Book Description

John shares his experiences, and those of other successful people, to help you use rejection to propel yourself to excellence.In his easy-to-read, uplifting style, he teaches you how to use rejection to accelerate your personal growth and reach new levels of achievement. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

See The Author Live!!!
John Fuhrman - Author of this book and "The Credit Diet" will be doing live seminars across the country. Here are some dates.
April 17th, 2004 St. George Utah
May 22nd, 2004 Salt Lake City Utah
June 12th & 26th, 2004 Des Moines IA
July 17th & 31st, 2004 St. Louis, MO
Sept. 11th & 25th, 2004 Tulsa, OK
Oct. 9th & 23rd, 2004 Austin, TX
For further info email info@creditdiet.com

Good Book!
To be a success, you got to learn how to deal with rejection. There will always be critics and people telling you, you can't do it. You don't have what it takes. This book shows you how to overcome those obstacles and propel yourself towards success. Read it and apply it today!

Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works: How to Get Motivated and Stay Motivated

pithy content, sloppy style
I have read two of this fellow's books, including this one, and I found myself wading through the unrelated, and sometimes contrived, soundbytes. I do believe that even a bad book has one or two "good bits" in it, and for that reason perhaps I can be excused for attempting the second book after being disappointed the first time. Plus, it came to me as a book club offering, so I assumed/hoped it would be okay.

I could find no thread that lasted more than a couple of sentences and none of them seemed really connected with any other or with any theme as such.

I don't object to pithy, clever phrases, perse. They're useful hooks and devices to help us retain our focus out there in a negative world. A book of pithy sayings is one thing, but a book which does not call itself such but which is full of barely anything else is quite another thing, and much less good.

The style comes across to me like the thing was thrown together in a very short while, a bit like someone dictated into a tape recorder and then had it typed up, but worse because there is no conversational style to speak of.

In a word I would call this book "insubstantial". If you liked Stephen Covey's "7 Habits" book, and you're anything like me, this book will not be less than adequate.

Funny and fun to Read
This book will help everyone from business to personal life on how to deal with the fear of rejection. In this book, John shares his ideas through great stories that keep your attention. This book is great for sales people,actors, network marketers and anyone who has the balls to go after in dream of thiers in life.

Instant *feel good* pill!
From Author Marisa D'Vari, "Media Magic: Profit and Promote from a Talk Show Host's Secrets"

"Read John Fuhrman's book and call me in the morning," should be what psychologists tell their patients. With fun humor and succinct advice, Fuhrman addresses the everyday needs of everyone on the planet. Keep it in your medicine cabinet for when rejection strikes! ... Read more

Book Description

From stories about Irving Berlin to Oprah Winfrey, this collection contains 366 inspirational five-minute readings - one for each day of the year. Included are motivational stories of successful people such as Steven Spielberg, Bill Gates, Thomas Edison, and Wilma Rudolph. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

love it
this is a great book and it also gives you wonderful tips on how to keep your dreams alive i love it - the future art marketer

This book ROCKS!
I have read this book twice, have given several copies as gifts, and hear myself quoting from it on occasion. It's amazing how the success stories of others can inspire us to realize our own dreams. This is a perfect gift for graduates, Mother's Day and Father's Day, and award presentations for any business-minded person. I especially like the practical lessons that Mr. Elliott draws from the real-life experiences of people like Walt Disney, Bill Gates, Andy Griffith, Mary Kay, and Martin Luther King, Jr. We all need heros and role models like these.

A great book of inspirational success stories.
I highly recommend this very interesting book of stories of success and inspiration. There is a one-page story for each day of the year. These stories provide interesting facts about successful Americans as well as information on how they became successful. Each story ends with a comment concerning how it can be applied to your own life. It is a very good book! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Take Bhudda's wisdom to work!
I found this book in a little bookshop in Marin Co., CA. Why isn't it being publicized more? Even the authors say "getting promoted is a happy side-effect of excellent work," and this book is just such an excellent work in that it furnishes great exampoles of practical ways to handle ourselves in the ready-made workplace or to create a workplace where dilemmas can be faced with the guidance of Bhudda thinking. Thanks to the authors for this help and recommendations.

SPIRITUALITY FOSTERS GROWTH AND PROFITABILITY
This is one of the greatest books one will ever find on the basics on what helps a business achieve its full potential. First of all, you do not want to be just a good employer, you want to be the best employer you can possibly be. Then, you want happy, motivated, productive employees who WANT to help you succeed, as opposed to those who are just showing up because they need a paycheque. Employees need to work well both independently and as a team. You also want happy, satisifed customers who receive personal, respectful and efficient customer service and value for their dollar. If they find that in your business, they will be back time and time again. Many of the secrets that serve as the driving engine of successful businesses can be found in the age-old basic principles of Eastern Philosophies.

What would Buddha do in this situation? How would he handle it? This book will help provide the answers. Aside from adhering to strong basic management principles, if you run your business based on integrity and strong ethical values, the money will come - it is the end result of the fruits of your labour, the driving force behind your success. Strive to run your business with honesty, respect, compassion and organized thought. By providing a quality product/service that is in demand, at an affordable price, in a unique manner that your competitors are not providing, and staying within your budget, you have the makings of a successful business.

This book may seem like common sense to many but, as a counsellor and teacher in business management with thirty years of experience, I can assure you that many business owners/managers do not think common sense is of any great importance or simply choose not to follow it. They are eventually the ones who show up on the list of bankruptcies. After reading this book, sit down and make a list of how you would like to be treated as an employee. What would keep YOU happy, motivated and productive? Then, ask yourself if you are creating this type of work environment for your own employees. Sound knowledge of business management skills is a must for any entrepreneur, but there is a misconception out there that a successful entrepreneur must be some sort of "super, natural guru." You run a business with the same moral values and principles used in your personal life. The inner peace and contentment one finds in their own personal spirituality can also be applied to the workplace to achieve profitability while maintaining a nurturing, caring, positive, productive environment.

The 101 dilemmas presented here show how ancient wisdom can be used to solve many of our modern-day obstacles and challenges in the workplace. This book is highly recommended and certainly worth a five-star rating - even Buddha would be proud of this one!

Insightful and Hilarious
We all are aware of the cliche "What Would Jesus Do?". In fact whenever I hear that question I groan and I know Jesus covers his ears and says "Get a new line".

I am not a Buddhist, but I think this book is very good and insightful. If you are Buddhist, buy this book, it will help guide you to Nirvana, or at least it will give you a lot to contemplate. If you aren't Buddhist, buy this book anyway, it will make you laugh and it is good lessons for life. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Leading-Edge Learning re: Leadership Training
I was favorably disposed toward Conger's compelling analysis in "Learning to Lead" before I began reading his book. I've been thoroughly impressed by his work thru' several articles he's written (one of which synthesizes the highlights of this book-length exposition in a shorter essay form). "L to L" is essentially a "connoisseurship study," with Conger himself in the primary role of scholarly expert/participant-observer. He writes parts of "L to L" in the first person, as he relates his experiences in several of the most popular leadership training programs available on the market today. But he supplements these more subjective impressions w/ more objective critiques of these programs in light of his more scholarly knowledge re: leadership education, as well. The result is a highly engaging, rewarding reflection that blends the immediacy of a compelling autobiography with the longer view and broader perspective of a savvy social-scientific treatise. Conger has mastered all the salient leadership literature during his long academic career. He thus knows extremely well the subject(s) he writes about here. Yet he complements this professorial persona in "L to L" with his more human, accessible side, too. His readers are thus treated to a very balanced, nuanced appraisal of the major pros & cons of most of the most popular leadership-training approaches one finds being practiced today. Conger uses the direct personal experience of training participants (plenty of others that he and his staff have interviewed, as well as his own) to ground the theory that informs his analysis. He understands the premises that undergird the various approaches he writes about, so he is able to illuminate the limitations as well as the inherent potential of each. I understand that Dr. Conger twice rec'd McGill University's Distinguished Teacher Award. It isn't hard to see from reading this volume why he is such an incisive and gifted educator. Although few of us may still be able to take graduate or undergraduate courses from Conger today, anyone who peruses his "Learning to Lead" will be richly rewarded by his trenchant insights about which combinations of leadership training programs might be most effective--and WHY. I recommend this book MOST ENTHUSIASTICALLY to leadership novices as well as more seasoned educators, trainers, and students in this crucially important and rapidly burgeoning field. ... Read more

Book Description

When he was 26, Chip Conley broke the two cardinal rules of starting a business: he invested in an industry about which he knew nothing and he ignored the mantra "location, location, location." He bought a notorious "pay-by-the-hour" motel in a seedy San Francisco neighborhood.

A dozen years later, Chip is the "boy wonder" of the American travel industry, famous for his entrepreneurial genius, creativity, and sense of fun.

In The Rebel Rules, Conley shares his success secrets. He focuses on the primary traits -- vision, passion, instinct, and agility -- that characterize today's fast company leaders. His guidebook doubles as a toolbox for anyone -- whether a virgin entrepreneur or a corporate manager -- who wants to walk in step with today's business innovators.

The Rebel Rules will show you how to:

Book Description

A detailed look inside the minds and methods of 55 legendary business leaders

Behind every tale of breakthrough success is the visionary man or woman who made it happen. Profiles in Business Success examines the lives of 55 giants of the business world and reveals how they overcame obstacles, forged their own management philosophies, and drove their companies to the top.

This inspirational book helps business professionals understand and implement proven methods for innovation, growth, and achievement. Readers of every age and interest will learn:

• How Gap CEO Mickey Drexler built a $9 billion-a-year retail business by listening to 12-year-olds
• How Charles Walgreen Sr. turned a corner drugstore into one of the first multibillion-dollar chains
• How eBay founder Pierre Omidyar changed shopping forever--to help his wife find Pez dispensers

Reviews (1)

Good stories but you can get the information for free.
I love the Leaders & Success page in Investor's Business Daily however I feel that creating a book with just leaders & success articles from past issues (all of these I am sure you can find via investors.com's archive search, which is free) is a terrible way to go about it. I bought this book when it first came out under the impression that it was never before seen Leaders and Success type articles.... I was wrong, and very disappointed.

The one thing that I like about this book is they have their best leaders & success articles compiled in a book format for easy pleasure reading, and at $8.78 at it is a time saving bargain.

Reed Floren ... Read more

Amazon.com

Precious few of us--and that includes Hall of Fame achievers like J. Paul Getty and Bill Gates--ever travel a straight line to the winner's circle. Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins, by Richard Farson and Ralph Keyes, builds on this basic assumption to suggest that some failures may not only be inevitable on our road to success, but might actually help us attain it. In earlier books, Farson (Management of the Absurd) and Keyes (Chancing It) wrote separately about risk taking and reexamining assumptions. Here, they jointly proclaim that in the age of Oprah it might truly be counterproductive to accept the traditional meaning of business yin and yang. "Relying on conventional, outmoded ideas about success and failure stands in the way of your ability to innovate, compete and stay ahead of the curve in a changing economy," they write. While slim, their book goes on to make a compelling case for "managing in the postfailure era" by supporting the type of traditionally discouraged behavior that resulted in breakthrough creativity over the years at firms like 3M, Monsanto, and Apple. Since crises, setbacks, and adversity help shape and advance our lives, the authors argue, why can't enlightened managers also turn them into forward movement in the workplace? Contrarian food for thought. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Don't Miss This One!
This merry and practical book is written for anyone trying to manage a company, a career, a family or a life. It would be a mistake not to buy it. The authors show a rare ability to inspire, advise and teach while addressing their readers as adults who can make their own evaluations and draw their own conclusions. People are encouraged to looks at their own life stories to decide whether their apparent failures didn't bring unexpected blessings and whether their apparent successes were all they were made up to be.

The book is lively with stories of people like the Wright brothers, Steve Jobs, Winston Churchill, Charles Kettering and Harry Truman, who were, at least for a while, doing the wrong thing in the wrong place before their best contributions. Of course, it also describes the times in which IBM, Xerox, Railway Express and some Olympic athletes were behaving perfectly under perfect conditions and missed out on the real possibilities of their positions.

Of course one is in good hands reading a book by Richard Farson, author of Management of the Absurd and Ralph Keyes, author of Is There Life After High School? and Chancing It. Both have an eye for the really interesting story such as Bill Russell so caught up in playing basketball well with others playing at their highest level that he stops caring, for a time, about who wins or loses. They also have the ability to find images such as Samurai warrior and his complete absorption in the moment at hand which can add a touch of magic to the everyday predicaments in which the reader lives and works.

The mistakes honored in this book are not those of carelessness, laziness and inattention. On the contrary, it is people who care, who put in work independent of prospect of reward, and who pay such attention to what they are doing that they ignore their immediate benefit who are the heroes of this book. One puts down this book as a person more willing to go towards the important things of life than to live with the fantasy that we can live well without moving out of our area of comfort.

A useful guide for practicing and aspiring managers
As a professor of management I have searched for many years to find a book, that would be useful to my students and seminar participants, on how to innovate and be creative in organizations. Farson and Keyes have written a "handbook" on organizational innovation that instructs us not be afraid to take risks in our corporate lives and encourages us to do so to achieve effective outcomes.

The book is not only written for practicing managers. It is a welcome classroom supplement for professors of management, entreprenuership, and research and development who want to provide their students with real-world examples about risk-taking and innovation in organizations.

Farson's Essay
A 130 page rant on why conservatives will never completely rule the world. Read if you have ever wanted your employees to take more chances or your employers to let you. Albeit the essay is a bit subjective...more of a pep talk.

From a manager who has made a lot of mistakes
Where was this book when I started my career. Ralph Keyes & Richard Farson have created a path that needs to be followed. I remember begging for forgiveness on a regular basis waiting for the hatchet to fall. The insight and clairity of this book is inspiring. If you find yourself standing on the "razors edge" and you need that little push, pick up this book and devour it. You will ask yourself why you didn't jump years ago. A true "must read" for all managers and executives who want to survive in todays economy. You are your own worst enemy if you walk the path that is worn thin, find the alternative paths that makes you heart pound with energy and you will find excitement and true fulfillment. Ralph and Richard have given us that push.

not a mistake
a refreshing, amusing look at the scientific method of life.

Gives new clues into the process of innovation and methodology. ... Read more

Book Description

In organizations today, getting work done requires political and collaborative skills. That’s why the first edition of this book has been widely adopted as a guide for consultants, project leaders, staff experts, and anyone else who does not have direct authority but who is nevertheless accountable for results. In this revised edition, leadership gurus Allan Cohen and David Bradford explain how to get cooperation from those over whom you have no official authority by offering them help in the form of the “currencies” they value. This classic work, now revised and updated, gives you powerful techniques for cutting through interpersonal and interdepartmental barriers, and motivating people to lend you their support, time, and resources. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A GREAT GUIDE TO THE ART OF INFLUENCING OTHERS.
This book is important because it's message-to succeed you must learn to influence others-is right on target. The authors assert that nobody "ever had enough authority (to get their work done)." But it is possible to have enough influence to make things happen, and this book's purpose is to tell you how! It shows that the key to influence is reciprocity, which is defined in many and subtle ways. An influence model provides the framework around which the book is organized and developed. Chapters cover influencing: your boss; difficult subordinates; others across functional lines; and colleagues. Other topics include: indirect influence; initiating or leading major change; organizational politics; and escalating to tougher strategies when needed. As consultants in organization analysis, design, and change (www.organizationconsultants) we are keenly aware of the importance and power of the art of influencing others; it is essential to leadership. It is pivotal to getting things done at all levels, starting with the execution of strategy. It is good to find a book that addresses this crucial topic. Overall, the authors offer a penetrating treatment of their subject which serves as a great guide to the art of influencing others. The book is rich in content, offering insights about a skill that is quintessential to personal and organizational success.

I'm outraged!
First of all, shame on the women who gave this book glowing reviews on the first few pages!I was completely shocked (had to re-read the passages several times) by the authors suggestion that a woman who was sexually approached by a co-worker basicallly overreacted by becoming angry, and that she should have instead interpreted the pass as his awkward attempt to "find some way to connect with her.Might she have deflected the pass but turned the attempt into something more suitable to a collegial work relationship?"(page126)Give me a break!I can't believe that this example of gaining influence over people ever made it past the editor.And if that wasn't bad enough, they again insulted women on page 226, when they explain that a women ponders her failure in a management role by saying "I still haven't figured out why they allowed a female - especially one without an engineering background - to manage the project".What?!?I had to check the front of the book to see if it was published in the 60s!Besides these profoundly ignorant examples, I found the book to be less than marginal in developing my ability to influence those around me.I'll look elsewhere.

Good info on how to be effective in team-based organizations
This book covers how to use the natural human laws of reciprocity with others in your organization to achieve maximum productivity. More importantly the book also promotes the attitude of looking on everyone in your organization as allies (people you like) and potential allies (people you don't). Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

How did Kevin O’Connor help create DoubleClick, the innovative marketing technology company...two software companies...dozens of products...and now the “disappearing” DVD, a product that will turn the home video market on its head?

Sheer brilliance? While O’Connor is very smart indeed, he credits his success to applying Thomas Edison’s famous saying that “genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” In other words, the breakthrough product or service that is the result of sheer genius alone is the exception.

Great ideas that form the basis of new companies or that can make a hero of someone toiling in the corporate world are within reach of us all.

“But wait,” says O’Connor, “ideas are cheap.” Just as important is doing something with them—a process that will turn the best ideas into something that people need. In other words, O’Connor argues convincingly, innovation can be systematically forced.

The Map of Innovation is O’Connor’s step-by-step approach to devising lucrative new products and services and bringing them to market, through a process that has proven itself time and again in many different industries. Too often, people trying to innovate focus on things that don’t matter or waste their time trying to find answers to questions that can’t be answered. O’Connor shows why the map of innovation centers on getting right the five make-or-break fundamentals: creating a large number of viable ideas; picking the right idea to pursue; creating a highly focused strategy to bring the idea to market; getting the money to fund the strategy; and hiring the best people. With Kevin O’Connor, the proof of the value of methodical innovation is in the pudding. He helped start companies that have employed thousands of people and created billions in shareholder value.

Anyone can get lucky once, but for success to strike three times and to include many successful products, there has to be a method and map, and any company, big or small, working on any product or service can benefit from O’Connor’s time-tested tactics. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Trite. I expected much, much more.
I bought this book on the advice of a good friend--a friend whose recommendations have been uniformly spot-on; until now.

I found the book trite, pat and predictable. It seemed to reek of Kevin O'Connor's desire to show off his past companies' successes while also proving to the poor reader that the author was just a "normal" guy--that if he could do it, anyone can.

Perhaps I was just put off by the two grammatical errors I noticed in the first 10 pages. Or maybe it was the unpleasant, ironic feeling that Kevin O'Connor's real next money-maker was not starting a new company; it was peddling this book to unsuspecting people who expected something substantive and helpful. (Though I hope folks reading this review realize that there is no "secret recipe" for business success. I wonder how many people who have read The Map of Innovation have subsequently achieved significant business success; my guess is: zero.)

In any case, to my friend's dismay, I couldn't even finish the book. I hope my experience with it helps others to avoid wasting their money and time on it. I wish I could recommend another book in its stead, but I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with this genre in general.

--- Ron Rothman

This has probably become my most underlined book
This is one of my best business innovation, entrepreneur, start up books.

Each page is packed with practical wisdom for the new business startup, and the established business.

His information on how to innovate was very good. The author believes in always adding technology to a need. I thought his methods of creativity were somewhat simplistic. But the way he applied them to searching for business solutions was excellent.

The most important advice that I received from the book was in hiring. He suggests that you "Hire Smart At......". You'll be surprised with his recommendation. I had always thought that A. David Silver's advice on start up entrepreneur's was right on (find someone with a hurt), but O'Connors is closer to what I was trying to elucidate but couldn't.

Highly recommended, one of my current favorites.

John Dunbar
Sugar Land, TX

One of the best books on creating something new
I admit I read this book with a good bit of skepticism. I read Twyla Tharp's new book on creativity with even more. How does one "teach" innovation and creativity? It has to happen organically, doesn't it? Well, this book shows exactly how to create an environment in which product development can evolve naturally. The author has a number of major products, services, and companies under his belt, and there are really sound checklists for encouraging a workplace in which creativity and innovation can happen - and be recognized and rewarded.

What an intriguing idea...
...that innovation can be forced. That is, that there is an actual template you can follow to come with better products and services.
If a consultant posed the premise, I'd have my doubts. But this is written by a guy who has started a series of successful companies and who is actually in the business of being an entrepreneur (and not writing books.)
Well worth your time. ... Read more

Book Description

This compelling book shows individuals how to renew their work-life and workplace with the wisdom of the spiritual traditions.The authors provide a blueprint for readers to find more meaning and fulfillment in their work while being an active participant in creating a better workplace for themselves and others.Filled with modern case studies, ancient teaching stories, exercises and personal examples, Awakening Corporate Soul is for anyone who wants a greater sense of meaning, spirit, creativity, and fulfillment at work and to their life. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A great book
This is a great book. Though I personally look at my Christian beliefs as workplace inspiration, I like hearing more holistic points of view. This book does a nice job of balancing eastern and western philosophy and religion in its view of work. It is a very positive book and realistic. This book is not pretentious like most spirituality in business books.

I enjoyed reading the book and hope these two authors write followup books on this same subject.

Inspiring Corporate Soul
What a timely and inspiring book. It's a practical and profound guide on how to nurture and develop the spirit at work. I particularly benefitted from the exercises and tools for implementation.

It's not easy to distill the wisdom of great spiritual teachers and make engaging and relevant examples of how to apply that wisdom at work. I highly recommend this book - whether you work for a company or not.

A model for Servant Leadership
I am Servant Leadership Specialist in a Catholic Hospital setting in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. This health care campus is part of a 12 Hospital system. My short comments are premised upon a retreat in Vancouver with the authors for five days, their highly useful work with our staff of 600 on site a year ago, and my experience as an Ethicist and teacher of theology.

A reviewer suugested that this book's premise is yet another medal given to those who sell themselves to the institution. But this is not true: the outcome of using these thoughts and the assumptions of Servant Leadership (Robert Greenleaf Center, Indianapolis, Indiana} helps the colleagues in a really growth enhanceing environment take ownership of the relationships and policies in their own setting. If the effort is made in good faith by all, the result is a workplace that is peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and above all productive. I strongly recommend the principles developed by Klein and Izzo. They flow from their deep exprience with several of America's best and largest corporations, from their own humanity and from the most thoughtful consideration they have given to creating truly humanizing and productive workplaces.

I offer a word of caution however: if you still believe that just another set of words and ideas can give you a new result, this approach would be no more than just another 'canned program'. When you decide to recreate your workplace on honest relationships, not power, and want to create a new work system that has both power and peace, then you are ready to begin the long-term effort of rebuilding the world of work in which you live. This is a guidebook for those who have the idea of a better way to work and live. This small book is not a panacea; it is a map for a long journey. We have invested 9 years in this effort in our health care setting, and both patients and staff know and happily acknowledge that with persistence, we are growing into what is envisioned here.

A practical note: We are now at the point of attracting people who think in this manner into our most responsible administrative and service areas and we have many very long term employees. People love to work where they known, respected and part of the decision making process. We have had great and competent help from Klein and Izzo in creating a caring corporation, and in incorporating our own Christian values and Catholic traditions.

Corporate Soul's a Great Help
Having read Corporate Soul a while ago,I am really quite surprised by how much I continue to refer to it and be inspired by it in my work in higher ed administration. The four paths to corporate soul outlined in the book are thought-provoking. They provide a good way to organize one's thinking about how to bring greater meaning to one's work and that of coworkers. The book is also full of good stories from spiritual traditions, which are worth the read in their own right. Finally, the book is practical enough to convince a reader (well, me at least) that one can actually do something about this stuff and not just feel good about it.

An important message for the 21st Century
This book is an important and useful look into what is possible in the business world when we enter the normally forbidden territory of "corporate soul". I have been involved as a CEO of medium-sized companies, have spent 6 years putting together a $100million Aquarium project, and am now involved in teaching Servant Leadership and consulting. The only way to open up our organizations to what is possible, to create workplaces and a world we all want to live in, is to begin NOW the conversation Eric Klein and John Izzo have so boldly, so passionately called us to. Their book not only calls us in to this critical conversation, but gives us specific pathways in which to begin the movement towards a culture of belonging and purpose, in other words, one of soul. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

If you don't know Lou-you don't know jack about yourself
Lou Tice is the world' best kept secret. If you read at all about personal and professional growth, don't miss any of Lou's work. In addition to writing, he walks the talk and lives life like what is in between the covers of this book. Like the commercial for a certain spaghetti sauce years ago, "it's in there"--everything you could want to know on how to make your mind your tool instead of your master.

Lou Tice is great
I took a class in college that included "Thought Patterns for a Successful Career" by Lou Tice. The man is truly motivational. I highly suggest that more people read his work. It's inspirational!

How to unleash your mind's power for unlimited success!
Mr. Tice and his Pacific Institute have done extensive research and have many years of experience in helping people discover their potential for success while helping them realize that potential. You will discover how and why your mind works as it does, and why you, seemingly at times, make choices that undermine your success, while other times your choices help you succeed. Lou gives you exercises that will help you discover where your limitations come from but, most importantly, how to correct or overcome them and turn on your potential for success. This book teaches how to become a positive, motivated individual, with a possibility of unlimited success through the use of goal-setting techniques.

This is an EXCELLENT book! If you get nothing else from this book other than to discover WHY you make the decisions you do, it is worth the price. ... Read more

Book Description

In this timely and informative strategy guide, leadership development expert Carol Gallagher reveals the lessons learned from her groundbreaking research with more than 200 women who have successfully climbed the corporate ladder at many of America's Fortune 1000 companies, including America Online, Chase, Pepsi-Cola, and Intel. In lively, engaging prose, Gallagher offers her six-step model and shows how these strategies and practices can open up new levels of accomplishment and satisfaction for women and their employers.

Six Steps for Going to the Top

• Focus on the big picture-avoid the perfectionism trap
• Create alliances-go beyond networking
• Help others be successful-you can be nice and get ahead
• Take risks-reach past your comfort zone
• Be yourself-show your authentic self to build relationships
• Find advocates-mentors can be limiting ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Helpful guide for current & potential female executives
This practical book provides useful insights for aspiring female executives that were gained from Carol Gallagher's interviews with more than 200 senior executive women at Fortune 1000 companies and many of their CEOs. It is divided into three parts. Part I introduces the reader to the windows in the glass ceiling these women discovered by knowing themselves and what they wanted, learning about their companies and their unwritten rules, and finding and emulating role models. Readers are asked to begin evaluating themselves and their own companies. Part II addresses six common myths and offers replacement lessons for success. For example, although results are important, four critical success factors (CORE - competence, outcomes, relationships, and endurance) are important in the big picture. Part III outlines several issues related to life at the top, including the parenting choice, work/life juggling, the experiences of minority women, and proven strategies for advancing one's career. While the guidance is sound and would also benefit current female executives by offering relief from a frequent sense of isolation, the 300+ pages made me yearn for an executive summary of the main points. Many professional women with limited time for reading would benefit from this addition to the book.

Powerful advice with real examples
This book is great because it gives concrete examples of how to succeed. A great read. Advance Mentoring www.AdvanceMentoring.com also has a Mentoring operation that allows people to find Mentors or be Mentors. Find a mentor to help plan your career. This book joined with that site will definitely help peple meet their career goals. Good luck.

A must read to progress in your career!
I would recommend this book as a must read for anyone who wants to refresh his or her career. This is not just a book for 'her'. Ms. Gallagher has done a fantastic job of capturing human attitude and behaviour in the workplace based on observations and interviews and made some very valuable suggestions and recommendation on how one should respond in the world of work. The book covers key issues each of us faces daily in our work-life. The excerpt from the book covers the gist and key points. However, I would recommend reading the book in whole to understand the rationale, justification and thinking behind Ms. Gallagher's suggestion. Nearly every topic has boxed captions which captures the essence of some of these thoughts.

Her chapter on fifteen proven strategies that will advance your career and the last chapter on constructing your road map are a very useful guide to those who are self managing their careers.

Going To The Top
As a business owner for over 20 years, I thought this would be a good book for my niece, but in fact found Carol's insights useful for my own purposes.

Not only is this book rich with insightful, common sense information, but most importantly to me is that the format makes it an easy read as Carol develops a framework and fills it in with lots of practical advice and first hand examples from executives that have been through the ringer.

I wish I had this book 20 years ago as Carol spells out a lot of lessons that I had to learn the hard way.

This book appeals to anyone, male or female, who is considering entering the business world, but especially for anyone who is already trying to learn the elements of success.

I've read numerous "How to" business guides and none put it all together like this one.

Thanks Carol!

Irresistible Landmark Study of Women's Success Models
This book deserves more than five stars.

While many have theories about why women executives do and don't rise to the top, Carol Gallagher has done a real service by going out to find out what those who are succeeding have been doing that worked. She did this in a landmark study that involved personal interviews with 200 women who are either CEOs or within two levels of being CEOs in their Fortune 1000 companies. And, interestingly, she also interviewed many of their bosses (often males) including many CEOs. These latter interviews serve as a sort of control on the self-reporting of the women executives.

The book gets to the heart of the matter. I liked that. While almost all male MBAs aspire to be CEOs, a majority of female MBAs do not. You have to have the goal of going to the top before you can hope to be in the contest. This is the first book about women in business that makes that point, but it is a very important one.

The part of the book that absolutely delighted me was the effort put into dispelling myths about what it takes to succeed that were not proven out in the research. As an example, most women feel they have to have a powerful mentor. Gallagher finds that to be partially right: Women executives need a lot of advocates, not just one mentor.

Two other points in the book really delighted me. One was a thorough treatment of what relationships in the workplace should be for women. I often find women executives to have stalled thinking in this area. Women executives both need more relationships and more professional ones. The point is well explained.

I also liked the emphasis on being effective, rather than being perfect. All of us in business have seen people become ineffective in search of perfection. The point is nicely made here. Don't interrupt the CEO if she/he makes a small mistatement to the board. Your relationship with the CEO, and the CEO's relationship with the board are much too important to interrupt for something that minor. If you don't have all the data you would like, don't start off the presentation with an apology. Be accurate, and be both positive and confident.

The last part of the book is an excellent section on how to think about life choices (45 percent of the women surveyed had no children), and getting on a path that can lead towards and to the top.

I know of no other book of this calibre on this subject. I heartily recommend that all women and men executives read this book. The women can apply it directly and use it to mentor others. Men can do the same. Although the points and research are phrased in terms of women, the ideas apply just as well to men.

If you read only one business book this year, make it this one! In these talent scarce times, helping everyone become more effective at reaching their own goals at their own speed is the best thing we can all do. ... Read more

Book Description

leverage (lev'r ij) The power to act or influence.

ditch (dich) Slang, to get rid of; discard.

Finally, you hold in your hands a powerful tool that will show you how to take full advantage of -- Leverage! -- your strengths and most positive qualities, while at the same time discarding or getting around -- Ditch! -- whatever gets in your way.

Scott Blanchard and Madeleine Homan, co-founders of Coaching.com, share their groundbreaking program, honed by fourteen years of high-level executive coaching and consulting. They offer new perspectives on how to spend your precious and limited resources, time, emotions, passions, and energy to generate the best results.

The three-part process begins with a twenty-five-question self-assessment, then moves on to the Three Perspectives -- major life queries that focus on how you are perceived, your own self-image, and self-imposed limitations. The final step, the Seven Leverage Points, offers fresh insight into the choices you make and how you conduct yourself in business and in life. You will find immediately applicable tools to appraise and manage your work environment and personal gifts. You will be guided to make tiny but crucial shifts in getting needs met and drawing boundaries.

Leverage Your Best, Ditch the Rest eliminates the stupid stuff that distracts you and gets in your way. It shows you how to capitalize on what you've got going for you and how to invest in yourself like a hot new stock.

In addition, we have built a Web site, www.leverageyourbest.com, for those who have made a commitment to their own coaching journey. Coaching is a dynamic tool and you are a work in progress---technology makes it easy to track growth. Leverage Your Best readers can use the Web site, the first of its kind, to work through exercises in the book electronically, keep a personal record of progress, communicate with other readers in an online coaching experience, and give feedback to the authors. A collaborative effort, the Web's online coaching community defines the www.leverageyourbest.com site experience, adding new dimensions to professional development...all for the price of the of the book . Visit the world's only online coaching Web experience and see what has people everywhere jumping in their cubicles. Enjoy!

Reviews (9)

Leverage Your Best, Ditch The Rest
I am thrilled with the "call to action" this book created for me. When I began, I underestimated the impact a coaching "book" could have on me as I have utilized a personal coach before and that was an incredibly powerful experience that helped me to make a (wonderful) major change in my life. However, because of this book, I am now making some critical changes to improve the quality of my life. As a wife, mother, family member and employee, it's the first time that I can remember really focusing on myself! And feeling like that's OK. The scrubdown forced me to be brutally honest about what was causing me fatigue and pain, and the book is providing me with clear direction on where and how to change that. Plus, I can focus on my immediate needs first, which has truly enrolled me. The author's bring out so many truths which are helpful and inspiring for me.

Leverage Your Best, Ditch the Rest:
This book is like having a personal coach right at my desk. I really enjoyed it! The questions make me ask myself things that I had never thought about, that are affecting my life quite a bit. This book is something I will alawys keep on my desk. I like to thank the authors for taking time to write a book that is teaching me how to Leverage My Best and Ditch the Rest.

Business Coaching For Creating Your Best Self
Madeleine Homan & Scott Blanchard have done a wonderful job of blending the needed characteristics of being a better leader through the 7 leverage points. This book combines both the character issues from the inside-out as well as the tactical strategies of what to do to lead ourselves better. Managing your gifts is a wonderful example of representing your authentic self.
It's an easy read with clear outcomes from each chapter.

How to Zero in on exactly what you need now!
As an executive coach, I'm hyper-critical of coaching books. This one was different. I LOVED it. I read the whole book up to the Scrubdown, took the test and plotted my score on the grid. ELIMINATE YOUR TOLERATIONS stood out as THE KEY PLACE for my attention, so I went directly to chapter 10. Now, I'm not a novice to assessments, or even to the coaching principles discussed in the book. What's different and exceptional is the USABILITY of the book. The design lets you zero in on what's most important. I got what I needed FIRST, and went to work on that. The other reason I recommend this book is that the writing makes it so much fun. It's sassy, irreverent, perceptive, and so clear about what is true about the human condition. Acceptance, endorsement and okayness are conveyed in every sentence. The "Snapshots" (stories about people) are fresh and have an unmistakeable ring of truth. You'll want to get copies for friends and loved ones, including colleagues and your staff, who may have wondered what executive coaching is about..

Random collection of good advice
This book suffers a bit from trying to be many things to many people. I'm sure there must be some length requirements that cause authors to expand the boundaries of what the book covers in order to add volume. Unfortunately it causes this book to be all over the page (no pun intended). I have to admit that when I purchased this book in the store I was searching alphabetical by author on the shelf and thought I was purchasing Ken Blanchard (an author known for brevity and getting to the point), so I'm sure my expectations colored this review.

However, my experiences have led me to believe that people learn and actually grow as individuals best when they have detailed advice in a specific area. The authors have generically covered a wide variety of concepts at a fairly high level. This approach makes it difficult for anyone to put into practice, especially long term, life changing practice. In my opinion they would have been much better off going deeper and giving specific examples of how to Leverage your Best and how to identify and Ditch the Rest than providing advice on how to get along with co-workers or set boundaries on your work. Not that these and other points they make aren't true. They are good advice and you would be hard pressed not to find some topic out of so many covered you could apply to your life. Still, if you are looking to make real, deep and lasting change or would like help identifying what specific changes you should consider making to improve your life, this book comes up short. I would suggest to the authors that they follow their guidelines and set clear boundaries about what should and what should not be in the book. It is far too easy to say a little about a lot of things, then to get down to the roots and solve some specific challenges for a smaller set of needs. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Behind each good CEO, head coach, and general, there's a number-two person who is supremely capable and yet either shuns the spotlight or is willing to wait patiently for his or her turn. Heenan and Bennis take a thorough look at the contributions of these number twos, finding brilliance and dogged determination--qualities the financial press traditionally finds only in bosses--but also the humility and loyalty necessary to remain second banana.

Although the authors refer to almost every professional marriage you can think of--from Abbott and Costello to the short-lived duo of Ovitz and Eisner--the heart of the book focuses on 11 genuine successes in the annals of number-twodom.

The chapter on Al Gore contains an interesting dissection of the role of the VP in American politics. A chapter called "Cyberstars" talks about how Intel's Craig Barrett and Microsoft's Steve Ballmer have contributed to the spectacular success of those companies. (Interesting tidbit: Ballmer once beat Bill Gates in a math competition when both were undergraduates at Harvard.) Bill Guthridge, an assistant basketball coach at the University of North Carolina who served under Dean Smith for 30 years before succeeding him, gets his due in a chapter that ably explains what an assistant coach actually does: it's a tough gig.

The point of the book is that all these fascinating lieutenants represent an argument for a newish type of power-sharing management. It's a strong argument, but it seems dependent on brilliant adjutants, and one senses there may not really be enough of those to go around. --Lou Schuler ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Packed With Knowledge!
Although the business press likes nothing more than the rise and fall of mighty corporate monarchs, authors David A. Heenan and Warren Bennis (co-leaders themselves, clearly) contend that today's most important management trend is the movement toward collaborative leadership. While it's become common wisdom that the lightening-fast pace of contemporary business demands more flexible command structures than traditional corporate hierarchies can provide, the cult of personality still dominates public perception. Heenan and Bennis present compelling theory as a basis for their co-leadership model, and reinforce their thinking with a string of examples of executive dynamic duos, like Gates/Ballmer, Grove/Barrett and Merrill/Smith. The case histories are not used to blindly buttress the authors' point, however. The bloody Eisner/Ovitz debacle at Disney is presented in gruesome detail, an apt illustration of the danger of ego in a collaborative age. We [...] recommend this book as required reading for any corporate executive.

The Right CEO and COO Pairings Can Accomplish More
The title of this book is a little misleading. I assumed that the book was about co-CEOs, something that is usually a disaster waiting to happen. In fact, the book is about partnerships of complementary talents where one person is willing to work hard out of the limelight. Not all of the examples are business examples either. The authors also look at Chairman Mao and Chou En-lai, President Truman and General Marshall, Bernice Pauahi Bishop and her husband, Charles Reed Bishop (founders of the Bishop Estate in Hawaii), Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan Macy, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, and two pairs of basketball coaches.

The book correctly points out that many leaders don't want (or cannot tolerate) having a powerful second-in-command. A COO is often a position created by the board to assist in a transition to picking a new CEO. If the old CEO can sabotage the COO, the old CEO may get to keep the job longer than planned. So what could be co-leadership often doesn't get off the ground. In fact, the COO job is often a dead-end for the inhabitant.

The advantage of the teams, when they work, is that much more can be accomplished by dividing tasks and by challenging each other's thinking so that better ideas are created and more mistakes avoided. The authors feel that every organization should have co-leaders. Frankly, that's unlikely to happen.

The book nicely summarizes 10 lessons for how co-leaders should operate and another 10 lessons for creating a co-leader environment. Most of these will seem like common sense to you, but they are worth considering.

My own research on CEOs shows that the number of roles they are expected to excel in continues to grow. On the other hand, those who are most successful year in and year out as CEOs usually have no co-leaders. They tend to operate with a top management team that more broadly shares the responsibilities and challenges. It would be interesting to put some quantitative measures on the co-leader concept to see how it performs compared to the alternatives.

The main benefit I got from the book was learning more about people who have toiled out of the limelight before becoming CEOs (and who made important contributions as COOs) like Craig Barrett at Intel and Steve Ballmer at Microsoft.

If you are thinking about having a COO or taking a COO job, this book is a must read!

... Read more

Book Description

o

From the founder and former CEO of Drake Beam & Associates (now Drake Bean Morin, Inc.) the world’s largest human resources consulting firm
o Offers clear, step-by-step guidance on how to cut back on work—including how to convince employers to agree to downshifting
o Details a wide range of practical downshifting options
o Real-life stories from successful downshifters provide inspiration and encouragement This practical how-to book will help you move from the "fast track" to a more satisfying, less work-focused lifestyle. It teaches you to cope with the extraordinary time commitments demanded by today’s downsized, re-engineered organizations and details a wide range ofoptions to 12-hour workdays. John Drake, himself a successful executive who chose to downshift, describes doable approaches to downshifting and even offers practical advice on how to sell these plans to employers. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

New Directions
If you are on the fence, Downshifting will get you to move. Great psychological and spiritual insights to help live a more peace filled life.

A Timely Discussion
Jack Drake has provided an easy to read, road mapped dialogue that is very important in today's work scenario. He recognizes the need to communicate with the thirty somethings and emphasize the importance of personal, as opposed to material, life. Well Done! The self help format should allow everyone to evaluate their individual needs. There is life after work!!

Been there done that!!
Having accomplished my own downshifting more than ten years ago I can attest that John Drake has developed a solid grasp of the needs and concerns of those thinking about a change/reduction in their work schedule. Very insightful and helpful thinking.

Made a difference
Drake clearly accomplishes his goal. In an easy-to-read, logical, step-by-step progression he helps the reader overcome doubts and fears, and then provides a wide range of downshifting actions-some risky; some involving little risk. I was impressed by his understanding of the corporate arena and the dangers that accompany cutting back at work. The clincher is his description about how to use any newfound time for increasing personal happiness.

I am writing this review because, on a personal level, it had a great impact on me. For years I've thought about finding a better work/life balance, but did nothing about it. This book brought me into action. Downshifting addressed two fears I had-lower income and less security. It helped me plan around these concerns and cope with the tradeoffs I have to make. I was most impressed with how the book's "enjoying life more" portion introduces concepts that have already improved my close relationships and how I feel about myself. I recommend it to anyone who has ever thought about a better balance in his or her life.

Also Great For Volunteer Workers
While this book is focused on people who are in paid jobs, I found it provides unbelievable help to me as a near-full-time-volunteer who works for love. Drake has helped me see ways to slow down, do volunteer work more effectively, get rid of feelings of resentment that build up from over-involvement, and truly get back to enjoying life more. ... Read more

Book Description

In the great Zen tradition of teaching stories, Marc Lesser relates his own personal and professional trials as he navigates the delicate path of managing a successful business while staying true to his spiritual roots. Struggling through a difficult economic climate, he also faces the usual challenges of running a growing company - meeting payroll, balancing cash flow, hiring and firing employees, and maintaining relationships with vendors and customers. Guiding him through these difficulties while providing strength and insight is the practice of Zen. Utilizing his training as a Zen practitioner, Lesser learns to apply specific teachings such as the eight-fold path directly to work and life. In chapters such as "Work: The Impossible Request," "Appreciating Uncertainty," and "Accomplishing More by Doing Less," Z.B.A. provides readers with intimate, helpful advice, while acknowledging the paradox of applying spiritual practice to the business world. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

If you read one business book, make it this one!
If you read one business book this year, you won't go wrong with HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT WORKING SO
HARD by Robert J. Kriegel . . . it is packed with ideas that will help you stop working so hard--and start working better.

Kriegel, author of the equally excellent IF IT AIN'T BROKE . . . BR