From "Sam", the patriarch CEO whose ability to kill the messenger doomed him to failure, to "Going, Going, Gong", Corporate Nirvana offers a compelling story of the self-commitment essential to be an effective leader. Anderson does a masterful job of framing leadership challenges in terms of personal commitment, feelings, doubts, frustrations and rewards. Few thoughtful executives facing the need to lead change feel confident they personally have all the answers. Anderson repeatedly demonstrates how confident leaders can turn personal doubts and frustrations into powerful leadership forces to achieve accelerated productivity.

I consider Corporate Nirvana a must read for both practicing executives and business students. The approach is fresh, the story line commands reader interest, and the content, while somewhat non-conventional, is right on target. Unlike many leadership books, Corporate Nirvana goes beyond process and description by offering a compelling description of how an executive must engage and personally commit to lead a successful change initiative. I highly recommend Corporate Nirvana as a unique reading experience in a market segment (leadership) that is currently dominated with "I had all the answers" autobiographies.