Know-How - The 8 Skills that Separate People Who Perform from Those Who Don't by Ram Charan

As someone who has written a book defining a topic (leadership) and claiming to define it in a certain number of items (13), I resonate with the title of this book.

And, like I'm sure many who have read my list of competencies, I'm not sure I would agree that Ram has identified "the" 8 skills; however, I still think this is a good book.

First of all, Ram is easy to read, his past work is well known (co-author of the big hit Execution
and author of What Every CEO Wants you to Know
), and he is clearly a smart guy.

Easy to read books are a good place to start, but when they are backed by a smart guy saying useful and important things, they are even better.

Ram's list of eight skills is more about being in the leader role, which he clearly describes in the book, though the title might be a bit misleading and too global.

Some of the chapters might apply less to you given your current needs, but each are laid out well and will add to your thinking in that area. My favorite chapter (perhaps because of my interest and needs) was "Setting Laser-Sharp Dominant Priorities."

The book also includes a very interesting "Letter to a Future Leader" at the end that is written to a recent graduate - someone he clearly knows. Honestly, I read this first, and I loved it - it summarized the book and highlights just how practical Ram is.

Learn More and Purchase from Amazon