Many unhappy returns - Charles O. Rossotti

When Charles O. Rossotti became Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service in 1997, the agency had the largest customer base - and the lowest approval rating - of any institution in America. Mired in scandal, caught in a political maelstrom, and beset by profound management and technology problems, the IRS was widely dismissed as a hopelessly flawed enterprise. In "Many Unhappy Returns", Rossotti - the first businessperson to head the IRS - recounts the remarkable story of his leadership and transformation of this much-maligned agency. In the glare of intense public scrutiny, he effected dramatic changes in the way the IRS did business - while it continued to collect $2 trillion in revenue. Through fascinating accounts of heated Congressional hearings, encounters with Washington bigwigs, frank exchanges with taxpayers and employees, and risky turnaround strategies, Rossotti serves up a colorful story of leadership and change against daunting odds. He also underscores why every honest taxpayer should demand reform in the broader U.S. tax system.;Infused with keen wit and hard-won business wisdom, "Many Unhappy Returns" illuminates the perils and possibilities of leading large, complex organizations in a transparent world.