Perfect Enough: Carly Fiorina and the Reinvention of Hewlett Packard

by George Anders

Documents the struggle between the sons of Hewlett-Packard's founders and the company's powerful woman CEO to retain controlling interest over the company, describing the differences that set each side at opposition and tracing Fiorina's experiences behind the scenes. 40,000 first printing.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Biography

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 27, 2003

Reviews

[Darryl Updegrove · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd almost say this book was mistitled. I'd have called it the reinvention of HP. It felt like more than half of the book was focused on the other players besides Carly Fiorina, and although she obviously led the charge, I can't say that by the end of the book that I really knew her.

Of course, as one would say, there is the rest of the story. Written in the midst of her 6 years as CEO of HP, one gets the sense she was just coming into her stride, yet the reality is she was roughly half way to being removed as CEO by the board. It would be great to have the sequel book about the remaining time there, what went well, and what did not.

[Van · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book fell like a book of gossip. As a ex-HPer, I loved the HP-Way, yet Carly Fiorina's charm wasn't enough to run a legendary company. She complained, threatened, intimated others until she gets what she wanted, sign of a bully leader.

[Lori Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A should-read biograpy on leadership for knowledge workers, managers, directors, C-levels, and entrepreneurs.

[Devin Partlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is this really about Carly Florina or is it about the acquisition of Compaq and what it meant for the "HP Way"???

Me thinks the latter