Average customer rating:
- Great Book
- A go-to book on coaching.
- What everyone needs to know
- the best coaching book
- Your Gate way to Coaching profession
|
Co-Active Coaching, 2nd Edition: New Skills for Coaching People Toward Success in Work and, Life
Laura Whitworth ,
Karen Kimsey-House ,
Henry Kimsey-House , and
Phillip Sandahl
Manufacturer: Davies-Black Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Human Resources & Personnel Management
| Industries & Professions
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Leadership
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Interpersonal Relations
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Success
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Counseling
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Motivation
| By Topic
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Physical Education
| Education Theory
| Education
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Coaching
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Taming Your Gremlin (Revised Edition): A Surprisingly Simple Method for Getting Out of Your Own Way
-
Coaching : Evoking Excellence in Others
-
Changing for Good: A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward
-
Getting Started in Personal and Executive Coaching: How to Create a Thriving Coaching Practice (Getting Started in)
-
Coaching for Performance, Third Edition (People Skills for Professionals)
ASIN: 0891061983 |
Book Description
A newly revised edition of the book that helped define the coaching profession, Co-Active Coaching captures the essence of what it takes to design and maintain successful, collaborative, and empowering coaching relationships. The authors describe in detail their flexible and adaptive model-placing the client's agenda at the heart of the coaching partnership, define the skills required for success, provide dozens of sample coaching conversations, and a power-packed Coach's Toolkit of over 35 exercises, questionnaires, checklists, and forms to make these proven principles and techniques eminently practical and immediately actionable.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-09-16
This was a gift for my boss and he LOVED it! It arrived very soon after ordering. Thanks for everything.
A go-to book on coaching........2007-08-28
This is one of the few go-to books for coaches, or those who want to become coaches. Very, very helpful. Lots of ideas, tips, etc. The CD that comes with the book is worth the price alone!
Buy this book and read it! One of my favs on the topic of coaching!
What everyone needs to know.......2007-08-05
This book opened great ways to honor myself and others. It is well written and expanded my idea about coaching.
the best coaching book.......2007-06-29
This book is the best and most comprehensive coaching book I have on my shelfs.
Co-active coaching is what my profession is about and I've found so many answers to my questions about how-to and what-is-next .
Captures the wisdom of co-active coaching and it's a must read if you want to tap into the real power of coaching.
Your Gate way to Coaching profession.......2007-05-28
It's an amazing book that groups theories and practice for a profession that needs alot of practice. It's a necessity for all new professionals in the field.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Chinese
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Irish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Augustine, Saint
| ( A )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Doctors & Medicine
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Lawyers & Criminals
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Love, Sex & Marriage
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Early Civilization
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Historiography
| Historical Study
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Asian American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Asian American
| Poetry
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
French
| Erotica
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Victorian
| Erotica
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Epic
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
German
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Chinese
| Classics
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Conspiracy Theories
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
War on Drugs
| Crime & Criminals
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
English (All)
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Arabic
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Armenian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Czech
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Greek
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Hungarian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Korean
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Norwegian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Persian & Farsi
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Polish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Portuguese
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Romanian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Swedish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Turkish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Science
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Online Research
| Genealogy
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Native American
| Earth-Based Religions
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| History & Philosophy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
History of Science
| History & Philosophy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Magic & Wizards
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Sailor Moon
| Popular Characters
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Pilates
| Exercise & Fitness
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Fashion
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Art Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Biographies
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Children's Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Health Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside History Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Reference Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Romance Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Science Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
-
History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
-
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
-
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
-
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies
ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Book Description
Based entirely on research from peer-reviewed journals and randomized controlled trials,
The Sixty-Second Motivator is an easily read story that reveals practical motivational techniques. In less than 100 pages, readers will have the necessary tools to enable them to motivate themselves or others. A handy worksheet is also included which guides the reader through the motivational process.
Customer Reviews:
Sixty Second Motivator.......2007-09-19
This is a great little book. It is written in a light style that makes it easy to read and digest the principles that Jim spells out. If you have ever tried to make a change and been unsuccessful in accomplishing your goal this little book will help you to understand why you failed and how you can increase your chance of success. I found it to be helpful both with my own personal goals and in better understanding what may help to motivate my clients to achieve their stated goals.
It Really Works!.......2007-08-08
Forget the motivational seminars, DVDs, and CDs. This little book has more insights into motivation than anything else I have seen! No hype here.
The author has taken complex concepts and made them easy to understand in an entertaining way. I use the practical tips not only to motivate my patients, but also to motivate myself!
The Sixty-Second Motivator- Book Review.......2007-06-12
Both my husband and I enjoyed this book a lot. We found it to be a neat, well organized little book written in an easy-to-understand, straight-forward style that is genuinely enjoyable while at the same time providing valuable insights about why we do or do not do things. While we found it quite analytical about key factors concerning motivation, the book didn't make us feel intimidated or "preached at". The tone of the book came across to us as friendly, low-key, very helpful, analytical and a valuable "keeper" to refer to in life's future situations.
Excellent read!!.......2007-03-08
This is an excellent read and one book you will finish reading. They say that most poeople don't finish books they buy, but this one is soo relevant to our lives that you will want to read it cover to cover several times! Keeping it in my day planner for a random quick read infusion throughout the day helps keep me on track!!
The missing link!.......2006-09-19
Having read Jim Johnson's No Beach No Zone weight loss book, I knew WHAT to do, plain and simple, and WHY it was important. So why wasn't I doing what the book laid out as a proven plan for weight loss? It's all about motivation. There's even a chapter on motivation in his weight loss book - but this book takes it one step further, into the science of motivation. Personally I think both books dovetail into one another well, especially if your lack of motivation happens to be in the field of losing weight. The science of how to lose weight permanently, and the science of motivating yourself to do anything. Once again, this is all based on research and not what one guy thinks.
One of the best surprises about this book is the way it is written. Without giving away too much, I can tell you that this book is more of a story than a collection of facts, and reads almost like a mystery. One thing's for sure, it's extremely engaging. I read the whole think in one sitting; the research and strategy don't take volumes to explain or lay out. I'm not one to read huge volumes, and Jim Johnson always makes a concise read devoid of medical mumbo-jumbo. The actual motivation chart takes up one page and really makes you think about what makes your own self "tick". The only excuse for not getting motivated is if you aren't willing to give up one hour of your time, and a little more time spent thinking straight.
Book Description
In this thoroughly updated edition of his classic book, Hargrove introduces you to Masterful Coaching, the method, Hargrove draws on his in-depth experience of coaching leaders at all levels gained since writing the first edition. The book provides guiding ideas, tools, and methods that will empower you on your own journey to Masterful Coaching. You will learn to empower people to transform who they are as leaders and at the same time their ability to produce results that were previously considered impossible by applying triple loop learning. This is about ripping the blinders off so that people see that who they are, the goals they set, and the plans they make, and actions they take are often part of historical winning strategies that are the source of their past success but that limit them from achieving what's possible or playing a much bigger game.
Customer Reviews:
Essential For Your Library!.......2007-01-10
For anyone who is a coach, considering becoming a coach, or curious about coaching, this book is a MUST read! Hargroove clearly distinguishes between a coach and a "Masterful Coach" - one that gets results. It's a different paradigm and different way of being with coaching clients that gets results. He shows that coaching is about serving others from the perspective that they are whole and complete; it's not about fixing or helping them.
Coaching + Systems Thinking = Transformation!.......2005-12-15
The author integrates coaching with systems thinking and the learning organization popularized by Peter Senge's book "The Fifth Discipline". This revised edition shows the Hargrove's approach is still fresh and surprisingly unique, given all the recent books published on coaching.
One unique contribution is Hargrove's model of triple-loop learning. It is a model of reflection. The first loop is reflecting on the outcome of actions for incremental improvement. The second loop is reflecting on assumptions that led to the decisions about those actions. The third loop is self-reflection on the core identity of the decision maker. This acknowledges that who we are influences our assumptions about the world and thus our actions. This type of reflection has become the core of quality coaching.
Other particularly helpful sections are the chapters on stretch goals and breakthrough thinking. Pushing for breakthroughs, rather than incremental change, requires the use of stretch goals. Hargrove tells us how to coach through the process of setting stretch goals. He says you first must decide what would be a breakthrough, then dig inside for motivation by examining why it is important to achieve and what's in it for me? Finally, learning and acting differently is essential to reaching stretch goals.
Hargrove's combination of systems thinking and learning organization principles with coaching is a real winner. Other books might be more thorough on the "how to" of coaching but his theory and tools for transformational change are excellent and unique.
Every coach should read this book!.......2003-05-03
In the last ten years since I started coaching managers and leaders, I have read almost everything out there on the subject. This book stands out! The distinctions Hargrove makes about coaching provide clarity, while being very useable and transferable to others. He also writes in a very readable style, and balances profundity and humor to get his points across. Some points that I found especially useful were:
How to generate a powerful coaching relationship by clarifying what each person needs to bring to the party. I found this extremely helpful in re-igniting an ebbing coaching relationship.
Hargrove writes that a leader needs to "be the source" of their impossible future or what it is that they want to create. He shows how to coach someone to do this.
Thinking drives behavior. Hargrove provides clarity and examples on how to coach people in a more profound and deeper way than the usual tips and techniques that novice coaches give.
Hargrove also writes about getting feedback for the coaching client by doing interviews rather than using the typical 360 degree feedback forms. He says, "If more than one person calls you a horse, saddle up!"
I recommend this book to coaches, managers and leaders who want to up the level of their game.
Fantastic revision of an already great book!.......2003-05-03
I found Hargrove's book inspiring, insightful, and useful. I had read his first book - which was pivotal for me in creating my own coaching business-- and have found that he has taken this work to another level-a very compelling, as well as easy read. The two parts that I found most applicable to my own coaching clients were his step-by-step approach to coaching executives and the part on creating a "laboratory" that fosters collaboration within a group. I was able to bring these principles to a client who was wowed by what we were able to generate for her business. I would recommend this book to any coach, internal and external to a company, as well as to any leader who wants to create an "impossible future."
New Paradigm For Werner Erhard's Est?.......2003-04-23
Are people still being fooled by this same hash and rehash of Werner Erhard's "est," which is going by a new name "The Landmark Forum?" Hargrove's work looks to have been lifted wholesale from the Landmark Education so-called "Curiculum For Living." One wonders if he pays royalties for the use of Werner's, what he himself liked to refer to as, technology. Of course, no one told Werner there were lots of people around who would recognize his use of the word "technology" in this context as having come from one of his inspirations, L. Ron Hubbard and his "Philosophy for Living." And that is what characterizes this book, made all the more obvious by the long list of glowing testimonials, all using thoses tried-and-true estie buzz-words and phrases, the copy-cat, unimaginative litany: transformation, paradigm, empowerment, mastery, extraordinary results, tools for living, taking a stand, blah, blah, and blah. So here is my question. Is Mr. Hargrove shilling for Landmark Education or has he struck out on his own as so many of L. Ron's and now Werner's followers using the same formula and the same ideas? Rick Ross and Steven Hassan's websites have anough background on the "coaching" phenomenon to get you started, if you are curious about the dubious roots of this practice.
Book Description
One of the pioneers of the Total Quality movement, W. Edwards Deming, famously proclaimed, "Drive out fear so that everyone may work more effectively for the company." But after attending a quality conference in the 1990s devoted to Deming's proposition, the authors felt somehow drained; talking about fear seemed to have sucked the life out of the entire audience. They began to wonder if it was a vicious circle; what if focusing on fear, even in an effort to drive it out, actually kept you in fear? What if the conversation were shifted to hope--not to negate or invalidate fear but to bring energy to the more life-enhancing side of the equation? Putting Hope to Work is their response to these questions. Drawing upon their many years of research and management consulting, the authors present a pragmatic approach to identifying, supporting, and sustaining hope and channeling it toward productive ends to create more vibrant, creative, collaborative--and successful--workplaces. Integrating insights from fields as diverse as anthropology, psychology, philosophy, and biology, Hutson and Perry identify the five key principles of hope--possibility, agency, worth, openness, and connection--and demonstrate how they can be developed in any type of organization. Featuring dozens of in-depth examples and personal experiences from a wide variety of organizations, as well as tools for applying hope toward effective leadership, decision making, problem solving, and communication, the authors offer a multi-dimensional approach to leadership that is both inspiring and practical, tapping into a universal desire to produce work that is as meaningful as it is profitable.
Customer Reviews:
Effective Leadership.......2006-12-06
A practical guide which maps out an excellent strategy for any organization, business, or venture. In clear and engaging style the authors show how to improve one's personal relationship to work, family, and community. Intelligible on every page, this books works for those with time for a complete, sit-down reading and also for strap-hangers between subway stops. Here is deep thinking and personal experience applied with a spiritual attentiveness to true challenges. The reader is educated to think realistically about present problems, hard facts, and tough dilemmas in the rubric of uplifting hope. Hope is investigated as the best antidote to fear, and the authors avoid all of the swamps of New Age mushiness. Hope will put us on track. Bravo!
This book is invaluable.......2006-10-25
In a time when there are more "managers" (good or bad) than "leaders"; this book offers valuable insight into providing positive and realistic motivation for any organization. Any person who considering themself a leader should read this book and think about how various principles can be applied to their organization. This should be a "must-read"!
A Refreshing, Positive, Clearly Written Explanation on How To Motivate with Hope Instead of Fear!.......2006-08-17
In their book, Putting Hope to Work: Five Principles to Activate Your Organization's Most Powerful Resource, Harry Hutson and Barbara Perry identify, and help us understand the inspirational value of Hope in the work place. While often thought of in the realm of vague spirituality or wishy-washy Pollyannaism, the authors clearly demonstrate that Hope, and its value within thriving, achieving organizations is anything but wishy-washy!
Stating that the "Hopes of an organization are consolidated in a company's belief in what you're trying to accomplish," they show how Hope within an organization is inevitably linked to the company's mission and vision - and where there is no vision, the people perish. The importance then, of a company's vision cannot be overstated. It's not coincidence that there is such a lack of "hope-talk" in the modern work place accompanied by a tangible sense of hopelessness.
While traditional management theory focuses on "driving out fear," pioneering authors Hutson and Perry compel us to focus on Hope instead, to "bring energy to the more life-enhancing side of the equation, creating more vibrant, creative, collaborative and successful workplaces."
Hutson and Perry identify the five principles of Hope - Possibility, Agency, Worth, Openness and Connection - and define Hope as "an orientation to a positive future that engages our heads, hearts and hands." When these principles are present - and sustained - within an organization, individuals and their organizations succeed.
In presenting their five principles of Hope, Hutson and Perry highlight research proving the effectiveness of Hope within an organization and provide detailed examples of how to evaluate and improve your skills as a leader fostering Hope within your organization or team. You'll learn who "Hopeful" leaders are, what they do, and how they keep their own Hope alive in times of difficulty or stress.
While some management books present theory alone, Hutson and Perry provide clear, useable tools to create and sustain Hope within your organization. Relying on their many years of management consulting and research, they feature real-life examples from a variety of industries. Combined with the tangible results presented from companies with cultures of Hope, led by "Hopeful" leaders, Putting Hope to Work is an inspirational and practical guide to implementing the power of Hope within your organization or team.
Book Description
Don't Fire Them, Fire Them Up is a real-world story of winning in business by motivating employees in the most positive way possible -- nurturing them, showing that you value their accomplishments, and giving them the skills and the responsibility to become winners. Frank Pacetta, the hard-working man who engineered the drastic performance turnarounds of Xerox's Cleveland and Columbos sales staffs, gives the reader the same techniques he uses to build a winning business team:
* How to develop trust and create loyalty
* How to generate enthusiasm and excitement
* How to establish feedback and accountability
* How to rebuild an organization, and then lead and energize it
* How to put the organization on top and keep it there year after year
This book is check-full of practical, proven tips on leadership and management, everything from motivation to communication to all the nuts and bolts of selling successfully. And Pacetta has included his Top Ten Tips (and created Ten More Top Tips), which were featured in The Wall Street Journal and which have been copied and posted on office bulletin boards across the country.
Customer Reviews:
BUILDING TEAMS IS IMPORTANT TOWARDS THE END OF A STORM.......2007-05-04
As I read the book by Frank Pacetta entitled, Don't Fire Them, Fire Them Up, I was mystified at parallelisms of success between award winning organizations that I've been a witness and party to while also seeing that the author was able to break down many of those perspectives into tangible chartable elements. His prose takes an awesome approach for change management in highly fluid corporate environments.
His most important perspective was creating an environment that had lost for so long, and changing that into a culture of winning. This was a difficult process even as the words fell off the page. Fear, resent, back-stabbing are all processes that make change difficult. His first step in that process was to reward the achievers and create an environment that lead with rewards and praise instead of fear and punishment. While there were consequences for actions, it seems that the subtleties between an attitude change were all that was needed. It was a bit more than semantics however, it was placing the achievers on a pedestal and providing incentives for the team (not the individual) to succeed. This culture allowed more people to succeed and what he created there was something unique and interesting.
Another interesting perspective that he had was setting the bar hi. This wasn't something that he was just throwing out but something very important to a successful organization. Rather than fire people and set a tone in the organization, he noted that he just elevated the bar to achieve and the people who didn't want to be a part of that process left the organization on their own. This was an amazing phenomenon. The hard work and sweat of people's labors was in itself self-correcting to the organization.
He practices a virtue that I've admired from great Marines that I've worked with. There is a virtue of leadership in the Marine Corps from many of the officers I've worked for and that is that they lead by example. While he was demanding greatness from his office, he was delivering on it himself as well and that kind of consistency was important to the team building process. While I was recruiting for the Navy, a Senior Chief name Dan Medlock was my regional manager or in the civilian world what they often call a DBM. He spent his days helping the weakest elements of a state-wide team. He assisted in the nurturing of new personnel and showed them ropes for building a successful team. It was neat to see that this character trait was present in the leadership and team building that was going on in Cleveland when the manager himself was making 4 sales calls a day. This process creates an interesting synergy that is unmistakable in its effects. When I train with my current CO, his leadership style is the same. He's extremely competitive and driven in his processes and when we hit the ground, he's at the forefront of the mission, leading. That kind of leadership is something the troops, the sales force deeply respects.
His ability to manage setbacks and failure is another important quality that I find best about great leadership. When he talked about his Fall of 1991, they had a horrible September sales and he thought it might be going down the drain. His ability to rebound from that set back and work towards turning it around even in the face of that kind of adversity, makes for an amazing character trait. Even his ability to recognize how success can challenge an organization because people have a natural tendency to rest on their laurels. When I recruited this was a difficult task at hand. After my first year in working for an organization that had missed its sales goal for 10 years, we had turned it around and won almost every national and regional award possible including station of the year, recruiter of the year and rookie of the year. Even more embarrassing to the other office managers, was that we secured most of the runner up awards as well in a small market. What made this a more amazing team thought and more powerful than a flash in the pan was that we repeated this process three years in a row and literally changed much of the perspectives of the way the recruiting process was working through out the entire Navy. It made history in the organization and when I read this tendency to coast, I remembered those times, when the calls were coming in and life seemed good... I was afraid though after reading a book, Who Moved My Cheese, that those sources would dry up and then I'd be up a creek. I continued to prospect and my chances to succeed multiplied! It was amazing and when I read this same principle in this book, it was interesting to note the parallels of how organizations like this that are consistently successful don't rest. The virtue there is that there is another hungry, younger, salesman around the corner who will get the contract if you don't. You have to be persistent, smart, engaging and working hard all the time. That's easy to do in a crisis but often difficult in an organization that is feing the benefits of its success.
The last and most interesting aspect of this team building exercise was how it became contagious in the entire organization. As the team he built became successful other individuals in the company and other top performers from other organizations wanted to be a part of it. This amazing phenomenon had interesting consequences. Some people wanted to join the organization to be a part of something big, thinking the good life was there, and not realizing how difficult and fragile that success was. The other was the amazing talent that did want to come on board and the management task of being able to distinguish between the two. The author described this as `drudgery'. Another parallel to my own experience in this fashion was the types of folks who would call out out of the blue to see what we were doing in Milwaukee. They accused us of cheating and bending the rules in some dark fashion. Those who were wise, replicated what we were doing in their own corner of the country and they realized their own success. The entire quality of the organization outside our own scope and area of operation and responsibility improved as a result of this and we couldn't even measure or see the results to their full extent. People were tired of hearing our names and hearing about Milwaukee so they went out an got some of their own. It was amazing.
As I read this book, it read like a textbook of experience from our own experiences in Milwaukee. Ever page fell out like I was reading a memoirs written by my good friend Dan Medlock. For managers that would be wanting to duplicate these successes, this is a great book for understanding that kind of process. You can have those individual superstars, however, it is the team that creates something extraordinary and more importantly its almost self-perpetuating. That kind of leadership is important and Frank Pacetta is definitely a pace setter and his processes of leadership should be duplicated in every organization.
Great Motivator.......2007-03-22
It doesn't matter what job specialty you are in, if you supervise people - or are an up-and-coming supervisor - you have to read this book.
The focus is on sales. But many of the principles outlined can be used no matter what you do. The basic principles even work with dealing with your own family - namely teenagers!
You learn that it's about your attitude and you taking responsibility for your actions. It's about knowing that PEOPLE are the most important asset there is. Take care of 'your' people and you will get results. Laziness and complacency will end your career in a hurry.
The book is a quick read and entertaining too. Frank does talk about himself quite a bit, and you may get the impression that he is 'stuck on himself'. I think that it is just that he has confidence in himself and his abilities.
Learn from this man. The book IS worth you time. Actually, I liked it so much that I bought a copy for each of the supervisors in my office.
Take a chance! The worst that could happen is that you will stay the way you are.
The one book I refer and give over and over again........2005-12-06
When any of my friends get promoted to management, I give them a copy of this book. I like reading lots of different business books, but this is one I refer to over and over again. Sage advice that is a breeze to read through and will motivate you to do the right things with your business and your team.
Should be required reading for managers.......2004-03-31
I read this book first some 6 years ago when I first got into management. A former copier salesperson myself, Frank's story isn't just one of inspiration. His strategies, tips and techniques to motivate a staff are dead on. The owner of a sales training company today, I still find myself utilizing his strategies when I provide my own individual sales coaching. This book is guaranteed to make you money. 5 stars all the way!
Todd Natenberg, Author of the book, "I just got a job in sales! Now what?" A Playbook for Skyrocketing Your Commissions
Basic rules in how to revive a business........2004-02-16
If you have been to business school, most of these pointers have been learned. Still books like this are a refreshing read on how to revive a business. Frank has ten pointers to learn, but most businessmen already know these. I can summarize some: work hard, start early, work as a team, recognize employees who perform, and before you leave for the day, make one final effort.
This is not brain surgery, but it is amazing the number of businesses that fail in even this.
If I had any critique of these principles, it it the author focusing on the sales side. These principles can be applied to any business. A simple, refreshing read.
Book Description
Christians have likely been struggling with the place of business in the life of faith ever since Paul's days as a tentmaker. Just how do the spheres of private devotion and public business intersect in a meaningful way?
Paul Stevens has been exploring this question since his earliest working days in his father's steel business. His Doing God's Business tells how readers can find lasting and satisfying meaning for marketplace involvement in the light of the Christian faith and tradition. Stevens explores the potential of business as a location for practicing everyday spiritual disciplines and as a source of creativity and deeper relationship with God.
Customer Reviews:
Any Christian library collection will find it a top pick........2007-02-06
Christians have long struggled with business pursuits and faith's place in such affairs, and Doing God's Business: Meaning and Motivation for the Marketplace surveys this struggle, considering how to honor God in the marketplace. From practicing everyday disciplines to cultivating integrity and handling global challenges to God's mission, Doing God's Business is a guide for personal, spiritual and business achievement and any Christian library collection will find it a top pick.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Amazon.com
In 1001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work, Bob Nelson applies the formula behind his two previous books, 1001 Ways to Energize Employees and 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, and shows how any employee can advance his or her career by taking action, questioning authority, and thinking "outside the box." The book is filled with hundreds of stories about how workers, through simple initiatives, have made a difference at their companies--from the familiar story about the origins of Post-Its at 3M to how a Home Depot store manager helped a customer in a wheelchair. These stories are flanked by dozens of sidebars filled with short prescriptions for bettering the workplace and one's career (e.g., "Tactics for Influencing Others," "Don't Settle for Just Good Enough"). For Nelson, the key to fostering initiative is getting past the roadblocks that inhibits creativity. He cites a UCLA study that showed that by the "age five we engage in creative tasks 98 times a day, laugh 113 times, and ask questions 65 times. By the age of 44, however, the numbers shrink to 2 creative tasks a day, 11 laughs, and 6 questions." If your professional aspirations center on just getting by, then take a pass on this one. Those looking for practical career advice, however, would do well to give 1001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work a good look. --Harry C. Edwards
Book Description
1001 WAYS to Take Initiative at Work is about managing up--about employees taking ownership of their jobs, whether it's an assistant working for a manager or a VP working for the CEO. Third in the 1001 Ways series by bestselling business writer Bob Nelson, whose 1001 Ways to Reward Employees and 1001 Ways to Energize Employees have over 900,000 copies in print, TAKE INITIATIVE is the first management book for employees. Weaving together case studies, examples, quotes, research highlights, and the author's own "Tool Box" of management techniques and exercises, this practical handbook will show every reader how to develop self-leadership, set goals, create learning opportunities, take risks, build a team, sell ideas, and work both within and outside the larger organization. Taking initiative is about a former secretary at Johnsonville Foods who originated and now runs the company's thriving mail-order business. It's about a technical writer who created Xerox's popular "webmaster" website. And it's about you. As Bob Nelson proves, employees have much more power than they think--taking initiative is how to harness that power and reap its rewards. By the bestselling author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees and 1001 Ways to Energize Employees, with over 900,000 copies in print.
Customer Reviews:
Spend your time elsewhere........2006-09-24
This should have been titled, "1001 Ways Other People Took Initiative, But Aren't Applicable To What You Do". Bob Nelson's latest in the series is little more than a non-stop string of industry stories and reader comments solicited from the web. This book does not aid in taking initiative because the "examples" are provided without comment or insight into how to apply this more generally; it's far too specific to be of use to anyone else.
What remains, including comments from professionals and researchers, has some value but is insignificant for the size of the book. The insights Nelson provides are distinctly unoriginal and will be well known to anyone who's ever read another book on empowerment or efficiency.
I like the self-development side of it !.......2006-01-31
It was 1999, when I purchased this book... It has been waiting on my bookself patiently to be read since then - I mean till recently. Although I had look at it couple of times before, I had almost the same negative impression with the some other reviewers here. I thought it sounds dull and ordinary.
However, my mind changed last weekend. As a person who temporarily depressed about his career expectations, I took the book from the shelf (you can't imagine the amount of dust it has!! just joking..) and I started to read "Part3: Your Career and Your Life" section of the book. I felt incredible good as there are lots of useful advise I can benefit, there are many people's sincere stories which I can appreciate and respect.
Maybe it is not a perfect book and obviously not written for All time tigers (who want to win-win and win, create hard to believe success stories, then become CEO - till the next lay off and start the game again if any time and energy left!) but it can be a loyal friend of the its owner during all over his/her career. I think it is worth to buy and listen what Bob says...
Not at all what I was looking for.......2005-08-09
While "1001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work" was an interesting read at first but I eventually put it down for several weeks before forcing myself to continute.
While some stories can give at least a hint of an idea if not an actual suggestion on how to step up on the job, 98% of this book seems redundant and lacking. If you're looking for, as on reviewer said, "Chicken Soup for the Employee's Soul" you've found it. If you are looking for something to guide you into being a better employee and coworker, move on.
Very Good Book, Many Fabulous Ideas for Workplace!.......2005-02-12
"1001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work" by Bob Nelson
There are many good tips in this book, tips on how to best communicate with management, how to most efficiently work with co-workers and how to organize a work area for the most efficient and effective operation. There are also ideas on creativity and what the signs of an excellent business(a business running on all cylinders) are.
Throughout the book there are helpful quotes from people who have succeeded in the business world, like: Robert Townsend former CEO for Avis, Larry Hohman, founder and chairman of WYNCOM, and Ross Perot, a1992 presidential candidate and chairman of the Perot Group. There are many others contributing to this book too.
Perot said of leadership, "Leadership is empowering a group of people to successfully achieve a common goal. In order to do that, you get to tap their full potential, the motivators are the same things that get you or me excited and cause us to do outstanding work. That's the most important thing to remember, that most people who are part of the team are very much like he or she is. A successful leader is one who gives credit where credit is due."
Robert Crandall, Chairman and President of American Airlines said, "Use leadership to empower others. Leadership is not about doing it all by yourself, but about involving other people. You build a sense of teamwork by a participatory process of management." Former President of the University of California, David Gardner, says: "To put one's ego aside, to listen, to do whatever is necessary to achieve the common good in a given situation, is a formidable challenge, but the advantages of the empowering style of leadership are considerable."
The former CEO of Avis Corporation, Robert Townsend, says to be a good leader is to be a good problem solver. He notes five tips for attacking problems most successfully.
1. Define the problem.
2. Gather as much data as you can
3. Consider alternate solutions
4. Pick the best solution
5. Apply the best solution
Townsend also notes that a proactive leader cannot be good at these steps without initiative. He states, "Initiative is important in the workplace because it shows the manager that you are ready to take on more responsibility and make more important decisions. If you do it well, it shows that you can learn, take on more responsibilities and know how to properly advise your staff on important issues." Townsend says a good employee is always looking for more efficient ways to do his/her job. Having a "To Do" list to start each day and to start with the most organized as possible work space are excellent ways to start.
Executive Peter Drucker is quoted in his book "Leader of the Future" as saying real leaders do not start out with the question "What do I want?"...they start out with the question, "What needs to be done?" Other good questions to ask are: "What can I do to make a difference?" , "What are the organization's missions and goals, and am I in line with them?" He also says good managers are extremely tolerant of diversity and are not looking for carbon copies of themselves. Good bosses are also not afraid of the strength of their associates. They are concerned about making the right decision, not the popular decision. Effective leaders are doers, not preachers!
Another business executive from a large oil corporation, gives advice on taking initiative in meetings:
1. Really listen to what others have to say.
2. Participate in the discussion, but don't dominate it.
3. Prepare well for the meeting.
4. Speak clearly and loudly with confidence
5. Do your part to keep that meeting on target. Don't let it ramble too much.
Workers should ask questions at meetings. They should come with their concerns, but should bring constructive solutions first. Managers should be mindful of trying to craft creative solutions with a variety of issues, and shoul be ready to compromise. Managers should, in cooperation with workers always be finding better ways of doing things, and finding ways to save the company money.
Larry Holman, founder and chairman of WYNCOM gives some advice that could apply to leaders or followers in a company:
1. Increase your vocabulary by learning a new word daily.
2. Attend professional developmental programs.
3. Listen to motivational tapes.
4. Be aware of your own strengths and weaknesses.
5. Join charitable groups in your community.
6. Pick a mentor at work, and bombard him/her with questions.
7. Stay in touch with your creative side.
There are also tips on empowerment, releasing the full potential of employees. It's important for managers to bring out the very best in all their staff. One executive pointed out that it's not possible to bring out this full potential in workplaces that are "punitive" where people are "risk averse." Very interesting stuff. Another CEO talked about the concept of vision. A clear vision for an organization, she says, "unifies and inspires." Employees ideally become self-motivated to be part of the vision. People produce more when they are self-driven and produce within the context of a "powerful vision." As the old cliché goes, "There is no I in TEAM." One more thought about vision. Thomas Tierney, President of Vitatech International explains it quite eloquently:
He says, "Visions are born of commitment. The gestation period of greatness is accelerated by this shared vision; one which uses a spark of future promise to ignite the passions of a population. These passions establish a collective resonance which is unstoppable. Stay away from toxic thinkers."
Lawrence Miller, President of Miller Consulting Group says,
" I think the notion of continuous improvement is a really helpful value. To achieve that, you need to continually learn and accept continuous change. The first enemy of learning and quality is arrogance. Companies and their executives who think they have reached wisdom close themselves off from further knowledge. And finally, former Secretary of Labor and Harvard University professor Robert Reich suggests a leader may be one who is not necessarily on top of the totem pole, but who is not afraid to say what needs to be said."
These are good words to live and work by! I enjoyed "1001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work" and I know you will too.
Submitted 2-2005, Jeff McAndrew, WHBL Radio
20 great pages, 200 pages of filler.......2003-03-20
As others have pointed out, this book would have been great if it was called something along the lines of "101 ways to take initiative at work". Lots of useless "examples". I use the word examples lightly, because they are really stretching what they consider initiative. For example, there is a chapter called "Learning and Education". There is a story in there about someone who felt he was due a promotion but didn't get it because he lacked an MBA. So what did he do? He quit and found a different job. I'm not sure how that is showing initiative at work. Perhaps it can be considered showing initiative in his personal career, but initiative at work would have been him either getting the MBA part time or convincing his management that he didn't need it. All this showed me was that if there is an obstable at work, my "initiative" should be to quit and find a different job. Hardly motivating. There are many other anecdotes along these lines. There are a few good ones, but it isn't worth reading through the 900 bad ones to discover them.
What this book does really nicely though is make it easy for you to read the good stuff without reading the warm and fuzzy stories. Seperated from the main text in the borders and at the bottom pages are grey boxes with some good information. I have photocopied a couple to hang up in my cube. There are some great ideas and suggestions in these. But not all the grey box stuff is good. There are alot of quotes that came from an Internet based poll about initiative, such as "If your employer sees your initiative, then all else will fall into place". This quote is attributed to "Maria, from the Internet". Well, thanks, Maria, but if I wanted to read quotes from people who like to post little nuggets of wisdom online, I could save $10 and search through the many job sites out there. Obviously, I know that initiative is a good thing, or else I would have never picked up this book. I don't need to read the wisdom of semi-anonymous people telling me why I need to show initiative. Give me examples HOW.
Finally, this book was written in 1999. It reflects the Dot Com era of the day. Many examples are how to improve my working condition, and how this person did such a great job showing initiative and bringing a day care center to work. Well, with all due respect, my career is not going to advance in 2003 by pushing an initiative that is going to cost my company money. It may gain me the respect of my co-workers, but I've already got that. I need to know how to impress my management. That's why I read this book.
All in all, the stuff that was good in this book was REALLY GOOD. I would have given it 5 stars if it wasn't surrounded by other [stuff]. Take it out from your local library, but save your cash.
Amazon.com
Now that the economy has tanked, it's time for corporate execs to remind their employees of who's who and what's what, right? Wrong, warns Bill Jensen in Work 2.0, his rousing but practical blueprint for creating the productive workplace of the future. Employees are any company's most important investors, Jensen reminds the forward-thinking leader; how their contributions of time, attention, ideas, knowledge, passion, energy, and social networks are respected and rewarded will determine the success or failure of the company. Think of Work 2.0 as the new contract these employees are wielding, their sophisticated manifesto for how to get a better return on their investment. It's no longer merely about healthy compensation, good benefits, and a foosball table in the corporate café; today's workers care about how easy it is to make a big impact, how much and how fast they can learn, and how efficiently what they provide is utilized. Jensen aims this motivational guide at leaders who want to attract and keep these savvy employee-investors, and teaches them how to embrace the asset revolution, give their employees better control over their own destinies, create and deliver peer-to-peer value, and become the type of extreme leaders capable of excelling in extreme times. The book is peppered with great quotes, useful checklists, and tips from leaders already succeeding under the new contract. --S. Ketchum
Book Description
From the author of Simplicity--a powerful new approach to management.
With a new preface by the author.
In Work 2.0, Bill Jensen introduces us to a new breed of managers and organizations that are maximizing productivity, developing leaders at all levels, constantly innovating, attracting exceptional talent--and winning in the marketplace. The key to their success is recognizing that the most valuable assets in the company are the time, attention, knowledge, passion, energy, and social networks of the frontline workers. As Jensen convincingly argues, building a corporate infrastructure that gives people what they need to "get stuff done"--and then get out of their way--yields surprising results: greater alignment of personal and corporate goals, more satisfied employees and customers, and a competitive edge that keeps everyone moving forward together.
Customer Reviews:
Energizing Workbook for Success.......2003-04-18
Appealing to everyone who works for a living and wants to strive for the shear fun of it (shades of Maslow's self actualization), Work 2.0 is a concise, direct and practical fieldbook full of insights and "how to" approaches.
With a brutally frank focus on personal productivity in a global context, it will cause you to assess "as is" (your job, company or country) so that long-term fulfillment can be attained. Don't worry though- this is not one of those mysterious pop-psychology texts.
Entertaining, dynamic chapters span:
1- the asset revolution begins- work 2.0 new contract, leaders and managers, workforce
2- if you're serious rules- embrace the asset revolution, build my work my way, deliver pee-to-peer value, develop extreme leaders
3- under construction- views of work ahead, privacy matters
Full of ideas, checklists, and examples of Work 2.0, this is one of the best books in the domain. Share it at work if you want to shake the place up.
[note- based upon complimentary review copy sent by author]
Seven Stars.......2003-02-24
This is the first book I've read that tempted me to write my review before I reached the last page. The content and the style inspired me to spread the good word before I finished the book. I forced myself to wait, and was continually delighted with what I gleaned from each page.
The world of work is changing-dramatically and quickly. Few people really "get" what is happening, let alone what to do about it. In my work as a Consulting Business Futurist, I face a daily challenge of motivating leaders to open up, shift their perspective, and begin to function differently than they ever have before. I'm almost embarrassed that I didn't write "Work 2.0," but still will have no difficulty at all in recommending it to my clients. I'll also recommend it to corporate executives who are not yet enlightened enough to become clients! Reading this book will shake them up enough to do something.
The message of this book is powerful, direct, and in-your-face. It's compelling; you won't want to put this book down. Employees are becoming more demanding-they want recognition, respect, empowerment, and all the rest, but with a different twist and different intensity than we've ever seen. Have you read the books about disruptive events that change history? Jensen closes-after the endnotes, acknowledgements, subject index, and people index-with a list of 55 disruptive events. Number 55 is 9/11/2001. And more has happened since then. You, dear reader, will be part of the sequel. It's unavoidable.
Corporate leaders: Read this book. Now, before your competitors do. Human resource professionals: "Work 2.0" will unsettle you and stimulate you to advise management in a whole new way. Allow me to quote from the FAQ page at the end of the book. "Dear Loony Author: Are you nuts? Have you read the papers? Employees are in no position to ask for anything but breadcrumbs. As far as I'm concerned, there's no way the My-Way is coming our way. Sincerely, Exec-in-Charge." Jensen heard this message from senior executives, just as we have. Executives excited about being back in control as the economy slowed.
Guess what! The economy's picking up. As we report in our book, "Impending Crisis: Too Many Jobs, Too Few People" (also available from amazon.com), employers are moving into the most severe shortage of skilled labor in history. Employees will be in the driver's seat again. The new contract with employees, described in vivid detail in "Work 2.0," is being written now-by workers, not by employers. Executives who don't get the message of this book risk being written out of the contract.
The choice is yours.
Work, Life, Control: Condensed and Clarified.......2002-10-13
Bill Jensen has researched how we all work for more than a decade. I know: I participated in part of his study ten years ago.
Here's what I've learned both from his two books and his research...
* HIS SKILL is as an aggregator, simplifier, and clarifier.
I laugh at reviews that are obviously searching for the next big thing:
("Nothing new here. So-and-so said that back in...") He openly covers ideas that others cover. But he integrates them all together, and finds the patterns and overlaps between dots that we couldn't otherwise connect.
* HE IS PASSIONATE about respect for the individual.
Work 2.0 and Simplicity are not about *business* success. They are about people issues, and finding more ways for each individual to succeed.
He's holding leaders accountable for employees' time, energy, and
passion that they waste. When he wrote "It is no longer acceptable to say that there's *work* and there's *life* and it's up to employees to balance the two," he was taking a stand for all the thousands of people he's heard from during his research. Again, I was one of those he stood up for.
* HE ASKS tough questions.
Do not buy his books unless you're willing to look in the mirror. While he includes checklists and writes in a very accessible way, he is definitely not about mice-moving-cheese, or fish-throwing, or Five Steps to Eternal Bliss. He's seen our personal foibles and the stupidity in our workplaces, and he tells the truth.
* HE POKES a finger in the eye of those in power, then winks at us.
* HE RESPECTS his readers.
Sure, he gets some things wrong. I don't agree with all his findings or recommendations. But at the end of the day, he respects us to think more deeply and come up with better solutions because he played truth-teller and dots-connector. He sees his role as witness, reporter, clarifier, and provocateur. He figures we're smart enough to figure out the rest.
For me, that's more than good enough.
"In Search of Excellence"... Abridged and Updated.......2002-10-01
"Work 2.0" deserves attention simply because it's one of the first business books to reflect the post-dotcom, post-9/11 business environment. Beyond that, however, it reads largely like recycled Tom Peters... which isn't necessarily a bad thing. In today's business climate, themes like personal accountability and risk taking are more relevant than ever -- certainly more so than when Peters and his contemporaries first advocated them in the '80s. Jensen is right: the younger generation expects to be challenged in new and different ways, and successful managers will adapt their management styles accordingly.
Jensen even adopt's Peters' self-conscious, jaunty style of writing and heavy use of bullets and callouts. But if "Work 2.0" is a business book for the new millenium, one must wonder whether the new breed of workers is truly as fearless as Jensen argues. "My work, my way" in an "extreme" workplace is all very cool, but after the pink slip and several months of unemployment, it doesn't mean very much. And (harsh as it may sound) Work 2.0 also isn't very applicable to workers with lower levels of skill or education.
One gets the sense that "Work 2.0" was initially conceived and written at the height of the dotcom boom, then hastily retooled as the economy went south. Nevertheless, the book has some important things to say, especially to managers who might be supervising young knowledge workers for the first time. Plus, it's short and can be read in a couple of sittings.
Guru of Gurus.......2002-08-23
A book by the title of "Management Gurus and Management Fashion" puts forth the argument that there are three master analogues or deep structures to explain how someone becomes a guru in the management field, or an idea tips and spreads like wildfire through our places at work. The three analogues are: Pragmatic analogue - grounded in expediency, efficiency, survival (a la Hammer and Champy); Righteous analogue - based on ethics, integrity, authenticity, and doing what's right (a la Stephen Covey); and the Social analogue - addressing human relations and connectedness (a la Peter Senge).
Well, if you buy into this argument then Bill Jensen is the "guru of gurus" because Work 2.0 sits squarely at the intersection of Hammer and Champy, Covey, and Senge. Jensen taps into the pragmatic by providing us all a wake-up call about how the time, attention, ideas, knowledge, passion, energy, and social networks of people will ultimately determine the success or failure of our places of work. He drills down into the righteous by challenging all of us to take on the responsibility of creating a better workplace, to speak the truth to those in power, and to quit the platitudes and go after our own unique destiny. And he brings focused attention to the social by stating that at the end of the day, the new contract is all about helping people to make an impact, to learn and grow, and to take our relationships to new levels.
Whether you are an employee and/or employer, read this book to be both challenged and inspired by the world of work, 2.0.
Books:
- Coaching for Improved Work Performance, Revised Edition
- Dealing with Difficult People: How to Deal with Nasty Customers, Demanding Bosses and Annoying Co-workers
- Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future
- Effective Phrases For Performance Appraisals: A Guide to Successful Evaluations
- Essentials of Fire Fighting
- Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results
- Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results
- Flying Star Feng Shui
- FYI: For Your Improvement, A Guide for Development and Coaching (4th edition)
- Getting Started: Reculturing Schools to Become Professional Learning Communities
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Serial Killer Files: The Who, What, Where, How, and Why of the World's Most Terrifying Murderers
- The First Lady
- Investigating Microbiology: A Laboratory Manual for General Microbiology
- Interfacial Phenomena and Convection
- Life: A User's Manual
- Riding The Waves of Culture: Understanding Diversity in Global Business
- Secrets of Fat-Free Cooking : Over 150 Fat-Free and Low-Fat Recipes from Breakfast to Dinner-Appetiz
- An Architecture for People: The Complete Works of Hassan Fathy
- Helmut Jacoby: Master of Architectural Drawing
- Petty Treason: A Sarah Tolerance Mystery
