Book Description

Ignore the latest buzz about the kinder, gentler world of new age, team-based management. It’s dog-eat-dog out there, and the sooner you realize it, the better. The New Machiavelli mines Machiavelli’s The Prince for the timeless rules and stratagems that can help today’s business rulers survive and prosper in the jungle of greed and treachery that is commerce. Alistair McAlpine enriches Machiavelli’s text with scenarios from modern business, offering keen new insight into what motivates people. You’ll learn the reasons why:

• Loyalty is not a reliable factor in the workplace
• Great power is held by the "little people" in a business
• It is better to spread power than to centralize it
• You should never believe your own publicity

Fail to read it at your peril.

"For most of my lifetime politicians have been trying to tell businessmen how to go about their tasks ... Both groups, however, will enjoy this shrewd commentary on Machiavelli’s timeless principles of skullduggery."–Margaret Thatcher

"Anyone working in corporate America who doesn’t find, read, and master Alistair McAlpine’s amazing new guidebook to the art of politics in business may soon find themselves self-employed." –Charles Saatchi, Partner, M&C Saatchi

"Written in a style, like Machiavelli’s own, at once didactic and charming... A work which is a standing satirical reproof to the various management manuals which promise corporate success."–Times Literary Supplement ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Another piece of the puzzle
For most of us, navigating the corporate and business world can be difficult, fustrating and even dangerous. Many people negotiate poor agreements with their bosses, clients and partners and in the end are hung out to dry. The perennial complaint of the casualties is that they just 'do not get it'.

If you were not lucky enough to be born into a business family or sent to Harvard B-school, then you probably will need to make a personal study of the topic. This is a book that I would include on your mandatory reading list.

With humor, European sensibilities and hardened, real-life experience, Mr McAlpine develops many parallels between Machiavelli's "New Prince" and today's business life. From the obliging employee to the use of contractors there are many examples that illuminate the undercurrents of the business world.

At my company, I have a reading list of 10 books that I found to be profound and a powerfull aid to life's business lessons. Every new employee gets these texts and this book is included in that list.

Things that weren't taught in business school
I just finished this book. As a student of politics and a person who enjoys the art of politics there was little new to me in this book. What the book does do is summarize the basic Machiavellian points and directly apply them to various business scenarios. Had I know these things 20 years ago (before I learned them the hard way) sucess in my career would have been sooner and smoother. There are things in this book you will hate and things you will like. But they are all true. Whether you like politics or not, it is played every day in the office. For the informed, the game will be smoother and more sucessful. One thing however, don't share this book with your boss or co-workers. That would be very un-Machiavellian.

Not worth reading
I found this book to be wholly absent of any kind of meaningful discussion of political behavior in the commercial environment. It provides a very cursory, feeble projection and application of Machiavelli's principles in a business context. A disappointing job at what could have been a powerful, interesting and timely discussion.

A lively and interesting read from an unlikely source.
Take a classic text on the art of politics, add a dash of recent political experience (the negative kind) and apply the whole lesson to modern business issues - voila! Lord McAlpine explains it all to you. And he doesn't do a bad job of it, ( I write as a former CEO of a NYSE listed company.)

This book is not to be purchased as a text for the purpose of finding presciptive formulas to be applied to the daily problems facing the serious manager. The Harvard Business review purports to do a better job in that direction.

Rather, find a comfortable chair, light the fire, pour a glass of sherry and enter the world of Lord McAlpine - in this case a curious and unique combination of British politics, international celebrities, worldwide business interests and family inheritances.

In his book McAlpine finds great management insights in the works of Niccolo Machiavelli for application to modern business and draws all kinds of parallels to emphasize the similiarities. To this reader, not all the comparisons fit, but the author is an engaging writer and there is enough real life business and political experience in McAlpine's distinguished career to insure some sensible commentary with a bit of wit and humor. In a sense one learns more about McAlpine than Machiavelli. As luck would have it, he is an interesting fellow, too.

At this price buy one for yourself and a colleague and enjoy a great inside joke together. Cheers!

Way beyond any "Instant book"
As said, this book goes way beyond any of the so-called instant books, as in "get-rich-now" or in 5 minutes.There is nothing much to add besides the fact that "the right stuff" in this book is quite self explanatory to anyone who pays attention to what he is reading, of course. ... Read more

Book Description

The recent rash of corporate scandals-and the ensuing financial ruin of companies and their stockholders -- proves that even the bluestof blue chip businesses cannot bank on the blind faith of consumers and investors. More than ever, corporations must rebuild, restore, and strengthenbonds of trust. Al Golin has helped create trust strategies for global business leaders including The Walt Disney Company, Hewlett-Packard, McDonald's,Toyota, Owens-Corning, and many others. Trust or Consequences shows what makes such strategies work, and reveals the eye-opening results of asurvey of over 700 business professionals. This essential book reveals how to:

* create an effective trust strategy* determine the impact of trust issues on stakeholders* assess trust-building performance and calculate the difficulty of restoring trust* create a "trust bank" for saving deposits of good will to draw on as needed

Trust or Consequencesoffers tools for identifying trust opportunities, as well as numerous inside accounts of trust-building successes and failures byhigh-profile organizations and leaders. Filled with provocative ideas about why many companies overlook trust issues, Trust or Consequences bringsthe subject to center stage -- where it must remain if companies are to regain stakeholder loyalty and competitive advantage. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Beyond "corporate reputation management" and "truthful mktg"
This book could not come at a more appropriate time. In today's business environment corporations and marketers seemed to have lost perspective on the one key element that keeps them connected to stakeholders - trust. You hear a lot about "corporate reputation management" and "truthful marketing", but trust is the real bottom-line. Mr. Golin's book clearly outlines key, easy actions that any brand or corporation can incorporate. The "Ten Acts of Trust" and "The Ten Commandments of Organizational Trust" are "must-read" and "must-implement" chapters. I recommend to marketing and communications professionals everywhere. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the first comprehensive book to approach professional issues in counseling from an ethical perspective and legal viewpoint. It addresses difficult subjects in a direct manner, and offers practical, realistic advice for practicing counselors. A clear explanation of the necessary credentials for counseling is also provided—including licensing, state certification, and national certification.Substantial sections are devoted to crucial areas—such as ensuring client confidentiality, keeping appropriate records, responding to subpoenas, dealing with clients who are a danger to themselves or others, counseling minors, and maintaining proper boundaries with clients and students. Coverage of cutting edge issues includes ensuring a diversity-sensitive practice, dealing with managed care problems, utilizing technology, and supervising properly. Model agreements that counselors can use and adapt for practice are supplied in all of the following areas: private practice, schools, agencies that serve mandated clients, evaluation situations, and community mental health agencies.For counselors in training and for counseling practitioners. ... Read more

Book Description

Based on interviews with hundreds of managers, activists, government officials, factory workers and workers’ representatives, Implementing Codes of Conduct represents the most extensive research conducted to date into the emerging nature of corporate social responsibility and global supply chains. Typically, codes of conduct draw on international labour standards, Its objective is to provide useful examples and lessons learned to companies, policy-makers and others interested in implementing their own code of conduct or who are actively involved in this field.

Typically, codes of conduct draw on international labour standards, setting guidelines on a range of issues including child labour, forced labour, wages and benefits, working hours, disciplinary practices, the right to freedom of association, health and safety, and environmental practices. This book has broad implications for firms that are serious about seeing the social and environmental objectives expressed in their corporate codes become a reality at the supplier level — implications that stretch from the boardroom to the factory floor. The book presents a model that maps a route from the creation of a vision to its implementation at the operational level. Based on research conducted in the sports footwear, apparel and retail sectors, this book provides a detailed account of the approaches currently used by leading brands and retailers and practical suggestions for other companies to follow in addressing social pressures.

Given an increasingly clear link between corporate social responsibility and profits, this book serves as an invaluable tool in assisting those interested in balancing the complex demands of society and competitive concerns.

Co-publication with Greenleaf Publishing, UK ... Read more

Book Description

NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK! The theft of valuable information--from client lists to trade secrets--costs American businesses up to $10 billion per year. Security expert Ira Winkler exposes the secrets of such corporate espionage--and how to guard against it--in this fascinating and useful book, one no business owner can afford to be without. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Insider Threat, and Poor Management = Major Losses
Ira, a former National Security Agency professional, made a name for himself in his second career as a corporate electronic security specialist by using a combination of common sense and basic work-arounds to penetrate and download millions if not billions of dollars worth of corporate research and development-always at the company's request, and generally with astonishing results. From his antics as a "temp" hire gaining access within two days, to his more systematic attacks using all known vulnerabilities including factory-shipped system administrator passwords that were never changed, he has exposed in a very practical way the "naked emperor" status of corporate America.

Excellent!!
This is a book that i would recommend to all system admins and anyone who works with networks and computers. This guy is simply amazing, all it is, being shared experiences from his job. But the tips he gives are priceless... a little social engineering here a little hacking there...BUY this book if you are a cpu afficionado and want to learn even more and protect your systems.

Poor effort; would not recommend
Mediocre presentation; little organization to the material; author on an ego trip to sell his "espionage" services to companies. Would not recommend.

Still a great book
It's sad that nobody wrote a review. This book was made in 94 I think, and the problems with computers he states, are still going on. You gotta buy this book if your interested in computer security

Not enough zing for a highly engaging subject
I was seeking an answer to the question, "Who is spying on me and how?" The modern workplace at large corporations, like mine, has changed. Technology pervades almost every communication and personal encounter. Am I being tape-recorded by my peers? How is my internet usage tracked and is it used to create a profile of my behavior? How can I use these tools to keep current? Are we crossing the line into paranoia? These questions are not answered, but are captivating to me. Anecdotes seem to ingratiate those involved, rather than communicate effective counter-tactics. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

A real-life thriller about the corporate takeover of our most basic resource.

In a shocking exposé, Blue Gold shows why, as the vice president of the World Bank has pronounced, "The wars of the next century will be about water."

Increasingly, transnational corporations are plotting to control the world's dwindling water supply. In England and France, where water has already been privatized, rates have soared and water shortages have been severe. The major bottled-water companies—Perrier, Evian, Naya, and now Coca-Cola and PepsiCo—head one of the fastest growing and least regulated industries, buying up fresh water rights and drying up crucial reserves. Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke, two of the most active opponents to this trend, show how the corporate giants act in their own interest and how, contrary to received wisdom, water flows uphill to the wealthy who can afford it.

The consumption of water doubles every twenty years—more than twice the rate of the increase in human population. Blue Goldcaptures in striking detail the forces behind the depletion of the world's fresh water, and the human and ecological impacts it entails. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

SOCIALIST VIEW OF WATER
Blue Gold is extremely easy reading replete with abundant data and reasons why private corporations should not be allowed to provide public services. While there is no doubt that private enterprise has failed in some cases and has been guilty of unseemly business practices, the authors completely ignore the dismal failure and inability of government to develop and manage water supplies. Santa Fe, New Mexico, for example, convinced their citizens that the Sangre de Cristo water company was poorly run and the water was too expensive. Since they took it over, service has been downhill and costs have been uphill. Readers are urged to use google to determine the Santa Fe water woes. The book provides a specious look at the Walkerton, Ontario affair, a publicly run water system, by saying the E. Coli outbreak was the fault of a private laboratory because they only reported what the government required. Other examples of poorly run public systems are too numerous to mention including Dar es Salam, Nairobi, Cochabamba and many others.

The book is a pleasant and informative read but must be read with the understanding that the authors are completely opposed to any private involvement in the production and distribution of water. They make the mistake of equating the operation of a water system with the ownership of the resource. They make the mistake or would like the reader to believe that the cost of water is actually the cost of water. It is not. When we refer to the cost of water it is really the annualized amortation of the capital infrastructure cost and the annual operation and maintenance cost. There are very few situations where the water is sold as a resources, San Diego, El Paso, and San Antonio being a few recent examples. So to say water is like oil is misdirection.

The authors also would lead readers to believe that bottled water is bad. In actual fact, bottling companies are held to the same standard as municipal systems for water quality.

The authors are strongly opposed to the bulk water export from Canada or from anywhere else. Those who propose such schemes could not make their proposals unless there were an uneven distribution of water on earth and their proposals are sometimes received favorably by governments such as Israel in their proposal to temporarily import 50 million cubic meters for 10 years until their desalination plants are up and running.

Pirating our Water Supply
Blue Gold's a book to let you know more about where your water in America is going. Can we stop this theft of our most valuable resource. A study reports huge corporations seeking control of the world's water supply. These involve giant European corporations in collaboration with the World Bank. Together increasingly taking control of public water supplies with tragic results. a report 'The Water Barons' says that by 2002 private water companies were operating in 56 countries and 2 territories. This rose from a dozen in 1990. Companies that are expanding control are Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux and Vivendi Environment of France, Thomas Water by RWEAG of Germany, Suar of France and United Utilities of England working with Bechtel Co. of the United States. All of these have worked closely with the World Bank. They lobby aggressively for legislation and trade laws to require cities to privatize their water. A recent update is that these companies continue in their acquisition to control water companies in the Northeastern U.S. region.

In major cities around the world, they persuade governments to sign long-term contracts with major private water companies. The concern, is that a handful of private companies could soon control a tremendous bulk of the world's most vital resource. Are water barons providing a good product? One certain city in the U.S. cancelled it's water contract because of complaints of poor service and unsanitary water conditions. In other countries and poorer countries were unable to pay huge water bills were forced to drink from disease-ridden lakes and streams resulting the spread of deadly epidemic outbreaks such as chlorea. In regions of the U.S. where ground water isn't enough to support domestic and fire protection water needs. It's necessary to develop alternative sources of water. The water crisis is worldwide. Many countries are facing a severe shortage. Some will run out of water by the year 2011. Can we find alternative ways to conserve our greatest resource. And, in the meantime can we stop the railroading of public water to greedy giant corporate barons. This book is a eye-opener. Another good reading on this subject is, 'Cadillac Desert.'

Addresses Threats to Our Most Valuable Global Resource
This was a great book that highlights the current threats to our global water supply. This book was particularly thorough in the analysis of the privatization of water resources. It explains the international institutions that prop up global water companies. I was very impressed with the extensive research that the authors must have put into this book - they used many examples of water issues from around the world. This book is a great introductory book for someone interested in becoming more knowledgable in water issues. It is also a great book for the general public to help them to understand more about a resource they probably take for granted. Don't buy bottled water! It is environmentally wasteful of resources and economically unjustifiable. It contributes funds to private companies and helps to support global water corporations!

Threats to Blue Gold
There are not many surprises in BLUE GOLD. The primary message of Maud Barlow and Tony Clarke's book echoes the Blue Planet Project, a global campaign to assert the universal right to water, of which Barlow is one of the international leaders. It is the 'battle against the corporate world' - here in particular the 'theft of the world's water'. Of course, it is not so much a 'theft' of water - the world's water supply has been more or less stable since the beginning of time - rather the increasing control by a small group of multinationals over the water's allocation to the peoples of this planet.

Consequently, the strength of the book is in its coverage of the multi-national corporations, the 'Global Water Lords', and the exposure of their expanding power over water delivery and processing systems around the globe. Initiatives to privatize water delivery at a national level probably started with Napoleon III in France in the middle of the 19th century. At that time, governments were usually in charge of water management. Since then privatization has spread from France to the rest of the world. Today, Barlow and Clarke maintain, some 10 corporate players dominate the global water industry. Two French companies hold the lion's share. Most of these major players are multi-utility providers, which increase their hold on the water resources of countries and regions. Once a government opens a door to privatization of any of the water related services, such as water delivery or waste management, it abandons its right to take back control at any stage even if water user groups complain about bad or no service or the company does not live up to the contract. The rules and regulations of the WTO see to that, the authors claim. Although the percentage of national water systems controlled by multi-national corporations at the present time is small, Barlow and Clarke want to warn of the trend and its implication.

Examples are described where things have gone wrong: poor quality of project implementation resulted in water pollution and environmental damage, and/or communities and local business lost the water supply altogether. In these instances corporate water suppliers maintained their profit margin through cutting back in previously promised investments and/or increasing consumer rates. The latter was implemented without any regard to the capacity of the poor to pay. As a result, they could be cut off from the service.

Barlow and Clarke's analysis of the progression of the global water crisis and its origins is less satisfactory. A reader unfamiliar with complex topic of water might find the tour d'horizon overwhelming. The review of the diversity of root causes at local, national and regional levels is superficial and tends to present generalizations where concrete examples would have been more meaningful. The tendency to paint a black and white picture with big business as the main villain sidelines other major reasons for water crises around the world. Agriculture is only mentioned in passing, although some 70% of all water resources are used by agriculture: agribusiness and millions of small-scale and mid-size farmers across industrialized and developing countries. Implementing water conservation methods (through improved irrigation, drought tolerant crops, etc) could lead to substantial water resource savings.

Recent initiatives against global corporate water control highlighted in the section 'Fightback' are selective, emphasizing well-known international as well as North American cases. The approach is usually confrontational with clearly identified opposing sides. Examples of constructive multi-stakeholder collaboration efforts in many parts of the world which attempt to tackle water scarcity are not given enough recognition.
The 'Way Forward' spells out fundamental principles and recommends a series of standards that should be included in any agreement of public-private partnerships in the water delivery sphere. These include the involvement of water users in the planning of the systems, local stewardship and watershed protection, strengthen water preservation and reclaiming of polluted water systems. Underlying all these standards is the recognition of water as an essential part of life and the right of all beings to water whatever their social or economic status. A call for capacity building and education of consumers, communities, government officials and private sector actors at all levels should be added.

BLUE GOLD is an easy read, maybe for some too easy considering the seriousness of the topic. It covers very important ground, often in an overview fashion that tends to generalize and take a black and white stand. Although it is obvious that the authors did comprehensive research in preparation of the book, it shows a certain lack of thoroughness by not providing citation references (footnotes), adequate source listings and a bibliography or reading list.

Blue Gold
Compared with Marc Reisner's Cadillac Desert or Marq de Villiers Water I found Blue Gold to be relatively poorly researched, presenting only the authors' point-of-view rather than a thoughtful analysis of the world water situation. The authors failed to convince me that "public" (government) control of water distribution would be better than private control; after all, the government in the U.S. has a very poor record of equitable distribution, especially through Bureau of Reclamation projects. A private distribution system modeled after our natural gas distribution system, with a regulatory board setting prices and two-tier pricing (cheap baseline rates plus higher rates for use above baseline amounts) could perhaps work, but was not discussed by the authors.
I think, also, that the editing was somewhat poor: Does California factory-farm runoff really leak into the Ogallala aquifer (p. 34)? Did the FBI really order reservoir gates closed in Klamath Falls (p.65)?
Overall, I think better books are available that discuss the water issue in a less biased manner. ... Read more

Book Description

Bioethics was "born in the USA" and the values American bioethics embrace are based on American law, including liberty and justice. This book crosses the borders between bioethics and law, but moves beyond the domestic law/bioethics struggles for dominance by exploring attempts to articulate universal principles based on international human rights. The isolationism of bioethics in the US is not tenable in the wake of scientific triumphs like decoding the human genome, and civilizational tragedies like international terrorism. Annas argues that by crossing boundaries which have artificially separated bioethics and health law from the international human rights movement, American bioethics can be reborn as a global force for good, instead of serving mainly the purposes of U.S. academics. This thesis is explored in a variety of international contexts such as terrorism and genetic engineering, and in U.S. domestic disputes such as patient rights and market medicine. The citizens of the world have created two universal codes: science has sequenced the human genome and the United Nations has produced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The challenge for American bioethics is to combine these two great codes in imaginative and constructive ways to make the world a better, and healthier, place to live. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Who do you trust at work and who trusts you? By inviting readers to answer these two questions, authors Galford and Drapeau get their arms around the slippery yet strategic dimension of trust in organizations. The Trusted Leader is grounded in their research and experience in executive development. The authors define three areas of trust, including strategic trust (assurance the organization is doing the right things), organizational trust (belief in the way things are being done), and personal trust (confidence between leader and employees). These ideas are illuminated through self-assessments and definitions of the competencies of a trusted leader. One standout chapter introduces the enemies of trusted leadership, from the big daddy syndrome and the revenging angel to the rainmaker/jerk. Another section details how defining events such as downsizing can build or break trust. The book would have been strengthened by a clearer explanation of how trust inside the organization translates into gaining the confidence of outside clients and customers. Still, in this era of headline-grabbing corporate trust-breakers, Galford and Drapeau define what it means to be trustworthy. In their capable hands, trust stops being an intangible noun and becomes an active verb. --Barbara Mackoff ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Didn't work for me
I spent a couple hours with this book and can honestly say that I discovered very little new or insightful information. I have modest expectations of books like these, figuring that if I can capture one new useful piece of wisdom, my time and money would be well spent. Unfortunately, I did not find anything useful here.

In addition, I found the style of the book made it hard to move through the book quickly while easily capturing the few big ideas. Do authors who write books like these really think that senior executives have the time to read 250 pages of dense text ? Get to the point, and get out. But, then I guess no one would pay ...for a 25-page book !

Managerial Trust: Difficult to Gain, but Easy to Lose
Authors Galford and Drapeau are two individuals with extensive experience in management. These two people have been involved in top corporate management for many years, working with Pepsi Co., FTD Florist, and others. They wrote this book to stress the importance of trust between all levels of management and the immediate employees.

Just how important is trust in a corporation? Well, the authors think it ranks at the very top of the list because it is through trust that all other corporate activites (in the business sense) are based. The first part of this book gives an overview of trust, followed by a section that identifies the tools of trust. Proper conduct of a trusted leader is discussed next, followed by a troubleshooting guide of sorts, that explains what to do when key individuals leave; how to handle crises involving trust; and how to repair the damage when trust is lost. There's even a self- assessment questionnaire that you can take to estimate the level of trust in your company.

I like the way the authors of this book progress from defining the issue, to demonstrating how trusted leaders behave, to identifying problems and, finally, to offering solutions. They cover most of the important areas except for one: they don't really address the fact that most managers do, indeed, tell lies. In some cases the lies told are critical to the success of the company (like in the case of not talking about a new product currently in development). In other cases, the lies told are required as part of the job (for example, pretending that the director's plan of action is great when the manager knows in his heart that it's not). These situations can affect trust in adverse ways, but the authors do not touch on these issues.

Management books are often a little bit slow to read and sometimes can be rather repetitive in nature. This book is no exception. I found certain parts rather dull, and I had to make myself determined to finish. I kept nodding off as I tried to read. After so long, I got really tired of reading the word "trust". I know that trust is the main subject of the book, but it still got repetitive after a while.

Trust in the corporate arena is very important for the success of a business. When I think back to the past few years and all the examples of corporate mismanagement, especially with Enron, it's easy to see why the authors of this book really drive home the point that trust DOES matter! Without it, a company is doomed to fail.

weLEAD Book Review by the Editor of leadingtoday.org
The Trusted Leader is a book that has long been needed. Trust is a subject that has woefully been lacking in many past books on leadership and in some respected educational institutions that should have been teaching it. The result of this neglect is evident in the daily news, which has been reporting on the indictment or conviction of numerous business executives for corruption. Our jaded generation is skeptical of most positions of leadership for good reason. For too many, the importance of trust has been clouded by personal greed. Galford and Drapeau boldly discuss this subject with clarity, common sense and research. The authors wrote this book primarily for those in senior leadership roles, but its content is certainly applicable to most anyone.

This book is composed of fourteen chapters within five parts or themes. The parts are logically presented and include...

Part One: An Overview Of Trusted Leadership

Part Two: Identifying And Applying The Tools Of Trusted Leaders

Part Three: How Trusted Leaders Work

Part Four: Defining Moments

Part Five: Building Trust In Perspective

The Trusted Leader is a comprehensive discussion of trust beginning with the definition of trusted leadership and concluding with the importance of leaving a legacy of trust when you depart the organization. As the authors state, "we feel strongly that creating a community of trusted leaders who can then help trust permeate through all levels of an organization-particularly in today's business context-is critical to every company's long-term survival and success."

Galford and Drapeau have written this book using their own research, personal observations and case examples. They offer a series of interactive exercises to determine where trust can be supplemented and improved. In addition, they also offer some diagnostic tools to help the executive rebuild trust. A remarkable "Self-Assessment" tool presented in chapter 2 is one that you will want to revisit often! ...

As a credit to its authors, this book was envisioned and started before the Enron, Global Crossing, Adelphia Cable, Tyco and WorldCom scandals broke. It is timely and its message is long overdue. If you want to study a vital yet unfrequented area of leadership, The Trusted Leader is definitely a book you will want in your personal library.

A Timely, Landmark Book for All Leaders
Would you like to work with and for people you trust? Would you like to have their trust in return? What level of trust do you have now in your colleagues and leaders? How does that make you feel? How would you like to feel at work, instead?

If you feel strongly about improving any of those dimensions of your work life, this is the best book I have seen on the subject for what leaders can do.

Trust is actually a little simpler than this book makes it seem. Most of us trust those who look out for our interests as well as their own, care about us, explain why they are doing whatever they are doing, and listen to our concerns. That point gets a little lost in the underbrush of analyzing trust, and how it is built, lost and reacquired from various organizational perspectives.

The book's strength comes in three areas. First, there's self-assessment in the beginning that I found very revealing about how well trust is being generated at work now. Second, the authors tackle many painful, difficult situations at work and discuss how they can be addressed in more constructive, trust-building ways (such as layoffs, surviving mergers, sudden departures of key people, teams that are failing, and emotionally out-of-control colleagues and bosses). Third, there are an impressive number of case histories that most readers will recognize as being similar to something that has happened in their own work places (like cheating to get bonuses, egomaniacs running amok, insensitive comments in public, resentment after promotions), and excellent discussions of principled ways to handle them.

The only way that this book could have been improved in what it addresses would have been by having quantitative expressions of how the participants in some of these situations reacted to what happened.

Any leader will benefit by reading these lessons and becoming more sensitive to the implications of their words, actions and inaction. I also suggest that leaders review relevant sections in the book whenever they see a touchy situation building, as well as just after having made a hash of some organizational situation for ideas to help remedy their mistakes.

If you are looking for how trust relates back out to nonorganizational stakeholders (such as customers, end users, suppliers, partners, lenders, stakeholders and the communities that the organization affects) those dimensions are mostly ignored except as isolated dimensions of some case histories (if the team is ineffective, the client usually notices and complains or gets a new supplier).

After you finish reviewing all of the interesting ideas for doing better here, think about what you can do tomorrow morning to start building more trust by trusting others more.

Donald Mitchell
Co-author of The 2,000 Percent Solution, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise and The Ultimate Competitive Advantage

This one is good...
This is one of the few business books that I actually wanted to read, not just scan. I wish this book had been around five years ago. Not only can I see myself in a lot of the examples, I can see many of my colleagues, too. It really hits home, in a good way. I took the self-assessment test at thetrustedleader.com, it's basically like what's in the book but it adds up the score for you. It would be interesting to compare scores before and after reading the book. I'm suggesting it to my colleagues for our internal programs and would recommend it to anyone. ... Read more

Book Description

Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., has done more than win the tastebuds of America -- it has earned the admiration of Wall Street and established a model for business owners and employees eager to earn profits without compromising their principles. In Ben & Jerry's Double-Dip, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield offer the ultimate insider's guide to creating a values-led business that makes money while benefiting the entire community. Using examples from their own company as well as a host of others, these renowned innovators reveal:

• How your commitment to worthy social causes will result in unprecedented customer and employee loyalty -- and increased profit
• Practical advice on everything -- from hiring employees to choosing suppliers
• Nuts-and-bolts information on values-led finance, retailing, and human resources

Ben & Jerry's Double-Dip is essential reading for anyone who owns, works for, invests in, or shops at a socially responsible business. ... Read more

Book Description

At time when investors are wondering who to trust, L.J. Rittenhouse has written the first-ever guide to identifying trustworthy business leadership. She examines the letters that CEOs write in their annual reports to show readers how to spot executives with clear sight, wise judgment and the ability to balance profits and principles. While many people complain that these letters are a waste of time to read, Rittenhouse shows investors how to read between the lines to ferret out useful information that management may be trying to hide. Quoting from the letters of Warren Buffett and other trust-building CEOs, she establishes standards of disclosure that readers can use to determine the worth of other company communications. In Do Business With People You Can Tru$t readers are invited to be part of a movement to instill improved business disclosure and accountability. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Not thorough enough
LJ's book is mostly a regurgitation of Warren Buffett's letters combined with a few exerpts from the Enron and other shareholder letters.She's clearly fallen under the spell of the Oracle from Omaha.I wish there were new insights here about evaluating people for business partnerships, but there isn't anything of the sort.Rather, we get a childlike and skin deep analysis of a few shareholder letters spliced into a sparse review of Buffett's letters.Very disappointing.

A European perspective on a US problem
Laura Rittenhouse has done us all a great favour in her book "Do Business with People you can Trust". It should be required reading for all CEO's and corporate communicators. At last we can see the propects for creating shareholder value by full and honest disclosure and she has created a useful technique for assessing the value (or lack of it)implicit in the shareholder letters published by CEOs.
All those who have had the uneviable task of writing reports or letters to shareholders know the temptations of the fashionable phrase or the piece of internal jargon. They are easy to write and get the job done - but we should all learn to stand back and ask "exactly what does that mean?"
Disclosure requirements are increasing in all countries but no amount of rules or legislation will prevent the use of meaningless phrases or words. The author helps us understand what works and what doesn't.
I only have two suggestions for improvement. First, I think we are benefiting here in the UK from additional disclosures about risk management and many companies are now reporting on the major risks they are taking and how they manage them. More on that would have been helpful. Second, She has focused on the "goodies" strongly represented by Berkshire Hathaway, and the "baddies" represented by Enron. The emphasis on these two companies is heavy and I would have preferred something a little more balanced.
Other than that I enjoyed the book immensely, it is well and intelligently written with a mischievous sense of humour. I hope Ms Rittenhouse will persevere with her theme and continue her analysis for an update in a year or so.

Mining the Nuggets of Knowledge from Shareholder Letters
Tru$t should be required reading for anyone interested in leadership, communications or investing.In fact, many Wall Street analysts could offer significant added value in their reports by applying the lessons in Tru$t to their research.My hope is that in subsequent books Ms. Rittenhouse builds on her analysis of success to provide more insight into the art of creating new businesses - or leading any worthwhile organization.

Do Business with People You Can Tru$t involves readers in the possibilities of trustworthy and ethical business practices through entertaining and illustrative analysis of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letters.The premise of this analysis is that these letters do not just represent a unique and interesting form of communication - they are also the best barometers of the qualities of the manager that writes them.This premise is illustrated with examples of how Berkshire approaches its business issues and needs contrasted with other approaches and the relative success of each.

Do Business With People You Can Trust
Ms. Rittenhouse has provided a valuable tool for responsible investors.This book speaks directly to the reader in an honest manner. One never gets the feeling they are being "talked down to". The eye-opening experience of applying the tools to consecutive annual report CEO letters helps one determine if the company is one to be trusted even before looking at the financials.This is a must have book for all investors!

A fascinating new approach to doing Business with principles
Drawing on examples from extreme ends of ethical spectrum in todays's bussiness world--Berkshire Hathaways and Enron--Ms. Rittenhouse puts forth a compelling argument about the benefits of remaining principled in one's business dealings.

Thanks to this book, I no longer believe that good CEOs must live in an ethical gray area in order to turn a profit in today's business world. This book should be the basis for a complete reevaluation of current accepted business practices.

The author also illustrates how an average person can thoughtfully gauge the ethics of a company through careful analysis of its annual report.

Bravo Ms. Rittenhouse! ... Read more

Book Description

This short guide will focus on ethical issues involved in today's technological workplace, including information on ethics in the workplace, technology issues and behavior concerns.Key topics also include: what is business ethics, ethical behavior in business, ethical norms for business decisions, ethical norms for global business, ethics in cultural diversity and the bottom line, loyalty and whistle blowing, handling ethical dilemmas at work and ethics for strategic planning. ... Read more

Book Description

During the past decade scientists, public policy analysts, politicians, and laypeople, have become increasingly aware of the importance of ethical conduct in scientific research. In this timely book, David B. Resnik introduces the reader to the ethical dilemmas and questions that arise in scientific research. Some of the issues addressed in the book include ethical decision-making, the goals and methods of science, and misconduct in science. The Ethics of Science also discusses significant case studies such as human and animal cloning, the Challenger accident and Tobacco research. This is essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand the importance of ethics in science. ... Read more

Book Description

En este libro encontrara los principios fundamentales que necesita para triunfar en el terreno financiero y que le permitiran engrosar su bolsillo, aumentar su cuenta bancaria y asegurarse el exito economico que todos anhelamos, aprendiendo a conservarlo y a hacerlo fructificar. Se trata de una guia perfecta tanto para graduados y especialistas como para profamos en el tema. ... Read more

Book Description

Current, comprehensive guidelines to ethical regulations for accounting professionals

A handful of high-profile accounting misdeeds at Enron, WorldCom, Adelphia, and the like have left the entire accounting profession scrambling to assert its validity and negotiate a flurry of new regulations. Ethics for CPAs provides a valuable road map to this new landscape, instructing accounting professionals on how to abide by the new pronouncements and, if necessary, how to professionally respond to an investigation.

Employing an information-mapping format, Ethics for CPAs separates information into small units based on purpose or function for the reader, rather than by topic, creating an accessible desk reference. This authoritative guide covers the most recent and extensively revised ethics requirements of the:

• AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct
• SEC
• Department of Labor
• GAO’s Yellow Book
• State societies and state boards

With a companion Web site posting interpretations of new pronouncements within thirty days of issuance, Ethics for CPAs proves the most up-to-date and comprehensive resource on the market. ... Read more

Book Description

A complexity perspective on leadership, this book considers factors such as risk and conflict, spontaneity and motivation, bullying and the use/abuse of power to express a new view of business ethics. ... Read more

Book Description

Nearly a century ago, Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism articulated the animating spirit of the industrial age, the Protestant ethic.Now, Pekka Hinamen — together with Linus Torvalds and Manuel Castells — articulates how hackers* represent a new, opposing ethos for the information age.Underlying hackers' technical creations — such as the Internet and the personal computer, which have become symbols of our time — are the hacker values that produced them and that challenge us all. These values promoted passionate and freely rhythmed work; the belief that individuals can create great things by joining forces in imaginative ways; and the need to maintain our existing ethical ideals, such as privacy and equality, in our new, increasingly technologized society.The Hacker Ethic takes us on a journey through fundamental questions about life in the information age — a trip of constant surprises, after which out time and our lives can be seen from unexpected perspectives.


*In the original meaning of the word, hackers are enthusiastic computer programmers who share their work with others; they are not computer criminals. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Intriguing Viewpoints
This book compares the so-called "hacker work ethic" as compared to the old "Protestant work ethic," examining so-called hacker culture and their motivations for working and completing projects, as opposed to the world view of working "because you are supposed to." It makes a number of interesting observations, and points out that in our world, the pressure to "work, work, work" never seems to escape us, in spite of all the technological advances of our world designed to "make life easier."

It also points out that "true hackers" are willing to work at something in order to improve it and are not always motivated to do so by the almighty dollar. I long have worked with engineers who come in to work at 10 or 11 am but stay until almost midnight every day and never quite understood why until now. It's the desire to continue to tinker with and ultimately complete a project.

I will never be a "true hacker," since I lack the aptitude and ultimately patience to sit at a computer screen all hours of the day and night trying to solve programming problems, but books like these give me a much better understanding of the ones who are.

The book in it's self is contradictive to it's objective...
I'm only 1/4 of the way through so far. I find it amusing that the author, obviously a believer in his writings, chooses to sell his book rather than provide it free of charge for all to download. This seems to go against the hacker ethic ;).

That aside, thus far it appears to be a worthy read. Reading the first three chapters has given me a slightly different perspective on my job and gave me a reason to be proud of my authority complex. Tomorrow I am going to revolt againt my bosses and tell them I'll work when I want to (If anybody reading this is looking to hire a developer with hacker ethics I will be needing a job tomorrow).

Provocative, Maybe Ground Breaking, Expecting More
The Hacker Ethic is a late 1990s Information Age treatise. The author, a gifted and young sociologist, posits that the Protestant Ethic is gradually giving away to a new paradigm, and that the new paradigm will be much more effective and functional than the old paradigm. Seems simplistic, but much of Himanen's treatise is excellent and hard to ignore.

If I can fault the work, it would be along the lines that it can misinterpreted by slackers as a way of mindlessly rebelling against employers and western culture altogether. Too many Generation X advocates will take this like Charles Manson took the White Album. This is a solid, introductory work not to be read by nihilists.

Overall, I think Himanen is a very promising figure in the Information Age and will probably make a great long-term contribution to global society. I expect bigger and better things from him in the future.

Very bad and very simplistic
A very simplistic work by a minor philosopher (I use this word lightly). Wow, so bad, so dumb, such a waste of time. Those other books you are considering reading first? Go again.

Written by a sociologist for sociologists
I originally picked up this book more for amusement than anything else, considering it another one of those books about kids who stay up all night writing radical programs and their nocturnal habits. I was wrong. This book is best decribed in the prologue written by Linus Torvolds himself. He states that when he first met the author it was at a convention of 'sociologists talking about technology'. Well this book is written by just such a person... a sociologist. And one by my observation who decided to write a book about technology without any real knowledge of the spectrum of subcultures in the technology arena. In a way it seems like a sociological report one would make to his peers, who without any real background in the subject would deem well written,as previous reviews above have shown, but for the rest of us, there is much more interesting literature out there. And hopefully sometime in the very near future he will cease his contributing his, at best, amateur opinions on this subject to himself, and allow those with a true insight to document the culture. While I greatly respect Linus Torvalds and his contributions to the world, he only lends credibility to a book that no one else wouldeven consider without his name being mentioned. ... Read more

Book Description

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Better values mean bigger profits

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

Reviews (1)

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

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

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

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