Tag: Robert L Dilenschneider

Why Character Still Matters: A Review of Robert L. Dilenschneider’s ‘Character’

‘Character’ is Robert L. Dilenschneider’s latest motivational book. Photo: Barnes & Noble

Robert L. Dilenschneider is founder of The Dilenschneider Group, a firm that provides strategic advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies and leading families and individuals around the world, with experience in fields ranging from mergers and acquisitions and crisis communications to marketing, government affairs and international media.

Dilenschneider has been called the “Dean of American Public Relations Executives” and is widely published, having authored 14 books, including “A Briefing for Leaders,” “On Power,” “The Critical 14 Years of Your Professional Life,” and “Power and Influence: The Rules Have Changed.” His new book “Character: Life Lessons in Courage, Integrity, and Leadership” addresses the need for character as a vital dimension in public and private life, based on iconic historical figures who embodied such qualities of character. (Barnes & Noble, 2025)

In “Character,” Robert L. Dilenschneider explores what it means to possess and foster strong moral character. Through the lens of noted historical figures—ranging from Stephen Hawking to Mother Teresa—he illustrates how integrity, resilience, and ethical leadership have shaped both personal legacies and societal progress.

Dilenschneider contends that character is not merely a trait but a fundamental necessity in our daily lives, especially in today’s complex and often morally ambiguous world. By combining historical narratives with modern-day reflections, he makes a strong case for why individuals, particularly those in leadership positions, must prioritize character over personal gain.

He begins by defining character as exhibiting traits such as honesty, integrity, and loyalty while inspiring others around you. The goal of this book is provide examples of character and how it can drive people to achieve their dreams and how to recognize it and nurture it in others, especially those with leadership positions.

Each chapter profiles a different group of people who were known for a specific trait, such as Innovation (Steve Jobs, Walt Disney), Courage (Winston Churchill, Arthur Ashe), and Loyalty (Eleanor Roosevelt, John McCain). At the end of each, he includes a list of lessons learned.

Chapters include:
Chapter 1 – What is Character?
Chapter 2 – Leadership
Chapter 3 – Innovation
Chapter 4 – Resilience
Chapter 5 – Breaking Barriers
Chapter 6 – Courage
Chapter 7 – Loyalty
Chapter 8 – Integrity
Chapter 9 – Transparency
Chapter 10 – Transcendence
Chapter 11 – Lessons

Highlights:
Chapter 4: Resilience – when we are tested, resilience is what allows us to keep fighting. Nelson Mandela was a vocal opponent of apartheid: “Never give up when your cause is just.”

Chapter 5: Breaking Barriers – profiles of people who broke barriers when they refused to be held down because of their sex, color, or political beliefs. Margaret Chase Smith stood up against McCarthyism in the 40s and 50s: “Speaking your mind may not always be popular but it will win you respect.”

Informative and inspiring, it offers valuable lessons on courage, humility, and perseverance. Dilenschneider’s writing is engaging, and his selection of historical figures ensures a broad perspective on how character manifests in different circumstances.

Overall, “Character” serves as an insightful guide for those seeking to understand the enduring power of virtue in shaping history and how we, too, can attempt to embody these qualities in our own lives. It is recommended for readers who enjoy biographies and leadership/motivational books.

“Learning is a classic way to overcome barriers, by equipping yourself with knowledge that nobody can take away.”

*The author of this blog received a copy in exchange for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Book review: ‘The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence’ by Robert L. Dilenschneider

‘The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence’ is the new book by Robert L. Dilenschneider. Photo: Amazon

Robert L. Dilenschneider started in public relations in 1967 in New York, shortly after receiving an MA in journalism from Ohio State University, and a BA from the University of Notre Dame. He formed The Dilenschneider Group in October, 1991. The Firm provides strategic advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies and leading families and individuals around the world, with experience in fields ranging from mergers and acquisitions and crisis communications to marketing, government affairs and international media. Dilenschneider was with that organization for nearly 25 years. He is the author of “The Public Relations Handbook,” “The Critical First Years of Your Professional Life,” “50 Plus!: Critical Career Decisions for the Rest of Your Life,” and numerous other books on career and professional development. In his new book “The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence: Everything You Need to Know,” he explains how technology and globalization have revolutionized the ways to both build and keep success—and tells readers that to accomplish your goals, you must not only gain power, but also apply it with proper wisdom. (Amazon, 2023)

“The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence” arms you with intellectual, technical, and moral weapons—tools needed to get and stay ahead in the increasingly competitive and ever-evolving business world. Acquiring both power and influence is crucial to advancing not only your personal interests, but also a more prosperous society at large. Drawing from current-day lessons and the wisdom of hundreds of drivers of change in all fields of business, this is the author’s latest guide to harnessing the universal principles for success. It provides anecdotes and insights on a wide range of keys to success, including how to seize opportunity amid crisis, manage your network, communicate effectively, and take full advantage of social media to bolster your image. The book is divided into 15 chapters, including Networking: You Have to Do It, Protect Yourself and Your Reputation, and The Inevitable Crisis: Know How To Handle It and Benefit. It begins in the first chapter by asking readers to get to know themselves because to be an effective leader, you have to understand yourself and your needs first because “Self awareness….is one of the pillars of emotional intelligence (along with empathy, self-management, and social skills) and must come first.” The first part centers around building your power and influence while the second part shows you how to keep that hard earned influence during inevitable times of crisis. At the end, there are notes listed by chapter and an index that makes it easy to search by topic.

Change is the overall theme in “The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence.” The first two sentences in the Introduction immediately draw you in: “You have a choice. Keep doing what you did yesterday or adapt to a world that is changing everyday.” Indeed, the business world is constantly changing and we must adapt to keep up, especially in a post-COVID world. Robert Dilenschneider has the experience, knowledge, and authority to help readers acquire and amplify their power; from graduate students to corporate professionals. Despite the topic of business, the language is easy to understand and follow because it contains practical advice for career and personal life. He shares inspirational stories to highlight the point he is making because stories make more of an impact than facts and figures ever could. His books are helpful and relevant because he adjusts his message to reflect the changing times and everyone can benefit from his advice, and this one is no exception. Highlights include Chapter 2: Networking that stresses the importance of networking not only in your select filed of work, but also reaching out to contacts outside of your circle; and Chapter 7: The Right Way to Make Your Mistakes that teaches the right way to approach making mistakes: “With humility and perseverance, we move forward and improve” – lesson learned: the biggest mistake is failure to LEARN from our mistakes. “The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence” is an extremely useful guide that helps readers navigate the ever changing landscape of business as well as their professional and private lives. It is a must read for readers interested in business, economic, and ethics for personal and professional development.

“If there are absolutely no mistakes in a company, then no one is taking a risk, and innovation will atrophy.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Book review: ‘The Public Relations Handbook’ by Robert L. Dilenschneider

‘The Public Relations Handbook” – fifth edition, edited by Robert L. Dilenschneider. Photo: Amazon

Robert L. Dilenschneider formed The Dilenschneider Group in October, 1991. Headquartered in New York and Chicago, the Firm provides strategic advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies and leading families and individuals around the world, with experience in fields ranging from mergers and acquisitions and crisis communications to marketing, government affairs, and international media. Experienced in a number of communications disciplines, Mr. Dilenschneider is frequently called upon by the media to provide commentary and strategic public relations insights on major news stories. He has counseled major corporations, professional groups, trade associations and educational institutions, and has assisted clients in dealings with regulatory agencies, labor unions, and consumer groups, among others. He is the editor of “The Public Relations Handbook,” a comprehensive and invaluable guide for public relations practitioners in the 2020s and beyond. (Amazon, 2022)

“The Public Relations Handbook” – nineteen contributing authors navigate the subject of public relations. In this field, it is no longer enough to be able to write an attention grabbing press releases and to establish media contacts. Nowadays, you must also be able to navigate the digital world and be prepared to work with other professionals. The skills needed in today’s public relations include supporting a company’s marketing and sales, handling social media, managing government relations, effectively working with the media, communicating with the investment community, supporting top management during a crisis or scandal, and positively positioning the company’s commitment to environmental, social, and government issues. It is divided into seventeen chapters, including Engaging the Community: Public Relations Is All About People and Working with the Media: They Are Not the Enemy, but Care is Required. The first five revolve around public relations, what it is and how it works. The last six deal with how to navigate public relations in different places, like private families, higher education, and countries like China, Japan, and Canada. Each chapter ends with a ‘Takeaways’ section that summarizes the topics covered.

Public relations has always been an important part of all types of businesses because it facilitates relationships among business professionals. “The Public Relations Handbook” was first published in 1967 and this new fifth edition explains how to deal with a more complex and constantly changing digital world and addresses new challenges in the financial, economic, political, public health and societal sectors. Editor Robert L. Dilenschneider is a communications executive who brings together leading experts in the field to address the specific skill sets, strategies, and execution that public relations practitioners need today. The language is relatively easy to understand and the overall layout of the chapters makes the information clear and accessible to the general reader. Highlights include Chapter 11 Crisis Communications: Not If, but When because it discusses what to do in your organization when a crisis occurs including how to handle the backlash and Chapter 13 Going Forward with China: A Guide to Success because it goes into detail of specific scenarios, for example, at a formal meal in China, ‘it is considered very rude in Chinese culture to eat before the host starts.’ The target audience may be public relations professionals but everyone can benefit from it, especially the chapters dealing with how people outside the United States conduct professional and personal business. “The Public Relations Handbook” is a valuable resource guide for the public relations professional and is recommended for readers who appreciate learning about public relations and business management even if they are not in the business of public relations.

“Public relations professionals must be prepared to deal with a staggering variety of people, issues, and subjects. After all, ‘it takes a village’ – public relations, as we know from its very name, is not done in isolation. It is a collegial endeavor.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.