Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games

Turnaround chronicles Mitt Romney's leadership of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, from his recruitment as CEO through the completion of the games. Romney details how he stepped in to manage the Olympics organization after a major bribery scandal threatened its success and viability. The book provides an inside view of Olympic operations, from venue construction and security concerns to sponsorship negotiations and volunteer coordination. Romney outlines the specific management strategies and decisions he implemented to transform a deficit-running organization into a successful international event. The narrative follows the progression of both public-facing and behind-the-scenes challenges, including the additional complexities introduced by the September 11, 2001 attacks. Romney recounts his interactions with key stakeholders including the IOC, corporate sponsors, government officials, and the Salt Lake City community. The book serves as a case study in crisis management and organizational leadership, demonstrating how established business principles can be applied to complex public enterprises. Through this Olympic narrative, Romney examines the relationship between public trust, organizational culture, and operational success.

Readers describe this as a detailed account of Romney's leadership during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics turnaround, though some note it reads like a political memoir. Positives: - Clear breakdown of management decisions and crisis response - Behind-the-scenes look at Olympic organizing - Specific examples of problem-solving and negotiation tactics - Personal anecdotes that illustrate leadership principles Negatives: - Self-congratulatory tone throughout - Too much focus on Romney's personal narrative - Lacks depth on some key financial details - Several readers note redundant passages "The management lessons are solid but get buried under excessive self-promotion," notes one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads reader states: "Good information on the Olympics rescue, but reads like a campaign book." Ratings: Amazon: 4.2/5 (89 reviews) Goodreads: 3.7/5 (456 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.5/5 (12 ratings)

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🏅 The Salt Lake City Olympics ultimately generated a $100 million profit, compared to the $379 million deficit Romney inherited when he took over. 🤝 Romney accepted a salary of only $1 per year for his role as CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, despite the massive responsibilities involved. 🏛️ The Salt Lake City bidding scandal that preceded Romney's arrival involved $1 million in gifts and scholarships given to IOC members, leading to the resignation of several Olympic officials. ⛷️ Security costs for the 2002 Games increased dramatically to about $300 million after the September 11, 2001 attacks, requiring major last-minute budget adjustments. 🌎 The 2002 Winter Olympics featured 2,399 athletes from 77 different countries, making it (at the time) the largest Winter Games in history in terms of participating nations.