Book Description

Is procrastination blowing away your career plans? Exploding your goals? Blasting away your self-esteem? Bursting your relationships?

Almost everyone procrastinates. For some the impact can be serious, causing damaged relationships at home and at work. For most people, procrastination is a troublesome habit they know they should be able to overcome. Rita Emmett is the one to inspire us to get started.
With advice drawn from her own experience and that of people she has met at her acclaimed seminars, Emmett empowers procrastinators to identify the behavioral styles and patterns they use for putting things off, apply proven antiprocrastination tips and techniques for achieving goals, and develop strategies to move forward when stuck or reverting to patterns.

As a recovering procrastinator, Emmett knows firsthand how procrastinators think, the circumstances that trigger and sustain putting-off behavior and what procrastinators need and want. The Procrastinator’s Handbook is designed for use at home, at work, or while traveling. In Rita Emmett’s hands, self-improvement is as entertaining as it is rewarding.
... Read more

Reviews (42)

A Great Book for Yourself or as a Gift
It's hard to imagine ANYONE who wouldn't get a lot out of this book...

THE PROCRASTINATOR'S HANDBOOK speaks to the most common attitude, or habit, in the human condition today. With every page I turned, not only did I see myself, but dozens of other folk I've known over the years. It's almost as if the pages were made of tinfoil.. they reflect so much! I've already decided that much of my holiday shopping will be handled by a bulk order of this delightful publication.

Just about everyone I know is, or has been, one of the types of procrastinators Rita Emmett outlines in this book. This includes myself, of course. (Until I heard about this book, I thought all procrastinators were my subjects, and I was their Queen.) As I read, I made a mental list of all the wonderful people I know who would benefit from the clear, self-affirming, logical tips, and "Extra Credit" tasks Rita presents. I also bookmarked the many pages that gave me sound plans for attacking both the physical and mental clutter that generate so much unnecessary stress.

My favorite element of the book is its "just folks" tone. There is never the sense that the author, nor the audience, is immune to the menial, the drudgey or the mundane tasks common to modern life. Rita speaks of scrubbing her kitchen walls, rather than attack a typing task she despised. How many books these days assume their audience to be "above" such real-life chores? How often does one get a suggestion about the least distasteful time for getting laundry folded? It's almost as if Rita is chatting with me over coffee at my kitchen table.. or hers, since my house isn't "ready for company" yet. We're "just folks" together, and she shares with us her experience of real life and how to make it more satisfying.

Another element of the book that I find most appealing is her refusal to sugar coat the unpleasant truth. She writes that, "Life seems to overflow with" unpleasant tasks, the stuff we just know we won't want to do, but must, if we wish to be considered functional human beings. The tasks are just there, though sometimes we're unable to find anything appealing in the doing of the task. Rita reminds us that we can "change our minds to change the game," and focus on the time AFTER completion of the task, where we're able to simply bask in the glow of a job (well) done. If basking isn't enough for you, Rita gives us a great starter list of rewards we can promise ourselves for gritting our teeth and plowing through those tasks. When you approach things this way, there's really nothing one cannot get oneself to do. In fact, thanks to Rita, I'm going to resume my efforts to get started on graduate school and end ten (well, okay, seventeen) years of putting THAT off.

I believe a lot of us in this "modern" generation are pulling away from Mom's Homespun Wisdom, and Rita does a significant service to her audience by bringing some of that back to us, in a most affirming, considerate, noncritical way. She tells us to get the worst stuff out of the way early in the day, so as to eliminate dread, and put a shinier glint on whatever follows. I know MY mom encouraged me to do that as well, but coming from Rita, it's not so hard to hear.

So... I say, get your hands on this book right away, make a pot of coffee, grab a highlighter or some bookmarks, and even your holiday shopping list, and sit down to a TERRIFIC read.

A real gem
This is a wonderful book full of very helpful suggestions and important common sense wisdom about human nature, whether or not you consider yourself to be a procrastinator. I saw myself in the book many times - definitely one of the "I want it all procrastinators" she describes, and also one who fills life with far too many maintenance activities and far too few life-enriching ones - and I gained much encouragement a) from her acknowledgement that my foibles are known territory, common to many, and b) from her many "c'mon, you can do it" suggestions for solutions to these problems.

I "read" the audio tape version of this book, and also very much enjoyed the author's delivery of her ideas. She sounds like a real person, and a nice person. And unlike many other motivational audio tapes, I never once got the sense that the author was just reading back what she had written - instead, it was a lot like what I imagine her speaking engagements must be like. Highly recommended! Thanks a lot, Rita.

Don't waste your money or time
This book is a waste of money. 5% advice, 95% fluff you've read in other help books. At least get this book from the library, but don't buy it. It isn't worth the money.

Getting Started
As other reviewers have pointed out, this book is more a pep talk than a program of action. Its proposals for action won't be any surprise (make a list, set a timer and commit to doing a specific thing for an hour) and the little quotes at the end of every chapter run the gamut from truly inspirational to trite. However, everyone knows what they should be doing; the book aims to make you feel that you can actually do it. To that extent, it's very successful. You finish it feeling energized and capable of doing anything. Time will tell whether the feeling lasts, but at the moment I feel empowered and ready to take on a host of new things. Thanks, Rita Emmett!

Easy reading, shallow content
If you are serious about ending your procrastination then do not waste MORE of your time reading this book. The author gives plenty of tips, common sense advice, and even famous quotes but in a very disorganized and unstructured manner. The whole book is like a long pep talk, full of good intentions but failing to solve the problem: your procrastination. I'm sure that you've tried most of the tips in this book (writing a To Do List, planning your work, scheduling, etc.) so it does not make sense to buy a book that basically tells you to try them again. Oh, you'll try them for a week or two (again, for the n'th time), and then go back to procrastinating, because that's what we procrastinators do! We start something and then never finish it! In the back cover, Frank McCourt (author of Angela's Ashes) calls it a "light-hearted book", proving that even the editor knows this is not a serious book on procrastination, and uses McCourt's comment to sell the book as easy reading, but definitely not serious content. I recommend Neil Fiore's NOW HABIT. It's deeper, structured and a serious read. Not a "light-hearted handbook". ... Read more

Reviews (112)

Everyone can be a Leader, but there's only one Giuliani
"Leadership" is an excellent resource for anyone who seeks
to manage, lead, or instill organization into their own lives.
Written in a style reflective of Giuliani's friendly yet steely
personality, it provides an excellent overview of his political
philosophy, decision making skills, and of course his historic
leadership following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
Until reading the book, I had forgotten how dire the conditions were in New York City prior to Rudy's election in 1993 - over 9,000 felonies per week! He details how he put plans into action
and demanded accountability from everyone in the system, which often required enormous political strength. Being a Republican mayor in a city that is nearly 80% Democrat is enormously difficult. But Rudy explains how he relied on his priciples, moral beliefs and formed relationships with political enemies by
trusting those who were trust worthy and always being open to discussion. These principles and beliefs were evident during the leadership exercised during 9-11.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in a political or management career, or anyone who wants to learn more about this great American.

Highly Recommended!
In Leadership, former NYC Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani (with writer Ken Kurson) gives you the inside look at how he applied basic leadership principles to being Mayor, Associate Attorney General and U.S. Attorney. Giuliani reveals how he and his key team applied these principles in the face of the Sept. 11 World Trade Tower collapse, and focuses on exercising leadership all the time. The principles may sound familiar - prioritize, prepare, take responsibility, hold everyone accountable, recruit great people, reflect and then decide, under-promise and over-deliver, develop and employ strong beliefs, be loyal and purposeful - yet the thrill comes from learning how Giuliani straightforwardly applied these principles to accomplish Herculean tasks. We from getAbstract recommend this breezy, engaging book to business leaders, governmental managers and politics junkies.

Don't confuse leadership with management
First off, don't get me wrong this is an interesting book. From the man who helped a city recover from a dreadful event; he is an inspiration.

Also, Giuliani is a fantastic *manager*, who was able to get the city of New York running better than it had for years.

My main criticism is the title, and the derivations of some of the anecdotes. From my reading, Giuliani doesn't clearly understand the difference between *leadership* and *management*.

Sure, he has a great technique for aiding communication, for setting KPIs and ensuring they are met. But these are management tasks, not leadership.

My greatest disappointment with this book was hoping to find some of his ideas and insights into that much harder topic of leadership but all I got were some great ideas on how to manage a city (a city that has a population greater than my entire country...).

So, buyer beware! This is an interesting book and gives you some insight into the man (even if you need to read between the political lines) but don't expect a book on Leadership!

A Must Read!
Can a textbook be delightfully written? This one is. Authors Richard L. Hughes, Robert C. Ginnett, and Gordon J. Curphy explore every aspect of leadership and smoothly weave research conclusions into the narrative. Examples abound, from Colin Powell to Walt Disney. The authors are all psychologists who specialize in leadership issues. They have written conversationally and intelligently, using plenty of sidebar material (even famous cartoons) to bring their reporting to life. We recommend this classic (now in its third edition) to everyone interested in leadership.

I Laughed. I Cried. I Marvelled.
I listened to all of the ten audio cassette tapes. The presentation was both instructive and entertaining. The narration was great. I resonated with the message such that I laughed, cried, and marvelled through the many precepts and stories given. I got moist around the eyes while vicariously experiencing the beauty of courage, conviction, and of successfully overcoming great obstacles in the path to great accomplishment. The accomplishments of Mayor Giuliani's administration in NYC were many. Within the stories were principles related to the importance of hiring excellent people, management by morning meetings, management by metrics, being at the scene of problems. For lawyers, the book includes more than a few great insights.

Primary among the many great stories is the Mayor's references to September 11, 2001. This occupies all of chapter 1 but the stories continue throughout. One of the early delights in the book is the story of overcoming the "squeegee men" panhandlers in New York City. Chapter headings related to "Be Prepared", "Loyalty" and "Stand Up To Bullies" deliver what they promise. I marvelled that the loyalty stories related primarily to loyalty down to the people who work for you. The story about Rudy's fight with prostate cancer was remarkable for the example that it gave of great diligence in gathering information and making a careful decision. The book, as read, is clear and concise. Every word seems to count. In my experience, Rudy began to earn his reputation long before he was Mayor when we worked to obtain convictions and strong sentences against organized crime bosses.

The precepts and examples are admirable. It's Rudy's own account, but it is clear that Mr. Giuliani has given great diligence to his work while showing great insight, great commitment to principle, great courage. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (16)

Another Napolean Hill book?
Those were my thoughts as I was browsing books in the business section of my favorite book store. I already read Think & Grow Rich, Law of Success and Success Through PMA. What else could Napolean tell me?

This book is more like having Napolean Hill as your personal coach. It is like a written workshop with exercises and self analysis techniques. Hill also takes each of the 17 principles, dissects them and explains them in more detail than in Think & Grow Rich.

I always tell people that if you are going to buy just one Napolean Hill book, make it Think & Grow Rich. But if you are like me, if you like to feed your mind with good mental protein, then I would add this one on as well. It complements Think & Grow Rich.

For the price of a meal you can create the mental attitude of a champion. Well worth the price.

The first true proactive success guru.
"Napoleon Hill's Keys to Success" is one of those books that after you read it you begin to refer to the earlier part of your life as "before I read the book." Even before you finish reading it the first time, you will be a changed person - it's that incredible. I say first time because you will want to read it again and again.

Napoleon Hill's books have been a treasured part of my library. I've recommended this one to others countless times. I consider Napoleon Hill to be one of the earliest "proactive thinkers" in the world.

If you haven't read this book before, get ready for profound wisdom. Napoleon Hill makes it easy to understand that our thoughts are things and have God given powers, far beyond what is commonly taught by others. I can tell you from my own astonishing situations experiences that, "your success really is most definitely determined by what and how you think."

You will find that this exciting book becomes a part of you. Don't hold back - let it happen. In fact, you should spend 10 to 15 minutes every morning focusing your thoughts on the truths of this book, thereby allowing them to seep deep into your subconscious mind. If you do this I guarantee this wisdom will most assuredly bring you the success and abundance you deserve.

Enjoy the book and your new life!

Expands on Think & Grow Rich
Although this book should not be compared to Think & Grow Rich, since others already have, all I add is that it expands on the content in Think & Grow Rich. Think & Grow Rich was a great intro to the 17 principles of success and has a lot of content. This book expands on those concepts. Read Think & Grow Rich first, then add this one.

Powerful book by Hill
This book is sometimes confused with The Master Key to Riches, also by Napolean Hill but it is a completely different book.

Keys to success offers more in depth information on how to apply the 17 principles of success.

You will learn the secrets of:

* Definitness of purpose
* Creating a positive attitude
* Building your self-discipline
* Organizing your time and energy
* Cultivating creative vision
* Budgeting your money
* Perfecting your personality
* Making good health a habit

* And a whole lot more

Keys to Success is 18 chapters and 233 pages packed with powerful, life changing information. I recommend that you read this book right away with Think and Grow Rich. The mental exercises, self analysis techniques and principles as explained by Hill made a profound impact in my life and they will in yours as well.

Must reading for all serious success students.

The 17 Principles of Personal Achievement
When I first saw this book in the book stores, I thought it was just another version of Think and Grow Rich. I me an how many times can Hill cover the same topics? No so. In Keys To Success Hill reveals his 17 essential principles of personal achievement, with concrete descriptions of t heir implementations.

Keys To Success actually goes beyond Think and Grow Rich. A fantastic book by Napolean Hill. And a must read for all achievers. ... Read more

Book Description

Relationships+network+little things=success.

The world's foremost producer of motivational and personal development audio programs now brings you the skills for building the relationships that will help you be your best.

Author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive and Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt, Harvey Mackay knows what it takes to get ahead in today's business world. In How To Build a Network of Power Relationships, he reveals that success in business and in life is embodied in the interpersonal relationships we make. Developing the people skills and communications strategies you need requires conscious effort and repeated practice; in this innovative and dynamic program, Harvey Mackay shows you the way, explaining:

• Why caring is contagious and how it creates a self-fulfilling prophesy in networking

• Ways to beat one of the greatest human fears: rejection

• That little things don't mean a lot, they mean everything in dealing with people

• How to tackle the job market

Learn how to make your own personal network work for you -- today. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Save Your Money
This is merely common sense stuff folks. I really felt cheated when I listened to it. It bored me out of my skull. I would prefer listening to Jack Welch 50 times in a row than have to hear the plodding, mono-tone, comon sensical tripe that's on these. Nothing new or innovative. Save your money.

You never know how valuable the people you meet can be.
Harvey MacKay talks about how using your rolodex can keep you in touch with people who someday will turn into an incredible asset. He tells the story how he got his first book published as an unknown author by Simon & Schuster. This is just because of all the people he knew and kept in contact with. The stories about Bill Clinton and George Bush are priceless.

The ideas I got out of the tape have increased my knowledge about power relationships. Now with the power of email, my network has blossomed into an incredible force that keeps doors open for present and future business.

Also, Harvey has great reading style. I have listened to this tape at least 6 times in the last 8 months. ... Read more

Amazon.com

What value does your company put on creativity? It's not just media and high-tech companies that have to invest in the creative minds of their employees: every organization must make creativity a top priority in order to last beyond the next reporting period. In Jamming, John Kao shows how high-performance companies have learned the lessons of creativity to leap ahead of obsolete competitors. They have learned to make creativity tangible and actionable, they practice a new managerial mindset, and they have learned to leverage information technology to enhance creative collaboration. From clearing the obstacles to organizational creativity to conducting a "creativity audit" that assesses the current value of your company's creativity, Jamming shows business leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs how to take their companies to an entirely new level of success and growth by fostering an environment that will anticipate tomorrow's needs. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Actually, Two and One-Half Stars
In the final paragraph, Kao claims that in his book he has proposed "a way of managing creativity in an intentional and systematic fashion." Intentional perhaps but certainly not systematic. In fact, apparently wishing to demonstrate the improvisational approach of a jazz musician, he plays fast and loose with all manner of generalizations about creativity without developing any of the ideas in depth. The core concept is clever: Kao asserts that there similarities between a jam session during which jazz music is performed and a brainstorm session during which new ideas about doing business are generated and evaluated. Had he developed that concept in an article for publication in a business journal, it may well have attracted much more favorable responses than has his book. What's the problem? Actually, I think there are two. First, in terms of innovative thinking, Kao's Jamming suffers significantly in contrast with other books written by authors such as James L. Adams, Guy Claxton, Edward de Bono, Doug Hall, Lynne Levesque, Michael Michalko, Roger Von Oech, Michael Ray and Rochelle Myers, Joey Reiman, and Stephen Shapiro. Also, it is unclear (at least to me) how anyone can proceed from various general ideas in Jamming to specific applications of them in the business world. For example, "Success depends on your ability to infuse, imbue, and instill a respect for and belief in the power of creativity throughout your organization." O.K. but how? "The first step in making your company a happening place [sic] is to kick out the crutches that support a creativity-deadening culture." O.K. but how? Eliminate reliance on "obfuscating paper....Throw away the sheet music. Start creative conversations." Obviously, this brief excerpt is taken out of context but upon close examination, the context itself is fuzzy. At one point, Kao quotes Jerry Welch, a former American Express executive: "The most important precondition for creativity is to believe in it." O.K. but then what? "Belief also begets discipline." Mind you, I am not disagreeing with any of Kao's various prescriptions. Once acknowledging their validity,I just don't understand what specifically he would have his reader do with them.

Somewhat interesting premise, but bit flat overall
Heard the taped version of JAMMING, written and read by John
Kao . . . the author works with companies around the world to help them move ahead of their obsolete competitors.

He uses the metaphor of jazz to show how managers must
master the skills of creativity--like jazz musicians in a jam session (playing off each other to create new sounds, at once unpredictable and harmonious) to reap unprecedented returns.

I once had the pleasure of seeing Kao present in person . . . for some reason, he was better then . . . these tapes were somewhat interesting, but they seemed to contain too many lists . . . I would have liked to have seen some more real examples, particularly based on companies that he had assisted.

However, he did use one example that I really liked . . . in talking about Steven Spielberg, he mentioned how Harrsion Ford had once approached him with an idea when filming INDIANA JONES
AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM . . . Spielberg was not crazy about
what he had heard, but rather than reject it outright, he said: "I like that a lot. But let's just explore one other option."

This technique, according to Kao, provides an opportunity to
double and even redouble ideas. The key: Don't automatically
judge, evaluate or criticize everything you hear.

I wasted my time & money on this book!
I was searching for some insightful material to help me re-define that somewhat false dichotomy that exists in our thinking about business thinking and (vs.) creativity.I just read Clayton Christianson's"The Innovator's Dilema" and wanted to find a way to developcreativity in my company's culture.After reading "Jamming: The Artand Discipline of Business Creativity", I see that I have wasted mytime & money on this book.If you are like minded in your search, looksomewhere else!I rate the book two stars simply because the author hasdiscovered a very worthwhile subject - not for its content.

Name that Tune
Jammin' is a valuable read. A non-musician may find the extended metaphor of the musical jam a bit trying, but stick it out. Although already somewhat dated in its representation of organizational behavior intechnical industries, it accurately encapsulates a class of thought aboutthe management of creativity and innovation in a business setting. Kaoattempts to correlate some of the trends in physical environments,management structures, communications tools, and outsourcing to the need toengage in sustained innovation.Agree or disagree with the conclusionsdrawn, you will certainly encounter the premises in practice and expoundedin theory by key decision makers in the marketplace. Kao presents thestructure and direction of the theory in a way that will inform your choiceto sit in, or sit out, on this particular riff.

Uhhh, Jam Session Turns to Durge?
Don't waste your time. I wrote a long review, then deleted it when it occured to me that I don't like wasting time... so I won't waste yours.

The jazz metaphore flags, the cheerleader-like tones grow monotonous,the new-age recommendations are laughable, and the lack of research isdeplorable (especially from someone with JK's letters).

For twice themoney, you can find a hundred times more information in, CORPORATECREATIVITY by Alan G. Robinson, it's even organized in chapters, andRobinson throws in a little research to boot.

Sorry for the terse review.The subject is extermely difficult to write about - I'm trying it myself. Ithink John can do better than this. The book is weak. ... Read more

Book Description

Swing trading is gaining popularity as a powerful method to increase returns—and potentially lower risks—by profiting from short-term price moves. The Master Swing Trader explains how traders can use technical analysis, charting, and market sentiment to make trades that hold through price fluctuations and noise with wider stops. This complete, practical guide to making profitable short-term trades—based on the author’s popular “Mastering the Trade” online course—uses dozens of charts and graphs to illustrate proven swing trading concepts and strategies. Experienced day, position, and online traders will benefit immediately from: - The 7 Bells – unique tools to uncoverpromising short-term prospects - Techniques to profit from low-risk short sales- The 4 repeating cycles for perfectlytimed trades ... Read more

Reviews (212)

A good book beyond the apprehension of the mass
Seldom on Amazon a popular book (with 187 reviews utd) carries so extreme comment as this. I fully understand so because I did have negative feeling of it, which only improved gradually from page to page. In the beginning, the book really seems so complicated, full of jargons, candlestick charts elaborating on chart patterns with little reference to oscillator indicators like MACD, Stochastics, which I personally believe the alignment of several of them to be a prerequisite for any profitable trade. In the end, I realized that if I didnt put so much emphasis on the words "Swing Trading" and its virtual difference with "Momentum Trading" which the author criticized much, this book is not so bad when considered to be a general trading book with above average practical advice.

Amongst others, I found the following so called 7 Bells, tools to locate outstanding opportunities most interesting.

1. Dip Trip - Price that moves against a strong trend will rebound sharply
2. Coiled Spring - Constricted price gives way to directional movement
3. Finger Finder - Candles flag reversals in the next smaller time frame.
4. Hole in the wall - Gap downs after strong rallies signal a trend change
5. Power Spike - High volume events print the future diretion of price (Big volume kills a trend)
6. Bear Hug - Weak markets drop quickly after rallying into resistance
7. 3rd Watch - Breakouts through triple tops signal major uptrends

In a word, this book is quite a helpful tool of reference amidst the competitive life of trading which regular glance of its graphs do help much to refresh one's mind. Complex, time consuming but well worths the price.

Read it and Loved it
I would like to strongly recommend this book to everyone. I have been trading stocks for about 4 years and read almost every book written on trading. This book covers so many important elements of short-term trading, including patterns, indicators, psychology, cycles and execution. It doesn't only touch upon these issues but explains them thoroughly with excellent illustrations, I counted over 180 of them. If you're anything like me, you will appreciate all of the charts as visual aids for the teachings in the book.

I also found it to be very well organized. The early chapters required a lot of attention. But everything really starts to click as each new chapter builds on previous information. By the time I got to the excellent "7-Bells" sections, I could almost anticipate how the author was going to treat his detailed examples.

I learned a tremendous amount reading this book. My overall rating is 5 stars. It is well worth its price tag and you will get what you pay for.

No substance, Very wordy
VERY difficult to understand, the charts in this book look like tangled spaghetti, the wording is long and makes little sense. I returned the book 5 days after i bought it. The techniques in this book are useless if you can understand them. I am not new to trading books and have read my share but this has to be one of the worst. Don`t waste your time or money on the book.

Great ideas, disabled by poor expression
Some pluses for this book:

- I would have to say this book contains great ideas - both of logic and experience. Excellent in this regard.
- Not only are some of the ideas great, this is comprehensive stuff. It's almost everything you'd learn if you traded for a couple of years yourself (minus the actual experience of course)

However, there are some really terrible negatives in this book:

- the English is POOR. I'm not going to argue with what is good or bad English, but the simple fact that it is DIFFICULT to read make it poor. There are some very obscure expressions used to describe say, certain price movements. These are DIFFICULT to understand if not ambiguous. I do not know why the author decides to use such esoteric terms - why not use simple english?
- The diagrams are labelled somewhat poorly. Text should refer more to the diagrams!! Argh!!
- [update] forgot to mention that his elliott wave counts are basically wrong. I think he has very limited understanding of EW (even less so than me, which is quite appalling). Beginners need to be aware of this!

Although the book contains some excellent ideas, I suspect most people will have difficulty extracting this information. It's such a waste it's not funny. Needless to say, the text is quite verbose and accordingly is heavily demanding on the reader's time.

Trader
Mr. Farley is obviously an experienced and probably successful trader. He is one of the more knowledgable writers I have read on trading. His book is through and detailed.

I have only one criticism. Mr. Farley has a talent for taking a fairly simple function and making it sound complicated.

This book would make an excellent college text. ... Read more

Book Description

In the spirit of his best-selling The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, John Maxwell offers thoughts on proven leadership qualities and crucial issues that affect leadership success.These basic principles of success can be applied to business and private life, helping anyone reach their full potential.Twenty-one powerful statements help leaders maximize their assets and overcome their weaknesses, encouraging them to lead with their hearts as well as their minds.Daily readings include sections which help readers integrate and apply each day's material.

Reviews (7)

a 21-week biblical study of Maxwell's leadership laws
Here John Maxwell has expanded his 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership into a 21-week study, using different biblical characters to illustrate each one of the 21 laws. Each week is broken down into five days, making it an excellent workplace study.

Lessons from Days 1 through 4 start with a thought for the day and a biblical passage, then close with a question for you to reflect on. Day 5 summarizes the week in brief sections that help you to absorb the week's material, sort it out, pray through it, apply it to your own life, and pass it on to another leader.

Obviously, this book is not aimed at the secular crowd, and is much more beneficial to those who have read the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. If you enjoyed the 21 laws and are comfortable with scripture, this study will dramatically enhance your ability to prayerfully apply the laws to your life and the lives of those around you. A great resource for Christian leaders.

Larry Hehn, author of Get the Prize: Nine Keys for a Life of Victory

another book similar to his other books
|-POSITIVE-|
I think this is a great book if you never read a book on leadership, or if you never read any of his other books. Actually, having read at least 4 other books on leadership written by this same author, this one is one of his better books. I think this book will go well with his other book, "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership."

Some of my favorite quotes from this book,
* If you reproduced yourself in another leader, would you be pleased with the results?
* Don't wait until you hold a leadership position to begin building your inner circle
* People teach what they know, but they reproduce what they are.
* Do no limit your people, lift them.
* Your inner circle should make you more complete

|-NEGATIVE-|
Oh how I hate it, I read 5 of his books on leadership, and they all share very similar information. If you read his other books, you probably will not find many new ideas here.

Great book for small group study!
I led a group from my company through this 21 week study of leadership. Very informative and thought provoking. If you decide to lead a similar group, I recommend you also read The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership at the same time. It will provide you a good deal of additional discussion ideas.

Yeah, it's good.
You get used to seeing these types of books, which are frequently given as gifts by people who have no idea what you really like or need to read. Which is where I got this. But it's not bad.

Take Hudson Armerding's book "Leadership," and fuse it with Roger Ailes's book "You are The Message: Getting what you want by being who you are" and cut it up into templated nuggets keyed to periodic readings, and something like this is what you might get. The difference, qualitatively, is that Maxwell has really worked his leadership examples from the Bible, and for the most part keeps them in historic context while pulling out lessons for contemporary application. In the flyleaf/back pages, you can see how he is hawking the same things on a web site and on a tape series, to transform these lessons into sermons for ministers who need a little defibrillation.

Having read James MacGregor Burns on "Leadership" some years ago, and being impressed ever since (although bothered by the weird Oedipal analyses Burns applied to guys like Gandhi, Martin Luther and others), Maxwell is refreshingly Biblical without being too preachy. Non-Christian or Non-Jewish readers should be able to see things in here other than some former Bible-college student constantly telling us how he revitalized the three churches he pastored before becoming a fund raising consultant and a leadership conference organizer. The book gets beyond that and stays on point.

This is a sign that Christian business/leadership writing is coming into its own. Looking at a lot of other leadership books which grope for an over-arching metaphor drawn from polar expeditions, evolution (yawn) or other meta-physics, makes you realize that the ancient lessons recorded in the Bible can be just as gripping. I would think other faith traditions could do the same, hopefully also getting past the jingoistic level of "Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun."

A Biblical Foundation
The 21 Most Powerful Minutes book is the much needed biblical support for Maxwell's excellent work, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Though it doesn't stand on its own in communicating leadership principles, it makes an excellent devotional reading to correspond with deeper study of the 21 Laws or 21 Qualities books. ... Read more

Book Description

In a world quickly becoming more virtual, human relations skills are being lost -- along with the skill of leadership. When you develop your leadership ability through The Dale Carnegie Leadership Mastery Course you'll learn to be flexible, adaptable, and trustworthy, as well as a tough and decisive distributor of power. Learn all the secrets of leadership mastery:

* Gain the respect and admiration of others using little-known secrets of America's most successful leaders.
* Get family, friends, and coworkers to do what you ask because they want to do it, not because they have to.
* Respond effectively when under crisis using proven techniques for thinking clearly and reducing anxiety under pressure.
* Accomplish twice as much by learning to motivate others to perform at their best.
* Make powerful decisions and follow through on them using Carnegie's action formula.

A valuable tool that stands next to the classic How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Dale Carnegie Leadership Mastery Course offers a proven formula for success. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

i liked what i liked more than i disliked what i disliked
let me explain--this is a great book and i love the positive spirit--however there is a thread that runs thru it that i do not like. there is a message of--be helpful to those who are in the "mix" of things, who may scratch your back in the future or people who may be important or beginning to be important--ALSO look out for people you think may have the potential to be important because who is important can and does change--that person may be a peon now, but there is a tomorrow and they may rise! this is disgusting to me. this is not the way i want to live---like a gold-digger, money-hungry, sneaky devil going around sniffing trees and bushes to see if this is a good place to land for a while. i hate that and i don't like being around people like that. is that being real or helping you on your path to being real? no--and in my opinion, becoming real is THE major part of becoming a leadership master. again, i love the boost, the positive ideas, and stories because they are so against the tide of what many people would do in those situations. especially the "old school" of management in workplaces that it mentions, that of master and slaves---instead it advocates the trend toward whole team teamwork, and cooperative planning.

The best of Carnegie on cd-audio
I have been a big fan of Dale Carnegie for over 33 years when I read his classic How To Win Friends and Influence People. While I love to read, I really enjoy audio programs as well. This program combines the best of Dale Carnegies ideas.

Also, The Leadership Mastery Course has been updated for the times which makes it a great supplement to How To Make Friends and Influence People. Those who actually read the book and listened to this cd tape set know the difference.

Great program. Highly recommended.

A leadership course on audio
This audio cd set comprises the best of the famous Dale Carnegie
strategies. Excellent while driving in your car or as a supplement to the Carnegie books.

Good ideas, uninspired presentation
The ideas presented in this program are very interesting and intelligent. But if you are interested in Carnegie's techniques, I'd recommend you skip this and just go directly to the original book or CD version. HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE is a classic. The prose may be dated, but the techniques are not.

THE DALE CARNEGIE LEADERSHIP MASTERY COURSE does not really provide enough new information in order to justify its own existence. I don't understand why this program was made available. I was expecting new radical ideas or changes to suit our information age, but basically all the narrator does is restate what is written in the classic and offer more examples of how the techniques have worked. The dry phone-solicitor's voice of the narrator is perhaps the most unattrative thing about this package. He has all the personality and warmth of the voice on an automated answering machine.

Take my adive, skip this product and go straight for HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE - the 1930s classic that basically invented the self-help genre, has sold over 15 million copies, and has never been out of print.

Andrew Parodi

Confused reviewers???
I recently purchased this audio program and really enjoyed it. It is a modern updated version of Carnegies ideas.I am confused as to the first two reviews referring to this as a book--it's an audio program!How to Win Friends and Influence People is an all time classic as well as How To Stop Worrying and Start Living. I also recommend The Leader in You. ... Read more

Book Description

Since its original publication in 1995, Leading with Soul has inspired thousands of readers. Far ahead of its time, the book bravely revealed the path to leadership to be a very personal journey requiring a knowledge of self and a servant-leader mentality. Now, in this new and revised edition, authors Bolman and Deal address such currrent issues as the changing nature of work, the new face of today's workforce, and the greater need for an infusion of soul in the workplace. They also include real-life stories from readers of the first edition, and answer key questions that those readers raise. As vital as ever, this revisted narrative of an executive and his quest for deeper meaning continues to point the way to a more fulfilling work experience. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

It is a Jounrey, not a Destination
The leadership of America and other countries could use this book! The common theme in leadership today usually rests upon talent, skill and motivation, whereas this book's authors look at the "spirit". I found it to be one of the best books I have read in the area of leadership.
The story centers around a manager who seeks out a mentor as his spiritual guide. The real crux here is to seek. I think many leaders rely to heavily upon themselves and do want to seek help from anyone, especially soul help.
One of the key elements in this book is that each reader could percieve differnt lessons and take on their own meaning, which I think is a great lesson in leadership. The book requires the reader to soak in the information and even gives the reader an opportunity to practice what they have read.
On the personal level, I believe that leaders need to soul search and model the behavior in the workplace. Coming from the educational perspective, this is true as far as values and morals are taught. A leader needs to be in touch with themselves if they are to lead others.
In the story, Steve finds Maria and is challenged to look within, which is fearful to him, as it is to most of us. The key is to not avoid our own pain. If we do, we tend to avoid feelings that come out sideways, and this is very dangerous as a human being and as a leader. When we can look inside at ourselves and find a sense of peace, we have more energy, and can be more producticve as leaders. In addition, the "burnout" rate will be much less in all levels of leadership.

This book is a journey into Leadership from the heart.
Bolman and Deal walk away from the academic view of leadership and its trappings and tell a story of a person's journey to find his inner spirit. In doing so, he finds understanding of the basic elements of being an excellent leader who inspries people and takes the organization on a path to find success. The book is an easy read, written in a narrative, novel-type style that provides a refreshing look at what people can become.

Learning to TEACH with soul
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who would feel they could benefit from this form of reading. I feel that you need an open mind to this idea of leadership. It is the untraditional form of thinking for leaders and educators alike. The story of Steve Camden and Maria are thought provoking and the interludes get the thoughts going. If you do not fear change or are looking for a deeper sense of self this book gives you the parable to study leadership in a wide range of concepts from the worlds of philosophy, spirituality, and poetry.

Wow! Awesome. Made me cry.
I was so surprised about how this audio book really touched a nerve with me. I loved it. The story telling was compassionate and insightful. Wow.

Soul Touching Reading!
Quasi-religiosity drives this sanctimonious parable on leadership by the coauthors of Reframing Organizations. This is the scenario: Steve, an executive, makes several visits to his spiritual guide, Maria, who instructs him that spirit and soul are the essence of leadership. As we follow his path to enlightenment, we learn that during Steve's trip to Singapore to visit his firm's newest acquisition, a factory worker hugged him. Maria praises him: ``Love worked for you.'' But Steve receives no hugs in the Topeka branch, and this troubles him and Maria (the reader wonders if perhaps their labor union protected these American workers from having to grovel before the boss). During other sessions, Steve tells Maria about his fiancée, who insists he go to church every other Sunday; on one occasion, pupil and spiritual guide simply sit by a stream and watch a leaf float by. 25,000 first printing. ... Read more

Book Description

Classic insight for modern times.

The world's foremost producer of personal development and motivational audio programs now offers a completely unique approach to learning leadership skills.

Most programs on leadership present the successes of contemporary men and women as role models for study. While valuable lessons can be learned from their examples, few models or success stories reveal the true essence of their leadership abilities or can anticipate the special circumstances, conditions, or situations that you deal with as a manager.

In the runaway bestseller Leadership Secrets Of Attila The Hun, author Wess Roberts draws from the imaginary thoughts of one of history's most effective and least beloved leaders, Attila the Hun, to discover leadership principles you can apply to your own situation. In a uniquely creative and entertaining approach to a most serious task, "Attila" reveals his principles for successful morale building, decision making, delegating and negotiating, and gives advice on overcoming setbacks and achieving goals. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A Good Read!
Wess Roberts draws on the life experiences of the leader of the Mongol hordes to craft imaginative monologues on leadership - an attribute as valuable today as when Attila united the Huns in 415 AD. The advice is general. Its effectiveness probably depends on how well you apply it, although the idea of a historic icon of barbaric vengeance counseling us in cultural sensitivity seems a bit of a stretch. While the treatment is certainly colorful, you might worry about ways some modern-day chieftains could misuse Roberts' principles to justify their own Visigoth approach to management. We from getAbstract recommend this book to those looking for new and interesting ways to approach the perpetual management issues of team-building, inspiring loyalty, setting goals, and achieving objectives.

Pretentious
This book was entirely too pretentious to read. He should have tried to write in the active voice and with a reasonable vocabulary. I bought it used for less than a dollar plus shipping--I got wripped off.

Great work if you can get it
What a country this is! How else to explain this book? Take an historical figure about whom little is known, ascribe certain banalities about leadership to him, jazz it up with some colorful language, set it in a guidebook format with short chapters and lots of bullets--and sell huge numbers of copies! Get Ross Perot to endorse it!

This book cries out for a spoof--heck, it already seems like a spoof. I'm thinking of taking a few days to write "Leadership Secrets of Spongebob Squarepants" and see how it sells.

Great leadership primer
Sure, if you're looking for an in-depth treatise on Attila or Leadership you are bound to be disappointed. I have read this book numerous times and have assigned it to my subordinate managers as required reading. In every case those people have been pleasantly surprised with how easy it is to read, understand and apply to improve their leadership and management practices. It gets individuals interested in picking up other, more detailed works on leadership and management that they might not have been drawn to in the first place.

Do Not Waste Your Time: Low-Brow Business
Well... where to begin??? Wess Roberts is really a good example of an initial interesting idea milked and warped to horrible proportions; neither the historical metaphor nor the advice he gleans from it really ascends above the line of a comic book. Read the "Economists" review of this book and their trashing of its author -- who appears to be rather less than he appears. I can add little except to say that I bought it in a rush in an airport and then after the first page I realised there was something terribly wrong with this book (it is written for about someone who has a 12 year old reading comprehension level).

If you are a person who sees the world in a Manichean world view of "good and evil"/ "us and them" then you may ultimately see some kind of value in this book. All research however indicates that a successful business relationship is formed on the basis of honesty, trust and committment to a win-win relationship with the client. Without that fundamental understanding business and corporations do not advance. Those companies that practise the Attila mindset will ultimately remain Neanderthals and will condemn themselves to always being small-time, cheesy presenters with a life time of believing in the simplistic explanations for complex behaviour.

I would have given it a 0 if I could have. This book has the distinction of not even being worthy to grace the shelves of my personal business library. Spend your money on Drucker or even Napolean Hill. You will get a better return. ... Read more

Book Description

Hire and Keep the Best People contains a series of 21 proven, practical principles and strategies that any manager can use to hire and keep better employees. The contents are the distilled essence of hundreds of books and articles on the subject of personnel selection, combined with the author's many years of experience as an executive interviewing and hiring staff, as well as his more than 20 years of training managers in the art of personnel selection. ... Read more

Book Description

“Dell, the company, seems to have been born and evolved with an anticipation of the Internet age. Michael Dell walks us through how he turned his prescience into a powerful reality-and an outstanding example of the companies of the future.”

- Andrew S. Grove, Chairman of Intel

Dell Computer Corporation is an $18 billion company and the second largest manufacturer and marketer of personal computers in the world. Founded on a deceptively simple premise - to deliver high-performance computer systems directly to the end user - Dell Computer is the envy of its competition, consistently growing at five times the industry rate, and a perennial darling of Wall Street.

In Direct from Dell, Michael Dell himself tells the incredible story of Dell Computer's successful rise, which began in his college dorm room with $1,000 in capital. You'll encounter a young visionary who, upon witnessing the inefficiencies of an exploding industry, challenged conventional wisdom, and set out to do nothing less than beat IBM at its own game. In so doing, Dell forever changed the way things “had always been done” in the computer industry.

Not just for CEOs or those in high tech, the strategies revealed in Direct from Dell are invaluable to managers across industries. From starting a successful business to his pioneering use of the Internet, Dell shares his perspectives on:

• Why it's infinitely better for any business starting out to have too little capital, rather than too much
• Why it can be life-threatening to your company to pursue too many good ideas'or to grow too fast
• Why it's essential to run a P&L on every area of your business
• Why your people pose a greater threat to the health of your business than your competition does
• How integrating your business virtually can make the difference between being quick'and being dead

Revealing nothing less than a new model for doing business in the information age, Direct from Dell is both an extraordinary business success story and a manifesto for revolutionizing any industry. ... Read more

Reviews (110)

Great read for Business & Economics Studnets
I can understand the criticism of this book that perhaps Mike Dell should have gone more in depth about the dynamics of his company and industry. However, this being his first book that I know of I can understand why he choose to keep it short and simple, and to his credit.

A great peak into the mind of a business man and leader who in my opinion deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence with Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Lee Iacocca et al.

One part in particular that caught my attention was Chapter 7 where on page 95&96 he talks about his "Know The Net" initiative in order to familiarize his employees with the Internet.

I personally liked when he stated that: "Some might argue that if you give employees access to the World Wide Web, they will spend all their time surfing the Net. But that's like saying, We don't want to teach our people how to read because they might spend all their time reading."

Fabulous insight into Michael Dell's view of the Internet's future as a conduit for Economic Efficiency in business, school, and life.

Great piece of literature especially for beginning Business& Economics students. Peace :-)

"Stalled Thinking" has not been a problem at Dell!
Given Dell's track record, success and innovation, this is a book that should be read by all business executives. It should also be read by all students to provide encouragement for trying the things one wants to do and is passionate about. As a strategy book, it is well written. I was hoping to learn more of the Dell secrets, the "how tos" behind this very successful approach. I also believe the market has over reacted to Dell's recent announcement of slower (38%) earnings growth. That is still superb performance and Dell is likely to outperform and continue to meet customers' need for many years. The usual problems that stall companies: The Communications Stall, The Bureaucratic Stall, The Disbelief Stall (we can't do that here), The Misconception Stall (it's too hard to do and won't work becuase), The Unattractiveness Stall, The Procrastination Stall and The Tradition Stall (this is how we have always done it) seem not to be strong issues at Dell because the company continues to ask the right questions. This is the key to progress at a much faster rate, and/or at a much lower cost. The focus on customers and selling direct helps to make this possible. Dell can continue to do many things right in the future. It will be fun to watch them. They are poised to be a prototype company of the future.

FAST-PACED AND INSIGHTFUL SKIM, BUT HINTS OF NARCISSISM
Whether you're an entrepreneur, a manager, a marketer, or a passionate loyalist of the compelling and always competitive offerings from the star PC firm, this semi-memoir will let you in on the madly tight ship that's known as Dell.

It's a fairly compact fluently-written book that distills Dell's lessons for business (p.s. it's NOT a biography of Michael Dell) that lends itself to some pacy in-flight reading.

But thinking back, I have a couple of gripes.

In recounting the company's meteoric rise from a college dorm to the multi-million dollar company in a short couple of decades, the book advocates a fanatical belief in the power of the Internet and how it is vital to every business's survival. If you don't provide access from every one of your users' desktops, you'll be gone. I find this a bit hard to digest as a categorical generalization, and I am a net evangelist myself. But I would not have expected anything different from Dell.

Secondly, the tone of the author(s?) occasionally takes on a doting note, and they seem to imply that Dell veritably invented the direct selling approach. This is patently misguided. A corollary that stems from this is the novel way that Dell came up with to segment customers. Somewhat cloying, this self-absorption.

Yet, in terms of good business insights, it's a fascinating read good enough to be devoured in a day or two. Recommended, especially as a business gift.

Very inspirational
As a young entrepreneur it helped me to believe that one can achieve their goals by having a plan and a burning desire to succeed.

Great story with practical advice!
The story of Dell Computers is an enjoyable story of how an entrepreneurial young Michael Dell couldn't contain his enthusiasm for his business idea and took it all the way. Without much to guide him beyond his instincts he made some mistakes, but he admits to these and describes them so readers can learn from them as he did. Of course, far more can be learned from what he did right. One of the more noteworthy approaches he mentions is that Dell rewards success by *reducing* the responsibilities of the successful manager- an act many use as a negative disciplinary measure in other companies. The reasoning is that after a division grows from a $10 million market to $200 million, by cutting it back to $25 million, it will be easier for the manager to focus on this smaller block, understand it better, and again grow it to $200 million or more. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

EMPOWERING
John Maxwell's daily dozen are worth learning.

So what are the daily dozen? Attitude, priority, health, family, thinking, commitment, faith, relationships, generosity, values and growth. Note faith is listed. Maxwell realizes not everyone is spiritual. He allows readers the concept of refusing this goal. Maxwell includes examples through others as well as himself to get his points across.

Maxwell is adamant when he emphasizes the wisdom of practicing daily discipline in one's life -- think things through; settle your matters everyday; take care of your financial matters daily; surround yourself with positive people; and most of all remember what you do today impacts your tomorrow.

_Today Matters_ has the ability to empower its readers. Once we learn, we must practice. That's the key to empowering today and having a successful tomorrow. Highly recommended.

Brenda @ MyShelf.Com ... Read more

Book Description

4 CD's 0-553-47321-2
4 Hours
Introduction read by the author

Peter Senge's ground-breaking ideas on building organizations have made him a household name amongst corporate managers. His theories help businesses to clarify their goals, to defy the odds, to more clearly understand threats, and to recognize new opportunities. He introduces managers to a new source of competitive advantage, and offers a marvelously empowering approach to work.

THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE
Mastery of Senge's five disciplines enables managers to overcome their obstacles to growth and creates brave new futures for them and their companies. The five disciplines are drawn from science, spiritual wisdom, psychology, the cutting edge of management thought, and Senge's own work with top corporations that employ his methods. Listening to The Fifth Discipline provides a searching personal experience and a dramatic professional shift of mind.

An MIT Professor's pathbreaking book on building "learning organizations" -- corporations that overcome inherent obstacles to learning and develop dynamic ways to pinpoint the threats that face them and to recognize new opportunities. Not only is the learning organization a new source of competitive advantage, it also offers a marvelously empowering approach to work, one which promises that, as Archimedes put it, "With a lever long enough... single-handed I can move the world." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Powerful!
As an aspiring school administrator, I bought this CD because I kept hearing Senge's name come up time and time again in the change literature. Listening to the CDs, I felt both inspired and englightened ... suddenly, all that I had read, learned, and experienced about change began to make sense. Situations where change had been foiled, colleagues had been "frozen," and reforms failed began to make sense thanks to Senge's framework. Best of all, I feel as though I have a strategy to ensure that future reform efforts are more effective, rather than destined for failure.

The CD is a mixture of both a professional reader and Senge himself. Both are lively, however, and you will find yourself returning to their words time and time again for answers.

A diamond in the rough
This book is probably one of the most impressive books I've read in a long time. I had the book on CD, which made the first example given (about systems thinking) much more easy to get through. Even so, I would suggest this to anyone, even if you're managing a 'family'. The research is sound, and the concepts are right on.

I also have read the accompanying fieldbook, and I would state that perhaps the fieldbook might give you a good place to start if you feel this book comes across as "too scholarly". But ultimately both are a must read!

It's the Supply Chain, Stupid!
A listener-friendly audio-cassette emphasizing the need to beaware of the entire supply chain, to recognize interdependenciesbetween you, your suppliers and your customers, and to take to heart that seemingly innocuous changes can have supply chain-wide impacts due to inherent (and changeable) systemic structural constraints. Minor downside: perhaps a bit repititious at times. Nevetheless, I strongly recommend this audio-cassette. ... Read more