[.ca] Memos from the Chairman (ISBN 0761103465)

From Amazon.com:
In nearly two decades as chairman of the board, Alan "Ace" Greenberg has successfully guided Bear Stearns & Co. through the financial marketplace's dizzying highs and sickening lows. His management philosophy, often credited to "advisor and mentor" Haimchinkel Malintz Anaynikal, was articulated over the years in a series of witty and revealing memoranda. Grouped by era and prefaced briefly by the author in Memos from the Chairman, they now offer a front-seat look at a unique business style.

Pithy sayings from a fertile imagination:
If you can weather a few cultural references that not be cheered in these days of political correctness, you will be treated to a book full of "ACE" Greenberg's exhortation to keep your eye on the ball. Mr. Greenberg makes his points to the "troops" by focusing on the smallest detail. In one case this is paperclips, and so it goes on from there. Several mythical characters live in Greenberg's memos, and so keep the reader's interest. All this is window dressing for the main point, cut costs, even in good times, and you will keep the wolves at bay when things get soft. An easy read, but worth the time.

It's Great!:
Fabulous read! Check it out!

In sum: Cut expenses:
Say 'cut expenses' over and over and you get the point of this common-sense book. Also, tie knots in your rubber bands. But lick only half of an envelope so someone else can reuse the envelope and lick the other half? And did I mention that you should cut expenses? How can firms pay those absurd mulit-million-dollar bonuses and expect everyone to adopt these draconian measures. Most of us have been doing what Mr. Greenberg suggests--and more--as a matter of survival in a day when jobs come and go. BTW, to one-up Mr. Greenberg, I'm suggesting my firm go to once-a-day toilet flushings beginning 1/02. We also asked employees to only use two tines on a fork at lunch and share the other two with a co-worker, but we saw an adverse effect on our health premiums.

Good Read:
Good book, quick read. I finished it in about two days and thoroughly enjoyed it. Although it's a little repetetive on cutting costs, Greenberg, HAC, and Nookie make some very good points. At times they do seem quite greedy and money-centric but Greenberg says, "I hate throwing money out the door." The lesson I took away was to not waste rather than to be greedy. P.S.: Keeping with the spirit of the book, save some money and buy it used although I have no plans of selling my copy anytime soon.

Excrement:
Insulting, board room drivel. I used to work at Bear Stearns and am deader inside for having done it.