Reviews (7)

Easy to read
This book is very readable and gets some new thought processes working.

Good Advice
I purchased the e-book of "Heart of a Leader." The book is chock full of great tips for a variety of situations with the justification for each tip. It is an excellent reference for any supervisor or manager.

Easy Reader
Blanchard takes a "Chicken Soup" approach in this book, capturing the essence of the leadership parables told in his previous works in simple, concise summary format. This is a great reminder for those who have read the other works, or a great introduction for those who haven't. Either way, the essence of Blanchards' winning approach to working with, and getting things done through people is superbly presented.

The Heart Of A Leader
This book is very good with clarity to the point. Short and simple pages to read right through to being a true leader in work, relationships, and working to be successsful in managing people. If a person is a manager already they can be a true leader by believing in their associates to support others to reach theirs goals too! Anytime an associate wants to grow and learn in the company they work for a manager must let them excel. This only benefits the person and the company as well. Work needs to have fun and humor bringing out the best in their people and customers. This book definately covers the heart of a leader with much integrity having genuine people skills.

One Minute McNuggets


76 Management McNuggets from the master of the genre. If you like the soft side of management to be short and sweet, this is the book for you. You get a Ken Quote on the left and a one-pager explanation on the right. Great reading for the john.

-- Mark Kelly, coauthor of MASTERING TEAM LEADERSHIP: 7 ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Well-grounded OB course basics
"The organizational behavior reader" contains twenty chapters, each with two or three readings by recognized academic experts, usually adapted from the original source, e.g., Harvard Business Review. Chapters begin with the psychological contract (1), theories of managing people (2), individual and organizational learning (3), individual and organizational motivation (4), ethics and values (5), personal growth and work stress (6), and later topics include managing diversity (12), leadership (13), decision making (15), performance appraisal (18), and managing change (20). The pantheon of authors features experts such as Henry Mintzberg, Jay Conger, Denise Rousseau, Ed Lawler, Peter Senge, Cary Cooper, Deborah Tannen, Geert Hofstede, Hank Sims, Victor Vroom, Jeffrey Pfeffer, Ray Miles, and Rosabeth Moss Kanter. There are numerous charts, diagrams, graphs and models. Anecdotes and examples are plentiful. Self-assessments are rare. Few of the readings offer empirical data; the emphasis is on mental models, images, and concepts.

Professors of organizational behavior, looking for readings rather than integrated text, exercises, and cases, as well as a less expensive alternative to traditional college textbooks, will find this book appealing. These authors are, in general, engaging and highly readable. Chapters can be assigned in an order or avoided altogether to please the teacher's preferences. The breadth of topics, the currency of the treatments, and the expertise of the authors provide a solid foundation for the primary college OB course. Graduate students in need of less text structure and faculty in need of less ancillary materials will find the most benefit.

The book is rooted in social psychology and emphasizes perception, learning, thinking, images and personality, e.g., interpersonal communication, attribution, creativity. There is less on the 'behavior' side of organizational behavior. Several authors use the device of posing 'myths' to contrast with the author's learned, alternative state ('fact'), and sometimes the myths read more like 'conventional wisdom' or the author's own attempt to make his or her point more vivid by presenting a myth that exists only in the minds of a few people. For business school students, this reader is more about organizations and people than about business. Business faculty and courses adopting this book will likely want and need to provide a management context.

An Excellent Book!
An Excellent Book.. A Must For All The Managers In Any Organistaion. ... Read more

Book Description

Facilitating with Ease! is an updated version of the best-selling resource that offers easy-to-follow instructions, techniques, and hands-on tools that team leaders, consultants, supervisors, and managers have used to learn the basics of facilitation. Complete with worksheets on CD-ROM that can be customized to fit your personal needs, it's a complete facilitation workshop in a take-home format. Facilitating with Ease! shows you how to run productive meetings with skill and authority and includes the information needed to train others in your organization to become confident facilitators as well. The book is filled with dozens of exercises, surveys, and checklists that can be used to transform anyone into an effective facilitator. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

COMPREHENSIVE, CLEAR AND CONCISE.
Details core facilitation tools and techniques. Chapters cover: understanding facilitation; facilitation stages; assessing and understanding participants; creating participation; effective decision making; facilitating conflict; meeting management; process tools for facilitators (e.g., visioning, exit surveys, brainstorming) and process designs. This is a well organized 'soup to nuts' reference including worksheets on CD-ROM that can be customized. Comprehensive, clear, and concise.

Insightful!
Companies that embrace work teams quickly discover a basic truth: More teams mean more meetings. Management experts laud the benefits of enlightened teamwork, but they spend much less time dwelling on the often long, sometimes pointless and nearly always inefficient meetings that teams breed. With teams fast becoming a fixture in the corporate world, meeting management, or facilitation, is becoming a critical skill for anyone with executive ambitions. Author Ingrid Bens' definition of a facilitator is quite specific - someone who guides a meeting without actually participating in discussion or decision making - but her book is filled with practical advice that any professional can apply when running a meeting. A host of charts, examples and worksheets (not to mention the accompanying CD) help illustrate her process for steering meetings without controlling or directing the outcome. We [...] recommend this hands-on how-to guide to anyone motivated to minimize the waste of meeting-creep.

Facilitating With Ease!
I have had the privilege of participating in workshops taught by Ingrid Bens: this is like having her in your own training room!The information in this book is both relevant and concise.I use the book to lead my facilitation team through all of their group dynamics training.The CD-ROM allows me the freedom to customize the worksheets to meet our needs. This is a great book that I highly recommend to all individuals who work in teams, lead meetings, or need assistance in group dynamics

From one facilitator to another...
As a failitator of a process using storyboards, I am always looking for new twists on facilitation in general. As a compact, to the point resource on facilitation and basic meeting management, I think Ingrid's is at thetop of the list. While, like any such work, you truly gain the value whenyou attend a workshop, this book is worth the price in things anyone canadapt and use in any organization. You can never become "goodenough" at facilitation and I am glad someone referred me to thisbook. Two thumbs up......Oh, and one other nice thing. Everything in hereis to-the-point instruction - no big ego trips with the author's namedropped into war story after war story... ... Read more

Book Description

The classic bestseller on performance management is updated to reflect changes in today's working environment. When an employer needs to know how to gain maximum performance from employees, renowned behavioral psychologist--Aubrey Daniels is the man to consult. What has made Daniels the man with the answers? His ability to apply scientifically based behavioral stimuli to the workplace while making it fun at the same time.

Now Daniels updates his ground-breaking book with the latest and best motivational methods, perfected at such companies as Xerox, 3M, and Kodak. All-new material shows how to: create effective recognition and rewards systems in line with today's employees want; Stimulate innovations and creativity in new and exciting ways; overcome problems associated with poorly educated workers; motivate young employees from the minute they join the workforce. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Wow! It will change the way you manage your staff! Great!
One of the very best, if not the best, books on motivating a group of people that I have ever read. I've just started implementing some of the stratagies and I'm already seeing positive results. The book is easy to read and understand.

Breakthrough in business literature
Business is characterized by a lot of common sense solutions. But in fact, the many books that are released articulate only the particular view and experiences of the author. A scientific based book about how to understand and change behavior in organizations was lacking. Aubrey Daniels has made the remarkable accomplishment of writing a book that is both strongly based in the science of behavior analysis, as easy to read and to use. This is one of the best books that has been written about business, also because it demonstrates that business is behavior.

Drs. M.M. Rietdijk, Nyenrode University, The Netherlands

The most "a-ha" moments I've had in a long time
Wow - This book, if you are willing to listen, will help you become aware of what is going on around you. At least, it did for me. Every couple of pages, I found myself saying "oh .. oh yes.. of course!" If nothing else, this book made me realize that I'm not crazy nor am I alone; that my environment, particularly the standard salary compensation system, really is de-motivating. No wonder I and so many others often struggle with procrastination!

The concepts are explained very well and he does a very nice job drawing out the implications to specific examples that most readers will immediately relate to. This book was one of the most satisfying reads I've had in a long time.

Read it today
I'm very happy I picked up this book. This book opened my eyes to how people work. With this book I now more prepared and I am more confident with how I now deal with people. I recommend this to anyone who is any leadership role, this book helps you understand people and how to get the best out of them. not just get something out of them, but getting best from what they have to offer. and as leaders, thats what we want from our people. get it today!

Skinner Would be Proud
Dr. Daniels brings the subject of behavior analysis to a level where human resource managers can understand the concepts of performance management and actually apply his principles of scientific employee management. For anti-behaviorists (those who fear being controlled by the human tendency to adapt behavior in order to receive rewards and avoid punishment) this book is a nightmare. Daniels succinctly describes the behavior analysis process and how employers can use it to improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency by "pinpointing" job performance standards and incentive programs. A must read for any manager. His chapter on incentive plans was particularly insightful and illustrates the fallacies of most reward systems. ... Read more

Book Description

This excellent paperback provides a brief, yet comprehensive tour of the scientific and practical highlights of organizational behavior (OB). It gets right to the point by focusing on essential concepts and practices that those in business really need to know. It allows readers to understand and appreciate the essentials of OB as a practical and scientific field by providing a good balance between research/theory and practical applications for the concepts presented.A long list of cutting-edge topics are covered in this easy-to-understand, conversationally-written book. It includes integrated coverage of Internet/Web-based organizational behavior concepts with special treatment of e-commerce, and includes practical tips and suggestions telling readers how to apply OB in their own jobs. Coverage includes: individual behavior, group behavior, and organizational processes.A especially handy reference for practicing managers and executives in corporate training programs. ... Read more

Book Description

A detailed blueprint for planning and executing special events with flair—and without unexpected surprises and expenses

Special events such as fundraising galas, conferences, and product launches are complicated, fraught with thousands of details, and have to come off without a hitch. This book gives readers practical advice on every aspect of organizing and managing special events, such as how to choose the best venue; preparing and managing the budget; scheduling; coordinating food and beverages; selecting decor, themes, and entertainment; media; and staffing.

Includes many forms, checklists, and tips for planning and managing events

• Features examples of events where things went right—and wrong
• Provides techniques to maximize savings and avoid surprises

Judy Allen (Toronto, Ontario) is President of Judy Allen Productions, a full-service event planning production company that designs, produces, and orchestrates special events worldwide. She is a speaker at industry conferences and a contributor to such publications as Meeting and Incentive Travel magazine and Toronto Special Events. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Live & Learn
As a spokesperson for a national woman's interest group, I now understand why taking my potential contributors to a gentlemen's club might have been a faux pas.

All inclusive Event Planning
Having planned many events in the past six years, I already had a great "base" of experience. I was looking for a great guide to cover all the bases. This is it! Each chapter details all aspects of event planning and prompts you to think about how you can apply the suggestions to your own events. I was inspired to think outside the box to make events more unique and memorable. Additionally, budgeting and proposal crafting were discussed to aid the event planner in making a succinct and accurate budget/proposal for a client. This book is a "must-have" for any serious event planner.

Movie Stars and Presidents
I thought this book was much to focused on "major" events. After the first couple of chapters I really felt that the book was focused on setting up elaborate events for VIP's. If you have a very high budget and need to entertain celebrities, then this book will be helpful.

Great read and reference for any type of event planner.
Even a seasoned event planner will enjoy the insights that Judy helps to reveal in her book. It is well layed out, even to the point of leading off with location first, which every event planner knows is the number one step in planning. The steps and points of looking for a location,includes detailed information on what to consider when looking. I particulary like the fact Judy includes using her website, which offers additional advice and insight based on her own experinces. I was hoping to read more regarding contracts but overall the book is A+.

A great find!
Judy turns what could have been a rather dry subject into one that is filled with lively stories and money and time saving tips! It's easy to read and for a beginner (which I am) she brought up numerous "thought provoking" questions, I'd never even thought of! Even seasoned event planners will gain a lot from this book-reminding all of the basic principles of "an ounce of prevention". This book is well laid out and flows easily-following a time-line that one must follow to pull off a successful event. I especially enjoyed the stories and tips.

All in all, I'd give this book a true "thumbs up". I will recommend it to anyone I know who is looking to engage in an event which will be long remembered. ... Read more

Book Description

As Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz demonstrate in their groundbreaking New York Times bestseller, managing energy, not time, is the key to enduring high performance as well as to health, happiness, and life balance. Their Full Engagement Training System is grounded in twenty-five years of working with great athletes -- tennis champ Monica Seles and speed-skating gold medalist Dan Jansen, to name just two -- to help them perform more effectively under brutal competitive pressures. Now this powerful, step-by-step program will help you to:

· Mobilize four key sources of energy

· Balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal

· Expand capacity in the same systematic way that elite athletes do

· Create highly specific, positive energy management rituals

The Power of Full Engagement is a highly practical, scientifically based approach to managing your energy more skillfully. It provides a clear road map to becoming more physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned -- both on and off the job. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Well worth the time
I work as a stress management trainer for humanitarian relief and development workers around the world, so I've read a lot of self-help books in my time. This is one of the best I've read. Beautifully structured, it's finely balanced between research, anecdotes and application. It kept my attention throughout, and most pages now have highlighter on them. It's well worth the time to read and will challenge you gently, but firmly, to assess your priorities and how you are living your life. ... Read more

Book Description

For people who are overwhelmed by tasks of all sizes, this book provides the 21 most effective methods for conquering procrastination and accomplishing more. By identifying, then tackling, their biggest, most unpleasant task first — the philosophy of "eating a frog" — readers learn to plan and organize each day, set priorities, get started right away, and complete jobs faster. Written in a fast-moving format and breezy style, this book is immediately accessible and applicable for readers in any occupation. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

The Greatest Student of Success is Brian Tracy!
I've been listening to Brian Tracy audio cassette programs since the mid-1980's and have always been impressed with his committment to research and the high-quality of advice. He has always been a prolific producer of self-improvement materials without the hype of a Tony Robbins. In "Eat the Frog" Brian chunks down and simplifies the time management process into 21 easy and clear steps with action steps at the end. This book may be the best book for many people who want to accomplish goals and manage their life. I think every company should buy copies of this book and give them to their representatives especially if they need something to read for air travel. You can get the gist of it in a day, but use it for a lifetime. I know that Brian could have written a 300 page book if he wanted to, but this one is handy, simple, and profound. For me personally, I'd like to see a second edition of the book with some diagrams, cartoons, and pictures. That would make this book a little more interesting and fun.

I loved this book! It's changing my entire way of life!
Thanks, Mr. Tracy, for this inspriational book. It's a quick read full of no-nonsense tips. Although its advice isn't really new to me (prioritize; set goals; make A-B-C-D-E lists; etc.), somehow Tracy's presentation and style got through to inspiring me. I am getting so much more done--things that are important to my meeting my goals. Finally! I've told a lot of people about this book, and have passed it on to friends and colleagues. We all talk about our "ugly frogs" now, and I actually look forward every day to "eating" the ugliest, biggest frog, instead of piddling my time away on unimportant tasks. This book was just what I needed, and a good investment. I highly recommend it, and can't imagine needing to read another book on procrastination. I wish I had read it years ago. A great idea: why not give this as a gift to your favorite high-school or college student? "Eat That Frog" cured me! It's not too late for you, either!

Packed with a lot of Tracy-isms
Please don't judge this book by it's size. Keep in mind that some of the all time best books were small; As A Man Thinketh, The Richest Man in Bablyon, Acres of Diamonds and more. If you are looking or were expecting one of Brian Tracy's huge 300 page books, you'll be dissappointed. But if you are looking for some nuggets of powerful information, you'll be very satisfied.

Brian is excellent.

21 rules to overcome procrastination
I really can understand the 1 star reviews. Brian Tracy is such a talented author and trainer that it seems like a waste to read a book by him, especially after you have those 300+ page books that he puts out. You have to understand what Brian is trying to do here. This was intended to be a fast read, to give you 21 powerful techniques to overcome procrastination and achieve success. In that light, Brian has succeeded admirably with this work. Highly recommended.

Not deep, but useful, focused and on target, You need it!
This book isn't a new take on time management or efficiency. Instead, Brian Tracy, a man who's own success speaks pretty loudly, takes some of the best wisdom out there on the topic and puts it in a compelling form. This is important beacuse time management is about more than having the right information - it's about putting that information into action. Tracy puts the same message of prioitization and focus in front of you in a form that challenges you to take action. Highly reccomended, but you have to be willing to use this book, not just read it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this third installment in the popular Fish! series, the authors examine change as a necessary, ongoing process that should never stop--at least not if one wants to keep the workplace vital and fully alive. Using a fictitious sushi restaurant as an example, this fable examines the three principles that Lundin, Christensen, and Paul believe are necessary for continuing success: Find It ("it" being each employee's personal vision of the business), Live It, and Coach It. Readers of the authors' previous books--Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results and Fish! Tales--should find its familiarity comforting. For those new to the series, this standalone volume is easy to read and highly valuable. --David Bombeck ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A Good Read!
You're back in the fishing boat with the crew that brought you the successful Fish! and Fish! Tales. Offering another finny fable, Stephen C. Lundin, John Christensen and Harry Paul present a business parable based on creating and sustaining successful change. The book uses the same fictitious approach as the other two Fish!ing trips, but this time the story is set at a hospital's nursing station. The agent-of-change head nurse has departed and the new head nurse feels that the group is losing its vision. Then, she discovers that a local sushi restaurant is a model of excellence, and all goes swimmingly after that. Although the advice offered isn't particularly unique, some may find a certain charm in the story. Given that this is round three, the format may seem a little repetitive to those who have already Fish!ed. If you want to catch the core of the message on your first cast, look for the highlights on the occasional pages in whale-size type. We recommend the basic common sense of these messages, even if the storytelling is a little fishy.

A Good Read!
You're back in the fishing boat with the crew that brought you the successful Fish! and Fish! Tales. Offering another finny fable, Stephen C. Lundin, John Christensen and Harry Paul present a business parable based on creating and sustaining successful change. The book uses the same fictitious approach as the other two Fish!ing trips, but this time the story is set at a hospital's nursing station. The agent-of-change head nurse has departed and the new head nurse feels that the group is losing its vision. Then, she discovers that a local sushi restaurant is a model of excellence, and all goes swimmingly after that. Although the advice offered isn't particularly unique, some may find a certain charm in the story. Given that this is round three, the format may seem a little repetitive to those who have already Fish!ed. If you want to catch the core of the message on your first cast, look for the highlights on the occasional pages in whale-size type. We recommend the basic common sense of these messages, even if the storytelling is a little fishy.

Make your changes stick
I liked this book because it took the parable book concept to a more productive level by teaching readers how to make changes and ideas stick after the story ends. Fish Sticks is like a motivational speaker who gives you solid, practical tips that you remember even after the conference. Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey is another great book for companies to share with employees because it offers entertaining stories and goal oriented advice about improving your workplace and your life.

Don't Starve, Learn To Fish!
An excellent book for our changing work enviroment. Let's face it, the workplace isn't the same as it use to be. you better get on board or be left behind. This book will show you how.

Making change stick
How do you get a group of people to adopt new strategies of coping with change? This story provides food for thought. I recommend you read it along with Optimal Thinking: How to Be Your Best Self. When we use Optimal Thinking, we take the most constructive actions and achieve what is supremely important. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

The Appreciate Inquiry Handbook contains everything needed to launch any kind of AI initiative, from a one-hour introduction to AI to a complete two-day program. Cooperrider, Whitney, and Stavros provide background information on what AI is and how it works, and offer sample project plans, designs, agendas, course outlines, interview guidelines, participant worksheets, a complete slide presentation, a list of resources and more. From abstract principles underlying AI to actual tools used in different settings, from detailed descriptions of AI interventions to practical tips to Classic AI articles, the authors have amassed in one place, in workbook form, all of the introductory concepts, examples and aids necessary to engage yourself and others in Appreciative Inquiry.

Benefits

• Offers a wealth of practical materials—project plans, interview guides, topic samples, case clippings, worksheets, and overhead transparencies.

• As an aid to presentation, most of the above materials are included on the accompanying CD—which also includes PowerPoint presentation slides and Classic articles.

• Authoritative: written by a co-founder of the Appreciative Inquiry change methodology, and two of its leading practitioners. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An Extraordinary Tool For Leaders
Appreciative Inquiry Handbook offers a rich, navigational guide for industries across the spectrum. Appreciative Inquiry Handbook reflects a new paradigm in American and global industry; a must-read for industry leaders!

Appreciative Intent
This handbook guides you in applying appreciative inquiry methods in a variety of settings. We have had good results conducting two facilitation assignments with "Appreciative Intent".

In our most recent assignment, our client was impressed with the quality and quantity of the information gathered. Additionally, members of the client's leadership were also impressed with the level of participation from some of the more "quiet" people in the organization. The one-on-one questionnaire technique levels the playing field for people with a more introverted personality. Also, if you like applying a "Theory of Constraints" approach to operations you will observe that using the interview/questionnaire approach creates a multi-channel process when brain storming. (i.e. more conversations can be carried on simultaneously, thereby creating a larger stream of information or ideas in less time)

The CD alone is worth the investment!

Provides AI Tools and Resources
The Appreciative Inquiry Handbook: The First in a Series of AI Workbooks for Leaders of Change is a "must have" guide for organizational development practitioners and facilitators. Whether you are a leading change at a Fortune 500 or creating transformation within a small community organization, this volume provides an excellent consolidation of AI tools. If new to the technique, this book is particularly helpful because the process is laid out in an easy to understand and easy to deliver format. The authors begin with a review and background of the process, and then introduce you to AI-step by step. The resource section is very generous, providing templates for course outlines, handouts, overheads, and exercises. For seasoned users, this book is a splendid reference tool you'll want on your practitioner shelf. Again, the resources provided can serve as a tool chest for stimulating new ideas. While the authors worked to clearly define and explain the process via cases and narrative, they also help the reader to understand why the process is more than typical organizational development techniques. The AI Handbook is clearly written and will help change agents on their journey to create, generate, and cultivate learning cultures within their organization.

a not yet discovered gift
For anyone interested in appreciative inquiry, this book has cases, worksheets and presentation materials that can be used right now. What a novel idea to give away the tools on the CD. Well organized and readable, I keep it handy at my desk.

Excellent resource.

Appreciative Inquiry Handbook
This book covers all the bases needed to understand appreciative inquiry and apply it in your own organization. The sample interview guides, worksheets and resources provided are very helpful and big time-savers. Appreciative Inquiry is a paradigm shift toward a mindset of helpful and constructive dialogue that seeks to get at the heart of issues and work towards creating an environment that is built on trust, hope, and collaboration. I highly recommend this approach as well as this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Business and Society: Ethics and Stakeholder Management, 5th edition employs a stakeholder management framework, emphasizing business' social and ethical responsibilities to both external and internal stakeholder groups. A twin theme of business ethics to illustrate how ethical or moral considerations are included the public issues facing organizations and the decision making process of managers.The text is written from a managerial perspective that along with the twin themes of stakeholders and ethics, shows how to identify stakeholders, incorporate their concerns into the organization's strategy and operations, and also integrate ethical wisdom into their decision making process.In addition, 35 case histories are included to help connect theory and practice through timely and interesting examples. ... Read more

Book Description

As today's workplace becomes increasingly more competitive, knowing how to behave can make the difference between getting ahead and getting left behind. In The Etiquette Advantage in Business, 2nd Edition, etiquette authorities Peggy Post and Peter Post provide you with the all-important tools for building solid, productive relationships with your business associates -- relationships that will help propel you and your company straight to the top.

In this completely revised and updated edition, which includes three new chapters on ethics, table manners, and electronic communication, the Posts show you how to handle both everyday and unusual situations that are essential to professional and personal success -- from resolving business conflicts with ease and grace to getting along with your boss and coworkers; from making long-lasting contacts to winning clients and closing deals. They also offer up-to-date guidance on pressing issues such as harassment in the workplace, worker privacy, e-mail dos and don'ts, and knowing how and when to shoulder blame.

Written for business workers of all types and backgrounds, The Etiquette Advantage in Business remains the definitive resource for timeless advice on business entertaining, written communication, dressing appropriately for any business occasion, conventions and trade shows, job searches and interviews, gift-giving, and overseas travel.

No matter the situation in which you find yourself, the Posts will give you the confidence to meet the challenges of the work world with confidence and poise -- because today, more than ever, good manners mean good business.

Book Description

The Third Edition of this bestselling text reviews and analyzes the foremost leadership theories, giving special attention to how each theoretical approach can be applied in real-world organizations. For anyone seeking to explore how an understanding of leadership theory can inform and direct the way leadership is practiced, Leadership: Theory and Practice is an indispensable tool. Adopted as a textbook at over 250 colleges and universities, this bestselling volume is equally useful for private-sector leadership development training programs.

New to this Edition:

* A chapter titled "Skills Approach", which focuses on the essential competencies leaders need to achieve effective performance

* New research sources, innovative models, new case studies, new figures and tables, additional research-based applications, and expanded discussions of current issues in leadership research

* New and expanded discussions of transformational leadership, team leadership, the psychodynamic approach, women and leadership and leadership ethics

"Northouse's third edition of Leadership: Theory and Practice is one of the clearest presentations of the major theories and concepts of leadership available in print anywhere. It should be required reading for every leadership program."
-- Dr.Thomas E. Matthews, Director, Leadership Education, Development & Training, SUNY Geneseo

"The third edition of Leadership by Northouse provides students with a powerful introduction to the strengths and limits of the social science strand of research in leadership. It provides application for undergraduates while for graduate students, it provides the context needed to plunge into reading research and developing research questions. At the same time, the book raises significant questions about the link between leadership and ethics and values."
--Roger Smitter, Ph.D., Director, Leadership, Ethics and Values Program, North Central College

 "Peter Northouse has produced a leadership textbook that is accessible to students, but solidly grounded in theory and research. He avoids the ‘trap’ of making leadership appear too easy or trite, keeping his book serious and scholarly, but still interesting and enjoyable to read. I would feel confident that a student assigned Leadership: Theory and Practice is getting a sound introduction to the field."
--Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D., Kravis Leadership Institute, Claremont McKenna College

"I have used Leadership: Theory and Practice for the past four years as the primary text for an undergraduate leadership course that I teach. The comprehensive nature of the chapters, critiques, exercises, self-assessment instruments, and case studies make it very user-friendly for students and faculty."
-- Lynn Hertrick Leavitt, Director, Center for Service and Leadership, George Mason University

"In his Third Edition, Northouse continues to update and enhance his leadership book.  As a textbook for college students, the author provides an outstanding bridge between the research developments and the practical uses for leadership theory. His case study examples are contemporary, intriguing, and enticing to students and teachers who seek enhancement to their study of leadership."
--Christine D. Townsend, Professor, Leadership Education, Texas A&M University

Reviews (7)

For practical use by any aspiring or practicing leader
Now in its third edition, Leadership Theory And Practice by Peter G. Northouse (Professor of Communication, Western Michigan University) examines the foremost leadership theories with particular attention as to how each approach can be directly applied to real-world situations and organizations. Exploring basic approaches (as well as theories such as the Contingency Theory, Path-Goal Theory, Leader-Member Exchange Theory), and then expanding beyond methodology to scrutinize such topics as leadership ethics and the barriers unique to women in (or who are seeking) leadership positions, Leadership Theory And Practice is very highly recommended -- whether for both academic study concerning leadership behavior and concrete, or for practical use by any aspiring or practicing leader in the business community today.

Very Thoughtful
I feel the text is easy to read. It hightlights the areas and explains them very well. It is understandable and does not skirt issues etc. I would recommend for a great text on leadership.

A thorough overview
Easy to read and well reserached college text.

Crtical Evaluation of LEADERSHIP
The author fails to recognize the relation of leaders to the structure of society (persons, families and bureaucracies) as well as all the general roles played within families (leader, manager, entrepreneur and apprentice). Leaders along with members of their families play all these roles with varying degrees of responsibility. While he does recognize that leaders exercise power, he goes on to highlite coercion which is only one and the least used of three tools of power and fails to identify the foundation of power.Finally his subtopics lack
logic and his case studies are exercises in management and not leadership. This introduction to leadership has a very limited scope without an apparent logic.

Much stronger on Theory than actual Practice.
Despite its subtitle, "Leadership: Theory & Practice" emphasizes the former much more than the latter. Scholars of leadership looking for theoretical exegeses & interpretive typologies may find what they're seeking in Northouse's analysis. Leadership practitioners (or high school educators, like me) may find less useful grist for their mills here. I appreciated many of the instruments Northouse cites here for assessing different aspects of leadership. But I found little spark here to distinguish "Leadership" from the quotidian genre of introductory college textbooks. ... Read more

Book Description

More than just a how-to book for the 21st Century, Re-imagine! is a call to arms -- a passionate wake-up call for the business world, educators, and society as a whole. Focusing on how the business climate has changed, this inspirational book outlines how the new world of business works, explores radical ways of overcoming outdated, traditional company values, and embraces an aggressive strategy that empowers talent and brand-driven organizations where everyone has a voice. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Well...DUH!
Peters's brilliant "new" idea about "re-inventing" business? Technology! Specifically, using the web and wireless communications to speed things along, eliminate middle men, and sift through unneccessary bureaucratic clutter.

To say this isn't necessarily a new idea would be understating the situation, but what is really frustrating is that Peters seems intent on reiterating this non-revolutionary ideal, over and over and over and over and over, ad-nauseum, throughout the tedious 256 pages that comprise this book. Additionally cumbersome is the flipped-out way the book is designed. Much style over substance here, and it seems as if the publishers of this book might be taking some sadistic pleasure in making it as difficult to read as possible.

While I enjoy most DK books (travel guides, reference, etc...), the subject matter here is an ill-fit for their style of publication.

I was terrifically disappointed with this book and would advise anyone I know who wanted to learn more about the world of modern business to look elsewhere for substancial information.

The first coffee table business book?
The world needs more leaders - not MBAs (More Boring Anal - ists)

I confess that am a big fan of Peter's previous work - most of which is recycled in this book - He still inspires me and challanges the status quo orientated world of business management.

This book gets a 5* from me not for new ideas, but because I love the packaging. Tom has re-imagined the concept of a business book brilliant! The whole books shouts LOOK AT ME! And, it need a place in every reception, coffee bar and board room.

So many businesses are stuck in old ways of doing things. Even when they know what to do, they still don't do what they know.

I'm sure many people will hate this book and criticise Peter's for recycling and lack of new content. My opinion is that he is trying to do more of what he does best - WAKE PEOPLE UP.

If you already run a business that is doing everything espoused in this book, or .... if you think there are any newer ideas that superceed Peter's opinions on leadership, service and innovation .... or if if you can truly recommend authors who have broken new ground, that seeks to transform peoples business thinking (rather than recycling the same 30 year old stuff on strategic planning and management) then let us know about it - 'til then put up or re-think! yourself!!

And, BTW I also love the Audi A4, my Powerbook, my IPod and R50 pentel's!!

Interesting but hard on the arm muscles
This is a wild collection of Tom Peters thoughts culled from his portfolio of Powerpoint slides.

I particularly liked the Chapter on Education - both the current workforce & the future workforce.

For all the boasting he made about his new partnership with Dorling Kindersley, I found the book too heavy, and the key "Contrast" Summary tables at the end of each Chapter were printed White feint on a bright Red background - very hard to read - DK should know better.

the greatest business book of the year (no really!)
As a budding entrepreneur I've read a lot of business books in the past 4 years. So I can't quite understand how it is that I've never read a tompeters! book until now.
From other reviews I've seen here, it would appear that some of the material is an updated version of stuff that's been said/written/blogged before - but really, so what? This is an absolutely fantastic book that covers so much ground.
Design, boomers, marketing to women, sales, Talent, branding and of course the future.

This is not only crammed full of content it is an absolute pleasure to read. The design of this book is wonderful - not at all what you'd expect for a 'business' book.
Colour & loads of it, sidebars on every page linked to the main text, images that complement & stories galore.

I normally read with a highlighter, you know 'just the important stuff' to aid re-reading & wisdom-retention. That's the only bad thing about this book - you can't shorten it, summarise it or give the highlights. There's just so much on every page. Examples, stories, links to books or people or web pages.

The future is going to be vastly different than most of us have been preparing for - there aren't many better guides than tom peters (seth godin, dan sullivan & ricardo semlar would be my pick alongside tp)

Read this book. Please! And then read lovemarks.

Chaotic Compilation of Crusading Canon
If you have never read any of Tom Peters' books, you can skip the earlier ones and just read this one.

If you have read all of his earlier books, you can skip this one.

If you have read some of the earlier books, you can just read the topics in this one that are skipped in the earlier ones you have read. I suspect that that won't be too many.

Tom Peters is our most passionate management guru. He explodes all over his audience in anger, annoyance, passion and rapture. It's a marvelous show . . . and I highly recommend it.

He's also open to new ideas. This book, for instance, gratefully acknowledges contributions from dozens of other authors, CEOs, business thinkers and members of his own family (especially his wife). If you don't read very many business books, I was impressed to see that he cited a very high percentage of the best management books of the last dozen years or so. So if you have read very little on the subject, this book will serve you well.

As intriguing as the book is, it has important limitations. First, the format can be all but impossible to read (especially where text is printed over grey images) in places.

Second, he has blind spots in several areas that make the advice come out somewhat jaundiced. For instance, he hates anything to do with eliminating errors (such as the quality movement and Six Sigma) as though using those methods destroy any chance for innovation in any other area. In my research, I've seen innovation in every dimension of a company exist just fine side-by-side with efforts to eliminate errors and improve quality, whenever different people worked on different aspects of innovation from those working on quality improvement and error elimination.

He correctly points out that women are underestimated and under-served as customers. But in big companies, men still run the show (except at a few bellwethers like Avon Products) . . . and he just ignores the question of how to market to influential men as though it were irrelevant.

Finally, he's been traveling in the exalted circles of the biggest, most influential people and companies for so long that he doesn't have any new examples from the top up-and-coming performers or any new guidance for start-ups. So he's unfortunately dated in his illustrations. That makes the message one that seems to be tame . . . because it is aimed at those who can feel safe in ignoring it as they sit in their palatial suites in the largest companies.

The story is amazingly redundant in the book. There's a microcosm of virtually the whole message of the book in almost every chapter. The repetition is primarily helpful for persuasiveness. It is annoying though if you already get the message.

You can boil the book down to this message: Innovation rules. You need to get off-beat people to work on innovation to have a chance. Everyone's job is innovation. Passion drives successful innovation by creating beautiful, simple systems and wonderful emotional experiences for customers and employees. The leader's job is to create an environment for such innovation. Be ready to fall down, pick yourself up, and try again. Focus your innovation as much as possible on those areas where few others are looking. ... Read more

Book Description

Do you have what it takes tosucceed in your career?

The secret of success is not what they taught you in school. What matters most is not IQ, not a business school degree, not even technical know-how or years of expertise. The single most important factor in job performance and advancement is emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is actually a set of skills that anyone can acquire, and in this practical guide, Daniel Goleman identifies them, explains their importance, and shows how they can be fostered.

For leaders, emotional intelligence is almost 90 percent of what sets stars apart from the mediocre.As Goleman documents, it's the essential ingredient for reaching and staying at the top in any field, even in high-tech careers.And organizations that learn to operate in emotionally intelligent ways are the companies that will remain vital and dynamic in the competitive marketplace of today--and the future.

Comprehensively researched, crisply written, and packed with fascinating case histories of triumphs, disasters, and dramatic turnarounds, Working with Emotional Intelligence may be the most important business book you'll ever read.


... Read more

Reviews (55)

Steps to enhance success Emotionally!
How we need to over ride our emotions sometimes! Daniel Goleman's book is indeed an insight to cultivate one's mind emotionally. Understanding and raising emotional intelligence is essential to your success and leadership potentials. Daniel selects examples and anecdotes from the Fortune 500 companies which shows the competency to deal with various factors at workplace. The training tools, conflict management, building bonds and motivation, encouragement and inspirations are really necessary not with the IQs only but with the 'Emotional Intelligence skills' which enhance leadership to excel. The author shows the way how to manage feelings, interact, communicate and tackle with the issues in organization. Initiative, self control, optimism are some key factors of personal competency which make the emotional control board of the mind geared up to treat right, care and understand. A must read for every business. Its never an arrogance, ego or pride but be in tune with 'Emotional Intelligence'- Thats the trick of the trades for every savvy Leader.

The emotional competence framework
The author suggests five competencies in which we can manage ourselves:

Self awareness (Emotional Awareness, self-accessment, self-confidence)

Self Regulation (Self-Control, Trustworthiness, adaptiblity, innovation)

Motivation (achievement driven, commitment, initiative, optimism)

Empathy (understanding others, developing others, service oriented, politically aware),

Social skills (influence, conflict management, leadership, catalyst, building bonds, collaboration and cooperation, and team).

The book's frame-work focuses on the five competencies: Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Motivation, Empathy, and Social skills.

I liked the personal stories illustrating the positive effects of soft skills. The storie sources came from friends, associates, and research cases.

I disliked the conclusions drawn from the stories suggesting confidence in cause and effect of EQ results.

I liked what Dr Goleman was advocating about the importance of people skills: social radar, arts of influence, and collaboration and teams.

I disliked lack of detail methodology to achieve the desired results. I felt there was too much contrast between IQ verse EQ. The book provides a strong case argument for an investment in Emotional Intelligent.

One shocking point the author makes early in the book, states that the top 1 percent of the Emotionally Intelligent in the IT field are 1200 percent more productive. I would have liked to read more cases studies about these observations and conclusions for his study. That statement alone sparked a ton of curiousity about EQ. I'm very interested in learning how effective IT managers are in accessing the emotional needs of their employees and customers and how to implement EQ to improve performance.

I disliked the lack of practical application. There was a disconnect between converting ideas of EQ into action. I felt the book focused too much on the principles of EQ, rather than the practical application of EQ. Basically he did not effectively answer the question, " How can I uses the EQ in my job to make a difference." I didn't get the opportunity to say "cool EQ works for me"

I read both and picked the Quickbook
This book was recommended to me as a resource for emotional intelligence in the workplace. I was looking for something to give to managers here at my company and I also puchased the recommended title on this page, The Emotional Intelligence Quickbook. Working is alright and I can see how it was a good resource when it came out in 1998, but The Emotional Intelligence Quickbook is more up to date and far more practical. It also worked well for us because it comes with a free emotional intelligence test online.

Packed With Knowledge!
Daniel Goleman followed up his bestselling classic Emotional Intelligence with this equally classic sequel that focuses on how emotional intelligence is applied in the workplace. Insightful and richly detailed, Goleman's work educates and inspires without ever sounding trite or sappy, like some annoying quick-fix scheme. If you are leadership bound and think success is all about strategy and technique, this will provide some very useful insights into what people really think about managing and being managed. The most intriguing sections focus on the application of emotional intelligence at work, but it would be pretty useful at home, too (if we could just get out of the office). If you think that you don't need to be more aware of the emotional undercurrents all around you, we warn that you need to read this most of all.

Success is based on how you apply emotional intelligence
This is a wonderful book, and is truly an insightful look at what helps us to be successful in leadership positions in the workplace. The old model of senior management was based on owning all the information and knowledge and being able to understand what everyone does in fine detail, and was often the "promoted-up-through-the-ranks" type of leader. But with modern business involving so much change, and constantly shifting market demands and organizational structures, what worked well yesterday will not move the organization or your career ahead tomorrow.

The author uses as a platform the work on Emotional Intelligence, which unlike typically defined intelligence, focuses on the ability to apply emotional and inspirational information in a variety of social settings and through a vast array of relationships. It is this ability he concludes that predicts success in today's workplace.

Among the areas of discussion are five competencies in which our ability is revealed. The first is "Self Awareness" which includes emotional awareness, self-assessment, and self-confidence. How many times have we worked for or with someone who could not control their emotions and lacked the self awareness to understand how their actions impacted those around them? The importance of balancing performance while exhibiting the values of the organization through a positive culture has never been more in need. Many who have the intelligence to do the work, lack the emotional intelligence to build the relationships and culture needed to get the work done through others. The book explores these pitfalls and discusses suggestions for change.

The other areas are similar: "Self Regulation" (self-control, trustworthiness, adaptability, innovation), "Motivation" (achievement driven, commitment, initiative, and optimism), "Empathy" (understanding others, developing others, service oriented, politically aware), and "Social Skills" (influence, conflict management, leadership, catalyst, building bonds, collaboration and cooperation, and teamwork).

All of the five competencies are presented well, with examples and suggestions for improvement. Some reviewers have noted the lack of "scientific" type of analysis, but I feel that misses the point. The first hurdle to overcome if one wants to be as successful as possible is a basic awareness of the importance of interpersonal skills, and building strong working relationships with others. The opportunity for a purely autocratic style to operate in today's business is rare and therefore the majority of those leading businesses will need to focus on how they apply their EQ, not just their IQ.

This book does an excellent job at presenting what EQ success looks like and why it is important. It is not a step by step manual for improving one's business success, as that would ironically be an IQ approach. The book instead is a great eye-opener of the importance of emotions, and how we read others and interact with them. Highly recommended, and a great starting point for improving your ability to lead others in today's business environment. ... Read more

Book Description

In Getting Things Done, David Allen offered a breakthrough system to enhance productivity-at work and in daily life. Now "the guru of personal productivity" (Fast Company) asks readers what is holding them back and shows how they can be ready for anything-with a clear mind, a clear deck, and clear intentions.

Based on Allen's highly popular e-newsletter, Principles of Productivity, Ready for Anything offers fifty-two principles to clear your head, focus productively, create structures that work, and get in motion, including:
* stability on one level opens creativity on another
* you can't win a game you haven't defined
* the value of a future goal is the present change it fosters

With wit, motivational insights, and inspiring quotes, Ready for Anything shows readers how to make things happen with less effort, stress, and ineffectiveness, and lots more energy, creativity, and clarity. This is the perfect book for anyone wanting to work and live at their very best. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Packed with Knowledge!
Author David Allen lists 52 basic principles for productivity, including: write everything down, do the jobs that nag you, focus on the matter at hand and so on. As he notes, the principles are both simple to understand and difficult to implement. The book is essentially a collection of gleanings from the author's previous writings, so it does not present a systematic or unified approach to time and productivity management. However, Allen's straightforward tips are handy, if sometimes duplicative. The number 52 suggests that you might find one helpful tip to use each week in a one-year program of self-improvement and productivity management. In that case, repetition is probably a good thing, since bad habits tend to spring up again like weeds and require the same remedies often. The author is relentlessly upbeat, optimistic and witty, like a motivational speaker. That might be hard to read in a big chunk, but it is easy to digest if you spend a little time every week reading a recommendation and implementing it. We recommend this book to anyone who urgently needs help with time management and productivity.

Tune-up after Getting Things Done
While this is an outstanding book, I highly recommend his first work, Getting Things Done. Since this doesn't have a consistent narrative but is instead broken up into numerous tiny essays, it will be harder to get the maximum benefit from his approach to personal productivity from this alone.

Readers who "got" Getting Things Done don't need my advice on this one...they've already bought it I'm sure.

David Allen is probably the smartest personal productivity coach in print. I would buy Getting Things Done for every employee in my organization, and I would have copies of this one lying around to remind people and elaborate on some of the finer points.

Oh and I would like to add one point. I believe there is one thing missing from Mr. Allen's algorithm. That is finishing. I think his plan is outstanding for getting unstuck: figure out the next action, and do it without hesitation. But I don't find any attention paid to how to decide how many actions are "enough" for a desired outcome of a project.

You can always find some next action, and founder in what software engineers like myself call "permanent beta" or "feature creep." Yet external constraints are best not relied on exclusively for these decisions. It's best to volunteer a ruthless focus on the essence of your project's deliverable, isn't it?

So I would like Mr. Allen to write his next book about finishing projects, if he is able to develop insights into that stage as strong as his insights into the process of the middle stages.

A wonderful book. But why is it hard to read?
Mr. Allen's system is surprisingly simple - the realisation that we are monkeys; that keeping to do lists in our heads causes stress; get the list on paper and the stress goes away; we can do simple physical actions with ease. Use a paper filing system; the instruction to ask of each item in our In-tray 'what is the next physical action;' the instruction to deal with each item right now if it will take less than two minutes.

If Mr. Allen had merely described his system 1) you wouldn't believe it and 2) worse, you wouldn't 'just do it.' And JUST DOING IT does work, amazingly enough.

'Buy a label maker' - a surprisingly important part of Allen's system. That sounds nuts! Does he have shares in a label making company? Unlikely. Then Why? Remember the monkey approach. Simple physical tasks. Create files. Label them. Don't think. Do it. And then you look at the result. You have created it. You have invested in the system. You are that monkey.

And it works! A simple system that works!

As the Scots say, Mr. Allen is a very canny fellow.

I believe that Mr. Allen wrote his book so deliberately. He makes you invest in reading the book as he makes you invest in his system when you sit there printing labels for manila files.

It may be nuts but it is a very clever kind of nuts ;-).

David Allen understands how to get you going
This book made me take a new look at the clutter in my mind and life and helped me to create new goals and execute them. If you are stuck, this book will get you going. Read it and get Optimal Thinking-How to Be Your Best Self to learn how to overcome disturbing emotions without a therapist, bring your best self to every situation and achieve the best results. I can assure you with this combination, you will be ready for anything and optimize everything!

Invaluable! The ultimate book on getting things done
No, it's not one more planner, organizer, PDA or assistant that will rescue you from the chaos of your mind. It's David Allen.

He clearly leads the reader to understand the thinking behind the organizing, the process before the processing, that is required to maximize effectiveness and creativity. Once I grasped the underlying concepts and began to implement them , I got right to work with a clearer head and a more relaxed body. What immediate benefits!

Not only are David Allen's principles and insights invaluable, he writes in a style that demonstrates his love of language. So, two things in one when you buy this book--a good read and all you need to turn up your creativity and effectiveness.

As my company is called Optimize! Life Now, this book will be on my recommended reading list for my audiences and seminar participants. My coaching clients will definitely benefit from my having read this book and David's other, Getting Things Done. ... Read more