Leading

Here are a few of the things make this book so special:

1. Alex Ferguson is the best football manager of all time with an astonishing level of success, worked to it from the bottom-up, and he's from a working class background.
2. He got there by building his team and culture around long-term thinking and decision making, which is rare in modern football. He describes how this long-term mindset applies to hiring, scouting, decision making, culture, etc.
3. His focus on hiring and youth development is incredible, with multiple chapters describing how he built one of the best teams in the world, and a lasting culture of dedication and excellence.
4. He isn't afraid to call people out directly, and describe their successes or failings. I don't feel like he held anything back in this book, putting it all out on the table, right down to how his family and marriage worked around his strenuous job.
5. At this point in his life (post-retirement), he has strong perspectives on business, finance, and politics and how those systems work. Some of these from his sons, who have also grown up and given him their perspectives on business and finance, and some from teaching leadership at Harvard.
6. This book is written with a slight slant towards usefulness for start-ups and businesses, occasionally making comparisons between football management and business management. He offers anecdotes from discussions with politicians such as the Prime Minister.

Disclaimer: I'm am biased towards this book in a couple of ways: 1) I'm Scottish, 2) I admire Man U as a football team and culture.