Book Description

Understanding Organizational Behavior represents the solid scholarly foundations on which the science of organizational behavior was built, the realities of contemporary life in organizations, and the challenges that constantly present themselves.Our overarching theme of change is accompanied by four supporting subthemes: globalization, diversity, technology, and ethics.Each theme presents its own challenges and presents demands on individuals to learn, grow, and adjust.This text presents the opportunity to learn concepts, ideas, and theories that help enhance the management of human behavior at work. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A contemporary as well as classical guide to happiness....
Perhaps you're now asking the same question I once did: "Given the fact that he lived almost 2,400 years ago, what could Aristotle possibly have to say that is directly relevant to me?" In fact, a great deal. So many of us today -- especially those at mid-life -- are engaged in a search to find meaning and happiness. We often ask, as Peggy Lee once did, "Is that all there is?" The purpose of this book is show how Aristotle is an effective guide on that search, and how he can help each of us find our own practical answer to a critically important question, "What's next?"

In an interview to appear in the July/August (2005) issue of Chamber Executive magazine, O'Toole observes that "Aristotle was the most practical of all great philosophers. His audience was the business and political leadership of his day. He offered them wisdom they could apply in their own lives -- practical advice on matters ranging from ethical business practices to effective philanthropy. Aristotle even describes 'virtuous non-retirement' -- the lifelong commitment to engage in leisure work which is characterized by pursuit of the 'highest good' of individual excellence and the 'complete good' of community service. He offers practical tests to help us determine how much wealth we need to support us while we engage in those activities."

O'Toole goes on to say, "So my challenge was not making Aristotle relevant to today's successful professionals and managers; instead, I faced the nearly impossible task of making his difficult language clear to modern readers [begin italics] without dumbing it down [end italics]. I had to find a way to explore the depth and complexity of Aristotle in a way that makes sense in an age of sound bites and blogs. After all, who ever heard of a [begin italics] serious [end italics] self-help book?But that's what I set out to write."

As O'Toole explains in this book, Aristotle struggled with many of the same difficult circumstances (more than two centuries ago) which most of us face in 2005: "...in his career as a teacher and a consultant to leaders of ancient Athens, Aristotle thought long and hard about what it means to live a good life and how much it takes to finance it. His thoughts on this matter are particularly applicable today, given the baby boom generation's anxiety over insufficient retirement savings and shaky investments: Aristotle shows how we can find happiness at almost any level of income. Moreover, he argues that the ability to find true contentment correlates only tangentially with the amount of money one has cached away. Unlike so many of today's `life advisors,' Aristotle integrates financial planning with the broader task of life planning."

Throughout human history, there has been a constant challenge to get lifestyle and quality of life in appropriate balance. As O'Toole notes, "Aristotelian ethics concern moral decisions related to how we should allocate the limited time of our lives. We must each plan how we will allocate our energies among such activities as earning, learning, playing, being with friends and family, and participating in the community. As we make these choices, Aristotle warns, we will fail to achieve 'the chief good' -- that is, we will fail to be happy -- if we pursue the wrong ends."

If the pursuit of philosophy is to serve as a practical guide to action, and I believe it is, then the wisdom which Aristotle gained from his own experiences will guide and inform our own pursuit and achievement of "the chief good": personal happiness. In the Foreword to one of O'Toole's previously published books, The Executive's Compass, Lodwrick M. Cook (former chairman and CEO of Atlantic Richfield Company) explains O'Toole's use of the central metaphor: "The beauty of the compass is that it provides a framework for the executive to create order out of the growing chaos of cultural diversity and conflict of values. Like a real compass, [O'Toole's 'value compass'] helps us to find where we are, where others are, where we want to go, and how to get there. Like the Aspen experience itself, O'Toole's compass is aimed at developing executive judgment by expanding our understanding of the interrelationships of fundamental values."

Cook's comments are also relevant to Creating the Good Life. For those now struggling to define and then create the good life for themselves, whatever their current circumstances may be, Aristotle's wisdom can indeed serve as a "compass." In this volume, O'Toole prepares his reader to use it effectively. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

A huge disappointment
I had high expectations for this book because James Surowiecki's New Yorker column is usually so good. But THE WISDOM OF CROWDS is one of the most disappointing books I've read in years. (Indeed, I feel somewhat ripped off by having purchased it and devoted several hours to reading it.)

The main problem with this book is that despite Surowiecki's often breathless tone, nothing he says is new. Every point he makes has been made many times before by many other writers.

For instance, the key theme of his book is that groups can solve certain "cognition problems" better than individuals. No kidding. Ever hear the phrase "Two heads are better than one?" The thesis is so self-evident and widely-known that it comes with its own cliché! Yet Surowiecki devotes more than one-third of the book essentially to arguing that two people can solve a crossword puzzle faster than one person. Amazing, no?

What's more, Surowiecki's central point about the power of "collective intelligence" has long been a staple of business education. If you've ever taken an organizational behavior class, you've done the exercise where groups of varying sizes are stuck on a desert island with a dozen supplies -- and then each group must devise a solution for escaping the island using those supplies. Inevitably, the larger the group, the better the solution -- because larger groups reflect the accumulated experience and expertise of more people. (In other words, five heads are even better than two.) Want another example of how threadbare this idea is? Google the phrase "none of us is as smart as all of us" - and you'll discover that Surowiecki's supposedly "counterintuitive" notion has been talked about in business circles since Bill Gates was in short pants.

If that weren't bad enough, the rest of the book -- particularly Suriowiecki's discussion of "coordination," his second "stunning" insight--- is essentially a retread of arguments that have been made elsewhere for more than a decade. James Gleick made many of these points in CHAOS. Kevin Kelly said everything that Surowiecki says ten years ago in OUT OF CONTROL. Steven Johnson said it again four years ago in EMERGENCE. Howard Rheingold said lots of it last year in SMART MOBS.

And Surowiecki's third argument -- that sometimes cooperation is preferable to competition -- is even older. Charles Darwin told us this in the 19th century! Indeed, there's an entire branch of evolutionary psychology devoted to studying cooperation. Just read Robert Wright's THE MORAL ANIMAL if you want a more thorough and engaging account of this point.

If this book were an undergraduate term paper that summarized the self-evident and reviewed what others had already had said, I'd give it a B. But for book that costs 20 bucks from a writer who's obviously got some talent, I'd have to give THE WISDOM OF CROWDS an Incomplete. Please try again, James. But next time, try a lot harder.

Excellent
I'm a big fan of James Surowiecki's "Financial Page" column in The New Yorker. He's consistently able to come up with unusual takes on seemingly familiar topics, and he has a great knack for making business stories compelling and entertaining as well as understandable. But because it's only a page long, I sometimes come away from the column wanting more, and I always wondered how Surowiecki would do if he was able to develop his ideas and arguments more fully. Luckily, "The Wisdom of Crowds" lives up to all my expectations. It's wonderfully readable, full of terrific stories, funny, and its basic argument -- that groups, under certain conditions, can make better decisions than even the smartest individuals -- is counterintuitive without being willfully contrarian.

The roots of the argument obviously stem from the way markets work -- buyers and sellers find each other and reach efficient outcomes without anyone being in charge, while the stock market (at least some of the time) does as good a job as possible of setting prices. But what I really like is the way Surowiecki extends this argument way beyond business and markets, showing how collective wisdom can be seen (and can potentially be used) in a host of other situations, including the racetrack, on the Internet, and on city streets. He also does a good job of drawing out the possible implications of this for everything from the U.S. intelligence community to the way companies are run.

This is definitely a big-idea book, but the author is cautious in laying out his evidence, and is careful to show that groups, even if they're potentially wise, are often stupid and dangerous. The chapter on small groups in particular, which focuses on NASA's mismanagement of the Columbia mission, is powerful stuff, and useful to anyone interested in how to run a meeting well (or badly, for that matter). The least satisfying part of the book is the chapter on democracy, where Surowiecki shies away from pushing his conclusion to its logical end. But on the whole, this is just a wonderful book, elegant and enlightening.

If you're interested in this book, it's also worth checking out Paul Seabright's "The Company of Strangers" and Robert Wright's "Nonzero."

Relevant and surprising
Although the subtitle to THE WISDOM OF CROWDS is an awkward mouthful, it is at least accurate: the book does an exceptional job of illuminating a remarkably wide range of material from politics, everyday life, and the business world. Surowiecki's not offering a grand unified theory of everything, but in the course of investigating how and when groups and crowds are and are not intelligent, he takes you on an exhilarating ride. You can't go more than a couple of pages without coming across some interesting factual tidbit or clever anecdote. Just a short list of stuff Surowiecki writes about includes: crowds on city sidewalks, Navy men trying to find a lost submarine, the Nielsen ratings, Google, scientists trying to find the SARS virus, the stock market, game-show audiences, fashion stores, and the C.I.A. Thankfully, though, he understands that just stringing together stories isn't enough. Instead, he fits his examples into a strong argument that holds the book together. You can get a lot out of this book just by dipping into individual chapters, but reading it from beginning to end is a powerful experience.

One of the things about the book that hasn't been much remarked on is the light it sheds on the flaws in the way the U.S. intelligence community -- and, I would argue, the Bush administration -- approaches the problem of forecasting the future and making good decisions. The book's main subject is the wisdom of crowds, but Surowiecki spends a lot of time on how groups go wrong, and his discussion of how groups make bad decisions seems to me completely relevant to our current problems. When Surowiecki delves into groupthink, into the pressure that's exerted on lower-level employees to conform, and the perils of too little diversity of opinion, he's making a broader point about what good decisions require. But in the process, he clarified for me just why the current administration did such a bad job of figuring out whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and of planning for the postwar period. I was surprised, but it turns out this book has a lot to say about the state we're in right now.

Refreshingly optimistic
It seems naive to mention it, but one of the things I liked best about Surowiecki's take on the intelligence of groups is how optimistic it is. Most of what we hear about crowds and democracy and the potential of average people offers a dismal picture. But I came away from this book in a hopeful mood, and infused with a sense of real possibility. Surowiecki is convincing on the idea that the intelligence of Google, or bettors at the race track, or the audience in "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" aren't peculiar anomalies, but are actually connected by the fact that they're tapping into collective wisdom. This makes me think that if we can figure out a way how to use group intelligence in a wider way -- inside companies, governments, whatever -- the decisions society as a whole makes can be improved.

Stylistically, the book is a delight. The sentences are crisp, and the stories are well-told. Occasionally, Surowiecki makes his ideas too involved and ends up in a digression. But I forgave this because it felt like the result of someone who thinks everything is interesting and wants the reader to feel the same. Wonderful stuff.

Engaging
Even after having read it, I'm still not sure what category I'd put THE WISDOM OF CROWDS in. It offers important insights into business, and helped me understand the way markets work. But it also has lots of fantastic and entertaining material about group psychology, and it's an interesting look at a host of questions about everyday life, ranging from the way crowds on a sidewalk move to traffic to the role of trust.

The book's real strength is its ability to take a complex question -- when are people in groups smart, and when are they foolish? -- and make it accessible and engaging, even to those of us without much background in the field. Surowiecki has a light touch with his ideas, and for me the book flew by (with the exception of a few pages about the NFL, which I had a hard time with). I feel as if I see the world now in a different way. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

This is a nice book for all working people.
I received this book from U.S. and decided to translate it to my language (Farsi). I think it's a nice book for all working people and it should be bought by all the employers, in order to use by all the workers and employees and even the employers. It gives a sense of freedom and relaxation to all of us (who are working with somebody else.) I would like to thank Dr. Carlson for his nice book. (SORRY FOR MAKING MISTAKE IN GRAMMER AND DICTATION). SOHEILA M.RAZAVI

A Great Investment in Your Career
Let me first express that I typically have great condescension for most "self-help"-type books. Most of them seem very intent on getting one to do yoga or meditation or breathing exercises....activities I'm just not naturally inclined to do. This book, in contrast, suggests improved perspectives and outlooks. So, it is "intellectual" in that way, rather than the typical "touchy-feely." It provides gentle, insightful wisdom into modifying the only things you can control: your own outlook, your own behavior. Quite frankly, I'm very impressed by this Richard Carlson. This book was exactly what I needed to help me through a very negative phase of my career as a government lawyer, with bizarre stressors coming from every direction, including judges, opposing attorneys, and peers. I can't say this book made me glad that I became a lawyer, but it helped quell the storm. This book is written so that virtually anyone can understand it, and yet it contains brilliant insights and what I would have to almost call "ultimate truths." Some of them are so obvious that it's disconcerting I couldn't identify them by myself; others are more transcendental, and Carlson very sagely unveils the phenomenon and associated principles.

I think anyone in a stressful work environment would benefit from reading this book. I read it very closely and highlighted about half the book. I know it will take some time for me to assimilate all of the suggestions, but this book planted the seeds and should surely help me cope better in the future with work-related difficulties.

You should be forewarned: you'll probably realize a lot of your stress is self-induced. I found myself cringing with the sudden realization of several self-destructive behaviors which I've had through the years. I think you need to be particularly open to effectuating personal change and breaking out of bad habits. For example, I never previously thought of myself as a "back-stabber"; instead I thought of myself as a rhetorically amusing and insightful critic and identifier of "office realities." Carlson really sensitized me as to the need to be circumspect about any kind of negative commentary about others, bearing in mind that whatever one says about someone or something is inevitably going to be spun by office gossips into the most negative light conceivable. That results in tension and resentment and stress. I now try to reserve my commentary (usually humorous anecdotes) about co-workers, etc. to acquaintances far outside my office. He also really brought home to me the principle of the destructive effect of complaining and griping about one's job; all that is accomplished is that one's negative view is reinforced, emphasized, perhaps even exaggerated by those other parts of your mind that hear you complaining. It becomes a vicious, snow-balling cycle of discontent. I suspect a lot of people intuitively think of it as "ventilating" one's frustrations and being helpful as such. I try now to not complain (in my case it was about boredom and the lack of professional growth). This has freed me up to seek out a remedies both inside and outside my employment scenario.

But, I cite the above only as examples. Carlson lays his recommendations out in 100 small chapters. I would say I learned something very useful from about 80 of them. I am very confident the long-term professional benefits will be significant. We're living in a very stressful time and a stressful culture. Focusing on the art of managing stress is almost mandatory if you want to thrive.

Don't Waste Your Time or Money
The book was short on practical suggestions and long on worthless "reprogam your own mind to accept the situation" advice. I'll save you reading the 384 pages. Don't worry, be happy.

A few nice snippets on how to minimize stress at work
Dr. Carlson's book provides some keen insights on how to reduce stress when employeed by a large corporation, or for those shackled to a cubicle for eight hours at a go. While helpful overall, the book is less beneficial to those employeed in the retail sector or other public service areas, where dealing with cranky customers and unmotivated staff seems to be the prevailing problems.

Interesting, applicable, and timeless...
The "Don't Sweat" series provides the reader with tools to organize and prioritize ones life. With the many different pressures placed upon us in our lives, Carlson hits home with this short read regarding the balance between our worklives and our homelife.

Broken into extremely small chapters only one to three pages long, it is easy to take some time out and read a few chapters -- appealing to even the busiest of schedules.

The only caveat is that one might be bored by the continual emphasis of the same points over and over again. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Winners Never Cheat
Whan I wrote my tenth book "Human Side of Management" my friends told me that book on "normal human behaviour in business environment" will not work. Ethics is unknown word in Croatian business (or anywhere around the World), they said. Six months later whole first edition (2000 copies) is sold and second edition is on the way (bare in mind, Croatia has only 4,2 million inhabitants). Many copies were bought as a business gift to colleagues or bosses.

Therefore, book "Winners Never Cheat" was a great support and confirmation for me, showing that people are the same all around the world - some want to do business according to ethical rules, without cheating and with respect to other people and some always has an excuse that lying and cheating is necessary because everyone else is doing business that way. Fortunatelly, world market is big enough so one can find his own "blue sea nitche", show knowledge and skills, win without cheating...and sleep like a baby.

Endless treasures in a small package...
In today's often cutthroat business practices, it's important to remember the lessons we all learned when we were young.To help, read this short book...Winners Never Cheat - Everyday Values We Learned As Children (But May Have Forgotten) by Jon M. Huntsman.

Chapter List:Lessons From The Sandbox; Check Your Moral Compass; Play By The Rules; Setting The Example; Keep Your Word; Pick Advisors Wisely; Get Mad, Not Even; Graciousness Is Next To Godliness; Your Name Is On The Door; The Obligation To Give Back; The Bottom Line

Jon Huntsman is the chairman and founder of Huntsman Corporation, which was the largest privately held chemical company in the world prior to going public in 2005.Jon built the business from a small operation in 1970 to what it is today...a multi-billion dollar firm.But instead of using business practices all too common these days (think Enron or Worldcom), he built the organization based on solid moral principles that everyone knows are intrinsically right.A handshake and promise is something to be kept.You should surround yourself with people who have and live the same ethics and value that you have.Giving back to the community and those less fortunate isn't a nice thing to do... it's a moral obligation.It'd be all too easy to write this off as simplistic platitudes that are easier said than done.But Huntsman has proven they do work, and there are numerous examples in the book that offer proof.

This isn't a 400 page book that requires days of patient determination to get through.It's a small-sized practical book that's only 185 pages, and each chapter and concept shouldn't take more than 10 to 15 minutes to read.But once read, and if contemplated and applied, they will change your life in more ways than you can count.A highly recommended read...

Fresh air to fill your business lungs - enjoy!
"Winners Never Cheat" is a tonic for our jaded age.To those already imprisoned in cynicism this book will read like a bunch of soft platitudes suitable only for children, but worse than useless to anyone trying to make it in the "real world".Of course, the cynics are not objectively correct.Cynicism and bad behavior are only necessary when you deem them to be the tools of your trade.If you decide that lying really is a losing long term strategy and that short run gains aren't worth long term losses, well, lying becomes a stupidity and easily avoided.

This is not to say that the kind of honorable behavior Huntsman advocates in this book leads to easy business success or a world of bright flowers and constant sunshine.Far from it!Competition is still tough and things still go wrong.It is simply how you compete and what you do to get things right that matter.These "everyday" values make for a more sustainable success that lead to better personal interactions, trust, and a more enjoyable life for everyone.Business failure is unpleasant, but it is transient.Corrupting your character for short term success is bitter and not easily undone.

Huntsman fills this short book with anecdotes from his own successful career.We learn about lessons he learned in the Nixon Whitehouse working on HR Haldeman's staff.The author describes how he handled various negotiations for rather large business deals.He tells us that lawyers are invaluable as business tools, but not as a substitute for business thinking or creativity.He describes his personal relations with a few business leaders of large companies.

In a couple of these I feel he raises some questions that are never directly addressed.For example, he describes the Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell as a friend without addressing what the huge and expensive reserves write down implies about the leader's character and leadership ability. He also mentions Armand Hammer as a friend!All I can suggest is to read about Mr. Hammer's true character in Edward Jay Epstein's terrific "Dossier".It is actually frightening to contemplate these two men being actual friends.I have to assume that Mr. Huntsman was simply using friend as a polite title the way Congressional enemies refer to each other as "my good friend".They could not possibly share genuine ideals and have anything in this book actually mean anything.

It is also clear that Mr. Huntsman has no use for Wall Street bankers.He must have hand some bad experiences in dealing with them.This makes me wonder why he ended up taking his company public.I also wonder if the bankers who helped him do so were honorable in his eyes or of low character.If they were honorable, shouldn't he have noted the exception in his book?If they were scumbags, why didn't he walk away from the deal?

Mr. Huntsman also makes a huge point of charitable giving.His personal example is inspiring and demonstrates what considered and generous giving can do to lift people and benefit communities.He also is unsparing of the notion that public corporations should be focused on profits for their shareholders.Mr. Huntsman says that as long as he is running Huntsman Chemical it will be doing charitable giving.This begs a thought experiment.Let's suppose that Mr. Huntsman were to retire, but still live a long, robust, and healthy retirement.Let's suppose that a chairman appointed by the board should decide, for personal reasons, to donate millions of Huntsman Chemical's dollars to anti-Mormon causes (Huntsman is a believing and faithful Mormon).Would this seem sensible or appropriate to Mr. Huntsman?That the person who did this would be immediately fired is beside the point.That shareholders in widely held firms have diverse interests apart from the management of the firm they own and that they are perfectly capable of their own charitable giving is really the point.When Huntsman chemical was a private and closely held firm, its giving was his business.Now that it is a publicly held firm, it is a different creature and has to act differently.There is a reason that I am more and more in favor of more firms staying private.

Two other short points.Two honest people with good intentions can still come out with different interpretations of simple English statements.I know this can all be avoided with careful negotiation, good contract writing and so forth.My point is that the fact of a powerful and even bitter disagreement is not necessarily evidence of bad character on the part of either side.It might well be that one or both of the parties is a ratbag, but they could both be good people who strongly disagree.This is important to note as you go about your business career and simply make sure to take extra steps to avoid such painful disagreements through prevention.

The second point is that I wish Mr. Huntsman had gone one step further.It is true that bad managers and dishonesty caused the financial tragedies at Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, Adelphia, and others.However, who hired them?Why were they hired?Shareholders hired them by investing their money in these firms looking for the big returns.Those who lost money investing in equity in these firms are not innocent.They helped create an environment where the solid management teams of older less explosive firms were cast aside for the go-go huge return firms of the nineties.

We hired these clowns and they delivered the lies we asked them to tell us because they agreed with the lies we were telling ourselves about the likelihood of these huge returns.It is actually a dishonesty to simply blame the CEOs who ran these firms.Oh, they deserve every punishment they get.But let's not deceive ourselves that they were the only bad actors in this scenario.We were all acting in that dark comedy and deserve the wages earned.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Simple Solutions to Big Problems
In my study of modern work systems I have often found that the top-performers are characterized by those that communciate well. Rick Maurer's feedback Toolkit is a very simple model to better communications in the workplace. Most of it is simple common sense, but the bottom line is that these simple solutions are still not being used in many organizations today.

The book is easy to read, and written step by step. No one could miss the meaning in this book. After I read it, and highlighted everything that was contradictory to what was happening in my organization, I slipped it under my bosses door. No doubt positive change is coming!

what a gem!
Don't judge a book by the number of pages- this short guide is a wonderful gem. Extremely practical how-to's, and how-not-to's, for giving and receiving feedback. Many organizations espouse feedback as critical to organizational learning and performance-- the skills gained from reading The Feedback Toolkit may actually make it so.
... Read more

Book Description

This is the braille version of the timeless reference book. According to the St. Louis Dispatch, this "excellent book, which should go off to college with every freshman, is recognized as the best book of its kind we have." It should be the ". . . daily companion of anyone who writes for a living and, for that matter, anyone who writes at all" (Greensboro Daily New). "No book in shorter space, with fewer words, will help any writer more than this persistent little volume" (The Boston Globe). Two volumes in braille. ... Read more

Reviews (195)

TEXTBOOKS DON'T HAVE TO BE BIG
While skimming through Stephen King's book ON WRITING, he highly recommended THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE. Taking his advice I searched for a copy and found one in a free bin--of all places! I looked at it and decided that it was so much better than any other textbook that I had seen that I decided to WRITE IT. Three pages a day for a month or so. It's a very short book, only about 80 pages or so. You learn everything from words that are often spelled wrong, to punctuation, to style, etc. Very blunt and to the point. No exercises in here, problems 1 - 10 all. Nope, you just read this book and enjoy it. Why, there's actually a little humor in it at times, which is pretty good for a textbook. Now I've heard some people say that this book is bad because it is saying to follow all these rules and don't stray from them. I think they got it all wrong. This book is essentially saying this: you can't blaze new trails in the English language without having a solid foundation in the basics first! This goes for ANYTHING. You don't suddenly set off an a 200 mile trek, you slowly work up to it, starting from the basics. After you have mastered the basics, then you can break free. One thing that this book continually points out is that it is OFTEN A MATTER OF EAR. Meaning that if you are experienced enough, you will know whether to stick to the traditional or whether to be liberal when phrasing something, for example. By far this is the most talked-about textbook that I've seen and the most valuable.

Great Little Book
A pithy little handbook that gives rules and examples to help you avoid the most common mistakes in writing, plus some smart advice on the finer points by a renowned essayist and children's writer. It is by far the single most useful book on writing. But it is not the last word. For those who wish to go further, I recommend these books in addition to Strunk & White: The Prentice Hall Handbook for Writers, for a review of basic grammar and syntax; Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, by Joseph M. Williams, for more detailed advice on constructing paragraphs; The Oxford Essential Guide to Writing, by Thomas Kane, for more general advice; and Garner's Modern American Usage, for intelligent, detailed, and up-to-date guidance on diction. All these books belong on the shelf of every serious writer.

(By the way, I agree with the previous reviewer that the third edition is slightly preferable to the current one.)

Useful book for writers and editors
For writers and those who work in publishing this little book contains a lot of matters worthy of consideration. It's not the most useful book I have on the subject (that honour goes to "Style Book" by Derek Wallace and Janet Hughes published in 1995) and I don't agree with everything the authors have to say, but it does contain a lot of useful tips, pointers and ways of polishing your text. You can't go wrong by giving it a careful read.

Your ticket to becoming a better writer
Few things can make you as self-conscious about your writing as reviewing a book that you feel has improved your writing. And few things are as silly as terribly written reviews praising such books. Hopefully, what I learned from this book will lead me to be able to write a review that will convince you to buy it.

Many years ago I decided that I wanted to be able to write better, but I didn't really know where to begin. I'd taken classes, but I was unsatisfied with what I had learned. I'd learned how to assemble different kinds of essays or papers, but I strongly felt that something was lacking on a more basic level. My writing lacked, well, style.

I happened to ask a professional writer I knew for advice. I asked him how one could become a better writer. The answer he gave me seemed completely underwhelming at the time: "Read the Elements of Style twice a month and compare its advice to your writing," he said. He suggested that I not merely read it once but that I read it continuously, as we all need to be reminded of the guidelines it provides. Writing is a skill that improves with constant practice, much like playing a musical instrument. Take your writing, apply the lessons and guidelines from this book, and see where you can improve things. While he insisted this was the most important advice I could receive, I remained skeptical.

Eventually, I had the good sense to give his advice a shot. Soon afterwards, I was a published writer. I still use this book and refer to it regularly. If you use it regularly in the way my mentor described, it will make you a better writer as well.

OUTSTANDING
Simply the most valuable book on my shelf. ... Read more

Book Description

Organizational Behavior, 10th edition presents classic and emerging organizational behavior trends and research, making the subject both accessible and meaningful for learners.To make the connection between theory and practice, the authors include timely examples, exercises, and high-interest cases.To help learners focus and understand the importance of organizational behavior, the authors introduce seven managerial competencies that are essential to being an effective leader or member of an organization. These competencies are introduced early and woven throughout in special features, exercises, and an interactive self-assessment tool. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

it is the best book on the market
I found it to be well organized, beginning with the individual, then bringing in the group process, and ending with the total organization aspect. Points are brought forth in a dynamic manner.

communication
What is the major barriers to effective comunication. as an manager or supervisor,how to eliminate or reduce these barriers. ... Read more

Book Description

Seize the Work Day describes using the Tablet PC to help the average office work-manager get control of his/her work day and become more productive. It paints a compelling picture of the Tablet PC as a very practical business tool, and assists the user in succeeding with the Tablet PC in such a setting. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

An original-- and exceptional-- book about the Tablet
This book sits right on the fence between a computer book and a personal productivity book, and excels at both. By far the most interesting computer book I've read in the last 5 years.

It doesn't just take a "point there, click here" approach to showing you how to perform specific acts, nor does it try to be a reference volume. Instead, Linenberger takes a more philosophical and theoretical approach to time management (drawing from sources that include Franklin Covey and David Allen) and shows you how to apply these best practices using the Tablet PC.

One of my favorite aspects of the book is how it demonstrates the tablet's ability to increase your productivity in meetings not just by taking excellent (and more useable) notes, but by allowing you to multitask and organize the data captured while it's being captured.

What a great book.

Seize the Work Day
This has been one of the most useful computer books that I have had the pleasure of reading. I was able to utilize a great many things from the book in my daily work. A mus buy!

Seize the Work Day - Excellent Guide
I just got my copy yesterday. Excellent book. I have already read almost half of it. Just couldn't put it down. Well written. A must for old and new Tablet Users. It has changed the way I do business.

Best Tablet resource out there....
If you really want to get more out of your Tablet, or are contemplating buying one and want to know how it can help you -- buy this book!

This is not just a click here, do that book, it is all about applying the Tablet PC to your daily work and changing your processes to be more efficient with this great new tool. Mr. Linenberger has lots of executive level experience, and it shows in his explanations of common challenges everyone faces in a day to day work setting.

Get this one -- you'll be glad you did.

This book is a MUST HAVE for any Tablet PC owner
I became interested in the Tablet PC after a recent trip to Las Vegas. The restaurant Aureole has their entire wine list on Tablet PCs. After that dinner, I decided to make the switch from my 17" Apple Powerbook G4, to a Toshiba Portege M200 (custom built with 1.7 Pentium, faster drive and built-in Bluetooth). That's right; I switched from a Mac to Tablet PC! I am very computer literate, so working with the Tablet PC came easy. I bought How to do everything with your Tablet PC and Tablet PC Quick Reference. They were fine, but not what I was looking for. Then I found your book, it was exactly what I was looking for. Not a beginner's how to, but an accurate look at how to use the Tablet PC as a true business tool. I thought I was organized before, but after reading your book, I am now more organized than I have ever been!

Thank you for writing a fantastic book. This book is a MUST HAVE, not just for a Tablet PC owner, but for any professional looking to increase productivity and improve their organizational skills. ... Read more

Book Description

From the editors at the world-renowned Associated Press, a guide to the proper use of punctuation--from the apostrophe to the semicolon.

More people write for the Associated Press than for any other news service, and more writers take their style and word-usage cues from this world-famous institution than from any other journalism source. In the no-nonsense, authoritative tradition of the best-selling AP Stylebook, the top editors at the AP have now written the definitive guide to punctuation. From the when and how of the ampersand to the rules for dashes, slashes, and brackets; from the correct moment for the overused exclamation point to the rules of engagement for the semicolon, The AP Guide to Punctuation is an invaluable and easy-to-use guide to the most important aspect of clear and persuasive writing. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Efficient and entertaining, but slim for my personal taste
Written with lively and direct prose, Rene J. Cappon's guide to punctuation succeeds in being a useful resourse for the busy journalist. No reader need fear about getting bogged down in the finer points of periods. If such a situation threatens to occur, Capon is quick to suggest a workaround. This leaves the stickiest questions even stickier, a real prickle for someone as persnickety as me. But for the journalist, or journalism student, I heartily recommend it.

To those looking for a deeper understanding of punctuation, I caution against this slim tome. Organized into seventeen chapters by punctuation, some of them no more than a half of a page ('The Ampersand') and some as many as sixteen ('The Comma'), the AP GUIDE TO PUNCTUATION lacks the philosophical depth and historical background of recent bestseller EATS, SHOOTS, & LEAVES as well as the dry grammar books of days past. The examples, while fun, are not nearly as comprehensive as one expects in any book that bills itself as a reference.

By way of example, here is the entire entry for Irregular Plurals under 'The Apostrophe':

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Irregular plurals also take the apostrophe: children's hour, women's rights, gentlemen's traditions, men's club, and so do nouns that are the same in singular: the single moose's antlers, the deer's track, the two corps' travels. The apostrophe stays whether the meaning is singular or plural.

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No mention is made that it is preferable to disambiguate the singular and plural in such cases. Especially in journalistic writing, where clarity and simplicity are the twin grails of good style.

A dedicated journalist might prefer a true grammar of the English language or the complete and comprehensive AP STYLE BOOK. While they may be dry, they will certainly go a good deal further in answering the questions that arise in all aspects of writing.

A Graceful, Witty Guide to Punctuation
As a professional editor for nearly two decades, I heartily recommend this book. Cappon's writing is clear, funny, and creative, and he makes the nuances of punctuation memorable. His reasoning is logical, and his explanations and examples are very helpful. Interestingly, though this is an Associated Press publication, some of the style differs from the official A.P. Stylebook. So if A.P. is your background, be aware of this.

Cappon is a terrific writer, and anyone else who writes would benefit immensely from this lucid guide to punctuation.

Don't buy this book!
If you had any doubts that the media suffers from EXTREME left-wing bias, this book on punctuation should erase them.

Rarely does the author pass an opportunity to make rude, offensive comments about President Bush or Republicans in general. Maybe that's your bag, but in a book on punctuation, I'm really not looking for political commentary, and especially not that slant.

I can only think that the AP "guru" failed to score a big book contract of his own, and so buried his bleeding heart in this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fish! Tales is Stephen C. Lundin, John Christensen, and Harry Paul's follow-up to Fish!--their enormously popular fable that draws lessons aimed at combating dysfunctional workplaces from the happy fishmongers at Seattle's Pike Place Market. In Fish! Tales the authors show how these lessons were put into practice at businesses both big (a major hospital and long-distance carrier) and small (a local car dealership and roofing company). Anyone who enjoyed Fish! (or, for that matter, Who Moved My Cheese?) or is looking for a motivational tool to help energize their own workplace, should find this short, upbeat primer worthwhile. --Harry C. Edwards ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Insightful!
Things are going swimmingly in Fish! land. In the latest volume, Fish! Tales, authors Stephen C. Lundin, John Christensen, Harry Paul and Philip Strand build on the successful training program that evolved from their first Fish book. Tales shows how four companies - a long-distance call center; a hospital neural-renal unit, a car dealership and a roofing company - have applied Fish! theories effectively. They also provide short examples from other companies to show how well the Fish! function. The four main principles are familiar by now - keep the work fun, seek to serve others, stay focused on your customers and have an enthusiastic attitude - but the examples in the book bring them alive. Along the way, the authors heavily sell their Fish! courses and merchandise - that's just good salesmanship - but the real catch of the day is the final how-to section, showing ways to apply these principles in any organization. The lively writing style helps keep you hooked. We from getAbstract suggest that if you haven't yet caught any Fish!, start with this one. Its cheery, accessible methods should lure you in, hook, line and sinker.

Insightful!
Things are going swimmingly in Fish! land. In the latest volume, Fish! Tales, authors Stephen C. Lundin, John Christensen, Harry Paul and Philip Strand build on the successful training program that evolved from their first Fish book. Tales shows how four companies - a long-distance call center; a hospital neural-renal unit, a car dealership and a roofing company - have applied Fish! theories effectively. They also provide short examples from other companies to show how well the Fish! function. The four main principles are familiar by now - keep the work fun, seek to serve others, stay focused on your customers and have an enthusiastic attitude - but the examples in the book bring them alive. Along the way, the authors heavily sell their Fish! courses and merchandise - that's just good salesmanship - but the real catch of the day is the final how-to section, showing ways to apply these principles in any organization. The lively writing style helps keep you hooked. We suggest that if you haven't yet caught any Fish!, start with this one. Its cheery, accessible methods should lure you in, hook, line and sinker.

"Real" It In
I enjoyed reading Fish, but Fish Tales is even better because it has real world success stories. While the original Fish! seemed like a business theory, Fish! Tales shows how several companies actually benefited from implementing these ideas instead of just reading about them. Fish! Tales enhances the credibility of the original book. 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.

Disappointing
While the message is a good one, it nearly gets lost in this very poorly written book.

Integrating Fish and optimizing the workplace
The Fish philosophy isn't new but the unique context and delightful presentation makes it effective. I got a lot out of this book because I saw how the concept is integrated into organizations. We have found that the best companion for the Fish philosophy is to train employees in Optimal Thinking. Optimal Thinking is the simple, realistic mental resource to empower individuals to be their best and bring out the best in others. I recommend both of these books. ... Read more

Book Description

The Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook is based on the same proven principles outlined in Schwarz’s groundbreaking book. The Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook is the next-step resource that offers consultants, facilitators, managers, leaders, trainers, and coaches the tools, exercises, models, and stories that will help them develop sound responses to a wide range of challenging situations. The book spans the full scope of the successful Skilled Facilitator approach and includes information on how to get started and guidance for integrating the approach within existing organizational structures and processes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A FIELDBOOK OF OUTSTANDING QUALITY-HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Central to this work is the Skilled Facilitator approach (TSF), a systematic, values-based approach to group facilitation; at its core is the idea that the way we act and the consequences we create begin with the way we think. Chapter one delineates the 10 key features of TSF approach. It is used to help groups and entire organizations address issues and make significant change, as well as in coaching, training, and conducting HRD/OD initiatives of all types.

This ambitious resource is bursting with 62 contributions clustered into seven parts:
1) Understanding the Skilled Facilitator Approach-main focus: summarizes the approach and describes its major principles and features (8 chapters)
2) Starting Out-main focus: using TSF in a variety of basic ways (12 chapters)
3) Deepening Your Practice-main focus: refining intervention and diagnosis skills, and increasing personal awareness (7 chapters)
4) Facing Challenges-main focus: dealing with the most difficult situations (5 chapters)
5) Seeking Your Path-main focus: integrating the TSF approach in practice and life (5 chapters)
6) Leading and Changing Organizations-main focus: creating major change in leadership and organizational functioning (15 chapters)
and
7) Integrating the Skilled Facilitator Approach in Your Worklife (and Non-Worklife)-main focus: shows how to integrate TSF with other approaches and roles (coach, trainer, consultant, leader, parent) (10 chapters)

The book is further enriched with: definitions; key points; examples; tools and techniques and samples of the outcomes they produce; reflections; model conversations; and resources.

As a consultant in organizational analysis, design and change, as well as a reviewer, I was particularly drawn to Chapter 51, "Do Surveys Provide Valid Information for Organizational Change?" by Peg Carlson. She concludes what we havefound to be true of surveys-they are useful for spotlighting likely issues but they do not deliver the depth of analysis and meaning required in organizational consulting, nor the motivation for learning and deep change. This chapter is emblematic of the books' quality of content. In a nutshell, this book is outstanding!I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

"Strategic Organizational Change: A Practitioner's Guide for Managers and Consultants" is written by a practitioner for practitioners. In this book, Dr. Beitler begins by providing a systematic approach for diagnosing organizational problems. Then he offers his step-by-step approach for designing and implementing organizational change interventions. Everything is written in a practical, easy-to-follow style, with an abundance of checklists and practice tools! ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Systematic and Very Helpful
I must admit I posted a negative review of this book on this site before I had a chance to read it. Like many of you, I have had bad experiences with change consultants. They charge a lot of money and have nothing useful to say. I was wrong about this book by Beitler. Because of his many years of experience as an executive (not just a change consultant) he understands what it is like to be on the client's side of the table. This book offers a systematic approach to diagnosing organizational problems. Then it offers a host of possible interventions to fix the problems. I found the book to practical, systematic, and easy-to-follow. I recommend it.

Great Contribution to the Field!
I have known Mike since his days as a graduate school student. I have never seen a student more concerned (often obsessed) about the application of the concepts, theories, and ideas we discussed.

Obviously, Mike still has his passion for practical application. He does a fine job covering (and properly citing) the works of Schein, Kotter, Cameron & Quinn, et al.

Two chapters I found particularly well done were chapters three and four, in which he discussed the distinction between leading change interventions as a manager and facilitating change interventions as a consultant.

Mike's step-by-step approach for strategic, structural, cultural, and human process interventions is an outstanding contribution to the field of Organizational Change.

I am recommending this book to my clients and students. Good work Mike!

Dr. Burke

Great Practitioner Guide
As a manager in a large organization, I was able to immediately apply many of Dr. Beitler's ideas. While I am sure the citations (the book is well-researched) are valuable for academics, I found his checklists, step-by-step procedures for interventions, and his "Practice Log" entries to be very useful in my work.

Beitler's systematic approach makes his book a great reference book for years to come. I am looking forward to attending one of his workshops.

David Jacobs

This Book is a Keeper
I recently heard Dr. Beitler deliver a keynote address to a group of consultants, and then heard him speak about his ideas on a television interview. His strategy-driven approach to organizational change is the most systematic approach I have seen anywhere.

In Chapter 1, in an easy-to-read style, Beitler discusses the relationship between org mission/strategy and org change initiatives. Basically, he states that change efforts should not be attempted unless they clearly contribute to the implementation of the strategic plan. Jim Collins agrees with this in his work.

In Chapter 3, on Process Consulting, Beitler emphasizes the importance on having a process facilitator to guide/coach the management team. From my experience, I agree completely. Major changes in organizations need an emotionally detached, "objective," change process expert (a process facilitator).

Chapter 5, on Data Gathering, provides a great easy-to-follow reference guide. Chapter 6 is on diagnosis. Chapters 7-10 offer step-by-step checklists for interventions to use in your organization. Very valuable!

I was surprised by Chapter 13 on Evaluation. Is it possible to make a chapter on evaluating change interesting? Yes, this chapter is very insightful.

As the subtitle indicates, this is a book for managers and consultants. If you read only one book on organizational change, be sure it is this one. It's a keeper!

Jeffrey Windham

Not my first choice
I'm sorry to say, mr. Beitler appears to be a really nice guy, but the book is often basic, broad and opinions are not always well fundamented. It is a great source for a lot of researches others did on OC related subjects, however, this book is for a large part no more than a summary of research findings of these others. This book, since it provides a lot of findings, can be helpful for writing a masters thesis. For people who never read about OC before; buying this book can at least give you some helpful insights and a lot of advises for concrete action. For others; maybe Kotter or Burke can be more useful to gain insight in and knowledge of the subject of OC. ... Read more

Book Description

PRAISE FOR It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish!

"Along her journey, [Hennessy-Ortega] has inspired, motivated, and encouraged thousands of women to believe they too can turn their dreams and goals into realities. You will love this book; it will produce incredible results in your life."
—Rena Tarbet, Independent Senior National Sales Director Mary Kay Inc.

"With a refreshing style all her own, Gillian Hennessy-Ortega uses her down-to-earth wit and wisdom to ignite your belief in what's possible, raise your level of expectation for your future, recognize your potential, and empower you to take a step ahead of the crowd and into a lifetime of success. A must-read for anyone committed to living their dreams!"
—Lisa Diane, author, When You Can Walk on Water Why Take the Boat?

"Gillian inspired me to reach for the level of excellence I had dreamt of. This book will encourage you, at all levels of your life, to reach for your highest accomplishments. You won't be able to put this book down. Inspiring!"
—Albert Pujols, First Baseman, St. Louis Cardinals 2001 National League Rookie of the Year

"In It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish!, Gillian shares the nuggets of truth that ensure both starting and finishing with results and excellence. As someone who uniquely knows what it means to live the American Dream, she has made herself a master of life and business. Now, as master teacher, she is passing it on to you."
—Pamela Waldrop Shaw, author, Design Your Life 90-Day Planner Independent National Sales Director, Mary Kay Inc.

"Gillian inspires people to reach farther and stretch beyond the comfort zone and into greatness. She has practical, straightforward ideas and tools to help any organization or individual move to the next level of success. I would recommend this book to anyone who desires success in their life."
—Guy F. Hulen, Director of Human Resources Hong Kong Shanghai Banc Corp. (HSBC) ... Read more

Book Description

Luthans: Organizational Behavior was the first mainstream organizational behavior text on the market and continues its tradition of being the most current and up to date researched text today. The author, Fred Luthans, is well known in this field, and is the 5th highest Publisher in the Academy of Management Journal. He continues to do research in the area of organizational behavior. This text is aimed at professors who take a research based and conceptual approach to their OB course. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Terrible book!
I thought this book was one of the worst textbooks I have ever picked up. The best thing about it was finishing it! Organizational Behavior is not the only class I am taking and yet I poured way more time and effort into reading this book than it deserved. It is NOT student friendly. There are no callouts and I simply believe there is a better way to deliver this information than I experienced in this text. That's not to say there isn't a ton of good information in it, but that it's poorly organized and assumes that the reader is familiar with organizational behavior and will know the references the author names by last name only. Also, the entire first chapter was spent telling the reader what he will learn in the remaining 17 chapters. Get on with it. Throughout, the author continues to reference what the reader will learn in upcoming chapters. STOP IT. Revise this piece of junk to something more student-friendly. When I am a teacher, I will not come close to asking my students to use this. I do not recommend this book for someone who is not planning on becoming an organizational behavior major. If you're a teacher, please don't ask your student to read this. Terrible.

Excellent!
Fred Luthans presents OB in a great light. While his text has many, many meta-data studies, it does provide a clear and concise view of OB.

A very good textbook for an introductory class on OB. ... Read more

Book Description

Technical Communication represents the works of five highly respected authors, all writing in their areas of expertise. Scientific examples and assignments within a social context are used for a realistic view of communication issues. This is the only text to extensively address argument, including reasoning, credibility, persuasion, decision making, problem solving, and critical thinking. The topic of audience is also addressed more thoroughly than in any other text. The book covers the traditional parts of the technical communication course but has been updated greatly to respond to the demands that the computer places on communicating. ... Read more

Book Description

Eight years ago, Dr. Thomas J. Stanley swept aside the mythical magic curtain of wealth to reveal The Millionaire Next Door. America found out just who and how common the truly wealthy were in this country¨and we learned the characteristics and habits that made them so. Now the author of the follow-up The Millionaire Mind focuses on one of the least understood but increasingly rich demographics: Millionaire Women Next Door.¨Why write another book that profiles millionaires?¨ Stanley asks. ¨The vast majority of the millionaire respondents (92 percent) in The Millionaire Next Door were men. . . . I felt that it was indeed time for successful businesswomen of the self-made variety to be heard.¨ And heard they are in this book that is destined to become every bit as informative, quoted, and inspirational as the author¨s earlier works. Readers everywhere will be fascinated by Stanley¨s thoroughly researched findings and conclusions. More than a simple extension of his studies of male millionaires, Millionaire Women Next Door presents groundbreaking concepts involving the nature, lifestyle, and business choices of successful American women that reach far beyond the scope of the author¨s previous studies. The book examines the choice of businesses elected by self-employed women, ranking over 150 categories in terms of their profitability and probability of success. It also describes the women¨s background, highlighting the fact that most millionaire women were raised in nurturing family environments that were literally training grounds for success, instilling the values that make this group one of the most generous in American society as demonstrated by its level of giving to charities, family, and friends. While many characteristics such as frugality and simplicity of lifestyle are similar to those of their male counterparts, Stanley demonstrates that most millionaire women work harder and do better¨at school, in business, and in investment practices. Millionaire Women is sure to be one of the most read, reviewed, and discussed books to come out this year. Make your own wise investment for a wealth of solid sales. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

And now The Millionaire Women Next Door
I bought this book for my wife over two weeks ago at our local Borders. Having been a fan of Stanley & Danko's first great work, The Millionaire Next Door I was anxious to see this new version for the female gender.

I was not dissappointed. Millionaire Women Next Door profiles the most successful women. It shows the businesses they got into and how they achieved their great wealth.

While I know Mothers day is over, guys, I highly recommend this book for your wives or significant other in your life. Let thme see how great wealth is achieved by the gentler gender.

Hopeful, helpful, and riveting book
If you're a woman who didn't quite see yourself in The Millionaire Next Door, there's hope. Women are different than male millionaires in several important ways. For example, the typical male millionaire has married once and remains married, but over half of female millionaires have been divorced. Women are also more generous than men.

The book mainly talks about business owners becoming wealthy, but it also talks about alternatives to business ownership. Stanley profiles a star saleswoman, educators (a wealthier group than you realize), and stay-at-home women who act as managers of their "family office". He also discusses parenting your children so they can develop a millionaire mindset. Many situations are presented in this book, so you can probably find something that will apply to you.

As for helpf