The fundamental question in business and in personal life is the same: What really matters? In this book one of America’s most widely admired business leaders distills a lifetime of experience, including failures as well as successes, to reveal his answers.
John Pepper, president, CEO, and chairman of Procter & Gamble for a combined 16 years, underscores the importance of continuous change, innovation, and renewal as prerequisites for growth and sound leadershi… More >>
What Really Matters: Service, Leadership, People, and Values
Tags: Leadership, Matters, People, Really, Service, Values
#1 by Diana Shaheen on April 8, 2010 - 3:02 pm
John Pepper shares his genuine perspective on What Really Matters… in life and on the job. His approach to leadership and building businesses and people is inspiring — his approach authentic. You get a real sense of the character of this incredible man. — Diana Shaheen, P&G
Rating: 5 / 5
#2 by Paul Allaer on April 8, 2010 - 5:19 pm
John Pepper is an icon in the Cincinnati community for many reasons, one of them of course being the past CEO of Procter & Gamble, itself such a huge institution and pillar of Cincinnati. This book was originally published in 2005, intended for P&Gers only, but when it became apparent what a great message there was for non-P&Gers as well, Pepper revisited the book and updated it, and it is now released for all to enjoy. (Disclaimer: I am not an P&G employee.)
In “What Really Matters: Service, Leadership, People and Values” (305 pages), Pepper covers a lot of ground. I found the retelling of his early days at P&G fascinating (he accepted a job offer on the spot, without knowing how much it paid), how he was allowed to take charge, make mistakes, learn from them and grow stronger from it. Pepper discects a lot of the P&G commercial successes AND failures, demonstrating how to let the customers decide is the ultimate mantra (”never give your customers a reason to switch away from your brand”). Pepper describes in vivid terms how P&G was able to become a strong player in Eastern and Central Europe, after an early shaky start. In the next part of the book, Pepper demonstrates the rewards of “doing good”, pointing out how the CEO of Nuxell (of Cover Girl Cosmetics) told him he couldn’t envision selling his company to anyone other than P&G, and what P&G did to assist workers in Russia it had to lay off due to a difficult commercial environment at that time.
Pepper goes on to demonstrate the value of being honest, at every level, in every situation, even if the short-term effect is not good, resulting in a company culture that thrives on honesty. In the latter part of the book, Pepper demonstrated the benefits of diversity, and ‘informed passion’, as he calls it. After finally retiring from P&G in 2002, Pepper became VP of Finance and Administration at Yale (his alma mater) and then the CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center here in Cincinnati. His jobs may have changed, but his leadership never did. We here in Cincinnati are lucky to have someone of his caliber in our community, but truth be told, everyone, regardless of location, can learn from him. “Waht Really Matters” is outstanding in every which way and, frankly, should be required reading for HS seniors and college students around the country.
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by Harold E. Grupe Jr. on April 8, 2010 - 7:25 pm
John Pepper is a remarkable man who shares his advice and his experiences and dreams
with all of us, and we can all benefit from his writings. Put this book in your library
so you can go back and read your favorite parts again.
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by Kevin M. Carroll on April 8, 2010 - 8:59 pm
He asked ME what I wanted him to talk about. I sat in awe and fumbled for words. He just wrote a book. I figured I’d point him to the chapter I wanted him to explore with us and then let him run with it. But he sat there in the meeting room of the Freedom Center with his chin on his hand, gazing at me with the most friendly, down-to-earth, and quizzical stare. Parity. His book is personal. He is personal. What else should I have expected when I asked him to speak to recruits at the University of Cincinnati? Personal and powerful. Ordinary and yet extraordinary.
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by Parka on April 8, 2010 - 11:17 pm
This is no doubt one of the best business book I’ve read this year. Even after reading the first chapter, I knew I had to give it 5 stars.
John Pepper is the ex-CEO of P&G from 1995 to 1999. He is now the chairman of the board at Walt Disney Company and a CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
As you can see from the cover, the book talks on service, leadership, people and values. Throughout the book, you’ll be be presented with never ending life experiences from John Pepper over his 40 over years of service in P&G.
The book is divided into three parts, Foundations for Success, Staying in the Lead and How We Live Our Lives.
In the first part, he talked on the principles behind brand building. He drew on numerous examples to make his point.
For the second part, he touched on how P&G was involved in community building and the important role it played for the company.
In the last part, it was about management in general and how he lead his company and what he learned during the years at P&G.
Even though you may not have worked for P&G, after reading the book, you will have a very thorough understanding of the guiding principles of P&G.
Rating: 5 / 5