Never Eat Alone.

• Author: Judson, Bruce
• Position: Never Eat Alone : And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time - Book Review

Never Eat Alone

By Keith Ferrazzi with Tahl Raz

Published by Currency Books (Doubleday), New York, 309 pages, $24.95

A FEW MONTHS AGO I was talking with a friend who has served as a director of many firms throughout his lengthy career. The subject of our conversation was Keith Ferrazzi's forth-coming book. When I told my associate the title of the book was Never Eat Alone, his response was straightforward. He said simply, "He's right."

This two-word sentence, "He's right," also stands as a valuable assessment of the entire book, which I strongly recommend to anyone who wants to enhance their effectiveness as a board director. Moreover, at a time when the business community is under fire for ethical lapses, Ferrazzi's book is a welcome reminder that hard-hitting business savvy is entirely compatible with inspirational ideals. Never Eat Alone, subtitled And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time, artfully combines practical operating advice with old-fashioned values.

Ferrazzi's business philosophy is based on two intermingled principles: the idea of generosity and the idea that none of us can succeed alone--success requires relationships. The book details his practical rules for helping others, which, he asserts, inevitably lead others to help you. The core of Never Eat Alone is the belief that if you go out of your way to connect with people, and to let them know that you want to help them, then they will return that kindness. But, you need to act out of generosity without a specific quid pro quo. In Ferrazzi's words, you "don't keep score." Instead, you assume that good things will come back to you.

I have known Keith Ferrazzi for many years. He is the founder and CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight, a marketing and sales consultancy and training company. Earlier in his career he was the youngest person to be tapped for partner in Deloitte Consulting's history and a former chief marketing officer of Starwood Hotels and Resorts. I have watched him live the practical advice he provides in Never Eat Alone. Several years ago, Inc. magazine profiled Ferrazzi, calling him "a master networker." As a member of his network, I can personally attest that his ideas work. Once you interact with him, you cannot help wanting to interact further. His book is a well-distilled operating manual for creating a working network of your own.

The idea of networking can conjure a negative connotation of a self-absorbed individual. Indeed, For many people...