Edward de Bono is considered one of the most outstanding thinkers in the world. He is the leading authority in conceptual and creative thinking and, in the teaching of thinking as a skill. He introduced the landmark concept of “lateral thinking” which challenges traditional thinking based on analysis, judgment and argument.
Ideas, perceptions, and structures change in time and are, according to de Bono, “a summary of history rather than a blueprint for the future. In the mind, this is due to the self-organizing nature of the brain, which is designed as a pattern-making recognition system... What we need are ways of cutting across patterns in order to find more fruitful ones (hence the term “lateral thinking”). His best seller “Lateral Thinking: A Textbook of Creativity” provides the reader with the methods and tools for learning this innovative way of thinking.
Edward de Bono has written 70 books including “Tactics: The Art and Science of Success”. This unforgettable self-help classic, released for the first time in 1985, has been republished as a paperback. Unlike most of his books which deal with the methods and tools for a new way of thinking, “Tactics”, examines the valuable lessons that might be learned from some unusually successful people. With his brilliant insightfulness, Edward de Bono studies their different paths to success and reveals that behind their distinct styles and characters, one can find a number of characteristics common to all successful people. Successful people are known for their energy, persistence, determination and single-mindedness.
“Tactics”, is a compilation of 50 interviews with people who have achieved success in various fields (sports, fashion, business and arts, etc.). The author attempts to answer the questions we all ask ourselves: What does it take to succeed in today’s competitive world? Is it luck? Talent? Why do some people emerge as successful while others, who seem to work just as hard, never make it? Are special skills required?
De Bono designed and runs the CoRT Thinking Program, which is the most widely used method in the world, for the teaching of thinking in schools. Moreover, his instruction has been sought by governments and major corporations such as IBM, Du Pont, AT&T, and Ericsson. Siemens, one of the largest corporations in Europe, is teaching his work and when Microsoft held its first-ever marketing meeting, Edward de Bono was invited to give the keynote address in Seattle to five hundred senior managers.
De Bono’s unique teaching experience clearly shows up in “Tactics”. Twelve chapters are contained in three parts focused on characteristics of success, preparing for success and finally making a success. In each chapter, the author analyzes the interviews, adding useful insights and reflections; he then concludes with a well-crafted summary.
In the introduction, de Bono mentions that many people attribute success to luck, a little madness, talent or working in a rapid-growth field but in reality these factors play a minor role in achieving success. In some cases, these factors played no role at all and in other cases, success was due to these factors as well as to others. “That is why this book is worth reading... At the end of the book, the reader should say: ‘Why not me?’” says de Bono.
All the 12 chapters deal with interesting topics. They are not only fun to read but also incredibly informative because the author constantly and appropriately quotes famous people and gives his own remarks or explanations. The reader gets a lively and fascinating insight into how famous people have succeeded.
The highlight of the first chapter concerns the ability to cope with failure. Failure can completely destroy or build a person’s confidence; it can also trigger a bout of depression or act as a positive stimulus. “Success is an affirmation but not a learning process. There are times when failure has value as a teacher,” says de Bono.
Jim Rogers describes himself as the ‘poor boy of Alabama’. He turned his personal wealth of $600 into $14 million in just 12 years. He made his fortune when he formed an offshore hedge fund money management company with George Soros. He recounts, in the book, with a good sense of humor, that when he first started on Wall Street, he visited a rich, powerful man who backed bright young men and who told him:
“You know, the best thing that can happen to you or any young person starting in this kind of business, or any kind of business, is that you go bankrupt.”
A year or two later, Jim Rogers did lose everything he had.
“It really was a very, very good thing to happen to me. Years later I understood that you learn a lot about yourself, you learn a lot about making mistakes. One of the best things you learn is that you can make mistakes.”
While discussing why and how power and money stimulate success, the author acknowledges that power means different things to different people but underneath all the various definitions, there is the belief that power can make something happen. When Robert Maxwell was asked, if he got pleasure from power, he answered: “The only thing I get pleasure out of, is that I have a car and a driver and I don’t have to worry about car parking problems!”
Malcolm Forbes believes a leader needs to have power in order to rule: “People who like authority for itself are never successful, but exercising authority is part of what is required from somebody in a responsible position. You’ve got to be able to do it, but when it’s an end in itself, usually you’re not successful”.
“Tactics”, is one of those inspiring and indispensable books that will always give you some new ideas and solutions. It shows us that there are different styles of success which depend on a person’s character and, to a certain extent, on the field of success. Patience, energy, efficiency or even toughness can play a major role in a person’s success.
“I would suggest that the keen student of success reads the book over and over again in order to learn the many lessons that are on offer. There may be observations that become apparent from the quotations and to which I have not drawn attention,” concludes Edward de Bono.