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Books by Bob Lutz

Icons and Idiots

When Bob Lutz retired from General Motors in 2010, after an unparalleled forty-seven-year career in the auto industry, he was one of the most respected leaders in American business. He had survived all kinds of managers over those decades: tough and timid, analytical and irrational, charismatic and antisocial, and some who seemed to shift frequently among all those traits. His experiences made him an expert on leadership, every bit as much as he was an expert on cars and trucks.
Now Lutz is revealing the leaders--good, bad, and ugly--who made the strongest impression on him throughout his career. Icons and Idiots is a collection of shocking and often hilarious true stories and the lessons Lutz drew from them. From enduring the sadism of a Marine Corps drill instructor, to working with a washed-up alcoholic, to taking over the reins from a convicted felon, he reflects on the complexities of all-too-human leaders. No textbook or business school course can fully capture their idiosyncrasies, foibles and weaknesses which can make or break companies in the real world.
Lutz shows that we can learn just as much from the most stubborn, stupid, and corrupt leaders as we can from the inspiring geniuses. As he writes:

We'll examine bosses who were profane, insensitive, totally politically incorrect, and who "appropriated" insignificant items from hotels or the company. We'll visit the mind of a leader who did little but sit in his office. We'll look at another boss who could analyze a highly complex profit-and-loss statement or a balance sheet at a glance, yet who, at times, failed to grasp the simplest financial mechanisms--how things actually worked in practice to create the numbers in the real world.
The result is a powerful and entertaining guide for any aspiring leader.

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Car Guys vs. Bean Counters

Lutz's commonsense lessons, combined with a generous helping of fascinating anecdotes, will inspire readers in any industry.

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