Book Description

The Rich Dad's Classics Box Set contains 3 titles from the Rich Dad, Poor Dad series:

- Rich Dad, Poor Dad, the bestselling personal finance guide for the millions hoping to become masters of their money
- Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant, the follow-up to Rich Dad, Poor Dad, reveals why some people work less and earn more, pay less taxes, and feel more financially secure than others
- Rich Dad's Guide to Investing covers the basic rules of investing, including how to reduce investment risk and how to convert earned income into passive and portfolio income. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Only for those who want to reach the top 5% .........
Social Security Administration tells us year after year that at age 65, only 5% of the population will be financially independant. The remaining 95%? They will still be working, dead or dead broke!

Kiyoaski teaches the principles of wealth. This tape set is the compilation of Kiyosaki's first three books; Rich Dad Poor Dad, Cashflowquadrant and Rich Dad's Guide to Investing. Although I have other books in the Rich Dad series, these three are the basis of the Rich Dad/Kiyosaki system.

And if you are like me and prefer to listen to something inspiring, educational and motional than the news or the democrat commercials, then you will enjoy playing these tapes in your car.

The first three classics on audio........
This tapeset contains 6 audio tapes and 9 hrs of powerpacked information that can change your life.

RICH DAD POOR DAD: the best selling personal finance guide for
the millions hoping to become masters of
their money.

CASHFLOW QUADRANT: this program reveals why some work less and
earn more, pay less in taxes, have more time
to live out their dreams and feel more
financially secure than others.

GUIDE TO INVESTING: the basic rules of investing, including how
to reduce investment risk and how to convert
earned income into passive and portfolio
income

This collection of the first three Rich Dad books can very well, change your life. It certaintly has mine.

Listen and grow rich!
No time to read you say? Great, then just plug these tapes in your car cassette player or walkman and lsiten and grow rich. Listen as Kiyosaki explains the principles of wealth, how to invest safely and successfully and how to create passive income.

I am in network marketing full time and am also using Kiyosaki's techniques to create additional streams of income. Highly recommended tape set. Well worth the price. And glad that Kiyosaki appreciates and understands network marketing.

great book/tape?
Now, I have follow his idea and start to invest. Yes, he won't teach you step by step. But he give you a general idea and you need to apply them by yourselves. Try to use your brain and think hard and eventually, you can figure out how to do it. I have figured out a way to do it now. This is a great book to change my point of view of how money should be used.

Alex

Only for those who want financial freedom
This tapeset covers the most important information in the first three Rich Dad Books and is critical for those who want financial freedom.

According to the social security dept, only 5 out of every 100 people at age 65 will be financially secure. The remaining 95 will either be dependend on others, still working, dead or dead broke.

Kiyosaki's material is for those who want to make the top 5% and escape from the bondage of being subservient to a unappreciative employer or turning your financial affairs over to a broker, tax preparer or fiancial planner.

Kiyosaki teaches you how to get involved int he process yourself and then set up a team of fiancial experts who work for you instead of what they make the highest commission on.

This tape set is fabulous for anyone who wants the real dope on the first three Rich Dad books and who wants to become a part of the top 5% who are independent isntead of the bottom 95% who are dependent.

Excellent program. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

How do we make decisions--good and bad--and why are some people so much better at it than others? Thats the question Malcolm Gladwell asks and answers in the follow-up to his huge bestseller, The Tipping Point. Utilizing case studies as diverse as speed dating, pop music, and the shooting of Amadou Diallo, Gladwell reveals that what we think of as decisions made in the blink of an eye are much more complicated than assumed. Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology, he shows how the difference between good decision-making and bad has nothing to do with how much information we can process quickly, but on the few particular details on which we focus. Leaping boldly from example to example, displaying all of the brilliance that made The Tipping Point a classic, Gladwell reveals how we can become better decision makers--in our homes, our offices, and in everyday life. The result is a book that is surprising and transforming. Never again will you think about thinking the same way. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Energy of Money: A Spiritual Guide to Financial and Personal Fulfillment, by Maria Nemeth, Ph.D., outlines a distinctly unique approach to one of the most dominant yet forbidden topics in modern society: money, and how we deal with it. A clinical psychologist who once lost $35,000 in a fraudulent investment scheme, Nemeth learned from that ordeal (and similar experiences of friends and associates) how most of us develop relationships with money, and the ways in which we subsequently can bring these in line with our actual dreams and realities. She initially used this knowledge to start a workshop called You and Money, which eventually attracted more than 4,500 participants and led to the development of concepts now delineated in this book. Quoting relevant wisdom espoused by those ranging from Joseph Campbell and Ram Dass to Mark Twain and Dorothy Parker, Nemeth sets out "12 principles for personal fulfillment" designed to help readers "uncover the hidden landscape of beliefs, behavior patterns, and habits that underlie and sometimes subvert how you use money and other forms of energy." The result is a refreshing, useful, and surprisingly accessible mixture of universal financial advice and the much rarer--but no less important--ethereal side of fiscal self-management. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Mind and soul approach to wealth
The Energy of Money is a brilliant explanation of the intuition and intellect behind wealth, prosperity, and abundance. If you believe that money represents energy, want a grounded approach, this book is for you. Knowing how to raise one's energy frequency to attract greater flows of money is easier said than done. Nemeth helps guide you to the process to increase flow. Try it and see if it works. If anything, you'll learn something new that you can use.

compassionate, guilt-free approach
I am a millionaire, and every time I read a book about money, I feel guilty.I *know* I'm supposed to pay attention to money, but I don't, so I feel guilty when I'm reminded of what I "should" do and end up doing nothing.In contrast, this book opened with the author opening her heart.She is compassionate and understanding of the guilt.Somehow, just feeling accepted by her, I was moved after the first 15 pages to get up and take care of some money issues.I have continued to read the book and continue to take positive action.I also find her insights applicable to other "congealed energy," such as issues with food.This book is life-changing!

Solid Information with Belief Shifting, Repeatable Exercises
Taking a wholistic approach to shifting beliefs and outcomes around ones financial fulfillment, The Energy of Money differs from many other Spiritual Money guides because of the wealth of exercises and the completeness of its coverage.

Nemeth doesn't see money as a "stand alone" issue, she sees it as being a part of one's life intention and integrity.

Another feature that works is her taking the obstacles and problem areas and meeting them head-on rather than denying they exist.Its more of the "Name it and claim it" approach which works very well.... when the claiming involves taking congruent action, about which Nemeth also offers instruction.

Its an all around powerful read, one which I repeat and refer to frequently both for my own learning and for my life coaching clients as well since this is oftentimes a challenging area.

If you read it and put the information to use, you will definitely have a positive return on your investment.

Get the book, not the audio program...
First, I ought to say that I purchased both the audio book (as a download) and the written book, hoping to find more material and exercises in the audio program and also with the desire to to be able to review the contents of the program at ease.This was not the case.As another reviewer commented, the presentation is VERY difficult to listen to as it is very monotone and downbeat.I don't think I could listen to the entire program again and I would definately NOT recommend buying the tapes or download.

That said, I found the contents of the book to be quite comprehensive and there are numerous practical exercises throughout the book to complete.The book has its foundations in a number of metaphysical (ie. money as energy), 'spiritual' (i.e. your life purpose and Buddhist concepts of 'structures of knowing' and 'monkey mind' among others) and psychological perspectives (including beliefs systems and blocks).In particular, it is about taking the hero's journey (ie. Joseph Campbell's work), that is, about creating the kind of life that you want and assisting you to clear the blocks in order to achieve this.It aims to get the reader look at themselves, what they really want in life and the internal changes they need to make in order to do this.

The book doesn't contain 'practical' money management strategies - that's not it's focus, it's focus is on the important inner dimension of success and fulfilment.The book is a worthwhile read and I think it's much, much better than many others on the market.The practical exercizes are also useful in enhancing self awareness and in that sense is worth the price of the book - I would definately purchase it again, I just wouldn't buy the audio version, unless you are having problems sleeping!

Interesting Material But Boring Speaker
I purchased "The Energy of Money: A Spiritual Guide to Financial Freedom and Personal Fulfillment", as an audio book. I was extremely excited to go over the material as I have done pretty extensive reading on spirituality as it relates to money and abundance and am always fascinated with any new twist I pick up on the subject. In that respect the book did give me what I was hoping for.

Especially interesting was the concept of "unfinished money business". The program really stops and makes you think about just how many money related issues may be hanging over your head. Issues like... are your insurance policies adequate? Do you prepare and follow a monthly budget? Is your car maintenance up to date? Is your checkbook balanced to the penny? The list is extensive and it really makes you want to get busy at doing those things you've been putting off.

The program is designed to make you look at your lifelong relationship with money... how you spend it, use it, abuse it and how you feel about it. Several guided exercises are designed to help you discover your deepest thoughts relating to money and how you can use that information to establish new, more meaningfulgoals.

My main problem with this program was the presentation. It is read by the author, Maria Nemeth, and I found her voice and reading of the material to be too slow, bland and boring. The quality of the material presented was the only thing that kept me awake! ... Read more

Book Description

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen R. Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity -- principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates. ... Read more

Reviews (558)

One of the best business/success books out there
Unfortunately, during my experience with corporate America I've had several business/success books thrust upon me. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is the only one that was worth reading.

This book, coupled with the First Things First training I received at work has had an enormous impact on me. Five years later, I still organize my life based on my mission statement, roles, and goals. I plan weekly and take time out to Sharpen the Saw. I don't always live up to the seven habits, but at least I'm going in the right direction. Periodically I pull this book out of my bookshelf and flip through it to reinforce the lessons it contains. It's also one of the few books I've ever bought someone as a gift.

My biggest criticism is that Covey has a tendency to beat you over the head with examples. Numerous times as I read the book I thought to myself, I get it, move on. My other big complaint is that this book coined the word "proactive," which is believed to mean the opposite of reactive, but actually means that the person using it is an idiot and needs to resort to using made-up words to appear highly effective.

This book has definitely changed my life for the better.
This is a book that has changed my life irrevocably and forever. It required great energy, patience and time to read, one with much meaning and very deep in content. In fact, after struggling through the first two Principles outlined in this book I found myself putting it away on the shelf. For nearly a year it sat there and I didn't pick it up again until I had another reason to. The second time around I could not put the book down and took prolific amounts of notes. The third time I read it I learned even more.

This book is about self, about becoming the true you and living your life optimally. This is not a pep-rally or a psychological breakdown of "The 100 Top Tips to Boost Your Self-Esteem". The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is all about understanding where you can (should) be taking yourself in your life. The influence, the support, the understanding, the energy that Dr. Stephen Covey discusses comes from within yourself; it is not an external influence that fades as soon as the source is gone. You create it; you live it; it becomes you and you become it. These principles are not subject to the whims of others. You create yourself, you build upon yourself and you become an effective person in your life through learning to help yourself and others. You learn how to graduate from dependence to independence and then even further on to a higher level: interdependence all by looking deeply within yourself and following seven sound principles that are laid out in a very logical, rational and emotionally-sound manner. The principles behind Dr. Covey's ideas are based on faith in self, community and God. He helps you to understand the philosophy, "Love Me for Me."

In The Seven Habits, Covey talks about the Personal Mission Statement. This is a project that you create, write, rewrite over and over until it describes the person you most want to be. Then you simply spend the rest of your life living those beliefs until you become that person. It is probably the easiest, yet most difficult thing you will ever do in your entire life. Why? Because you must devote your entire life, and energy to this task. How easy it is to become side-tracked and slide into old habits of comfort. But these old habits are the ones that you want to rewrite with new, better habits. This is a difficult road to follow. It is also, without a doubt the most rewarding activity you will ever do in your entire life. After all, the most rewarding things in life are often the most difficult.

STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVENESS
Stephen Covey outlines the best strategies for maximum effectiveness in this great book. The fact that this book has remained a best seller for over 15 years should tell you something about the merits of the informmation that it contains.

Highly recommended book.

Definitely a must read book
I have worked for major corporations and I have been self employed in direct sales and network marketing. Hardly a day goes by when I don't find someone who recommends and in many cases, carries The 7 Habits around with them in their briefcase.

In a world of me, me, me, me. It's great to have a noted and highly respected authority like Dr. Covey teach the concepts of "Win-Win" and "seek first to understand, then be understood."

I am also happy to see that Dr. Covey has endorsed network marketing and recommends it. easy to understand why. Network marketing is indeed the wave of the future so it makes sense that the professionals of the present and the near future will be applying Dr. Coveys techniques just as those Fortune 500 companies have been doing since the 1980's.

Great book. I highly recommend it to everyone and especially network marketers who want to significantly grow their business.

Thank you Dr. Covey for a great book.

An excellent book
The way the author has deconstructed human development and potential is insightful. The author's view is that people first develop a triumvirate individual competances and skills.

1) Be Proactive.
2) Begin with the End in Mind.
3) Put First things First.

Once they have mastered this they can then accelerate the results they achieve by mastering 3 more skills that enable them to enable others.

4) Think win-win.
5) Seek first to understand.
6) Synergize.

Encompassing these 6 habits is the seventh habit which emcompasses the others is the

7) Sharpen the saw.

Though the some of the ideas are a little trite or naive together they form a good toolset. ... Read more

Book Description

Built to Last, the defining management study of the nineties, showed how great companies triumph over time and how longterm sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the very beginning.

But what about companies that are not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness? Are there those that convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? If so, what are the distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great?

Over five years, Jim Collins and his research team have analyzed the histories of 28 companies, discovering why some companies make the leap and others don't. The findings include:

• Level 5 Leadership: A surprising style, required for greatness.
• The Hedgehog Concept: Finding your three circles, to transcend the curse of competence.
• A Culture of Discipline: The alchemy of great results.
• Technology Accelerators: How good-to-great companies think differently about technology.
• The Flywheel and the Doom Loop: Why those who do radical restructuring fail to make the leap.

... Read more

Reviews (298)

Jim Collins: REQUIRED READING (See why.)
With an overall keen focus on discipline and accountability, Jim Collins was assisted by a large team of gifted, discerning graduate students. Hence, "Good to Great" is a most welcome piece of major solid research in our current time when "business spin" has contributed to the failure of corporations, market values, employee careers, etc. Unfortunately, similar books over the past few decades have relied more on "impressionism" from the author(s), including the now famous "In Search of Excellence" which has since been exposed as not fully grounded in the true facts of the time. While Warren Buffet is not identified as a "Level 5" leader in "Good to Great," this is a volume which could surely bear the imprimatur from that "Sage of Omaha." This book could even assist GE's Jack Welch "grow" into a more effective individual. [Prepare yourself for a surprise-jolt: based on Jim Collins' penetrating analyses across 11 major organizations, Mr. Welch would probably be considered as a "Level 4" leader.]

This book is of significant value to anyone wanting to move from "good to great" no matter if it is within a profit, not-for-profit, or even in a home-family setting. Great, easy reading and, most importantly, an excellent, life-long reference manual to help you remain "tuned-up." Notably, this book should be a required supplemental text for all general management courses (undergraduate or graduate).

Achieving and continuing spectacular business success
In 1994, Jim Collins and Jerry Porras wrote one of the most successful management books of the last decade: Built to Last. Collins and Porras had studied 18 visionairy companies, many of which had existed for 60 years or more. These companies had a strong focus on values and people and great ability to to learn and exchange knowledge. They gave less priority to maximalizing shareholder value but paradoxically outperformed the market enormously. In a conversation with Jim Collins, McKinsey director Bill Meehan said he, too, loved the book, but added: "Unfortunately, it's useless". He explained why. The companies featured in Built to Last had always been great companies. But because most companies are just good (not great) they are not interested in a book which shows how to stay great (Built to Last) but in a book that shows how to become great. The matter inspired Collins. He built a research team of 15 people and started a 5 year study.

The team tried to identify companies that had jumped from good to great and had managed to continue their great growth for at least 15 years. They found 11 of these (Abbott, Circuit City, Fannie Mae, Gilette, Kimberly-Clark, Kroger, Nucor, Philip Morris, Pitney Bowes, Walgreens, Wells Fargo). These good-to-great companies (GTG's) outperformed the market by a factor 6.9 in the 15 year period of the analysis! (General Electric outperformed the market 'only' by a factor 2.8 between 1985 and 2000).

The study focused on the question: what did the GTG's have in common that distinguished them from comparable companies in comparable circumstances? The GTG's were compared with two sets of other companies: 1) the direct-comparisons: companies within the same sector and in comparable circumstances, 2) the unsustained comparisons: companies that had had a breakthrough but that had not been able to continue their success. Collins intended to, from the ground up, build a theory which could explain the successful transformation of the GTG's.

As it turned out, all of the GTG's had a period of build up, preparation (often lasting many years) before the breakthrough moment. Three phases could be identified:

PHASE 1: DISCIPLINED PEOPLE
1. LEVEL 5 LEADERSHIP: contrary to the expectation, leaders of the GTG's turned out to be quiet, self effacing and even shy. At the same time, however, they were very determined. Mostly, they were leaders that came from within the company and that have remained unknown to the greater public.

2. FIRST WHO...THEN WHAT: also contrary to what you might expect was that GTG's first got the right people on the bus and the wrong people off and only then focused on strategic direction and vision.

PHASE 2: DISCIPLINED THOUGHT
3. CONFRONT THE BRUTAL FACTS (..BUT NEVER LOSE HOPE). Characteristic was a combination of realism and hope.
4. THE HEDGEHOG CONCEPT (SIMPLICITY IN THREE CIRCLES): just like a hedgehog, the GTG's seemed to have a very simple but effective success formula: all of the activities of the company had to lie within the intersection of the following three circles: 1) what can we become best in the world at? 2) what are we passionate about? 3) what can we make money with?

PHASE 3: DISCIPLINED ACTION
5. CULTURE OF DISCIPLINE: the GTG's turned out to have a culture of discipline that made hierarchy and bureaucracy largely superfluous.
6. TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATORS: none of the GTG's had technology as a cause of the success, but technology did play the role of accelerator of the success.

Collins rather convincingly demonstrates the validity of this model. All of the GTG's showed these practices throughout the 15 year period, while none of the direct comparisons did. The unsustained comparisons showed some of these practises often right until the moment of their decline.

Looking at the share price development of the GTG's, you might expect that there has been a clear marking point of the transformation because their share price stays rather flat at first (for many years) and then just suddenly takes off and keeps on going up. An important finding of the team was, however, that there were nó special change programs, and nó breakthrough decisions or products. On the contrary, the process evolved very fluently. To eplain, Collins uses the metaphor of the flying wheel. When you start to turn this wheel it goes heavily and moves slowly. But by continuously keeping on turning the wheel, it starts to build momentum and then, just suddenly, a point is reached at which the wheel turns at great speed without you having to turn it any harder than at first. Is this the practice of many companies? Not at all! The reality of many companies is nót consistently following a chosen path but rather swinging from one hype to another.

I think this research evokes one principal issue. That the concept 'great' is operationalized in a financial way is easily understood from a practical standpoint. This criterion is clear and rather easily obtained and makes it easy to compare the companies scientifically. But is 'great' the best word to describe spectacular financial success? Does their financial success necessarily make GTG's 'great'? Wouldn't that be like saying that Bill Gates en Silvio Berlusconi are great people while implying Martin Luther King and Mother Theresa are not?

But, having said that, demonstrating how companies achieve and continue spectacular financial success, in itself, is extremely interesting and valuable. This is a terrific book that, I think, has the quality to equal or perhaps even surpass the success of Built to Last. Unlike most management books (which contain creative but highly speculative ideas), the message of this book is based on well-designed research and mindful interpretation of results that is explained and justified terrifically. Despite this thoroughness, the book remains a pleasant read. A pity that the book does not offer some more practical suggestions to help readers get started. I think that would have made it even better.

Study on Critical Factors for Organisational Greatness
Collins' curiosity and clear study brings to light some of those factors that contribute to greatness. These findings are grounded within individual, teachable 'points of view' which are easily applied to large organisations and applicable to small busness as well.
Collins puts his findings in clear accessable language. Including the finding that is responsible for the title... That good is the enemy of great.
I highly recommend this book/CD to leaders that are enaged with designing futures and those that work with them. It is core reading for key teams. It has made a significant difference in being able to articulate powerful conversations with teams about that which is tacit and critical to success. Giving common language and principles to engage with. A great study book for learning teams.

But, what about........?

Read it - but maybe buy it used

This books does however ask some good questions about how to go from being good to GREAT such as:

1. What am I(or what is the company) intrinsically passionate about?
2. What is the company\I good at? and does this "thing" come naturally?
3. Finally does this area that was chosen have "GREAT" potential?

On the other hand, here are some questions that I felt were left unanswered:

Can't you be GREAT at two things at the same time?

According to Jack Welch's book, you should strive to be #1 OR #2.
btw: Aren't there three medals awarded in the Olympics?

What about sales? The Mary Kay Company motto is "Nothing happens until somebody sells something." (from her book)

What about creating barriers to entry for competitors? (to protect market share like Carnegie or Rockefeller did)

Why didn't you include MORE on the failures of the Good to Great companies? Not just the failures of the competition. Guys like Edison, Lincoln had many defeats before they found ultimate success.
Doesn't bouncing back from failures have something to do with going from Good to Great?

The author mentions getting the right people in the right seats on the bus and the wrong people off. I believe this is an oversimplification. Age, salary, tenure, unions, hierarchy etc make this a very difficult task to accomplish!!

Yes this book took 5 years to write and was supported by 21 staff researchers BUT I am not totally convinced of the results. (and I liked the first book - Built to Last)
That's why I gave it only 3 stars

Must read for any executive, manager, or entrepreneur
This book was number one on the Wall Street Journal's list for a long time for good reason. It is a very pleasurable and easy read that will certainly set off light bulbs in your head. The coverage of the iterative process of buildup and breakthrough is outstanding. If you are an executive, manager, or entrepreneur, make sure you grab this book and take it to the beach or knock it out over a weekend. It certainly belongs in your library. ... Read more

Book Description

"Most Americans do not know what their strengths are. When you ask them, they look at you with a blank stare, or they respond in terms of subject knowledge, which is the wrong answer."
-- Peter Drucker

Unfortunately, most of us have little sense of our talents and strengths. Instead, guided by our parents, our teachers, our managers and psychology's fascination with pathology, we become experts in our weaknesses and spend our lives trying to repair these flaws, while our strengths lie dormant and neglected.

At the heart of Now, Discover Your Strengths, is the Internet-based StrengthsFinder® Profile, the product of a 25-year, multimillion dollar effort to identify the most prevalent human strengths. The program introduces 34 dominant "themes" with thousands of possible combinations, and reveals how they can best be translated into personal and career success.

This audiobook contains a unique identification number that allows you access to the StrengthsFinder® Profile on the Internet. This Web-based interview analyzes your instinctive reactions and immediately presents you with your five most powerful themes. Once you know which themes you lead with, you can leverage them for powerful results for personal development, for management success, and for the success of the organization. ... Read more

Reviews (126)

Mentoring, not hand-holding
I've read quite a few of these kinds of books starting way back when with "What Color is Your Parachute," through "The Acorn Principle" and "Please Understand Me." This has been a long-term process of discovering my interests, talents, abilities, skills, knowledge, preferences, and potential - always with the intention of finding my true calling in life.

But this book is not just another addition to that list; this is a superior method for focusing in on very specific talents and strengths and clarifying your own thinking about your life choices. The assessment and categories of strengths are more straightforward than taking the Meyers-Briggs or other similar tests. The book confirms some of what I already knew, but completely clarified the concept of natural talent combined with skills and knowledge creating the strengths that one can use throughout their life.

People have complained in other reviews that some of the book is "fluff" or that it doesn't tell you what job to go get. This is only true for people who want one 250-page book to answer some of the greatest of life's questions. I greatly appreciate that the authors give simple, straightforward examples and their own theories quickly and pointedly. They leave it up to ME to make decisions based on that information.

If you are prepared to do the work over the course of time and use this book as a mentor (not a nanny who tells you what to do) you will gain great insight into yourself and your path.

Management, Not Psychology
As a manager, perhaps one of our greatest challenges is juggling the uniqueness of our employees. It's not our job to fix them, rather it's our job to facilitate their success.

I agree with what "First, Break All the Rules" said, in that, we should seek to build the strengths of our employees rather than fix their weaknesses. But, I walked away from that book saying "ok, that was great, but how do you determine a strength or talent?"

"Now, Discover your Strengths" gives practical insights on the strengths and inate talents of people. I was impressed by this and also by the real life examples of people displaying the stregth being discussed. The disheartening thing about the test is that it only gives your top 5 strengths when it's likely that 8-10 strenths are outwardly shown (in my opinion).

Unlike other readers, I DID NOT see this and the online test as meant to be a "personality" test. Quite the contrary. I believe it accurately measures what it says it does: STRENGTHS.

I'm looking forward to applying this information to the organizations I work with.

Since my question after reading the first book (how do you determine someone's strenghts?) was answered with "Now Discover your Strenthgs", I'm guessing that if there is a third book, it will discuss what to do with your strengths now that they're discovered.

beware of used copies
An integral part of this book is the online profile. Each copy of this book comes with a unique PIN number inside the book jacket. If you buy a used copy, the PIN number may be already used, and thus will not allow you to use the online profile. However, the book is still interesting if you enjoy reading through the signature themes and guessing what your profile would have uncovered. It is also fun to read each theme and think of people you know who come to mind, and consider ways in which you can support their strengths.

I would give this book 5 stars if an unlimited number of people could use the online profile with each book purchase.

A motivating speaker
I saw Marcus Buckingham speak at the SHRM Conference last week in New Orleans and it was an excellent complement to the book. Very motivating and enlightening as is the book. I also purchased the Emotional Intelligence Quickbook which I saw recommended on this page and that title is excellent as well.

Take these lessons beyond the work place
Excellent read, Clifton gives clarity and tools for success. I enjoyed the online inner strength tests very much and found it fascinating. While Clifton gives us the the key to unlocking our abilities and the confidence to pursue the path, it is up to us to take the journey.
I have taken this book and its philosophies into my personal life as well, filling everyday.
Everyone has different things that can free them further.

I started singing because I had always secretly found that to be exhilerating. I bought singing lessons on CD off of Amazon,
"Voice lessons To Go" by Vaccarino- fantastic!

I also purchased and carefully followed the "New Sex Now" video by Arte with my husband- it was mind blowing for us.

Just those two examples show how much I have removed my own personal fear in life. The kind that held me back and locked my strengths in. You know the strength is there in any crisis, why not manifest them into your eveyday? How powerful is that? ... Read more

Book Description

Timeless teaching from Ageless Wisdom, which reveal the truth about the Law of Abundance. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Plan for Miracles
The 40-day Prosperity Plan has completely changed my life. I am now on my 4th round and I am constantly experiencing miraculous abundant changes and events in my life. When I started this program in February of 2004, I was skeptical. However, I persevered, and just before the first round 40-day period ended, I got a new job that is extremely creative and pays well. During the second round, I contracted to build a house, which, before I began this program, I'm sure would never have been impossible. It was as if the pieces of the puzzle all fell into place....as if the universe was orchestrating everything to perfectly arrange for this to occur.During my third round, I got a refund for a used car that was a lemon-- one that I purchased from a dishonest car dealer 8 months ago. This was truly miraculous because, at first, the owner of the dealership lied and told me he would refund my money, only to deny that he had said that. I meditated on the Source within for several days and eventually I was effortlessly led to people who advocated on my behalf.Finally he relented, refunded me all of the money I put down on the car and all of the payments I had made over the past 8 months. Then I turned around and purchased a new car for less money down and a lower monthly payment. So,once again, the universe orchestrated all of the "details" effortlessly. The most important lesson that I have learned doing this plan, is perhaps that not only can I acquire material things, but that by constantly acknowledging the Power within to solve my problems, I can have true peace of mind. I highly recommend this plan for anyone who is disciplined and committed to changing his or her life and realizing a powerful relationship with God. It REALLY works.

STREAMS OF BLESSINGS
This tape deserves 7 stars because it is so very effective. The first part consists of John Price talking about money and your attitude to it, explaining some basic concepts and blowing away the error-thought one often has about money and prosperity in general. He then explains how to use the statements that follow over a 40-day period: there are 10 statements to be used in succession and repeated for four 10-day periods, in other words, one statement per day. This statement for the day can be written down, repeated and meditated upon. The gist of it is that God/The Infinite Spirit IS abundance and wishes to express itself as abundance through the individual. If one has no metaphysical knowledge, the statements might appear strange at first but there's no denying that they work. Following the statements there is a meditation that incorporates the complete message of the statements and finally some more points to ease the flow of abundance into your life (e.g. by cultivating an attitude of giving). Price has a very engaging and reassuring voice that ensures a very pleasant listening experience every time. If you experience any type of lack in your life, follow this program and you'll be amazed by the results. Do not allow your own doubt, worry or cynicism to dismiss this great blessing -- whether you believe it or not, it will work. Sooner or later, depending on the state of your consciousness when you start the program. And best of all, the result is not restricted to money but encompasses abundance in all areas of your life. I sincerely wish that all people who currently experience lack may discover this tape and reap the rich harvest of blessings. God bless you all.

40 Days To A Wealth Consciousness
John R. Price writings is rocket fuel for transforming the soul! You are about to start on an amazing transformation. Here is the key to Infinite Thinking. Always birth your ideas from a place of perfection. Spirit is Perfection. You can endow your confessions with no greater power than: "God Is" therefore I Am" ... Read more

Book Description

"Personal-finance author and lecturer Robert T. Kiyosaki developed his unique economic perspective from two very different influences--his two fathers.One father (Robert's real father) was a highly educated man, but fiscally poor.The other father was the father of Robert's best friend--the Dad who was an eighth grade dropout who became a self-made multi-millionaire.The lifelong monetary problems experienced by his "poor dad" pounded home the counterpoint communicated by his "rich dad."Taking that message to heart, Kiyosaki was able to retore at 47.RICH DAD, POOR DAD, written with consultant and CPA Sharon L. Lechter lays out Kiyosaki's philosophy behind his relationship with money.RICH DAD, POOR DAD opens readers eyes by:

- exploding the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich
- challenging the belief that your house is an asset
- defining once and for all an asset versus a liability
- explaining what kids need to know about money for their future financial success" ... Read more

Reviews (1475)

Eye opener !
I am a 35 y/o computer person. As I grew up, my parents told me to go to school and become an engineer, or an accountant, so that I could have lots of money. I grew up thinking it would happen, and my belief got stronger when I chose a profitable computer carreer. However, I spent 15 years working on computers, with many over-time hours, and lots of time away from friends and family because I was learning newer technologies to try to make more money.

However, I never got rich, I made good money but I was never able to accumulate more than $5,000 on my bank account. I never understood why after working so hard, money was still a big concern! I figured out that there's gotta be another way to become wealthy. I gave it my best shot at studying and working hard, and years went by and things didn't get better.

I started looking for information on wealth accumulation books, and a friend of mind recommended this book. This book has been very enlighting, I wish I had learned the principles shown in here 15 years ago. If I had, I know for a fact that money would not be a big concern for me today. I feel much better now because, even though I don't have lots of money (not yet), this book pointed me in the right direction.

I also recommend "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. It goes deep into detail about what to put in your mind if you want to become wealthy.

I hope my review helps.

This book is an eye opener to all of those who desire money.
I have read both 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' and 'Cashflow Quadrant.' Being young and still in college, these two books have taught me how the rich think. As Kiyosaki emphasizes, getting a high paying job after college is not the answer to becoming financially indepent and satisfied. His books unteach the reader everything he/she has learned about money and allows the reader to focus on building wealth the way millionaires do. His books are enlightening, and his method to achieving wealth makes sense logically. After reading 'Millionaire Next Door', I could honestly tell that Kiyosaki's method is the way the truly rich think. 'Millionaire Next Door' simply focuses on frugality and spending as little money as possible. Who wants to enjoy all of their money when they become 60 yeas of age, having spent their prime years living as cheap as possible? Kiyosaki's book is excellent in teaching the common man/woman how to have money work for them and allows them to live life to their fullest. I recommend this book and 'Cashflow Quadrant' as the first two readings for someone seeking financial independence.

Powerful, life changing program
A few months ago, I was working in sales for a B>B Business Group. I followed Mr. Kiyosaki's advice and started investing my money in passive income. I bought some equities, a rental or two and started a home based business.

While my colleagues spent their checks and worked for ThankGodItsFriday and cheer for Wednesdays because it was "hump day" and yell hooray for the weekend, and then made wise cracks about my goals. I invested, left that company over 6 weeks ago and am now full time in my own business. Meanwhile, my colleagues were recently served notice that their company (my former company) is laying off 150 people!

Thank God for Robert Kiyosaki.

Can't communicate to save theirselves
Easy read-18 minutes & spelling and grammer errors are throughout. Plus, pure money making "Dribble". Follow this & you LOOSE!

A book on how to think like the rich do
This book is about strategy, not tactics. Here you will start to learn how the rich think. This book changed my life as it was the first book of my new life! It's not going to teach you the exact tactics the rich use (try the new van tharp's book for that) but more importante it will teach you the thinking behind what they do. Don't mind the bad reviews: it worked for me. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A must-read for Customer Perspective in Balanced Scorecard
This book's concepts for strategic marketing management are so widely accepted that the popular Balanced Scorecard concept of Kaplan and Norton in 2001 decided to adopt the ideas for the "customer perspective".

The authors manage to take Michael Porter's two generic competitive strategies - Differentiation and Cost Leader - and elaborate on these to an extent never presented so elegantly before. In the process, they discover a third generic strategy - Customer Intimacy.

Thus, Treacy and Wiersema distinguish between focusing on the following value dimensions:
- Operational excellence (cost leadership / focus on supply chain management)
- Product leadership (innovation / focus on product lifecycle management)
- Customer Intimacy (service leadership /focus on customer relationship management)

These are the FOUR RULES that govern market leaders' actions:
Rule 1: Provide the best offering in the marketplace by excelling in a specific dimension of value
Rule 2: Maintain threshold standards on the other dimensions of value
Rule 3: Dominate your market by improving value year after year
Rule 4: Build a well-tuned operating model dedicated to delivering unmatched value

Expanding on the fourth rule - operating models - may the best long-term contribution of this book. The authors explain in detail and via case stories how the operating models differ for each of the three value propositions. In practice, I've learned that by explaining the operating models, many people can easier find themselves depicted than in the overall generic dimensions of cost, service or product leadership.

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE or Cost Leadership - Best total cost - operating model:
Key success factor: Formula!
Golden rule: Variety kills efficiency
Culture: Disciplined teamwork; Process focused; Conformance, "one size fits all" mindset
Organization: Centralized functions; high skills at the core of the organization
Core processes: Product delivery and basic service cycle; built on standard, no frills fixed assets
Management Systems: Command and control; Compensation fixed to cost and quality; transaction profitability tracking
Information Technology: Integrated, low-cost transaction systems; Mobile and remote technologies

PRODUCT LEADERSHIP - Best product - operating model:
Key success factor: Talent!
Golden rule: Cannibalize your success with breakthroughs
Culture: Concept, future driven; Experimentation, "out of the box" mindset; Attack, go for it, win
Organization: Ad-hoc, organic, and cellular; High skills abound in loose-knit structures
Core processes: Invention, Commercialisation; Market exploitation; Disjoint work procedures
Management Systems: Decisive, risk oriented; Reward individuals' innovation capacity; Product lifecycle profitability
Information Technology: Person-to-person communications systems; Technologies enabling cooperation and knowledge management

CUSTOMER INTIMACY - Best total solution - operating model:
Key success factor: Solution!
Golden rule: Solve the client's broader problem
Culture: Client and filed driven; Variation: "Have it your way" mindset
Organization: Entrepreneurial client teams; High skills in the field
Core processes: Client acquisition and development; Solution development; Flexible and responsive work procedures
Management Systems: Revenue and share-of-wallet driven; Rewards based in part on client feedback; Lifetime value of client
Information Technology: Customer databases linking internal and external information; Knowledge bases built around expertise

If you're interested in Customer Intimacy, you may want to add Wiersema's additional book on only this strategy to your shopping basket. I highly recommend both paperback books ... great value for money ;-)

Peter Leerskov,
MSc in International Business (Marketing & Management) and Graduate Diploma in E-business

Not just for the sales and marketing folks!
This business book should be in EVERY marketing and sales professional's library. In one reading of less than four hours you can understand the distinct value disciplines that define your company. And, just as important, you can recognize the value disciplines of your customers and competition. But, you don't have to be strictly a sales person. I'm my company's Chief Technology Officer and I felt the book was very valuable - after my CEO made me read it!
The message of The Discipline Of Market Leaders is that no company can succeed today by trying to be all things to all people. It must instead find the unique value that it alone can deliver to a chosen market. Why and how this is done are the two key questions the book addresses,
Three concepts are introduced that every business finds essential:
1. the value proposition - implicit promise to deliver a particular combination of values - price, quality, performance, etc.
2. value-driven operating model - combination of operating processes, manage-ment systems, business structure, and culture that allows a company to deliver on its value proposition.
3. value disciplines - three desirable ways in which a company combines operating models and value propositions to be the best in their markets. THIS is the key take away from this book.
Three distinct value disciplines:
1. operational excellence - provide middle-of-the-market products at the best price with the least inconvenience - value proposition is low price and hassle-free service.
2. product leadership - offering products that push performance boundaries - value proposition is offering the best product, period.
3. customer intimacy - delivering NOT what the market wants but what specific customers want - value proposition the best solution for the customer with all the support needed to get the maximum value from our products.
The selection of a value discipline is a central act that shapes every subsequent plan and decision a company makes, coloring the entire organization, from its competencies to its culture.
If a company is going to achieve and sustain dominance, it must decide where it will stake its claim in the marketplace and what kind of value it will offer to its customers.
markets, the only established way to improve value to customers is to cut process. If you haven't started thinking about cutting your way to leanness, it's going to cost you later.
High quality is the cost of admission to the market. Without it, you're not even in the ballpark.
Four new premises underlie successful business practice today:
1. companies can no longer raise process in lockstep with higher costs
2. companies can no longer aim for less than hassle-free service
3. companies can no longer assume that good basic service is enough
4. companies can no longer compromise on quality and product capabilities
These four points are critical to the book and to how you must think about value. It is true - we can no longer charge for high quality - it IS expected. By delivering superior value, companies change their customers' expectations. In effect, these companies became market leaders NOT by fulfilling old-fashioned ideas of value, but by getting their business to master one band in the value spectrum. They believed in three important truths that characterize the new world of competition:
1. Different customers buy different kinds of value. You can't hope to be the best in all dimensions, so you choose your customers and narrow your value focus.
2. As value standards rise, so do customer expectations; so you can stay ahead only by moving ahead.
3. Producing an unmatched level of a particular value requires a superior operating model - "a machine" - dedicated to just that kind of value.
Four rules that govern market leaders' actions:
1. Provide the best offering in the marketplace by excelling in a specific value disci-pline.
2. Maintain threshold standards on other dimensions of value.
3. Dominate your market by improving value year after year,
4. Build a well-tuned operating model dedicated to delivering unmatched value.
The operating model is the market leader's ultimate weapon in its quest for market domination. Value comes from choosing customers and narrowing the operations focus to best serve those customers. Customer satisfaction and loyalty are simply the by-product of delivering on a compelling value proposition - not the drivers behind it. When a company selects and pursues one of the value disciplines, it ceases to resemble its competitors.
Customer-intimate companies demonstrate superior aptitude in advisory services and relationship management. This is an incredibly difficult concept for sales and marketing professionals to grasp. They want the largest market possible. If you are customer-intimate, your market is one company at a time. This calls for hard work.Customer-intimate companies don't deliver what the market wants, but what a spe-cific customer wants. The customer-intimate company makes a business of knowing the people it sells to and the products and services they need. It continually tailors its products and services, and does so at reasonable prices. The customer-intimate company's greatest asset is, not surprisingly, its customers' loyalty.
Customer-intimate companies don't pursue transactions; they cultivate relationships.
They tailor their mix of services or customize the products, even if it means acting as a broker to obtain these services and products from third parties or co-providers.
Where to begin? Start with the last chapter and take a close look at Figure 11. From that point I realized my company's value discipline. The rest fell neatly into place.

A Must for Every business owner
In Business studies, we were taught that to succeed with our business we should be able to provide best product/service, best prices and superb customer service. The results are mainly unsatisfactory because while we try to master all three aspects, we fail in all of them.

This book will teach you for the first time how to succeed with "imperfection" along with customers blessings.

You dont have to provide your customer with the best product AND best price AND best service, just choose one of those values (depending on your target market and long term objectives) and focus all your resources on developing this value. The book is backed with real life stories from some of the leading firms and the values they have chosen to focus on.

This book is a must for every business owner.

Highly Recommended!
Authors Michael Treacy and Fred Wiersema make it clear that market leading companies all concentrate on creating value for their customers. Then they focus on specific cases from Nike to Johnson & Johnson. No company, including yours, can succeed by trying to be all things to all people. Companies must ascertain the unique value - be it price, quality or problem solving - they can deliver to a specific market. The book proves that comparisons are not odious if they are interesting, and the comparisons it offers are intriguing indeed. Anecdotes and case histories cover companies that are market leaders today - AT&T, Intel, Airborne Express - and companies that used to be market leaders. The authors offer you three choices: lead with low costs, great products or outstanding ability to solve customers' problems. But if you are going to lead, you have to pick a direction and implement a management strategy that supports it, a lesson eased along by the clarity of the writing. We from getAbstract recommend this book to executives who are seeking advice on trumping their markets.

A Business Classic
You can't make money trying to be all things to all people.

Such a simple idea and so hard to live up to.Treacy argues that companies compete on three dimensions:Product Innovation, Low Cost Provision (aka Operational Excellence) or Customer Intimacy.He further argues that the way to make money is by being best in one (and only one) dimension.Trying to be "world-class" in more than one dimension diffuses your efforts, sets up contradictions in your organization and confuses your customers.Pick how you want to compete and be disciplined about sticking to it.

This book offers a classic model for thinking about business and how you serve your customersMore than just high-level strategy setting, this book gives you a lens through which to prioritize projects and make decisions at every level of management.It brings clarity to confused business cultures (or at least gives leaders a way to talk about why they have different visions of the future of the company).

Incidentally, there has been a fair amount of quantitative research since this book was first published confirming the correlation between strategic alignment and financial performance.As long as you've maintained a minimum (parity) on the other dimensions, companies that stick to one agenda really do perform better financially.

I was taught the basic model years ago and have used it more times than I can count since.This book is on my very short list of "must-read".The examples are getting a little out-of-date now, but the core lesson is timeless. ... Read more

Book Description

This upper-level Business Spanish text gives students an in-depth introduction to the Spanish-speaking business world. ... Read more

Book Description

In First, Break All The Rules, Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman of the Gallup Organization present the remarkable findings of their massive in-depth study of great managers across a wide variety of situations. Some were in leadership positions. Others were front-line supervisors. Some were in Fortune 500 companies; others were key players in small, entrepreneurial companies. Whatever their situations, the managers who ultimately became the focus of Gallup's research were invariably those who excelled at turning each employee's talent into performance.

In today's tight labor markets, companies compete to find and keep the best employees, using pay, benefits, promotions, and training. But these well-intentioned efforts often miss the mark. The front-line manager is the key to attracting and retaining talented employees. No matter how generous its pay or how renowned its training, the company that lacks great front-line managers will suffer.

Buckingham and Coffman explain how the best managers select an employee for talent rather than for skills or experience; how they set expectations for him or her -- they define the right outcomes rather than the right steps; how they motivate people -- they build on each person's unique strengths rather than trying to fix his weaknesses; and, finally, how great managers develop people -- they find the right fit for each person, not the next rung on the ladder.

This audiobook is the first to present this essential measuring stick and to prove the link between employee opinions and productivity, profit, customer satisfaction, and the rate of turnover. There are vital performance and career lessons here for managers at every level, and, best of all, the audiobook shows you how to apply them to your own situation. ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Common sense leadership
First Break all the rules addresses leadership from a common sense perspective. The twelve questions that reflect on your ability to effect productivity at the most intimate level of any process (the individual team member), are the common thread for discussion throughout this book.

With level of productivity as the measuring stick, leaders are encouraged to ask themselves if among other things, they provide direction, praise, materials, support, guidance, and opportunity for growth.

Buckningham and Coffman assert that good leaders don't try to make a silk purse from a sows ear. They suggest that you hire a sows ear where you need one and find silk to make the purse that you need. They contend that you can't change human nature, so why try. Trying to fill a deficit is more work than working with the positive aspects of your organization.

The authors also assert that good managers focus outwardly for change, and ask "why not." They focus on the strengths and manage around weaknesses. Good leaders know what types of talents that are needed at various levels of an organization; recruit to fill these positions, and develop those that you recruit.

The most useful part of this book is based on the lessons that mom taught you. Be nice. Treat people as individuals. Be flexible. Assert authority when necessary but more often than not, take a personal interest in those who are in control of how well your organization will measure up.

Must read for managers of all levels
If you think you can change people, think again. If you think one of a manager's job is to help people improve upon their weaknesses, think again. If you think climbing the corporate ladder is the best way to improve one's position in the corporate world, well, you got it, think again.

This book, written by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, and based on 25 years of research by the Gallup Organization, on over 1 million respondents, has debunked a number of management "myths". I put myths in inverted commas simply because they were "truths" -- until First, Break All The Rules (published by Simon & Schuster, London, New York, 1999, ISBN 0-68486138-0) came along.

The Gallup Organization discovered, after asking one million people hundreds of different questions on the subject of managing others, that people excel only when their talents are put to use. Talents are the recurring patterns of thought and behavior that can't be turned on and off at will. They can't be created or altered. According to the authors, people don't change much. Managers should not waste time changing their subordinates, or making them into what they are not. You cannot give new talent to a person.

The books suggests that every human being has talent, and all roles/functions/jobs in a company require talent. You cannot train or develop talent, but you can train, develop and enhance skills and proficiencies. Talent leads to interest; interest leads to motivation; motivation leads to a desire to learn; a desire to learn leads to skills and proficiencies

As for the corporate ladder, the authors suggest that you should throw it away. For example, good sales person might not perform well if she is promoted to sales manager position. She might not have the talent to manage others. Instead, let her continue in the sales position, but improve upon the salary and benefits.

Finding the right fit
This book has become priceless to my business. I highly recommend it to any manager who is having trouble motivating and keeping key employees in today's business environment. Happy employees are productive employees and this book gave me ideas that I had never considered when it came down to placing and hiring the right employees . I also recommend Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey as a corporate gift to keep employees motivated throughout the year.

Great Managers help make great employees great
This is by far one of the best management books that I have ever read. The Gallup Organization puts a whole new spin on what makes a great manager great - helping their employees to succeed as well as finding the right "fit" for their talents. This books put a strong emphasis on the different between skills and knowledge, which can be trained and learned, and talents, which cannot. Talents are unique to every individual and will drive all of us to be better at different things. It is the managers job to help us identify and build on these things.
Buckingham and Coffman do a fantastic job at incorporating wisdom and advice from the 80,000 managers that they interviewed which makes this book much easier to relate to. Whether a manager who is looking to enhance their management style, or an employee who is looking for ways to improve themselves and their organization, this is tremendous and very quick read.

A Great book on Common Sense Management
When did we lose our common sense? In college? Whenever this happened (and whatever the cause), this book helps to reclaim our common sense when applied to the world of managing employees of small, medium, and large-based companies.

This book is essential reading for economics majors, MBA students, and those working in management. It cuts through the jargon and helps people realize that management requires an understanding of human nature. It returns us to psychology. After all, the business world is bound by the rules of psychology. Violate the rules and you may harm your business.

The book delivers harsh facts. Not all employees are going to do well at every task. Managers: stop thinking that everyone can do anything. They can't. It's unreasonable to believe it. It's better to create incentives -- both monetary and prestigue -- on the idea that someone may want to continue working in a similar capacity. The book cites attorneys who start out at a law firm at junior associate, associate, senior associate, and then work on to junior partner, partner, and senior partner. Throughout the process, the attorney does not radically change what he or she is doing. Instead, their work merely becomes more interesting and their pay (and equity in the firm) rises over time. That is, rather than promote someone to a position that is radically different from what they are doing, offer perks and monetary advantages as time goes on to your employees.

The book says to promote strengths rather than overcome employee weaknesses. Some people are just never going to be able to do well at certain tasks. The book's realistic edge says we ought to understand this and move on. We can't strive for perfectin in every avenue. Make sure that your employees are doing what they do best at. Therefore, the goals of the firm -- and the employees' morale, will coincide, allowing harmony to exist in the firm. This book has many golden nuggets of wisdom, and it definitely is a keeper.

Michael ... Read more

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

We're constantly negotiating in our lives, whether it's convincing the kids to do their homework or settling million-dollar lawsuits. For those who need help winning these battles, Roger Fisher has developed a simple and straightforward five-step system for how to behave in negotiations. Narrated soothingly by NPR announcer Bob Edwards, Fisher adds the meaty portions of the material with a sense of playfulness. The blend of voices makes this tape easy to listen to, especially the real-life negotiating scenarios, in which negotiating examples are given. This is a must-have tape for every businessperson's car. (Running time: one hour, one cassette) --Sharon Griggins ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Very disappointing
I was very disappointed with this audio cassette. The one-hour cassette has limited information and is not worth the money. I have a library of audio tapes filled with great information. This is not one of them. I found the narrator voice very annoying to listen to. The tape reminded me of a college professor lecture. I will never buy another tape without checking your reader reviews. I want my money back!

A common-sense approach to negotiation
Roger Fisher and William Ury, of the Harvard Negotiation Project, brought together all the strategies of negotiation and explain how to use them and why they work. Many of the strategies seem like common sense, but the authors give concrete examples to help the reader become more aware of the good methods.

At first, I thought this would be another book which simply gave pointers on good negotiation. The writers go a step further and discuss what to do when faced with a party which uses unfair negotiation tactics (like threats or good guy/bad guy). Invaluable.

This is all written in an easy-to-read format and well worth the time to read.

A single tape! Content is good, but not a good value
I guess I was expecting more than a single tape for my $10. I think there is probably a lot of good information in the book, but it's hard to tell from a single hour of talk on a single tape. I recommend getting the book and forgetting the tape for this one.

This groundbreaking work is still a must read
At the time of its first publishing, Roger Fisher and the Harvard gang introduced a book that was truly groundbreaking and remarkable - while being concise and readable. The book is a must read now more than ever. Fisher and the Harvard Negotiation Project have provided the language for modern negotiation - a language everyone should learn. "Getting to Yes" is a great start to improving negotiation skills that build long term relationships and advance short term interests. The world would be a little bit better if everyone took a little time to read this little book.

The art of tiating
The tapes give you useful tips for negotiating. In the most part, however, these are either common sense rules or unoriginal comments based on other works in the field. All in all, the work may be full of information on the subject but I found it hard to go through it all and boring. ... Read more

Book Description

Contains the industry's most powerful methods for marketing and selling your company's recruiting services to prospective clients.

Tape One: The Power of Candidate Marketing

How to gain access to decision makers -- Storyboard your marketing script -- Discover hidden business opportunities -- Handle common objections and concerns -- Build name recognition and credibility through associations -- Establish high-quality dialogue -- Turn prospects into clients by closing on commitments.

Tape Two: Aggressive Sales, Research and Lead Generation

How to improve your selling skills -- Set higher standards for your prospects -- Qualify early to increase your odds -- Follow the paper trail to high-quality leads -- Create a market genealogy to guide your research -- Utilize the Internet and other sources of unpaid advertising -- Maximize your advertising and direct marketing results.

Plus, answers to these common questions:

Should I market outside my area of specialty? What if my marketing presentation falls flat? How often do I visit my prospects? Is it wise to market my service to internal recruiters? ... Read more

Book Description

Deepak Chopra’s best-selling guide to creating abundance and prosperity is now on CD and read by the author. Based on seven natural laws that govern all creation, this book shatters the myth that success results only from hard work, exacting plans, and driving ambition. Deepak Chopra offers a life-altering perspective on attaining success: Once we understand our true nature and learn to live in harmony with these natural laws, well-being, good health, fulfilling relationships, energy and enthusiasm for life, and material abundance can be achieved. Simple yet profound, the book’s timeless wisdom and practical steps can be applied with surprisingly quick results. "A must-read for anyone who missed The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran." — The New York Times ... Read more

Reviews (126)

"The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success"---- " revisited"
Knowing how to be spiritual is going to be our quest, for our future understanding depends on it. It's going back to our roots so to speak...from where we came...remember? If "Healing Society" by Dr Seung Heun Lee requests a spiritual awakening to accomplish our goal of "