Reviews (15)

Political Savvy - An Employee's Best Friend
Mr. DeLuca has written a wonderfully insightful manual for success in the work place. A lightning fast and enjoyable read, this book will soften the battle scarred heart of even the most jaded and cynical Dilbert fans. The topic is the politics of the workplace, which is undoubtedly the leading cause of employee dissatisfaction everywhere. Joel DeLuca provides a wonderful case for recognizing human nature, and making a positive change in one's outlook to cherish the irrationality of the human organization that presently causes so much frustration and angst for the vast majority. I believe this book will be most beneficial to those who are experienced with, and distrustful of, organizational politics. I could tell you that I wish I read this book years ago, but I'm not sure that it would have had the same impact on my life had I not already seen office politics at its worst. This book provides some practical relief from the pressure of organizational politics, as well as a toolkit to help the reader participate in the workings in a proactive and benevolent way. This book is the culmination of a very sincere scientific investigation, presented in a manner that is not overly academic. Enjoy.

Insightful. Practical. Ethical.
Even the best managers can sometimes feel frustrated at an inability to get things done in their organization. All too often they attribute "office politics" as the excuse for their failure. If you have every felt like this, or know someone else who is going through it, read "Political Savvy" by Joel DeLuca, Ph.D.

Through a series of case studies coupled with easy to understand explanations, DeLuca explains the ins and outs of office politics. DeLuca attributes names to types of people we may encounter such as Protector, Speculator, Advisor or Machiavellian. "Machs" are the bosses who rule by intimidation and believe life is a game to be won or lost at any cost.

The highlight of the book is the Organization Politics Map, which shows how you can evaluate folks within the organizations as supporters or non?supporters; in other words, you can figure out who's for you and who's against you. As DeLuca points out, many successful and insightful managers do this intuitively, the map simply makes the process accessible and explicit.

Dr, DeLuca also provides a handy summary at the close of the book about how to become a politically savvy. His two guiding principles are "Choose to be an active, ethical player" and "Work the human system." Good advice for anyone who cares about gaining influence the right way! I recommend this book highly.

A very good book, though perhaps not exciting reading
I just finished the book and I learned a great deal from it. I found it a little hard to get through, which is probably a good indicator that I needed it. I am one of those who have always had a basic distaste for organizational politics.

But what I found here would have helped me immensely had I read it earlier. Very little in the book does not pass the common sense test, and much of it causes you to look at things in a way that not only removes the 'politics? Yuck' factor but makes you realize that organizational politics is really how things are done, so you better at least have a working knowledge of it.

I thought the organization of the book was among the best I have seen and thought the summary sections were excellent.

A strategy for survival in the corporate world
Anyone involved in the leadership aspect of the business world would do well to read Political Savvy. It provides a fruitful strategy for survival in a macrocosmic world of never ending change and chaos. These winds of change have created a frontier of challanges and work environments that, before this time, never existed. The practice of Political Savvy can really make a difference in the effectiveness of an organization. It's excellent reading for anyone serious about surviving in the corporate world.
A ten star book!

Political Savvy - A Real Eye Opener
A profound and informative look into the corporate mindset of today. An ethical approach to the spirit that dominates a workplace. For anyone interested in surviving in the corporate world this book is "A Must." It is a handbook for success in the often frustrating and chaotic world of the corporation. I am grateful for the valuable insight it has given me. I found it, not only enjoyable reading, but most valuable as well.
My gratitude to Dr. Deluca for a very worthwhile and informative creation! ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides an entertaining, and practical tour-de-force for every trainer and performance improvement professional. It tackles the three universal and persistent questions of the profession-how do learners learn, why do learners learn, and how do you make sure that learning sticks.

The authors of this interactive and provocative volume provide solid answers to these questions backed up by more than 70 years of combined real world experience and academic study. Training Ain't Telling deliberately avoids the one-way communications of "telling" trainers how to be more effective. Instead, it uses an interactive approach which models the basic message of the book-that is, humans learn best through active mental engagement. The authors expect the reader to "do" something, not just read! Despite its fun, and breezy tone, every concept in the book is solidly backed up by research. The ultimate goal of this book is to allow the reader an opportunity to break through learning barriers, to separate learning myth from research-based facts, and to dispel counter productive beliefs and practices that harm the instructional process. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Highly Recommended!
This excellent book by Harold D. Stolovitch and Erica J. Keeps - researchers and consultants in workplace learning and performance - emphasizes making training fun and interactive. While their basic learning principles will be familiar to those in the field, they enliven their book with examples, exercises and research. The authors distinguish among training, instruction and education. They note the differences among various types of knowledge. Then, they explain the major factors that motivate people to learn and show how to apply these principles in hands-on teaching situations. Charts, illustrations, quizzes, and short chapter summaries enrich the book. We believe that even professionals already familiar with the field will enjoy this refreshing and lively look at how to help people learn. And if you are hiring trainers, this is what they should know.

A Good Read!
This excellent book by Harold D. Stolovitch and Erica J. Keeps - researchers and consultants in workplace learning and performance - emphasizes making training fun and interactive. While their basic learning principles will be familiar to those in the field, they enliven their book with examples, exercises and research. The authors distinguish among training, instruction and education. They note the differences among various types of knowledge. Then, they explain the major factors that motivate people to learn and show how to apply these principles in hands-on teaching situations. Charts, illustrations, quizzes, and short chapter summaries enrich the book. We believe that even professionals already familiar with the field will enjoy this refreshing and lively look at how to help people learn. And if you are hiring trainers, this is what they should know.

A VERY VERY GREAT BOOK
It is rare to find a book written by an expert that isn't made for is fellows specialists. And most of the time, less specialized books misses the point by leaving behind huge chunks of knowledge.

We are here in front of two great authors and they know how to use synthesis. They have been able to put together the essence of their skills in words that makes it readable for every interested mind. The result is a complete book, with no missing part. It will become a reference to those who want to have the full picture. The newcomer and the addict will use it often.

M. Stolovitch and Mme Keeps use a "discussion" mode to cover theme like: adult learning, course creating techniques, training approaches and evaluation. They keep the interest of the reader with exercises, questions and tests. To read the book is to have a talk with them.

But the part that is to most satisfying is the one on training myth. At last a very good text on what works and why!! You should buy the book just for that chapter. I keep reading "Telling ain't training" just to feel that what I do is fine and that I am not alone fighting for a just cause.

Telling Ain't Training
Harold and Erica have created an excellent job aid for people in the training business. I have used the Five step model to help "retrofit" existing training we had developed and it was just what we needed to focus our efforts. The other topics in the book provide thought starters and useful models. It is easy to find and read topics of interest in this brief and appealing format.

Walking the Talk
Finally a book about training that uses training principles to deliver its message!

Stolovitch and Keeps little masterpiece "Telling Ain't Training", incorporates a variety of adult learning principles throughout the book like:

• telling the learner the benefit of the training,
• taking into account the different experiences of the learners,
• making sure the learner is actively involved and particpating in the learning, and
• leading the learner to action.

The reader/learner is led systematically to an realization of why transmitting (telling) information doesn't work as well as transforming (including practice and feedback) the learner. The reader/learner's active involvement is ensured through constant examples, analogies and activities that are fun and always to the point.

As someone who both develops and delivers training programs, I found this book to be highly informative (it discusses the current research in learning and development), extremely well focussed and ultimately very useful. I have already incorporated at least 5 of the book's wonderful little nuggets into my training and development activities.

I highly recommend this book ... Read more

Book Description

You work hard -- really hard -- but it seems like there's never enough. Never enough to cover all the bills. Never enough to relax and have some fun. Never enough to save some real money. What has gone wrong? What is the secret that you haven't figured out?

In All Your Worth, Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi -- mother/daughter authors of the acclaimed The Two-Income Trap -- tell you the truth about money. They lay out the new rules of money -- the ones nobody talks about. They show you how to get out of debt, cover your bills, and start getting ahead -- without needing to carry a calculator everywhere you go. All Your Worth will help you get control over your money once and for all so that you can finally start building toward the life you've always wanted.

All Your Worth isn't based on lucky guesses or gut reasoning; it is the result of more than twenty years of intensive research. As a result, the authors don't offer you a few quick fixes destined to fall apart, and they don't waste time trying to solve problems you don't have. Instead, the authors lay out a breakthrough approach for getting control over your money. And they use this approach to help you conquer your financial problems, step by step. They help you create a plan that isn't just for a week or for a month; this is a plan that lets you master your money for the rest of your life.

The secret? It's simple, really: Get your money in balance. Warren and Tyagi show you how to divide and conquer. You will learn to balance your money into three essential parts: the Must-Haves (the bills you have to pay month after month), the Wants (some fun money for right now), and your Savings (so you can build a better tomorrow). No complicated budgets, and no keeping track of every penny you spend. Once you have the basics, it gets easy. You can put your money worries behind you and get on with what really matters -- living your life.

Whatever your struggles with money, Warren and Tyagi can help you get your finances on the right track. They will show you things about yourself that you have never quite seen. Are you an emotional spender? Is debt robbing your future? Do you spend too little on fun? Are you and your partner trapped in the Money Blame Game? After you read this book, you will never look at your money -- or yourself -- in quite the same way again.

Whether you are knee-deep in past-due notices or you just don't think you're saving enough, money worries can chew away at your life. Warren and Tyagi are here to tell you that you can stop the worry. You can change it all. You can have enough -- enough to cover the necessities, enough to put some real money in the bank and start bringing your dreams into reach. You can even have enough money to have fun. (In fact, they insist that you have enough for fun!) Best of all, with All Your Worth, you can have peace of mind for the rest of your life. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The basics on how to regain control of money
Middle-class Americans are increasingly making minimum payments on credit cards because they can't pay more - and debt loads for all are increasing as paychecks cover less and less. All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan by Elizabeth Warren & Amelia Warren Tyagi offers the basics on how to regain control of money, from balancing money with needs to handling a money emergency, loosening the grip on credit cards and their debt, and understanding common pitfalls of financial planning. All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan comes from the authors of The Two-Income Trap: Elizabeth Warren is a chaired professor at Harvard Law School, Amelia Warren Tyagi is a writer. Their combined expertise is invaluable.

A few good ideas
This book has a couple of really good ideas, but overall I was disappointed. The 50/30/20 rule was the most useful idea in the book. Some things I absolutely do not agree with - like keeping a $1000.00 emergency fund in your regular "Must-Haves" checking account. That's a disaster waiting to happen. Let's face it -- if you're reading the book, financial discipline is probably not your finest quality. If that money is that available, it's TOO available.

The basic premise of the book is good, however, and bit more nitty-gritty than most books on the same subject. Many such books are written for those who already have some funds to play with - this one is to help you get to where you have those funds.With the exception of a few ideas that seem out of step with the overall concepts, the book is worth a read.

Not geared to the Silicon Valley Reality
I bought this book anticipating that I could use the charts and formulas presented to see if my wife and I could apply it to our situation. We are two working parents of a 3-yr old living in expensive Silicon Valley. We both make decent money, but we have a very high mortgage and property taxes. This is a reality if you own a house in this area. This put our "Must Haves" well over the recommended 50% of our income. Even making some of the recommended changes, we still would be above the mark.

This is a good book for setting important goals for getting your money in order, and for gaining some focus on what needs to be done. It just doesn't work in some areas of the country unless you have a reasonably high income.

We will pay down our mortgage to see if we can apply the formulas at a different time.

Wants vs Must Haves?
I read through this book in one day and faithfully filled out the worksheets.It did seem that at last I had found a fairly simple, flexible plan that our family could easily follow.It was only after mulling over the Wants vs Must Haves that I realized there is a flaw in the authors' logic (unless in my fast read I missed a crucial step).

The authors define Must Haves (which should take no more than 50% of your after-tax income) as bills that you would have to pay even if you lost your job and became disabled.These include mortgage, insurance, medical bills, groceries & a couple of other narrowly defined categories.After you pay these Must Haves and save 20% of your income you're supposed to be left with 30% of your income to "play" with for your Wants, worry-free.

I started thinking about our real life expenses though and realized that if we lost our jobs would we stop buying light bulbs & just sit in the dark as they burned out one by one?Would we stop buying toilet paper & raid our neighbors' recyclying bins for newspaper?Would we drop off our beloved 12-yr old family dog at the Humane Society when we ran out of dog food?

No to all of that so where are those expenses supposed to come from?Somehow the thrill of spending my carefree 30% diminishes when I have to spend it on toothpaste and toilet paper.While there is some discretion in these types of items (we could go to the Dollar Store for many of the items)the real world cost of these really mounts up.For instance, if my husband lost his job I think his job prospects would look pretty dim if he stopped shaving or using deodorant.
So this realization really deflated my excitement about this book.I still think there's sound advice to be found in it and I think breaking your budget into broad categories by percentages is a great idea.I just think that maybe the authors' plan is a little too simple and following it to the letter might cause a problem

Excellent Truths
This book is truthful and to the point.Not everyone has hugh bank accounts.Most of us are struggling every day to make ends meet.This is an excellent guide to help every day Americans with real financial issues.Another excellent book that I recently read is called Stop Working by Rohan Hall.Also, and excellent book that everyday working people can use to get to the next level. ... Read more

Book Description

This investment book uses extensive full-color graphics to explain the fundamentals of the markets-an essential resource before reading how-to books or engaging investment advice.It is a unique combination of investment art and investment science that enables the reader to differentiate between irrational hope and a rational view of current market conditions. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Only Half the Story
The book does provide useful insights about the markets, their past performance, and likely prospects for the future.It explains many concepts in relatively simple terms that a non-professional can readily understand.I was expecting the book to provide some guidance on how to use the concepts provided in the book; however, it offered nothing more than an investment strategy and did not describe the techniques that are available to and used by hedge funds and others.

Best Book on the Markets
Unexpected Returns is the best book on investing I have ever read.It's a must for all market junkies, for sure.It's a must for those professionals who work with clents.It's a big plus for investors/traders with intermediate to long term horizons (weeks to months, to 5, 10, 20 years).One of the key practical ideas is that investors need to act differently in a secular bear market than they do in a secular bull market.It's a big picture book with practical applications.Trust me, you will love it!If you want some more information, see Easterling's website at:http://www.crestmontresearch.com. You will get a good idea of what Easterling is all about.I have read the book three times.Then I highlighted the important parts.Then I underlined the most important parts.I am still enjoying it and learning.The price is more than fair; you won't be satisfied with a library copy.

P/E Expansion
Ed Easterling has penned one of the most insightful "big picture" books about the stock market ever written, in the same esteemed category as "Triumph of the Optimists" and Jeremy Siegel's "Stocks for the Long Run." Easterling uses a wealth of data to show that the critical component of long-term excess returns is not earnings growth, dividend yield, or luck, but expansion of the price/earnings ratio. Typically, P/E expansion happens in a slowly falling interest rate environment with mild inflation (2-3%) and stable economic conditions. Remind you of the 1990s?

By contrast, P/E contraction happens during times of econonomic instability, unexpected deflationary or inflationary pressures, or rising interest rates. Remind you of today?

If you invest most of your money at a time when P/E ratios are well above the long-term historical average (as they are now), the best you can hope for is an average long-term return (7%-10%), assuming P/E ratios do not decline over your lifetime. The odds are, however, that the market P/E will revert to its long-term mean over your investing lifetime because interest rates are likely to move higher and inflation is not likely to remain benign forever. While this point seems intuitive, few market participants acknowledge the simple interrelation between interest rates, inflation, uncertainty, P/E ratios, and long-term stock market returns -- a mistake that has huge ramifications, and has a high probability of causing disappointment with the stock market in coming years.

The book isn't just a bearish tome, however -- Easterling presents realistic strategies for overcoming the problem of declining P/E ratios. He lays out the problems using data to back up his case, then presents solutions. Investors would do well to heed his advice.

Understanding Market Cycles and What to Do About Them
The stock market's phenomenal rise from 1982-1999 and equally impressive fall beginning in 2000 naturally led many to question the buy-and-hold, "stocks for the long run" conventional investing wisdom of the 1990's. Among the questions: do secular bull and bear markets really exist, and how long do they last? Can we know what causes them? Are they predictable? Can we know which market phase we are experiencing now? If so, what practical benefit does that provide us in forming an investment strategy and making investment decisions?

These are all timely and important questions, and a new book, Unexpected Returns by Ed Easterling, is the most elegantly structured treatment of the subject that I've seen to date, presented with clear historical data to back up the arguments. The surprising thing is how much the average investor experience depends upon stock prices relative to earnings or dividends, and whether these multiples expand or contract duringa given investment period. There is a wonderful chart on page 80 of Unexpected Returns that shows just how much investors are dependent upon changes in P/E ratios, not earnings growth, over time for their returns. Easterling shows clearly that the best environment for P/E ratios is when inflation is low and stable and approaches price stability. The further conditions stray from this low-inflation, price stability environment, the greater the downward pressure on P/E ratios. Historically, the highest levels of inflation (such as those experienced in the 1970's) and the most extreme examples of deflation (such as that in the early part of the 20th century in the U.S.) correspond with historically low P/E ratios.

One of the strongest points emphasized by the book is that interest rates and inflation have never been stable for long, and the recent condition of low inflation price stability is a historical anomaly. As long as the current benevolent inflation / interest rate environment lasts, stocks can support P/E ratios in the low 20's; the sooner it changes, and the more drastically, the farther P/E ratios will have to fall. The evidence, as Easterling lays it out, makes it far more likely that the stock market's nice performances in 2003 and 2004 represent nothing more than a typical bear market rally than the beginning of a new bull market. Stock prices and interest rates similar to those prevailing today have historically marked the ends of bull markets, not their beginnings. The recognition of the conditions of a secular bear market requires a different investment strategy than does a bull market - as Easterling would say, row, don't sail.

Unexpected Returns is compact, highly readable, and offers compelling historical evidence for the inevitability of secular bull and bear markets, what drives them, and the clear signals that can be used by enlightened investors to determine the prevailing market cycle in order to improve results in any market environment.
(The review above is a shorter version of one originally published in Value Investor Insight (www.valueinvestorinsight.com) and appears here in this format with permission.)

Must Read for Investors!
Ed Easterling has written a truly special book.He frames the historical market trends, current situation, and likely future in a straightforward way that draws insightful conclusions for investors. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The rich are different from the rest of us, if for no other reason than U.S. tax and securities laws allow them to invest in ways that keep us from catching up to them. That's why 90 percent of all corporate shares of stock are owned by 10 percent of the people. Kiyosaki believes it's possible for anyone to move up into that 10 percent, but it takes a different view of investing than most people have: it takes a plan to be a successful investor. And a plan is more than simply buying and selling, or collecting "assets" that bring in no cash and are thus more akin to liabilities. The way most people invest, "they might as well be pushing a wheelbarrow in a circle," he writes. A plan is "mechanical, automatic, and boring," a formula for success that has worked historically for most of those who've used it. Kiyosaki's "rich dad" (actually, the father of his best friend) tells him the simplest analogy is the game Monopoly: buy four green houses, trade them for one red hotel, and repeat until you become rich.

The overall message of Rich Dad's Guide to Investing is that this is an abundant world, full of opportunity for the sophisticated investor. However, it sometimes takes a while to find this point. Much of the book is told in dialogues between young Kiyosaki and his rich dad, and these conversations can ramble. There are rewards for the careful reader--for example, in the middle of a section on the basic rules of investing, Kiyosaki's rich dad compares investor education to toilet training: difficult at first but eventually automatic. But getting to these inspired metaphors means wading through a lot of repetitive dialogue. It's a bit ironic that someone who advocates investor discipline should show so little as a writer. But by the end of the book, even the rambling starts to make sense. By the hundredth time you read that the rich don't work for money, and that you don't need money to make money, both concepts start to make sense. It still looks difficult to apply these ideas, but Rich Dad's Guide to Investing certainly makes the case that they'll work for anyone bold and smart enough to practice them. --Lou Schuler ... Read more

Reviews (143)

A must for those who want to be Financially Independent
This book continues from where Kiyosaki left off in Cashflow Quadrant, his 2nd book in the trilogy (now complete with Rich Dad's Guide to Investing).

In his 1st book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Kiyosaki addressed the differences in mindsets between the Rich and the Poor. Then, in his 2nd book Cashflow Quadrant, he spoke on the 4 quadrants from which one can generate income. To be wealthy, Kiyosaki recommended that we learn to generate our incomes from the "B" (Business-owner) and "I" (Investor) quadrant as opposed to the "E" (Employee) and "S" (Self-employed) quadrant.

In his 3rd book Rich Dad's Guide to Investing, Kiyosaki tells how he got started in his investment journey, starting with nothing, and in fact at one stage, with a negative net worth. Most of us, having read his first 2 books, would have wondered if we could have embarked on our journey to become financially independent without much resource at hand. In this book, Kiyosaki shows how anyone can get started and how it does not take money to make money. He teaches how time is more important than money; how investing in one's self and getting an education and experience precedes excessive cash; how having a plan is more important than being in a hurry to make money.

This is not a book for those who want hot tips and quick fixes. This is a book on mindsets. Kiyosaki plants ideas and provides a road-map. The reader must take the first step and learn to navigate his/her own journey.

What I like about this book, is Kiyosaki's concept of being an Ultimate Investor, a "selling-investor". The Ultimate Investor creates deals and businesses that the public hunger for and are willing to pay a premium to acquire a share of. With the internet, it has never been easier to create businesses and deals which one can take public.

As in all his other books, Kiyosaki's book is worth reading again and again. I would also recommend that one reads Robert Allen's Multiple Streams of Income in conjunction with Kiyosaki's Rich Dad's Guide to Investing.

RDGTI is the Ultimate Investors Guide
This book is about the 90/10 investor difference. As Kiwosaki explains [quoting Rich Dad] "If you want to be rich, just find out what everyone else is doing and do the exact opposite"RDGTI explains the differences between the 10% of investors who make 90% of the money and the 90% who make only 10% of the money.It's not what they invest in, but how they think.The RDGTI goes against standard, accepted dogma. To me, the greatest revelation was when I realized that by changing my thoughts, as espoused by Rich Dad AND told to Kiwosaki, I could [and did] change my investment results.The average investors philosphy is to not take risks and buy and hold [actually buy and pray--average down]I like the fact that this book is written in an easy to read format. The story telling and metaphors help drive the ideas home. The mental attitude quizzes clears the cobwebs from your head and gets you thinking like an entrepeneur, champion investor. While some of the information is repeated from the RDPD and CFQ--so what? Ever taken a class? Don't teachers review previous material before moving on to newer studies? This book builds on the prior books Kiwosaki and Lechter will tell you some things that you don't want to hear and blow holes wide open on typical misconceptions.So where do you want to be, in the 90% who go nowhere or the 10% who succeed. I have chosen to be inthe 10%. Care to join me? Start by reading this book.

Powerfully impacted my investment results
Prior to reading (...and applyiny) the advice in Rich Dad's Guide to Investing I was like a gerbel in a cage going nowhere with my investing. I was loosing money, not making money and my broker wasn't making me feel any better by reminding me that all of his clients were loosing money, everybody is loosing money, the market is down and so on.

I recalled a saying by Will Rogers:

"I am not so worried about the return on my investment as I am on the return of my investment."

Listening to brokers was causing me to loose money.

Rich Dad's Guide to Investing gives you all the keys you need to get to where you want to go. It's not theory, it's how the rich invest. It is how the rich become rich.

I also recommend Rich Dad's Prophecy which since it has been written has been 100% accurate. That is a pretty good batting average. I'd count on the rest to be accurate as well.

If you are serious about making money investing, read and apply Rich Dad's Guide to Investing and Rich Dad's Prophecy my two favorite Rich Dad books after of course Rich Dad Poor Dad.

Great advice that really works
If you were one of those 80 million Americans who lost over a trillion dollars following your stock brokers or convential advice, then you will love this book.

While no one has a time machine, we can't correct the past, we can certaintly plan for the future and this great book by Robert Kiyosaki will show you how to do just that---plan for your future and actually make some money investing...and in more than just the stock market too.

CAUTION: Brokers won't like this book and in fact will hope you never read this book, but then, you know why they are called brokers don't you? It's because they are usually broker than you are! The massive downsizing of brokers by so many brokerage firms shows just how valuable these guys really are.

By the way, I also recommend Rich Dad's Prophecy.

ANOTHER WINNER BASED ON AUTHOR'S WISDOM
I am a fan of Robert Kiyosaki. On the book shelf next to me is his CD and workbook course titled "Choose To Be Rich" (produced by Time Life) bought at a live lecture in 2002 in Fresno, California where he took the time to autograph the course for me after he spoke even though he was trying to get away to get to the airport. So I have made it a point to read all the books he has written as he has walked his talk. In addition to this book, I would recommend that readers have on their bookself to read and constantly refer to "Making Dollars With Pennies: How The Small Investor Can Beat the Wizards On Wall Street," by R. Max Bowser. This book is also by an author who after many years created a system that enables investors to become wealthly over time. It is available used and new on Amazon.com. ... Read more

Book Description

Richard Daft's best-selling text, Organization Theory and Design, integrates the most recent thinking about organizations, classic ideas and theories, and real world practice, in a way that is interesting and enjoyable for learners. This edition includes many updates including a new chapter on international issues and revisions of other chapters to include the most recent ideas and events.While organization studies and real world examples are insightful for understanding organizations and solve real-world problems, Daft also integrates numerous features that give learners the opportunity to apply concepts and develop skills and insights. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A Strong Guide in Organization Theory
This is a well-designed and comprehensive book in the area of organization theory. From introduction to the end, this book aims to teach the foundations of organization theory to readers.

There is a great awareness of new developments in the area of organization theory. The new developments such as team-based management models are integrated into the conventional wisdom wonderfully in the book. We are living in a world in which globalization and stiff competition dominates. We name this age as Information Age and corporations need new mentality and practices to adapt to challenging conditions this era brings about. This book presents some new approaches in global competition perspective to readers.

A Look Inside, Bookmark, In Practice, The New Paradigm and Case for Analysis are excellent peculiarities of the book.

Diagrams and other visual characterizations involved in the book give readers a big opportunity to digest topics recounted. Since this book is a detailed investigation of organization theory, you may miss some parts and feel confused. I can recommend another book, that is, Designing Organizations (Robey, D. and Sales, Carol A.), which is a summarized organization theory book with excellent cases.

If you want to understand organization theory with its basic foundations and details, this book is a must. You must exploit the rich knowledge of Professor Daft.

Strongly recommended.

Readable and great information
Daft out did himself in this edition of his text. He includes book reviews and company profiles throughout each chapter to illustrate the theories he's describing. I read this for an MA course and found it easy to learn from. I'm even putting the information into practice at work! Not all textbooks are that helpful. *grin*

team-based structure
Application of organization design about Team-Based Structures and The boundaryless Organization.

Gripping, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, watch out...
I'm using this text for my HRM course and it is, without a doubt, the most straightforward text I have ever read. Coming from a senior, whose read my share of textbooks, if you are teaching HRM, this book makes it conducive to learning the elementary ideas of HRM. This is one text I'll be keeping instead of selling back to the bookstore.

The most meaningful book I have ever read
As a student, I think this book is the most meaningful book I have read. it is easy to read, easy to grasp. If you are someone who wants to grap the most important ideas out of whatever you read, then this book is good one for you. If you like to dive in, and read in details, you also can do that. The way this book was written gave it this unique previlage. ... Read more

Download Description

"Enthusiastic employees outproduce and outperform. They step up to do the impossible. They rally each other in tough times. Most people are enthusiastic when they're hired: hopeful, ready to work hard, eager to contribute. What happens to dampen their enthusiasm? Management, that's what.

The Enthusiastic Employee draws on 30 years of research and experience to show you exactly what managers do wrong¿and what they should do instead.

Drawing on detailed case studies and employee attitude surveys in hundreds of companies, the authors offer research-proven solutions¿not fads, nostrums, or phony shortcuts. Along the way, you'll identify the dollars-and-cents business case for high employee morale, learn exactly what employee morale means, and discover the specific management practices that offer the greatest positive performance impact.

The definitive guide to encouraging, sustaining, and profiting from employee enthusiasm!

• Techniques shown to increase employee performance 30-40%¿and increase stock performance, too!
• Proven solutions, real data, not fads! Based on research with 2,500,000+ employees in 237 companies
• Fairness, achievement, camaraderie: delivering the three core elements of a healthy workplace
• Stop your organization's managers from demotivating your employees
• Build a real partnership culture for the long term

Reviews (14)

Important read for management...
I think that many businesses and bosses could be so much further ahead if they read The Enthusiastic Employee by David Sirota, Louis A. Mischkind, and Michael Irwin Meltzer (Wharton School Publishing).

Chapter List:
Part 1 - Worker Motivation, Morale, and Performance: What Workers Want - The Big Picture; Employee Enthusiasm and Business Success
Part 2 - Enthusiastic Workforces, Motivated by Fair Treatment: Job Security; Compensation; Respect
Part 3 - Enthusiastic Workforces, Motivated by Achievement: Organization Purpose and Principles; Job Enablement; Job Challenge; Feedback, Recognition, and Reward
Part 4 - Enthusiastic Workforces, Motivated by Camaraderie: Teamwork
Part 5 - Bringing It All Together: The Total Organization Culture - and How to Change It: The Partnership Organization; Translating Partnership Theory into Partnership Practice
Part 6 - Appendices: Survey Administration and Population Composition; Reliability and Validity of the Data; Job Satisfaction: Demographic, Occupational, and Regional Breaks; Comparisons with Other Norms; The Readiness Questionnaire; Endnotes; Index

The authors have done a number of surveys of employees to get a idea of how 1) employees feel about their current jobs, and 2) what they'd like to see from their companies and management.These findings are presented to the reader (which *should* be in management) to help them understand how their staff really thinks and works.The conclusion is that companies can profit handsomely by understanding what their employees want and making sure they get it.And it's not always just money.It can be a sense of teamwork, a vested interest in making sure the company is successful, or even just the challenge of being given a difficult job along with the authority to do what's necessary to pull it off.While not every employee is the same or is motivated by the same ideals or benefits, a company that follows the findings in this book and implement changes will find turnover plunging and job satisfaction going up to unknown levels.

Definitely worth reading if you run a company or have staff that report to you...

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS ON MANAGING PEOPLE!
Based on 30 years of research, the authors demonstrate a clear relationship between financial performance and employee morale. Data reveals threedimensions of morale, each having subfactors: 1) equity (job security, compensation, respect), 2) achievement (organization purpose and principles, job enablement, job challenge, and feedback, recognition and reward, and 3) camaraderie (teamwork). Chapters are devoted to each of these subjects and provide illustrative examples. Furthermore, the authors have developed a People Performance Model consisting of: leadership; management practices; employee morale; individual performance, customer satisfaction; customer behavior; and business performance; the model provides an excellent framework for gaining insight into crucial connections. Appendices include a self-assement questionnaire for managers and key statistical findings. Speaking not only as a reviewer, but a management consultant (HRconsultant.com), this book is a gem. It is exceptionally informative and insightful; one of the best books on the subject of successfully managing people.

This one shouldn't be missed
From time to time, as a book reviewer, I come across a book that could easily slide under the radar-but should not. This is one of those books.

The book's subtitle is "How Companies Profit by Giving Workers What They Want." For savvy leaders, this is a no-brainer. However, as a Certified Management Consultant with 25 years of practice under my belt, I can tell you that an uncomfortably large proportion of managers don't get it. And those who may suspect that they can do more to build their productive relationships with employees often question whether these ideas are just a lot of fluff and woo-woo.

This book presents 30 years of research with the results of surveys given to over 4 million employees. This is a huge contribution to the field, particularly when the book contains a significant amount of material in the appendix about research methodology.

The real meat of the book will be found in the sections on how enthusiastic workers are motivated by fair treatment (job security, compensation, respect), achievement (purpose and principles, job enablement, job challenge, feedback/recognition/reward), and camaraderie (teamwork). Even as you cruise through the table of contents, your mind will shout "duh!" But as you read the pages, you'll find a meld of academia and real-world that presents a serious handbook into how to gain greater commitment and results. This is a deep business book, not conversational light reading.

The final section of the text explores organizational culture and what the authors-consultants and professors-call the partnership organization. Naturally, consultants-internal and external-will gain quite a bit from this book. Corporate leaders-and particularly those charged with organizational change and positive cultural reinforcement-will find the book a treasure. Even a relatively quick read (a scanning for insights and ideas) will stimulate thinking for busy executives.

This is a book that will be scanned, re-read, and referenced by people dedicated to taking our workplaces back to the foundations that made them strong in days past...when people really cared about their jobs-when they were genuinely enthusiastic employees.

Roadmap for Success
The Enthusiastic Employee... holds a compelling message: listen to your employees. When they tell organizations what they want, they are providing a roadmap for success. The discussions on equity, achievement and camaraderie make too much sense to be ignored. This book is difficult to put down.Rather than a dry business tome that puts one to sleep, it wakes you up and forces you to examine your own behavior as well as the behavior of the organization's leadership.We are presented with an approach to building a "partnership culture" that has universal application.

Enthusiastic Performance and Production
If you are in management or HR or have employees of any sort, including by independent contract, get this book and follow its advice. It is worth its weight in gold, but fortunately you don't have to pay that much for it.

This is the bible of common sense management of human motivation and performance. It is also the bible of scientific study of common sense management of human motivation and performance. It contains the relevant results of 30 years worth of meticulously researched materials produced by members of Sirota Consulting where the authors are senior staff. (David Sirota is the founder.)

The book contains very little that anyone familiar with the literature in the field will find new. In fact, most reputable management consultants have told their clients most of the same things for many, many years: (1) Ask your employees what the want. They will tell you the truth and it will be reasonable. (2) Employees want to be treated fairly, including in compensation -- and fair means fair, not extrordinary. (3) Employees want the opportunity to perform well and achieve something meaningful (really!) (4) Employees want to work with others who share their basic values and with whom they can comfortably interact and cooperate -- there is an important social element in the workplace.

Sirota and his co-authors build on those basic concepts. They tell you about those concepts in full, rich detail. You will understand that what they are saying is valid and why it is valid. They tell you the specific practical applications of the information and insights they give you. You know exactly what to do in your job to put their information to work. They show you how applying their methods motivates, improves performance, makes management easier, even fun and makes your company more profitable.

They show you how to make your employees raving fans of your company. ... Read more

Book Description

Here is the most definitive and up-to-date self study guide for the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification exam from the Project Management Institute. This single volume has been used successfully by project managers around the world, and it contains everything you need to pass the PMP Exam, including all exam topics, insider secrets, complete explanations of all PMP subjects, test tricks and tips, and hundreds of highly realistic sample questions. Additionally, the book is loaded with exercises that will strengthen your understanding of the PMP concepts and prepare you to pass the exam on your first try with ease. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Simple, But Do NOT Use As Your Only Study Material
This was the first book that I used to begin studying for the PMP Exam with. (I passed Dec.1st/03) It is simple and easy to understand. However, the questions are much easier than the actual PMP Exam. There is alot of information missing from this book that is critical for the PMP Exam (other Earned value calculations, definitions etc.) Use this to introduce yourself to the concepts, but do not use it as your only study material. I supplemented this with Kim Heldman's book which filled in some of the gaps. I then took Rita Muchaly's PMP Exam Prep course. This was invaluable. Although I already knew 90% of the material, the course taught me how to interpret and read the questions and pick the "betterer" answer. Plus, the order of planning processes which Andy Crowe presented in his book was different than the order of activites in Rita's course. I took Rita's sequence to be true, as she was previously on the committee who created the actual PMP Exam questions, so she would know the right sequence. Rita's PMP Exam prep questions provided in her study kit were very similar in difficulty and structure as those on the PMP Exam. If you only have so much money, take Rita's course and/or buy her Exam Prep System which includes flash cards, a CD of 1300 exam questions and her book.

The book is over-priced, as it does not include a CD with questions on it.

One-Stop Shop for PMP Certification
PASS. First time out. Any questions?

Seriously, I read the PMBOK cover to cover. DENSE. All the information is there, but it lacks several things that are crucial to a successful PMP exam preparation: intuitive organization, practice questions, and real-world applications.

Andy Crowe's book fills the gap. It presents the information in a structured, easy-to-understand format that guides you through the 39 discrete processes, their interaction, and most importantly, what you need to know about each one to pass the exam.

The final exam takes the concepts presented in the book and makes you think about them from yet another angle, and the fact that all the answers are there provides the last step in cementing the information in your head. My score on Andy's final and my score on the PMP exam were within 5 points of each other, so he obviously got it right.

The PMP exam is extremely situational. Some questions have four correct answers! What they want from you is the BEST answer. Many others focus on order of operations and ask what you, as the project manager, should do FIRST. These real-world situations are covered clinically in the PMBOK, but stressed in detail in this book.

Buy it. Read it. And Pass the PMP. I did.

Let's just say...It gets the job done
I've been a Project Manager for many years now, have always been interested in obtaining a PMP but never found the time or the right resources. This book is a perfect combination of both. It is easy reading and easy to understand. If you are disciplined enough to read the book, take good notes, take and review the practice exams you can also be a PMP very soon. I waited too long to accomplish this goal because I didn't know what tools to use. If you've found this page, you've found the right prep book to get the job done for you.

Well written, direct, clear and smart
I performed a quite extensive searching on the bibliography focused on preparing candidates for PMP certification. My requirements were clear: "I do not want to read again a huge sort of books to learn how to manage a project. I need a book that teach me in a direct way how to approach the PMI exam to be able to pass the exam". Guys: This is the book. I selected the Andy Crowe's one and after passing the PMP exam, in my first try, I am convinced I made a good choice. The whole book is remarkably well written, direct, clear and smart. It includes the nine Knowledge Areas of PMI's PMBOK plus the Professional Responsibility chapter. There are an exam for every chapter and a Final Exam with 200 questions. The answer of each exam includes a splendid explanation of why the answers are right or not! Every chapter has a books reference named "Going deeper" which is a real gem for identifying more source for additional learning, even after passing the exam. I have only two complaints: a)the bookbinding is some weak. b)Standard deviation formula included in the book is not the traditional one, so review your statistical sources. The book is some expensive, but if you pass the exam, it worth the investment, don't you think that?. Read PMBOK a couple of times, this book and you are ready to attempt the exam.

I passed PMP using this book!
I used this book, the PMbok(R), and the Ultimate PMP Study Aid (an ebay exclusive) to pass the PMP. This book got all the right info to get you pass PMP. Andy's focus is on how to pass the exam which is good. The delivery is right to the point. The tips are very helpful. Studying for the exam and knowing the content of PMbok(R) are not enought. If you understand PMI's mindset, it help you to understand why they ask you this question and what they're looking for in the answer. This is exactly what you will learn from Andy. The 400 sample questions with explainations give you enought practice for the real test. Don't spend money on other expensive books and tests. This is it! ... Read more

Book Description

Accessible to non-finance and finance professionals alike, this book explores 10 easy-to-understand core principles (axioms) that drive the practice of corporate finance. Eliminating non-essential material and keeping mathematics to a minimum, it features an intuitive approach that helps readers develop a solid understanding of the logic that drives finance—rather than concentrating on easily forgotten formulas and calculations which may not neatly fit all the situations encountered in the real world. Features in-the-trenches interviews with business professionals, a refresher on Understanding Financial Statements and Cash Flows, and frequent Financial Management in Practice boxes.The Financial Markets and Interest Rates. Understanding Financial Statements and Cash Flows. Evaluating a Firm's Financial Performance. The Time Value of Money. The Meaning and Measurement of Risk and Return. Valuation and Characteristics of Bonds. Valuation and Characteristics of Stock. Capital-Budgeting Techniques and Practice. Cash Flows and Other Topics in Capital Budgeting. Cost of Capital. Determining the Financing Mix. Dividend Policy and Internal Financing. Financial Forecasting, Planning, and Budgeting. Introduction to Working-Capital Management. Liquid Asset Management. International Business Finance.For anyone involved in Corporate Finance and Financial Management. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

difficult read
it seems like the writers of this text's intentions were to confuse the hell out of finance majors and intimidate them so that they would stay away from the finance 'game'.

I'm sure the book is chockfull of information, but using it for the two past semesters, i havent learned as much as i wanted to. Perhaps in the next edition they will be able to make the text easier to understand and read.

Finance can be a very intimidating subject, and the writers of this book seemed to have no intention of making the book easy to understand.

Review of Foundations of Finance by Arthur J. Keown
This is an excellent text. I've read it thoroughly. The material , as presented, assumes a robust course in accounting at the college level. This text is for a student desiring a complete rendition in basic finance topics and techniques. The text is replete with many examples and challenging problems of various complexities. The presentation is easy to read. The book is directed to students perhaps majoring in economics or finance. It is not a purely descriptive rendition of finance. A

considerable amount of so called "numbers crunching" is involved in reviewing this text. As such, the book serves the analytic student optimally. The text is devoid of the most complicated analytics inherent in "quantitatively oriented texts".There is a good appendix on the use of financial calculators,as well as, present value calculations and other useful knowledge supplemental to the study of finance. This book would be most useful to students planning their careers as financial analysts, corporate planners or private entrepreneurs.

Of all those Management books...
This was the best.A very clear and concise book for the serious student being introduced to the subject of Finance.Other books on the subject I've seen are very abstruse or just plain hard to read aside from weighing a ton. I had another book twice as thick to complement this one and my class abandoned it in short order.This book is comparatively light and chalk full of useful ideas and examples laid out in anorganized and methodical manner.The generous use of charts and tables was executed well. Probably as simple as finance can possibly be put while still retaining the rigor and teaching the processes necessary for making financial computations.

Topics included are on basic valuation of various securities and projects using discounted cash flows, capital budget management, liquidity management, etc. I'm still learning from it after school.There simply wasn't enough time to fully cover everything in the book that I would have wanted.Now I'm ready to tackle more advanced corporate finance books/materials.

This is an introductory book for someone who may be interested in becoming a financial analyst but is obviously geared to the educational market for use in schools.The academic slant limits its applicability somewhat.Although it may give a stock market player who wants to start understanding the systematic process involved in the valuation of securities on a cash flow basis some insight for example, discussion on valuation by multiples like P/Es is virtually absent.

Nonetheless a great book.

Best Finance Book It will help You Make $$$
I use this book at the University of Wisconsin Stout.I think this book is excellent.I'm taking a copy with me to London."A must" if your a Finance major. ... Read more

Book Description

Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization, 6th edition provides the most accurate, relevant, and complete presentation of strategic management today. Authors Michael A. Hitt, R. Duane Ireland, and Robert E. Hoskisson thoroughly revised each chapter, weaving cutting-edge ideas, research, and modern practice to create a presentation that captures the dynamic nature of the field. The authors integrate the traditional industrial organizational model of strategic management with the more modern resource-based view of the firm to explain how firms use the strategic management process to build a sustained competitive advantage. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Strategic Management in the Context of Globalizatiion
This book is a detailed investigation of strategic management in the context of globalization and competitiveness. An integrated approach is used, but firm-based theory of strategic management is stressed throughout the book. Cases included in the book are chosen properly in relation with the topics, that is theory is clearly connected to the real experiences. Especially, topics titled as "Cooperative Strategy" , "Corporate Governance" , "Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation" will be very useful to better understand the planning dynamics.

The book is divided into two sections. One is assigned for theory and the other is assigned for cases. Cases are updated and includes the most popular and fabulous companies such as "Amazon.com". Overall, I recommend this comprehensive book (1008 p.) to readers who wish to have a grand source !

Highly Overpriced by Publisher for Quick Profit Seller
Don't bother buying this book unless you 'absolutely' have to have it for a class you might be taking or for special research. I found this book to be better than most, however it is ridiculously overpriced and would best be left on the shelf to collect dust than to fork over a whole days' wages on this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Over 30,000 online investors daily flock to pristine.com, the top-rated Website run by day trading legends Oliver Velez and Greg Capra, for up-to-the-minute strategies and market commentaries. In Tools and Tactics for the Master Day Trader, Velez and Capra revisit and completely update over 100 of their daily commentaries from the past four years, with new material explaining what worked, what didn't, and why.

This no-nonsense, easy read, meant to be referenced by traders every trading day, covers everything from potent trading strategies to intuitive insights on psychology and discipline. Proving once again that the best teacher is experience, Tools and Tactics for the Master Day Trader will help any trader log on with the technical skills, market knowledge, and confidence they need to capture more winning trades, and reap new profits.

Reviews (101)

Dissenting Opinion from a Full-time Trader
The people who previously reviewed this new book by Oliver Velez and Greg Capra seem to have started in the middle of the book, looking only for The Holy Grail to lead them to immense profits heretofore undiscovered by anyone else. I found the real value in the first half of the book, which tries to show you why you haven't been a successful trader up to now and what to do about it. This is worth the price of the book in itself. They are teaching you how to fish, not giving you a fish, as the old saying goes. They should include a mirror with every copy, as I see myself in every page when they describe the mistakes made by beginning traders. I started trading commodities in 1989 and switched to stocks in 1998, so I have had the rare opportunity to make all the mistakes they describe and more. But the good news is...that's what makes you a success later on. Chapter 5, "The Seven Deadly Sins of Trading", doesn't just tell you the sins, but actually tells you how to eliminate them. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book to me.

I became profitable in 1998 and support my family totally from trading income, using many of the tools described in this book. I have tried many of the software "black box" programs out there, been to many seminars (some great ones, some worthless ones), bought many trading books, and it has all led me to where I am now. If I had let an unfavorable review like the ones here steer me away from a fantastic book like this one, I would not be trading today and making a living working for myself half a day and hiking, biking and skiing the other half. So what if they promote their own seminars, web pages, trading room, etc. in the book. Wade Cook and many others use their books as free advertising the same way...nobody is forced to buy the other products. We all have the ability to decide whether or not we will delve further into these products, don't we?

To be fair to the other reviewers, they may already be successful traders that don't need the advice in the first half of the book and were only looking for a book that would reveal a system or method to double their income in the next three months. All I can say is that I have been trading for eleven years and the book will probably double my income in the next six months even if I never read the second half. Buy it, read it and decide for yourself.

Required Reading for Profitable Trading
What makes this one of the very best books on day trading is the clear, simple and direct language the authors use to illuminate a complex subject, and few books in the genre are as comprehensive in scope, as well organized and presented. In Tools and Tactics for the Master Day Trader, authors Oliver Velez and Greg Capra have created the essential primer for neophytes, as well as a book seasoned traders will find of lasting value for the insights and wisdom the authors only could have acquired through long experience in the trenches themselves.

Their approach is technical, based on a number of reliable chart patterns that identify key short-term shifts in market psychology, those points when a change occurs in the balance between buyers and sellers. Charting techniques, market indicators and timing, and execution skills are detailed in a concise and focused way. But the book excels in discussions about trader psychology, the emotional challenges that must be overcome, and the attitude and discipline a successful trader must have in approaching the markets. For example:

"The need or desire for certainty is one of those natural human traits that every aspiring trader must learn to overcome, because certainty is a myth. It does not exist in life, nor does it exist in the market. It is a phantom, a dream that is chased by far too many market players. As traders, we must be capitalists of the unknown. We can never escape the fact that we are forced to act in the face of uncertainty. Those who must know all the facts before they trade will find opportunity forever leaving them behind. Fortune waits for its captor in the shadows of uncertainty. It lies hidden on the path least traveled. The active trader will find that the greatest opportunities will be found where no one else is willing to go. The trader can never be certain that the trade just taken will work. The trader can properly assess the odds and devise an intelligent strategy in an attempt to exploit those odds. But each trade will still possess the ability to disappoint. Each attempt will carry with it the potential to fail. The aspiring trader must learn to deal with this and must learn to act before he or she knows. Because by the time the trader knows, the opportunity is long gone."

The authors include chapters on "the seven deadly sins of trading"; how to identify and kill your deadliest demons, and rules the master trader lives by. This book is required reading for all who intend to trade profitably.

Save your money!!
This book is a real piece of crap. Don't waste your money. It reads like a 389 page advertisment for Pristine Day Trading seminars.As a professional trader, I pity the newbie who buys this book expecting to get any usable information from of it. I buy books hoping for ONE good idea: I lost!"Methods of a Wall St. Master" by Vic Sperandeo is a MUCH better buy.Velez and Capra advise their readers to ignore market fundamentals: Those fools who choose to ignore the fundamentals of the market do so at their own risk!!!

OVERPRICED
This book has large fonts and i feel is very overpriced for the small amount of info it has. The strategies work no better than half the time and can be found for free on many internet sites. For $12 i might recommend this book for beginners but otherwise pass on it.

A Documentary Of The Largest Scam in The Daytrading Arena
1 Star was the lowest rating I could find, if "SCAM" was na option I would have selected it. This book will soon serve as "exhibit A" in the case against these highway thieves. Do your homework first. Look at this post before you spend anything on this book[...]

Proceed with caution! ... Read more

Book Description

In the bestselling tradition of Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman comes the breakthrough book that teaches women how to stop sabotaging their careers--and start getting ahead.For every professional woman who wants to get ahead--but feels she is at an impasse--NICE GIRLS DON'T GET THE CORNER OFFICE comes to the rescue. When overlooked for that special assignment or promotion, many women point the finger outwardly, looking for someone else to blame. Now, Lois P. Frankel presents a different view in her empowering career primer that helps women identify ingrained habits they learned as girls that may be holding them back, such as couching statements in a question, smiling inappropriately, tilting the head while speaking, and others. Only by overcoming these self-defeating behaviors will the "nice girl" learn to leverage her power in the workplace--and claim the corner office she so richly deserves. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mist
This book has been all that I hoped for and more. The book, in a nutshell, basically says that to get ahead in life, in career, in everything, women need to stop acting like little girls.

Replete with examples from Ms. Frankel's consulting clients, this book gives practical, no-holds-barred evaluations of such behaviours as feeding people at the office, working too hard, asking questions instead of making statements, and "asking permission." That last was a revelation to me.

As Ms. Frankel points out, we are all raised in a society that says you should get proper approvals before taking a step---any step. But men learn when to ask and when to just go ahead. Men learn how to apply the rubric "It's easier to get forgiveness than to get permission." Ms. Frankel pointes out that children, not adults, ask for permission to do perfectly rational things. I had never considered how detrimental to my career the habit of asking permission had been. But I decided to give Ms. Frankel's suggestions a try. I went to my boss and said, "I cannot come in on Friday." My boss looked nonplussed. I was petrified, but proud. I had done it. I had Made A Statement instead of Seeking Approval. And he didn't demur. He said, "Okay," and we went on with the day.

If you are feeling frustrated by the glass ceiling, if you feel stuck and can't figure out why you can't get further in your career ambitions (and if you're a female), this book is definitely worth the investment. It opened my eyes to things I did that I never even thought about, things that presented an image of an incompetent child---not a competent, composed, and capable woman. My image is now improving, and yours can too.

More Than Rosie the Riveter:
Men are men. Women are women. Right? The matter of gender is easy enough to establish, but in Lois P. Frankel's book, "Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers" we learn there are underlying mores and premises to follow if women want to be at the top of a company. These rules are unspoken, but Frankel demystifies the process by which some women hurt their success by playing into the cultural roles prescribed to them growing up.

Frankel presumes most women grew up in a home that oppresses women from growing up into full adults. What may have been true for 1954 is not as true today. However, her challenge is still with merit, and in 2004, it crosses the gender barrier. e men should be taking notes from Frankel. There are plenty of little boys among us who need to work as men.

"Rosie the Riveter" ads during WWII encouraged women into the workplace, but often as factory and shipyard works. There was no "Annie the Accountant" or "Sally the CEO" campaigns. Being all you can be means being more than you were as a child. Frankel helps show how women can be more than little girls in the office place, and garner success as a result.

It is important to note that as much as this is an important book for women who esteem to be seen as professional should read, men also should read it. Not every man has reached his potential, and some fall to the same problems, in a masculine variation, as do some women. Fear, exhibited through the lack of initiative and an overborne, unnecessary kindness, holds many people back.

Objective, straightforwardness is much of what Frankel asserts.

Being professional doesn't mean you need to convert into a stomping intimidator, but it does mean being firm, not wincing when rejection is forthcoming, and thinking about more than immediate relationships. It is about getting the job done well, in concert with others, but never becoming weak while doing it all. You have expertise. You have training. You have what it takes.

Although Frankel is a professional coach, her book itself shows a coach is not needed. You need to be in control of your career, without worrying about the next person. Retain your ethics, your integrity and your aplomb, but it is your job to lead the way through your professional life. No parents, no coach, no friends are responsible for this.

I fully recommend "Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers"
by Lois P. Frankel. Follow it up with the classic Dale Carnegie book, "How To Win Friends And Influence People," to learn the other side of the professional relationship balance.

Anthony Trendl

Good Book.
This book does a fine job of exploring gender issues not just in the corporate world but also in other relevent aspects of life. It was a good read. I got a good kick out of this book and also suggest reading the book "Stumbling Naked in the Dark" to understand how men can benefit and learn from us women.

Oh Come On
No excuses. I read this book and it has a few obvious choices for altering behaviors male or female, but I despise books like this because the premise is failure before you even begin! This book is only for you if you're think you're "behind" somehow. You're not and if you think you're not others will see that confidence. Do you think women who succeed in business begin with the premise they're NOT going to get a corner office? Are women "flawed" to begin with? No. I wholeheartedly disagree with this author. Embrace what makes people different.

If you're not doing well in business of course you re-evaluate how you're handling your career and professional demeanor. If your career is all important to you then by all means do whatever you have to do to reach your goals, male or female.

Here's the real white elephant in the room. Women have babies. Moms will always be torn during their reproductive years between advancement in business and raising a family and those same years are typically the most productive years for a career. You can still be yourself and have it all, just not all at the same time. Make time for children and husbands and friends. They're worth the time too. If you let your business relationiships be just business relationshihps the level of respect you have for yourself will advance you further than just no longer "apologizing too much" or no longer being "naive" whatever that means.

Nice Girl's Don't Get The Corner Office
The single most important book I have read on gender issues. Not only are the tips and insights readily applied to the corporate world, but also apply to every aspect of life.
Thank you so much Dr. Frankel. I can't wait to see the new results I get from using your suggestions! As the saying goes, "If you keep on acting the same old way, you will get the same old results!"
Heartfelt Appreciation,
Robin in Denver
Also, I love the writing style, very to the point, no hype or glamour, just real usable meat! ... Read more