The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook

The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook
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Tools for creating a Learning Culture

enlightening concepts about leadership

The Fifth Discipline

A follow up to the legend

A second dose of Inspiration...

The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook
Peter M. Senge , Art Kleiner , Charlotte Roberts , Rick Ross , and Bryan Smith
Manufacturer: Currency
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization

The Fifth Discipline

The Dance of Change: The Challenges to Sustaining Momentum in Learning Organizations

Presence: An Exploration of Profound Change in People, Organizations, and Society

Schools That Learn: A Fifth Discipline Fieldbook for Educators, Parents, and Everyone Who Cares About Education

ASIN: 0385472560
Release Date: 1994-06-20

Book Description

Senge's best-selling The Fifth Discipline led Business Week to dub him the "new guru" of the corporate world; here he offers executives a step-by-step guide to building "learning organizations" of their own.

Customer Reviews:

Tools for creating a Learning Culture.......2006-09-11

Peter M Serge, The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook

To quote the first few paragraphs at beginning of book:

Among the tribes of northen Natal in South Africa, the most common greeting, equivalent to "hello" in English, is the expression: Sawu bona. It literally means, "I see you." If you are a member of the tribe, you might reply by saying Sikhona, "I am here." The order of the exchange is important: until you see me, I do not exist. It's as if, when you see me bring me into existence.

This meaning, implicit in the language, is part of the spirit of ubuntu, a frame of mind prevalent among native people in Africa below the Sahara. The word ubuntu stems from the folk saying Umuntu ngumuntu nagabantu, which from Zulu, literally translates as: "A person is a person because of other people."

"I bow in honor and reverence that place within you where to the Universe resides, when you are in that place within you, and I am in that place within me, there is One." ~namaste

The five disciplines are at the CORE of a Learning Organization

1) Personal Mastery: expand your personal capacity and ability

2) Mental Models: see how our internal pictures of the world shape action and decision

3) Shared Vision: group commitment

4) Team Learning: group ability is greater than the sum of individual talents

5) System Thinking:

"When we try to bring about change in our societies, we are treated first with indifference, then with ridicule, then with abuse and then with oppression. And finally, the greatest challenge is thrown at us: We are treated with respect. This is the most dangerous stage." --A. T. Ariyaratne (Speech made at International Community Leadership Summit, Winrock, Arkansas, March 1983. This quote paraphrases and expands upon a well-known statement made by Mahatma Gandhi in his book Satyagraha in South Africa, 1982, 1979, Canon, Me.: Greenleaf books)

"An [organization] is not a machine but a living organism." --Ikujiro Nonaka /****
Fundamentals of epistemology: what is knowledge, the nature of knowledge, and what constitutes learning.
understanding is achieved after internalization.
Without experience, we cannot truly understand.
Internalization: transformation from explicit knowledge to tacit knowledge, habits and culture that we do not recognize in ourselves.
Innovation is a process to capture, create, leverage, and retain knowledge.
What is your belief? A belief about images of the world - you may call it a mental model - is a very subjective thing

information is the flow of a message, while knowledge is created by accumulating information. Thus, information is a necessary medium or material for eliciting and constructing knowledge.

The second difference is that information is something passive. When we switch on a TV set, information comes regardless of my commitment. But knowledge comes from my belief, so it's more proactive.

And the organizational knowledge or intellectual infrastructure of an organization encourages its individual members to develop new knowledge through new experiences.

This dynamic process is the key to organizational knowledge creation - that is, socialization (from individual tacit knowledge to group tacit knowledge), externalization (from tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge), combination (from separate explicit knowledge to systemic explicit knowledge), and internalization (from explicit knowledge to tacit knowledge) [...].

[...]

Three Guiding Ideas

1) The Whole. When you are pointing a finger at the problems, notice how many fingers are pointing back at you. If you fixed the symptoms and ignore the root causes, the problems have not gone away. Another way to look at this is treat the person, not the disease. Of course treat the disease if the patient is dying, but know that the patient will get sick again because the "root causes" are stil there.

2) Community. The self is "a point of view." "The essence of being a person is being in a relationship [with] other people." You will not believe this, but each person before you is there for a reason. The reason this person is there at this moment is for you to learn something about yourself. If you ignore the person, do not ignore or forget the lesson.

3) Language. The map is not the territory. We cannot contain every bit of information that comes to us in the world, so we have to create a "map of the territory" and then refer to the map for our information. By changing a person's map, we change their reality. Language is the map, not the reality.

enlightening concepts about leadership.......2005-10-26

It seems to me that The Fifth Discipline (the previous publication of the series) is more attacting to me. The second book can be more precise and concise in content. Generally speaking I still like these two books as a foreign reader.

The Fifth Discipline.......2003-02-08

This book is a collection of theoretical summaries, reports, analyses, and strategies all quite useful to anyone interested in generating some thinking and action around change. The team of five writers (Peter Senge, Richard Ross, Bryan Smith, Charlotte Roberts, and Art Kleiner) provide some original work, but also serve as editors to a vast quantity of material drawn from practitioners, theorists, and writers in the field of organizational improvement. According to Senge, "great teams are learning organizations - groups of people who, over time, enhance their capacity to create what they truly desire to create." (p.18) This book is really about creating and building great teams. The learning organization develops its ability to reflect on, discuss, question, and change its current and past practices. To do this, people and groups in the organization need to meaningfully pursue the study and practice of the five disciplines - personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, team learning, and systems thinking.

The learning organization - Senge's vision for the productive, competitive, and efficient institutions of the future - is in a continuous state of change. Four fundamental questions continuously serve to check and guide a group's learning and improvement (see page 49): (1) Do you continuously test your experiences? ("Are you willing to examine and challenge your sacred cows - not just during crises, but in good times?") (2) Are you producing knowledge? ("Knowledge, in this case, means the capacity for effective action.") (3) Is knowledge shared? ("Is it accessible to all of the organization's members?") (4) Is the learning relevant? ("Is this learning aimed at the organization's core purpose?") If these questions represent the organization's compass, the five disciplines are its map.

Each of the five disciplines is explained, and elaborated in its own lengthy section of the book. In the section on "Systems Thinking" (a set of practices and perspectives, which views all aspects of life as inter-related and playing a role in some larger system), the authors build on the idea of feedback loops (reinforcing and balancing) and introduce five systems archetypes. They are: "fixes that backfire", "limits to growth", "shifting the burden", "tragedy of the commons", and "accidental adversaries". In the section on "Personal Mastery", the authors argue that learning starts with each person. For organizations to learn and improve, people within the organization (perhaps starting with its core leadership) must learn to reflect on and become aware of their own core beliefs and visions. In "Mental Models", the authors argue that learning organizations need to explore the assumptions and attitudes, which guide their institutional directions, practices, and strategies. Articles on scenario planning, the ladder of inference, the left-hand column, and balancing inquiry and advocacy offer practical strategies to investigate our personal mental models as well as those of others in the organization. In "Shared Vision", the authors make the case for the stakeholders of an organization to continually adapt their vision ("an image of a desired future"), values ("how we get to travel to where we want to go"), purpose ("what the organization is here to do"), and goals ("milestones we expect to reach before too long"). The section offers many strategies and perspectives on how to move an organization toward continuous reflection. In "Team Learning", the authors rely mostly on the work of William Isaacs and others, and make a case for educating organization members in the processes and skills of dialogue and skillful discussion.

This book is enlightening and informative. It has already found a place on my shelf for essential reference books.

A follow up to the legend.......2003-01-27

The Fieldbook attempts at making the esoteric concepts of the fifth discipline more down to earth and contains a treasure trove of strategies, tools, methods and explanations on how to make the learning organization into a reality.

Thus people who have read The fifth discipline will gain the most from this book. It's a must read for people who want to make their organizations transition into a 'learning organization'

A second dose of Inspiration..........2002-02-09

Senge's second serving of the Learning Organization is filled with practical tips and real-life examples from companies and organizations that have embraced the teachings of the Learning Organization successfully.

The Book is a collaboration of several writers who do a superb job of unraveling the web that is the learning organization. At times, it may seem to the reader that the book is a labyrinth of disjointed concepts and ideas. However, if you have read `The Fifth Discipline' you will find no problems following the concepts introduced. In fact, you will even understand why the writers have chosen to introduce them in that fashion. If you have not read "The Fifth Discipline', do not despair, it will take a little longer to get `the whole picture'.
The Book is divided into 8 main sections:

1) Getting Started addresses the basic concepts and ideas of the Learning Organization.
2) Systems Thinking (the fifth discipline) - Many people have argued that Senge should have delegated the fifth discipline until the end, however, without Systems Thinking, your vision is disjointed and incomplete.
3) Personal Mastery covers the area of individual development and learning. The chapters here are among the most valuable in the area of self-growth and self-improvement.
4) Mental Models - These are the pictures that you have in your head which represent reality.
5) Shared Vision - You've seen the whole picture, you've developed and you understand how you see the world. Now you need to find a common cause with the rest of the people in your organization, something that you all work for.
6) Team Learning - As you work with other people in teams or groups, you need to pass the stuff that you have learnt and the wisdom you've acquired to others. At this stage, the learning is no longer that of the individual, but the group.
7) Arenas of Practice - (Self explanatory)
8) Frontiers - Where do we go from here.

If you are interested in development, learning, growth, leadership, gaining a competitive edge whether at an organizational or personal level, then this book is for you. In fact, I'd venture to say that this is book is for everyone.

The Handbook of Employee Benefits
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The Handbook of Employee Benefits
Jerry S. Rosenbloom
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Employee Benefits

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ASIN: 0071445129

Book Description

The definitive handbook for every benefits professional, providing you with new material on HIPAA and COBRA, key legislation, and more

The encyclopedic The Handbook of Employee Benefits is the essential reference in the human resources industry, helping you understand and select benefit plans that work best for both employers and employees. Important changes and additions to this sixth edition include new material on behavioral/mental health-care benefits, disease management, alternative medicine, and elder care. In addition, executive compensation plans in a pay-for-performance environment are covered for the first time, as are important changes in benefits following September 11, 2001.

Creative Training Techniques Handbook: Tips, Tactics, and How-To's for Delivering Effective Training

Average customer rating:

A must have for any training professional
Lots of Content Here
Turn nervousness into confidence
The best book I've read on the subject
a couple of good ideas but practically limited

Creative Training Techniques Handbook: Tips, Tactics, and How-To's for Delivering Effective Training
Robert W. Pike
Manufacturer: Human Resource Development Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Telling Ain't Training

ASIN: 0874257239

Book Description

Thoroughly updated and revised, the third edition of this essential resource for training professionals is packed with new and valuable features for delivering cost-effective, high-impact training. Like previous editions, Creative Training Techniques Third Edition covers all the important basics: Presentation preparation, learner motivation, visual aids, group involvement, creative materials, resource materials, presentation techniques and customized training. New to the third edition are six chapters covering the following: .Instrumented learning .Transformation of existing training programs .Participant-centered techniques for technical training .Participant-centered techinques for computer training .The myths and methods of eLearning .Classroom management techniques. You'll also find a new appendix packed with simple job aids to help you make, buy, or build decisions when planning training.

Customer Reviews:

A must have for any training professional.......2007-01-11

I am not a trainer, but a curriculum designer. I attended Bob Pike's Boot Camp (another MUST) and was given this book at the seminar. The Boot Camp is amazing and anyone involved in training (adult or child education) needs to attend.

This book is amazing. Bob Pike is clear and effective. The book isn't filled with a ton of "fluff." Each and every page offers value. Every page gives you ideas of things you can (and should) start doing immediately.

I enjoyed it so much, I ordered one for every single employee in our department and now we are doing a sort of "book club" where we all read a chapter and discuss.

If you don't buy any other book on training - buy this one. You will learn more about how adults learn, how to evaluate training (and non-training needs), how to present your evalation and solutions, how to set up an effective classroom, etc.

BUY IT! You won't regret it!

Lots of Content Here.......2004-12-08

Pike packs in the content here. Thorough and updated, this book should be a part of any trainer's library.

Turn nervousness into confidence.......2004-04-14

I am an independent corporate trainer and saw this book praised in a variety of places. I bought it and read it from cover to cover. While I was reading it, I kept saying to myself, "Isn't this stuff kind of simple?" When I finished reading it, I felt like I had not learned enough to justify the high price. These first impressions were not lasting impressions. Here is how I can tell: Whenever I feel nervous about a new training assignment, I open this book and quickly find solutions that turn my nervousness into confidence. I grew to understand that the simplicity I observed during my first reading is actually the result of skillful winnowing by an expert.

Because of its price, I rated this book 4 stars instead of 5 stars. I understand the marketing justification for the price. Some stuff in the book is provided for HR professionals who train trainers. These people are usually buying the book with someone else's money. The publisher knows that and banks on it. But, given how much I continually get from this book, I figure at least the author has earned the extra money.

The best book I've read on the subject.......2002-11-11

I've had a bit of a hard time finding books on training the trainer to train and I feel that this is THE book that does it best. I work for a new company and ended up doing most of the training of new employees. I've thoroughly enjoyed it and this book helped me to be more effective at it. I love the 'instructor led, participant centered' idea that he presents. It allows me to treat the trainees as adults but we still have fun. Being new to training I didn't feel that he was talking over my head. It was to the point, useful information that I was immediatly able to put to good use.

a couple of good ideas but practically limited.......2002-08-14

i bought this book as it was a a suggested read by a big american design software corpoartion for whom i was an authorised trainer.
having picked up most of my training techniques from teaching or other teachers, or indeed practically picked up, i was intrigues to refine my techniques or expand them.
But, i found very little here of use to me, i think this is much more useful to people eho train in the vaguer sense of the word, as i was running professional training courses, i actually found a lot of the material given i disagreed with in practice, to be honest you just could not run a prodessional graphic design course like this.
maybe the ideas of teaching in England are a bit more quirky and persoanlity based, but these ideas are either common sense or patronising of the audience.
maybe if you are in some kind of business arena and completeley new to the whole field theres something for you.
I got nothing out of it really, and ive been a professional trainer for ten years.

The Talent Management Handbook: Creating Organizational Excellence by Identifying, Developing, and Promoting Your Best People

Average customer rating:

It's Okay...
Outstanding Book
Exceptional Talent Management Resource
Good reference material
AN EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF INSIGHTFUL CONTRIBUTIONS.

The Talent Management Handbook: Creating Organizational Excellence by Identifying, Developing, and Promoting Your Best People
Lance A. Berger , and Dorothy R. Berger
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0071414347

Book Description

The Talent Management Handbook explains how organizations can identify and get the most out of “high-potential people” by developing and promoting them to key positions.

The book explains:

1. A system for integrating three human resources “building blocks”: organizational competencies, performance appraisal, and forecasting employee/manager potential

2. Six human resources conditions necessary for organization excellence

3. How to link your employee assessment process to career planning and development

The Talent Management Handbook will help you design career plans that boost employee morale, as well as create and sustain excellence in your organization. It is full of simple, efficient, easy-to-follow methods for assessing, planning, and developing high-value people to meet your organization’s current and future needs. And it will help you combine your organization’s diverse human resources activities into a single, cogent system.

Featuring best practices from leading companies as well as contributions from field experts who hold top positions in such leading HR consultancies as AON Consulting, The Hay Group, Hewitt Associates, Right Management Consulting. Sibson Consulting, and Towers Perrin, The Talent Management Handbook is an authoritative resource for creating and maintaining excellence in your organization through people management.

Customer Reviews:

It's Okay..........2007-08-23

I was really excited to get this book because I thought it was going to walk me through the steps of creating competencies and how to put them into place. The first chapter was great. After that it sort of drags a little. Each chapter is written by a different person or group of people so it is more like an accumulation of articles rather than something that is specifically useful. The information is still good and I am looking forward to finishing the book (almost done), but it definitely has not kept my interest. There are some spelling errors in the book as well, which tend to make it seem like it is not read enough to be considered a reliable resource. It is alright, but don't have the expectation that you will have enough information to implement these systems after reading the book.

Outstanding Book.......2007-02-10

This is an outstanding book that succinctly explains a simple and practical approach to the identification, assessment and management of talent in the current, dynamic operating business environment. The book plainly gives advice on how to avoid high staff turnover, poor morale, and poor performance.

Here is a book that not only "tells it like it is," but offers visionary insights into "how it needs to be." The authors ignite the imagination, expand the possibilities, and offer practical strategies any firm can use to effectively develop, retain and utilise talent for the benefit of an organisation and enter the fluid, flexible future. Managers at all levels will cheer the sanity the authors suggest.

The book is written in an easy to follow and understand way that will help you draw career plans that enhance the morale of the workforce and generate and maintain high performance in your organization. It is full of straightforward, efficient, clear techniques for evaluating, planning, and developing top performing employees to ensure that your organization will be a success.

Exceptional Talent Management Resource.......2006-02-23

This handbook offers valuable and process rich descriptions of how to create a talent management system and how to develop competencies to work within that system for consultants and executives alike. The handbook also provides practical suggestions on creating performance management systems along with several other support tools common to talent management systems including compensation, 360 feedback, training and coaching.

Good reference material.......2005-08-20

A few of the articles are stellar, but many are so-so. Nevertheless, it is very comprehensive covering topics from A to Z, so it is a good reference tool. Definitely for the HR professional, not the line manager.

AN EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF INSIGHTFUL CONTRIBUTIONS........2005-05-20

The concept of talent management is a systematic, proactive approach to the integration of business and organizational planning, assessment, succession planning, performance improvement, competency enhancement, and career growth. Contributors explain: how a talent management plan and process are developed; the four steps to creating a system; how competencies create economic value; finding high-potential talent throughout the organization; and much more. Breaks important, new ground.

The Corporate University Workbook: Launching the 21st Century Learning Organization

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Great!
A road map for talent development ...
A must have workbook.
A Must Read if You Want to Build a Corporate University

The Corporate University Workbook: Launching the 21st Century Learning Organization
Kevin Wheeler , and Eileen Clegg
Manufacturer: Pfeiffer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Corporate University Handbook: Designing, Managing, and Growing a Successful Program
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Developing/Implementing a Corporate University
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Running Training Like a Business: Delivering Unmistakable Value

ASIN: 0787973394

Book Description

The Corporate University Workbook gives you everything you need to create effective, systematic, learning infrastructure within your organization. As a result, you will develop employees who are capable of adapting to rapid changes and who deliver the results your business needs! This resource offers a dynamic combination of practical methodology, best practices, and step-by-step guidance. The Workbook, along with the CD-ROM, are filled with the tools, templates, and activities you need to develop and implement a corporate university. Build a corporate university in your organization and develop human talent in an effective and measurable manner. The Corporate University Workbook will help create a highly effective corporate university that will

Identify your organization’s competencies and skills
Develop the specific development programs with internal or external formal training, experiential learning, and coaching
Encourage the growth of informal learning communities
Foster networking and the exchange of learning
Help you build learning into the work process
Disseminate and increase knowledge
Help employees develop strong career choices and skills
Anticipate the skills, competencies, and abilities your organization will need in the future

Customer Reviews:

Great!.......2007-04-02

I am a Consultant charged with setting up a corporate university for a 100 person company. The workbook provided me with the structure of a university and things to think about in creating a university. I didn't use the CD yet, but did love the book!

A road map for talent development ..........2005-03-13

From strategic visioning through measuring success, this practical workbook provides tools, guidelines and even a dozen templates in the enclosed CD. Mr. Wheeler shares best practices, from years of experience and research. With the lead from product advances shrinking, human talent will become a major competitive differentiator. I highly recommend for anyone challenged to support your organization's success through talent development.

A must have workbook........2005-03-10

If you are involved in setting up or work for a corporate university, run, don't walk to your nearest book seller and purchase this workbook. Long overdue, The Corporate University Workbook, written in plan, easy to understand English, walks the reader through eleven chapters packed with business oriented explanations, strategies, checklists, exercises, case studies and rationales for designing, building and maintaining a world class corporate university. Destined to become a classic in the field, The Corporate University Workbook should be required reading and within arms reach of anyone responsible for establishing or fine tuning their organization's corporate university.

Philip McGee, Ed.D., THRD, Clemson University

A Must Read if You Want to Build a Corporate University.......2005-02-20

Kevin Wheeler makes it clear early on in his book that successful corporate universities must go beyond traditional training. Learning goes far beyond training, incorporating a wide range of informal learning processes and activities. This differentiates this book from much of what has been written in the past about corporate universities--focusing on mostly course-oriented training. Wheeler takes the reality of broad-based learning in organizations into account and provides a very detailed and practical guide for building a successful and flexbible corporate university. The book contains lots of templates and practical lists with questions and issues that must be addressed by someone building a corporate university. Each chapter begins with a review of an unsuccessful and a successful example of corporate universities, making it clear that success is by no means guaranteed. But the probability of success will no doubt be much higher for those who do their homework and not only read this book but complete the numerous exercises that Wheeler has carefully prepared to assist those ready to build a corporate university meant to transform an organization into a 21st century learning organization.

The Employee Recruitment and Retention Handbook

Average customer rating:

A Truly Great Challenge

The Employee Recruitment and Retention Handbook
Diane Arthur
Manufacturer: AMACOM/American Management Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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How to Compete in the War for Talent : A Guide to Hiring the Best

ASIN: 0814405525

Book Description

Competition for skilled employees is fierce! This book provides comprehensive, practical advice to employers to get and keep the people they need.

It covers such vital topics as what workers want--including a sense of making a real impact in their jobs and getting learning opportunities; why workers leave--sometimes just because they can (it's so easy to find a new job), often because they feel undervalued or bored where they are; and what best-practice companies are doing to attract and retain the talent necessary to remain competitive.

Expert Diane Arthur discusses:
* Both traditional and new strategies, including a huge array of special incentives and perks
* Online recruiting via sites like Monster.com or a company's own Web site
* Successful programs from Cisco Systems, Bank of Boston, Eli Lilly, McDonald's, and dozens of other companies, including many small firms
* Competency-based recruiting and interviewing, contingent workers, telecommuting and other alternative work arrangements, future trends, and more.

Customer Reviews:

A Truly Great Challenge.......2001-06-27

I cannot think of a greater challenge to organizations today than to find, hire, and then keep peak performers. This is one of two books which I have just read. Both suggest excellent strategies and tactics to meet this challenge. (The other is authored by Harry E. Chambers.) But what if an organization now has few -- if -- any peak performers? Obviously, it must develop them. How? In Hidden Value, O'Reilly and Pfeffer explain how great companies achieve extraordinary results with ordinary people.

You can also hire them. In my opinion, one with which Arthur may agree, organizations must be constantly, indeed aggressively involved in recruiting all the time. That is to say, at least decision-makers must be identifying "the best and the brightest" workers employed elsewhere. Perhaps there is no need for them now. Even so, it is important to know who they are, to establish contact with them, and then stay in touch. One CEO I know has a simple but very effective strategy. Whenever she encounters someone who makes a highly favorable impression on her, she offers her business card. "I know you are very happy where you are now. That's great. And frankly, we do not have a suitable position available at the moment anyway. However, if you ever think about making a change, please give me a call. I'd really like to hear from you." Perhaps 18-24 months later, that person calls her.

Arthur organizes her material within 11 chapters, ending each with a summary of key points. She then provides two especially informative appendices: "Employee Benefits Glossary" and "Legal Issues." Her advice on using an outside source (e.g. an executive recruitment firm) to help generate and screen candidates will be most beneficial to larger organizations. However, almost all of the other material will be of substantial assistance to any organization, regardless of its size or nature. All by itself, Chapter 6 is worth the cost of the book. In it, Arthur offers a wealth of suggestions concerning competency-based recruiting and interviewing, correctly stressing the importance of first establishing a solid pre-recruitment foundation, one which takes into account questions such as these which anyone involved in the interview process should be prepared to answer fully:

1. Am I thoroughly familiar with the qualities being sought in an applicant?

2. Are these qualities both job-related and realistic?

3. Can I clearly communicate the duties and responsibilities of this position to applicants?

4. Am I prepared to provide additional relevant information about the job and the company to the applicant?

In other words, whenever a position becomes available, take full advantage that opportunity (a) to determine whether or not it should be filled and (b) if it must be filled, to identify job-specific competencies (prior to recruitment) and other factors which are necessary for success. In Chapter 7, Arthur includes Exhibit 8-1 which lists and briefly discusses "Reasons for High Turnover." For those organizations which have a problem with employee attrition, Arthur suggests a number of probable causes. In fact, I think all of the "exhibits" are informative, as with chapter summaries helping the reader to focus on key points which can easily be reviewed later. I also highly recommend Exhibit 11-1 in the final chapter which lists and briefly discusses 20 "Future Job Projections"; Arthur also includes Web sites which offer additional information about each, such as "workplace concierge" and "corporate anthropologist." Good stuff indeed.

Arthur's expert guidance can help any organization to formulate or refine a cohesive, comprehensive, and cost-effective system by which to recruit and then retain the people it needs. Obviously, I think highly of her book. However, given the importance of the issues it addresses as well as the serious implications of decisions which must be made, I strongly recommend that several different sources (including hers) be consulted. Amazon.com identifies a number of possibilities; those who review them can assist the selection process.

The Waiter & Waitress and Wait Staff Training Handbook: A Complete Guide to the Proper Steps in Service for Food & Beverage Employees
Average customer rating:

Valuable Traing Tool

Easy to Use

Also in Spanish

An excellent guide!

The Waiter & Waitress and Wait Staff Training Handbook: A Complete Guide to the Proper Steps in Service for Food & Beverage Employees
Lora Arduser , and Douglas R. Brown
Manufacturer: Atlantic Publishing Company (FL)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Food Service Professionals Guide To: Waiter & Waitress Training: How To Develop Your Wait Staff For Maximum Service & Profit (The Food Service Professionals Guide, 10)

The Encyclopedia Of Restaurant Training: A Complete Ready-to-Use Training Program for All Positions in the Food Service Industry

At Your Service: A Hands-On Guide to the Professional Dining Room

Remarkable Service: A Guide to Winning and Keeping Customers for Servers, Managers, and Restaurant Owners

The Waiting Game: The Essential Guide for Wait Staff and Managers

ASIN: 0910627479

Book Description

This training handbook was designed for use by all food service serving staff members. The guide covers every aspect of restaurant customer service for the positions of host, waiter or waitress, head waiter, captain, and bus person. The detailed performance of each position is described for different types of establishments, and all types of service including French, American, English, Russian, Family-Style and Banquet. It provides step-by-step instructions on:

• hosting
• seating guests
• taking/filling orders
• loading/unloading trays
• table side service
• setting an elegant table
• folding napkins
• centerpieces
• promoting specials
• promoting side orders
• handling problems
• difficult customers
• managing tips and taxes
• getting customers to order quickly
• handling questions
• handling the check and money

Plus, learn advanced serving techniques such as flambé and carving meats, fish, and fruits. It also features a chapter devoted exclusively to food safety and sanitation. Whether it's your first day on the job or you are a twenty year veteran you are bound to learn alot. Food service managers will find this book to be an excellent foundation for your organizations training program.

Customer Reviews:

Valuable Traing Tool.......2007-07-21

This book covers all of the details that are so often left out while training waitstaff and associated restaurant employees. We use it extensively for initial training and reference.

Easy to Use.......2006-06-16

Opening a dining establishment is complex. There are many different things that need to be taken into consideration from food costs to training of employees. For those who have never had a restaurant before, the training of employees could be a little intimidating, especially when it comes to those who interact with the customers and whose service could make or break the business, the wait staff. This book takes the bewilderment out of hiring and training these very important people.

The book is comprehensive and follows a logical pattern which eases the reader into the business almost effortlessly. It is an all inclusive book which details different jobs which make up the wait staff from hosting to bussing. Most of the book is centered on service of the tables though. It explains everything from how to set the table to presenting the check at the end of the meal.

There is a special section on how to deal with the youngest of the customers as well as important issues which the customer does not see such as side work and dealing with customer complaints and the difficult customer. There are even tips on laws that regulate the industry such as alcohol and IRS laws. As with any other job in the restaurant, safety and sanitation is also a very important part. Taking the complexity out of hiring and training of these employees is bound to help everyone out.

Also in Spanish.......2005-07-14

Just a note to say this book is also published in Spanish for students and staff members

An excellent guide!.......2004-10-26

This is an excellent book. It's very thorough and the section on alcohol service was especially good. Highly recommend!

Average customer rating:

Great Reference
The Compensation Handbook
The Compensation Handbook
The Compensation Handbook

The Compensation Handbook
Lance A. Berger , and Dorothy R. Berger
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Harvard Business Review on Compensation
Paying for Performance: A Guide to Compensation Management, 2nd Edition
Pay People Right!: Breakthrough Reward Strategies to Create Great Companies (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series)
How to Design & Implement a Results-Oriented Variable Pay System
Compensating the Sales Force: A Practical Guide to Designing Winning Sales Compensation Plans

ASIN: 0071343091

Book Description

Straight answers to your compensation questions An A-to-Z guide to compensation strategy and design, Compensation Handbook, Fourth Edition, has been completely revised and updated to keep you on top of the important changes that have taken place in this area. Editors Lance A. Berger and Dorothy R. Berger have assembled articles by leading compensation practitioners to give you authoritative solutions to a wide range of specific compensation problems. This important new edition shares with you the best thinking on attracting and retaining outstanding employees in a tight market...executive compensation...computers and compensation...how to use a mix of compensation devices...and much, much more.

Customer Reviews:

Great Reference.......2007-04-25

I found this book to be an invaluable reference for my research in the area of compensation. It covers all of the main topics in compensation management with articles from the best minds in the field. The trend summary and chapter introductions provide an overview that is interesting and insightful. That kind of analysis is hard to find. The information is surprisingly up to date, since change is slow in this field.

The book is essential for compensation professionals.

The Compensation Handbook.......2006-02-26

Received with thanks the Compensation Handbook in a very good condition. It is exactly the product I was looking for. I believe that it would be a very important reference to my business.

The Compensation Handbook.......2000-06-27

As a compensation consultant, I sought a comprehensive guide for all aspects of the field. The 4th edition of The Compensation Handbook provides simple and direct answers for every compensation problem. It is a virtual "who's who" of compensation professionals providing well-constructed, concise information on their area of expertise. No matter what information I seek -- from base compensation, variable compensation, executive compensation, performance and compensation, compensation and corporate culture, or international compensation -- I can find pertinent, practical guidance in this one book. Compensation issues that are currently challenging every company - regardless of size, age, or industry -- are especially well developed in The Compensation Handbook. The section on Corporate Culture containing chapters on "Culture and Compensation" and "Connecting Compensation, Behaviors, Culture, and Strategy to Win" by William M. Mercer consultants, "Rewarding Scarce Talent" by Patricia Zingheim, "Gaining a Competitive Edge by Improving the Return on Human Capital" by Peter LeBlanc, and "The Role of Work-Life Benefits in the Total Pay Strategy" covers issues that every compensation practitioner or human resources professional will grapple with in the forseeable future. Even the effect of technology and computers on compensation administration are handled in The Compensation Handbook. Information on global compensation strategies is relevant not only to practitioners but to anyone seeking employment on foreign soil or working for a foreign company. The Compensation Handbook is a winner.

The Compensation Handbook.......2000-06-26

As a compensation consultant, I sought a comprehensive guide for all aspects of the field. The 4th edition of The Compensation Handbook provides simple and direct answers for every compensation problem. It is a virtual "who's who" of compensation professionals providing well-constructed, concise information on area of expertise. No matter what information I seek -- from base compensation, variable compensation, executive compensation, performance and compensation, compensation and corporate culture, or international compensation -- I can find pertinent, practical guidance in this one book. Compensation issues that are currently challenging every company - regardless of size, age, industry -- are especially well developed in The Compensation Handbook. The section on Corporate Culture containing chapters on "Culture and Compensation" and "Connecting Compensation, Behaviors, Culture, and Strategy to Win" by William M. Mercer consultants, "Rewarding Scarce Talent" by Patricia Zingheim, "Gaining a Competitive Edge by Improving the Return on Human Capital" by Peter LeBlanc, and "The Role of Work-Life Benefit in the Total Pay Strategy" covers issues that every compensation practitioner or human resources professional will grapple with in the forseeable future. Even the effect of technology and computers on compensation administration are handled in The Compensation Handbook. Information on global compensation strategies is relevant not only to practitioners by to anyone seeking employment on foreign soil or working for a foreign company. The Compensation Handbook is a winner.

The Change Handbook: Group Methods for Shaping the Future

Average customer rating:

Too general
a good survey of change tools
A good place to start for doing large scale interventions
Insightful!
A Resource Treasuretrove

The Change Handbook: Group Methods for Shaping the Future

Manufacturer: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Future Search
Large Group Interventions: Engaging the Whole System for Rapid Change (Jossey-Bass Business & Management Series)
The Handbook of Large Group Methods: Creating Systemic Change in Organizations and Communities (Jossey-Bass Business & Management)
Open Space Technology: A User's Guide
The Corporate Culture Survival Guide

ASIN: 1576750582

Book Description

When people in an organization or community get together and work for change, the result can be powerful. But managing group dynamics is often difficult. This unique guide showcases 18 tried-and-true methods for facilitating change in a group situation, each explained by an expert who developed or elaborated the method. The book explains what each method is rather than how to do it, with extensive suggestions for further reading.

Customer Reviews:

Too general.......2002-07-13

The book provides general information about different organizational intervention methods. Since most of the writers in this book provide only introductory information and market their method in a similar way, you can't really see much difference between them. If you want to learn how to work with any of those techniques, I suggest you buy the book that focuses on your area of interest.

a good survey of change tools.......2002-02-03

This book is ok - I do this kind of work for a living so there was nothing new in it for me and I returned it - but for those needing an intro to change approaches/techniques this is a good start. My problem with books like this is that they tell you the tools and the how tos to some extent but the real value in engaging in change efforts is knowing when/where the alligator in the swamp is going to pop up and bite you. They don't lay out any lessons learned or things to watch out for so for the unsuspecting they may engage in a change effort and have it fail due to poor delivery etc.

A good place to start for doing large scale interventions.......2001-06-29

When you want to change a company and you do this top-down, using a cascade system in which higher levels of your organisation change the lower levels, you are in for a long change process. For instance, specialists will tell you it can take 7 years before you really change a company's culture. No wonder people like Art Kleiner (co-author of "The Dance of Change") will warn you that up to 70% of your change efforts will fail. The solution comes from taking a more systemic approach, involving as much people of the organisation at once as possible. These kinds of large scale interventions often do wonders if the management is willing to work in a more participative manner. Some methods are more directed to specific change goals, whether it is to set a new direction for your organisation or redefining working relationships (re-organising the buisiness); other methods are more adaptable.

This book will help you find your way in the world of large scale interventions. The 18 proven group methods each have a chapter, written by originators and/or foremost practitioners. Each method-chapter includes a case, the explanation of the methodology, the conditions to success, the theoretical basis, etc. In the back of the book you'll find a table describing all 18 methods (explaining how many people can be involved, how lang the change process takes, how it impacts the organisation, etc.). Once you have found which method fits your situation, you'll find references to more specific books explaining a particular method. Another book painting the big picture as well is Barbara Bunker's "Large Scale Interventions".

I recommend the book as a place to start, if you are prepared to treat your organisation as having more EQ than each of the individuals.

Patrick E.C. Merlevede -- co-author of 7 Steps to Emotional Intelligence

I also submitted a "listmania" list entitled "Systemic Large Group Interventions" in which you'll find more references on this topic.

Insightful!.......2001-05-09

This handbook of change is a must-have for any executive, simply as a primer in the language spoken by consultants. Read this book and become instantly familiar with the latest, most successful, and even the trendiest theories of change management. The editors have evaluated 18 leading change methods, as applied and tested by some of the largest corporations in the United States. They group the change methods by functional categories, making it easier for readers to go directly to the method that applies to their particular problem. Another bonus: The leading practitioners in the field write the change method chapters, bringing a unique depth of perspective. The editors also have written several excellent chapters on the nature of change. An extraordinary comparative matrix - worth the price of the book by itself - is included in the "Afterword." We [...] recommend this book to executives, managers, change agents, human resources professionals and students.

A Resource Treasuretrove.......2000-02-23

Holman and Devane have created an amazing resource for anyone interested in helping to shape the future of our organizations and communities. 18 proven group methods each have their own chapter written by originators and/or foremost practitioners.

The editors have done an excellent job of sheparding each chapter so that the story is alive, honoring the uniqueness and history. And, also, consistent information is presented, allowing comparison among the methods. The comparative matrix is a powerful tool for picking methods appropraite to a particular context.

Reading each chapter is like having a conversation with an expert; it is a quick and most effective way of understanding the method. Then, to dig deeper, the book provides a comprehenhsive list of resources for each method.

There is a synergy between the methods that makes this book more powerful than 18 separate books (and very much more accessible). And Holman's and Devane's editing and opening and closing chapters weave all into a beautiful tapestry. If you care about creating the future, this book provides help.

The Sales Compensation Handbook
Average customer rating:

Avoid thousands in consulting fees!

Meeting the challenge of creating incentive plans for sales

The Sales Compensation Handbook

Manufacturer: AMACOM/American Management Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Compensating the Sales Force: A Practical Guide to Designing Winning Sales Compensation Plans

The Complete Guide to Sales Force Incentive Compensation: How to Design And Implement Plans That Work

Compensating New Sales Roles : How to Design Rewards That Work in Today's Selling Environment

The Complete Guide to Accelerating Sales Force Performance : How to Get More Sales from Your Sales Force

Proactive Sales Management: How to Lead, Motivate, and Stay Ahead of the Game

ASIN: 0814404111

Book Description

THE SALES COMPENSATION HANDBOOK Second Edition

Now in an updated and expanded edition, The Sales Compensation Handbook provides the information and tools needed to design and implement top-notch sales compensation programs.

This authoritative reference from experts at Towers Perrin provides guidance on all aspects of compensating salespeople, including cash and non-cash incentives * base salary, bonus, and commission scales * team-selling roles and implications * linking compensation to company culture, and much more.

Sales managers and compensation professionals alike will find this comprehensive resource a valuable tool for building sales rep productivity.

STOCKTON B. COLT (Los Angeles, CA and Santa Fe, NM) is a principal at Towers Perrin, an internationally known consulting firm in the compensation field. He is also a frequent speaker on sales productivity and compensation.

Customer Reviews:

Avoid thousands in consulting fees!.......1998-11-15

This book was just what I needed, and much more. I expected a primer on sales compensation design. What I found was a challenge to review the underlying systems of the Sales Department _AND_ state of the art sales incentive compensation plans.

This book is a must-read for every sales manager who is looking to make sure that compensation is not the reason his or her sales force doesn't achieve its goals, or is churning. Putting these tactics to work takes real discipline; but the rewards are tremendous.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the art and science of a finely tuned sales machine.

Meeting the challenge of creating incentive plans for sales.......1998-08-03

As one who does a considerable amount of consulting work in designing sales compensation plans, I was delighted with this publication. Anyone who has had the challenge of creating an incentive compensation plan for salespeople, or of leading and motivating a sales force, will appreciate the scope and depth of this book. Using an abundance of diagrams and tables, the chapters and sections examine a very comprehensive range of topics that is highly helpful in shaping sales compensation. One important point that is clearly made is the enormous range of potential root causes of performance problems, other than the nature of the compensation plan. In this regard, compensation is viewed in the broader context of the sales management system; far too often, this big picture is missed, or glossed over. But most of the book focuses on designing sales incentive compensation plans and provides plenty of solid content and detail. I expect readers will find this work a very worthwhi! le contribution to a complex subject; one with which so many organizations seem to continuously wrestle and, more often than not, fail to fathom and, ultimately, succeed.

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