What do a FedEx executive and a lawyer have in common?  Probably, you'd say to yourself, not much unless the lawyer is suing the FedEx guy for a late shipment, but the fact of the matter is what they do have in common is no joke or laughing matter.  Both Tom Schmitt and Arnold Perl found they had one very important asset in common and that was that they both had similar management styles and philosophies.  They independently came up with a formula through which the concepts and use of simplicity, certain tools, and  passion, along with the ability to  implement them, were the keys to maintaining good employee relations while running  truly successful and innovative businesses.  They joined together to share their timeless wisdom in their new book,  Simple Solutions: Harness the Power of Passion and Simplicity to Get Results.     

Schmitt, president and chief executive officer of the FedEx Global Supply Chain Services and Perl, a nationally recognized labor and employment lawyer, met by chance and both would agree that "if you can dream it, you can do it."  The purpose of their book is to impart to management of all levels, that application of simple solutions to seemingly overwhelming or complex situations can result in the reasonable expectation that anyone can become an excellent leader and resolve problems and conflict at the same time without having to invest in psychotherapy or super sized bottles of Advil.  

Chapters, which are brief, yet weighty in theory, include such topics as simplicity, management savvy, ambition, people skills, leadership, collaboration, vision, time management, focus, execution and determination.   A small dose of interesting business acronyms and sayings are scattered throughout the text such as KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) or work smarter not harder.  The coauthors state that "becoming a leader requires a big leap and that's what this book is all about."  Individual managers can avoid all too common pitfalls by looking for balance in their dealings with employees and clients, attaining maturity and progress in cooperation with their teams and not against them.

The simple and easy to read style of this book was a heavy draw for me.  Some books I've read, or tried to read, on this topic are so pedantic and dry that any management personnel wouldn't have the gumption nor time to absorb any message they might wish to impart.  As Edsger Dijkstra once said, "Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability." I think this simple book contains a wealth of reliable and time-tested advice for anyone finding themselves in a management position from that of the small business to the corporate giants.   If you think you are an elitist, have managed people for years and think you know it all, don't bother to apply here  . . .  this is for the reader who has an open mind and is an excellent tool for the first time manager as well as a reminder/review for those who have been in management for some time.