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The lure of this book's promise starts with the assumption in its title. Possibility--that big, all-encompassing, wide-open-door concept--is an art? Well, who doesn't want to be a skilled artist, whether in the director's chair, the boardroom, on the factory floor, or even just in dealing with life's everyday situations? Becoming an artist, however, requires discipline, and what the authors of The Art of Possibility offer is a set of practices designed to "initiate a new approach to current conditions, based on uncommon assumptions about the nature of the world."

If that sounds a little too airy-fairy for you, don't be put off; this is no mere self-improvement book, with a wimpy mandate to transform its readers into "nicer" people. Instead, it's a collection of illustrations and advice that suggests a way to change your entire outlook on life and, in the process, open up a new realm of possibility. Consider, for example, the practice of "Giving an A," whether to yourself or to others. Not intended as a way to measure someone's performance against standards, this practice instead recognizes that "the player who looks least engaged may be the most committed member of the group," and speaks to their passion rather than their cynicism. It creates possibility in an interaction and does away with power disparities to unite a team in its efforts. Or consider "Being the Board," where instead of defining yourself as a playing piece, or even as the strategist, you see yourself as the framework for the entire game. In this scenario, assigning blame or gaining control becomes futile, while seeking to become an instrument for effective partnerships becomes possible.

Packed with such examples of personal and professional interactions, the book presents complex ideas on perception and recognition in a readable, useable style. The authors' combined, eclectic experience in music and painting (as wellas family therapy and executive workshops) infuses their examples with vibrant color and sound. The relevance to corporate situations and relationships is well developed, and they don't rely on dry case studies to do it. Indeed, this book assumes the emotional intelligence and desire to engage of its reader, promising access to the rewards of that door-opening notion--possibility--in return. --S. Ketchum ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Stretches your thought process
The Zander's redefine the way you look at things and view situations. I found the book to be a combination of art/creativity and psycho-analysis. Some of the principles I had a hard time really owning.

It reminds me a bit of Zen or Tao. Being in the present, not assigning blame, recognizing that is the way things are...

I couldn't read the book in one sitting. I found that it requires a lot of thought and reflection. Parts that I found inspirational were the white papers that were written by the musicians in response to a request from the conductor.

Some of the principles seemed to really line up well with the popular book from a few years ago "7 spiritual laws of success" by Deepak Chopra.

I would like to hear the authors read this as a book-on-tape, because I found myself thinking about things while I was trying to read. In a nutshell, the book says "put your life into a different playing field, Don't think win-win, think about making a contribution or about making a difference."

Inspiring read for personal growth
This is an inspiring read for my personal life, and certain examples touched my heart deeply. Downside - I don't have much context for the authors' examples, though it's thought there is application of this to the corporate world. Was looking for a "thumping good read" to boost me on the job, and it more boosts me outside work world. Would a book more geared toward work maybe written by the authors+ a businessperson be a good next move? Hard to say. Still, as a former Landmark Education Graduate of many, many adult education classes, it was enchanting to see Landmark's concepts of creating possibility and vision embodied in the book. It's also exciting to consider those concepts being read about by many folks everywhere via Amazon.com

The Art of Possibility
The "Art of Possibility" deeply resonated with me. Creating value by managing risk and uncertainty has been the core of my life's journey. It has been filled with complexity, tension, and dissonance...but it has also been filled with the discovery of possibility and meaning. The Zanders have done a real service in framing the "how" of possibility with their examples and practices.

This gem of a book will be useful not only in managing one's life, but also in helping other's to create their great life stories. The answers to core questions like "which game of success will I choose to play?","will I choose to be a contribution?", and "do I take myself too ___seriously?" are keys to a life of joy, meaning, and fulfillment.

Can you see the work of art within you? Within others? Or are you focusing on the facade? Who is winning the battle between the caculating self and the central self? Are you vulnerable or are you permeable? What is here now? And what do you want to do from here? Get yourself this book and engage in THE joyous adventure of opening up to your possibilities.

1970s Cult Jargon Fest
Ugh. How much of this Werner Erhard inspired sludge will we have to endure before the whole disgusting mess either dissipates or compacts down into an easily disposed of loaf? Familiar to any cult-watcher, the buzz words spill freely here. They are words and concepts that can mean anything to anybody. Fuzzy, new-age pap which the authors unashamedly admit come from the culty, self-improvement seminar called Landmark Education which used to be Erhard's "est."

Sad to say, many Landmark devotees are encouraged by their participation to "create" endless testimonials reflective of their own egos, swelled to megalomaniacal proportions by various psychological tricks and techniques, and the Landmark Corporation by proxy. "Spreading the word" is part and parcel of the whole trip. Keep a shovel handy.

What a snoozefest.
After reading the reviews here, I thought this book might be a nice inspirational read. It has a few decent moments, but for the most part I could barely force myself to keep reading. I got through about 75% of it, then just had to skim the last few chapters because I couldn't take it anymore. I dunno--if you play in a symphony orchestra, you're into reading sappy and/or narcissistic little personal tales, or you just have to read every single inspirational book that gets published, you may like this. Not the worst book I've ever read, by a long shot, but not good enough to keep or recommend, so I'm giving it two stars. ... Read more

Book Description

Surprising Advice from Top Business Minds on What It Really Means to Lead

Leadership requires many attributes besides intelligence and business savvy-courage, character, compassion, and respect are just a few. New managers learn concrete skills in the classroom or on the job, but where do they hone the equally important human values that will guide them through a career that is both successful and meaningful?

In this inspirational book, Daisy Wademan gathers lessons on balancing the personal and professional responsibilities of leadership from faculty members of Harvard Business School. Offering a rare glimpse inside the classrooms in which many of the world's prominent leaders are trained, Remember Who You Are imparts lessons learned not in business, but in life. From the revelations on luck and obligation brought by a terrifying mountain accident to a widowed mother's lesson of respect for people rather than job titles-these unforgettable stories and reflections, shared by renowned contributors from Rosabeth Moss Kanter to HBS Dean Kim Clark, remind us that great leadership is not only about the mind, but the heart.

Addressing the moral, ethical, and personal dilemmas professionals face as they climb the ladder to success, Remember Who You Are will help aspiring leaders everywhere use their time and talents in ways that truly matter. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Reflect, Learn and be Inspired
Is this book destined for the best seller's list? Probably not...but anyone who reads it will read it again.

This is a solid piece of work, an amazing collection of stories wherein the reader can reflect on their own life and career and be inspired.

Beyond inspiration, the stories are also a very telling of the professors who have spent decades training the world's current and next generation of leaders at Harvard Business School. You can just imagine Wademan talking with these professors, soaking in their every word as they talk about what is important to them, what they make sure every student hears of them. And a relief: when exposed to these professors, the money-greedy stereotype of the the MBA goes out the window.

A perfect book for anyone thinking about their career, in school or in transition, or those looking to be better leaders in whatever they do.

Defining Moments of Harvard Business School Professors
This book was inspired by the Harvard Business School tradition of sharing life lessons with students in the final class. Ms. Daisy Wademan, a recent graduate in 2002, collected a number of these stories as shared in final classes and in many cases rewrote them to fit into this wise volume. In other cases, the professors wrote and polished the stories themselves.

At its best, the essays in this book are among the most compelling that I have ever read. At its weakest, Remember Who You Are's essays remind me of the most boring moments I have spent in a classroom. With stronger editing, this could have been a knock-out of a book. As it is, the book is very valuable . . . and will be a five-star offering for any Harvard Business School graduate who wants a quick course in key life lessons. I graded the book down one star as being less relevant for those who did not attend Harvard Business School. To have met that standard, the book's stories would have had to have been geared for those involved in less exalted roles than Harvard Business School professors and alumni. As a side note, I took two courses there in marketing while studying law at Harvard Law School so I have a foot inside the camp as well as one outside of it.

Each essay describes a defining moment in a professor's life, and the epiphany that resulted from that defining moment. Unfortunately, the defining moments sometimes had a little too much to do with being a good student . . . and becoming a good professor rather than focusing on how to become an effective person in a business career.

The most universal business story in the book is "A Bad Meal, and the Truth" by Stephen P. Kaufman a professor since 2001 who is the former long-time CEO of Arrow Electronics. He describes the way that organizations form around their leaders to shelter the leaders from difficulties and bad news (or even the truth). He provides excellent advice on how to overcome those tendencies. This idea and its development are worth being the subject of a whole book.

There are two stories that are so compelling that I defy anyone to forget them. The first, "A Fall before Rising," opens the book and recounts a life-threatening fall during a climb in the Himalayas by the late professor Ramchandran "Jai" Jaikumar. He has a beautiful reaction in terms of the karmic debt involved in all of our lives which should echo forward into future generations. Ms. Wademan has given us a great gift by capturing this story.

The second remarkably compelling story is "The Mount Rushmore Question" by Thomas J. DeLong. On a motorcycle journey to Mount Rushmore with his young daughter, she asks him if he makes a difference in people's lives. The essay goes on to encourage you to ask two questions for becoming more effective in these dimensions. One, "how do people experience you?" Two, "how do people experience themselves with they are with you?" I thought that those three questions are among the most perceptive ones that I have ever run into. I wish I had heard them many years ago. Please pass them along.

One of the most intriguing sections is "The Oath" by Nitin Nohria in which he expresses the moral and ethical responsibilities of the manager. This essay should receive much wider dissemination as well. I am always struck by how many people see business leadership as solely a personal opportunity rather than as a social responsibility to create positive results for all stakeholders. The management oath in the essay is a good step in the right direction of redressing this fault. Peter Drucker has often said to me that management has few problems that becoming like a profession wouldn't solve. He points out the many differences between how physicians advance medicine and medical practices versus how business managers perform. I hope that this thought process will receive more attention in the future.

Many of the other essays reminded me of those dreams we all have about impossible tests that we cannot complete. Some of the more memorable ones include "The Stuffed Bird" by Jeffrey F. Rayport, "Katharine Hepburn and Me" by Rosabeth Moss Kanter and "The Race" by Henry B. Reiling.

With due nostalgia for my two courses at Harvard Business School, I remembered that two of my biggest career lessons came from brief moments in class that were not the final class. In one, Professor Marty Marshall told us about friends of his who ran a small video company in New Hampshire that had a great life style . . . while providing New York quality work at New York prices. In another, I heard a McKinsey partner describe a consulting assignment in which he solved the problem by moving beyond the charter the client had given him. I have drawn on both stories successfully many times in my career to become the head of my own strategy and financial consulting firm in suburban Boston.

The lesson that I learned from this book is that it would be a good idea to ask people who have more experience than you what the defining moments in their lives have been . . . and what they learned from those experiences. I hope that Ms. Wademan will consider writing other books using this format that focus on thoughtful, ethical business leaders.

Nice job!

Genius!
This book is a must read for those interested in the power of thought and introspection. It is an important tome that inspires us to think about what we want in life and how we are all going to get "there." Kudos to Ms. Wademan, she is clearly a star in the making, a most impressive debut.

Food For The Soul
This superb collection of inspiring stories is a must-have addition to any collection. You will find yourself going back and rereading many of these tales time and again.

This book has quickly become one of my favourite gifts to give to friends. The stories are not only inspirational, but make you want to take a closer look at your own path in life.

I keep a copy of this book in my spare bedroom (it's the perfect size, if you only have time to read a few short tales at a time), and find that guests who pick this book, end up chatting about the stories throughout the day.

Well Done!

A compilation of simple inspirational messages
Great short and simple book. Read the messages which every HBS professor transmits to their students during the last day of class. From real life stories, to amazing metaphors, to inspirational messages, I am happy see a fellow grad had the initiative to put in writing some of those messages with which our professors leave us year in and year out. Inspirational messages don't get any simpler than this - you will truly spend a couple of hours of magnificent inspirational reading from some of the top thinkers in the business world. ... Read more

Book Description

Second Edition, Expanded to Include Fresh Insights and Practical Tools For New and Experienced Managers

No book has captured the trials and traumas of the transition from star performer to competent manager better than Linda Hill's classic Becoming a Manager. In tracing and analyzing the experiences of nineteen new managers, Hill reveals the profound complexity and difficulty of the process of developing into a manager. In their own distinct voices, these managers describe how they reframed their understanding of their roles and responsibilities and how they coped with the stresses and emotions of the transformation-in essence, how they were able to take on new identities. Now, in a substantially expanded second edition, the author offers concrete advice on the crucial issues of dealing effectively with organizational politics and developing and leading diverse teams in times of change, as well as on how managers can prepare themselves to lead over the course of their careers. In a new epilogue, she explores what organizations can do to help managers in their journey to lead and learn.

... Read more

Reviews (9)

An absolute must read!
Anyone interested in management or professional development should read this book. I can't tell you how many times I wondered why steller sales people made such terrible managers. Other valuable topics such as working with your peers, managing your Manager and Leadership are also addressed.

Even if you are already a Manager, this book is definately and eye opener.

Very helpful indeed!
It's simply a must read for anyone considering to pursue a career in management. Learn from others experience!

Please
This book is very poorly written. The author (for some reason) writes this thing like it is some great body of work in academic thought. I found this book to be exhausting, long, repetitive and very boring.

Gaps in her research include:

- Many new managers experience many aspects of management before they are actually promoted. I am surprised that the transition is such a shock to those that participated in the research.

- Her sample is too small to be representative.

- The sample space includes only sales related people. It does not include anyone in professional services. Sales personnel tend to be motivated by quotas and commissions (me, me, me). Consultants, accountants, lawyers, doctors, operations and other managers, who tend to be thought leaders, do not share many of the concerns and experiences of the "me" mentality (well, maybe some). My point being, if you are in a field other than sales, you are wasting your time with this book.

A "Cliff Notes" would be nice. One hour reviewing the highlights of this book is all anyone needs.

A necessary tool for new managers or those considering it
I highly recommend this book as one that should be kept handy for all new managers transitioning from the role of "individual producer". I also recommend it for those top performers who feel it is likely they will be "approached" about a management position and/or are wondering if management is their "cup of tea". It's also of benefit for managers OF new managers (who sometimes forget what it's like), and HR professionals responsible for designing New Manager training programs.

It's very well written, even humorous at times, and details the actual statements and insights of these new managers. What an absolutely accurate sanity check!!! These folks really let their hair down and were completely honest about their experiences.

Not only did I dog-ear and underline my book all over the place, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this book for a friend or close colleague who is considering or transitioning to management. It's like being in a roomful of other new/fairly new managers and getting honest feedback on the ups-and-downs, the highlights, and the things you would love to have known before accepting the management position!!

Linda Hill's analysis in the final chapters is the icing on the cake. Based on this study, she offers extremely valuable insights into how corporations need to support and train new managers, and suggests things that potential and new managers need to be aware of and prepare for.

Great book. Wonderful preparation for critical challenges.
This book discusses the experiences of managers at different points in their first year as new first-line managers. I read the book half way through my first year as a manager and wished that I had read it sooner. My experiences were very similar even though I am in a completely different field. This was even more usedul than a three day new managers' workshop that I took. ... Read more

Book Description

The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, here are the leading minds and landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious businesspeople in organizations around the globe.

This collection of classic and cutting-edge articles, and case studies provides a broad range of perspectives on affirmative action, career development for minorities and women, and other HR-related policies. ... Read more

Book Description

How Successful Career Changers Turn Fantasy into Reality

Whether as a daydream or a spoken desire, nearly all of us have entertained the notion of reinventing ourselves. Feeling unfulfilled, burned out, or just plain unhappy with what we’re doing, we long to make that leap into the unknown. But we also hold on, white-knuckled, to the years of time and effort we’ve invested in our current profession.

In this powerful book, Herminia Ibarra presents a new model for career reinvention that flies in the face of everything we’ve learned from "career experts." While common wisdom holds that we must first know what we want to do before we can act, Ibarra argues that this advice is backward. Knowing, she says, is the result of doing and experimenting. Career transition is not a straight path toward some predetermined identity, but a crooked journey along which we try on a host of "possible selves" we might become.

Based on her in-depth research on professionals and managers in transition, Ibarra outlines an active process of career reinvention that leverages three ways of "working identity": experimenting with new professional activities, interacting in new networks of people, and making sense of what is happening to us in light of emerging possibilities.

Through engrossing stories—from a literature professor turned stockbroker to an investment banker turned novelist—Ibarra reveals a set of guidelines that all successful reinventions share. She explores specific ways that hopeful career changers of any background can:

• Explore possible selves
• Craft and execute "identity experiments"
• Create "small wins" that keep momentum going
• Survive the rocky period between career identities
• Connect with role models and mentors who can ease the transition
• Make time for reflection—without missing out on windows of opportunity
• Decide when to abandon the old path in order to follow the new
• Arrange new events into a coherent story of who we are becoming.

A call to the dreamer in each of us, Working Identity explores the process for crafting a more fulfilling future. Where we end up may surprise us. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Change doesn't happen overnight
This well-written, thought provoking book provides reassurance and guidance for anyone considering a career change. Unlike many self help manuals it is realistic about the immense upheaval a mid-life career transition can cause. The case studies helped me understand just why changing career is so hard, especially if you have been successful and well rewarded/ respected in your 'first' career. The fact that so many of the interviewees took several years to find their new identity gives hope to high flyers who want to make a change but are unsure as to how to make the leap.

Ibarra explores career change as identity change which gives a far more intellectually driven and in depth perspective to approaching a 'new you' than other books which simply ask you to look at your strengths and weaknesses and get on with applying for a new job or reskilling yourself for a new career. Like going into a fancy dress shop Ibarra recommends trying out new career identities for size - by making new contacts, re-establishing peripheral contacts or trying new jobs unpaid or part time.

Highly recommended for all those stuck in a career rut, those en-route to career self-actualisation or who simply want to put out feelers as to what else might be out there.

Very encouraging, very useful.
This is a beautifully conceived, one of a kind book. It's method is strongly scientific, based on a collection of case studies, asking how do people really change careers? This being the case, then what sort of structure or theory would best describe this process? This might sound dry or uselessly academic but it's not, it gives the quietest advice and the most assured guidance. If you are passionately working through your own career change, it's very likely you are experiencing much that is described in these case studies, and unlike the highly structured step by step guides to career change, you might find the reflection of your own experience very encouraging.

The theory itself is simply stated, easy to understand, but neither superficial nor dumbed-down. In a nutshell, this book debunks the clean sequence of career change from analysis (questionnaires, introspection, structured exercises) to action (now let's find that job). Rather, as long as you are strongly bound to your old working identity, this clarity is not possible. One learns what one wants to do by doing, by trial and error experiments in new tasks. One's working identity is also held in place by our professional relationships, by people who view you as you already appear. These relationships reinforce and support your current situation, so if you do want to explore a change, new professional relationships (new mentors and peers) will be necessary. Viewing one's working identity as involvement in professional tasks and relationships, tapping into new possibilities isn't as easy as doing a questionnaire. Rather, your working identity must be loosened before you can fully experience new possibilities and ultimately commit to a new career. Basically, it's a muddle: if you're experiencing doubt, confusion and a sense of limbo that doesn't mean you're not on the right track. You are making the harrowing crossing between identities. Embedded in the case studies--and the authors discussion--are ways in which people actively made this crossing, so this work also offers guidance about how to press on, despite the confusion. Very encouraging, very useful.

Finally - a career advice book that offers real advice
Even after completing an MBA and spending 12 years in marketing in various companies, I still had no real sense of what I wanted to do with my life (career-wise). I undertook many so-called career tests (Myer-B, etc) and completed many exercises in loads of books (Parachute, etc), but none seemed to offer any plan or guidance as to what to do next. It was nice to know what I enjoyed doing, what skills are preferred and so on - but that really offered little in practical advice as to what to do next. This book offers practicality, and interesting case studies that I could directly relate to, thus providing a reference map of what to do next. So many of Herminia's people profiled in this book had similar career issues as me, and it was nice to know I wasn't alone. But better still, it was nice to know there was a way out too. I particularly related to the person in the book who had so many interests (like me) but no clear singular passion, so he built a portfolio of jobs and activities to satisfy his interests. It was nice to know that such a choice can be made in today's world, where specialisation in corporate environments appears the only way to get ahead, at least financially and status of position. But sometimes being a generalist can be even more satisfying, as you're doing what you really want to do, not what others think you should do. I highly recommend this book.

Thoughtful and insightful
Working Identity is one of the few self-help books that I have read from cover to cover. I found Ms. Ibarra's thoughtful work extremely helpful in my personal, mid-career dilemma. It offers practical advice and approaches the topic from a different perspective. I would highly recommend it to anyone who eschews the more "touchy-feely" approach to personal change and also to anyone who yearns for more satisfaction in her/his career.

Well researched insight on finding the "next phase" of work.
This review is from a person who has been through outplacement, worked with career counselors, read many of the career books, have had a combination of a Fortune 500 and consulting/entrepreneurial career, and went to one of the top rated B-schools.

Ibarra makes a valuable contribution by showing that you learn by experimenting, meeting new people, stepping out of your current and comfortable (or increasingly uncomfortable) self.

The odds of finding the right work through the ususal "revalation" methods (HR/Career Counselor methods like Myers Briggs tests, other psych. tests or methods, etc.) is small. The path often involves several steps - an evolution.

Outplacement and HR types (and the Department of Labor) look at how fast you can get a new job - ignoring the real experiential and mental changes that probably need to take place.

If you are reading this review and looking for a job, it is likely you need to find one. Go out and get it, but read this book and refer to it. You may even land in what will be for you a great place for many years. However, the book will give you perspective on the longer journey, which will likely continue even in your new position. ... Read more

Book Description

What would you be willing to do for the rest of your life . . . ?

It's a question most of us consider only hypothetically-opting instead to "do what we have to do" to earn a living.But in the critically acclaimed bestseller The Monk and the Riddle, entrepreneurial sage Randy Komisar asks us to answer it for real. The book's timeless advice-to make work pay not just in cash, but in experience, satisfaction, and joy-will be embraced by anyone who wants success to come not just from what they do, but from who they are. At once a fictional tale of Komisar's encounters with a would-be entrepreneur and a personal account of how Komisar found meaning not in work's rewards but in work itself, the book illustrates what's wrong with the mainstream thinking that we should sacrifice our lives to make a living.Described by Fortune.com as "part personal essay, part fictional narrative and part meditation on the nature of work and life," The Monk and the Riddle is essential reading on the art of creating a life while making a living.

... Read more

Reviews (100)

Insightful ... but incomplete.
The insights offered in this book go beyond merely "educating" a silicon valley entrepreneur as suggested by the hardcover title. I like the paperback title better - "The Art of Creating a Life While Making a Living".

The book explains the difference between oft-confused words: passion & drive, management & leadership, risk & uncertainty, comfort & fulfillment, the deferred life plan & the whole life plan. These differences are explained with the example of a business plan that is progessively improved from the initial "Better-Faster-Cheaper" look to a "Brave New World" look.

The book is well-written and easy to read. Those who have read "The Goal" will find a similar organization of ideas in this book. After flipping through the last page, I found myself thinking about the best answers to many questions looming in my mind. These are all good signs about the book!

However, in continuously driving the idea of getting out of complacency and into a 'brave new world', the book did not provide insights on how one may balance the two. Komisar speaks from personal experience in the book and recalls the turning point of his life when he decided that he wouldn't be a lawyer by profession any more. He says that a lot of what he did upto that point was living "The Deferred Life Plan" (do what you have to do now, do what you want to do later). The reader is left with the impression that Komisar even viewed his Harvard education in this light. But would he have been where he is today if he hadn't got an education from Harvard? The progression of events in our life is a related one. Your past actions definitely impact the future. His Harvard education led him to a good job at a law firm where he added to his network of contacts.

In this context, Komisar failed to address the issue that we all *have* to do certain things in our lives. Not everything can be what we *want* to do - e.g., is it wise to pursue a 'brave new world' idea when you're 13 years old? Or if you're old enough, but do not have enough savings to sustain yourself through failure? Maybe, maybe not. There is always a goal we have to accomplish (pay off our debts, take care of our obligations) before we can do what we *want* to do. It is upto each person to realize for themselves that they're living "The Deferred Life Plan" when they truly don't *have* to, anymore. Only then will it make sense (and be more fulfilling) to switch to "The Whole Life Plan". The book would have been complete if Komisar had provided his insights about how one might attempt to balance the two points of view.

That's the only reason I cut out 1 star from my rating.

Bottom line: Get it!

A pinch of philosophy and a cup full of practical advice
There is no better way to learn than by story telling. In the tradition of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintainence, Komisar and Lineback deploy an absorbing narriative to explore a complex topic. The parable explores all the ins and outs of raising capital for a tech start up.

I have been reading and editing business plans for several years, and I will make this book required reading for anyone I work with in the future. There is a discussion of the importance of defining the targeted market for a business plan that is the best I have ever read.

At the same time, the book offers a fine philosophical inquiry about the ultimate purpose behind each business plan. The authors draw a distincution between being driven and being passionate that is very valuable. We are driven to objectives, which may or may not be important in themselves. On the other hand, we are pasisonate about things that matter deeply. Ultimately, the lesson here is that passion should fuel our business objectives.

Badly written, Boring & Little (or no) value
Randy tries to present an old concept in an old way. There are tons of books that tell you to do what you feel passionate about, how to succeed in investing and how to love life.

Randy fails miserably in delivering his story that is a mix of all of the above.

With less than 200 pages and big font, there's not much space to say in the book.

Randy, get a lesson on collecting thoughts before you write a book.

Great Perspective
Could you be happier in your work? In your life?

Reading this book provides an opportunity to step back from the day to day muck and gain perspective on both life and career. Althought the book takes place in and around Silicon Valley, it provides a means of reflection for anybody no matter where they live or the size of their employer.

An extremely worthwhile read.

Took a while to get into, but captured me afterwards
This book by Silicon Valley legend Randy Komisar, beginning with its title, took me a while to get into, I have to admit. I was way into it (page 60+ or so) and still wondering what the big deal about it was. This is the reason why I give it four stars: it takes a while to hook you. But if you stick to it, Komisar has a wealth of experience to share with you, from his first days in the East Coast, litigating, all through his experiences with tech giants such as WebTV, Tivo and Apple.

The main idea presented by Komisar is that you don't need to postpone your life's dream for later, by playing it safe and engaging in what he calls the Deferred Life Plan. To convey this idea, he presents the reader with the process through which he takes Lenny (an entrepreneur at heart, driven by money, who comes to him for advice) in his pursuit to push his Business Plan for Funerals.com into the attention span of some Silicon Valley VC that Komisar knows. Initially a great idea conceived as a community-building scheme, leveraging the Web to assist those in grief due to the loss of a loved one, Funerals.com had evolved into a very basic money-making scheme that didn't have much of a spark to it, tied to the sale of cheaper caskets by leveraging the efficiencies that the Web can bring about.

In the end, if you take away the Silicon Valley specifics, Komisar's point remains not just valid, but a healthy proposition to lead life driven from within, by passion for what you do and pride rooted in leaving a legacy behind you, instead of ambition and short-term gratification. Highly recommended reading for those who are searching for their mission in life, as well as those who are considering pursuing the entrepreneurial path in their lives. ... Read more

Book Description

The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, here are the leading minds and landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious businesspeople in organizations around the globe.

This collection will help managers and human resource professionals weigh the pros and cons of different compensation plans and provide a framework for thinking about this important aspect of the war for talent. The articles discuss a variety of compensation-related issues such as: making salaries public, stock options, executive compensation, and incentive plans.

... Read more

Book Description

Guiding MBAs into the Nonprofit Sector

As interest in nonprofit sector careers grows among MBA students and MBAs further along in their careers, the number of interesting opportunities and the need for MBA skills in this sector also continues to spiral upward. Yet MBA students and alums have experienced frustration with the job search process in this field. The Harvard Business School Guide to Careers in the Nonprofit Sector is a great resource for newly minted MBAs and alums interested in entering the nonprofit sector - whether as full-time managers, board members, or volunteers.

Tapping the career histories of thirty-four Harvard Business School alums who have carved out successful and personally rewarding lives in the nonprofit sector, Stephanie Lowell has created a resource that is both inspirational and practical. Topics covered include:
nonprofit subsector overviews with descriptions of key roles and positions for MBAs the pros and cons of a nonprofit career managing expectations salary expectations cultural differences the job search process as it applies to nonprofits an extensive bibliography of resources Reflecting the depth and breadth of the nonprofit sector, the HBS Guide covers management careers in arts and culture, community economic development, education, environment, foundations, government, health care, international aid and economic development, social services, social purpose businesses, and socially responsible business/corporate community relations. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Work for nonprofits
I've just finished reading Stephanie Lowell's Careers in the Nonprofit Sector. I recommend it highly. Almost every page contains a profile about someone working with nonprofits. Lowell supports these profiles with thorough discussions of how to find work in nonprofits, why work for nonprofits, and what nonprofits are like.

About half of the book categorizes the nonprofits. I found these the most useful sections. They subdivide each sector, list the hot topics, discuss the roles for MBAs, present profiles, and provide addresses and web sites.

There is two recurring themes: the rewards of working for nonprofits and the importance of volunteering. Everyone working for a nonprofit or wanting to work for a nonprofit should read this book. ... Read more

Book Description

The Results-Driven Manager Series

Managers are under increasing pressure to deliver better results faster than the competition. But meeting today's tough challenges requires complete mastery of a full array of management skills, from communicating and coaching to public speaking and managing people. The Results-Driven Manager series is designed to help time-pressed managers hone and polish the skills they need most. Concise, action-oriented, and packed with invaluable strategies and tools, these timely guides will help managers improve their job performance today-and give them the edge they need to become the leaders of tomorrow.

Managing Yourself for the Career You Want

• Create and capitalize on new opportunities for advancement
• Find mentors and boost networking skills
• Enhance personal emotional intelligence
• Evaluate future job prospects
• Stay on a rewarding career track

Book Description

The 2002 edition of The Harvard Business School Guide to Careers in Finance is an indispensable resource for anyone considering a job search in finance or investment banking. This all-in-one guide details the trends in finance, describes the industry's vast and varying career opportunities, and provides guidance on the recruiting process. Included in this new edition are profiles of leading investment banks, commercial banks, and Fortune 500 companies that hire MBAs; a selected bibliography; and a useful glossary of finance terms.

The Harvard Business School Guide to Careers in Finance Includes:
*Is a Career in Finance Right for You?
*Company Profiles
*Recruiting Contacts
*Career Resources
*Career Paths in Finance
*Investment & Commercial Banking
*Financial Services
*Corporate Finance
*Glossary of Financial Terms ... Read more

Reviews (5)

superficial book
This book is extremely superficial and unimaginative, giving only scant information and profiles from a number of companies of a few finance careers.

good, but the Vault guides are better
In my opinion there is more and better objective information on Finance and investment banking careers in the Vault Career Guide to Investment Banking and in the Vault Guide to Finance Interviews, which have the added benefit of being able to be purchased on vault.com and downloaded immediately. Good luck.

better information in the Vault guides
In my opinion there is more and better objective information on Finance and investment banking careers in the Vault Career Guide to Investment Banking and in the Vault Guide to Finance Interviews, which have the added benefit of being able to be purchased on vault.com and downloaded immediately. Good luck.

fair
This book was fair, but in my opinion the Vault Guide to the Top Finance Firms is a superior guide to careers in finance. Also try the Vault.com Guide to Finance Interviews. Good luck.

Good Book for Finance Review
This was just as good as their 1999 edition. ... Read more

Book Description

This guide provides invaluable job search advice for the prospective management consultant. Harvard Business School graduates, students, and faculty reveal firsthand insights into the industry, offer advice on career self-assessment, describe what a consultant's work is really like, outline current industry trends, and offer guidelines for approaching the case-study interview. Also included are profiles of well-known consulting firms, a mailing list of recruiting contacts, and a selective bibliography of relevant books, directories, Web sites, and other resources compiled by the Harvard Business School career resources librarian. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Geared for neophytes - not a useful publication for most
Provides a cursory look at a consultant's life and some of the companies one would normally consider, along with many smaller companies that many people wouldn't have access to. Better information is likely available elsewhere, including the Internet and other publications.

good basics
This book asks each of the top consulting firms to answer a set of questions about what their firm is like. As expected, the answers are biased, but still helpful. For a more unbiased insider's view of each firm also try the Vault Guide to the Top 50 Consulting Firms, which also ranks the leading consulting firms based on a national reputation survey.

good, but the Vault guides are better
In my opinion there is more and better objective information on consulting careers in the Vault Career Guide to the Top 50 Consulting Firms and in the Vault Guide to Case Interviews, which have the added benefit of being able to be purchased on vault.com and downloaded immediately. Good luck.

fair
Good guide, but the Vault guide to consulting firms is significantly superior in my opinion.

vault consulting guide is superior
more useful and third party information in the vault guide ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Tempered radicals" may not sound like the type to start revolutions or topple corrupt governments, but in the corporate world, it is often these quiet change advocates that get the ball rolling and policies changing. In her thoughtful study of employees whose differences place them outside the mainstream organizational culture, Debra Meyerson uses this term for those who want to succeed in their organizations without compromising their ideological beliefs and personal lives.

People who hope to "fit in without selling out" operate on a fault line, says Meyerson. While contributing to their companies' success, they support agendas that are often at odds with the dominant culture. This can involve their social identities, such as race, gender, or sexual orientation, or their philosophical values and beliefs, such as a concern for social justice, environmental sustainability, or family-friendly working conditions. They are not radicals in the sense that they want to enact a marked departure from the traditional, but tempered radicals in that they both challenge and uphold the status quo, working "within systems, not against them." Seeking to map the space between conformity and extreme radicalism, Meyerson conducted in-depth interviews with almost 200 people in three very different organizations (though both interviewees and companies were given pseudonyms, the companies are easily identifiable). The result is an insightful look at the way these people effect change, including the varieties of ways to stay true to oneself (through psychological, self-expressive, and behind-the-scenes resistance), how to leverage small wins, and how to organize collective action. There's also a lengthy chapter on the difficulties these tempered radicals face, from the psychological stress of constantly straddling a duality to the incremental lures of co-optation. Having taught in MBA programs at both the University of Michigan and Stanford University, Meyerson is an accomplished business professor; this book shows her to be a methodical researcher, sensitive interpreter of results, and well-organized and fluid writer, as well. Tempered Radicals is sure to be a beacon of inspiration for those wanting to make a difference from within and an inspiration to those who might have assumed that changing one's environment means changing one's job. --S. Ketchum ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Yes, you can actually change the system
This is an important book for you to read if your gender, ethnicity, or lifestyle makes you an outsider in your workplace. Debra Meyerson gives examples of how employees have successfully taken small steps to change their companies so they are accepted and their voices are heard.

Good on politics, slight on deeper issues
First, let me start by saying that I liked this book and have been recommending it to others. As a "tempered radical" I wish that I had read this book early in my career. I had the wrong impression that hard work and results were enough as long as there were no bodies along the way. Young, naïve, and idealistic. Consequently, I am recommending this book to people starting their careers so that they get the reality of work as well as to others who just do not get that their approach is a major irritant to the powers that be.

I also liked this book because the author used her premise to package her ideas so that her tempered radicalism around race, gender, and other legally protected groups could be better heard by others. I came from academia too (and even received my PhD from Michigan where she had an early appointment in her career) but left that environment because of the oppression of free thinking and any kind of difference. This background added to my wish that this book had been around 10 years ago. I might have better succeeded in that environment if I had had this framework from which to work.

Although I like this book, I did not give the book 4 or 5 stars because the best of her book and the most important aspect of her premise was saved until last - the downside of the "tempered" approach. I do believe that revolutionary results can be achieved by evolutionary steps - small steps can achieve great things as they add up without the major heartburn or resistance that a revolution can cause. However, maybe evolution is not the best means to the ends and that cannot be decided until one decides whom they are and what they are about and decide whether tempered or full scale radicalism is what they want to do. This is a choice and is worthy of exposing at the beginning of the book. So although I may have succeeded in academia if I had had her premise from which to work, I would not have been happy because I would not have been true to me and the essence of who I was or am.

Evolution vs. revolution. To choose one must first know what one is willing to give up.

Inspiration and hope
Many of us work in places where we have a vision for how things could be better -- how we could work differently, treat people more respectfully, act on our values. If only, we think -- we could do something different--then we would really feel good about ourselves and proud about the places we work. This book inspires you to lead that change, to act on your vision. In these times when the impulse is to hunker down and just do our jobs, Meyerson gives us role models of people who have been everyday heroes, leading change that made their organizations better for everybody.

A Book About Real Leadership
Meyerson's wonderful book has many virtues, it is well-written, it is well-researched, and it has diverse and lively examples. Best of all, it shows that leadership is not something that is reserved for the most senior managers in an organization, but rather something that can be done by anyone. Another great virtue is that it shows how to make a difference in a company without selling out or faking it. It should be required reading for everyone before they enter the workforce. Companies would make more money, treat their people better, and be filled with more joy and less fear if leaders at all levels followed her wise advice, and adopted the spirited, but constructive, attituide that exudes from this fine book.

The square peg fits the round hole
This was a great read. This book really helped me make sense of some of my struggles at work. Events that used to fill me with anger and frustration don't anymore. I can now look at my work situation in a new light, and react to events in a completely new way. Knowing I'm not the only one who feels like I don't "fit in" has been a real help. In fact, it's been interesting seeing how I and other tempered radicals DO make a difference in our company.

I strongly recommend this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Finance 1999 is an indispensable resource for anyone considering a job search in finance or investment banking. This all-in-one guide details the trends in finance, describes the industry's vast and varying career opportunities, and provides guidance on the recruiting process. Included in this new edition are profiles of leading investment banks, commercial banks, and Fortune 500 companies that hire MBAs; a selected bibliography; and a useful glossary of finance terms. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

GREAT GREAT GREAT
Terrific book great for helping to get a finance job! A must buy for any MBA.

A solid book
I help manage the career center an elite business school in the Northeast - and this is one of our most popular books. Along with the VaultReports.com Guides, this book is essential preparation for a career in investment banking.

Great!!!!
Terrific book great help for getting a job in finance. Great information direct for a huge number of the top finance firms.

Mainly presents the companies' viewpoint
Just a Q&A with the companies, so you get only their side. I thought the VaultReports.com guide was more objective and also had actual finance interview questions. Overall, though, the Harvard guide is still useful. There are also good Web sites out there on Finance jobs. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Landing a new job is hard work. Robert Gardella, assistant director of Alumni Career Services at Harvard Business School, believes it also "is one of the most important things that professionals do" today, as changing times and increasing opportunities mean "they are doing it much more frequently." In The Harvard Business School Guide to Finding Your Next Job, he lays out a complete program that should expedite the process no matter what your situation. After acknowledging the many intellectual and emotional considerations involved, and conceding "there are few absolutes" because the process "is an art, not a science," Gardella describes a concrete but flexible program for building a reference base, preparing résumés and cover letters, formulating strategies to locate appropriate openings, handling interviews, and negotiating offers. Among his key tips: Fully inventory your skills, interests, and experiences before you begin; draw up a list of specific, related accomplishments that can be quantified on your résumé and stressed in your interviews; and develop associated networking systems--which ultimately are responsible for two out of every three job offers--by, in part, volunteering reciprocal information and referrals to those who help you. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Don't waste your time with this one.
Hackneyed, trite, and a waste of money.

Start here
I thought this was a great book. It's not that detailed about any one topic, but gives an overview of the whole job search process. It gives you perspective, and that's useful no matter where you are in your search. And for each topic, he provides a bibliography for more detailed study. If you're just starting to look for a job, then this is a book that will give you a framework for organizing how you might go about it, and then you can refine your understanding by finding the books in his bibliography. You might say its purpose is to keep the disparate parts of the job search coherent and unified, and focused toward your goal of getting a job.

Clear and Complete
Outstanding book, covers all topics with clarity. No fluff or hype. Excellent for organizing yourself, covering all bases. References other books for further info on specific items.

Fair introduction to the career transition process
This book is a good introduction for new job seekers and professinal who are starting a career transition. The book tend to be fairly academic and away from the practical aspect of the job seeking process. It does a good job on the marketing campaign and provides good advices on the writting of resume.

Good
The book provides some good insights, however it is too academic and sometimes redundant. But anyway, the reading is good and will give you a framework to develop further specific tactics to find your next job. ... Read more

Book Description

This is an enhanced edition of HBR article R0212B, originally published in December 2002. HBR OnPoint articles include the full-text HBR article, plus a synopsis and annotated bibliography. Everyone knows a story about a talented businessperson who has lost his passion for work or a person who ditched a 20-year career to pursue something completely different and is the happier for it. "Am I doing what is right for me, or should I change direction?" is one of the most pressing questions for today's midcareer professional. A true change of direction is hard to swing. Many academics and career counselors contend that the problem lies in basic human behavior: We fear change and don't want to make sacrifices. But author Herminia Ibarra suggests another explanation. People most often fail, she says, because they take the wrong approach to finding new careers. Indeed, the conventional wisdom on how to change careers is a prescription for how to stay put. Most of us have heard that the key to a successful career change is figuring out what we want to do next, then acting on that knowledge. But change actually happens the other way around. Doing comes first, knowing second, because changing careers means redefining our working identity--our sense of self in our professional roles, what we convey about ourselves to others and, ultimately, how we live our working lives. Who we are and what we do are tightly connected, the result of years of action. And to change that connection, we must first resort to action. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

If you are stuck in mid-career then read this.
Excellent article about an alternative path to changing careers. For anybody who's bought "career" books, or paid for a career counselor, the $'s for this article will be well spent.

An alternative approach to changing careers
Herminia Ibarra is Professor of Organizational Behavior at INSEAD, the French business school. This article was published in the December 2002-issue of Harvard Business Review.

In this article Ibarra discusses the significant rise over the last decade in the number of people making major career changes. But despite various heroic efforts, most people who would like to change career paths remain stuck in the wrong careers. Why? According to the author most people fail because they go about it all wrong. The problem does not lie with motives, but with the methods used. The author's research found that the traditional knowing-planning-action sequence leads to disastrous results - or, in this case, no result. Instead people should follow a first-act-and-then-think sequence. This approach is based on "working identity, which, the author found, is a matter of skill, not personality, and therefore can be learned by almost anyone seeking professional renewal." She then continues to discuss the three common practices that lie at the heart of the test-and-learn approach: Crafting experiments, shifting connections, and making sense. The article describes numerous successful and unsuccessful stories as examples.

Yes, I do like this article. It is attractive and fashionable since more and more people would like a change in career/life. The author provides us with good advice based on both academic and real-life research. The approach she promotes sounds very ambitious/extreme and really goes against human nature, or, perhaps I should say, against our educational background (think before you act). The article is written in simple US-English.

ok article
Yes we've all been there: we are stuck in our career and going nowhwere. While ths article offers some useful tips on identifying when you are really stuck and what you should do, the bottom line is that you've got to make sacrifices. Usually it is a high paying job (if it was low paying you would ditch it for another low paying job -- it's the high paying jobs that are hard to come by) and the artsy fartsy job that doesn't pay anything that we have to decide between. On top of that, some of us have families to support, mortgages to pay, etc. So what to do? Well identify what you want to do and break it into smaller steps. That part is simple. The difficult part is executing. Most of us come home tired from work and we don't feel like doing anything else. But if you want to break out of the rat race, you have to take steps to improve yourself.
And that often means working a little harder... ... Read more

Book Description

Harvard Business School faculty, alumni, and students reveal firsthand insights into the industry
The 2001 edition of the Harvard Business School Guide to Careers in Marketing is an indispensable resource for anyone considering a job search in marketing or strategic planning.Based on the research and experiences of Harvard Business School graduates, students, and faculty, this all-in-one career guide describes career opportunities and provides guidance on the recruiting process.Also included are profiles of firms that hire MBAs for marketing positions, a mailing list of recruiting contacts, advice on career self-assessment, and a selective bibliography by the Harvard Business School career resources librarian.
The Harvard Business School Guide to Careers in Marketing Includes:
*Is a Career in Marketing Right for You?
*Surveying the Profession
*Company Profiles
*Recruiting Contacts
*Career Resources
*Career Paths in Marketing
*Brand Management
*International Marketing
*Learning Though Experience
*Marketing Roundtable
... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not helpful for most MBAs
This book is designed for: those thinking of going into product management, and MBAs from top 20 schools.

While the interviews were insightful, they were almost all from MBAs in product management positions. Thus, the title is midleading, as it does not cover all the "Careers in Marketing" (hardly). The VGM Series book "Careers in Marketing" by Lila Stair, while it has its limitations too, would be a better resource.

Also, the interviews and company list (which took up most of the book) is most helpful only if you are coming from a top school. There are many potential companies not on the list, and few will happen to be in your geographic area. The people who were interviewed are in postions on high end of the scale in terms of stress and responsibility, which is certainly not going to be the target for everyone just completing their MBA.

I have found most of HBS Career Guides available at the local library. Unless you fit the narrow reader target, I would check this book out at the library rather than purchase it.

poor, poor
This book is embarrassing. In my opinion the Vault Career Guide to Marketing and Brand Management is a superior guide to careers in marketing. Good luck.

Great Guide for MBAs
As an recent MBA grad, I found this book to be extremely helpful. The company descriptions and Harvard grad profiles are great, but the resource pages alone, make this book worth the price. This career guide is a great first step for those considering a career in marketing!

This book is a joke
I don't think this book is worth buying. Its 83 pages contain some general information about careers in marketing, a few stories from Harvard alumni and 21 company profiles (that's what I bought the book for - I didn't know there are only 21).

Beside the fact that they are only a few, the company profiles contain in general obvious and useless data which you would have no trouble finding on the corporations' web sites or in some magazines. Even worse, all the information was collected from internal sources. You can find some pretty detailed MBA job descriptions, but I doubt they are of much help - of course, the companies expect you to do about everything that has to be done in marketing.

The only useful part of the book are the last 4-6 pages which contain some marketing career resources (books, directories, associations, web sites).

If you are interested in this subject go for the vault.com and wetfeet.com guides. ... Read more