Bureaucratic Entrepreneur : How to Be Effective in Any Unruly Workplace

by Richard N. Haass

" How do you figure out what to do in a job? How do you get it done? How should you deal with demanding bosses? How can you get the most out of subordinates? What should you do to get along with difficult colleagues and handle powerful interest groups and the media? Just how can you succeed in a world where persuasion rather than direct command is the rule? Using a compass as his operating metaphor--your boss is north of you, your staff is south, colleagues are east and so on--Richard Haass provides clear, practical guidelines for setting goals and translating goals into results. The result is a lively, useful book for the tens of millions of Americans working in complex and unruly organizations of every sort and for students of both public administration and business. The Bureaucratic Entrepreneur is a new and updated edition of Haass's 1994 book, The Power to Persuade. "

Genres: Leadership, Nonfiction, Self Help, Business, Government

Unknown Binding

First published December 1, 1998

About the author

Dr. Richard Nathan Haass is in his fourteenth year as president of the Council on Foreign Relations, an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, publisher and educational institution dedicated to being a resource to help people better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.

In 2013, he served as the chair of the multiparty negotiations in Northern Ireland that provided the foundation for the 2014 Stormont House Agreement. For his efforts to promote peace and conflict resolution, he received the 2013 Tipperary International Peace Award.

From January 2001 to June 2003, Dr. Haass was director of policy planning for the Department of State, where he was a principal advisor to Secretary of State Colin Powell. Confirmed by the U.S. Senate to hold the rank of ambassador, Dr. Haass also served as U.S. coordinator for policy toward the future of Afghanistan and U.S. envoy to the Northern Ireland peace process. In recognition of his service, he received the State Department’s Distinguished Honor Award.

Dr. Haass has extensive additional government experience. From 1989 to 1993, he was special assistant to President George H.W. Bush and senior director for Near East and South Asian affairs on the staff of the National Security Council. In 1991, Dr. Haass was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal for his contributions to the development and articulation of U.S. policy during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Previously, he served in the Departments of State (1981–1985) and Defense (1979–1980), and was a legislative aide in the U.S. Senate.

Dr. Haass also was vice president and director of foreign policy studies at the Brookings Institution, the Sol M. Linowitz visiting professor of international studies at Hamilton College, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a lecturer in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, and a research associate at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. A Rhodes scholar, Dr. Haass holds a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and master’s and doctorate degrees from Oxford University. He has also received numerous honorary degrees.

Dr. Haass is the author or editor of thirteen books on American foreign policy and one book on management. His latest book is A World in Disarray: American Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Old Order, published in 2017 by Penguin Press.

Reviews

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still as good every time I revisit it

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

This practical and readable book should be required reading for anyone wanting to be effective in a public sector career. Haass, drawing on his experience on the National Security Council staff, in the State and Defense Departments, and elsewhere, provides clear and actionable advice on how to determine your agenda and how to successfully pursue it within the context of your four main constituencies -- your boss, your employees, your colleagues within your agency, and those external to your agency. He artfully combines advice with apt examples from within public administration. This book is filled with excellent insight and advice; it is absolutely usable -- it isn't fluff, obvious, or useful only to seniors. In fact, but for a few sections completely relevant only to public sector employees, private sector workers would benefit from Haass' advice on career management and engagement with the four groups surrounding the individual trying to be effective in his or her organization. This is a great little book -- and it has an awesome annotated bibliography. And who isn't a sucker for a great annotated bibliography?

Note: While Haass is very much still in the public mix, this book is a little dated in its references -- it was last updated in 1999. Some allusions may fall flat or require a few Wikipedia look-ups for some. That said, this is still a powerful little tool for your toolkit.

[Jo Lin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would, of course, never voluntarily pick such a serious book for myself, and was pleasantly surprised to find it surprisingly readable. There's so many MBA-type books out there for the private sector that it's refreshing to read something aimed at the civil service. Useful tips on how to frame your working relationships, but with a typical American slant- at the end of the day, it's all about you.

[Ernst · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, written by an eminent political staffer in a number of US administrations including the White House during both Bush presidencies tries to provide a frame of reference for a member in really any organization, and orientation as to how to get results and be effective in ones job.
The result is a very readable, not very thick book that is relevant not only for the public service, but really anybody who works in a larger organization.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book for anyone working in the public sector. It really hit home on many fronts. Even though this book is 16 years old at the moment, it is still incredibly relevant. Government work doesn't change very quickly, and that is one of the goals this book tries to address. Fantastic on many counts.

[Jared Knowles · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the advice can at times be a little basic to being a professional and being honest, the book does provide unique insight into the challenges faced working in the public sector and points to some good examples for the principles listed here. If you are looking to understand how to be effective specifically in a public sector job, this book is the only game in town, and its a good read.