Read Between the Lines

FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES 

The Bechtel Story: The Most Secret Corporation and How It Engineered the World by Laton McCartney

Style:

Despite the many asterisked clarifications and numbered notes, the book is written as if the author is telling a story or having a conversation. And the story/conversation is very compelling and engaging.

Worldwide, Bechtel planned, designed and built projects like Boulder Dam (renamed Hoover Dam), railroads in the Middle East desert, pipelines in extreme northern climates, multi-billion-dollar industrial facilities where there was nothing before, and complex bridges over wide expanses of water. Bechtel accomplished seemingly impossible feats because of its “can do” attitude and its ability and willingness to throw resources at a challenge. But its networking skills identified opportunities, secured meetings and won the work in the first place – and often before other firms knew these opportunities existed.

Some of the people in Bechtel’s network of relationships alerted the firm to upcoming opportunities, others gave them access to research and predictions of industries that would be big in the future, and still others gave them access to the people who would make decisions about what firm got the work. In some cases, the most important thing was Bechtel’s willingness to ask for help.

On page 125, McCartney describes one Bechtel relationship, saying “It was, as most such friendships were for Steve Bechtel, ‘good business’.” These good business relationships included a veritable Who’s Who of high US Government officials and international diplomatic circles.

There was so much intrigue and treasure that I often felt like a 12-year old reading “Treasure Island,” or watching the old “Mission: Impossible” television series. And every time McCartney finished a story by finally naming the government or business contact that helped make it happen, I laughed with delight at the seeming improbability of the interaction – although every such interaction is thoroughly researched and documented.

Achieved Objective:

The author’s objective is to show how multiple generations of Bechtel leaders developed, nurtured and effectively capitalized on relationships with people who were in, or would ultimately be in, high places in the US and foreign governments and industrial undertakings. The book details how those relationships were initiated, grown and used – most often legally, but sometimes maybe not – to afford Bechtel access to national and international leaders for the good of the company.

Compared to Others on Same Subject:

“Never Eat Alone,” by Keith Ferrazzi (with Tahl Raz) is almost a “how to” on cultivating networks for folks without Bechtel’s financial resources, political clout and existing access. It is focused on significantly less extreme use of individual networks, but very clearly shows two very important things: first, helping people is a very good way of getting people to help you; second, you have to be capable of asking for help. Many networkers can help others but cannot ask others for help. It is as easy to read, but not as engaging as FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES.

Recommendation:

Buy or borrow it, but READ THIS BOOK for a glimpse of what networking can do for you (when carried to extremes).

Read Between the Lines is a quarterly contribution by industry expert, Bernie Siben of Siben Consult, LLC