James M. Kilts

Somewhat encyclopedic, for a business book. There are a ton of anecdotes and stories, covering a wide range of management and leadership topics. It's a good book for those interested in consumer goods and marketing. There's a lot of content on "how to be a CEO" that may not transfer to middle managers. I found myself reading headings, and skipping to the end-of-chapter comments.

The book offers some useful nuggets for business managers and aspiring corporate leaders. One insight (I'm paraphrasing): dissatisfaction with the status quo is a prescription for growth. There are some interesting anecdotes in this book along with insights about Gillette's successes. Still, "Doing What Matters" begins to feel redundant in numerous spots. As I've said about some previous books, this work could have made every valid point if in half the length.