Table of Contents

Introduction
An Elizabethan Prologue
One: "My Little Power": A Leader's First Lesson: Survival
Two: From Bastard Child to Virgin Queen: Creating a Leadership Image
Three: "Unto Her People": Combining the Common Touch with the Air of Leadership
Four: Keeping the Faith: Creating Common Cause without Tyranny
Five: Good Counsel: Building a Loyal Staff - and a Loyal Opposition
Six: New Worlds, New Markets: Growing the Enterprise and Crushing the Competition
Seven: "The Heart and Stomach of a King": Turning Crisis into Triumph
Eight: Rebellion: Holding onto the Power
Nine: Queen of the Bottom Line: Doing Business without Excuses
Ten: Winning: A Great Leader Assesses Herself
Appendix: An Elizabethan Chronicle: A Timeline Study of the Age of Elizabeth
Recommended Reading: The Sources of Elizabeth I, CEO
Index

About the Author

Alan Axelrod is a renowned historian and business writer. He was the co author of the New York Times bestseller What Every American Should Know About American History as well as the BusinessWeek bestsellers Patton on Leadership and Elizabeth I, CEO. He has written extensively on the Civil War.

Reviews

Who could possibly offer better leadership lessons than one of the most powerful women in history? Axelrod (Patton on Leadership, etc.) details more than 100 leadership principles based on Queen Elizabeth's style of statesmanship. Having assumed the throne during a time of economic and religious turmoil, she helped rebuild England and strengthen its position in the world during her four decades as queen. Some of the lessons drawn from her reign are simplistic and obvious, such as "Knowledge Really Is Power," based on the queen's voracious appetite for reading and her study of Greek and Latin. "Keep a Clear Head and an Even Keel" derives from the monarch's ability to hold her temper; during difficult negotiations, she would occasionally leave the room to walk outside. Other lessons deserve more attention from today's executives, such as "Make a Spectacle of Yourself": Axelrod avers that a leader must motivate employees with more than the bottom line, and that theatrical gestures can be an effective source of inspiration. In a similar vein, Axelrod exhorts, "Be a Great Communicator": "An effective leader thinks about what he says, carefully crafting each utterance of any significance." While history fans will enjoy the brief portraits of Queen Elizabeth's governing style in various circumstances, those seeking penetrating management insights may be disappointed that not every lesson applies equally to today's corporate leaders. $200,000 ad/promo; 3-city tour; 20-city radio satellite tour. (Sept.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Axelrod (Patton on Leadership) blends his skills in business and historical writing in this informative work on the leadership lessons that can be learned from the 45-year reign (1558-1603) of English Queen Elizabeth I. As she ascended the throne, England was embroiled with the Scots and the French and plagued by the Irish rebellion. The treasury was exhausted, the economy was mired in runaway inflation, the population mostly impoverished, and there was no army or navy to speak of. After a marvelous prolog and introduction that sets the stage for her entry into history, Axelrod summarizes how Elizabeth's leadership skills, demonstrated during her tenure, enabled England to soon become the greatest empire the world had ever known. The queen's principles that are linked to today's harried managers include developing a leadership image, establishing priorities, inspiring others, building teams, resolving conflict, and leading by example. While the lessons have all been heard before, the solid, resonant narration by Nelson Runger well serves the importance of this historical link to the realities of modern business. Recommended for all public libraries. Dale Farris, Groves, TX Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.