Made in Britain
Authors: Steven D’Souza and Patrick Clarke
Price: £9.99
Pages: 238
Publisher: Prentice Hall
ISBN: 0 273 70600 4
This book aims to provide an insight into the lives and successes of a selection of role models. These are real people from differing ethnic backgrounds who have achieved success in the face of many obstacles and disadvantages, and even sometimes because of them.
I rarely enjoy reading management books – I generally consider them to be work. However, here is one that I actually found enjoyable to read, and it also made me think.
These role models come from every walk of life and all have made an impact in a variety of environments and careers – from actor to politician, from comedienne to rocket scientist.
There are 14 stories in total and each is fascinating in its own way. Some of the tales inspire, some amaze, and some make you smile. Others make you feel ashamed that you have not appreciated or made the most of the advantages and privileges in your own life, or tried harder to be better at what you do.
The final chapter considers ‘How do we learn from role models?’, which suggests some activities such as ‘learn to model’, ‘find a mentor’ and ‘be a role model yourself’.
However, if you only have time to read a couple of chapters (each chapter is a story), you will have had your £9.99 worth. But once you start, you’ll read the whole book, because I guarantee you won’t be able to put it down.
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Useful? 4 stars
Well-written? 5 stars
Practical? 4 stars
Inspirational? 5 stars
Value for money? 5 stars
Overall 4 stars
Reviewed by Amanda Priestley, HR manager, Zarlink Semiconductor
