Book Description

A disturbingly large number of people today are unhappy with their work. In this helpful book, career coach Julie Jansen addresses this work-dissatisfaction epidemic.Using career assessment quizzes and personality exercises, Jansen helps readers understand their present work or career situation, discover the type of work for which they're best suited, and learn how to create the changes they need. Filled with real-life examples and including a useful resource section, this guide provides the inspiration and know-how to implement positive career change. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

An excellent resource for job seekers and career changers
If you're like me and hate what you do for a living but are floundering, Julie Jansen's book, "I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This," is a godsend. I've heard Jansen speak. She's smart, dynamic and refreshingly down to earth. Her book is the same. Reading it is like having a private career coach or a supportive, no-nonsense friend who is always there to give you [boost] you need to stop whining about work and do something about it! It's written in Jansen's warm, straightforward style and packed with practical information (e.g., websites for finding a job, dealing with job stress, getting a free critique of your resume), self-assessment tools and action plans that are actually fun and easy to use. All of this is extremely helpful for organizing your thoughts, honing in on the real reasons you're unhappy, and discovering valuable clues about who you are and what you really want to be when you grow up. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is ready to get serious about finding work they can feel good about.

Helpful exercises...easy read...very useful.
This title provides effective exercises for would-be career changers and entreprenuers. After spending 10 years in the corporate world and making a couple unsuccessful attempts at small business, I found myself thinking "I don't know what I want, but this isn't it." Locked into a career that pays well, but has little else to recommend it, I've been having a hard time finding a vocation that offers fulfillment, but doesn't involve going broke in the process. The exercises in this book helped me clarify what I want (and do not want) from my work-life and helped me to develop a plan to acheive it. I recommend using this book in conjunction with "Do What You Are" by Tieger.

I'll Know It When I See It
I liked the book. Good suggestions on how to analyze your interests, experiences and skills. Very helpful for displaced workers. But, I liked a book called Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey even better. Rat Race Relaxer showed me how analyze my interests then took it a step further so I could discover new ways of seeing and changing my current situation. For those of us with family or financial obligations that limit our ability to change jobs (or wait for the "right" job when downsized), Rat Race Relaxer is a better choice.

Still Don't Know What I Want
I found out a little more about myself as far as attitudes and personality (not much I didn't already know; just a litte reaffirming I guess to have gone over the exercises), but I still don't know what I want.

The book may help you, or maybe not, place yourself into one of the six categories the author describes on why you want to change jobs. The book may also help you itemize your values, attitudes, change readiness, personality preferences, interests and skills into neat categories. The book does nothing in helping push you to finding gratifying work.

Useless aggregation of standard self-help information
I found the information and exercises in this book to be a simple aggregation of the standard self-help/self-improvement informaton that you'd get from an ineffective career counselor, HR manager, or a corporate management consultant. Many of the excercises are wandering and unfocused, and not very helpful in determining goals and action plans for change. I'd like my money back, but more importantly, I'd like the time I spent reading the first few chapters back. ... Read more

Book Description

Hands-on help for quickly­­and persuasively­­writing company-mandated performance appraisals

Writing performance appraisals is one of the most difficult and time-consuming tasks managers face. Perfect Phrases for Performance Reviews simplifies the job, providing a comprehensive collection of phrases that managers can use to describe employee performance, provide directions for improvement, and more. For example:

• "Sets priorities well"
• "Misses important deadlines"
• "Thorough, reliable, and accurate"

All managers and HR professionals will value the book for its:

• Hundreds of ready-to-use phrases, organized by job skill and performance level
• Tips for documenting performance issues and conducting face-to-face reviews
• Easily adapted performance review templates covering five performance levels

With the wide-ranging assortment of descriptions available in this book, managers will be able to find the perfect terms to help them analyze and understand the work performance of each person they work with.

Reviews (3)

Perfect Phrases for Performance Reviews .... Not!
The background to giving appraisals is very good, as is the advice on how to conduct an interview. For this alone the book is worth purchasing. Included within this book are many pages of "perfect phrases". To state they are perfect is, I feel, a little misleading. Although I must mention that at the start of the book it is stated that these sentences should be altered to suit the individual. My gripe is that the sentences have not been rated very well. For example, on page 41 under Accuracy, Outstanding options provides you with "Mistakes don't slip through" as one of the choices. Should that not read, "Exceptionally accurate at all times". Many of the sentences are very weak and fail to use any "power words" to strengthen an employee's qualities.

My feelings are that the book has been thrown together from previous appraisals with little though to the content of the phrases. The "sentences" require regrading and stronger words added to give them more bite. Also other attributes need to be added to give the book a wider audience such as: Loyalty, Sense of Duty, Competence, Confidence but to name a few.

Finding Fish
Finding Fish, by Antwone Fisher is an awsome autobiography of a foster child that became a very good father and served his country in the army
This story is about a boy, Antwone, who was put into the foster care system as a child. He stayed with the very abusive family for about 12 years. He didn't want to believe at the time that it was a bad place to live. But when he got older he finally realized that it wasn't agood place to be living and that the foster parents weren't letting him grow up. He was thrown out of the house at the age of 17 and was homeless in the coldest weather. If it weren't for his social worker believing in him and telling him that he could make it. He wouldn't have made it as far as he did. His message is that you have to have help to get anywere and have confidence in your self.
I liked the story. I say this because it shows how going through a tough life can get a good life in the end. I can relate to the foster care system and not wanting to move. I know what his life is like, especially when he denied some bad things but not all of them.

Phrases and a lot more
Doing performance reviews--preparing for them, filling out the form, and understanding how to make them effectively improve an employee's performance--can be a challenging task. How do you make it a positive experience, for yourself and for the employee? It's not easy. How do you let the person know he or she is not living up to the organization's expectations? Again, not easy. This book can help in doing these things. The majority of book is given over to phrases you can use in over 70 different categories of performance. Each category has five levels of phrases, from outstanding to unacceptable. Even if some phrases don't fit exactly what you're looking for, you have a place to start and you can easily modify them to fit your purposes. I also like the first part of the book on how to plan, conduct, and write a performance review. The book also has two cool appendixes. One is titled "Ten Mistakes Managers Make When Conducting Performance Reviews," and the other is "Seven Mistakes Employees Make During Performance Reviews." For a retail price of [money], this book is a great tool for anyone having to do performance reviews. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

This unique, re-engineered book defines and describes the new "paradigm" brought on by recent dramatic changes in the field of management. Managing Today! redefines the traditional"functional" approach employed by previous management books to more accurately reflect recent, fundamental changes in the economy and workplace—changes that have significantly reshaped today's managers' jobs.Robbins' balanced approach presents an effective integration of theory and application displayed within a clear, visual design specifically tailored for today's readers. Coverage includes changing issues in today's workplace (risk, privatization, multiple skills, and continual retraining); culture shock; time-management skills; cycle-time reduction and technology transfer; virtual teams; human behavior; leadership; trust building; change management; and more.For human resources professionals, business managers/team leaders, and anyone interested in Organizational Behavior and Business Management. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Heart of Change is the follow-up to John Kotter's enormously popular book Leading Change, in which he outlines a framework for implementing change that sidesteps many of the pitfalls common to organizations looking to turn themselves around. The essence of Kotter's message is this: the reason so many change initiatives fail is that they rely too much on "data gathering, analysis, report writing, and presentations" instead of a more creative approach aimed at grabbing the "feelings that motivate useful action." In The Heart of Change, Kotter, with the help of Dan Cohen, a partner at Deloitte Consulting, shows how his eight-step approach has worked at over 100 organizations. In just about every case, change happened because the players were led to "see" and "feel" the change. In one example, a sales representative underscores a sense of urgency to change a manufacturing process by showing a videotaped interview with an unhappy customer; in another, a purchasing manager makes his point to senior management about corporate waste by displaying on the company's boardroom table the 424 different kinds of gloves that the company had procured through different vendors at vastly different prices. Well written and loaded with real-life examples and practical advice, The Heart of Change towers over other change-management titles. Managers and employees at organizations both big and small will find much to draw from. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Worth the time to read...then pass it on.
I will admit to being skeptical when I was first introduced to this book. I had not read the original book, "Leading Change" by John Kotter for the same reason that I was reluctant this time...books that focus on change mangement are generally too dry and formula driven. This book was also driven upon the 8-step process highlighted in the first book.

However, I was told that the book focused this time more on the behavior changes of people that are needed to make change successful...and from experience, I knew that getting employees to really want to make a change makes all the difference to a successful change effort.

The book uses stories to describe how to educate and motivate others to accept change through the 8-step process. If you just look at the eight steps, they appear dry and built on well-worn cliches. Increase Urgency, Build the Guiding Team, Get the Vision Right, Communicate for Buy-In, Empower Action, Create Short-Term Wins, Don't Let Up, and Make Change Stick. Certainly, anyone that has led change can figure this out.

However, I found the stories to be very practical in describing the concept of See, Feel, Change that is needed by all employees to really embrace the change emotionally and not just logically. They have to want to change their own behaviors, not just for the project, but forever. The story I could relate to the most was "The Boss Goes to Switzerland". I have seen this happen numerous times for others and myself.

This book has practical content that can be referred to over and over again...I will use this book each time a new change initiative gets underway. Recommended for all business leaders.

The Heart of Change
As the title indicates it's a "how to" book of real life stories of how people changed their organizations. This is not a quick fix-it remedy book. It has real take-away values and merits applicable not only for the corporate environment but for any organization where people are recognized as the key to success through change. Kotter introduces his book with the premise that people are more willing to change if shown a "truth that will influence their feelings" rather than be bombarded with analytical data that force them to change their thinking. He then introduces his 8-step process which will lead to successful large-scale change. To further validate his viewpoint Kotter includes examples of real stories of individuals(managers, tech people, presidents, etc) who succeeded in bringing about positive change to their companies of course sometimes after much frustration and repeating of certain steps. I strongly recommend this book for those who are "change agents." The book also lists an interactive site for additional tips to one's personal change effort. The book is dynamic and forceful and an excellent resource for those organizations/communities of practice with the vision for the future and a "heart for change."

Show, don't tell
If you've ever felt like you're not powerful enough to make needed changes in your organization, this book has a powerful message for you: Approach change in the right way and you'll make things happen.

Filled with real-life stories, this book offers lots of inspiration. Perhaps the strongest anecdote is the story of an executive presentation made by a mid-level manager and an intern about revamping a wasteful purchasing process. Instead of cranking out a fancy report, the manager and intern filled a box of 424 different pairs of gloves (with attached price tags ranging from $5-$17) that the company was buying. Then they dumped the box on the boardroom table, clearly making a point that this process needed to be fixed.

The moral: Communicate change by appealing to emotions. And often, emotions are stirred by showing people, not just telling them.

A solid read.

Good book, plus...
This is a good book. But, I also recommend "Strategic Organizational Change" by Beitler.

Change Management - an Oxymoron?
In this book Kotter explains how people change less because they are given analysis and facts about why change is needed and more because we show them a truth that influences their feelings. This concept is not adopted by all those writing on change management. Yet it is a concept that does fit with my experience. Unless the facts, figures, and general information presented by those wanting to effect change is compelling enough to generate the feelings that change is a requirement, then change will not happen. Kotter puts it this way: See, Feel, Change. So the information and analysis must be geared toward the "seeing," and the "feeling" in order to prompt people to change. If we do not actively pursue the task of driving necessary change, change management becomes an oxymoron - change forced upon us becomes chaos and we do not manage the change, it manages us.

One of the things I enjoyed most about reading this book was the clear and logical layout with the interesting web-page navigation graphics. Also the case studies from "real life" gave practical examples of what successful change might look like in our companies. His eight steps to successful change are: 1. Increase Urgency, 2. Build the Guiding Team, 3. Get the Vision Right, 4. Communicate for Buy-In, 5. Empower Action, 6. Create Short-Term wins, 7. Don't let up, 8. Make Change Stick.

All of this helps in building a practice of Shaping the Corporate Culture, which is, of course, near and dear to our hearts at dbkAssociates. Many of the insights in this book will be of practical use to us and to our clients. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not Limited to Swimlane Diagrams
To me, the chapters on data modeling and use case modeling are the most valuable because I now see them in the context of process modeling. I am wondering if W. H. Inmon's book on the operational data store would help complete this "big picture." Readers of this book benefit from the very extensive experiences of the authors. The authors have seen it all and warn readers which roads are dead ends. This book includes both theory and prescriptions as to how teams can design and document processes and contribute to the alignment of technology with the needs of the organization.

Swimlane Diagramming For Analysts Doing Requirements
This book nicely sets forth a detailed methodology for doing swimlane diagramming for workflow business processing. This book is for analysts; the discussion is about the nature of business processes that have workflow as a key characteristic. It is not about the architecture of computer solutions for such processes. If you follow the methodology in this book and flesh out the diagrams with use cases (just briefly touched on here), you will have captured most of the requirements for a business workflow process.

The book is nicely bound and well written. The authors have been around a while and the vocabulary and approach fit nicely with older concepts like business process reengineering. The authors are not unaware of the latest developments and "UML" crops up here and there but not in the index. The diagramming is very simple compared to UML activity diagrams.

This is good reading for the domain experts on a team working on the requirements document and a nice primer for geeks who are forced for the first time to talk to the business side of an enterprise.

Comprehensive, fresh and, yes, exciting
Rarely do I get excited about books on workflow modeling. I have a few good books on the subject, all of which provide solid approaches and most of which are well written. This book stands out because it goes beyond merely "solid" or "well written" by giving one of the most comprehensive approaches to workflow modeling I've had the pleasure of reading.

First, like most books on the topic, none of the components of the approach are new. What makes the approach refreshing is the way the authors take standard techniques and tie them together into a coherent process. Second, this book can be used as a workbook during a workflow modeling project, and is well suited to this because of the numerous checklists and diagrams that will prove invaluable every step of the way. Finally, this is the first book of its kind that incorporates use cases, making it invaluable to project teams that have standardized on UML (Unified Modeling Language)or wish to integrate an object-oriented approach into a workflow modeling project. If you're not familiar with use cases I strongly recommend Writing Effective Use Cases by Alistar Cockburn (the best book on the subject in my opinion); UML Distilled by Fowler and Scott is an excellent introduction to that subject if it's new to you.

The approach is straightforward: frame the process and define its scope, understand the existing process (if there is one), design the "to-be" process and develop use case scenarios. I wish to offer one caveat at this point: if you are reengineering a process that is seriously broken you might consider skipping the "as-is" process. Understanding the existing process is useful if your goal is incremental improvement. Reengineering efforts usually radically transform existing processes, making efforts to understand them both moot and wasted.

Some of the highlights of this book include the authors' clear definitions and way of decomposing complex systems into discrete steps and components. For example, they use a five tier view of processes that ensures you have a complete view of all issues and factors. The views are: (1) mission, strategy and goals (I personally extend goals further into Goal-Question-Metric), (2)business processes, (3) presentation, (4) application logic and (5) data. Note that the last three align nicely to a 3-tier client/server architecture. This observation clearly shows how coherent the authors' approach is and how it can foster alignment of technology to business requirements.

I also like how the authors clarify the key issues in process design by pointing out six enablers that you need to account for during the analysis and design phase: (1)workflow, (2) technology, (3) human resources, (4) motivations and measurements, (5) policies and rules and (6) environmental constraints (facilities, external process capabilities, etc.). There is one minor point of disagreement I have between their workflow modeling technique and the one I use. The authors use swimlane diagrams (also called Rummler-Brache diagrams), while I use deployment diagrams. The difference? Swimlane diagrams do not capture phases or cycles. I always place workflows into the context of Entry Criteria-Task-Validation-Exit Criteria (ETVX), which is nearly identical to the TQM Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. I insist on ETVX because it allows me to spot missing validation points in an existing workflow, and ensures that I clearly define entry and exit criteria, as well as validation points in a "to-be" workflow. Of course I am stating personal preferences - following the authors' approach verbatim will definitely result in a workflow design that is not only "bulletproof", but will align information systems and business process almost perfectly.

This book is a gem. It's readable, full of ideas and, with the incorporation of use cases into the approach, completely up-to-date with respect to IS/IT methodologies. If you want a fresh, modern approach to workflow design this book is the only one that will provide it.

The best book on applicacation development modeling to date.
If you've ever asked the question: Is there a great book that teaches an excellent methodology for analyzing real world workflow, and then designing the application that will implement that workflow into an application? I've found the book that answers that question.

Workflow Modeling is the book. It is the best book on the subject that I have read to date, and I've read dozens. It teaches you how to build visual models that illustrate the workflow process, and shows how to implement the model into an application. Superb! But it before it goes out of print. ... Read more

Book Description

The Nonprofit Kit For Dummies is the only comprehensive guide of its kind at a reasonable. This is a nuts-and-bolts guide for real people -- nonprofessional managers and volunteers who hope to start a nonprofit but don't know where to begin or who already run one but are struggling with a multitude of decisions and tasks -- real-life issues like staffing, budgeting, fundraising, tax reports, and facilities. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not helpful at all
As an attorney, I read a lot of publications about creating nonprofits -- here's what you need to know about this book:

1) No clear instructions on how to incorporate or how to fill out (very complicated) IRS forms necessary to obtain tax exempt status.

2) Covers a lot of topics only lightly, skipping important details.

3) No detailed info on state laws, which is extremely important to every nonprofit corporation.

If you really don't want to visit an attorney, Nolo's book "How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation" is the best one available, and addresses everything this Dummies book doesn't.

Be careful!!!
OK this book makes you feel like incorporating is as easy as bying the book ...

But it is way too vague, and omits to tell you what you get yourself into !

After reading this book, I incorporated and for additional info I bought Nolo's How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation in California by Anthony Mancuso (or How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation if you don't live in california) and I got really scared.
This nonprofit kit is really for dummies, it doesn't even talk about applying for state tax exemption which is as important as federal tax exemption, or your responsibilities and duties as a director or officer.

I would really advise you to buy Nolo's book (nolo.com). The author is much more responsible, he clearly tells you that you should prepare your bylaws, your federal and state tax exemption application BEFORE submitting you articles of incorporation ...

Plus, this nonprofit kit for dummies is making some huge mistakes! It tells you that the Board of Directors is composed of the president, vice president, secretary and CFO ... which is totally untrue, they are officers
The board of directors is composed of guess what ... directors.

all-in-one resource
This book puts it all together, with very savvy advice on not just what to do to launch and sustain a non-profit, but how to do it well, with realistic goals. My favorite sections are the ones on writing: how to develop a mission statement and a grant proposal. But all the nuts & bolts information about budgeting and raising money is excellent, too. The advice also is very flexible, so it can apply to nonprofits that are social service-oriented, arts-oriented, etc. A good starting point for all of us who want to turn dreams into realities.

Now I don't feel so dumb!
Great book for someone starting at ground zero!

Before I found this book, I was struggling with my fear of overlooking some important aspect while starting a non-profit, the Financial Literacy Infusion Project (FLIP). My intrepidation was actually putting some of FLIP's potential funding in jeopardy. When I looked at the scope of topics in the table of contents, I breathed a sigh of relief. I was on my way to filling in some important "holes" I had overlooked and feeling confident that I was developing a strong foundation for FLIP.

Hutton & Phillips cover the gamut of starting and running a non-profit in a reader-friendly format. NP for Dummies is also loaded with references and resources for more information on any subject covered. The CD is also a definite, easy to use PLUS! ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for Enterprise Risk Management

"In the aftermath of Enron, WorldCom, and Sarbanes-Oxley, every publicly traded company should be concerned about risk management. This book takes a pragmatic approach to risk management that can benefit any CEO or senior executive. Lam lays out clear strategies to address what is often a highly complex issue."
–William L. Walton, Chairman and CEO, Allied Capital Corporation

"James Lam provides one of the most practical, insightful books on risk management that I have read in the last thirty years. It clearly reflects experience and deep understanding of the art as well as the science in risk management practices. A must-read for all who wish to advance risk management practices in their businesses."
–Sandra Jansky, Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer, SunTrust Banks, Inc.
Chairperson, Risk Management Association

"In this book, James Lam has provided an effective overview of business risk. Enterprise Risk Management will be useful to professional risk managers and business executives seeking to understand the latest tools and organizational approaches."
–Robert Simons, Charles M. Williams Professor of Business Administration,
Unit Head–Accounting & Control, Harvard Business School

"The most comprehensive and engaging handbook on enterprise risk management, written by the pioneer of the Chief Risk Officer function. Filled with practical examples and lessons learned, this book is destined to become one of the most widely read primers on today’s top business initiative. James Lam is the authority on enterprise risk management, and I highly recommend this book to all board directors, senior executives, and risk managers."
–Cassandra R. Schultz, Vice President and Chief Risk Officer, KeySpan Corporation

"James Lam’s book Enterprise Risk Management: From Incentives to Controls provides an insightful road map to best practices in risk management. Based on a solid and successful career in risk management, James’s advice is both timely and relevant and should be required reading for all risk management professionals."
–Michael J. Litwin, Chief Credit and Risk Officer, Merrill Lynch Capital ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The book for ALL CROs and CFOs
Thank you for writing this book. This book is must read for all CROs and CFOs. Looking forward to reading your coming Risk Management books.

Critical but Easy to Read and Comprehend
Anyone whose career interests intersect with the risk management discipline will find this book extremely valuable in understanding the risk management discipline and viewpoint. Anyone who is considering a career in risk management will find this book a critical help for success. James Lam writes in an easy to read style and the ease with which one can grasp and understand the material might fool one into under estimating the rigor and logic James has built into his work. I recommend this book without reservation.

Edward P. Paules, Managing Director Risk Management
Investors Bank & Trust
Boston, MA 02116

ERM Made Practical and Executable
James Lam, the founder of ERisk and the pioneer for the chief risk officer concept has penned the best and most comprehensive book yet on enterprise risk management and how this emerging business practice can add practical, measurable value to any business concerned about how risks affect performance and stakeholder value.

For the first time, a true ERM expert has articulated in user friendly terms, what ERM is and how it can be applied to many different business types in many industries. This book makes clear that there is no one way to design and ERM model and that customizing it to the needs of the business will be the one way to optimize the outcomes desired.

The book is well organized and starts with a section on setting the "context" for delving into risk management; outlining the framework of a comprehensive approach; showing real world applications in various industry contexts; and closing with some prognostications on the future of the practice.

I highly recommend this book to all business managers who want to take risk management and their careers to the next level.

Enterprise Risk Management: From Incentives to Controls
Excellent resource on Enterprise Risk Management.

The author draws upon his 20 years' rich real world experience to drive the subject to home. It offers valuable insight, which is rare to find elsewhere. This book is not only up to date and comprehensive, but also particularly practical.

As a risk analyst with more than 6 years experience, I highly recommend this book to those who are in this field and to those who have interests in this field. ... Read more

Book Description

In the wake of continuing corporate scandals there have been few, if any, CEOs that have stepped forward as models of "doing things right" -- except the former chairman and CEO of Medtronic, Bill George. George has become the unofficial spokesperson for responsible leadership -- in business, the media, and academia.

In Authentic Leadership Bill George makes the case that we do need new leaders, not just new laws, to bring us out of the current corporate crisis. He persuasively demonstrates that authentic leaders of mission-driven companies will create far greater shareholder value than financially oriented companies. During George's twelve-year leadership at Medtronic, the company's market capitalization soared from $1.1 billion to $460 billion, averaging 350er year.

George candidly recounts many of the toughest challenges he encountered -- from ethical dilemmas and battles with the FDA to his own development as a leader. He shows how to develop the five essential dimensions of authentic leaders— purpose, values, heart, relationships, and self-discipline. Authentic Leadership offers inspiring lessons to all who want to lead with heart and with compassion for those they serve.

Bill George helps readers answer vital questions such as: What should I do when my personal values conflict with company business values? How do I make trade-offs between the needs of my customers, my employees, and my company's shareholders? Do I really want to devote my talents to business? Authentic Leadership provides a tested guide for character-based leaders and all those who have a stake in the integrity and success of our corporations.

... Read more

Reviews (31)

Bill George Challenges Conventional Wisdom
In this first book by Bill George, the reader is confronted with many ethical dilemmas that he has faced as a corporate leader and that challenges conventional (US) business thinking. Are we too fixed on quarterly earnings? Is shareholder value really the most critical measure to assess a leader's success? Is leadership style important? Can a leader be effective and still have a life outside work? By describing in detail how he struggled with these and many other dilemmas throughout his career and life, George gives his readers a refreshingly and couragously honest insight into his quest to become an authentic leader.

Bill George sends an evocative message, that should be read by all leaders. As a learning and aspiring leader, I hope that this will be the first in a long series of inspirational and thought-provoking works by him.

A minor critical observation is that Bill George at times spends longer than necessary on those points where he wants to mention a long list of people that have influenced him. Yet, one could argue that this attention for those around him is a true sign of authenticity.

There is a better way to lead: Ethical Leadership
This book describes timeless leadership principles by a man who, as he writes, has spent his entire life learning and working to become a better leader.

Bill George has written an inspiring book for all who aspire to be good leaders. He states his case for authentic leadership: values centered and performance oriented, using a candid and open style. He writes about his many experiences in a leadership role: as CEO of Medtronic, and with Litton, and Honeywell - describing challenges leaders face and how they deal with them.

Personally, I like to read and understand more about leadership - what is being a good, effective leader. This book appeals to me because it seems to confirm what I feel is important about being a good business leader: "Good leaders are people of the highest integrity, true to their core values, with the courage to build enduring organizations to meet the needs of all their stakeholders, and who recognize the importance of their service to society" (Bill George, slightly re-written).

I recommend this book to all who wish to understand more about leadership, and what it is to be a good leader.

A Compelling Invitation
The day after I read this brilliant book, I read an article in the Dallas Morning News (Tuesday, September 30, 2003) in which sportswriter Gerry Fraley discusses the Minnesota Twins whose payroll is $110-million less than that of the Yankees. (The Twins won 90 games this past season and had just defeated the Yankees in the first game of the American league playoffs.) As Fraley notes, the Twins are renowned for how they treat their people. One of them is Al Newman who is currently struggling with a life-threatening illness. Here's a brief excerpt from Fraley's article:

"When beloved third-base coach Al Newman was hospitalized in Chicago this month because of a brain hemorrhage, general manager Terry Ryan remained with him for the entire 11-day stay. While Newman was hospitalized, the Twins clinched the Central title at home. Manager Ron Gardenshire stopped the postgame celebration, brought out Newman's uniform top and reminded the crowd of what he had done for the club."

If I understand George's key points in Authentic Leadership, both Ryan and Gardenshire offer examples of it. Specifically, they demonstrate "the highest integrity, [are] committed to building enduring organizations...who have a deep sense of purpose and are true to their core values...who have the courage to build their companies to meet the needs of all stakeholders, and who recognize the importance of their service to society." George addresses what he views as a need for new leadership when in fact the need is to increase the number of authentic leaders, not only in business but in government, religion, and the military. We need more men and women who "genuinely desire to serve others through their leadership...are more interested in empowering the people they lead to make a difference than they are in power, money, or prestige for themselves. They are as guided by qualities of the heart, by passion and compassion, as they are by qualities of the mind."

George invites, indeed urges his reader to "rediscover the secrets of creating lasting value" in literally all areas of contemporary life. On page 6, he poses a series of questions and then in the 17 chapters and Epilogue which follow, he responds to each. However insightful those responses may be, and they are, I think the primary purpose of the questions is to guide and inform each reader's consideration of the various issues which those questions suggest. With all due respect to what George so generously shares from his own life and career, the nature and extent of the reader's own engagement in self-exploration will ultimately determine the value of this book.

The material is exceptionally well-organized. The quality of writing is first-rate, and especially effective because of the conversational tone of George's observations and suggestions. Although there are frequent references in this book to "companies," the questions posed and the issues associated with them are also directly relevant to all other organizations (regardless of size or nature) in which there is a compelling need for authentic leaders. Daily, it seems, there is evidence of such need in news accounts of corruption in all areas of our society. Corporate executives are indicted and convicted of fraud. Officers in the military are demoted, discharged or, in some instances, imprisoned as are clergy in various denominations. Although the reasons for their behavior vary, all of them betrayed the trust of those to whom they were accountable and for whom they were responsible.

Authentic leaders are first and foremost authentic human beings. For me, this is George's key point and because it seems so obvious, it may also seem simplistic. On the contrary, he has cut through all the rhetoric and urges his reader to examine her or his core values. For most of us, that is an immensely difficult, perhaps painful experience. In this context, I am reminded of the fact that in The Inferno, Dante reserved the last and worst ring in hell for those who, in a moral crisis, preserve their neutrality. Throughout all manner of organizations, there are women and men who are authentic leaders and should be commended. The reality is, their respective organizations need more of them. More to the point, all of us in our global community need more of them. In his unique and compelling book, George challenges us to join their number.

Insightful!
Few companies got more marketing mileage out of their culture than Medtronic. Its former CEO, author Bill George, is proud of his company's squeaky clean corporate record. Despite all the clichés he may muster, despite his occasional preachiness, perhaps no CEO has written a more lucid or insightful series of reflections on the challenge of managing a corporation in twentieth century America. Read this book and you will learn some obvious lessons and some new ones: that leaders should be honest, that they will be tempted to cut corners in pursuit of short term profits but really ought to resist that temptation, that devotion to customers is at least as important as devotion to shareholders (provided you make your numbers every quarter) and that managers at Enron and WorldCom did the wrong thing, but we can learn a lesson from them. We acknowledge that Bill George may be as close as American executive ranks have come to producing a moral philosopher.

There is a better way to lead: Ethical Leadership
This books describes timeless leadership princibles by a man who, as he descibes, has spent his entire life learning and working to become a better leader.

Bill George has written an inspiring book for all who aspire to be good leaders. He states his case for authentic leadership: values centered and performance oriented, using a candid and open style. He writes about his many experiences in a leadership role: as CEO of Medtronic, and with Litton, and Honeywell - describing challenges leaders face and how they deal with them.

Personally, I like to read and understand more leadership - what is being a good, effective leader. This book appeals to me because it seems to confirm what I feel is important about being a good business leader: "Good leaders are people of the highest integrity, true to their core values, with the courage to build enduring organizations to meet the needs of all their stakeholders, and who recogize the importance of their service to society" (Bill George).

I recommend this book to all who wish to understand more about leadership, and what it is to be a good leader. ... 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

Reviews (21)

Useful For New Managers
New to management? Have to give a performance review and you don't know how to approach it? This book will get you there.

"Effective Phrases for Performance Appraisals: A Guide to Successful Evaluations" by James E. Neal isn't the snappiest book you'll read, and it is not the best value.

It is alphabetically organized by main topic terms, from 'accuracy,' ' achievement' and 'administration' to 'versatility' 'vision' and 'writing ability.'

You'll find 25,000 phrases under 58 such topics. For 'accuracy' there are 24 phrases, like "expects perfection" and "meets precise standards."

The drawback is twofold: the layout wastes space, and the content is easily found in other, more substantive books. It could easily be reduced to a 50 pages booklet.

There are guidelines for appraisals spread across several short appendices.

Useful for the new supervisor, or as a refresher for an experienced middle manager...

Anthony Trendl

Effective Phrases for Performance Appraisals
I purchased a previous edition of this pocket handbook some years ago and replaced it recently with this newer edition..

I get the impression that this thoughtful and well laid out guide was originally for use in the military and other government agencies. It is a very useful tool for allowing your own creative juices to work for you when writing up an appraisal.

The best method that I've found for this little guide is start in with an employee appraisal, then scan through the relevant pages when you feel you are at a sticking point and need some time in order to place the correct phrase that just doesn't seem to come to mind at the moment.

Rest assured that taking a break, scanning through this guide for a while, and then putting your work aside for a few hours will result in some very constructive ideas for you..

s/ Patricia Gibbons

It's a very useful book
This is a fantastic book. The thoughtful yet articulate phrases enhance any performance appraisal. I would highly recommend it.

Awesome! Reviews done quickly!
This is a terrific resource--I finished my performance reviews in half the time!

Invaluable tool for writing
This is an invaluable tool for writing military perforance evaluation reports. The book's best use is as a memory jogger to pick out those phrases which I can then expand upon. Better yet, it keeps me writing in current tense, instead of past tense.

It saved about 5 hours while writing the last one. ... Read more

Book Description

Discover the "whys" and "hows" of creating a complete set of professional-quality construction documents using features and functions contained in the newest release of Autodesk Architectural Desktop (ADT)! Written by a professional Autodesk Training Center (ATC) manager and successful national ADT applications engineer, Mastering Autodesk Architectural Desktop 3 focuses squarely on the rationale and practicality of the ADT process. Unlike other books that confront novices with a never-ending stream of seemingly discrete and unrelated commands, this book propels its readers to new skills using detailed examples and exercises that showcase the "why" as well as the "how" of using Autodesk Architectural Desktop to complete residential and commercial building design projects. The book begins by acquainting readers with the user interface and familiarizing them with the conceptual underpinnings of Autodesk Architectural Desktop software operations. Subsequent chapters enable readers to delve directly into the process of using their software to set up residential and commercial building projects, produce sections and elevations, generate schedules, design layouts, work with details, plot construction documents, and more! As a result, readers gain a first-hand understanding of the value of Autodesk Architectural Desktop as a professional design tool as well as practical knowledge of what can be and what ought to be modified. Prior experience using AutoCAD is assumed. However, no prior experience with Autodesk Architectural Desktop is required making this book perfect for today's professional architects, interior designers, facilities planners, and students. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Great Book!
Great book essential for getting started! (The autodesk book "Gettign Started" certainly doesn't. Nor does the online training included with ADT.) Very thoughtfully laid out and really gets you into the "guts" of the product in short order. CD included has a great setup for doing residential and commercial work...you can use it to set up your shop. Any corrections or clarifications in the book or on the CD are on paulaubin.com. As software is a work in progress, so are these books on the software, and the site includes some important clarifications that have come out since the release of 3.3. If you need to know ADT, buy this book.

Great Book....
I've had a bit of experience having started with Cadence and then moved on to Autocad, Softdesk and eventually ADT. However I've had very little formal training (one time at Autodesk University). For that level of experience the book is excellent... no idea how it would be for people just starting out or unfamiliar with ADT.

I'm about 3/4 fo the way through the book and while much of it is a review there are great portions that have filled in gaps and eased the transition to the new management system.

For people in circumstances similar to my own I'd highly recommend this book.

Mastering Autodesk Architectural Desktop
A good book over all but lacks the finer points for using the program. I would recommend the book for someone who has not had much experience using AutoCAD.

Try to figure out how to create i.e. Schedules
Good book, but it could be better. You have to think the deepest tough to figure out where is the beginning and or the end of many procedures. Try to figure out the best way to approach the creation on a Door Schedule in 2d, for example.Good luck

Avoid this book-Written By Master for Master
The reason I got this book was the price and some of the good review by buyers. Unfortunitely I didn't take the words of the buyer who gave this book a rating of 1. This book really is confusing. Let me warn you this book is not for beginners or even expert current AutoCAD 2002 users like me. This is more suited for current ADT user upgrading to v3.3. The way the book layout is hard to understand. It start off with the MOST confusing part of CAD,Display. The instructions make you go in circles and by the time you finish all the steps you forget how to do it. Following the instructions are somewhat difficult for a experience 2002 user due to lack of pictures so forget about it being a beginners. I'm sure the people who crafted this book put alot of time on it but it's not a very good layout book. Sorry about the 1 star rating but this is the highest I can give. It's a sure return. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Business leaders who maintain that emotions are best kept out of the work environment do so at their organization's peril. Bestselling author Daniel Goleman's theories on emotional intelligence (EI) have radically altered common understanding of what "being smart" entails, and in Primal Leadership, he and his coauthors present the case for cultivating emotionally intelligent leaders. Since the actions of the leader apparently account for up to 70 percent of employees' perception of the climate of their organization, Goleman and his team emphasize the importance of developing what they term "resonant leadership." Focusing on the four domains of emotional intelligence--self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management--they explore what contributes to and detracts from resonant leadership, and how the development of these four EI competencies spawns different leadership styles. The best leaders maintain a style repertoire, switching easily between "visionary," "coaching," "affiliative," and "democratic," and making rare use of less effective "pace-setting" and "commanding" styles. The authors' discussion of these methods is informed by research on the workplace climates engendered by the leadership styles of more than 3,870 executives. Indeed, the experiences of leaders in a wide range of work environments lend real-life examples to much of the advice Goleman et al. offer, from developing the motivation to change and creating an improvement plan based on learning rather than performance outcomes, to experimenting with new behaviors and nurturing supportive relationships that encourage change and growth. The book's final section takes the personal process of developing resonant leadership and applies it to the entire organizational culture. --S. Ketchum ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Leading through Emotions, Intellect and Cognitive Skills
Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee first correctly remind us about the importance of dealing with emotions in the workplace. To their credit, Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee do not downplay the dramatic impact of both intellect and cognitive skills in building a company to last. Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee then explore the four emotional intelligence dimensions and their associated competencies: Self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Those capabilities are key to managing others successfully. After exploring each of these four concepts of emotionally intelligent leadership, Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee apply them to the six types of leadership styles: Visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, and commanding. The authors convincingly demonstrate that emotionally intelligent leaders are flexible in their use of leadership styles because some styles are more appropriate than others in specific situations. Emotionally sub-optimal leaders who are willing to improve themselves can learn through self-directed learning and with the help of others how to fill the gaps that separate them from emotionally intelligent leaders. Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee also explore how to build emotionally intelligent organizations. Ignoring how to deal with the realities of team norms and organizational culture often is a recipe for disaster as Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee clearly show us. The result is indeed a toxic and rebellious environment that will have a negative impact on both customer and investor loyalty. Finally, Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee examine the process for sustaining emotionally intelligent leadership over time. To summarize, "Primal Leadership" is a good read that brings an additional dimension of leadership to our attention.

Emotionally Sound Bytes
The control board 'Emotion' requires balanced computerised system programming of Thoughts and Actions. How Powerful are emotions that override circumstances with ease! The author focus on four domains of emotional intelligence - self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. At a workplace, Management always stands at cross roads and is hard to understand but you got to slowly convince coz they too need to be Savvy in some areas too. In Primal Leadership, the author emphasis on 'smart leaderships' to cultivate emotionally intelligent savvy leaders.
The development of the four EI competencies initiate leadership qualities that call attention to vision for their organization restricting the commanding and authority style which hinders pace setting reach. The author Daniel Goleman discuss on the research done with Executives who render real life examples. The leaders do need to nurture good feelings and develop human relations in those people whom they lead. Though the concept remains the same like in 'Emotional Intelligence', Daniel Goleman implies to repeat the same rule. Most successful leaders are emotionally intelligent but yet remains problems to tackle with new ideas, diversed fields and more and over, Emotionally being stable to balance to lead the organization to par excellence. Communication is the key to success and that is also one factor that misleads many Leaders to stumble the blocks with the correlated managers and staff. Leaders get 'stalled' and hooked off emotionally knocking off the tolerance of the Executives who no longer stick to the rule of 'grudge & grumbles' - No way, flying them off to check out for better prospects elsewhere as we see these days. Daniel's book is an insight to be Emotionally sound and so if you haven't read his earlier book, sure this is the pick! Go ahead, adopt the Leadership styles!

Highly recommended for leadership development
I have to admit, I enjoyed the first half of the book (devoted to personal leadership styles, competencies, and learning) more than the second half (which focuses on organizational development).

I've assigned this book and related exercises to a number of my executive coaching clients. Even if they only breeze through emotional intelligence domains and associated competencies (page 39) and the styles of leadership (summarized on page 55), we have plenty to work with. Clients come back amazed at how often they employ non-resonant styles (and begin to notice the consequences), at how transparent their moods are to others, etc.

One client, hugely successful in prior businesses, wondered aloud if he should "go back" to his former hard-driving (Pace-Setting) style, given his lackluster experience in his current tech start-up using a softer approach.

It helped him to distinguish between his former endeavors (where his teams were highly self-motivated, competent, and connected to one another) and his current endeavor (where there was less intrinsic trust and some questions about competencies on the team). Rather than the often dissonant Pace-Setting style, he realized the need to emphasize more resonant styles, especially some very specific Coaching style interventions to address competency issues. After working together, it wasn't just about "hard" or "soft" styles in business, but about appropriate styles for different situations.

If you're interested in "integral theory" then this is one of of the ones that counts. Here's a quick mapping of models that Primal Leadership explores and how they relate to the the domains of integral theory:

* Self-awareness and self-management map to the subjective world, my world, the world of "I." While "mood" is covered, I would have liked to see more of a distinction between mood (a person's ongoing "climate") and emotions (a person's current reactions or "weather").

* Social awareness and relationship management map to the intersubjective world; the world of business, culture, and relationships, where many rules are unwritten and must be sensed. Social competence is the world of "We."

* The "neuroanatomy of leadership," with its focus on how the brain works and learns, maps to the objective world, the world of physical phenomena and measurements, the world of "It."

Primal Leadership is an easy read, but it's also a great reference, with models that people "get." Highly recommended!

We read this book for a class assignment - mixed reviews
We read Primal Leadership: Learning to Lead With Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee. The authors are well educated and actively participate in the organizational field through consortiums, boards, and consulting. Each author has written numerous best selling books, articles, and programs to help leader become great leaders.

The book is broken into three parts: The Power Of Emotional Intelligence, Making Leaders, and Building Emotionally Intelligent Organizations. The main points of The Power of Emotional Intelligence are that leaders are not born, with opportunity and training leaders can be made, and leaders either create resonance or dissonance. Resonant leaders bring positive energy, create excitement and passion for an organizational goal or objective, inspire excellence, and promote collaboration. Dissonant leaders are out of touch with the feelings of others, create emotionally toxic environments, and dispirit by misleading or manipulating. The authors describe four traits that emotional intelligent leaders have in varying degrees: self awareness, self management, social awareness, and relationship management.

The main points of Making Leaders are that many leaders do not get appropriate feedback, training and seminars rarely provide lasting change, and self directed learning is the best way to change behavior. Self Directed Learning is a five step process that address who you want to be, who you are, developing an agenda, practicing, and feedback.

The main points of Building Emotionally Intelligent Organizations are that the most effective teams are those where the leader relinquishes complete control to the team and sustainable changes should be an ongoing process rather than a one time program.

Overall, we felt that the book was well presented. We, each had a different break-through with the book. For instance, one group member felt that the discussion about leaders being made instead of born was beyond prevailing mainstream thinking. Another group member had never heard of the CEO Disease, which describes how, as a leader ascends in power and influence, the quality of feedback diminishes and the leader becomes unable to correctly self assess their effectiveness. Others related to the differences between resonant and dissonant leaders and the realization that many of our leaders are untrained and have no organizational opportunities to grow as a leader.

Our action plan includes making sure that leaders have 360 degree feedback, access to mentors and coaches, establish weaknesses and goals to bridge the gaps between their strengths and weaknesses, and have opportunities both social and professional to practice.

In conclusion, we would recommend this book to some people but not to everyone. The book focused more on theory rather than practice. We would have preferred several different applications of the theories to case studies, and a more in depth discussion of the four main skills used by managers. Overall, the book was relatively easy to follow, but difficult to remain engaged in. There were some discussions about neuroanatomy that some of us found hard to understand and that tended to break the flow of the book. Primal Leadership had great leadership philosophies in it, but we found many of those philosophies were not knew. We agreed that there are other books on the market that are easier to read and provide more application.

More connections of "Primal Leadership" and Neuroscience
This is a very interesting and substantial book and I recommend it highly. It illustrates one thing that'd probably be too trivial in the context of child development, yet is very surprising when applied in the context of leadership: a leader would probably be considered autistic if he/she leads by being just intellectually or analytically superior - the leader must connect affectively with troops to be effective, explicitly or implicitly. Having said that, I think the main points can be further elucidated if it spends a bit more time in incorporating more findings from neuroscience. In particular, I find its arguments for the main themes inadequate by just employing brain¡¯s cognitive and emotional functions. In fact, there are two other brain functions that are orthogonal to the fore-mentioned functions, but nonetheless play key roles in the leadership as well: the automatic and controlled function of the brain. Some of leadership behavior can probably be better explained by the following framework: cognitive and controlled, cognitive and automatic, emotional and controlled, and finally emotional and automatic. ... Read more

Book Description

MORE answers to MORE questions than any other interviewing guide.Sell yourself with style and win the interview game!The most crucial part of your job search is knowing how to respond to the toughest interview questions ù because the best candidate doesn't necessarily get the job....the best interviewee does! In Best Answers to the 201 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions, career expert Matthew J. DeLuca reveals the secret agenda behind every kind of question interviewers ask, and prepares you to answer them all. Never again be at loss for words when an interviewer hits you with an icebreaker...thought provoker...curve ball...stress tester...and even an illegal question that shouldnÆt be asked but needs an answer. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Pretty good information.
I bought this book prior to interviewing for my current job. The book contains some good information but to be honest I wasn't asked the questions contained in the book. Of course this isn't the books fault. However, the book did help me prepare myself mentally in the event the questions did come up and it helped me to learn how to collect my thoughts and answer confidently. Recommended if you have interview anxiety at all.

Worth it's weight in gold
This book is a must for anyone who is either looking for a job now or possibly will be in the future, which is just about all of us nowadays. It is a no-nonsense reference guide to the kinds of questions to expect during the interview and what the both weak and strong responses are to them, as well as how to respond to inappropriate or illegal questions without totally killing your chances at getting the job.

I especially like the list of questions right at the start for use as a quick index when filling out employment questionnaires. Strong responses to such questions as what aspects of your current job do you like best, or least, are quickly found with a discussion of the reasoning behind the answers.

This book is concise and to the point, and well worth the price even if you don't expect to need it in the near future, if just for the self-confidence and self-examination opportunity it gives you.

I highly recommend it.

Joe Buchberger

Well written, but...
An entire book of ONLY interview questions is just too much of a good thing, IMHO. There are several books which have a chapter on interview questions, and list only the ones which are you really likely to encounter, which I have found much more useful.

If you can buy it cheap then it may be worth looking into.
The beginning chapters are just fluff & common sense. However, it will at least get you thinking about what you may incounter during an interview. I wouldn't rule this book out completley. The biggest problem I had with this book was that, unless you have tons of time to practice and study each question, it is simply impractical to expect to cover all the material. My advice would be to prepare more general areas for the interview. Focusing on particular questions is almost a waste of time.

Poorly written
Maybe I'm just nit picky but although there are some informative tidbits, I feel this book is poorly written. There are other, better Job Interview books on the market. If you're going to plunk down some hard-earned money for this, you're making a mistake. Buy it used. That said, the follow up to this book, something like More Answers to 250 questions (or something like that) is a much better buy. ... Read more