy to read - I literally couldn't put it down (if I could have taken into the shower I would have done). What your work has done is to encourage me to concentrate even more determinedly on doing business with people who are passionate, competent, principled and inspiring. Strange as it may seem, there are lots of people of that calibre running great businesses in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the UK (my hunting grounds) and the opportunities currently are legion. So thank you for that, for making the effort and for articulating your findings so well and with such respect for the individuals and their institutions. One final thought - Mr. Buffett has built an extraordinary company and achieved extraordinary returns over three decades. The world will remember him for that. After reading your book, my overriding impression will be of a man who inspired such loyalty in his first class manangers that to a man (and one woman) they all wished for nothing more fervently than to make him proud of them - now that is a phenomenal achievement by any standards and one truly to aspire to. Best wishes Steven Wilkinson Managing Director Buchanan Holdings Ltd

Highly Recommended!:
Robert Miles knows Warren Buffett, and it's clear that he also knows a thing or two about the people who run the companies in Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. Armed with information gleaned from eight months of intensive interviews, Miles uncovers what makes a Berkshire manager tick, and covers the workings of Berkshire, itself, as well. Writing through the voices of the CEOs he portrays, Miles skillfully weaves the colorful histories of 18 firms into a revealing set of success stories. Many tales are similar - the CEOs love their companies; they worked hard to build solid businesses and no one regrets selling his firm to Berkshire. They all sound genuinely happier than you might possibly believe, and each chapter has business models you shouldn't miss. We invite any executive to enter these pages for an insider's view (still, it doesn't hurt to remember, they all knew Warren was gonna read it).

Highly Recommended!:
Robert Miles knows Warren Buffett, and it's clear that he also knows a thing or two about the people who run the companies in Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. Armed with information gleaned from eight months of intensive interviews, Miles uncovers what makes a Berkshire manager tick, and covers the workings of Berkshire, itself, as well. Writing through the voices of the CEOs he portrays, Miles skillfully weaves the colorful histories of 18 firms into a revealing set of success stories. Many tales are similar - the CEOs love their companies; they worked hard to build solid businesses and no one regrets selling his firm to Berkshire. They all sound genuinely happier than you might possibly believe, and each chapter has business models you shouldn't miss. We invite any executive to enter these pages for an insider's view (still, it doesn't hurt to remember, they all knew Warren was gonna read it).

Great book about the inner workings of BRK:
Skim through the back of the 2002 annual report, and you'll see a list of the dozens of operating subsidiary companies within Berkshire. To my knowledge, this book covers the managers of these companies in more depth than any other book. It is essential to learn about these managers because among them will be chosen the successors of Mr. Buffett. Personally, reading this book gives me confidence in the future of Berkshire in the post-Buffett/Munger era. I especially liked the chapter on Ajit Jain, who has not been covered by other books. This book is an absolute must read for those planning on holding their Berkshire shares forever.