Amazon.com
"The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life," writes Malcolm Gladwell, "is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do." Although anyone familiar with the theory of memetics will recognize this concept, Gladwell's The Tipping Point has quite a few interesting twists on the subject.
For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanize the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a "Connector": he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere "wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston," he was also a "Maven" who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you.
Gladwell develops these and other concepts (such as the "stickiness" of ideas or the effect of population size on information dispersal) through simple, clear explanations and entertainingly illustrative anecdotes, such as comparing the pedagogical methods of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, or explaining why it would be even easier to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the actor Rod Steiger. Although some readers may find the transitional passages between chapters hold their hands a little too tightly, and Gladwell's closing invocation of the possibilities of social engineering sketchy, even chilling, The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on science for a general audience in ages. It seems inevitable that "tipping point," like "future shock" or "chaos theory," will soon become one of those ideas that everybody knows--or at least knows by name. --Ron Hogan
Book Description
"The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life," writes Malcolm Gladwell, "is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do." Although anyone familiar with the theory of memetics will recognize this concept, Gladwell's The Tipping Point has quite a few interesting twists on the subject.For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanize the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a "Connector": he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere "wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston," he was also a "Maven" who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you.Gladwell develops these and other concepts (such as the "stickiness" of ideas or the effect of population size on information dispersal) through simple, clear explanations and entertainingly illustrative anecdotes, such as comparing the pedagogical methods of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, or explaining why it would be even easier to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the actor Rod Steiger. Although some readers may find the transitional passages between chapters hold their hands a little too tightly, and Gladwell's closing invocation of the possibilities of social engineering sketchy, even chilling, The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on science for a general audience in ages. It seems inevitable that "tipping point," like "future shock" or "chaos theory," will soon become one of those ideas that everybody knows--or at least knows by name. --Ron Hogan
Customer Reviews:
A Paradigm Shift For Business and Life.......2007-10-05
This is one of the books that "skates to where the puck is going" instead of where the puck is at. A must for business and anyone studying the sociology of man.
Timothy KendrickPTSD: Pathways Through the Secret Door
Development of Trends!.......2007-10-02
This book presents an interesting thesis for the parameters under which a new trend is construed. The flu, for example, can be held in check for a long time without being an epidemic. But suddenly, once some threshold is crossed in terms of number of people infected, things get much worse very quickly. Gladwell's premise is that in addition to applying to viruses, this type of pattern is observed in many other situations. The book is filled with far-reaching examples, from the resurgence of Hush Puppies shoes to the popularity of Sesame Street to an epidemic of teen suicides in Micronesia.
Perhaps the most well-known example described is the rapid fall in crime levels in New York City in the mid-1990s. Murder rates fell by 64.3% in a five year period, with other types of violent crimes dropping by 50%. This happened after years of steady increase. Gladwell argues that the factors conventionally cited as causing the improvement (improved policing, declining crack use, and aging of the population) are not sufficient to explain the suddenness of the change. All three factors included gradual shifts in behavior, and yet the drop in crime occurred very rapidly. Gladwell makes a convincing argument that the police in New York put into place certain conditions that suddenly "tipped" the crime epidemic, sending crime rates into a decline.
So, what are the parameters of dramatic change?
Gladwell quotes the following three laws: -
1. The law of the few
2. The stickiness factor and;
3. The power of context
The law of the few says that there are exceptional people out there who are capable of starting `epidemics'. All you have to do is find them. The lesson of stickiness is the same. There is a simple way to package information that, under the right circumstances, can make it irresistible. All you have to do is find it. The lesson of the power of context is that we are more than just sensitive to changes in context; we are exquisitely sensitive to them - what really matters is the little things.
The book includes a collection of case studies. These include Paul Revere's ride, which alerted American colonists to activities of the British garrison and led to the War of Indepence and the success of New York in reducing crime by cleaning the subway cars.
He then explains the significance of the number 150. "The figure of 150 seems to represent the maximum number of individuals with whom we can have a genuinely social relationship, the kind of relationship that goes with knowing who they are and how they relate to you. At a bigger size you have to impose complicated hierarchies and rules and regulations and formal measures to try to command loyalty and cohesions. Below 150 it is possible to achieve the same goals informally. In smaller groups people are a lot closer. They're knit together, which is very important if you want to be effective and successful in community life. If you get too large, you don't have enough work in common."
The conclusion is that when groups or organizations reach 150 they should split and operate in smaller numbers, and he gives examples of organizations that have done this.
Although not intended as a management book, The Tipping Point
has many lessons for managers and organization development consultants.
The book in itself may be described as a tipping point.......2007-09-28
Why does a product suddenly become successful, whereas another does not? This is a good empirical question, and for me, one that is so original that I had not considered it hitherto. This book had been `on my reading list' for some time, having heard several recommendations for it. The ideas about what defines a `tipping point' are clearly defined and well explained, with products or examples that many can identify with.
The examples are the key. In essence, Gladwell describes a `tipping point' as the moment a good sales campaign becomes a phenomenon, and takes examples to illustrate the three salient items; it is contagious, little changes have big effects, and it is not something gradual, but extremely dynamic.
Gladwell takes these, and analyses them further, in his three laws. These concern the individuals involved, how `sticky' or contagious the idea / product is, and the context in which it is presented. Each is described in detail, with real people introduced (not `Bob' or `Sarah' but Mark Alpert and Tom Gau, being but individuals to illustrate the types of individuals).
The book is very readable, and it makes good common sense. Gradwell brings together lots of strands of research, and introduces some very appealable people. The people and situations are selective, but they had to be. They back up the basic premise of the author (no surprise there, then). But in total, the book has a roundness and totality about it.
Examples used are exclusively American, but so is Gradwell! He has also helped to bring rather dusty research into the mainstream of business life and collective consciousness. People now use the language of the research Gladwell describes to define when a product is becoming part of the mainstream of life. After the `Innovators' come, in order, `Early Adopters', the `Early Majority', the `Late Majority' and finally ` Laggards'.
The material is not new; the research in many cases was available before, and the market-place examples were there for all to see. Gladwell has distilled this into a little gem. I should have read it before. Reading it in 2007 will make a difference to the way that I see change. I may even be able to influence how change affects those in the circle around me, thinking back to the central core of `The Tipping Point'.
Peter Morgan (morganp@supanet.com)
Simple & Interesting.......2007-09-22
This is one of my "relaxing" books. Basically, I read things like this to chill out. It's a really quick, simple read. You can get some interesting facts, which make excellent conversation tid-bits. It's truly one of those rare books you just remember tons of little details from. The author admits he is using the research/work of other authors and organizations to write the book. He's not taking the credit for discovery of these facts. However, he is combining them in a new way. Complete originality? No, but entertaining nonetheless.
Loved it........2007-09-21
The information presented in The Tipping Point is not necessarily business/marketing related. In fact, it's more social commentary than anything else. While this is more an informational book than a strategic one anybody in the marketing industry should find this book extremely engaging as it has a lot to offer to those of us who want to learn more about how and why certain things happen in the marketing sphere.
The premise of The Tipping Point is that some things develop slowly over time but then suddenly reach a point where they take off . It can be a sudden surge or a sudden decline, depending on the circumstances. Whether it's a disease, information, a product, or anything else, there is a certain point where things suddenly change. A change that is outside of past projections and does not conform to the previous patterns. That's when they reach their "tipping point". Suddenly diseases become more widespread, information creates a furor, products skyrocket or decline in sales, etc.
Malcolm Gladwell takes us through a series of stories that show how trends are often created, both in society and in business. Sometimes these are the result of getting things to the right people at the right time, and sometimes they can be manufactured. It can even be a combination of the two. But one thing is for sure, to get something to "tip" whether it happens naturally or through a lot of research, it must be genuine. But as the sub-title suggests, tipping is rarely about doing big things, but doing small things well.
Several good examples are made in the real of marketing, specifically a history of Sesame Street and Blues Clues and why those shows have been as effective as they are. We also learn the anatomy of how and why certain things tip. This was one of the most fascinating reads I've had all year and, again, even though it's not directly a business book, it is certainly a book businesses can learn a thing or two from.
Product Description
The focus of Getting Started: Reculturing Schools to Become Professional Learning Communities is answering the most common question posed by schools seeking to start their transformation into professional learning communities: Where do we begin? In the Introduction, the authors present the PLC concept, making the book accessible to those who have not yet read Professional Learning Communities at Work and providing a review of the framework for those who have. The main focus of the Introduction is that PLC is not a cookie-cutter approach, but rather a process that can be complex and non-linear. The book provides the reader access to a solid conceptual framework and concrete illustrations of how schools operate when they are functioning as PLCs, as well as to assessments for determining the effectiveness of their efforts.
Customer Reviews:
The Best Hope for Public Schools.......2007-06-26
As a public school teacher and teacher trainer I feel strongly that the best reform schools can make is involving teachers and administrators in professional conversations as colleagues about teaching and learning. This book is a very good "how to do it" manual.
Very good book for college class..........2007-05-10
I needed this book for a college class. The price of the book was very reasonable and I was quite pleasantly surprised that the book was actually interesting. This is one book that I plan to keep and not sell back to the school. I think the book will be a good resource even after I've finished my degree work.
Golden Dancer.......2006-09-22
In the movie Inherit the Wind, the story of Golden Dancer is related to the audience. Golden Dancer was a beautiful and expensive wooden rocking horse that a family bought for its child after saving for it. The first time the child rode the horse, it collapsed as the wood was rotten to the core; so, is the DuFour premise as found on page 37. His conclusion that all students can achieve at the same level (learn specified topics) is asinine. He argues that all that is needed for struggling students is more time and support. He refuses to take into account intelligence and student effort (responsibility) in his equation. If his premise has any chance of coming true, teachers will have to dumb down what they teach to the lowest common denominator. Additionally, he and his colleagues lump all "traditional schools" into the same problem heap. His approach is simplistic and insulting. I would give this book zero stars, but that is not an option.
Product Description
Professional Learning Communities at Work presents research-based recommendations drawn from the best practices found today in schools nationwide for continuously improving school performance. Coming from the perspectives of both a distinguished dean of education and one of America s most widely acclaimed practitioners, this resource provides specific, practical, how-to information about transforming schools into results-oriented professional learning communities.
Customer Reviews:
Bringing me up to date.......2007-06-12
As the educational jargon increases and changes, it is important to keep abreast of the latest. This book provided information which I really needed
A Marketing Triumph; An Academic Disaster.......2007-02-23
Today the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported that although American high school seniors are getting better academic grades, their literacy and mathematics skills are actually regressing. The most likely culprit: grade inflation. Yet the drumbeat among elite educrats to adopt the Professional Learning Communities fad throughout the nation's high schools continues unabated. While PLC is certainly not to blame for the trend documented by these latest NAEP figures (it hasn't been around long enough), its dumbfounding popularity among education reformers is proof that the current educational leadership in this country is not to be trusted. How should we define "academic achievement"? Both PLC and (to a lesser extent) the federal No Child Left Behind law define it as all students performing at the same level and all teachers teaching their subjects the same way. In other words, the goal of PLC is conformity--the exact opposite of what a quality education in a democratic society should stand for.
When teachers and students are pressured to conform to the same standards, it is inescapable that the standards themselves must be mediocre. The kind of school climate advocated by DuFour will only lead to more teachers handing out more A's for less work, or for inferior work. The most gifted and motivated students will have to be ignored because of the constant pressure on teachers to keep the low end of the student population from failing. But what if we started at the high end of the spectrum instead, teaching everything as if it were an honors class? Our brightest and most hardworking students might achieve their full potential and save us all from the intellectual wasteland our country is becoming. The middle and low-end students would have to struggle to keep up. And yes, a lot of them would be likely to fail...at least until they discovered the will to apply themselves and take their own education seriously. It would be a hard lesson for them, but a valuable one in the long run.
Unfortunately, there are no well-funded think-tanks, education professors, or consultants advocating this approach at the moment.
Professional Learning Communities at Work (Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement).......2006-06-06
Professional Learning Communities at Work (Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement) by Dr. Richard Dufour and Dr. Robert Eaker, is a well-written/user-friendly piece of literature. This book may be useful as a text for graduate and/or post-graduate level students who are studying and/or working within the area of education, administration, and/or curriculum and instruction. It is also an excellent resource to have if you are dealing with staff and/or curriculum development. The basic premise of the book goes about showing how (via PLC's (Professional Learning Communities)/Small Learning Communities) school staff and administration can work collaboratively to help change, redefine, and/or shape their school's mission and goals. Through this teaming process and through the steps/best practices the authors suggest; school improvement, cultural change, and positive curriculum development and implementation can more likely be achieved.
Practices from some of the best schools in the country.......2005-03-07
The collaborative work of Richard DuFour (Superintendent of Adlai Stevenson High School District 125, Lincolnshire, Illinois) and Robert Eaker (Dean of the College of Education, Middle Tennessee State University), Professional Learning Communities At Work: Best Practices For Enhancing Student Achievement offers the reader informed and informative information on how to transform any private or public school into a results-oriented "professional learning community" based upon practices from some of the best schools in the country. Professional Learning Communities At Work covers curriculum development, teacher preparation, school leadership, professional development programs, school-parent partnerships, and assessment practices. Of vital interest to education professionals, Professional Learning Communities At Work is completely accessible and highly recommended reading for parents and other non-specialist general readers with an interest in improving their community schools and school systems.
Product Description
Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work helps educators close the knowing-doing gap as they transform their schools into professional learning communities (PLCs). This handbook is a guide for action that will: · Help educators develop a common vocabulary and consistent understanding of key PLC concepts. · Present a compelling argument that the implementation of PLC concepts will benefit students and educators alike. · Help educators assess the current reality in their own schools and districts. · Convince educators to take purposeful steps to develop their capacity to function as PLCs.
Customer Reviews:
For Management.......2007-09-23
This book is a must read for any administrator or potential administrator that is looking for new ways to improve their schools. Very practical and flexible with many scenarios and worksheets that can help you to determine where your school is and how to get it where you want it to go.
Learning by Doing.......2007-06-27
Excellent Book!! Extremely valuable resource for schools that are working toward a true Professional Learning Community. Easy to read and very practical.
Great Resource for PLCs.......2007-05-31
Professional Learning Communities are the big buzz currently. Does your school district have professional learning communities? Have you wondered where to start? Have you wondered how your professional learning communities are doing? If you've wondered about any of those, then this is the book for you.
Learning by Doing is a great handbook for administrators and teachers to use as they implement professional learning communities in their school. This handbook gives an overview of the different components of the professional learning community process. As schools implement the professional learning community process this handbook is also a useful tool to assist in self reflection and evaluation.
As a school is developing professional learning communities, this handbook is a great resource to use through the process. It begins by giving advice on how to clarify the purpose of professional learning communities, how to build collaborative teams, and how to establish team norms. The collaborative foundation is essential to the success of the professional learning communities. The professional learning communities must collaborate in order to increase student achievement.
The handbook also shares information about how to collect data, how to use the data to improve results, and how to implement interventions in order to improve student achievement. These components help the professional learning community develop strategies to help each individual learner in their classroom. Schools must develop and support a pyramid of interventions in order to meet the students' needs.
This handbook includes many useful reproducible handouts and continuums which help analyze the progress of each professional learning community. The continuums are great conversation starters for the professional learning communities to use to evaluate their progress. This handbook can help your school improve the PLC process through self reflection and evaluation.
If you are looking for tools to help your Professional Learning Communities improve, this book is for you.
PLC handbook.......2007-05-13
Very useful when working with groups beginning to implement the professional learning communities model.
Fool's Paradise.......2007-01-02
"The term [Professional Learning Communities] has become so commonplace and has been used so ambiguously to describe virtually any loose coupling of individuals who share a common interest in education that it is in danger of losing all meaning."
Really? Thank goodness the authors of LEARNING BY DOING have returned with a fifth book (and CD!) on Professional Learning Communities to clarify things and distinguish their PLC from all those cheap imitators. Plus, it's important that teachers, the pawns currently tasked with implementing the PLC concept by fad-chasing school administrators all across the land, be set straight. Where would we be without these enlightened swamis to point the way? Not teaching, that's for sure!
So what exactly is a Professional Learning Community? In Chapter 1 of LEARNING BY DOING, our puissant authors spell out their definition of PLC in only four short pages, using plain, simple language that is refreshingly free of educratic clichés. Lest we all die of suspense, let's review what the Holy Scripture Saith. PLC's are defined by:
"A Focus on Learning": Because schools have never focused on that before, have they?
"A Collaborative Culture with a Focus on Learning For All": Interdependence, collaboration, and collectivism are key to PLC. Anyone caught thinking for themselves, or by themselves, will be ritually sacrificed in the next round of campus budget-cuts.
"Collective Inquiry into Best Practice and Current Reality" [NB: This statement and the passage that follow it are not translatable into any written or spoken language that I'm aware of, including English. I thought I was a professional teacher, but because I don't understand a word the authors said on this page, according to them I'm not a professional at all. If anyone can tell me what it means, please e-mail or fax me. I wait with bated breath; apparently my job depends on it.]
"Action Orientation: Learning by Doing" [Ditto this statement. Although, speaking of breath, doesn't the act of breathing signify an "action orientation"?]
"Results Orientation" [Now that I've caught my breath, the only tangible result of PLC that I can discern is that any teacher who refuses to play ball with the PLC cultists should plan on early retirement or a change of career.]
I could go on, but why bother? Until teachers themselves start standing up and asserting intellectual authority over their profession, the educrats and charlatans behind PLC will have us chasing our own tails until the end of time, or until they find another gimmick to fiddle with. And all at the expense of our students, who deserve far better.
Amazon.com
For over a dozen years, Carnegie Mellon University instructor and corporate consultant Robert Kelley has studied the difference between superior workplace performers and their average peers. After determining that such stars are made, not born, he identified the game plan many use to secure better jobs, higher pay, and top career opportunities. How to Be a Star at Work: Nine Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed describes these tactics--which he dubs initiative, networking, self-management, perspective, followership, leadership, teamwork, organizational savvy, and show-and-tell--and explains how to incorporate them into real-life work situations. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
"Do you know what it takes to be a star at work? Robert Kelley has the answer." --Fast Company
STARS ARE MADE, NOT BORN
Find out what separates stars from average performers
Learn how to be the top pick for the choice jobs
Use nine star-performer strategies to become a member of the select "ten-for-one" club, with ten times the productivity of the average worker
Find out how using the nine strategies enables you to out-perform people with supposedly better credentials
New in this edition: special insights for women and members of minority groups
Customer Reviews:
SO - SO .......2007-07-07
A few good suggestions and some interesting perspectives on what it takes to succeed in the workplace.
Re-Strategize for Glowing Success Potential At Work.......2006-06-21
OK, with all of the efforts of Human Resources these days to hire the right people, still about one out of every ten recruits run circles around the others. These recruits are solid gold. Were they born that way? Can they be made? Can they be recognized? The author attempts to answer this question from insights derived from a study conducted at Bell Labs. Everyone was interviewed and surveyed. The top producers were found by survey of both management and staff. The discoveries are very interesting. The statement is made that to become a star performer you don't need super IQ, great self-confidence, or silky smooth social skills. You just need to change your strategies. We have all seen people succeed without these characteristics - here's why.
All participants in the study were asked to rank nine work strategies in their order of importance. Now, here is the crux of the book... everyone thought that these items were important, but not only did they have them in reverse orders, they gave different meaning to the terms. So how do winners think and what order do they rank for importance in business strategy?
1. Initiative - going beyond the job - adding bold ideas - efforts to better it for everyone - tenacity - some personal risk - goes far beyond taking on projects for personal publicity
2. Networking - developing pathways to knowledge - sharing knowledge - establishing networks before they need them - goes far beyond just knowing people to get ahead for yourself
3. Self-Management - increase your value by increasing your skill - experiment with better habits - goes far beyond just mananging time
4. Perspective - seeing from a variety of views and opinions of the five Cs - the customer - the colleagues - the competitors - the company's - and creative views possibly involving other industires - this is far from just personally making your perspective thought well of
5. Followership - cooperating with a leader for goal achievement - can disagree with a leader by adding facts and seeking advice - this goes far beyond just doing as you are told
6. Leadership - using your influence to convince a group to accomplish - qualities of knowledge, caring, push-through - not just giving commands
7. Teamwork - taking joint ownership - everyone agreeing on a mission - it's not just doing your own job
8. Organizational Savvy - knowing how to navigate the organization to get things done - not just who to kiss up to
9. Show and Tell - persuading the right audience with the right message to deliver valuable information effectively - it is much more than showing off for personal gain
The author speaks of staying aligned with the critical path. That is the most direct value-added route that can be plotted from the work of an employee to a delighted customer to an improved bottome line.
Your heart must be large to understand this book and the meaning of the survey.
Five Stars Shining Brightly
It boils down to this- take initiative, network and broaden your perspective.......2006-02-16
Robert E. Kelley has outlined several strategies for turning yourself into a recognized asset for your company, improving your productivity and building a stellar career.
· Exercise your initiative. Go beyond your job description. Look for solutions to problems at work. Help out your co-workers.
· Develop effective work habits. Prioritize your job-related activities by how crucial they are to the overall goals of your organization. Review your productivity on a regular basis.
· Put together an expert network. It's not enough to become an expert at something, unless you are able to work with other experts to innovate and add value.
· Learn to see issues as others see them. Seek out learning experiences that will help you to see the big picture from the perspective of a customer, colleague, competitor, manager and from a creative point of view.
· Use teams to your best advantage. Check to see if the company supports teamwork. Is teamwork more often cooperative or competitive? Once you commit to a team, be proactive.
· Be the kind of follower leaders want. Don't follow as a sheep or a yes-man. Be dependable, competent, conscientious, and cooperative.
· Earn your status as a leader through expertise, people skills or an ability to create momentum.
· Learn the unwritten rules of the game. Know where to go, who to talk to, and what to do in order to get things done.
· Communicate effectively. Tailor your message to your audience.
Good Reference for 'Brainpowered' Workers.......2003-07-20
This is a good guide to success in the workplace for engineers and other 'brainpowered' workers. Dr. Kelly, professor at Carnegie-Mellon's business school, writes of nine 'breakthrough' strategies to move ahead of the pack, into the 'A player' ranks. While the somewhat cheesy title implies that this is a guide for lazy people (the 'C players') to sneak their way up the ladder, this is in reality a well-written and well-researched book that is strictly for highly-motivated workers that just need a little added 'edge'.
The tips Dr. Kelly provide seem to be common sense, but we all see hard-working 'B players' every day that neglect these at their own peril. (If it were as easy to spot one's own faults as it is to spot faults in others, this book wouldn't be necessary.)
It doesn't cover everything, of course, and the strategies aren't necessarily easy to implement, but it's a good starting point for someone truly motivated to improve their promotability. To that end, I'd personally recommend reading Stephen Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People", and this book.
Emotional intelligence in the work place........2003-05-30
This is an excellent book. The nine strategies make perfect sense. They are innovative, and will work for you. This is how to apply all your intelligences within the workplace and not just your IQ. You will recognize the ones who apply these strategies. They are the ones who may not have MBAs from Harvard, but yet are well liked and respected and go up the corporate ladder seemingly effortlessly.
The author strategies are also quite original. He stresses how strong "followership" is just as important if not more as "leadership." This is a really important point that is rarely mentioned in management seminars.
If you are a Harvard MBA, good for you. Nevertheless, this book will be invaluable to your success as it will give you the strategies and people skills you may need to truly leverage the superior business education you got.
Product Description
Microsoft publishes a complete range of documentation on Microsoft software and technology. So whether you need a step-by-step instruction, in-depth programming information, high-level technical references, or training for Microsoft Certification, it has
Customer Reviews:
Security is in.......2007-06-27
Have not read the book totally but I have obtained very useful information from what I read.
Great resource.......2007-03-22
Valuable background information for any network admin working with Windows XP or Windows 2003 networks. You can find all information on the Internet but this brings the most usefull information together to quickly get up to speed on how to configure a secure environment
Respectable coverage on Windows Security, from trustworthy folks.......2006-02-22
Ben and Brian, (my ex-Microsoft colleagues) have done a great job at providing well-rounded, valuable and actionable coverage of almost all aspects of Windows Security. Good job guys!
Thanks,
Sanjay
Formerly, AD Securty PM
www.sanjaytandon.com
Terrific update to excellent security guide!.......2005-07-16
I have previously done a review of the First Edition of the Microsoft Windows Security Resource Kit which I was very impressed with. All what I said for that book still applies. The first book applied to Windows 2000 and XP Pro. Since then there has been a major upgrade for XP in SP2 and the introduction of Windows 2003 which the Second Edition covers. As with the first book this edition is great for anyone that wants to learn how to secure their Windows 2000/2003/XP Pro operating systems/networks and is geared mostly to administrator types though anyone with such interest including power users will find it extremely helpful.
In just under 700 pages no book can be all inclusive about Windows security. The Windows Security Resource Kit goes into detail on many commonly implemented topics like password/account policy and on others it shows you the basics of what is possible and then refers you to online documantation/white papers if you are interested in a full implementaion which keeps the book affordable, readable, and under 10,000 pages. For example there is a full chapter 25 with detailed instruction on how to implement 802.1X security for wired and wireless networks. For Software Restriction Policies there are three pages but that is enough to make a user aware of what SRP is, how it can help you prevent users from installing and running unathorized applications, and the basics of how to implement it. As a MCSE in Windows 2003:Security and a common newsgroup participant I am often amazed at the number of admnistrators that are not aware of many the security features of Windows 2000/2003/XP Pro such as SRP or in particular ipsec. They would benefit tremendously from this book.
The two chapters on privacy were dropped and more room is devoted to W2003/XP Pro. Though a lot of the content is the same as the previous version much as been revised or added. Below are some that I considered of note though my list is not all inclusive of changes.
CH3. A much better table with descriptions of well known sids.
CH8. Using EFS with Webdav to keep files encrypted on the network and sharing of EFS files.
CH9. Full list AND description of all services for Windows 2000/2003/XP Pro.
CH10. Windows firewall including how to configure for scope and exceptions, using Group Policy or scripted intstallations using netfw.inf. Improvements for ipsec in Windows 2003 including default exemption handling.
CH.11 Group Policy for wireless networks and Software Restriction Policies.
CH.12 Interet Explore securtiy and pop up blocker.
CH.15 One of my favorite chapters on auditing. Includes tables with listing of more Event ID's for object access and policy change.
CH.17 Listed specific service recommendations for domain controllers for both Windows 2000/2003 and also listed a recommended ipsec filter for securing a domain controller.
CH.19 Much is changed in 2003 Terminal Servies. - Use of Software Restriction Policies, smart card logon, and SSL for TS with SP1.
CH.22 For RRAS a big change is the cability of remote access quarantine control. A step by step is given with a link to sample scripts to use or modify.
CH.23 Implementation of role separation for certificate authorities.
CH.24 IIS 6.0 is disussed with it's security capabilities such as default install state, Automatic Health Monitoring, and the all important Application Isolation.
Ch.25 A whole step by step chapter on 802.1X for wired and wireless networks including Remote Access Policies, IAS, and deploying user and computer certificates. 802.1X can greatly increase security of WEP by using dynamic wep and forcing key renewal if you still have to use WEP.
CH.27 Briefy discusses Windows Update Services and its advantages.
CH.29 How to install and use the Windows 2003 SP1 Security Configuration Wizard to help select a computer profile for "hardening" to disable uneeded servces, configure audit policy, and use ipsec filters to block uneeded ports! In my opinion this is a tremendous tool that also has a rollback capability. New features of netstat are shown [note that netstat -b can be used to show executeable to port use though not covered in the book]. Two extremely helpful new tools - portquery and port reporter.
CH.31 Great table on using built in and third party tools to capture state of the computer for incident response investigation. I am surprised however that msinfo32 was not mentioned as you can use it to generate a very useful report to a .nfo file.
There is much discussion throughout the book on use of ipsec to protect your network with either ESP/AH encryption/integrity or the use of an ipsec "filter" policy to manage access to computer ports. Included are examples of ipsec filters for domain controller, wins, and DHCP. As much as I like the book I disagree with the recommendation on pages 375-376 on implementing ipsec for the domain by implementing a client/respond policy for the domain and then a server require ipsec policy for the domain controller container. Refer to KB254949 for more details and be sure to throughly test and ipsec policies on a test domain before implementing. Poorly planned ipsec implementation can cause havoc on a domain. I highly recommend that you read the white paper on Improving Security with Domain Isolation to see ipsec can do to protect your domain with the proper ipsec policies.
All in all I still believe that the Microsoft Windows Security Resource Book is a top notch book for anyone to own who wants to learn how to maximize security on their computer or network within their risk manangement paramaters. The changes in Windows XP Pro SP2 and more so Windows 2003 are very significant. If you already own the First Edtition but have upgraded to Windows 2003 or want to learn more about how Windows 2003 can improve your security then this book is for you.
Product Description
On Common Ground provides a valuable tool for educators who are doing the hard work of improving their schools. This resource offers teachers and administrators a coherent conceptual framework and specific, practical strategies for moving forward with their improvement efforts. Any listing of North America s leading authorities on school improvement would include the authors in this book. These authors agree on many of the best strategies for raising student achievement and support the premise that students would be better served if educators: · Embrace learning rather than teaching as their school s mission · Work collaboratively to help all students learn · Use formative assessments and a focus on results to foster continuous improvement · Assume individual responsibility to take steps to create such schools Although they stand on this common ground, clear differences emerge regarding their perspectives on the most effective strategy for making professional learning communities the norm in North America. The differences, however, focus on the means rather than the end. These educational leaders have found common ground in expressing their belief in both the desirability and the power of professional learning communities.
Customer Reviews:
No Silver Bullet, but . . . .......2006-06-11
If you want to read a book that combines brief overviews of the work of many well-regarded leaders in the field of education, this book is a good beginning. Those who work in public education and understand the need for re-structuring and re-culturing our schools will appreciate the authors' laser-like focus on student learning through the development of professional learning communities.
The authors of the various chapters of this book focus on the essential elements that most impact student achievement. Rick Stiggins discusses assessment for learning vs. assessment of learning. Douglas Reeves focuses on curriculum and the importance of power standards and differentiated assessment. Jonathon Saphier stresses the need for high expectations for all students and suggests what educators can do when students aren't learning. And there are more . . .
In these times of student and teacher accountability, all educators must use data to make decisions, including those regarding staff development. Professional Learning Communities provide educators with the structure for collaboration and learning. Teams of teachers and administrators work together in a PLC to create an environment that supports school improvement to result in greater student learning.
Developing a PLC in your school is certainly not the silver bullet. However, the book is a good one to read to gain an overview of what educators can do to positively affect student achievement. If you are already familiar with the work done by many of our educational leaders, you may need to go deeper. In that case, this book is probably not for you.
Mixed Message.......2006-06-05
Rarely do I find a collection of essays by multiple authors to be a great book. Too often the prose is uneven and the authors, despite the assertions of the editors, come off as talking at cross purposes. This book is no exception.
It is not without value. The theme of this book is the importance of professional learning communities in education and I am a supporter of the concept. I didn't need the authors to convince me of this. Perhaps the most perceptive comment made in the book is that teachers already know how to teach well, they know the best practices, we just need to give them an opportunity to work together, develop mutual support and implement them. The problem is that, on a practical level, this is a hard thing to do in an evironment where scheduling conflicts and self-contained teaching is the norm. What would be nice is to have authors who say more than "this is difficult but you must do it" and instead give some practical suggestions on how to do it. There are some here but not enough.
Perhaps the editors would have been better off authoring the entire book themselves. Some of these essays only pay lip service to PLCs as they wander off into theories that are more personal. I respect Michael Fullan's work on sustainable systems but he didn't seem to really fit here, as did some of the other authors with their own axes to grind.
Still, if a reader goes into this book with eyes wide open, then there are things of value to be found. And, in the tough world of education, anything of value is worth considering.
On Common Ground.......2006-05-30
As the processes of school improvement shifts from regulatory compliance to authentic work in schools, it is essential to build a broad understanding of decades of thinking on school reform. This book offers a strong summary of the concepts most likely to bring real change in the only place that matters, the classroom. We have spent decades talking about change and the learning community concept has the potential to be the catalyst of change.
On Common Ground can build a broad foundation of knowledge however; other resources are needed to detail the specifics. The best highlights include:
1) Michael Fullan on building collective capacity.
2) Doug Reeves on anaylsis of student work and feedback.
3) Rick Stiggins on assessment for learning.
4) Jonathon Saphier on motivation.
5) Mike Schmoker on urgency.
6) Larence Lezotte on shared leadership.
If your goal is to building common understanding about contemporary thinking in the area of school improvement, On Common Ground provides a great starting point.
How Many Ways..........2005-11-15
In how many ways are we going to have to hear that the unexamined methods in which our schools have been organized, structured, staffed, and departmentalized work against our best efforts to create real, sustainable learning communities? The following items were a collection of thoughts on behalf of educators working at the Butte County Office of Education that gathered to discuss this book as part of their professional reading series.
This book offers one of the most comprehensive, candid, and clear calls for reforming the ways in which we approach and engage students each and every day in our schools. By combining the ideas and research from today's most prominent thinkers on the development of effective environments for learning, this book serves as a wonderful, concise compass leading those of us in education who pick it up and care to pay attention to its guidance.
Some guiding points of interest included:
Assessing for Learning vs. of Learning
Focus on the Positive Outcomes of Learning vs. the Punitive Consequences of Not Learning
Collaborative Agreement of Essential Learning vs. Individual, Departmentalized Development of Learner Expectations
Modeling Elements of the Learning Community vs. Merely Proselytizing those Elements
It just isn't that good.......2005-09-22
I wanted to like this book. After agreeing to lead a book study for On Common Ground, I *needed* to like this book. I believe in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and think very highly of the work that the DuFours have done in that regard, but I just couldn't get into the book.
The problems are many. Section 1, by Richard DuFour, is nice enough. It gives a good overview of the PLC structure and how it should work, thought chapter 2 was printed earlier in the ASCD's "Educational Leadership" magazine and can thus be found for free. In section 2 we start going downhill in a hurry, particularly in chapter 4 by Rick Stiggins. By the time you get to section 4, where they talk about taking PLCs into a broader, district context, you're completely out of the realm of the schools and into the work of researchers and administrators.
That's the major problem I have with On Common Ground--impracticality. There are good ideas here, but they aren't useable. Many of the authors talk in grand, eloquent language about their topics, but you have to work incredibly hard (believe me, I did) to make the book practical.
If you're looking for a book on PLCs I recommend "Whatever It Takes" or "Professional Learning Communities at Work." They're far more useful.
Book Description
In the style of other bestselling business fables, The Energy Bus takes you on an enlightening and inspiring ride that reveals ten secrets for approaching life and work with the kind of positive, forward thinking that leads to true accomplishment—at work and at home. Author Jon Gordon shows you how to turn negative energy into positive achievement.
Customer Reviews:
The Energy Bus.......2007-09-23
A simple story with a powerful message. A wake-up story for all our lives.
Don't underestimate the powerful message in this small book.......2007-09-06
Jon Gordon is affable, upbeat, ampy and committed to changing the world with his message of positive energy. He is a speaker, a coach, and a consultant to companies large and small.
What the heck is positive energy? According to Jon, "No one goes through life untested and the answer to these tests is positive energy. Not the rah, rah, motivational, cheering kind of positive energy, although there certainly is a time and place for that as well. But rather when I talk about positive energy I'm referring to the optimism, trust, enthusiasm, love, purpose, joy, passion and spirit to live, work and perform at a higher level; to build and lead successful teams; to overcome adversity in life and at work; to share contagious energy with employees, colleagues and customers; to bring out the best in others and in yourself; and to overcome all the negative people (I call energy vampires) and negative situations that threaten to sabotage your health, family, team and success."
In The Energy Bus, Jon teaches us how to have the things he talks about above through a man named George. George is having a crappy time of life. We quickly learn that his life is a direct result of his choices-no surprise there. George happily plays the victim which allows him to wallow in his familiar misery complaining all the while. Everyone and everything is against George the way he sees it. But readers of The You Revolution know better. The people in George's life are frustrated and ready to pull out or kick him out if something doesn't change. Then George is forced to ride the bus to work for 14 days while his car gets repaired. Lucky for George his life is never the same.
Jon based this book on a true encounter he had with an airport shuttle bus driver. It seems Jon was not always The Energy Guy or positive about much of anything. This person started a change in Jon that he was inspired to share with others and the book really is a gem.
Don't be put off by the simplicity of the concept. Jon does a great job mirroring real life through real people. The books strength lies in the simplicity of his style and story. His lessons for George are summarized in his 10 Rules that make it easy to zero in on the ones that speak to you so you can put them into practice.
Regardless of where you are on the continuum of positive and in control regardless of what is happening in your life vs. life isn't fair and I'm going to eat some worms The Energy Bus is a quick, uplifting read. If you are sure you create your life and no one can throw you off a positive track then read it and just enjoy hearing how one man got his life back. If you are not sure that there is anything you can do about all the "stuff" that seems to "happen" to you and you feel beaten up by it all, then by all means read it and be open to the message. I'm going to let you in one a little secret. Jon Gordon has based this book loosely on himself. It seems Mr. Positive Energy was not always like this. He was a negative guy who felt like everything bad that could happen would happen to him. But he learned a few things along the way. He learned because he was at rock bottom but he was open and wanted something to change.
Although the book uses a business model for George and the concepts it is valuable for individuals as well as teams.
Sometimes something so simple comes along and we might dismiss it for that reason. Give this book a second look. You may find you are recommending it to a co-worker or sig other.
"Get onboard this bus!".......2007-08-23
Wow! This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It is perfect for schools and educational themes. I encourage all principals to read it and think about using the bus ticket theme with their staff. Susan Bechtol, High School Principal
A fine parable for modern times.......2007-07-27
Readers of 'business fables' may find business secrets easier to absorb when they're embedded in the 'fable' format - and THE ENERGY BUS: 10 RULES TO FUEL YOUR LIFE, WORK, AND TEAM WITH POSITIVE ENERGY is no exception. It tells of a frustrated manager forced to take the bus to work - there to find a new breed of character in the form of bus driver and patrons who discuss everything from the effects of negativity on project management goals to cultivating the habit of building positive energy. A fine parable for modern times, especially for frustrated business managers seeking new pathways for team development, and for the libraries catering to them.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Easy & light-hearted but powerful, positive & motivating.......2007-07-22
Exactly as the above synopsis describes, this book has been written in a lovely & easy to read format. Written in the fashion of a story of a man who has to catch a bus to go to work one day because his car won't start, but it's no ordinary bus......all the characters on the bus have a particular role to play in helping this man sort his life out, find out what's gone wrong with it & why, help him find out what he's doing wrong & help him discover not only what he wants & expects out of life but how to easily obtain & achieve his ambitions, goals & dreams.
Although written in a sipmle (& pleasing) style, the ideas are very powerful & complete. Most PMA books of this type are normally so think & laborious that all they achieve is sending you to sleep. This one is much more lively & positive & keeps you motivated to put the "Rules" into use & try them out.
The language is plain & clear & makes the book a light-hearted read no fancy jargon or (surprisingly) Americanisms.
Although only a short book, it has all the information you need to set you on the right course to find success in your life. Because it is short, it doesn't take long to read & put these invaluable ideas into practice. All you have to do is to remember these ideas & concepts the next time your out amongst other people!
Book Description
All of the basic areas of paralegal studies are covered in this book. Careers, ethics, professional responsibilities, pretrial preparation, trial procedures, criminal law, legal interviewing, investigation, legal research, computer-assisted legal research, legal analysis, and legal writing. The text also covers introductory information in a number of different areas of substantive law, including business organizations, torts, civil, criminal, family and real estate. This book offers a completely different approach to teaching paralegal skills in the classroom, bridging the gap between classroom learning and on-the-job realities. Exercises at the end of chapters provide opportunities for students to apply the concepts and skills discussed in the chapter. Many of the books' other features were designed specifically to give students a glimpse of the type of situations and demands that they may encounter on the job as professional paralegals.
Customer Reviews:
paralegal book.......2007-06-12
great book however it does match the hardcover verison i ofter had to flip through the book to find that my teachers chapter 7 was my chapter 3 and also some chapters/notes were missing.
west's paralegal.......2006-03-24
The book is very informative and easy to read although the authors describe old laws/rules in great detail, only to find out that the law has changed and everything that you read is void. Of course they describe the revisions but I found the old information a waste of my time and also annoying.
West's Paralegal Today.......2005-09-20
Have no review. It was a required book for school. Amazon had the best price for book.
Customer Reviews:
Since Everyone is on a Team - Read this book.......2007-01-25
I read this book initially with a focus on Business Team Building. I found it it simple and straightforward. I learned about creating a code of honor for myself first, and then for my family and business. It also helped me look at what I can do to improve me, create my own code and commit to the follow through and believe the results will follow.
Simple strategies - hard work to implement - abundant rewards for the people involved in the process.
I read a bunch of the negative reviews for this book and felt for my small invesment of time and money the book was worth 10 x's what I invested.
If you are a coach, parent, or in a business this will give you a new view on team builing for long term success.
I don't recommend this book.......2007-01-04
I am a big fan of Robert Kiyosaky, but I didn't like this book at all, what is a pitty, since I liked the other book by Blair Singer, Salesdogs. I expected much more from it. The author had only one idea -- "create a code of honor for your team" and wrote a book around it. Honestly, I don't think this book has anything to add. I suggest reading The Servant, by James C. Hunter instead. This one is a really awesome book about leadership.
Well written--but doesn't quite hit the nail on the head........2006-01-31
This is a very good book on the subject of finding the type of people to work for you. What it fails to do is to point out the specialty people required to get a business running and growing. That is what I expected, after reading the title. One thing that totally put me off as I read this book. The author spoke of owning a shipping business and having a time pressure to get a shipment loaded. All of the laborers pulled together as a team, working long hours and extra shifts without complaining or asking for overtime pay. Who made the lions share of the money? Not the ones who did the hard labor, but he as the owner. Compensation was something not mentioned in this book. I very much like the concept of a 'code of honor', in which this book was almost completely based. I am still not really sure, after reading this book, what the difference between a code of honor and a mission statement is. A couple of great books that also cover this concept very well are: On My Honor I Will, and The Lost Secret of Phenomenol Success. This kind of book makes you think about your values, and what you want from life. I recommend it. Just remember, it may not be what you expect.
DON'T BUY THIS BOOK!! .......2005-07-05
I am an entrepreneur and wanted some inspiration, sadly I just found a lot of crap in this book. There's nothing I can apply, anyone can come up with a book better than this. just by reading the index you know this book was written by someone who has no idea about business. I'll write it for you:
chap.1 why do you need a code of honor?
2 who you sorround yourself with will determine your wealth and success
3 creating your code of honor
4 what's your personal code
5 how to enforce the code to ensure championship play
6 leadership that teaches other
7 the biggest impact of the code
8 ensuring account. loyalty and trust
9 standing in the heat with the code
conclusion it's your time to have a code
the book is full of phrases like: (please ask yourself if you need to buy a book to learn this:)
"nature whats you to go for it" pg 122
"when in doubt support each other" pg 115
"accountability is in the stats, no stats no results" pg 108
"the code is an awesome recruiting tool and qualifier"
"steps for creating a code: 1 create a code in a sane environment"
"sample code: 1 never abandon a teammate in need"
Creating a Code of Honor.......2005-05-23
This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I was expecting a book on how to pick advisors like accountants, real estate brokerss, lawyers, etc. However this book was about creating a team that works according to a "code of honor" that is created by the team.
Essentially the code of honor is a set of rules that the team creates and lives by in order to maintain a high level of accountability and performance. The idea makes sense as teams and people and general need rules by which to live by. Author Blair Singer does a good job of organizing the information and presenting it in an easy to read fashion.
On the downside, I wish there were more examples in this book to illistrate the points he's makes. A list of rules would have been nice, or the lists of rules that some other companies have come up with.
However other than that, the book is well done. Anyone wanting to build a team or wanting to improve the accountability of their existing team should pick up this book. 4 out of 5 stars.
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- The Toyota Product Development System: Integrating People, Process And Technology
- The User Is Always Right: A Practical Guide to Creating and Using Personas for the Web (VOICES)
- The Waiter & Waitress and Wait Staff Training Handbook: A Complete Guide to the Proper Steps in Service for Food & Beverage Employees
- Tile Your World: John Bridge's New Tile Setting Book
- Tools and Tactics for the Master DayTrader: Battle-Tested Techniques for Day, Swing, and Position Traders
- Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service
- Using Flash MX to Create e-Learning
- Venture Capital: The Definitive Guide for Entrepreneurs, Investors, and Practitioners
- Web ReDesign 2.0: Workflow that Works
- What Colleges Don't Tell You (And Other Parents Don't Want You to Know): 272 Secrets for Getting Your Kid into the Top Schools
Books Index
Books Home
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