Stupidity in Action: Lessons Learned in Leadership the Hard Way

by Clark Huff

Those who knew Clark Huff as a child believed he would either be in jail or dead before he graduated high school. They had good reason to think that. He paid little attention to authority and never considered the risk of his actions. Enjoy these fascinating stories of how this disobedient, adventurous boy learned from his mistakes and survived to became a successful adult. The saga begins with an eight-year-old child who hopes to get a deer rifle for Christmas. As the journey continues throughout his childhood, he pursues the making and building of explosives, rockets, and electronics. Much to his mother's dismay, he also figures out how to gas his siblings.



Surprisingly, Clark not only lives to graduate high school, but goes on to earn a degree in metallurgical engineering. During his professional career, he becomes a world traveler and immerses himself in other cultures with much hilarity and humility. He also continues to reflect on his mistakes, such as going underground in a flooding mine and being the boss during the construction of a silo that collapsed. By the end of his career he had advanced to become the company's Vice President of Capital and Technology. These stories are not only entertaining, but will provide you examples of how not to handle a situation. It is always better to learn from someone else's stupidity.

Genres: Nonfiction

328 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 18, 2021

Reviews

[Vikki Bullock · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful book, I found reading it simply a pleasure! I’m sure that anyone would enjoy this well written journey through a life well lived!
I laughed, held my breath, closed my eyes and felt the emotions flowing through the pages!
The dialogue flowed smoothly, the antics were relatable and I challenge anyone to deny that there’s not a piece of themselves somewhere in this book!
Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Books Forward · Rating 5 out of 5]

We've all done dumb things growing up and Clark does an incredible job of hilariously telling his own stories while also revealing how they shaped him into the man he is today. Going from a trouble maker to the VP of a company is no easy task and this book gives some great advice on how to accomplish goals even when the opinions of others seem stacked against you. Funny and raw, I couldn't recommend this book more!

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. The intro set a good tone for the rest of the book, and each chapter was dedicated to a different interesting story from the author's life. Each moment added up to a course through life that no one would've predicted during childhood. If you were ever a troublemaker as a kid, you'll probably find more than one story you can relate to in this memoir. Highly recommend if you're looking for an emotional journey that will make you smile and sometimes even laugh.