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Great process, poorly written.
To be blunt, I struggle with this book. It is written in a convoluted style which tends to either lose or demotivate me--or both. Without question, the process is first rate--seven habits that are proven to make anyone more effective. However, even after reading the book, listening to the tapes, and attending the two-day workshop, I find myself not implementing this process--and I am generally a very disciplined person.

What interests me most about this book is the company behind it. I consider the Dale Carnegie system to be superior to the Covey system (although Covey would argue the two are entirely different and thus incomparable). However, by purchasing the Franklin calendaring company, and integrating their process into Outlook software, daytimers, etc, Covey has created a empire that outflanked and outperformed the Carnegie system. So despite being superior, the Carnegie system has become so out of date it is nearly antiqued by a leaner, more nimble company with an inferior product that simply out-maneuvered the superior competition. A great study in "change or die"."

Passive Agressive
I rarely write reviews. But I felt a need to voice serious and strong objection to many of the stories used in this book, particularly in the Leadership section of the book. Many examples are rife with passive aggressive behavior in which the author suggests readers should prefix what essentially is a command or expectation with flowery praise somewhat related to the coming edict. The result is a passive aggressive slap in the face.

As a manager or friend or family member or employee or what ever, you don't need to build someone up to ask them or tell them what you need. And you don't need to bury a request within a flowery suggestive praise in a passive aggressive manor. If someone used some of these tactics on me, I would react very badly and state "if I am not performing as required, just come out and tell me what to do better or differently, thank you."

While the author says to never use a "but" in the sense of building someone up with praise before tearing them down, it is still a "yea, but" but any other name or wording. This is really terrible advice even if you stress not to use the "but". You will not earn friends nor influence people including coworkers and directs by using this "yea, but" type methodology and the afore mentioned passive aggressive approach.

There are even a few occurrences in the book which suggest that telling a lie is acceptable. That you can tell a little white lie and win friends and influence people! The text does not out right say you should lie nor does it state that you should do so. But it is an obvious implication if you read the stories in a certain way. Essentially, read this book with a critical eye. The author provides sage advice but often follows that sage advice with examples of poor delivery which occasionally include deception!

The author's best points are made early in the opening pages of the book. Urging readers to consider that every person always believes they are in the right, even if the entire world thinks that they are an evil person. The author also makes good points in that knowing and using names is important. The conversational tone of the book utilizes stories from people and the sums up the stories with a conclusion. The stories are likely rare hits and a world full of misses. Good points mostly but too drawn out and full of stories that don't hit home and seem unrealistic. Maybe they worked in a different time but many come across as phony 75 years later.

For all of the haters out there
For starters I only rated this book with 1 star so that the chance it would be read would be greatly increased. My real rating is 5 stars. Nearly every negative review has failed to realize that starting a business that runs itself it merely the vehicle to be successful but not the point of the book. It is a complete re-organization of your life, learning to take a more critical view on what you have been taught life has to be like. It is true that not everybody can do this, good, less competition for me, It is key that you follow the exercises laying the foundation that is necessary for your business model to work. That foundation is getting over your fears, being persistent and truly believing that no task is impossible. For all my "morals this morals that" people, just as spies have to do bad things to make good things happen you can do great things for this world if you have time and money to make it happen. As many have said before me you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. For those of you who still want to give it a try a good start is reading all of the negative reviews. This is a great source of information from all of the losers who this will not work for and teaches you what not to be. I'm not rich, but I no longer slave away and have equaled my previous income. I do agree that this is not for the weak.

Loking at the trees - not the forest
The title of the review refers to numerous critics who have nit-picked this book from several angles while ignoring its basic premise. Dent is a prognosticator - not an economist much less a prophet. He studies general trends and makes fairly reasonable (and timely) assertions and sometimes correct forecasts. It is silly yet fascinating to make specific predictions adn they should not be taken seriously. There are too many unknowns for long-term pinpointing.

Dent's thesis is that economic health is a function of demographics; innovation derives from a stream of young ideas; spending is primarily a function of age and nations that grow will thrive. This is the forest. The trees are things like war, depression, bubbles, commodities and markets.

I agree with the thrust of his assertion. It's obvious that nations like Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan and others with declining populations will fare poorly in the future. They will lack not only young innovators but also the mindset required for innovation. With fewer workers and more on the dole the financial burden will become onerous. In many places it already has.

My major complaint is Dent's mixing apples and oranges. He correctly describes how the West has given the developing world a head start, compressing modern industrialization into decades rather than the centuries required by Europe. This phenomenon is a result of technological advances. Yet, he still maintains that other cycles will go on as before - 3,000 years, 500, 250, 8, 15, 10, etc. (He introduces so many cycles, charts, swings and growth curves that they become blurred.) What will happen when artificial intelligence,robotics, nanotech and bioengineering reach advanced stages of development? My guess is that all best are off.

Other uncertainties: Deflation (not inflation), a strengthening dollar, "resolution of federal debt" (not to mention solving the problem of Social Security and Medicare), a "Democratic trend" in the electorate and India as the eventual number one. My Grade: B-