They Told Me Not to Take that Job

An inspiring, dramatic, wryly funny and brilliantly insightful story of the experience of leading the nation's most important " and sometimes most fractious, self-destructive and wildly theatrical " arts organization though a decade of turmoil to a stunningly successful redevelopment by the President of the Lincoln centre. The lessons Levy learned are those vital to leaders in any field of endeavour- non-profit, for-profit or government.

“"The most entertaining passages of the book chronicle the indefatigably upbeat Levy's fight to get a tangled web of stakeholders onboard with the project. He is unafraid to name the names of those who fought against the redevelopment [of Lincoln Center] at the beginning and he is refreshingly candid about what he perceives as the misguided policies of some of Lincoln Center's constituent organizations.... it attests to the energy of his account and to the passion of his diagnoses of the Center's persistent, if alleviated, ills, that he pushes the reader into the future, projecting new problems and envisioning solutions." - New York Times Book Review "Sure to make waves in the genteel world of New York's elite cultural institutions, where foes tend to exchange air kisses in public and keep their battles private. Mr. Levy's willingness to name names may not quite reach you'll-never-eat-lunch-in-this-town-again levels but could make for some awkward encounters at the chic Lincoln Ristorante." - The New York Times "Levy, with his persuasive and owlish mien, proved to be the administrative virtuoso Lincoln Center had been waiting for. No need to take his word for it. Just walk around. The campus today is what he and architect Elizabeth Diller said it would be, only busier, more open, more glamorous, more comfortable and more fun. If the renovation [of Lincoln Center] were a movie, its credit roll would run for 20 minutes, but it would be fair to call it a Reynold Levy production." - Vulture "Reynold Levy has a rare blend of talents, all of which are on display in this compelling book, a memoir that is neither self-reverential nor full of false pieties. There is no bitterness, but there is surprising candor. Prominent people should be shamed, including those who nearly ran great cultural institutions into the ground. The lessons to be extracted could fuel an entire curriculum at the Harvard Business School, or a Department of Psychology." - Ken Auletta, bestselling author and writer for The New Yorker "Reynold Levy led the 21st century transformation of Lincoln Center and his depiction of that undertaking is incisive, fresh and entertaining. They Told Me Not to Take That Job is brilliant and highly readable. Anyone who cares about how great cultural organizations operate and grow must read Levy's masterful account." - David Rubenstein, Co-Founder of the Carlyle Group "The qualities that Reynold Levy marshals in this book are the very ones that transformed Lincoln Center, and before that, the International Rescue Committee and the 92nd Street Y. Strategic vision, fearless execution, attention to revealing detail, relentless zest...Levy takes us on an inspiring personal journey brimming with passion, wisdom, generosity and nimble humor. We are treated to a celebration of the arts, an illuminating inside story, an ode to the city of New York and a meditation on leadership. Like any prized work of art, it both captivates and stimulates. I am telling everyone not to miss this tour de force." - Winston Lord, Former US Ambassador to China and Chair Emeritus, International Rescue Committee "Essential reading for all who need to know how not to sail a ship into a storm." - Slipped Disc”

New York Times bestseller "The most entertaining passages of the book chronicle the indefatigably upbeat Levy's fight to get a tangled web of stakeholders onboard with the project. He is unafraid to name the names of those who fought against the redevelopment [of Lincoln Center] at the beginning and he is refreshingly candid about what he perceives as the misguided policies of some of Lincoln Center's constituent organizations... it attests to the energy of his account and to the passion of his diagnoses of the Center's persistent, if alleviated, ills, that he pushes the reader into the future, projecting new problems and envisioning solutions." --New York Times Book Review "Sure to make waves in the genteel world of New York's elite cultural institutions, where foes tend to exchange air kisses in public and keep their battles private. Mr. Levy's willingness to name names may not quite reach you'll-never-eat-lunch-in-this-town-again levels but could make for some awkward encounters at the chic Lincoln Ristorante." --The New York Times "Levy, with his persuasive and owlish mien, proved to be the administrative virtuoso Lincoln Center had been waiting for. No need to take his word for it. Just walk around. The campus today is what he and architect Elizabeth Diller said it would be, only busier, more open, more glamorous, more comfortable and more fun. If the renovation [of Lincoln Center] were a movie, its credit roll would run for 20 minutes, but it would be fair to call it a Reynold Levy production." --Vulture "Levy's unabashed enthusiasm for the non-profit arts helps us understand why a place like Lincoln Center is important, even in this profit-oriented era...They Told Me Not to Take that Job provides a good, sometimes sad look at what the arts have been going through over the last couple of decades." --Maclean's "Reynold Levy has a rare blend of talents, all of which are on display in this compelling book, a memoir that is neither self-reverential nor full of false pieties. There is no bitterness, but there is surprising candor. Prominent people should be shamed, including those who nearly ran great cultural institutions into the ground. The lessons to be extracted could fuel an entire curriculum at the Harvard Business School, or a Department of Psychology." --Ken Auletta, bestselling author and writer for The New Yorker

Reynold Levy was the president of the Lincoln centre for the Performing Arts from March 1, 2002 to January 31, 2014. He has held leadership roles at the International Rescue Committee, at AT&T, and at the 92nd Street Y. He has taught at the Harvard Business School. Currently, he is an adjunct professor at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, a special advisor to the private equity firm General Atlantic, and a consultant to nonprofit institutions and foundations. He lives in New York City.

An inspiring, dramatic, wryly funny and brilliantly insightful story of the experience of leading the nation's most important " and sometimes most fractious, self-destructive and wildly theatrical " arts organization though a decade of turmoil to a stunningly successful redevelopment by the President of the Lincoln centre. The lessons Levy learned are those vital to leaders in any field of endeavour- non-profit, for-profit or government.

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