Book Description
Most managers know that revitalization in their companies must occur from the ground up. But how to get that message to employees without applying the kind of pressure that makes them even less productive? The answer is empowerment. In this motivating book, you will find specific strategies designed to help you encourage responsibility, acknowledgment, and creativity so that employees feel they "own" their jobs. It's all here, in an accessible guide for the successful managers of tomorrow.
Customer Reviews:
love to read.......2007-08-25
I used this in training sessions with my managers. Great book and worth reviewing/re-reading from time to time.
Easy Lessons Equal Coachable Moments.......2007-02-24
The reason I like this book is that it breaks many management and supervisory roles into very simple actions that create perfect coaching goals. As a Leadership Coach I am able to use samples of this book to assist in drawing a picture of the behaviours that we want our managers and supervisors to perform; (Much more fun than our current list of competencies.) The book is not quite as strong when discussing organizational change but it does demonstrate that all organizational change must start at the base of the organization with support from the Top. A simple read with great messages.
One of the Top Little Business Books with Big Impact according to About: Human Resoures.......2007-01-31
According to Susan Heathfield, editor of About: Human Resources, Your Guide to Human Resources Newsletter: This continuing favorite may be hard to find but it's worth the search. Join a supervisor who is transported to a state in which he can suddenly "see" the real impact his actions have on whether staff is enabled to think, contribute, and find meaning in work. Experiment and learn with him as he changes.
Perfect for new managers & supervisors.......2007-01-11
This quick read brings valuable insight for new managers in a fun manner. The author's use of corporate characters and the personas employees take on are right-on for many typical business scenarios. If you are looking to improve employee satisfaction and grow as a manager, this book may provide insight and spur ideas of your own to implement.
It's highly recommended for clients of Battson Coaching who are first-time managers.
A light, fun read on how to Empower and Manage your Team.......2006-12-30
What if you could travel to the "12th dimension" and see what people think of themselves - along with the manifestations Zapping (motivating) and Sapping (de-motivating) that occur every day as people interact. Joe and Ralph do exactly this and along the way discover what works and what doesn't when it comes to empowering and managing teams.
The first three steps to Zapp!...
1. Maintain Self-esteem.
2. Listen and Respond with Empathy.
3. Ask for Help in Solving Problems.
...lead to the Soul of Zapp: Offer Help Without Taking Responsibility.
The books goes on to describe how these Sapping (de-motivating) events occur, their results, how to counteract them and in turn, motivate your team. Also some general (but good) content on what Management and Team Leads should be focusing on.
Book Description
Ricardo Semler thinks that companies ought to put employee freedom and satisfaction ahead of corporate goals.
Imagine a company where employees set their own hours; where there are no offices, no job titles, no business plans; where employees get to endorse or veto any new venture; where kids are encouraged to run the halls; and where the CEO lets other people make nearly all the decisions. This company—Semco—actually exists, and despite a seeming recipe for chaos, its revenues have grown from $35 million to $160 million in the last six years. It has virtually no staff turnover, and there are no signs that its growth will stop any time soon.
How did Semco become wildly successful despite breaking many of the commonly accepted laws of business? In The Seven-Day Weekend, Ricardo Semler shows that for those willing to take a chance, there is a better way to run a workplace. He explains how the technology that was supposed to make life easier—laptops, cell phones, e-mail, pagers—has in fact stolen free time and destroyed the traditional nine-to-five workday. But this can be a good thing—if you have the freedom to get your job done on your own terms and to blend your work life and personal life with enthusiasm and creative energy. Smart bosses will eventually realize that you might be most productive if you work on Sunday afternoon, play golf on Monday morning, go to a movie on Tuesday afternoon, and watch your child play soccer on Thursday.
This is a radical book that will challenge the business world to make the seven-day weekend a reality.
Customer Reviews:
A workplace for the 21st century... for real!.......2007-08-31
Ricardo Semler became quite popular more then twenty years ago when he tragically and unexpectedly inherited Semco, the family company located in Brazil (originally operating in the naval technology field) from his father. Young and inexperienced he ended up making many mistakes until he realized that the entire traditional `military, command and control' way to manage a company had to be totally and radically changed. He implemented the changes swiftly and Semco has been a successful, unusual, `radical' company since then.
This is Semler's second book, filled with ideas, practices and tools to implement meaningful changes within organizations; changes aiming to reorganize companies both physically and culturally "by constantly questioning the way that we do things". What are these changes all about? Here is a quote that sets to tone of Semler's ideas that have become common practice at Semco (a company with over 200 million dollars in revenues and with a double digit growth during the last 10 years): "Semco has no official structure. It has no organizational chart. There is no business plan or company strategy, no two-year of five-year plan, no goal or mission statement, no long term budget. The company often does not have a fixed CEO. There are no vice presidents or chief officers for information technology or operations. There are no standards nor practices. There's no human resources department. There are no career plans, no job descriptions or employee contracts. No one approves reports or expense accounts. Supervision or monitoring of workers is rare indeed. Most important, success is not measured only in profit and growth."
How can a company be run this way and endure, actually achieving growth and profits within today's extremely competitive market's dynamics? The book articulates ideas and practices that make all of this possible; ideas and practices that spring, according to me, from two pivotal concepts: Driven by Discovery vs Driven by Control; "Nothing but Intuitive Values in Place!". Let's explore them briefly.
Driven by Discovery vs Driven by Control
The key concept is to create a productive environment in which the people clearly perceive that are treated and brought to act as responsible and well informed adults. People should be brought to act driven by a sense of discovery tied to the self-interest (pay attention, Semler points out that the key is the self-interest, not the organizational one) to discover and express their talents (mostly the hidden ones!). Semler points out the concept: "We can't train people to turn them into what we want. Mostly, we want nothing. We don't like training manuals, nor do we ask people where they want to be in five years. We want them to amble and ramble. If they happen to be on a fixed path, we'll gladly help them train for that, but instead of formal training, we encourage people to ask a colleague for explanations, demonstrations, and guidance. Information in any organization should be information on demand". There are no big plans `from the top' that manage strategically and operationally the organization, for this there is no need of control but simply the need of willingness and determination in making sure that a spirit of discovery spreads itself and it is constantly fueled within the company. "Treat them as responsible and well informed adults" is the powerful and controversial principle at the basis of Semco unique reality. A principle that is controversial because goes against many of the practices in place in most organizations. Semler is quite aware of this and traces back the problem to what he considers its root: the need to `de-program' people from the habits created by society and culture, habits that often make of any job a meaningless chore, "Avoid routine and steer clear of habit". At Semco self discovery and expression of the own talents at work is an essential part of working. Semler observes that many people know how to manage well their time and work on many task during their off time during the weekend, then when on Monday show up at work somehow they lose this sense of vitality. The title of the book `The seven-day weekend' becomes the goal: make of the workplace an environment in which people are brought to express their passions, talents and skills just as they do during their weekends! Here are simple roots of discovery vs control!
"Nothing but Intuitive Values in Place!"
Semler defines intuition as "the fuel of choice for rambling through the seven-day weekend" adding "people have to be encouraged to act on instinct , because by-the-book management leaves companies vulnerable, or otherwise its potency as a tool will be lost". Here it is the strong connection between today's challenging market, societal and economic dynamics and the `discovery vs control' mindset. This is why Semler asserts openly that "Semco's most precious asset is the wisdom of its workforce, and our success grows out of our employees' success". It is important to point out that this not a rhetorical statement empty of its meaning in the day to day work within the company. The ideas and practices of the book are bound to shock many of us and fully demonstrate what it means to truly believe in empowering people and having owners and top managers give up control. Many managers and entrepreneurs from all over the world go to visit Semco trying to understand what the company is all about. They understand the concepts and practices quite well, yet few of them have the courage and the vision to actually implement them! When you make of intuition a key driving force at any level or your organization you truly make every single person to lever its decision making and work upon experience and knowledge. This process truly depends upon the development and utilization of people's passions and talents driven by their own interest, the interest of the company comes second and it is a by product of the first. As Semler says this practice "is messy, inefficient, and hugely rewarding". The `Semco approach' cannot be implemented to bits and pieces, it is fully integrated with several key aspects, for example: the way that retributions are set (by the people!); time is managed (at Semco it is possible to `retire' at 40 and go back to work at 60!); trust is nurtured on a daily basis in so many ways that are a joy to read about! All of this based upon the "treat them as responsible and well informed" adults concept.
When I learned about Semler (about 10 years ago) I was really intrigued by what they were able to do at Semco. I admired those practices and ideas and I enjoyed the spontaneous, open, straightforward, trial-and-error way they came about. I also though that Semco was some sort of `world apart' and I felt that their practices were way too radical to become some sort of `model' for other companies. Nowadays I believe that market, economic and societal trends are leading all of us to pay closer attention to the `quirky ways' of that Brazilian company. May be this is why Ricardo Semler himself is at present a visiting scholar at Harvard... The key starting challenge (and too often the `show stopper') is to have business owners and top managers understand and apply on a daily basis the `discovery vs control' principle. Who is willing to take on the challenge? We are ready to help! Focusing on the relevance of INTUITION in today's organizations would be already a good start...
The Seven-day Weekend.......2007-08-07
This book may be an eye-opener for someone who has been living under a rock, but my guess is that for most people who actually read this book all the talk about loosening control and trusting people will be preaching to the converted. My main interest was to learn about how to make such a setup work. But following the tradition of management literature, the advice is offered through stories and anecdotes. While this makes the book very readable, it does leave some gaps... So until an anthropologist manages to infiltrate the company and produce something more systematic and objective, I guess we'll either have to make do with this book -- or apply for a job at Semco to see for ourselves :-)
A New Way to Work that Works.......2007-03-16
Semco, Ricardo Semler's privately held Brazilian company is hard to describe, mostly because it looks and acts so different from what we expect a company to be. That's why Semler devotes the first chapter of Seven Day Weekend to telling us what Semco is and does and what makes it a different place to work. At the end of the chapter, he says this:
"Although I still can't definitely answer the question about what Semco does do, I can say we've changed the way work works and improved the quality of our lives - and so can you."
After reading Seven Day Weekend, I still can't tell you exactly what it's about. But I can say that it will change the way you think about work and open up new possibilities for you.
There's a lot of talk these days about changing the workplace and making it more democratic and self-organizing and participative. We've seen pieces of this at places like WL Gore and, more recently at Best Buy. We've read the business press articles and pundit opinions.
But the fact is that if we are going to see significant workplace change on a large scale, there will need to be more companies that act like Semco. The owners of those companies will have to try things out and show us. That's what Ricardo Semler has done.
If you want to see how the wisdom of crowds works out in a company, it's in here. If you want to see how democratic principles work out in management, that's here, too. And if you want to see things about self-organizing and self-managing work groups and chaos theory, that's here too.
But Seven Day Weekend is not a how-to manual. You won't come out of it with a bunch of checklists or bulleted lists of sure-fire techniques. You will improve your understanding of a few key points
* People can be trusted to make decisions that are not only in their best interests, but in the company's best interest.
* In most cases, following the natural law of things works at least as well and often better than trying to control and direct.
* Strategy Semco-style is about building on talents and following ideas and not about master plans.
You will want to know if Semco has been successful in a traditional business way. It has been extravagantly successful, growing revenue and profits at 40 percent per year for two decades. Not only that, the company survived the convulsions in the Brazilian economy in the 1980s and 1990s.
And you'll want to ask Ricardo Semler about how he works as CEO and how he controls things. Here's his answer.
"I don't. I let the system work for itself."
The bottom line is that you should read this book because it will give you a window into a very different way of working and organizing a business. It's a system that's uncommon as well as uncommonly successful. And it's a system we can learn from.
Good ideas, not applicable to everyone.......2007-02-18
This book has some revolutionary and great ideas. It is inspiring, but not necessarily applicable to everyone. I recommend the book for someone who is looking for fresh and new approaches to management. However, if you are looking for immediate solutions, this may not be what you are looking for. I will re-read this book for sure though.
The Pursuit of Happiness .......2006-12-25
I read both of Ricardo Semler's books, Maverick! and Seven Day Weekend prior to watching the film about Enron. As a 22 year old dreamer, idealist, pragmatist, and economics student, I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to see the opposite ends of the capitalist spectrum. There's so much knowledge to be learned from the two companies, Enron and Semco. Semco is everything Enron wasn't and is making profit while empowering its employees like no other company on the planet. Business does not have to be analogous to war. Enron's motto was `ask why' and nobody ever did, Ricardo Semler's motto is `ask why' and he hasn't stopped asking. Ricardo Semler will be regarded as the most influential CEO of the 21st century, mark my words.
Book Description
The author of the million-copy-selling 1001 Ways series shows how to get ahead by fulfilling every employers ultimate expectation. This book contains a clear message: Every boss wants an effective worker to do what most needs to be done without having to be asked. Simple? Perhaps. Easy? Not on your life. But thanks to Bob Nelson, employers and employees everywhere will be empowered by this vital message, and in the process achieve their goals and create a mutually rewarding experience. As brief, to the point, and inspiring as his previous best-selling titles, Nelsons commonsense advice can be applied to any situation, from the mailroom to the boardroom, and is illustrated with a wide array of examples and anecdotes from real life. Helping readers tap into their own intelligence, resourcefulness, and pride, Nelson demonstrates how acts of initiative both big and small can make an enormous difference in the way an employee is viewedand rewardedby his or her boss; he also shows how the effects of those actions benefit the entire organization. Its a perfect first day on the job book; a useful resource for any HR department; and a worthwhile investment for anyone who wants to learn more and go farther in a job, in a career, and in life.
Download Description
Bob Nelson maps out a specific and easy-to-follow strategy for fulfilling what he calls "the Ultimate Expectation" at every workplace: that people will use their best judgment to figure out what needs to be done and then do it without having to be told. Brief, to the point, and inspiring, Nelson's advice can be applied to any situation, from the mailroom to the boardroom and is illustrated with anecdotes from everyday life.
Customer Reviews:
The smart take on initiative .......2007-09-17
Corporate employees must contend with downsizing, scarce jobs and scarcer benefits. In today's virtual corporations, a handful of employees do the work that many people used to do. To survive, make yourself an irreplaceable employee. That's the short, sweet, familiar point (and the only message, given the book's brevity) that Bob Nelson conveys in this simple but clear manual for long-term employment survival. Take the initiative, assume responsibility, know your job better than anybody else and fulfill your supervisor's expectations - even the unspoken ones. Become indispensable: it's here in a nutshell. We find that Nelson provides valuable tips on being a proactive employee and, for fun, illustrates them with some bright little stories.
Initiative + Timing = Promotion.......2003-07-18
This is a very easy to read book full of examples of how people were able to make headway on the corporate ladder by showing initiative, waiting until the timing was right, and even disobeying superiors.
Through a string of specific examples from which generalized ideas are formed, this book explains how you can be an empowered employee with a driving force that will not only bring you job satisfaction, but can help you turn even a doldrum job into an opportunity for success.
The ideas, such as "be a person that makes things happen" can apply to any job, you just have to think about how it can apply to you.
Pro-active thinking!.......2003-02-03
Bob Nelson has assembled a quick reading book on popular business concepts and situations facing a regular employee. He offers suggestions on becoming more pro-active than re-active to situations that arise through out many different careers. Nelson also gives examples of true story scenarios in which a person took a chance or challenged an idea and was later promoted for it. He talks about successes and also failures in careers in which people either sat on the sidelines or got in the game. This book most can probably read in a day as it is under 100 pages and reads very fast. It has quick chapters and a lot of useful insight.
Not so thrilled.......2002-05-17
I was a bit disappointed after reading the book because I thought the author was giving 'general advice' rather than 'specific tips'. I would rather recommend 'The Administrative Assistant' (Crisp Publications)
Encouraging a good employee to be a great employee.......2002-01-23
Bob Nelson doesn't pull any punches, and he says what every employer has always wanted to say, but couldn't quite find the right words. I am purchasing a copy of this book for each of my departments. It will be required reading for all employees. It drives me crazy when an employee is asked to do something and the first thing out of his/her mouth is, "but I don't know how." Fine, you don't know how, but you are an intelligent human being whom I hired, and you can learn. I love the person who doesn't have a clue, but takes on the task, thinks things through, asks questions, and gets the job done. Stagnation is boring, and it's not long before it starts to stink. This books gives employees great ideas to keep from being anything but stagnate. If they work for me, they know actions speak louder than words, and the right actions will take them places. Employers, be sure to read the book. As a companion, read "First, Break All the Rules" by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. With these books, you will have the tools to make your organization soar.
Book Description
Empowerment is not about giving power to people but releasing the power people already have. So say the authors of Empowerment Takes More Than a Minute. Now more than ever, organizations are maximizing their effectiveness by tapping their most vital resource -- the talents of their employees.
This book presents a game plan for empowering employees by defining three essential keys: sharing information, creating autonomy through boundaries, and replacing hierarchy with teams. Revised throughout, this edition uses more contemporary examples and language to address concerns specific to younger employees.
Customer Reviews:
Another Powerful Parable.......2003-03-21
If the authors are right about how they defined `empowerment' and the three essential keys for achieving true empowerment, then leaders, managers, and employees of all organizations should read, discuss, and decide to apply this easy-to-read book's lessons. I am convinced this book has the potential to lead organizations to unheard of levels of effectiveness and productivity.
In typical Ken Blanchard fashion, the authors taught their important lessons through a logical and believable fictional story based on their years of research and experience. The story "guides readers step-by-step through one manager's struggle to discover the three essential keys to empowerment. By following the manager's odyssey to the Land of Empowerment, readers discover that they can take the same journey, which, like any heroic journey, is filled with paradox, challenge, and fitful stops and starts."
The authors defined empowerment as not giving power to people, but releasing the knowledge, experience, and motivation they already have. They then identified and explained the three essential keys for achieving true empowerment:
1. Share information with everyone
2. Create autonomy through boundaries
3. Replace hierarchical thinking with self-managed teams
These simple definitions are deceptively powerful when teamed with patience and persistence. I found the title of this book was most appropriate.
From my experience, the term `empowerment' is frequently spoken, largely misunderstood, and rarely applied to its maximum extent. This book took the mystery out of the concept of empowerment and left me with a great appreciation for what true empowerment is and how it can be achieved. I am excited about what it could release in me and others who read it.
Highly Recommended!.......2001-11-16
The author of The One Minute Manager switches gears and tells you not to manage your employees minute-by-minute. Instead, Ken Blanchard, along with John P. Carlos, and Alan Randolph, advocates and explains the notion of empowerment - giving your employees the information and authority to act and make decisions on their own, within a structured set of organizational goals and values. Presented as the story of a turnaround manager getting tutored by an empowerment mentor, the book establishes the fundamentals of the (now ubiquitous) theory of empowerment in a conversational and enjoyable style. We [...] recommend this quick, informative read, which will expand your management horizons in only a few short minutes.
Easy to read and put into practice........2000-01-09
If you are a new manager or a manager with outdated skills, this novel little book will have an absolutely positive impact if you follow the simple three keys to success. The book is based on a story of a real or contrived (who knows) manager and his adventure in discovering the importance of empowerment and why his technics have failed with his employees. Within the first week of reading this book, I used one of the exercises that was recommended. This simple exercise showed me that my employees are infact on track to becoming empowered. If your employees are struggling to complete everyday work because of a motivational problem instead of an ability problem, this book will show you how to get your team to respond. After you read this book, you may discover that the problem is supervisory and not employee related. However, this read gave me ideas of how to correct both!
Another Blanchard success.......1999-11-01
As usual, I am never disappointed by Ken Blanchard's books and tapes. The subject of empowerment is brought home successfully and I walked away from this easy read with more insight than before.
I also suggest a related top-selling book that has as one of its themes empowerment: "The Leader's Guide: 15 Essential Skills"
A definant necessity.......1999-08-08
This is a very easy read. The format was entirely different than I expected and initially I was unimpressed. The format proved extremely useful and made the book simple to reference
Book Description
Two training legends offer you a definitive team sourcebook!
The world's two best-known team-building facilitators bring you over thirty-five cutting-edge activities. You'll turn to this treasury of hassle-free, sure-fire games, exercises, and simulations time and time again.
"In keeping with the tradition of continuous learning about teamwork, Thiagi and Parker have hit a home run. Teamwork and Teamplay is a must-have for every training bookshelf."
--Harvey A. Robbins, co-author, Why Teams Don't Work
"I can think of forty reasons to buy this book: thirty-eight games and activities, each a gem--plus two of the best writers in the training business. I am truly impressed at how well each activity is designed and how easy the rules are to understand."
--Steve Sugar, author, Games That Teach; president, The Game Group
The game formats are varied: some short, some long; some icebreakers, some closers; and much more! A game selection matrix enables you to find a game that suits your situation. Plus, training legends Thiagi and Parker share with you their proven insights on effective teamwork and facilitation.
Customer Reviews:
Recommended!.......2005-12-15
Run and buy... This book has a lot of good exercises and ideas for developing teams. I specially found it helpful dealing with group processes, e.g. how to work with roles, conflict, tasks, cooperation and other topics. I have read about 30 books about teams and games/ activities: These book is one of the top three. My best recommendations!
Together Everyone Achieves More.......2002-07-22
More is just what this phenomenal book of new and exciting trainings offers any aspiring and inspiring trainer. The trainings can be easily grouped and shared to produce high impact.
In returning from a weekend seminar of team building and communication courses, several trainings from this manuel helped to provide for a high-impact seminar with team-work problem solving, team interaction and production, opportunities for great transitional shorties between programs (adaptability is immense!) and communication inside the team.
Metcalfe, Our Team, ET, Escape from Gilligan's Island were among the courses used and combined with others throughout the seminar. Worthwhile trainings and with some ingenuity and creativity, easily adaptable to fit any size of audience!
I highly recommend this book for trainers looking to provide something new or something different in seminars on team work and communication.
I know I can't wait to implement more trainings from the book into helping others become better team players!
Thiagi done it again!.......2001-10-02
I met Thiagi few years ago when I was still in Bloomington, Indiana (when I was still a PhD student). I love his game and simulation seminar a lot. This book include a lot of his "tricks" and pratical guidelines for those trainers who would like to motivate the team sprit and so on. A highly recommend book
Well-Organized and Useful Resource.......2001-06-23
Being one of those relatively concrete-sequential, oldest child, ISTJ (for the Myers-Briggs aficionados) people, I started my consulting career a little wary of all these "touchy-feely" group activities that trainers use when working with groups. Well, times change and (maybe) people do, too. I have done a fair amount of group facilitation and training, and have found all kinds of activities to be very beneficial in getting people to identify, focus on, and move toward shared goals. Many trainers discount or are ignorant of the requirements of adult learners -- most adults won't sit still (literally) for traditional, classroom-style instruction for more than 45 minutes at a time.
This book is an excellent, concise, easy-to-follow resource for anyone working in either team building or team training environments. As explained in the book's introduction, team building "...increases the ability of an intact team to work together...," while team training "...increases the knowledge and skills of the participants in various aspects of teamwork and being a team player...." The book presents many exercises for each type of team experience.
Each of the 38 activities is organized in an easy-to-follow format that includes:
* purpose * team size (minimum/maximum recommended group) * required resources * time (to complete) * room setup * steps * debriefing * variations * templates, charts, overheads, as applicable
The book also includes appendices that sort the activities by primary use (team building or team training), time and participants, and by topic area (desired outcome or issue being addressed). These appendices make it easy to determine at a glance which of the 38 activities are most appropriate for a particular group or setting when designing training.
The value of the introduction bears emphasis. Many books have forgettable introductions; this book's introduction is an excellent short essay on the value, uses, and benefits of building and training teams. Read it slowly -- the authors make their points quickly. If you skim, you'll miss something important.
Whether you're a consultant or in-house trainer, regardless of organization size or mission, this book is a handy tool to improve the quality, participation, and outcomes from your groups training.
Splendid Team-Training Tool.......2000-09-28
Sivasailam "Thiagi" Thiagarajan designs activities and games for training programs and to improve human performance. Glenn Parker is a team-building expert. When the two of them paired up to create Teamwork and Teamplay, they were able to offer 38 team-building and training exercises that work.
The value of this book begins with its introduction. Thiagi and Parker start by identifying 7 different types of teams and guidelines for using the activities. Those guidelines include steps to take so you are prepared to facilitate the activity, steps to take during the activity, and what to do after the activity is concluded.
Activities include skill-building in consensus-making (don't miss "Escape from Gilligan's Island" here!), ethics, motivation, team effectiveness, stages of team development. . .and more.
Thiagi and Parker include three indices at the end of the book: a topical index, a primary use (team-building or -training activity) index, and a time/number index.
Trainers, coaches, facilitators, and team leaders will find themselves returning to this book again and again. I have worked several of these games into my training sessions, with great results, and am eager to try even more. The activities are fun and groups find them engaging and energizing, and the learning points are solid.
Book Description
This collection of inspiring essays focuses on the practice of servant-leadership in organizational and business settings. Focus on Leadership addresses how servant-leadership is now increasingly recognized as being on the forefront of emerging leadership thinking. This book features a Foreword by Ken Blanchard as well as writing from:
Hamilton Beazley · Julie Beggs · Warren Bennis · Ken Blanchard · John C. Bogle · Rubye Howard Braye · John Burkhardt · John Carver · Stephen R. Covey · Max DePree · K. Brian Dorval · Kent A. Farnsworth · Tamyra L. Freeman · Robert K. Greenleaf · Dee Hock · Scott G. Isaksen · Joseph Jaworski · Michael Jones · Ann McGee-Cooper · Russ S. Moxley · Nancy Larner Ruschman · John P. Schuster · James D. Showkeir · Ruth Mercedes Smith · Larry C. Spears · Duane Trammell · David S. Young · Scott W. Webster · Margaret Wheatley · Judy Wicks · Lea E. Williams · Danah Zohar
Customer Reviews:
Interesting take on some prominent leaders.......2006-12-08
I. Bibliographical Entry
Marquardt, M.J. and Berger, N.O. Global Leaders for the 21st Century. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2000.
II. Biographical Sketch of Author
Dr. Michael Marquardt holds an Ed.D. from The George Washington University and is a well-known author on global leadership and organizational change. A leadership consultant, he has done consulting work for many of the companies and mentioned in this work, including Singapore Airlines, Cisco Systems, and Nokia. Nancy Berger is a former assistant professor of human resources development at George Washington University and is the coordinator of an adult education and human resources development program at Virginia Commonwealth University. This student found little information about Berger's education or scholarly work.
III. Summary of Contents
Global Leaders for the 21st Century profiles twelve leaders in diverse leadership positions around the world. Each leader is profiled through the framework of 8 "critical competencies" outlined in the text: 1) a global mindset, 2) learning and teaching skills, 3) a servant-steward relationship to one's organization, 4) systems thinking, 5) spirituality and a concern for ethics, 6) a willingness to embrace new technologies, 7) innovation and risk-taking, and 8) vision-building.
Each chapter deals with one of the twelve leaders, and each offers praise of the leaders' ability to lead in the current dynamic environment and posits them as potential great leaders of the 21st century. The structure is somewhat fluid given the 12x8 framework presented in chapter one. This fluidity allows the writers to focus on critical areas of each leaders' achievements and leadership skill without overdoing a "cookie-cutter" approach.
IV. Critical Evaluation
This work provides insight into some very prominent leaders in today's global environment. From political leaders to nonprofit leaders to corporate leaders, assessment using the 8-item framework allows the reader to analyze each leader in a uniform manner. These eight critical competencies are, however, difficult to quantitatively measure, which opens the work to criticism. For example, the fourth critical competency, a global mindset, may be measured differently for Kofi Annan than for Nobuyuki Idei based on their individual beliefs and backgrounds. Aside from measurement issues, the critical competencies have identification issues. No research is offered as to why or how the competencies are selected.
Review of Marquardt's biography reveals potential bias in that he has been paid for consulting work by many of the companies and countries whose leaders are identified in this work. The extensive use of charts and graphs on some of these companies and countries seems indicative of this consulting relationship. On the contrary, review of Berger's biography reveals very little. Aside from identification of her current position at Virginia Commonwealth University, this student was unable to find any other books or scholarly articles of Berger.
Finally, many of the leaders and organizations profiled in this work have experienced controversy and conflict since the work's publication in 2000. While it is true that no prominent leader avoids conflict and controversy altogether, the number of those affected by controversy and the magnitude of the controversy is striking: Lord John Browne of BP Amoco's handling of a refinery explosion in Texas in 2005, along with the Prudhoe Bay pipeline shutdown of 2006; Kofi Annan's handling of the Ruud Lubber sexual harassment case in 2004, and administration of the UN food for oil program in 2004; and John Chambers' settlement of a major class action lawsuit with Cisco stockholders in 2001 are a few examples of what many would deem leadership failures. Those in the fields of leadership, management, and policy development could benefit from this work.
are you ready for servant-leadership?.......2001-12-04
It's difficult to keep up with the new business management theories that come up, so I tend to shy away from most of them. Of course, if Peter Drucker writes something I'm quick to pounce on it. That being said, it was the status of the contributors themselves that lured me in to this great overview and analysis of servant-leadership. Stephen R. Covey and Ken Blanchard ("One-Minute Manager", "Who Moved My Cheese") offer great insight into a concept that actually has been around since the 1970's! Employee welfare is not to be undermined! If Stephen Covey already knows this, shouldn't we all get the clue? Recommended!
Book Description
Based on six years of research and hundreds of interviews with managers at every level of companies such as Intel, ABB, Canon, 3M, and McKinsey, The Individualized Corporation explores the collapse of an outmoded corporate form and reveals the emergence of a fundamentally different management philosophy--one that forces on the power of the individual as the driver of value creation in the company and the importance of individuality in management.
The image of the "Organization Man" as a cog in a corporate machine has become both dated and dangerous. Rather than try to force employees into a homogeneous corporate mold based on a company's strategy, structure, and system, world-renowned scholars and consultants Sumantra Ghoshal and Christopher Bartlett argue that managers must embrace a philosophy based on purpose, process, and people that focuses on developing and leveraging the individual's unique talents and skills--a company's most important source of competitive advantage.
Without proposing a universal solution or a quick-fix prescription, this important book provides an indispensable guide for those who must lead their companies into the next century.
Customer Reviews:
Not as fundamentally new as they say it is!.......2005-10-04
Without doubt, Ghoshal and Bartlett have captured the essence of good management and, in particular, they have numerous examples from the "real" world that back up their assertions as to what good management is all about.
Having said that, I am not quite sure why the book has an introduction titled: "Birth of a new corporate model." Just about everything they are recommending has been said before, many times. Thirty-seven years before the publication of this book in 1997, McGregor published his findings in The Human Side of Enterprise and labelled two sets of assumptions espoused by managers as Theory X and Theory Y. This book of Ghoshal and Bartlett is recommending the assumptions put forward by McGregor as Theory Y.
Even so, although little is new, the principles are not widely followed today, so any additional material that may serve to spread the message is very welcome so, despite the criticism, it is a good book on the subject.
I have a problem, however, with the sub-title: "A fundamentally new approach to management". Is this a marketing ploy? I really can't believe that an author of the calibre of the late Sumantra Ghoshal could honestly believe this! Pity, because it could give young, aspirant leaders and managers the impression that it's all new when it is not.
From economic organization to individualized corporation.......2004-04-21
Sumantra Ghoshal is Professor of Strategy and International Management at the London Business School, UK. Previously he was Professor of Public Policy at French business school INSEAD. Christopher A. Bartlett is Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. They are both prominent authors of numerous management books and articles. This book won the 1997 Igor Ansoff Award. The book is split up in four parts, each consisting of 2-to-4 chapters.
Part I - Birth of a New Corporate Model serves as an introduction, describing "the most profound change in management in a lifetime": the move from organization man to individualized corporation. "In this book, we will describe this management model and illustrate how some of the pioneers of this new approach have implemented it in their own companies." The first chapter, The Rediscovery of Management, frames the historical context and describes the authors' research motivation. The second chapter, Rebirth of an Organization Man, provides an example of how the transformational changes at one company affected the activities, motivation, and performance of a "classic organization man." In Part II - From Organization Man to Individualized Corporation, the authors describe the organizational characteristics required to develop the three core capabilities that distinguish the 'individualized corporation'. The first core capability is its ability to inspire individual creativity and initiative in all its people, built on a fundamental faith in individuals. The second core characteristic is the ability to link and leverage pockets of entrepreneurial activity and individual expertise by building an integrated process of organizational learning. The third core feature is its ability to continuously renew itself. Each core capability is discussed in detail. The third part of the book - Building and Managing the Individualized Corporation - explores the managerial implications fo above mentioned characteristics and on how companies can go about building and managing the individualized corporation. The authors use the final chapter of this part to discuss the transformation process that has taken at various companies, such as Philips Electronics, ABB, ISS, 3M, McKinsey & Co., and General Electric. In the fourth and final part - Toward A New Corporate Era - the authors examine the new managerial philosophy behind this new corporate model. By using the case of Swedish company IKEA, they explain the redefinition of "the role of corporate management away from its classic focus on strategy, structure, and systems to one built around purpose, process, and people". This redefinition is really the main message of the book.
I have a mixed feeling about this book. Yes, I believe that the authors are right in the sense that we have now entered the era of individualized corporations. But my main feeling is that I either read this book too late or that it was published too late. Some other great management thinkers, such as Peter F. Drucker, Charles Handy and Henri Mintzberg, have covered this subject/trend several decades before. Also, the book does not provide us with enough tips and checklist to enable us to manage these (new) types of organization. The book is also rather long and I recommend other readers to go for the three authors' Harvard Business Review-articles covering this book, starting with "Changing the Role of Top Management: Beyond Strategy to Purpose" (1994).
New management roles and tasks of the new model.......2001-11-08
"In 1682, English astronomer Sir Edmund Halley had the good fortune to be at the right place at the right time. His observations on the spectacular comet that now bears his name helped earn him the prestigious title of Astronomer Royal.More important to this professional scientist was the fact that this fortuitous opportunity inspired a flurry of other research activity that led to new and important discoveries about the nature of our universe." Sumantra Ghoshal and Christopher A. Bartlett write, "While hardly on the same grand scale as Sir Edmund, we, too, have been fortunate to have had a front-row seat at a once-in-a-lifetime event- the collapse of an outmoded corporate form and the emergence of a new management model that we believe will propel today's companies well into the twenty-first century. At the heart of the emerging model lie not only some very different organizational practices and processes but also a fundamentally different management philosophy. In this book, we describe this new management model and illustrate how some of the pioneers of this new approach have implemented it in their companies" (from the Introduction).
They divide their book into four parts. In the first part, they present the concept of the Individualized Corporation. In the second part, they describe the organizational characteristics required to develop three core capabilities that distinguish the Individualized Corporation. In the third part, they explore the managerial implications of these new organizational characteristics and focus on how companies can go about building and managing the Individualized Corporation. Finally, in the fourth part, they step back from the details of defining the characteristics of the Individualized Corporation and describing how to build and manage it, to examine the more profound issues of a new managerial philosophy that underlies this new corporate model.
In this context, in the third part, after introducing the new corporate model, they examine new management roles and tasks of this new model that are radically different from the classic ones:
1. Operating-Level Managers
* Changing role: From operational implementers to aggressive entrepreneurs.
* Primary value added: Driving business performance by focusing on productivity, innovation, and growth within frontline units.
* Key activities and tasks: Creating and pursuing new growth opportunities for the business. Attracting and developing resources and competencies. Managing continuous performance improvement within the unit.
2. Senior-Level Managers
* Changing role: From administrative controllers to supportive coaches.
* Primary value added: Providing the support and coordination to bring large-company advantage to the independent frontline units.
* Key activities and tasks: Developing individuals and supporting their activities. Linking dispersed knowledge, skills, and best practices across units. Managing the tension between short-term performance and long-term ambition.
3. Top-Level Managers
* Changing role: From resource allocators to institutional leaders.
* Primary value added: Creating and embedding a sense of direction, commitment, and challenge to people throughout the organization.
* Key activities and tasks: Challenging embedded assumptions while establishing a stretching opportunity horizon and performance standards. Institutionalizing a set of norms and values to support cooperation and trust. Creating an overarching corporate purpose and ambition.
Finally, they say that "Halley's comet will return to our corner of the solar system in the year 2062. When it does, we believe our successors will look back at the Individualized Corporation as the revolutionary new model that brought business organizations into the postindustrial, information-intensive age of knowledge."
Highly recommended.
The importance of Processes.......2001-07-16
Management thinkers over the last 8 decades have been trying to come up with the perfect structure, whether it's the functional structure, the matric, the SBU structure and it is generally felt that if this problem is figured out the rest of the pieces of jigsaw will fall in place. Ghoshal and Bartlett differ, and drawing from the thoughts of other thinkers make a case that structure does not matter so much unless your processes make your company a place where the people love to come to. Where the control, compliance paradigm of organizations are replaced by the discipline, stretch, trust paradigm.
The book is packed with examples but an area that is not stressed which crops up again and again is that of leadership. Whether it is Percy Barvenik of ABB, or Welch of GE or Rajat Gupta of McKinsey, or Grove of Intel. They all perfected the art of "cooking sweet with sour" or combining the O and E factors for development (as Nohria and Beer put it)...The authors could have stressed more on that factor.
The rationale for 'people-centred organisation'.......1999-12-08
This is a sound and thorough description of the principles and practices underlying a shift from the hierarchical, bureaucratic mode of managing to one based on recognition of the talents of the people within the organisation, which seeks to enhance and release those talents for shared ends.
Having said that, it is a bit difficult to see why the book has been given such extravagant praise. Nearly everything in it was anticipated by the Pinchots in 1993 and the themes covered are very well established (and were already established when it was first published in 1997). Although it is not new, the principles are still not widely followed, so any additional material that may serve to spread the message is welcome.
The material is good. The reliance on a lot of examples makes it very discursive, but the sub-heads through the text are useful. There is a slightly breathless air of 'discovery' through the book that would be acceptable if the ideas and prescriptions were in fact new.
Book Description
With If You Want It Done Right, Your Don't Have to Do It Yourself: The Power of Effective Delegation, Donna M. Genett, Ph. D. combines an engaging business management allegory with a full measure of step-by-step practicality that allows the reader to immediately put what they have learned from the story to work improving their lives both on the job and at home.
Customer Reviews:
Strong, simple and useful!.......2007-05-14
The ability to effectively delegate is one of the most important attributes of a strong leader. This book dissects the act of delegation and sections it into definable and repeatable steps, creating a process. This book should be taught in MBA courses. My entire staff has read this book and strives to practice its lessons.
Worth a quick read - will hone your skills.......2007-01-09
You can read this one in about an hour, but you will probably want to read it twice. Excellent refresher or beginner for managers. I was surprised how a little self-reflection prompted by this book helped me hone my delegation skills. I have a colleague who keeps the 'quick reference' that comes with the book on hand at all times, and uses the steps to review his project list every week. The story is a bit simplistic, but it gets the point across.
A believable story about effective delegation.......2005-11-21
Some parables are great stories, but not "real world stories". This book made sense to me!
Similar to the One Minute Manager books, but the two main characters are not "super hero types".
Excellent summaries on key points, and an executive summary list at the end of the book.
A fun, easy read that could help you become a more effective delegator.
Disappointing.......2004-11-05
I expected more concrete advice regarding follow up and accountability. Also, I find "Minute Mangager"-style business parables annoying. The book has some good points, though they could have been presented in a couple pages of punchy prose.
Worth reading........2004-06-17
This is a very clever and entertaining story that teaches simple, important steps for more effective time, work, and life management. Delegation is difficult for many of us successful people, but Dr. Genett inspires us to stretch for the purposes of stress reduction and optimal performance.
Highly recommend.
Book Description
"This timely addition to a new genre of evaluation methodology eschews the objectivity of an external evaluation in favor of internal value-driven assessments that advance the goal of self-improvement through self-determination. Fetterman offers down-to-earth, clearly written descriptions and explanations of an approach that reconciles the contingencies of organizational practice with the standards and principles of evaluation accountability. He adroitly bridges the gap between the subjectivity of self-evaluation and the objectivity of external evaluation by showing with case examples and detailed methods, forms, and narrative why empowerment evaluation extends the reach of standard evaluation practice."
--Dennis Mithaug, Teacher’s College, Columbia University
What is empowerment evaluation? When is it the most appropriate approach to use in an evaluation? How can it best be implemented? Aimed at demystifying empowerment evaluation, the book shows readers when to use this form of evaluation and how to more effectively use its three steps (developing a mission statement; taking stock by identifying and prioritizing the most significant program activities; and, charting a course for future strategies to accomplish program goals). Fetterman also illustrates the steps with four case examples, ranging from hospital to educational settings. In addition, he covers: how to use empowerment evaluation to meet the standards developed by the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation; the caveats and concerns about the use of empowerment evaluation; the relationship between collaborative, participatory, stakeholder, and utilization-focused evaluation with empowerment evaluation; the role of the Internet in disseminating empowerment evaluation; and, an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, and conditions of empowerment evaluation. This book will guide evaluators exploration of their roles as coaches, facilitators and advocates as well as enable them to more effectively use this innovative evaluation technique.
Customer Reviews:
Empowerment Evaluation Need Empowerment.......2001-05-10
As a social worker committed to empowerment of oppressed peoples, I come to David Fetterman's "Foundations of empowerment evaluation" favorably predisposed. This favorable disposition is reinforced when Fetterman writes that empowerment evaluation has usually "focused on traditionally disenfranchised, oppressed, and economically impoverished populations" (p. 114). He could just as well be talking about the focus of social work practice.
I also bring to Fetterman's book a growing discomfort with traditional, empiricist research and program evaluation. My colleagues have been working for several years with different Native American tribes and have learned first-hand why research is so often considered a dirty word in Indain Country. At best, positivist research and evaluation are usually irrelevant to the experience and concerns of Native peoples, at worst it contributes to their continued subjugation by reinforcing negative stereotypes. I therefore come to Fetterman's book with a keen interest in research and evaluation which in itself is a benefit to the participants.
Empowerment evaluation, as articulated by Fetterman, is located within "the larger context of emancipatory research" (Fetterman, 2001, p. 110) and specifically action research. Empowerment evaluation differs from action research, however, because it is "explicitly driven by the concept of self-determination" and collaboration at every level of the agency, program, or community being evaluated (p. 11). Within that framework, empowerment evaluation helps people analyze their programs using self-evaluation and self-reflection. In contrast with some program assessments conducted by outside evaluators, empowerment evaluation is not an endpoint but in integral part of program development and improvement (p. 3). As a result, empowerment evaluation "ideally helps organizations internalize evaluation principles and practices, making evaluation an integral part of program planning" (p. 35). Not surprisingly, Fetterman equates using empowerment evaluation with teaching participants to fish.
The methodology of empowerment evaluation is deceptively simple. First, gather everyone involved in the program together, from clients to workers, to administrators, to funders. The empowerment evaluator then acts as a coach or facilitator, who leads the group through three activities: 1) explicate the mission of vision of the program; 2) take stock of each program activity, rating how well each is doing; and 3) plan for the future by setting goals, strategies for reaching the goals, and documentation to be used to track progress. Because empowerment evaluation is ideally an ongoing process, the first time through these steps forms the baseline for monitoring future progress.
Methodologically, the obvious potential weakness of empowerment evaluation is the possibility of generating self-serving, `sugar-coated' results (p. 5-6). "An outside evaluator charged with monitoring the progress can help keep the effort credible, useful, and on track, providing additional rigor, reality checks, and quality controls throughout the evaluation" (Fetterman, 2001, p. 6). This task is operationalized during the ranking phase, for example, when the empowerment evaluator questions each individual's ranking of each activity, asking for specific documentation of why the rating is no higher and no lower than they have indicated. Additional rigor is gained, according to Fetterman, by indicating that people can change their ratings at any time. Mostly, however, Fetterman argues that trustworthiness flows from the nature of the group (the insistence on democratic participation of clients, workers, and administrators), and the group process itself which he claims comes to conclusions which are more realistic than the conclusions of external evaluators (pp. 32-33).
Unfortunately Fetterman's organization and writing of this volume does little to support his claim that empowerment evaluation is rigorous and inherently trustworthy. In terms of organization, note that the two quotes I used to locate empowerment evaluation within research and evaluation traditions were separated by 100 pages. Repeatedly, ideas and concepts are partially developed in one place, only to be modified or more fully defined/described much later. In many ways, this review has made Fetterman's book more comprehensible than it is. For example, I stated previously that when participants rank program activities they must provide documentation. Fetterman, however, discusses ranking on page 29, but waits 60 pages (almost half the book) to mention that "documentation is always required to support a high or low rating about a program assessment, and is scrutinized." (p. 93).
In addition, Fetterman's writing often confuses or obscures important points. The trustworthiness of empowerment evaluation rests in large part on including the perspective of every stakeholder and participant in the program, from clients to administrators. Fetterman, unfortunately, uses the term program participants variously, mostly to refer to paid employees, but occasionally also to include clients (e.g. pp. 3, 34, &146). As a result we are never sure who he is talking about participating in what aspect of the evaluation. Similarly, Fetterman refers to "outside evaluators" both as the `coaches' who help participants throughout the process and, in other places, as people not otherwise involved in any aspect of the evaluation. Consequently when Fetterman writes that "An outside evaluator charged ... can help keep the effort credible, useful, and on track" (2001, p. 6), I have no idea who is responsible for this crucial methodological function.
Finally, Fetterman states that the trustworthiness and utility of empowerment evaluation flow, in large measure, from use of baseline data and repeated empowerment evaluation sessions. Though Fetterman devotes more than a third of his book to case examples, every one of those examples is of an initial evaluation, never a follow-up session. Because Fetterman (belatedly) admits that empowerment evaluation "takes more time than most traditional evaluations (p. 145), I am left wondering if follow up is ever conducted.
The disorganization of the book unfortunately contributes to an impression that empowerment evaluation is methodologically less rigorous than I believe it really is. Fetterman thus undermines the very evaluation methodology which he passionately believes in and espouses.
Book Description
Team building is not itself an activity, but the result of attending to the seventeen characteristics that demarcate effective teamwork. When these characteristics exist to a high degree, you have an effective team. When they do not, you have a weak team. It is the manager's job to assess the strength of these characteristics in the organization and then to remediate any weakness. That is effective team building. This widely read practical guide is free of technical jargon, with many examples of successful implementation.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent!.......2006-08-18
This book was a required reading for me but I would recommend it to any manager, employee and to all organizations who value the team approach. It is an easy read and it puts common knowledge into an easy to follow format. It is very informative and it makes you look at what your place of work does and does not do to help promote a successful environment.
Teambuilding Made Easy!.......2000-09-24
This is a must read for anyone in leadership. When working with two or more people, it is important to establish clear expectations of how groups are to work together. Harvey and Drolet's book is laid out in a simplistic format, easy to read, with simple procedural steps to follow to build teams of people to work productively for a common vision. Emphasis is placed laying strong foundation for the group and then identifying the importance of conflict and managing it.
A nice follow up to this book is The Practical Decision Maker by Harvey, Bearley and Corkrum. This book takes the next step and gives specific tools and strategies on how to harness and direct the conflict to elevate the team to higher levels of thinking and reaching stronger decisions.
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General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Heroz: Empower Yourself, Your Coworkers, Your Company
Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results
Please Don't Just Do What I Tell You, Do What Needs to Be Done: Every Employee's Guide to Making Work More Rewarding
The One Minute Manager
Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life
