The Driving Force By Peter Schutz

Book Description
What makes a company great? After all, management trends come and go. Economic conditions fluctuate and market demands shift. Corporations re-structure and new owners take over. The one constant, the one enduring truth, is that people define the character of a company. They always have and always will. Motivated, passionate people make the difference between ho-hum mediocrity and extraordinary performance. That's the message from Peter W. Schutz, former CEO of Porsche AG and author of this new book. In the new book, Schutz explains that people are the heart and soul of any business. He says, "Give them something they can share to rally around and nurture the driving force that separates ordinary work from extraordinary work and you can reap a culture of excellence. This is true whether you have five employees or five thousand. It's not a new idea, but it's one that too many leaders consistently forget. And in the new millennium, forgetting this fundamental truth can be fatal." In The Driving Force, Schutz shares a wealth of insights he learned throughout his career-from his first post-college job as an engineer with Caterpillar to his stint with Cummins Engine Company to his seven years at Porsche-that relate to the successful management of people.

About the Author
Born in Germany, Peter Schutz graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, started his career at Caterpillar, and became VP of sales and service at Cummins Engine Company. Later, during his service as CEO of Porsche, the company’s sales volume doubled and its profits increased over tenfold. Now operating his own company, Harris & Schutz, Inc., he is a leadership mentor who speaks on management and marketing to business audiences worldwide. Peter W. Schutz is a recipient of the Henry Townley Heald Award, presented to people whose positive ethics have impacted an entire industry. Other recipients include Jonas Salk, Buckminster Fuller, Mies van der Rohe, Jim Hewlett, Edward Teller, and Ted Turner.