Publisher Description

Hailed by Time magazine as the "leading evangelist of quality," Philip Crosby has emerged as one of the century's greatest management thinkers. Now, in this autobiography, the person most responsible for the quality revolution in American business shares the ideas and insights he's gathered over the course of an eventful, forty-year career. A talented storyteller, Crosby recounts his years as vice president of ITT, his working relationship with the legAndary Harold Geneen, and the launch--and re-launch--of his own consulting practice. Quality and Me is an intimate, informative portrait of the man who changed the way quality management is practiced today.

Back Cover

Hailed by Time magazine as the "leading evangelist of quality," Philip Crosby has emerged as one of the century's greatest management thinkers. Now, in this autobiography, the person most responsible for the quality revolution in American business shares the ideas and insights he's gathered over the course of an eventful, forty-year career. A talented storyteller, Crosby recounts his years as vice president of ITT, his working relationship with the legAndary Harold Geneen, and the launch—and re-launch—of his own consulting practice. Quality and Me is an intimate, informative portrait of the man who changed the way quality management is practiced today.

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One of the nation's most influential management consultants, Philip Crosby founded the movement that awakened American business to the importance of quality management. This autobiography spans forty years of his fascinating career. Beginning with an early stint in the U.S. Navy, Crosby recounts his rise from junior engineer to vice president of the ITT Corporation, the world's first major conglomerate. He recalls his working relationship with the legAndary Harold Geneen and relates the events behind the creation, and later the re-creation, of his own consulting firm.But this is more than just a personal history. Crosby, who is renowned for making the concepts of quality accessible to millions of managers around the world, combines tales from his career with specific insights into the theories and practices that made him one of America's most influential businessmen. In each chapter he summarizes the most important learning points from each stage of his career. These learning points are collected for easy reference in the concluding chapter, "Guidelines for Browsers."Written in a style that is at once homespun and profound, this book presents for the first time an intimate retrospective of the career of a true management icon. And Crosby's story isn't over yet. Several years ago, he bought back his consulting firm, re-christened it, and turned it into a $20-million operation serving client companies worldwide. And so his story continues. But here and now, executives, managers, and business students will find a wealth of wisdom and practical advice in his absorbing account of a life's worth of successes, setbacks, and lessons learned.

Author Biography

PHILIP CROSBY is chairman and CEO of Philip Crosby Associates II, based in Winter Park, Florida. He is the author of twelve books, including Quality Is Free, which sold more than two million copies, and The Absolutes of Leadership (Jossey-Bass, 1997).

Table of Contents

Introducing Me.

GROWING UP.

1. From Wheeling to the Navy.

2. A Podiatrist in the Marines.

LEARNING THE NEED FOR A QUALITY REFORMATION.

3. Discovering the Industry.

4. On the Road to Comprehension: The Martin Company.

5. Getting Serious About Reforming Quality Management.

6. ITT and Mr. Geneen.

7. The Nuts and Bolts of Reformation.

8. Implanting the reformed Quality Philosophy.

TEACHING THE QUALITY REFORMATION.

9. Becoming an Entrepeneur.

10. Growing Philip Crosby Associates, Inc.

11. The Maturing Company.

12. Managing a Public company.

CAREERS IV AND FIVE.

13. Speaking Out on Leadership.

14. PCA Redux.

Review

"Phil Crosby deserves his high place in the history of the qualitymovement and this fascinating personal account is filled withwisdom and useful ideas." (Arthur J. Swersey, professor ofoperations research, Yale School of Management)

"Leave it to a top pro like Philip Crosby to separate the practicalfrom the faddish. He meshes the fascinating story of his careerwith another rich load of business lessons. Either of those wouldbe worth the price. In Quality and Me he gives us both. Bravo!"(William L. Simon, author, On the Firing Line and High VelocityLeadership)

Kirkus UK Review

Philip Crosby is one of the most influential thinkers on quality issues. In this book he shares the story of his life and what he has learned about business and management over four decades. Crosby has helped revolutionise the way quality is practised today, and this book is a treasure trove of wisdom and practical advice. (Kirkus UK)

Long Description

Hailed by Time magazine as the "leading evangelist of quality," Philip Crosby has emerged as one of the centurys greatest management thinkers. Now, in this autobiography, the person most responsible for the quality revolution in American business shares the ideas and insights hes gathered over the course of an eventful, forty-year career. A talented storyteller, Crosby recounts his years as vice president of ITT, his working relationship with the legAndary Harold Geneen, and the launch and re-launch of his own consulting practice. Quality and Me is an intimate, informative portrait of the man who changed the way quality management is practiced today.

Review Text

"Phil Crosby deserves his high place in the history of the quality movement and this fascinating personal account is filled with wisdom and useful ideas." (Arthur J. Swersey, professor of operations research, Yale School of Management)

"Leave it to a top pro like Philip Crosby to separate the practical from the faddish. He meshes the fascinating story of his career with another rich load of business lessons. Either of those would be worth the price. In Quality and Me he gives us both. Bravo!" (William L. Simon, author, On the Firing Line and High Velocity Leadership)

Review Quote

"Phil Crosby deserves his high place in the history of the qualitymovement and this fascinating personal account is filled withwisdom and useful ideas." (Arthur J. Swersey, professor ofoperations research, Yale School of Management) "Leave it to a top pro like Philip Crosby to separate the practicalfrom the faddish. He meshes the fascinating story of his careerwith another rich load of business lessons. Either of those wouldbe worth the price. In Quality and Me he gives us both. Bravo!"(William L. Simon, author, On the Firing Line and High VelocityLeadership)

Promotional "Headline"

"Phil Crosby deserves his high place in the history of the quality movement and this fascinating personal account is filled with wisdom and useful ideas." (Arthur J. Swersey, professor of operations research, Yale School of Management)"Leave it to a top pro like Philip Crosby to separate the practical from the faddish. He meshes the fascinating story of his career with another rich load of business lessons. Either of those would be worth the price. In Quality and Me he gives us both. Bravo!" (William L. Simon, author, On the Firing Line and High Velocity Leadership)

Feature

Introducing Me. GROWING UP. 1. From Wheeling to the Navy. 2. A Podiatrist in the Marines. LEARNING THE NEED FOR A QUALITY REFORMATION. 3. Discovering the Industry. 4. On the Road to Comprehension: The Martin Company. 5. Getting Serious About Reforming Quality Management. 6. ITT and Mr. Geneen. 7. The Nuts and Bolts of Reformation. 8. Implanting the reformed Quality Philosophy. TEACHING THE QUALITY REFORMATION. 9. Becoming an Entrepeneur. 10. Growing Philip Crosby Associates, Inc. 11. The Maturing Company. 12. Managing a Public company. CAREERS IV AND FIVE. 13. Speaking Out on Leadership. 14. PCA Redux.

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