Obstacles Welcome: How to Turn Adversity into Advantage in Business and in Life By Ralph de la Vega
Obstacles Welcome is the story of Ralph de la Vega’s life as a young Cuban boy who came to America in the midst of uncertainty and political uproar. He parallels life’s adversities with those found in corporate business. de la Vega learned how to welcome challenges and to turn them around to his advantage. Through hard work, he became CEO of AT&T and then of Cingular Wireless.
Ralph de la Vega’s recounted description mirrors that of a transformational leader. Transformational Leadership starts with the development of a vision, a view of the future that will excite and convert potential followers. He will constantly sell the vision. This takes energy and commitment, as few people will immediately buy into a radical vision, and some will join the show much more slowly than others will. He creates trust and actually cares about his followers.
Transformational Leaders are always visible and will stand up to be counted rather than hide behind their troops. They show by their attitudes and actions how everyone else should behave. They also make continued efforts to motivate and rally their followers, constantly doing the rounds, listening, soothing and enthusing.
It is their unswerving commitment as much as anything else that keeps people going, particularly through the darker times when some may question whether the vision can ever be achieved. Ralph de la Vega displays all the characteristics of a transformational leader, which is surely, what helped him to succeed.
The book reads like a PowerPoint presentation and each chapter ends with “Takeaway Points.” If you are not interested in business or in transformational leadership, then this may not be the book for you. However, it is an easy read and definitely one that should not be overlooked.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
