Book Description

Reviews (1)

A book worth buying and a book worth giving
Baseball and writing about baseball are my passions and being passionate about something is the heart and soul of the new book by Mike Veeck (and Pete Williams), "Fun Is Good: How to Inject Joy & Passion Into Your Workplace & Career" published by Rodale Press and to be released early next month. The book is part business philosophy, part autobiography, part confessional, part homage to his late father Bill Veeck, part salute to his 12-year old daughter who is fighting blindness as the result of retinitis pigmentosa, part a baseball love story and all fun. Because fun is what Mike, like all the Veecks, is all about.

Mike writes, "Somehow in our haste to seize the American dream, we've sucked the fun, passion, and creativity out of the workplace." How many of you feel that way? I guess that's why so many people say that work sucks. But as Mike points out, "Fun isn't just good; it's a necessity." "If you're not having fun, it's nearly impossible to project the upbeat, positive attitude necessary to service clients effectively."

We know that's the trouble with baseball, don't we? Somehow it has becoming way to much about greed. We could handle it if were about drugs, sex, and rock and roll, at least that's fun. Mike writes that when his father Bill Veeck died in 1986, "we had him cremated so he wouldn't constantly be rolling in his grave."

In the workplace it's about passion, the right attitude and being happy at what you do. Mike encourages change and risk taking because if you're unhappy you can't afford to stay where you are. In addition, your role whether you are an Indian or a chief is to help create a workplace atmosphere that is fun, positive and risk taking. He writes, "How effectively you interact with coworkers sets the tone for the organization," because if you take a genuine interest in the people around you, you never know where it might lead.

I was particularly struck with this philosophical statement, "If you approach things with optimism and with the mentality that any obstacle can be overcome with good humor, preparation, brainpower, and a little bit of luck, nothing is outside the realm of possibility." It is that statement that clearly drives Mike's wonderful daughter. The book is filled with interviews and vignettes from business leaders in which they express, in their own words, how the importance of a "Fun is Good" philosophy has driven the success of their company. None is more powerful or moving than the section written by Rebecca Veeck who truly sums up much more than the philosophy of the book when she writes, "Fun is Good because that's the way life is supposed to be. It's the main feeling that we're supposed to have. I mean, if you're not having fun, what's the point?"

I will be giving this book to my daughter Elizabeth on her birthday on April 11 (the same date as Veeck's eldest, Night Train Veeck) because as she prepares to graduate college and face the real world she needs to know that if you treat every day like Opening Day than life will be fun, and fun is good.

... 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)

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.

Comprehensive blueprint for revitalizing corporate America
Dr. Covey's book has deservedly withstood the test of time. If you appreciate the 80/20 rule that 80% of your benefit comes from 20% of (whatever), you'll know that sometimes the 95/5 rule applies: Ninety-five percent of your effectiveness in life and business comes from applying five percent of the advice available. Dr. Covey has culled that 5% that most deserves your time and energy.
He addresses the critical issues of how you set your goals and priorities, how you dedicate your time, how you manage people, and how you keep your ethics and values intact throughout the challenges of life.
If the Seven Habits had been applied during the dot.com boom instead of the Common Deadly Principles of Greed we would surely have had slower, steadier, more lasting economic growth. It's never too late.
More than ever, these positive principles are needed throughout American life - and especially within the business sector. The behavioral principles are sound and built on the rock of universal (not sectarian) spiritual laws.

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

Reviews (48)

Management Info you Need
If you're a software manager, and you haven't read "Peopleware," stop reading this, and go read that instead. It's that's good. If you're a developer or engineer on a team that's not getting anything done, read it. This book is filled with practical advice on teams, team building, and getting work done.

"Peopleware" doesn't go in for theory. It puts into words what any contemplative manager already knows intuitively. The benefit of this book, however, is that it provides concise, powerful evidence to support each of its statements on team building and managing creative people. "Peopleware" covers it all -- why you have high turnover, why you have low productivity, and how to get your team to "jell."

The design of the book is excellent. There are 34 chapters in 226 pages. The cover struck me as funny on such a thin book: "Eight all new chapters." How did they fit all that into such a thin book? Simple: each chapter is very focused and short -- an entire chapter on a concept can be read in a single sitting -- even by the busiest manager. I recommend you read a chapter first thing in the morning, keep the ideas in your mind all day, and then read that chapter again in the evening. It will help you get the most out of what the book has to offer.

Part one focuses on managing people. It describes how development is different from manufacturing, what motivates people, and some of the pitfalls. It also focuses on you, the manager, and your role in the success of your project. Part 2 zeros in on environment. DeMarco and Lister single out environment as one of the biggest sources of problems in development. As such, they devote more time to this than any other subject in the book. It can get a bit repetitive, but the points they make are important, so it is easy to forgive them for focusing on it so much.

Parts 3, 4, and 5 address people, teams, and work methods. These areas may be of the most immediate value to a beleaguered manager, as it is here that they have the most opportunity to make changes, and where they typically have the least training. The authors focus on how to work with individuals, move on to making teams "jell," and finally on how to make work more meaningful and dynamic to reduce turnover, which "Peopleware" labels as "a cancer."

Finally, part 6 is the new stuff added to the second edition. As a result, they are a set of unrelated essays, not integrated with the rest of the text. However, they are quite a bit more timely than the earlier chapters, which sometimes feel a bit dated. It would have been nice to see these chapters more integrated with the rest of the book, but that's a minor quibble. The section on Process Improvement Programs (such as CMM) is very insightful, and will strike a chord with many people who question the value of the implementation of these programs in their organizations.

"Peopleware" is simply the best management book I have read for the front line technical manager in a development organization. It is a complete course from the school of hard knocks on what works and what doesn't in the real world.

Hits the Mark
I was asked to read this book for a Master's degree class. Like many textbooks, I approached it with caution, but was pleasantly surprised by what I found within. Though this book was written primarily for software developers who are often backed against the wall to produce, the content is really universal to most business situations. We usually have to work with people, and we usually have to produce in our various fields.

Peopleware is a book you should read if you desire your business team to reach its full potential regardless of the industry you are in. Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister cover a lot of territory that is totally missed by other leader/manager books. They cover topics such as the workplace environment, the value of fun, and developing a chemistry with your team that is highly productive.

While reading the book it was obvious that they had served in the trenches of American businesses. The universal mistakes that companies continue to make over and over have been catalogued and brought to light in this volume. But they not only highlight the common mistakes, they offer proven techniques to help you avoid these same mistakes.

If you are in the process of forming or leading individuals or a team of people, the ideas found in this book will help you take them the top. You will enjoy the writing style, the humor, and the information contained in this volume.

A must read for software leaders
In his 25th Anniversary Edition of "Mythical Man-Month", Fred Brooks points to PeopleWare as the influential IS book of the 1980's, and says that it was influential for the same reason MMM was: The primary challenges of software development are social, not technical. Companies that forget this are setting themselves up for failure.

If you've seen dilbert style software "management" and want to find a better way, I can't recommend this book more strongly. If you read it, you'll want to find a way to get your superiors to read it as well.

In my experience, a great deal of so-called "management" is really shoft-term optimization: "IF we can eliminate X benefit we can save $Y per year!" and cost control. DeMarco and Lister point out that the real goal is productivity, and suggest numerous ways to treat employees as people to get increased productivity, as opposed to treating them as inhuman "Resources" and managing by spreadsheet.

One story from the book: In my early years as a developer, I was privileged to work on a project managed by Sharon Weinberg, now president of the Codd and Date Consulting Group. She was a walking example of much of what I now think of as enlightened management. One snowy day, I dragged msyelf out of a sickbed to pull together our shaky system for a user demo. Sharon came in and found me propped up at a console. She disappeared and came back a few minutes later with a container of soup. After she'd poured it into me and buoued up my spirits, I asked her hwo she found time to for such things with all the management work she had to do. She game me her patented grin and said "Tim, this _IS_ management!" - TDM

This book is all about the manager's role: Not to make people work, but to make it possible for people to work. How to do that, how teams jell, etc. It's a pleasure to read and it's ... right. And in a field full of false promises, snake oil, and worthless statistics, that's saying something.

Great book, captures office politics to a tee.
This book is well worth reading for both low level employees and managers. Although directed at the software development community, the book presents many ideas which would be useful in a wide range of companies.

It's amazing how many of the situations described in this book are familiar, or are at least situations that I could easily imagine occurring in the office work environment.

Yes, the book was written quite a while ago, but I think it's still very relevant today. Highly recommended reading, and enjoyable too. The authors really have a sense of humor.

Good Overall, But Some Material Is Outdated Or Impractical
This is a good book on software management; however, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. The references to the intercom paging system definitely date the book. I doubt this is really an issue anymore, but I am glad that it is not. Also, most companies are not going to allow the control over office space that is recommended in the book. This is where the book goes a little "pie in the sky" to me.

There is still a lot of good material for managers to consider. The authors make a very good point in the "true story" about the manager that brought soup in to an ill employee who was trying to meet a deadline. Management's job is to make it possible for people to work - not just to make them work.

I also found the information on teamwork to be very true based on my experience. I've seen defensive management at its worst, and how it was terrible to the team environment. Defensive management is a result of not following one of the earlier concepts of hiring the right people. Ultimately if you don't trust people to get the job done, why did you hire them in the first place?

Most of the information is not new nor is it really profound. However, that is the kind of thing that is usually taken for granted. The authors have given the material a good treatment and encourge the readers against this very thing. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides the most current, thorough, and contemporary account of the factors affecting the organizational design process, making important organization theories accessible and interesting. It addresses the many issues and problems that are involved in managing the process of organizational change and transformation, providing direct and clear managerial implications.Topics covered in this comprehensive book are the organization and its environment; organizational design; organizational change; and finally, interesting case studies that illustrate the concepts presented.A useful book that is appropriate for managers in any organization. ... Read more

Book Description

107 interactive games and activities can be found in the pages of this easy-to-use book. Each game is fun, experiential, easy to lead, unique, and requires minimal resources. With 65 team challenges and 42 activities that help any team get to know one another, become comfortable with each other, and open up, there is something for every group.

If you work with youth, corporate groups, therapy groups, church groups, scouts, families, school groups, sports teams, at camp, or with any other group who must work together you will find helpful games and activities in this fun, energetic, and purposeful book! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The best I've seen.
This book was exactly what I was looking for to build teams with my middle schoolers. Many activities would also be useful with high schoolers or adults. I have a lot of the traditional games and team building activity books, but none were as well arranged or easy to use. Activities that use few or no props or items that are easy to find are what work best for me! This book is full of them!

Team-Building Games
What a great book! I am a high school teacher, and I'm not only trying to teach my students about literature and grammar, but also about teamwork, cooperation, and communication skills. This book has lots of activities that are divided into 4 levels from learning peoples' names to really opening up and sharing personal stuff. The instructions are easy to understand, and most require little preparation and supplies that you usually have around (pens, paper, tape, chairs, etc.) The book is well-organized beyond the 4 activity levels as well; for each game, the author clearly states the objective, the needed materials, instructions, and variations on the activities. For the second two levels, she also includes excellent discussion questions. It seems to me that these activities would really work with ANY group. Well worth the investment.

Pretty Good stuff!
Good book with good activities. Some are more involved than others and require some hefty prep and set up (if that's a problem, check out Miller's Quick Teambuilding Activities book, it's similar, but only has short, quick activities for when you are on a time crunch). I especially liked the writing format here, easy to skim the activities and quickly grasp the essense so you can decide if this is the one you wanna use!

Great for Boy Scout Junior Leadership Training!
I purchased this book to supplement the team building games provided by BSA. I was extremely pleased with the games that are offered in this book. We decided to try "Cup Stack" at one of our first training sessions, and since then it has become a staple game for us. The variety of games available has enabled us to create a completely new variation of Junior Leader Training every time out. I have just ordered Alanna's second book to enhance our program even further.

Excellent
Not a bad book... it is easy to follow, very easily adapted to many different audiences and I cant wait to use it this summer. Activities are well organized and practical.

I am so pleased with this book, I am going to order more by Alanna Jones. ... Read more

Book Description

This text-workbook is a streamlined, no-nonsense approach to business communication. It takes a three-in-one approach: (1) text, (2) practical workbook, and (3) self-teaching grammar/mechanics handbook. The chapters reinforce basic writing skills, then apply these skills to a variety of memos, letters, reports, and resumes. This new edition features increased coverage of contemporary business communication issues including oral communication, electronic forms of communication, diversity and ethics. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent book for college and your career
Finally, a complete text that is always useful. I have read this book over and over... each time learning something new. It's great if you need a complete and extensive description or a quick overview. This book will go from your college backpack to the desk of your new exciting job!

An Excellent Guide to Business Writing
This book is an excellent tool for writing, especially for the non-native English writer. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a study guide with many examples that have been updated for the current business environment. The numerous samples and the grammar review are very helpful for studying the fundamentals. This book is extremely relevant in a business world crowded with a cornucopia of poor writing, misspelling, and incorrect grammar usage. My heartfelt thanks to Ms. Guffey for writing such an excellent guide. ... Read more

Book Description

Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e takes readers through a well-developed, consistently applied process approach to communication that is combined with integrated, hands-on application of current and emerging business technologies. Readers learn a process for solving future communication problems, and how to use Internet and electronic media to deliver their message, resulting in a tangible communication strategy they can use throughout their careers. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Unless you have no common sense, dont get this book
Wow, talk about an insult to intelligence. When you read this book you say "Duh" as you read it. The online quizes coulde be helpful, but using a character called "Answer Man" makes you feel like you are in first grade. If you really feel you need help with your writing skills, don't get this book. Try something else, anything else, but this book.

STUDY GUIDE! NOT A TEXT BOOK!
I wish I would've read the last review before ordering this product. This is a STUDY GUIDE, which usually comes FREE WITH purchase of the $... TEXT BOOK in book stores. Don't be mislead by thinking you're getting a great deal on a text book. It's not the real thing.

Feedback from Author
Dear Amazon:

The book you list here is the Student Study Guide to accompany my hardbound textbook BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: PROCESS AND PRODUCT. By listing this "paperback" at $26.95 and by not identifying it as the Student Study Guide, you are misleading readers. They think that a paperbound version of the complete book is available. Not true! Please identify the $26.95 book as Student Study Guide to accompany BC:PP. Thanks!

Informative and helpful
When I took my first writing class in college, I was pretty sure I knew everything about writing. This book proved me wrong. Yes, it is quite big and there is so much to learn, but the exercises at the end of each chapter are very helpful. I learned how to write all kinds of business letters. Not only was the book helpful for my business relations, it also taught me how to improve my everday writing skills. The author had some great examples as to what we should and should not do. I highly recommend it. Buy the paperback edition. It will be a lot easier to carry.

The No. 1 Business Communication book:More than just Print
If your teaching a Business Communication course, this is the book that will enable you to concentrate on your students learning rather than preparing materials. The sixteen chapters contain all the learning activities necessary for a very signifacant and long life skills your students need to compete in todays' digital communication environment. A chapter on culture and ethics is included which is useful for students who will someday compete in the Global Market. It contains excellent resources, computerized test bank, videos, colored transparecies, on line information, and others.The book is extremely useful for doing semester portfolios because of all the realistic case studies from reknowned companies. This is more than a book, it is the innovative communication knowledge that our college students need to survive in the complex information era. Your students won't regrete the investment. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

BULLIES - FAMILY / WORKPLACE / SCHOOL / NEIGHBORHOOD
Excellent compliments to this book are: Emotional Blackmail: When People in Your Life Use Fear, Obligation and Guilt to Manipulate You by Susan Forward and Donna Frazier; Why Is It Always About You?: The Seven Deadly Sins of Narcissism by Sandy Hotchkiss and James Masterson; The Angry Heart: Overcoming Borderline and Addictive Disorders by Joseph Santoro and Ronald Cohen; The Narcissistic Family: Diagnosis and Treatment by Stephanie Donaldson-Pressman and Robert Pressman; Understanding the Borderline Mother: Helping Her Children Transcend the Intense, Unpredictable and Volatile Relationship by Christine Ann Lawson; Living with the Passive-Aggressive Man by Scott Wetzler; Malignant Self Love: Narcissism Revisited by Sam Vaknin and Lidija Rangelovska (Editor); Children of the Self-Absorbed: A Grown-Up's Guide to Getting Over Narcissistic Parents by Nina Brown; Treating Attachment Disorders: From Theory to Therapy by Karl Heinz Brisch and Kenneth Kronenberg; Toxic Coworkers: How to Deal with Dysfunctional People on the Job by Alan Cavaiola and Neil Lavender; Bully in Sight: How to Predict, Resist, Challenge and Combat Workplace Bullies by Tim Field.

And if you want to pursue the subject even further, you may be interested in reading The Narcissistic / Borderline Couple: A Psychoanalytic Perspective On Marital Treatment; Parenting with Love and Logic: Teaching Children Responsibility by Jim Fay and Foster Cline.

A Good Read!
Finally, a book that honestly identifies and analyzes that prolific workplace species - the jerk. Organized by situation and topic, Jerks at Work presents the answers to at least 200 jerk-related questions from real-life readers that were originally published in author Ken Lloyd's syndicated On the Job column. The book is psychologically sound, excruciatingly direct, extremely funny and, above all, actually helpful. Lloyd does a splendid job of covering all the bases and every kind of jerk, from the boardroom to the mailroom. We [...] highly recommend this book to everyone, because every company has at least one jerk.

It works!
I heard about this book on Dr. Laura's radio program. I bought it on her recommendation. It is everything she said. Not only is it informative, but it is also a "fun read". I know that I can already use several points in dealing with some of the "jerks" in my office. I highly recommend this book.

A great working aid
This is perfect book for dealing with those not so great co-workers. I truly enjoyed the entire book. I recommend this book to all of my friends. I also enjoy reading Ken's column in the Daily News. Ken has done it again!

A fantastic guide to the working environment.
"Jerks at Work" by Ken Lloyd is a well-written book on the trials and tribulations of the working environment. Each of us knows a "jerk" at work, whether it be our boss or a co-worker. These people are never easy to deal with, yet Ken Lloyd's book gives suggestions and tactics to dealing with just such people. "Jerks at Work" is a fantistic guide to the working environment. ... Read more

Book Description

The first concise book of essential Welch-isms, abridged from the bestselling Get Better or Get Beaten

Jack Welch built a career out of fighting waste. 29 Leadership Secrets from Jack Welch follows in Welch's footsteps, boiling the legendary CEO's leadership successes down to 29 strategies that made GE the world's most competitive company­­and Welch the world's most successful and admired CEO.

This all-in-one Welch reference updates material from Robert Slater's bestselling Get Better or Get Beaten, and is today's ultimate fast-paced, no-nonsense handbook on the ways of Jack Welch. It taps into the heart of Welch's courage, innovation, and leadership success by examining simple leadership secrets that include:

• Managing less is managing better
• Make quality the job of every employee
• Have global brains and vision

Reviews (2)

The Ideas are 5 Star but the Book is 2 Stars
This book reminds me of the best seller "Who Moved My Cheese". They are both written in oversized font and are about 100 pages long and both cover simple messages. If the books were in a regular font they would be 30 pages??

Please do not get me wrong. But it is just a feeling one gets that they have been had, sold a bill of goods which is just a summary with comments for $10. Somebody has written down a list of XX number of principle ideas or management techniques, and then expanded each idea to fill the 100 (30 real) pages. It would be almost as effective to just make a list of them on one or two pages.

The upshot of all this is do not buy this book, but by Jack's book "Straight from the Gut", or buy Slater's book: "Jack Welch & The G.E. Way".

I prefer Jack's own book, and to me it beats many more sophisticated business books hands down. Business is not black and white. Almost every day there is one crisis or problem or another, and Jack's story puts it all together plus conveys the energy and excitement that he brought to the job. Something is lost in the list approach.

Jack in Toronto

I wonder . . .
There are many books about Jack Welch and all of them show and teach the corporate strategies and tactics this legendary manager implemented while at GE. Most of those titles portrait Welch as the successful business person everybody would like to be. However, I would like to warn the reader that the professional success of famous CEOs cost them their families. It's hard to believe how Welch was able to manage thousands of relations with millions of people at GE, while on the other side he failed on a relation with only one person: his wife. By the way, how many wives has he had??? Is that success??? In which planet???

Now about the book . . . it's a good title but only read it if you have never before read a title about Jack Welch or GE; if you had, it's more about the same old stuff, and I would recommend your spending your money in a smarter way. ... Read more

Book Description

Are you wondering what the next killer app will be? Do you want to know how you can maintain and add to your value during these rapidly changing times? Are you wondering how the word love can even be used in the context of business?

Instead of wondering, read this book and find out how to become a lovecat—a nice, smart person who succeeds in business and in life.

How do you become a lovecat? By sharing your intangibles. By that I mean:
Your knowledge: everything that comes from all the books that I’ll encourage you to devour.
Your network: the collection of friends and contacts you now have, which I’ll teach you how to grow and nurture.
Your compassion: that human warmth you already possess—in these pages I’ll convince you that you can show it freely at the office.

What happens when you do all this?
* You become a rich source of information to all around you.
* You are seen as a person with valuable insight.
* You are perceived as generous to a fault, producing surprise and delight.
* You double your business intelligence in one year.
* You triple your network of personal relationships in two years.
* You quadruple the number of colleagues in your life who love you like family.

In short, you become one of those amazing, outstanding people to whom everyone turns, who leads rather than follows, who never runs out of ideas, contacts, or friendship.

Here’s the real scoop: Nice guys don’t finish last. They rule!


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Fast read, helpful book with good insights...
I heard Tim Sanders speak recently at a young leaders conference in Atlanta and it was on this very idea ("Love is the Killer App"). So while I was already introduced to the general idea of the book, it was more helpful for me in reading it because I had heard this guy speak and had seen his audacious personality!

Let me just say this: everything you read in the book is truly lived out in Tim, the man. I'm not a Business major, but I am a Communication major in college right now and this book gave great insights to not just good-business models and principles but good social-people skills as well.

I wish he had talked more in the book about the scarcity mentality (in which he spoke on -- along with talking about the content in this book) because that for me, was the most interesting thing in this whole "Love is the killer app" approach.

Despite this, the book is solid and is good for not just the Business folk but for every person who would call themselves a human being. I'm an aspiring 21-year-old lovecat myself, and Tim is an encouraging role model for me and for the future of American leaders and followers! Thanks Tim!

Showing a Little Love Can Go a Long Way in Business
Yahoo's Tim Sanders describes in Love is the Killer App how he stumbled on a very successful philosophy. Sanders advocates taking a true interest in someone's career or business and trying to help them through introductions and advice with no specific expectation of remuneration. He says that first, you will be perceived as an expert of sorts (for knowing what or who you know) and second that the person will feel somewhat endeared to you for thinking of them. The benefits, he suggests, in the long run will reward you.

Sanders also suggests that you read as much as possible, so that you have a little bit of knowledge about any subject that could come up. He stresses that books are far more useful than newspapers/magazines/etc. as they extrapolate on their subject and are able to provide an abundant source of additional information should the need arise (though he does point out that magazines do have particular value in some instances).

All-in-all the book does have some valuable suggestions and is definitely worth reading. Some of his suggestions are very specific to sales people for service industries and may be difficult to implement if you work for a product-centric company or are not in sales. Most suggestions, though, are universal. If you want a way to be happier, have more professional acquaintances, and go further in life, this book should be a definite addition to your reading list.

The Lovecat Way!
Lovecats. That is what Tim Sanders tells us we need to be in order to be successful in today's world. Sanders, Chief Solutions Officer at Yahoo!, takes his message on the road as he consults with executives at top corporations on marketing and Internet strategy.

"Love is the Killer App," is a thesis on networking. Sanders stresses that the way to win friends and influence people is to give them value first. He advises to share your intangibles - your compassion and your knowledge with people with whom you want to do business. This is being a Lovecat.

Sanders goes on to illustrate the importance of learning as much as possible so that you have something of value to share. His formula for this is to read books - all the time! And, while reading, outline the book and understand the key points or "Big Statement" the author intended to make. Then, when you meet someone, find out what interests them and what challenges they face, and share what you have learned that would be relevant for them.

Through this little book, Sanders shares his own key to success - Nice guys rule!

Compassion, Abundance and Love as Business Success Tools
Sanders, Tim. Love Is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends (New York: Crown Business/Random House, 2002). A high-level Yahoo exec discusses compassion, abundance, and love as a business success tool. Young and hip, and very in tune with my views.

Nice Smart People Prevail
This book is an interesting book which shows: As business people we need to update ourselves continuously with knowledge and love... It also shows strategies to better read and consume a business book... It is really helpful for the people who believe in human touch and sharing... I feel that i am not alone in this world after i read this book... Read the book you will get lots of good business book recommendations also...
Some people again made some comments about the writing of the book... if you are interested to read literature go and buy Lord Byron or Shakespeare... The writer tries to share his passion and some people write comments about the language of the book... Be sincere... sincerity comes with human mistakes...

thanks ... Read more

Book Description

Get that monkey off your back!

Start with a monkey. It comes from your subordinates shifting their responsibility to you -- until you're working for them! How does the successful manager keep monkeys off his back? In this lively, provocative seminar, two of today's foremost consultants show you:

* How to recognize monkeys before they land on your back
* How to stop your subordinates from imposing unnecessary time demands on you
* Why "an honest day's work for a fair day's pay" does not apply to managers
* The real answer to the Manager's Lament: "where does all the time go?"
* Why you should be on the golf course on Saturday instead of at the office

Be a smarter, tougher and better manager!

Together and separately Kenneth Blanchard and William Oncken have trained and consulted with America's largest corporations. Now they bring their unique style and hard-hitting program to audio -- to help you take charge of your job and your life. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A new way to work less and be more efficient
The one minute manager's symbol, a one-minute readout from the face of a modern digital watch, is intended to remind each of us to take a minute out of our day to look into the faces of the people we manage. The monkey manger's symbol a stressed manager overwhelmed by a desk full of problems, is intended to remind us to constantly discipline ourselves to invest our time on the most vital aspects of management rather than dilute our effectiveness by "doing more efficiently those things that shouldn't be done in the first place." What follows, is a story of a manger who worked long hours and never seemed to get caught up with all the work he had to do. He learned about monkey management and how not to take initiative away from his people so they can care for and feed their own monkeys. In the process, he learned to be more effective in dealing with his own manager and the demands of his organization. The performance of his department drastically improved, as did the prospects for his career. The authors hope is that you will use what you learn in this book to make a difference in your life and the lives of the people you interact with at work and at home.

Just to Sum it up..
The One Minute Manager's symbol- a one-minute readout from the face of a modern digital watch- is intended to remind each of us to take a minute out of our day to look into the faces of the people we manage. And to realize that they are our most important resources. The Monkey Manager's symbol- a harried manager overwhelmed by a deskful of problems- is intended to remind us to constantly discipline ourselves to invest our time on the most vital aspects of management rather than dilute our effectiveness by "doing more efficiently those things that shouldn't be done in the first place." What follows is a story about a harried manager who worked long, hard hours, yet never quite seemed to get caught up with all the work he had to do. He learned about monkey management and how not to take initiative away from his people so they can care for and feed their own "monkeys." In the process, he learned to be more effective in dealing with his own manager and the demands of his organization. The performance of his department drastically improved as did the prospects for his career. The authors hope is that you will use what you learn in this book to make a difference in your life and the lives of the people you interact with at work, and at home.

Great Advise!
Great advise to new managers. I really could relate to the story. Both helpful and validating.

How to make money by stating the bleedin' obvious
Take a "humourous" title, take one sentence (in this case : Don't take too much responsibility for things) and write an entire book about it - don't forget to include quotable phrases that mean nothing. This is the perfect recipe for getting money out of the easiest (and most populous) demographic in America : the incompetent middle manager.

Absolutely Fantastic! Will kickstart your career
Buy the book or better yet listen to the tape then watch the change in your attitude Monday morning.

A good meter for a manager to know if he has too many monkeys is by comparing e-mail inbaskets, since that is where so many of us spend much of our time nowadays. My own is usually over 300 items while my staff's is usually under 20. I thought about each of these as a monkey and then also thought back over all the one-on-one conversations I had had with each of them (7 people). In most cases, it was usually left that I would do something next, and that fits in perfectly with this book. True to the book and the tape, I spend countless hours to catch up, only to fall further behind.

The book is pretty good, but the tape is far superior. There are two tapes; the first one is a speech by Bill Oncken Jr, and he is just a fantastic story-teller. He really brings to life the story of the manager whose staff is all waiting on him, the stress he feels, and the revelation that hits him when he sees them golfing when he goes in on the weekend. Of course this is all written before the days of e-mail, but it still works. You can feel the energy in his voice rising as he turns his life around and puts all the monkeys back where they belong, and the final line where he gets the whole audience to shout "HOW'S IT GOING?!" to the new monkey-owner is a great ending.

The second tape is Ken Blanchard delivering the rest of the material, and while he's entertaining, it's not nearly as good as Oncken's "day-in-the-life" tale. He ties the material back to the One-Minute Manager, and touches on some psychological issues.

They also stress that this isn't just an exercise in delegating and taking work off the manager's hand, it is just as important as a developmental process for the subordinate.

As a side-note, it's interesting that there is no mention anywhere in the book of Spencer Johnson, the co-author of the original book The One Minute Manager, who invented the system. In all the author biographies and Thank-You's, he is never mentioned, I wonder if he and Blanchard had a parting of company. And the book itself makes almost no mention at all about what One-Minute Manager is all about, it seems just a way to put a popular title to a book about monkey management,
although I think this monkey manual is the better book. ... Read more

Book Description

How one tough cop became one tough businessman.

Bo Dietl is a legend in the New York City Police Department. His hardheaded attitude and never-give-up ethic of crime fighting earned him a reputation as a man to be respected-and not to be taken lightly. After retiring from the force in 1985, Dietl went into business for himself as a security consultant and built an international company worth millions. Here, in his own inimitable style, Bo Dietl shows how, through smart networking, anyone can make it just as big as he did.

Using examples from his own vast experience in dealing with business friends and foes in a variety of situations-including his "lunchatation situations," where personal connections and opportunity can come together in any setting-Dietl tells how knowing what to say, how to say it, when to say it, and who to say it to can count more than anything when it comes to success in the winner-take-all arena of big business. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Exceptional Networking Guide
I fashion myself an excellent networker, but I garnered a great deal of new information from Bo Dietl's book.It's easy to read, and hits the main points about how important appearance, loyalty, personal connections, listening ability and accessibility are.Unfortunately, the CD that came with my book did not work, but the stories within the text are terrific.I love Bo's story about a CEO with unshined shoes, and the CEO for whom Bo secured a job, who more or less forgot about Bo once the job was secured.I also enjoyed the 50th Birthday rendition to "My Way."

Dietl Worships Himself
Dietl probably has a nude portrait of himself smoking a cigar above his fireplace. The man is truly enamored with himself. You might find a few kernals of winsdom entreched deeply within the200+ pages of steaming poo, yet not enough to justify blowing twenty bucks on it. The constant self promotion and tales of small-man syndrome conquers evil bad-man will wear you down by the time you find the end of the book. Then you can read a special song written by Paul Anka for him, which takes 25 or 30 pages.

Maybe he'll sell you his nude portrait so you too can worship him.

Bo Dietl is a legend in his own mind
Just finished reading Business Lunchatations, by Bo Dietl and his ghost writer.It wasn't easy to get through this badly written piece of junk. Don't waste your money on this. Bo Dietl can dish out more Bullsh.. than a herd. Stick with How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Yo can learn nothing from Bo Dietl. BTW- since Bo claims to be a master at self promotion, take those five star reviews with a grain of salt.

Bo and Bob are a dynamic duo!
Bo Dietl's combined street smarts and business smarts with Bob Bly's overview of business is a stunning combination that creates a very interesting and valuable book for those who are starting out in business, trying to climb the corporate ladder or if you are on top of one of those corporate ladders. The is a true example of synergy at it's best. If you are interested in business, you MUST read this book!

LOTS OF LISTS, TELLS MUCH IN A FEW WORDS, WITH STYLE!
Dietl, a highly successful, self-made entrepreneur, shares his experiences and insights about achieving success through smart networking, making the most of personal connections, the art of self-promotion (involving the cultivation of a unique personality and style), and doing many other things right. The book is witty, to-the-point, and tells plenty of personal stories, but its prime value lies in such lists as "20 rules for self-promotion," "6 ways to improve your listening skills," "14 networking tips," and many more such in-a-nutshell take-aways. Dietl loves checklists, but advises that "the best" are those "you create yourself" for they are tailored to your problems. The underlying theme appears to be "You can change yourself and your life" and "you can do more than you do now." (p. 31) The CD includes conversations with Jack Welch, Warren Buffett, Bill O'Reilly and others. It's a fast read, that tells much in few words. ... Read more

Book Description

Granville N. Toogood is a top executive communications expert, as well as an established speaker, trainer, and writer. Before starting his own company in 1982, Mr. Toogood was a television reporter and network news producer for NBC and ABC. Today he works with a long list of blue-chip clients and has served as a consultant to 38 of the Fortune 50 CEOs, as well as thousands of senior-level executives, elected officials, and diplomats throughout the world. This book is based on his acclaimed corporate workshops in executive communications. Mr. Toogood resides in Darien, Connecticut. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A Great Choice for Help Speaking
Granville Toogood's "The Articulate Executive" is a quite excellent introduction to public speaking in a variety of forms. Toogood is an accomplished communications consultant and has distilled his advice into a very readable book that will help almost anyone improve not just their communication style, but also their impact.

Toogood covers all the bases, from basic public speaking, to presentation, to handling the media. His POWER formula offers a simplified approach to effective speaking that's approachable by all of us. He offers real-world advice - such as time your speeches to be no longer than 18 minutes - that is often missing from other books.

Most importantly, his book is easily readable. It features short chapters with a lot of punch. And although some chapters build on contents of previous ones, it's easy to read the book a chapter at a time, or even find just the chapter the deals with the topic you need. While written for the beginning communicator, most non-professional speakers will find a lot of value in this work. It was an excellent book, and I highly recommend it.

Articulation: A Key to Making Things Happen
The key to success, I believe lies in effective personal communication.

In a world that increasingly relies on technology to respond to other human beings, a personal response results in results - deals are made; red tape is cut; decisions are made. Yet we live in a world where the ability to communicate personally with each other seems to be on the decline.

Granville Toogood has written one of the best books on the subject I have ever read. The Articulate Executive should be required reading for every business student, project manager, teacher and politician. By taking the time to adhere to his simple P. O. W. E. R. formula, leaders would see their effectiveness soar.

P. Power - Start Strong.
O. One Theme.
W. Windows to illustrate your theme.
E. Ear - Your presentation should be conversational.
R. Retention - End your presentation with a call to action.

If you plan to be successful, then public speaking is something you cannot avoid. If you plan to speak, do your audience a favor and spend some time with this book. Your career and your audience will be grateful.

Learning How to Speak in Public
Book Review: Granville N. Toogood's, The Articulate Executive

Jack Llewelyn, who was the CEO of Ocean Spray Cranberries, described Granville N. Toogood's The Articulate Executive (1995), as a "... required reading for every board room, class room, and living room in the country." When reading Toogood's book reviews, I was astonished that a book about public speaking could be so highly touted. Haven taken public speaking courses before, I wondered if The Articulate Executive could possibly "cure" my fear of public speaking. After reading the book's introduction, I realized that I was not the only one who fears a public audience. Not only developing college students, like myself, but also well established CEO's, corporate managers, and important individuals from all walks of life share in the popular fear of speaking in public. "Polls tell us that public speaking for some people can actually be scarier than death" (Toogood, p. 7). Therefore, I wonder, can a book help reduce an individual's fear of public speaking and aid in his or her quest to become a better public speaker? In this book Granville Toogood helps the reader become a more effective communicator and overall the book educates the reader about the steps each individual should take to present a good presentation.
In today's business world, public speaking can be a key to success. The author describes how most people would prefer having a root canal rather than speaking in public. Toogood says, "that people who view public speaking as a bad thing...are amazed to find that public speaking can actually be fun-and well worth the time and effort" (Toogood p. 3). The author describes how public speaking is to be viewed as an opportunity rather than an unpleasant and tedious job that has to be done. Furthermore, Toogood emphases in the first chapter of The Articulate Executive that an advantage in any business relationship will usually go to the "articulate, well-organized, and thoughtful" business player (p. 7). Consequently, "seizing opportunities" is the first concept that Toogood presents as a potential key to business success.
The author also talks about controlling the presentation. Toogood states "The presentation should always be an opportunity rather than an obstacle or chore. When you are in command of your presentation, you come across as a leader" (Toogood, p. 167). The author introduces the reader to the POWER formula. Which is essential to follow; this formula ensures that the speaker has the groundwork of a good presentation. The presenter should also give the speech the way he or she speaks, making the presentation conversational and easy to follow for the audience. The author also introduces us to the "18-minute Wall", i.e., the audience will only be able to pay attention for 18 minutes. It is also important to remember the "18-minute Wall" when organizing the presentation to meet the timing requirements. There is also the "8-second rule", this rule will help the speaker come up with the theme of the presentation. This rule will also help the presenter remove any unnecessary clichés and come across as being straightforward. After the presenter has the making for a great presentation, it is essential to make good use of body language and to dress appropriate for the occasion. Finally, the correct use of visual aids is essential for any presentation, and they should not dominate the presentation. In my opinion, Toogood has given me the correct set of guidelines to follow, and his advice will help his readers to come across as leaders and become better public speakers.

Short but Punchy
IF you need to give a speech next week and find no time to learn all the important presentation techique, do try this books! Short but punchy, it touches on almost eveyr aspect on presentation, from writing to delivering, from fear control to the secret of 8 second drill. Highly recommended

Insightful!
Greenville N. Toogood is a top executive communications expert, an established speaker (who used to be a TV reporter and network news producer), trainer, and writer, so he draws upon a vast amount of useful and successful tips for anyone interested in becoming a top-notch communicator. Although this book is written in a conversational, accessible style, you won't find any fluff and filler, just on-target training. He covers planning your talk, speech, or presentation; your delivery and appearance; and pitfalls to avoid. He tells you how to deal with visual aids, Q&A sessions, and even the media. The author stresses that the book's instructions can make anyone an effective and dazzling conversationalist, not just a great speechmaker, though both are well-rewarded skills. We [...] recommend this book to every professional, on every level, and to those who would like to excel as communicators.
... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Good Textbook for the Subject
While the title implies this is a good book for college writing, I found it lacking in that area. But the workplace side is well represented and thoroughly documented with examples and sidenotes "From the Workplace."

It is a practical, if somewhat dry, text that is very good at teaching business writing and presentations. ... Read more

Book Description

The New York Times bestselling author of Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman tells women the ONE RULE they need to know in order to succeed in business.

In her first book, Gail Evans showed women how to get ahead in the workplace by learning the unwritten rules of business that men "wrote" and play by. In She Wins, You Win, Gail takes her empowering approach to corporate success a step further by telling women that it isn't enough to understand the men's rules—women must create their own.In SHE WINS, YOU WIN Gail shares the secrets of:

· The importance of being a team player—and how to set up your own winning team
· When it's okay to break the rules
· How to use the resources already at your disposal much more powerfully
· Rainmaking, and why it's absolutely essential to women's success
· When to stay quiet and when to share information
· Why women should forget networking and start "webbing"
· Why you have to watch our for Silent Treatment Sophie and Queen Bea
· Why you don't have to play golf

Whether you're a top executive or an entry-level assistant, She Wins, You Win will give you the tactics and strategies you need to attain your career goals. ... Read more

Book Description

Unlike many other books in the field that simply compare managers working at home in their various cultures, International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior describes the approaches of successful managers in interacting with people from a wide range of cultures, including from Asia, Africa, Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle East, and people from both North and South America. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great Textbook About International Management
I have had the pleasure of using Adler's book for several years now. Simply put, it is far more enjoyable to read than the average textbook and is packed with useful information for those wanting to learn.

Adler does a superb job of addressing the various dimensions of culture. She explains culture quite clearly and makes many connections to management practice. But maybe what I like best is that Adler goes beyond explaining. Each chapter contains vignettes discussing different cultural experiences. The short descriptions are interesting and lively. I have also noticed that the quantity and quality of vignettes has improved in the fourth edition.

Overall, the scope of this book seems quite thorough. National culture, workplace behavior across cultures, communication differences across cultures, creating synergy, multicultural teamwork and negotiation, global leadership, and the expat experience are all discussed. My favorite chapters tend to be early in the book (culture, teamwork, and synergy). It appears that these areas represent the author's greatest strength. The research informing each chapter is thorough and quite up-to-date. Maybe the weakest chapter, in my view, is chapter three which deals with communication. I suspect that maybe the author steps a bit beyond her expertise and is not able to touch on the deeper issues of cross-cultural communication (as she touches on the deeper issues in teamwork or other chapters). The result is a good chapter and sound discussion that maybe lacks the richness found in other parts of the book. She sets the standard so high in other chapters and I was hoping for the same here.

I have used this text for several years in intercultural management courses for undergraduate business students. The students seem to enjoy the book and encourage me to keep using it. I guess that is the highest praise we can give any text--students like it.

Social- Business Psychologist, PHD student
It was the basic source for my MSc project. Very helpful and very modern in its writing.Nancy Adler reached her destination. Recommendable for cross-cultural social and business analysis

Extremely Useful
As a cross-cultural trainer based in the United States, I needed to find a pragmatic book that both students and sophisticated business people would find helpful. At the same time, it had to provide a lot of solid information in an easy-to-read format. Dr. Adler's book is it at ERUdyne! Actually, we have had to replace our copies many times as they keep disappearing after positive reviews from our clients!

My copy is dog-eared. I recommend it to anyone who needs to understand how culture impacts global business organizations today. It contains excellent questions for reflection, charts, summaries and references.

Dr. Adler's book makes a positive difference in one's perception and understanding of the real challenges facing global businesses. It also provides good case studies with a step-by-step guide for addressing global organizational behavior issues. I couldn't ask for more in one text.

A Good Reference for International Managers
For any of you interested in the multicultural aspects of business decisions, I would reccommend this book. It is easy to read, has lots of good information, and covers all the necessary heavy-hitters in the field of international cultural awareness. I was quite pleased with the way the author related various cultural teachings to short stories in order