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YPO: The First Fifty Years
This behind-the-scenes account of Young President’s Organization first 50 years—especially its formative and often turbulent first 25 years—provides fascinating insights into a highly influential organization that has traditionally resisted publicity. The 8,000 members of YPO today generate a cumulative $1.3 trillion annually reported the Washington Post this year, and that’s not counting the many thousands of alumni.
Hardcover
First published April 6, 2000
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 29, 2019
Review is intended for personal use -- summary of thoughts / takeaways to help decide whether to potentially re-read again later.
Potential for impact: low
Enjoyableness of reading: medium
Likelihood of re-reading: low
The First 50 Years is a specialty book – so specialized I actually had to buy the actual book rather than a Kindle version of the book because there was never one released. It’s basically a corporate history of an organization called “YPO” or Young Presidents Organization, which I heard about through a business associate.
The thing about the book is that it literally is the history of the organization, probably commissioned by the org itself. Not sure why else there would be a demand for this book, especially because the organization has stayed out of the press for most of the time (and the book has many, many interviews with members).
There are definitely interesting parts to the book – much of it around how hard it is to actually start and maintain a top-quality membership driven non-profity type business at scale (like Toastmasters, Rotary etc) which all have regularly rotating CEOs / board members because that's how they're structured. Biggest challenges with orgs like this are that a) everyone is busy because they have their day job and b) large initiatives tend to not go through tends to be very low because all of the leadership changes every year.
When I was in college, the idea I had of success went something like: “oh I’d like to be successful money-wise and then be on a lot of different boards and that’s how I know I've made it...” well, I’m not sure anymore. And by not sure I mean exactly that – being on boards might be fun, but they represent a significant time commitment… and will I really be able to add value? Also, is this how I want to spend my time? Maybe. And maybe not. I guess we’ll see after I get successful business-wise.
In the meantime, big takeaway – it is really hard to change big organizations. Once inertia sets in how do you move it? I imagine people are the same way – someone's habits create a certain inertia and while the habits can be changed… it’s far more important to correctly set the habits initially so they can be refined with time rather than reversed. In that way, a few things can really add value (like YPO’s Forum and social events have for YPO).
Regardless this was a good enough read, worth doing once. Probably not again, to be honest, but was worth the initial read.
Potential for impact: low
Enjoyableness of reading: medium
Likelihood of re-reading: low
The First 50 Years is a specialty book – so specialized I actually had to buy the actual book rather than a Kindle version of the book because there was never one released. It’s basically a corporate history of an organization called “YPO” or Young Presidents Organization, which I heard about through a business associate.
The thing about the book is that it literally is the history of the organization, probably commissioned by the org itself. Not sure why else there would be a demand for this book, especially because the organization has stayed out of the press for most of the time (and the book has many, many interviews with members).
There are definitely interesting parts to the book – much of it around how hard it is to actually start and maintain a top-quality membership driven non-profity type business at scale (like Toastmasters, Rotary etc) which all have regularly rotating CEOs / board members because that's how they're structured. Biggest challenges with orgs like this are that a) everyone is busy because they have their day job and b) large initiatives tend to not go through tends to be very low because all of the leadership changes every year.
When I was in college, the idea I had of success went something like: “oh I’d like to be successful money-wise and then be on a lot of different boards and that’s how I know I've made it...” well, I’m not sure anymore. And by not sure I mean exactly that – being on boards might be fun, but they represent a significant time commitment… and will I really be able to add value? Also, is this how I want to spend my time? Maybe. And maybe not. I guess we’ll see after I get successful business-wise.
In the meantime, big takeaway – it is really hard to change big organizations. Once inertia sets in how do you move it? I imagine people are the same way – someone's habits create a certain inertia and while the habits can be changed… it’s far more important to correctly set the habits initially so they can be refined with time rather than reversed. In that way, a few things can really add value (like YPO’s Forum and social events have for YPO).
Regardless this was a good enough read, worth doing once. Probably not again, to be honest, but was worth the initial read.
Displaying 1 of 1 review