Leading Geeks: How to Manage and Lead the People Who Deliver Technology

Leading Geeks: How to Manage and Lead the People Who Deliver Technology
Average customer rating:

Great for helping non-technical managers understand technical teams

A New IT Workforce?

better for non-technical managers

On the mark

worthy

Leading Geeks: How to Manage and Lead the People Who Deliver Technology
Paul Glen , David H. Maister , and Warren G. Bennis
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0787961485

Book Description

Winner of the 2003 Financial Times Germany/getAbstract Business & Finance Book Award

Leading Geeks challenges the conventional wisdom that leadership methods are universal and gives executives and managers the understanding they need to manage and lead the technologists on whom they have become so dependent. This much-needed book written in nontechnical language by Paul Glen, a highly acclaimed management consultant gives clear directions on how to effectively lead these brilliant yet notoriously resistant-to-being-managed knowledge workers. Glen not only provides proven management strategies but also background on why traditional approaches often don't work with geeks. Leading Geeks describes the beliefs and behavior of geeks, their group dynamics, and the unique nature of technical work. It also offers a unique twelve-part model that explains how knowledge workers deliver value to an organization.

Customer Reviews:

Great for helping non-technical managers understand technical teams.......2007-10-05

If you're an IT manager, you should definitely have (and read!) a copy of the excellent book "Leading Geeks" by Paul Glen. It talks a lot about "common traits" of folks who are drawn to technology work, and what they mean from a management point of view, including how to leverage those traits to your team's advantage, rather than fighting an uphill battle against them.

IT managers who read the book will probably find a lot of the material somewhat obvious. However, I still think it's worthwhile reading, for two reasons. First, it coherently organizes a lot of those "obvious" things and points out conclusions and implications that you might never have consciously considered. Second, it gives you a good set of explanations and examples to use to explain to other (non-technical, such as upper management) folks why what your team does is hard to predict/forecast/manage.

A New IT Workforce?.......2007-06-26

I thoroughly enjoyed Paul Glen's work and look forward to more like it in the future. Glen does a great job of identifying what today's IT geeks are like, giving its readers a window of opportunity to understand how to train, manage and lead those with similar characteristics. According to the U.S. Department of Labor and Statistics, the IT industry ranks as one of the fastest-growing areas of job growth in the United States workforce, projecting a growth rate between 40 to 60 percent by 2014. With these projections, it is difficult to ignore the preparation that must take place to prepare new geeks for the future. It becomes necessary to understand the current trends of professionals in the IT industry to ensure that IT geeks receive the continued training they need to remain marketable in a competitive workforce.

Glen describes employees in IT occupations as follows:

[They] are the knowledge workers who specialize in the creation, maintenance, or support of high technology. They have job titles like programmer, product manager, project manager, quality assurance engineer, system designer, system architect, program manager, technical writer, help desk technician, deployment specialist, trainer, network manager, web designer, database administrator, desktop support technician, or telecommunications specialist. Some of them may carry titles like chief information officer (CIO), chief knowledge officer (CKO), chief technical officer (CTO), development director, operations manager, and, on rare occasions, chief executive officer (CEO).

Many of these roles are typical IT positions, with the exception of the following: project manager, product manager and program manager. Many IT professionals in Microsoft, for example, have responsibilities within the IT sector but work in the following areas: marketing, education, and product development. In general, new roles and responsibilities are emerging for the profession: evangelist, engagement manager, program manager, marketing manager, solution architect, business analyst. With heightened competition in a global economy, more professionals MUST diversify their portfolio, including how they brand their image.

As these roles implies, "geeks" will include more than those Glen defines as the "knowledge workers who specialize in the creation, maintenance, or support of high technology", it will eventually encompass others fields. As business needs redefine the future workforce, the fine lines of who these knowledge workers are become blurred. Technology will continue to be infused in our day-to-day business transactions, communication, and being. Geeks will include your accountants, marketing professionals, business professionals, educators, customer service specialist, managers, and so on.

Overall, Glen challenges that leadership and management is situational, requiring different approaches for different situations, settings, and people involved. As geek roles fluctuate, those in management and leadership roles overseeing this talent will need to focus on how to manage and sharpen human capital, in this case, IT geeks, for maximized business results.

For example, Glen proposes that geeks and their "geek work", require managers to create harmony to help iron out ambiguities, representative of many projects, regardless of field. Because high technology-related projects often requires understanding of the business goals, customer requirements (known and unknown customer requirements), and risks involved, managers can serve as buffer zones to foster persistent communication between geeks and the external world.

By focusing on the project goals and the "what" and "how", he emphasizes the importance of defining clear requirements, helping geeks understand the business environment, processes, and teamwork related to "geek work".

I highly recommend this book to managers and project team leads responsible for overseeing individuals working on computer technology-related projects, clients, and/or customers.

better for non-technical managers.......2007-06-09

I think this book would be more useful for managers who are coming from a product marketing or more non-technical background. For managers coming up from technical roles (including project managers working on technical projects), a lot of the concepts in this book will be familiar, even obvious. Some of the sections on managing ambiguity were useful, but overall if you've just started managing technical people, I'd recommend Peopleware instead.

On the mark.......2006-12-19

In "Leading Geeks", Paul Glen puts to paper a strategy for leading IT people that I personally have been following but have never been able to articulate.

Framing reality and managing ambiguity is indeed the major part of the job. It is our responsibility to help our teams "make sense of the cacophony of hype, facts, opinions, rumors, ideas, and concepts that swirl around the workplace". We have to provide some "fixed point in the distance to help guide day-to-day decisions and provide a coherent context to the nearly endless stream of confusion".

Finally someone acknowledges that the "seemingly endless supply of motivational material testifies to its futility". It is not so much that we need to motivate our creative and technical employees, but rather we should strive to not *de-motivate*, and nurture the elements that allow it to occur.

Glen says that we are trying to encourage effective *thought* as opposed to *behavior*, given the creative nature of geek work. Although he recommends projects as the optimal format, he says innovation is difficult to manage and schedule. On the subject of project and engineering methodologies, the "one thing that most of them have in common is that they are ignored." Yet compliance must be a balancing act, because while we rarely follow methodologies to completion, without them we descend into chaos. This is good advice that we hardcore project and process managers need to always keep in mind.

He also provides excellent insight into the thought patterns behind smart, creative people.

I have a few nits that prevent a rating of five stars.

- I did not like the continued use of the word "geek". Although once used, I understand it is very difficult not to keep using it to refer to the particular subjects at the heart of his book. And the author uses the term with affection and even reverence and he admits he himself is a geek. Still, on the whole, the moniker doesn't work.

- The book plays slightly towards the stereotype. While that characterization does cover a large portion of the "geek" population, there is a sizeable body of geeks who are not introverted and that understand and are interested in business and other traditionally non-geeks things.

- Finally, while the first 200 pages provided good practical advice, chapters 11, 12, and 13 just fall off the map into academia and theory. It is almost as if a different author penned those chapters.

Those nits aside, I strongly recommend "Leading Geeks" to managers of computer, engineering, and creative employees.

worthy.......2006-11-10

Its very important to know these things in managing people in IT organizations. This book gives insight into inter-personal skills and management skills of IT manager.

Caregivers and Personal Assistants: How to Find, Hire and Manage the People Who Help You (Or Your Loved One!)

Average customer rating:

Take Charge!
Treasure of Facts and Helps
Caregivers and Personal Assistants
A "MustBuy" book for those who need help with personal care
Great resource for busy people

Caregivers and Personal Assistants: How to Find, Hire and Manage the People Who Help You (Or Your Loved One!)
Alfred H. Degraff
Manufacturer: Saratoga Access Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0962110612

Book Description

This unique resource will show you how to find and hire quality help providers - when and where you need them - and how to keep them longer. You will be in control of the quality of help you receive, because you will first control the quality of your help providers.

Your relationship with family caregivers, agency aides, or personally employed PAs (personal assistants) will maximize respect and trust - and minimize stress. You will find step-by-step strategies for the recurring RISHTMP Cycle of recruiting, interviewing, screening, hiring, training, managing, and parting ways with your paid help providers.

Planning strategies also advise you and family caregivers how to live in harmony. Your need for assistance is balanced with their need to set limits on the help they can provide.

Customer Reviews:

Take Charge!.......2002-05-03

This book helped me understand that I'm the one in charge. The caregivers work for me and I see now that I need to take more control of the situations. It's a great resource for all aspects of people management.

Treasure of Facts and Helps.......2002-05-02

This book is a treasure of facts and helps for any family member, friend, or professional seeking caregiver/personal assistant care for another, or for an individual seeking such care for him/herself. The book is reader friendly and proceeds in logical steps. The information is practical and useable. Compassion for and insight into the feelings of the care receiver are a part of the writing and this is invaluable to all as they move through the process of finding caregiver/personal assistants. The author "thought of everything" and addresses every question one could have because he has been in the situation of finding care for himself and knows what does and does not work. His expertise and information will be a welcome and comprehensive guide to anyone who needs to find, hire and manage caregiver or personal assistant help.

Caregivers and Personal Assistants.......2002-04-25

Finally, DeGraff has a new book! He is THE authority on personal care assistance, and I trust his experience, wisdom and advice. We have waited for this new edition for several years, and we find it chocked full of practical how-to's. This is a must for families seeking advice on managing care at home, for students and for health care workers. This book should be required reading for legislators and public policy advocates because this provides practical, up-to-date, relevant information for real-life settings; and it reminds us that legislation must support independent living and home care. With the graying of America, more and more people are going to realize the value of living at home with effectively managed personal care. Agency care often does not work, and it is not aimed at promoting the care recipients' need for independence, respect and wholesomeness. Managing care at home provides sensible and healthy options -- and DeGraff's expertise and advice shows how to go about it. This is learning from the best! Margaret A. Short, Ph.D.

A "MustBuy" book for those who need help with personal care.......2002-04-24

As indicated by the title, this book gives you all the information you need to "Find, Hire and Manage the People Who Help You (or your Loved One!). The author speaks from profound personal experience of his more than 30 years of living as a high level quadriplegic. As one who has know Mr. DeGraff since early in that experience, I have followed him as he has gone through rehabilitation, college, graduate school and beyond to where he is today and can readily vouch for his abilities. No detail has been left out of this remarkable publication.

Great resource for busy people.......2002-04-24

As a sole adult responsible for my elderly mother, I found DeGraff's book to be my best friend. Prior to getting this book, I felt like a ship at sea without a rudder. Now I have direction, confidence, and clarity when it comes to making decisions for her and for me. It is a resource that offered great ideas and perspective to support her quality of life, at the same time,ensuring my own quality of life.

Leading Leaders: How to Manage Smart, Talented, Rich, And Powerful People

Average customer rating:

Refreshing little book on leadership
Get past the title and it's all a sham
practical books for those who lead boards and professional service firms
Valuable New Perspectives for Today's Leaders

Leading Leaders: How to Manage Smart, Talented, Rich, And Powerful People
Jeswald W. Salacuse
Manufacturer: AMACOM/American Management Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

The most valuable people in and around an organization are often the most difficult to manage. They are the "elites" -- executives, highly educated professionals, investors, board members, experts in critical functions, and others -- whose special talents or positions give them unusual power and independence from those who seek to lead them. These influential individuals are not motivated by visionary speeches, by teambuilding sessions, or by a need to prove themselves (or keep their jobs). They are important assets to the company -- but only when their strengths can be harnessed and aligned with organizational goals. Leading Leaders shows the reader how to develop one-on-one, up-close-and-personal relationships with these movers and shakers, and how to leverage their expertise for better decision making. Rather than top-down processes that might apply in a typical leadership hierarchy, the book establishes processes that resonate with these very special "followers," including negotiation, strategic planning, brainstorming, and more.

Customer Reviews:

Refreshing little book on leadership.......2006-04-05

This refreshing little book on leadership takes an unusual tack by focusing on how to lead leaders. This kind of leadership, says author Jeswald W. Salacuse, is different from all others. However, he explains, leaders occur at every level of an organization, so managers throughout the hierarchy will find his principles applicable. Salacuse's core idea is that you must discover the interests of those you wish to lead and then make it clear to them that you are serving their interests. This requires listening, personal attention, framing your objectives in their terms, and respecting their freedom and autonomy. Salacuse illustrates his ideas with examples drawn from history and contemporary politics. We recommend adding Salacuse's book to your leadership library.

Get past the title and it's all a sham.......2006-03-31

I walk in to Barnes & Noble nad stroll over the Business section and there is a new book with a catchy title and subtitle; "Leading Leaders", "How to manage smart talented, rich and powerful people"

What you get is more of the Communists News Network (CNN) useless diatribe on how the war on terror and Iraq are failures and that the President can be held in contempt because we have the freedom of speech.

Mr Salacuse writing style is both reckless and irresponsile.
What a farce.

practical books for those who lead boards and professional service firms.......2005-11-26

Jeswald Salacuse is Professor of Law at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. From 1986-1994, Professor Salacuse served as The Fletcher School's Dean. He also served as Dean of the School of Law at Southern Methodist University. In addition to his role as a higher education leader, he is a specialist on international negotiation and international law. Dr. Salacuse is an independent director of several mutual funds and a member of the Steering Committee of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.

Much of today's literature on leadership use sports or military analogies. Indeed successful Generals and Coaches often command premium speaker fees to speak to leaders about leadership. The presumption is that there is a technique that can be used to "inspire" "mobilize" "energize" and "direct" players to work together for the sake of the team.

Such programs can indeed be of value in hierarchical work systems.

But what about law firms, investment banks, accounting firms, physician practices, Boards of Directors, consulting firms, higher education and research organizations? Do these military-type models of leadership work?

Dr. Salacuse argues that leaders in professionals firms must "lead leaders" and not "troops" or "employees" or "players." By leaders, he refers to people who have an independent power base outside their organizational roles. That power base might be the marketability of their own talents, their network of contacts, their stature within their professions, their wealth, their ability to access clients/funding sources.

This book asks how can a leader lead leaders?

Dr. Salacuse employs political metaphors rather than military or sports analogies to make practical points. He reasons that politics is the art of managing other leaders who have their own power base and are not necessarily dependent on the leader.

He has a fascinating chapter on "the medium sends the message" and uses the different managerial approaches of President George H.W. Bush versus President George W. Bush to illustrate the concept. In organizing a coalition to go to war against Iraq, George H.W. Bush spent considerable time on 1:1 discussions with the phone with leaders. He appealed to the unique interests of each leader one at a time and used the phone as the primary communications tool and himself as the primary communicator. In seeking to form an alliance to go to war with Iraq, George W. Bush, on the other hand, delegated much of the communications role to others. He used broad appeals without customizing the message 1:1. Dr. Salacuse argues that the father represents the model for how to engage other leaders while the son represents the model for how not to do it.

In my own experience with CEOs who get fired by their Boards of Directors, I often find that these CEOs saw 1:1 conversations with Board members as side-track issues that prevented them from managing their companies. They often did not find the time valuable and it showed in their dealings with Board members. They preferred 1:1 chats with the Chairperson combined with memos and reports to everyone else on the Board. They felt that they could inspire the group at Board meetings rather than to use the Board meeting to ratify what had been worked out quietly in 1:1 conversations.

Dr. Salacuse has a fascinating chapter on how to make stars into a team. As a good negotiator he turns the topic upside down and asks leaders to first look at the issue from the perspective of the professions within the organization: how much should I allow integration to happen and how much should I allow this integration to damage my professional goals? This is the followers' dilemma. And leaders of professional service firms need to explicitly address making stars into teams by looking at the followers' dilemma first.

There are practical leadership suggestions for dealing with talented spoilers and how to constantly remind people about their common organizational history.

Laurence J. Stybel,Ed.D.
BOARDOPTIONS, INC.
www.boardoptions.com
[...]

Valuable New Perspectives for Today's Leaders.......2005-11-19

The typical leadership book is filled with the same old techniques that leaders can employ to inspire, direct, persuade, and monitor the activities and results of followers. The premise of this book is different: leading leaders is a special skill, distinct from leading followers. Salacuse, a well-respected law professor and former dean of law schools at Tufts and Southern Methodist Universities, has done a fine job with this volume.

Even without all the great advice about working with the elite, with the experts, with the cream of the crop, the slam-dunk for me was the fascinatingly insightful comparison between the leadership styles of two people who held the same job at different times. Readers will thoroughly enjoy and benefit from Salacuse's side-by-side presentation of George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. What dramatically different styles of leading leaders! The full-blown contrast of the two men was one of the most instructive lessons I've read in any management or leadership book. The theme was carried out through the book, gently reminding the reader that there are different ways of leading leaders...that will produce different results.

Readers accustomed to the ubiquitous List of Seven somethings that crop up in far too many books will not be disappointed. Salacuse gives us Seven Daily Tasks of Leadership. You'll learn how Direction, Integration, Mediation, Education, Motivation, Representation, and Trust Creation enable leaders of leaders to build meaningful one-on-one relationships with respected colleagues to generate success. Plenty of examples from various fields give the reader all sorts of personal connections.

You'll gain a lot from this book. Highly recommended.

Microsoft Secrets: How the World's Most Powerful Software Company Creates Technology, Shapes Markets and Manages People

Average customer rating:

Excellent insight into the most powerful and successful software company in the world
The Good But Not The Bad Nor The Ugly
Good reading
Well researched, but nothing exciting
Scholars not exempt from 'looking under the street lamp'....

Microsoft Secrets: How the World's Most Powerful Software Company Creates Technology, Shapes Markets and Manages People
Michael A. Cusumano
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Business of Software: What Every Manager, Programmer, and Entrepreneur Must Know to Thrive and Survive in Good Times and Bad
The Microsoft Way
Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire
Gates: How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry--and Made Himself the Richest Man in America
Platform Leadership: How Intel, Microsoft, and Cisco Drive Industry Innovation

ASIN: 0684855313

Amazon.com

This is a "facts ma'am, nothing but the facts" examination of how Microsoft works, both internally, and in the marketplace. Unlike the raft of gossipy Bill-bios or sardonic and shrill pro- or anti-screeds, this book is focused clearly (if sometimes ploddingly) on one central question: the relationship between business strategies and software development. And, as Microsoft becomes increasingly focused on the Internet, it is essential reading not just for software companies, but for all Internet companies as well. Highly Recommended.

Book Description

Today, Microsoft commands the high ground of the information superhighway by owning the operating systems and basic applications programs that run on the world's 170 million computers. Beyond the unquestioned genius and vision of Bill Gates, what accounts for Microsofts astounding success?

Drawing on almost two years of on-site observation at Microsoft headquarters, eminent scientists Michael A. Cusumano and Richard W. Selby reveal many of Microsoft's innermost secrets. This inside report, based on forty in-depth interviews by authors who had access to confidential documents and project data, outlines the seven complementary strategies that characterize exactly how Microsoft competes and operates, including the "Brain Trust" of talented employees and exceptional management; "bang for the buck" competitive strategies and clear organizational goals that produce self-critiquing, learning, and improving; a flexible, incremental approach to product development; and a relentless pursuit of future markets.

Cusumano and Selby's masterful analysis successfully uncovers the distinctive way in which Microsoft has combined all of the elements necessary to get to the top of an enormously important industry -- and stay there.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent insight into the most powerful and successful software company in the world.......2007-09-15

Let me start by saying that the only thing I regret about this book is that it's more than ten years old. Michael Cusumano and Richard Selby did a very professional and objective deep study about Microsoft in various dimensions: history, culture, organization, management, process, people. Of particular interest is the daily build process, the testing organization and process and the project structure. If you are a Software Engineer like myself, you are just going to love this book!

The Good But Not The Bad Nor The Ugly.......2002-12-24

The Good

Where do most of the worst business people come from? M.B.A. schools usually. Students with strong academic skills with the honored M.B.A. can do the accounting, statistical work, and market research analysis. But does that mean they have a "business mind," or good "business sense?" Absolutely not. (That's why a new test is being devised to determine the "common sense" abilities of MBAs). Gates is a perfect example of the many successful business people who didn't spend time in front of Ph.ds in ivory towers regurgitating "business theories and paradigms."

A look into the technological and mainly business side of Microsoft, the author breaks down the organization into the "how's, why's, and what's" of MSFT.

It's common knowledge that Gates is a genius in the technical realm, and MSFT is a behemoth organization that has the majority of market share. But how did Microsoft grow to where it is and thrive in this ever-changing and competitive industry? This book explains the business (more than technical) philosophy, model, and actual examples from products and projects. Interviews with former and current managers and employees are also included.

Again, it's common knowledge that Gates is exceptional at business. Ask their competitors. Note that Steve Jobs had a better product that was on the market earlier but he lacked the business, marketing, and management acumen. Gates not only seeks out brilliant techno minds but considers their business sense equally important, and this is heavily weighed when he decides to hire prospective candidates. Those hired are also individualists who will challenge him and other superiors, and argue and debate with him, in the search for the best idea or model. An employee gets Gate's respect, the author writes, "when his employees yell back." If Bill is converted by their arguments as opposed to his, he likewise changes course, taking the best route.

One of the most dangerous and damaging things to a company, and any organization, are "yes men." A company culture that rewards the "yes man/woman" mentality leads people to misrepresent themselves and their work, and the managers and ownership eventually become "out of the loop." This leads to uninformed decisions, cover-ups, resentment, and alienation that benefit no one.

This is written for the laymen, but can be a bit dry. Things such as shipping strategies, keeping teams small on projects, constant self analysis and critiques, and the reliance on customer feedback, are some of the many interlinking factors of the organization. The company likes people and departments that are interdependent upon one another to be physically close to one another. I.e., in the same building or on the same property, so if there is a problem or a need for clarification, they can see each other face to face to discuss it, instead of swapping emails, voicemails, and engaging in converence calls from across the country. Again, it's common knowledge that a major tenet of MSFT is to find out where the industry is going in the future, become the leader, and provide products with such strong quality that they become the "industry standard." The author even provides some organization charts to pin-up on your wall.

Not The Bad And The Ugly

The point of this book was to focus on the positives. The strategies and models that make the company pre-eminant. What is not in the book is: the common claim that the company is a monopoly, engages in unfair business practices, and limits the choice of consumers by ramming its product down their throats. There have been numerous charges and lawsuits that MSFT treats employees poorly. This company hires a lot of temps, work them overtime, plays with them, and then discards them. For the positives, read this book. For information on the not-so-great things about this organization, there are plenty of other books to read.

Good reading.......2002-11-07

Written by people who have done it. Easy reading. Good information. I see our executives are set our direction from some of Microsoft's methods.

Well researched, but nothing exciting.......2002-02-19

The authors definitely did a fine work by doing excellent research about Microsoft's product development and marketing. This book would prove to be very helpful to those who are coming from a non-technical perspective. It occasionally offers some valuable insights into Microsoft's strategies but it is quite dry for the most part even for a person who has plenty experiences in software development. The Microsoft 'secrets' are not exactly impressive. It would be impossible to know the true secret in a book, otherwise every software company would become a Microsoft (then again, not every company wants to). The book is a bit dated, but nevertheless offers the curious reader some insights into the development and marketing of Microsoft's past successful (and unsuccessful) moves. This book made Microsoft seems to be more fallible than its invincible image of every day praise.

Scholars not exempt from 'looking under the street lamp'...........2000-07-29

As the story goes: Leaving his car, a man and his friend walk down a dark lane passing under a street lamp along the way. Upon arriving at their destination, the man discovers he has lost his keys. He and his friend quickly re-trace their steps and the man begins his search under the light of the lamp. His friend asks "why do you choose to search under the lamp, we first walked nearly 200 meters". He answers, "you fool, can't you see we've been provided with light *here* !". Even a scholar or two can be led astray under the influence of purposeful guidance. Another reviewer commented, 'Microsoft is obliged to create its own language'. As an IS professional with a background in business management and 20 years experience dealing with this company, I too have labored with this language - the language of obfuscation. This book covers the obvious strengths of Microsoft in Research and Development. And no one disputes the talent attracted to this company. However, time proves the true direction of travel despite the claimants' insistence of a praisworthy course. The accurate reasons for Microsoft's success lie in ruthless, paranoid management, expert public relations and remarkable skills at marketing, not innovation or the development of superior products. History may well prove Microsoft's legacy as squandering the advantages and qualities alluded to in this book. Perhaps the author's would be well-advised to supplement 'the before' with a reflective 'after' as appropriate in the future.

Playing For Keeps: How the World's Most Aggressive and Admired Companies Use Core Values to Manage, Energize, and Organize Their People, and Promote, Advance, and Achieve Their Corporate Missions

Average customer rating:

Playing for Keeps is a Winner

Playing For Keeps: How the World's Most Aggressive and Admired Companies Use Core Values to Manage, Energize, and Organize Their People, and Promote, Advance, and Achieve Their Corporate Missions
Frederick G. Harmon
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 047159847X

Book Description

"The small individual act is the basic cell of all performance . . . The secret behind outstanding companies, departments, or contributors is simply that they work harder at adding value to their individual acts." -Frederick G. Harmon

In this eye-opening book, Frederick Harmon takes a hard look at the factors that most contribute to a company's profitability, and he comes to some surprising conclusions. With compelling logic, he shows how a company's core values are often the true determinants of its overall success or failure. New strategies, reorganization plans, management techniques, important as they are, depend, in the final analysis, on a foundation of basic values that influence even the most routine acts. "Managers manage neither results nor numbers," he concludes. "They manage the quality of individual acts." In this authoritative book, Harmon explains how to define and implement core values in an organization, and how to measure their effect on the "individual acts" and, therefore, on the bottom line.

Drawing on decades of experience as a consultant to major corporations, as a senior executive of the American Management Association, and as a writer for The Wall Street Journal, Harmon focuses first on the dynamic characteristics of values-driven leadership. He analyzes the different styles of leadership, how they culminate in a "new management synthesis," and how managers can use carefully defined values to energize an entire organization.

In the central section of Playing for Keeps, Harmon delineates six specific proactive steps executives can take to build a truly "values-driven" company. Beginning with a firm commitment to new ideals and values, moving through implementation, and concluding with ways of measuring and recognizing success, Harmon shows how to bring about a "commonplace miracle" in any organization, large or small.

The final section, "Values in Action: Applications," enables managers to match specific values to the different phases of a company's growth and development, including entrepreneurial, turnaround, and global values. With actual case studies, Playing for Keeps shows how a broad range of aggressive, successful companies, including GE, Walt Disney, American Express, Levi Strauss, and Intel have implemented values projects to help them maintain a competitive advantage.

For managers, executives, and entrepreneurs, Playing for Keeps is an invaluable guide to unlocking greater profitability through values implementation; it is an invitation to "look behind the numbers, and core values will appear like gold nuggets on the ground."

"Playing for Keeps is for businesspeople who are interested in harnessing the potential of people." -William Pollard, Chairman The ServiceMaster Company

"An insightful look at the way strong corporate values provide a framework for management's actions. The book underscores the important role that values play in the development of a successful company." -Donald J. Schuenke Retired Chairman and CEO The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

"At a time when so much-indeed, too much-has been written at the rarified academic level, Fred Harmon's new book, with its practical, commonsense, 'real world' approach, is like a breath of fresh air." -Domenico Fanelli, President American Management Association International

Better values mean bigger profits

Playing for Keeps shows how company values have an extraordinary but often overlooked impact on the small "individual acts" that add up to success or failure for an entire organization. With compelling logic and numerous real-world examples, this invaluable guide demonstrates how managers, executives, and entrepreneurs can unleash the dormant power of these values within their companies. It offers a complete program for choosing, defining, and implementing sets of values that help advance the goals of any organization, large or small, and shows how to measure the effects of a values implementation program on the bottom line.

Customer Reviews:

Playing for Keeps is a Winner.......2002-09-24

We implemented a values-based approach to managing at my company several years ago. Now we are looking to renew and re-energize around our values. In this regard, Frederick Harmon's book Playing for Keeps has come in handy.

The only drawback is that it came out in 1996 and is now dated in some respects. So much has happened in the past year, with 9-11 and the collapse of Enron, Worldcom, Arthur Andersen and others. Yet the topic is still very timely and he offers a lot of good ideas.

If only there were a new edition with material to catch up on the new landscape.

By the way, I ordered this book "used" through National Book Exchange and it arrived promptly and in good condition! Thanks NBE!

Streetwise Project Management: How to Manage People, Processes, and Time to Achieve the Results You Need (Adams Streetwise Series)
Average customer rating:

A great book for the novice project manager

Streetwise Project Management: How to Manage People, Processes, and Time to Achieve the Results You Need (Adams Streetwise Series)
Michael Singer Dobson
Manufacturer: Adams Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Project Manager's MBA: How to Translate Project Decisions into Business Success

ASIN: 1580627706

Book Description

Get Your Projects Done on Time and on Budget! Project management is one of the hottest topics in business right now, and with good reason—over 2/3 of projects are completed behind schedule and over budget! What's more, outside project management consultants can charge thousands of dollars for a mere consultation. Streetwise® Project Management is a thorough guide to project management for any business owner, department, or project manager. Unlike other introductory guides on the market which simplistically focus on the HR side of project management, Streetwise® Project Management covers key aspects such as: ·Time management ·Resource allocation ·Quality control ·Risk management ·Controlling costs ·Communications management Streetwise® Project Management also explains project management methods, diagrams, software, evaluation, and review techniques—in an intelligent layperson's style. Techniques for working with teams, conflict resolution, and negotiating office politics are also covered. Streetwise® Project Management will help you sidestep the issues that can potentially derail a project getting done on time and on budget. How to Launch a Project the Right Way ·Determining your objective ·Working with a project sponsor ·Understanding time constraints ·Writing project charters

Planning Smart ·Determining project requirements ·Balancing multiple projects ·Developing a task list ·Using time strategically Project Management Techniques ·Program evaluation and review techniques ·Critical Path Method ·Critical Chain Project Management ·Project management software

Customer Reviews:

A great book for the novice project manager.......2003-09-20

A great book for the novice project manager and a good refresher course for those of us who are already doing it. There's more to project management than just drawing Gantt charts. This book touches all aspects of project management, shows you how to deal with the people, politics and risks of the job. This book is probably the best of the lower priced project management books. My only complaint is that this book has 3 inches of margins, but I still think this book would be a bargain at twice the cost.

Unraveling the Mystery of Health: How People Manage Stress and Stay Well (Jossey Bass Social and Behavioral Science Series)

Average customer rating:

Unraveling the Mystery of Health: How People Manage Stress and Stay Well (Jossey Bass Social and Behavioral Science Series)
Aaron Antonovsky
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass Inc Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Developmental Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1555420281

The Frustration Factor: How to Manage People Who Drive You Up the Wall

Average customer rating:

The Frustration Factor: How to Manage People Who Drive You Up the Wall
Gary A. Crow
Manufacturer: Glenbridge Publishing,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0944435300

Book Description

Do you ever have to work with people who absolutely, totally, and unequivocally drive you up the wall? Do you sometimes feel like climbing the wall all by yourself as the quickest way to escape from those people? Are there days when you struggle with the nearly irresistible impulse to turn into a ranting, raving maniac? Is there that one person who gets you so uptight that you don't know whether to throw your office key in his face and walk out or just sit down and cry? If you are nodding "yes" to any of these experiences, you have had first-hand experience with The Frustration Factor. Unless you are aware of the behavior patterns of the people Gary Crow calls players and are prepared to counter them, it is easy to become the foil for their antics. The Frustration Factor is much the same as the virus causing the common cold. The symptoms are always about the same although the virus has many varieties. Players range from warriors to mainliners, from troublemakers to those who play B-t-B-by the Book. There are players who are aggressive and those who are passive, players who are extroverts and those who are introverts. This book describes and discusses all types of players and their techniques in detail and offers answers.

Maximum Performance Management: How to Manage and Compensate People to Meet World Competition

Average customer rating:

Maximum Performance Management: How to Manage and Compensate People to Meet World Competition
Joseph H. Boyett , and Henry P. Conn
Manufacturer: Glenbridge Publishing,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0944435254

Book Description

Boyett and Conn have created an important volume, a step by step guide to implementing current management practices. MPM is a "how to" book providing instruction on such topics as: defining and communicating company values, developing and implementing business strategies, setting goals, developing and implementing recognition programs, tying pay to performance, and involving employees in decision making and problem solving. MPM addresses the global challenge and offers a plan to revitalize companies to achieve a sustained level of excellence. MPM is written for people at every level looking for answers, from the CEO to the third shift supervisor.

Team Building: How to Motivate and Manage People

Average customer rating:

Inspiring Training
Mark Sanborn is a great Team Motivator

Team Building: How to Motivate and Manage People
Mark Sanborn
Manufacturer: Career Track Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
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ASIN: 1559770139

Customer Reviews:

Inspiring Training.......2006-04-08

This is an excellent seminar. It covers the subject of team building extremely well and it's a pleasure to listen to the virtuoso technique of the presenter. The tape medium has some advantages over books or live attendance, because you can listen to it on the way to work, thereby making good use of time that might not otherwise be productive. And you can stop, rewind and reflect on the relevance of the presenter's ideas. Arguably, it's better than being a part of the live audience.

Mark Sanborn is an expert speaker with years of experience in giving seminars and motivational speeches. In one of his stories he gives a clue as to his own motivation for developing this expertise. He relates that early in his career he was promoted to be a manager and that, having had no preparation or training for this job, he tore his hair out for 8 months before his supervisor sent him to a training seminar to learn how to do it. He also points out that if you can develop 10 people to be 10% more effective, then you've created a whole unit of productivity. Since he's personally felt the benefit of this kind of training and has since trained thousands of people, he must feel good about his contribution.

Sanborn breaks the team building exercise into six steps: 1) Locate, 2) Educate, 3) Cooperate, 4) Communicate, 5) Motivate, and 6) Celebrate. In each of these steps he provides additional sub-steps, illustrated by entertaining stories and anecdotes.

The advice is practical and would surely help anyone building a team from scratch. It could also be used by anyone wanting to build either large organizations or small teams, whether the team is new or has been in place for some time. For example, a couple of pieces of advice I found useful for my team were:

1. Break team meetings into six components: 1) Accomplishments and Blunders -- review successes and failures, 2) Accountability -- check that what was supposed to get done got done, 3) Action Plan -- plan what needs to be done by the next meeting, 4) R&R -- single out team members for rewards and recognition (and not just the superstars), 5) Professional Development -- provide growth and enrichment using audio, video, or guest speakers, 6) Announcements -- pre-print and distribute and point to the highlights

2. Eliminate the term "constructive criticism." Instead, use the following three steps of "effective feedback:" 1) Criticize behavior not the person -- describe what was done and what happened as a result of what was done, 2) involve them in discussion -- ask "What they would do differently?" and "Have you considered...?" 3) Wait for the teachable moment -- provide instruction feedback just before the new behavior is needed.

These are just a couple of examples, but there are many other practical lists and tips for hiring, creating a leadership team, providing non-monetary rewards and other major aspects of team building. Sanborn has an excellent grasp of the subject. He follows the general thinking and enlightened management approaches of Maslow, Drucker and others, providing memorable descriptions of his main points with well-chosen anecdotes and stories to back them up.

Tapes are very effective, but there's a downside. The music and talk introductions that CareerTrack supplies are irritating. Also the need to package the material into neat lists and present them in a slick way to an audience makes one question whether the material is solid and actionable, and I, personally, would have liked to have had a companion book that covers the same material, but in more depth. In fact, I'd recommend using the tape in conjunction with some books like Drucker's "The Effective Executive," and Hiam's "Motivating and Rewarding Employees."

However, Sanborn is a great presenter who knows and cares about his subject and I found the content well chosen. The tapes are worth their price just for using as the professional development component of team meetings. I'll be introducing an audio segment into my team meetings, and this will be the first tape that I'll use.

Graham Lawes

Mark Sanborn is a great Team Motivator.......2003-06-11

As a teacher in a middle school, teamwork is very important to me. I picked up this workshop on cassette because I felt there were some aspects of our team that were dysfunctional. Sanborne presents some very specific opinions about teams and the role of individuals in any work group. His theories aren't just concepts out of context though. He presents some very solid habits, practices and useful advice for making a team more effective.
He begins by outlining some very basic principles of what teamwork is, and breaks down misconceptions of team work. Then he moves to specific strategies offered to make team playing more effective. He has advice for administrators, managers, middlemen and even the "lowly" intern that make effective teamwork.
His tape also addresses Risk Taking, Effective Communication, Team Recruiting, Job Trading, Management Training, Empathy at work, Goal Setting, and the effectiveness of increased responsibility. Practitioners of his benchmarks that provide good examples of his concepts include business giants such as Wal-Mart, and McDonalds as well as others.
Though the trends talked about in his tape are reflective of yesterday's corporate trends, he has very good ideas that are still practical and useful today. I am eager to pick up the tape and listen to it again in August, just before school starts this fall because it will reinforce the practical strategies I have developed from his advice. I strongly suggest implementing Mark's ideas because they are sound and practical. Putting them into practice will make any team more efficient, successful and dynamic.

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