Charlie Rose

David S  08/16/2008 05:54 PM Report

It was a terrific interview and Mr. Keough's work will be on my "must read" list for the week. I wish I had put my mantra, that one should learn from their mistakes and failures, to use. I would not be in the "pickle" I am in today. Don Keough has allowed me to understand that I can right my wrongs and show that all of my failures (and there are many!) can lead to good fortune and to always look to the future because I will always have the chance to take advantage of numerous opportunities ahead.

Russell Fuhrman  08/13/2008 05:06 AM Report

People like Mr. Keough find themselves rich and lionized by society after having devoted their lives to things like selling sugar water. I wonder if Father Hesburg ever thought about or even discussed with Keough the ethical implications of how he got so rich and powerful-Charlie should have.

Nelson  08/13/2008 02:14 AM Report

Nice guy, fine interview by Charlie Rose, but in

the changing and uncertain world in which we live including doing business, the art of good business

is being a good middleman putting people together- less so the polyanna with nice things to say.

nelson smilow  08/13/2008 01:55 AM Report

Nice guy, fine interview, but in a world of dog eat dog where treachery and dealing with uncertainty has been raised to a fine art, being a polyanna doesn't cut it. The art of good business

is being a good middleman putting people together.

perfect as dusk  08/13/2008 01:33 AM Report

Excellent interview! Rose at his finest. Keough's observations were priceless as well as timeless.

Sally Chow  08/12/2008 07:05 PM Report

I enjoyed the interview and especially thought the early footage of brief television career priceless. In our success-oriented culture we don't appreciate that some of our most valuable lessons come from our failures. My one departure from Don Keough's thinking comes at the end of the interview about the future growth of markets such as India and China. We need to re-define prosperity; it cannot be measured by economic growth alone.

T Borchert  08/12/2008 07:03 PM Report

Mr. Rose,

Thank you for the very entertaining and validating interview with Mr. Keough. His list of "10 Commandments" fit almost perfectly the behavior of many of the major life insurance companies. I have been in that business for 29 years and the changes exhibited are nearly identical to his "how to fail" list.

I was shocked to learn that he grew up in the town I call home. I would love to coordinate his visit to share those insights as a local boy who has done OK for himself.

Keep up the good work.

Roy  08/12/2008 04:17 PM Report

The theme of Keogh’s book is the exercise of humility -- i.e. to show that we are liable to make great mistakes in business and life, and yet we can have the courage and sincerity to overcome it. I.e., learn the central business pitfalls, and then avoid them. (This is not new material so much as an important reminder; written succinctly from deep personal experience.)

If we embrace that message in our own lives, we can avoid so many pitfalls that lead not only to failure, but to pain and suffering.

Therefore, learn to avoid the negative -- including the human tendencies and failings that precipitate it. That is the message here. If we do, it WILL create a brighter tomorrow. It always does.

Paul Plamondon  08/12/2008 11:59 AM Report

Dear Mr. Rose:

Your interviews last night were very interesting, especially the one with Mr. Keough.

He is a gentleman who is very inspiring. Great show! Thank you very much Mr. Rose for a very entertaining hour.

Sincerely,

Paul

T .Love  08/12/2008 02:46 AM Report

I cannot wait to get my greedy little hands on a copy of his book.

RE Mant  08/12/2008 12:48 AM Report

Nice guy, but I think he was right, he had nothing to add to the literature (of which there is too much, and, to many puff pieces concerning). It seems to me tho that the interviewer could take some of these maxims to heart, himself. Coke, itself, is however a fine illustration of what is wrong with America.

TR Stone  08/12/2008 12:40 AM Report

Charlie's Interview with Don Keough was extraordinary. Although I do not quite share his rosy view of America's necessarily bright future as a nation and as a leader in the new world business community or the world community as a whole unless we really turn our selves and thereby our leaders around almost 180 degrees from the general heading and course we've been on for actually more than 8 years now....I do agree with every other single point Mr. Keough so well said on that program broadcast or rebroadcast Monday on NYC Ch. 13 in The Charlie Rose Program's regular 11pm weeknight timeslot here at home less than 30 miles SW of The Big Apple in Middlesex county suburban New Jersey. We need to include everyone in the conversation from here on in, and not isolate or insulate our selves from hearing and seeing all faces and voices, including as Don Keough emphasized, perhaps most of all the apparent bearers of bad news.