Book Description

Reviews (3)

Great supplement to Succeed and Grow Rich
If you have already read Succeed and Grow Rich by Hill and/or Think and Grow Rich, Selling You will show you how to put Napolean Hill's philosophy to work for you, every day of your life.

The program includes two powerful tapes with narrations by Joe Slattery. There is an introduction by Clement Stone who gives a powerful testimony to how Hill's principles benefitted him. Talk about a successful endorsement! And there is a 32 page booklet that offers additional techniques.

All in all a great program that will seriously impact any salesman's bottom line.

Not just for sales people
Napoleon Hill was ahead of his times in many ways. One of which addressed by this book is the realization that *everything* is sales. When you are talking with someone and want them to take an action or even accept something you are saying, you must sell not only what you are suggesting, but yourself as well. This insight (and its explanation) make the tape worthwhile. Beyond that are suggestions to make you more successful. The biggest downside is that some of the book/tape is hard to understand as the usage of certain words (such as faith) are far from their common usage.

Another Excellent Napolean Hill Creation
A must have for any sales professional. A timeless classic to liten to several times a year. ... Read more

Book Description

Why do some companies consistently win in the consumer and capital markets while others struggle from crisis to crisis? The answer, says Noel Tichy, is that winning companies possess a "Leadership Engine" -- a proven system for creating dynamic leaders at every level.

To get ahead and stay ahead, a company needs agile, flexible, innovative leaders who can anticipate change and turn on a dime. Fortunately, says Tichy, just as everyone has untapped athletic potential, everyone has untapped leadership potential that can be developed. In this audio, Tichy offers colorful and insightful examples from dozens of leaders who have figured out how to do it.

• How does Jack Welch, for example, run the world's most valuable company -- and spend 30% of his time on leadership development?

• How do the United States Navy SEALs and Army Rangers create leaders who can command any team, anytime, anywhere?

• How did Ameritech break its hundred-year-old mentality of entitlement and create a culture where leaders develop other leaders?

No two winning companies are alike. But, each has a Leadership Engine which ensures that leaders have clear, teachable points of view that they use to develop others. This audio not only offers a major contribution to the understanding of successful leadership, but provides concrete, proven methods for leaders developing leaders in any company.

Reviews (22)

EMMP: Central : A very good book to read.
The book "The Leadership Engine" by Noel Tichy, discusses how to build dynamic leaders at every level within an organization. The book focuses on fundamentals of winning organizations and the characteristics of these leaders giving insight into some of the greatest leaders stories. Noel Tichy has researched companies like General Electric, Ameritech, PepsiCo, Intel and Focus Hope.

The book is concise in its contents and is good for intellectual reading. Author has made his best attempt to present conceptually his thoughts about leadership engine by proving the facts that "winning organizations are teaching organizations". Senior leaders take direct responsibility for developing and teaching other leaders. Those leaders have great "teachable point of view" as composed by ideas, values and E3 (Emotion, Energy and Edge). Each of these leaders has their own style of teaching and the technique may vary based on the needs of the organization. Great leaders use stories to teach and communicate their ideas.

The term "Engine" as used by author, illustrates the dynamic potential of the winning organization to teach the leaders and develop future leaders. Noel says, "Many management theories don't buy the argument that leadership engine is the key factor in determining an organization's success. They assert that a winning culture, or efficient work processes, or any number of other ancillary attributes are the sine qua nons for success". But he believes that leadership takes precedence over everything else and one reason leadership take precedence is that leaders are the people who decide what needs to be done and are the one's who make things happen. To accept the fact as represented by author, the research should also include mid sized organizations and opinions of middle layered managers.

The ultimate test of success for an organization is not weather it can win today but whether it can keep winning tomorrow and the day after. The key ability of winning organization and winning leaders is creating leaders. One of the greatest quotes in the book was "Every person in a key position has to see himself or herself as a mini-CEO. They have to conceptualize what has to be done in the same way the CEO has. Then it cascades."

They Can, They Do, They Teach
Noel Tichy's "The Leadership Engine" is a practical and easy to read book on leadership. His research is exhaustive and well documented; there are sixty pages of notes and bibliographic citations. Tichy's central theme is that winning companies possess a "Leadership Engine" that produces dynamic leaders at every level within the organization. He argues forcefully that winning is about leadership and that leadership is the key trait that distinguishes winners from losers. He defines winning as success in adding value, coupled with sustained excellence. For a company or organization to be successful it must have outstanding leaders at every level. In order to have those dynamic leaders at every level, the organization itself must systematically produce them.

Tichy insists that learning, teaching, and leading are intertwined and admits he is a proponent of transformational leadership theory. Elements of this theory are clearly evident throughout his book. Tichy is also resolute in his belief that leading IS teaching-"they can, they do, they teach"-this point is driven home numerous times throughout his book(1). Winning organizations are teaching organizations. Successful organizations have proven leaders who are both teachers and avid learners themselves. The author emphasizes on numerous occasions that leaders must have a teachable point of view and must create teachable moments for the right kind of learning to occur-the kind that transforms an organization. A leader's "teachable point of view" is a trinitarian view composed of: a) ideas, b) values, and c) emotional energy and edge(2). Ideas are the substance of learning and good ideas are teachable.

Tichy uses numerous real life examples from the business world and even the military to highlight his points throughout the book. His liberal use of relevant and true stories to emphasize the point he is making, is in itself, a subtle illustration of a key leadership trait-being a good story teller. Tichy insists that successful leaders are successful teachers because they use stories and share examples from their own personal life. The author's frequent use of stories makes the book interesting, even captivating at times and minimizes the possibility of the reader getting bored.

The Leadership Engine is an outstanding, well organized, and very readable book; and not just a book, but a useful handbook as well. Tichy includes a 99-page workbook with practical exercises designed to both help the reader assess his or her own leadership and to help the reader develop a "Leadership Engine" in his or her own organization. The workbook is what sets this leadership book apart from the thousands of others in this crowded category. Noel Tichy has accomplished what he set out to do-convince us that winning organizations are teaching organizations. However, for the student of leadership, there is no new ground or profound insights in this book and consequently, I am not convinced that it deserved its Business Week "Book of the Year" honor.

NOTES
(1)Taken from the oft repeated jest by George Bernard Shaw that, "Those who can, do-those who can't, teach." This quote does not appear in Tichy's book.
(2)Tichy defines "edge" as the courage to see reality and act on it.

APPEALING AT THE BEGINNING
I read Tichy's ideas for the first time in a Harvard Business Review exhibit which he wrote to be inserted in an interview with Jacques Nassar, former CEO of Ford Motor in an issue from 1997/1998. That exhibit was so illuminating I went just right then to get a copy of the whole book in the library. I should've stayed with the exhibit in the magazine...

The CORE of the ideas of Mr. Tichy is superb. Really. Building a model (a triangle which is not, for one of the corners includes "emotional, energy and edge" and there's is not the sligthest reference in the book why these are bundle together) where he included values, ideas and the emotional side to introduce the discipline of the storytelling in the organization is a premier work intended to give a method to build those stories (World Bank, 3M, Ford and many other companies with a long tradition of strategic planning are working on this line, prefering it over conventional bullet lists, formats and charts but back in 1997, when Tichy's work arrived it was a weird idea).

BUT that's all! If you expect to learn here how to buid the "teachable point of view" (this is how Tichy christened his baby) forget it. At least an useful one. Many water has gone under the bridges since 1997 and there're many subsequent authors with better techniques to teach you to do so. Nevertheless, Tichy's work is a nice model to keep in mind when you build and use the strategic stories. But as a framework... and I've got that in the little excerpt of the exhibit in HBS.

Last, but not the least... the examples. And this REALLY bothered me. Rather than present the teoric foundations for his ideas, in order to let you to figure out how he get there and then let the reader to develop his own path (like Collins&Porras, Tichy's nemesis, did in "Built to last"), Tichy gives an harangue of two or three lines with his ideas and then throw at you a 3-pages example so tailored-made for the concept you wonder if he's not explaining a coyuntural practice in some organization which he happened to hear about or maybe witness now and then rather than give you some new insights about leadership. And that organization, 70% alongisde 250 pages or so, is GE, 20% is AliedSignal's Larry Bossidy (a GE insider) and the 10% are ocassional references to Ameritech or well-konwn leaders so suitable for the day-to-day environment of XXI century business like Martin Luther King and Winston Churchill. Of course you can learn from any leader, that's what metaphors are for, but it's risky at least to compare the deployment of some set of values and ideas in a company with somebody who broadcast alive in the middle of some war. HOW the leaders deploy their messages (not the build of the message, but the media and the selection criteria they used) is a major absence in this book. And when it comes to learn about diagnostics and measures for the performance of his idea, Tichy olimpically come down from the bronco saying "I think the value market is the best measure to keep track of the performance of the company in the long term". And thats's it: one line and a half and keep going repeated like a mantra (I wonder what does Tichy thinks about some market values like Enron' And by the way, Ken Lay wrote in the back of the book a very nice appraisal of this leadership method to succeed in the market...) Which means if you're CEO in a private held company, a non-profit organization, a multillateral banking institution like IMF, a public company far away from the S&P or Dow Jones or the local chamber of commerce, you can implement these ideas but for measures go to the nearest church.

Noel Tichy was director at mythical Crotonville GE Human Developing Center. And the book become for moments a "Thanks my sweet lord psalms choir" to Jack Welch. Who is, no doubt, the best known business leader worldwide today. And Tichy used his previous book (Control your destiny) about the great man to quote himself a lot of times as authoritative source. But with the teorics of the book, it is at least arrogant to place such an emphasis in this company. I mean, if "winning companies" are the ones who win today, tomorrow and the next day by the inheritance and labor of its present leaders, how Tichy knew it would be the case back in 1997? Jeffrey Immelt hasn't been appointed to the office and you simply can't know, even today, 5 years after the book, if Welch revolution will survive him. Tichy made an example of his method and of a "winning company" out of Coca Cola under Goizueta reign, and you can go to ask about all this revolution to his succesors, Doug specially. Welch might well become a sort of Tom Watson, the head of the company Tichy's beat to death every single opportunity he has to the point you wonder if they fired or offended him in some moment: if he couldn't illustrate some point in the book with some real practice, then he explain it by default showing HOW IBM didn't do this or that and ergo fell down... and GE sure has, no doubt, somewhere around the world, even if he can't prove that, but the wonderful market value of the company is enough proof. And by the way.... if you read "Straight from the gut" by Welch himself, you learn many of Tichy' affirmations about his practices are, to be candorous, descontextualized or mistaken.

In short, a very, very good idea with a very, very bad excution in a very, worse package.

Business Success is people dependent - Develop Great People
I find this book to be much more than a how-to book on developing strong leaders. I find the examples and templates to be an excellent framework for your team members and employees to develop their mission, objectives and people development.

There are formal leaders and informal leaders in every group. You can't succeed without both understanding the objectives, risks, strengths and weaknesses of the situation.

Noel Tichy has been a leading consultant to many of the big name corporate leaders and companies. From GE, Coca Cola, Mercedes Benz Tichy takes you through his experiences, to provide practical, sound advice that you can pick up and begin to use immediately in you business.

I have personally utilized many of the concepts with my employees together in meetings or individual coaching sessions to identify their development strengths and weaknesses or dealing with difficult coaching moments. The format and style have been easily accepted and used again by my team leades on their own.

I highly recommend the book for all leaders, of any level to develop yourself and your team. You will find this book to be a ready reference over and over for succession planning, business planning and performance evaluations of your leadership team each year.

"Winning Organizations are Teaching Organizations"
"A major part of my job has always been figuring out what works and what doesn't. Several years ago, however, the great disparity between the track records of the corporate winners and losers prompted me to step back and specifically tackle the broader question: Why do some companies succeed while others fail? The answer I have come up with is that winning companies win because they have good leaders who nurture the development of other leaders at all levels of the organization. The ultimate test of success for an organization is not whether it can win today but whether it can keep winning tomorrow and the day after. Therefore, the ultimate test for a leader is not whether he or she makes smart decisions and takes decisive action, but whether he or she teaches others to be leaders and builds an organization that can sustain its success even when he or she is not around. The key ability of winning organizations and winning leaders is creating leaders" (from the Introduction).

In this context, Noel Tichy divides his book into ten chapters. After defining what he means by 'winning' in Chapter 1, in the rest of the book, he talks specifically about what winning leaders do that makes them winners and how they develop other winning leaders at all levels of their organizations. In order to help reader, he emphasizes following 30 main themes that emerged in the book:

* Winning is about leadership,

* Leaders have ideas, values, energy and edge,

* Without leaders, organizations stagnate,

* Leaders manage through times of change,

* Leaders make things happen,

* Leaders are revolutionaries,

* Great leaders are great teachers,

* Winning leaders make teaching a personal priority,

* Winners have a 'teachable point of view,'

* Winning leaders draw from their past,

* Leaders' stories reveal their teachable points of view,

* Everyone has a usable past: Leaders just use theirs better,

* Winning organizations are built on clear ideas,

* Leaders make sure the ideas are current and appropriate,

* Ideas are the framework for actions at all levels,

* Winning organizations have strong values,

* Winning leaders live the values-privately and publicly,

* Values are a key competitive tool,

* Winning leaders are high-energy people,

* Winning leaders create energy in others,

* Times of transition: Teachable moments,

* Winning leaders never take the easy way out,

* Categories of edge,

* Edge isn't cruel, it's honest,

* Winning leaders portray the future as an unfolding drama,

* Winners' stories create scenarios for success,

* Leaders' stories are dynamic and motivating,

* Winning leadership is about building for the future,

* Success is achieved by developing other leaders,

* The best leaders know when it's time to leave.

Finally, he says that "Organizations that have a Leadership Engine win because they have leaders at every level who teach others to be leaders. Teaching and learning are at the heart of these organizations."

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

A proven six-step process for acquiring the style, flair, and credibility needed to make it to the top

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, managers who do not exude an allencompassing self-confidence, style, poise, and energy, in short, "executive presence," are highly unlikely to make it to the corner office. Unfortunately, the vast majority of managers, even the most talented and ambitious ones, are not born with these personal qualities. In this breakthrough book, bestselling author and world-renowned executive development coach D. A. Benton helps readers acquire executive charisma.

In Executive Charisma, Benton outlines a proven six-step approach for learning how to think, act, and relate to others like an executive.

She provides powerful tools for fine-tuning the complete executive charisma skill set, including:

• Interpersonal communications
• Managing upwards
• Confidence building
• Business humor
• Executive bearing, and more

Drawing upon her experience coaching clients at American Express, Century 21, Merrill Lynch, Nabisco, Viacom, Pepsi, and other top companies worldwide, Benton clearly defines executive charisma and explains why projecting a commanding professional demeanor is so fundamental to corporate success.

Reviews (13)

Charisma In Six Steps for International Executives
D.A. Benton's Executive Charisma is the sort of book you might hate to love. Just like her previous books How to Think Like a C.E.O., and How to Act Like a C.E.O., this is a quick-reading, bullet-pointed, favorite at airport book stores around the world. But despite the initial appearances, Benton is an experienced executive coach who delivers much more than the simplistic titles and the dumbed-down prose seem to promise at first glance.

Everyone knows that recovering from addiction requires 12 steps, but Benton has reduced being an effective corporate leader to just six. As you read Benton's research and real-life anecdotes about such steps as, "stand tall, straight, and smile," or the slightly more challenging "slow down, shut up, and listen," you might constantly find yourself thinking, "I already know all this; this is common sense; or, this is too simple to be of any value to me." Just wait. By naming and then re-framing certain key success behaviors in a totally non-threatening way Benton's book may subtly change your perception of yourself and others. Suddenly you will notice these key behaviors everywhere; or perhaps worse, you will notice their absence everywhere. Most importantly, you may find that her key ideas are like cheerful pop songs, once you've heard them you can't get out of your head. They may actually start helping you remember to change the way you behave - which is the point after all.

This is a great book to share with leadership "high potentials," or to give people struggling with particular success behaviors. Especially useful in our Turkish business context is Benton's step two : "expect and give acceptance to maintain self esteem." This advice alone is worth an entire volume. Readers in Asia and the Middle East also need to take some of Benton's suggestions with a grain of salt. Her experience is almost entirely grounded in the American business culture, and as a result, some of her suggestions -- such as "ask questions and ask favors" -- may have slightly different impacts for us than they do for her target audience of American middle managers.

Exploit Your Charisma, Your Personal Key to the Top
If you are an executive, or aspire to be one, read this book. Debra Benton simplifies the mystery of charisma into six practical, proven steps that anyone can immediately apply.

"Executive Charisma" is full of time - tested advice from the top business leaders of our time. It is a fast read, perfectly suited for busy people committed to life-long development.

As a practicing executive, I witness first-hand how top leaders relate to others on a daily basis. Those who know how to access and apply the 'soft' leadership skills are the winners, period. No matter how bright and classicaly educated a leader is, those who rise to the top have mastered the art of charisma.

Read Benton's book and learn how easy it is to turn up the juice on your executive charisma.

A Good Read!
Remember everything your mother told you. Stand up straight. Pull your shoulders back. Be outgoing. Smile. If you've forgotten these lessons, this is for you. It's not what you know, it's who you know - and what they think and feel about you - that makes all the difference in your career. Be human. Ask for favors. Ask for information. Pitch in. Have a sense of humor. Speak slowly and listen carefully. Author D.A. Benton's presumably deep, probing interviews with 500 executives convinced her that charisma isn't inborn. She believes that everyone can learn to be charismatic. Just follow the six steps that can turn even the most repulsive excuse for a manager into a charming, charismatic executive. So, read this and practice. There's no harm in it, and it might do some good. However, while recommending this basic manual, suspects that the nature of charisma is a bit like the way a jazz musician explained the nature of jazz - if you have to ask what it is, you'll never know.

"Let your light so shine before men...."
The word "charisma" is derived from the Greek word "kharisma," meaning divine gift, and used in reference to someone who has an exceptional ability to attract the attention and devotion of substantial numbers of people. Throughout history, some despicable people (e.g. Adolph Hitler) have demonstrated the power of charisma but we tend to explain it, rather, as a positive, desirable quality, associating it with those whom we admire, respect, and trust (e.g. Mohandas Gandhi). In this context, of special interest to me is Jim Collins' assertion that many of the CEOs of the good-to-great companies he studied are not charismatic.

According to information provided by Princeton University Press which published Search for a Corporate Savior: The Irrational Quest for Corporate CEOs, Rakesh Khurana shares what he learned from a rigorous research of the hiring and firing of CEOs at over 850 of America's largest companies and from extensive interviews with CEOs, corporate board members, and consultants at executive search firms. "He explains the basic mechanics of the selection process and how hiring priorities have changed with the rise of shareholder activism. Khurana argues that the market for CEOs, which we often assume runs on cool calculation and the impersonal forces of supply and demand, is culturally determined and too frequently inefficient. Its emphasis on charisma artificially limits the number of candidates considered, giving them extraordinary leverage to demand high salaries and power. It also raises expectations and increases the chance that a CEO will be fired for failing to meet shareholders' hopes. The result is corporate instability and too little attention to long-term strategy."

All this is shared to create a context for comments on Benton's most recent book. In it, she offers a six-step process to develop "executive charisma: Be the first to initiate; expect and give acceptance to maintain esteem (yours as well as others'); ask questions and ask favors; stand tall, straight, and smile; be human, humorous, and hands-on; and finally, slow down, shut up, and listen. Obviously Benton agrees with Napoleon Hill (Think and Grow Rich) and Dale Carnegie (How to Win Friends and Influence People) who affirm the same values, as do more recent authors such as Jim O'Toole, Stephen Covey, Daniel Goleman, John Maxwell, and David Maister.

Merely listing the six steps in no way detracts from Benton's thorough analysis of each. She correctly insists that all should be developed sequentially; they are separate but interdependent. For that reason, their full development should be carefully integrated. As my reviews of her previous books indicate, her titles can be somewhat misleading. For example, when explaining how to think and act like a CEO, she is NOT suggesting that if you read those two books, you will become a CEO. The same is true of the title of this book. Benton does not suggest that by reading it you will become charismatic. If I understand her correctly, her purpose rather is to suggest how to increase what is generally referred to as "personal magnetism": that is, becoming more attractive to others by earning their admiration respect, and trust. My own experience indicates that charismatic people have an inherent authenticity in terms of their beliefs, values, and behavior. Charlatans also have some glitter but lack integrity and are inevitably found out.

One other point I wish to stress (on Benton's behalf) is that she did not write this book only for executives unless the word's meaning is extended to include anyone who takes action (executes) and/or calls upon others to do so. Benton's six-step process has obvious relevance to the world of commerce but also to education, athletics (especially youth sports), public service, healthcare, and (yes) religious organizations. There seem to be two quite different forms of charisma: cosmetic (of short duration such as a sparkler) and organic (of extended duration such as the bunsen burner). The former is expedient. The latter is authentic. The real deal. The right stuff. Call it whatever you will.

Not everyone can develop a dazzling personality but, as Benton asserts, everyone can become worthy of others' admiration respect, and trust. And that is as true of the CEO of a major corporation as it is of the volunteer who coaches that CEO's daughter or granddaughter on a youth soccer team.

Very Well Done!
Corporate America would be 100 times a more pleasant arena if executives would live by this book.

D.A. Benton outlines all the key characteristics that are necessary for effective communication in today's business environment.

With increased numbers of firms moving towards a learning organization, personal accountability is in great demand. It would be a wise move during change efforts to utilize this material as a tool for executive development. ... Read more

Book Description

Branding.

Dubbed by many the “marketing buzzword” of the late ‘90s, everyone knows that building your product or service into a bona fide brand is the only way to cut through the clutter in today's insanely crowded marketplace.

The only question is, how do you do it?

Learn the laws of branding in the branding bible: The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding. Brilliant, bold, and mercifully brief, this is the definitive work on branding, distilling the complex principles and theories espoused in other long-winded, high-priced professional marketing tomes into 22 quick and easy-to-listen-to vignettes. Pairing the brand-blazing strategies from the world's best -- like Coca-Cola, Xerox, and Starbucks -- with the world-renowned marketing savvy of bestselling author, Al Ries, and his daughter Laura Ries, The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding builds on the huge international success of The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing and provides the expert insight you seek on business's hottest topic in less time than an airplane ride.

Find out:

• Why you will fail to create a brand through advertising, sales promotion, public relations or fancy packaging
• How to define your category. . . even if you're not first to market
• How overbranding equals underwhelming
• Why good old-fashioned publicity may be the missing link in the brand-building process
• Why giving your brand the right name is perhaps more important than the brand itself

And perhaps most important of all:

• How to own a word in the mind of the consumer.

Smart and accessible, The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding provides the ammo you need to dominate your category and turn your product or service into a world-class brand. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

To focus and place a word in the prospect mind!
I have read a few books written by Ries and there are two ideas that are emphasized again and again, that is, to focus and to place a word in the prospect mind. This book is no exception. The laws of branding built in this book are based on these two concepts.

"Marketing is building a brand in the mind of the prospect". I totally agree. People are exposed to an over-communicated environment, to place a word in the prospect mind can surely lead your company to success. In fact, in customers' mind, there is no difference between your products and your competitors'. Only by building a brand can you differentiate your company from its competitors.

I also agree that brand building is not just for marketing department but for the entire company, as a brand is not only composed of its name but also of its product, service, environment, communication and behavior of the company. Everything a company does is related to brand building. Therefore, apart from the name that includes the logotypes and the color, this book also provides us with a lot of ways to do with the brand. For examples, to focus in its scope, to achieve it with publicity and maintain it with advertising, to promote the category rather than the brand, to distinguish it from the company, to avoid using subbranding etc.

This book is clear in the format and the content, illustrated by plenty of examples of what not to do and lessons on how to brand in the customer's mind! I can get a lot of insights from it.

This book is worth reading! I highly recommend you to read it!

Then 1 Immutable Law of Al Ries
Focus. Don't do a line extension to save your life.

OK, this book is great and should be read by anyone involved in marketing (I mean come on, who doesn't have the 3 hours it takes to read this book). Unfortunately one serious drawback is that he uses plenty of examples to support his claims. Huh? Why is that a negative? Here's why: because it gets the reader to think of plenty of counter-examples that contradict his points. As another reviewer suggested the claim of "immutable" laws of marketing is a bit bold, but what the book does provide is food for thought in a highly readable context.

You gotta give the guy credit though. He takes a stand. And there's a lot to be said for taking a viewpoint and standing by it in today's middle of the road world.

If you don't feel up to reading "Focus," "Positioning," or some of the other texts by Al Ries, this one provides a lot of the insights in bite size pieces.

Despite the knocks against it listed above there are a few points worth acknowledging: 1. Al Ries is a legend in marketing. 2. It's a good, fun read with many useful examples worth keeping in mind when developing marketing strategies. 3. By reading it for yourself you can develop examples to refute a lot fo the laws and move along the path towards critically evaluating branding strategies.

Give credit where credit is due
Nearly everything in this book is copied verbatim from the marketing classic "Positioning, the battle for you mind" by Jack Trout; Give credit where it's actually due.

"Yeah, right," I said
I do a little consulting in marketing & branding. I've got five other books on branding sitting on the shelf, & I've plowed through four.

I wouldn't say those other books were a waste of time, but I'm confident that this one has more immediately useful information than all of them taken together. And I'm stunned that it as easy read, not only informative but *fun*.

This edition is the one you want, as it combines the 22 laws with the other 11 that pertain very specifically to the Internet. By the time you get through the first few, you will find yourself looking at every brand -- on television, in the stores, on your own shelves -- in a whole new light. One of the prime models, coincidentally enough, is Amazon.com itself. The authors' comments on this very site will probably open your eyes to how remarkable the Bezos legacy has been.

I've barely finished, yet this book has already helped steer me better as to some website questions I had been studying. It's already paid for itself ten times over, & I am certain that the benefits have only begun. The simple, clear differentiation between a company name & a brand name has, by itself, been a unique lesson, & I've taken to heart the stern warnings (& wonderfully absurd object lessons) against line extensions & brand dilution.

Don't let the somewhat bizarre cover put you off (as it did me). This is one of the few books that I intend to re-read on a regular basis, & I will read more Reis titles in the near future.

YOU'LL BE "INVOLVED" WITH THIS LITTLE RIES CAMEO
I write reviews on Amazon rather avidly. When I started reading this particular book, I knew it would be a good number to review. So I started marking everything in the book that I disagreed with or that I felt was worth commenting on.

That the Ries duo relies on sweeping statements (e.g., "Quality of a product doesn't matter. It's all about brands.") hardly made my intentions any easier. Needless to say, my copy of 22 Immutable Laws of Branding is riddled with lots of ink and copious sidenotes. There is a lot I said "Really?" to while reading.

But maybe that's the thing I adore about Ries Inc. Their books are anything but boring manuals on a topical issue so relevant to almost anyone in business. I was "involved" with this book like I have seldom been with a work of non-fiction. I adored and went all retrospective with the "Law of the Name" and the "Law of Globalism". The writing is trippy, semi-provocative and hence absolutely delectable in a piece of work such as this!

Do I recommend it? Wholeheartedly. A wonderfully satisfying read. Just keep your discerning senses about you and think twice before wrapping your (brand management) career around all the advice this book proffers.

Noteworthy: The whole book is also available in a PDF version, if you are not particularly averse to on-screen reading. ... Read more

Book Description

Whether you're selling, persuading, advising or explaining, you spend most of your dayto-day life in verbal communication with others. The skills you bring to those exchanges will determine whether they go in your favor -- or leave you behind as others succeed. If you can't communicate your ideas or intentions, you can't expect others to understand them; on the other hand, the better you can make yourself understood, the higher your chances for climbing to the top.

Renowned communications expert James K. Van Fleet guides you through the most effective verbal communications strategies available today. Whatever the situation, your mastery of these basic communication skills can give you an instant powerful advantage.

Imagine yourself:

• Striking up a conversation with anyone
• Making lasting friendships from initial meetings
• Negotiating the services you need from anyone
• Enhancing crucial communications lines between employees, colleagues, vendors, and supervisors.

From business meetings to romantic encounters, artful communication can help make almost any situation go right. With Conversation Power, you'll be able to communicate your way to success! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Want to Sound Cliched? Buy this Book
I just don't know about this book. I admire the fact that it offers specific things to say when encountered with situations, but at the same time, that's its Achilles' heel. For example, people who constantly ask me what I do make me feel important, but at the same time can get on my nerves. That is the thrust of the book: learn as much as you can about the person with whom you are talking. The problem is I just don't feel the suggestions for making first-time conversation will impress anyone. And telling someone to never, ever say "hello" when answering the phone? Maybe it's me, but folks who answer the phone "Top of the mornin'" sound really silly if they are not a close friend. And then you laugh. Imagine it coming from a stranger? You would think he is off his rocker. In my opinion, this subject matter is better covered in a workshop so that one can see the effectiveness. It's a case of "works for some but not for others." The author appears to have hastily thrown something together as if the publisher said, "Write us something...or else!" I'll take the "or else."

Mostly a Rehash of Dale Carnegie
Most of this tape is a rehash of Dale Carnegie principles - use people's names, make them feel important, etc. The program is 99% focused on business communications with very little focus on personal communications. 25% of the program gets sidetracked on how to reprimand an employee. I wanted the focus to stay on conversation skills. Also, the author uses way too many lists of steps (i.e. the 11 steps to improving in these areas with several of the 11 steps being 3 or 5 step items in themselves). You must take notes while listening to keep up with all the lists of steps.

One of the best tapes I found on the topic and more.
I discovered these tapes about a year ago, listened to them more then once, and never got bored with them. The author is a strategist, he not only covers conversational skills but, more broadly, communications skills including bulding relationships and leadership. The autor builds his concepts on the deep understanding of the human nature. All points are presented in a very clear and systematic way and are well illustrated by examples. I learned a lot from these tapes. For me they are a good addition to Carnegie, Lowndes, Boothman, deLisser and other great authors.

More effective than a sleeping pill
This tape is so unbelieveably boring and obtuse, I've listened to it several times to convince myself I wasn't missing something. Nope, nothing missed, just an extremely monotone voice droning on and on, taking 10 minutes for a 1 minute topic.
Mr. Van Fleet's comments would be well received in the 50's, but it's 2002 and most all his "helpful" points are dated or oversimplified.
"People like to hear you use their name"; well, Mr. Van Fleet, that is interesting advise Mr. Van Fleet. Tell me Mr. Van Fleet, how did you come to realize this gem of a pointer, eh James ?
If you want advice from the mid 1900's, buy anything from Carnegie - you can't go wrong.

I gave it back at first read, now I'm buying it again
Yeah that's right. I read this book about a year ago, and because of its somewhat strait-forward and simple presentation I decided I wouldn't need to keep it, so I sent it back.

Well soon afterwards, I realized how much I had learned from this book and how it really does change the way you communicate. I especially appreciated the focus on listening. Really, most of the advice found in its pages have proved to be true and helpful to me. So even though I now have to buy back a book I've already read, its definitely worth it. ... Read more

Book Description

The Leadership Wisdom of Jesus is a call to wise and compassionate leadership. Rather than looking to Jesus’ teachings to support preconceived theories of how managers should lead, Manz looks at the New Testament with an open mind. What he has found are powerful lessons that will inspire leaders and followers of any religious background.

This updated and expanded edition includes a new preface, a chapter on how to address issues like accountability and justice in relation to compassion and forgiveness, and suggestions for classroom use. It also features more insightful examples of leadership wisdom in practice. Remarkably contemporary, the lessons in The Leadership Wisdom of Jesus shed a penetrating light on the path to effective leadership and provide valuable insights on how topromote a more constructive and compassionate world for us all. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great for new managers and old who care for their followers
I am a Christian and was looking for a book on managagement that would help me to be a good leader and also help me learn to creatate a win-win type situation. I found that this book confurmed that what I have beendoing in regard to my leadership style is how God would have me to be. Ihave to say that Mr. Manz stretches for the passage and the subject tomeet, He in the most part does a very good job. I would recemmened thisbook to everyone, leader or not .It give good advice on how we should treatpeople.

Outstanding lessons in sound leadership practice.
I enjoyed Manz's perspective on leadership. In the age of mergers,aquisitions, and emphasis on the bottom line, Manz offers sound leadershipfor the business executive based on the fundamental wisdom of Jesus Christ.The subject manner offers huge challenges for the executive of today. Ideassuch as lead by serving, passiveness, lifting up employees, and leadershipthrough example are all sound but seem to be huge challenges in todaysworld. Those who are critical are unwilling to accept the challenge but itdoes work. It is refreshing to see a perspective based solely on the truth.Leadership based on the truth will not fail and I congradulate Dr. Manz onhis stance and his thoughts. ... Read more

Book Description

In today's changing business world, leaders face more challenges than ever before, whether from increased competition, new ways of reaching customers, or motivating people.

Leadership by the Book is an exceptional new book, brimming with insights, ideas, tools, and tactics for becoming a successful leader. Written in the parable format of Ken Blanchard's bestselling The One Minute Manager. and Raving Fans, it tells the story of a professor and a minister who school a young professional in management skills and ethics. Citing Jesus as a source for practical lessons in effective leadership, the authors explore the concept of "servant leadership" and offer simple strategies for bringing vision and values to any organization. Individuals will learn how to:

• Achieve goals without sacrificing character or faith
• Inspire and sustain commitment and others to give their best
• Build teamwork and celebrate successes
• Find personal passion and meaning in work

Sure to be required reading for managers and employees, Leadership by the Book can also be applied in day-to-day life by parents, coaches, entrepreneurs, and community leaders everywhere. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Excellent Idea, Severe Omission
Blanchard and Hybels and Hodges team up for an excellent perspective on leadership from a Christian point of view. While reaching out to the secular marketplace with valid concepts for servant leadership, they put together an excellent framework for leadership. The summary checklist, given on pp. 171ff., offer a helpful concise summary of the book. The glaring omission, and one that I can't believe that Hybels would make, is to clearly point out that following Jesus' style of leadership is absolutely impossible apart from first having a personal relationship with Jesus, in other words, you can't lead like Jesus if you don't have him in your life to help you. I can't believe that there wasn't at least an appendix for those who would like to pursue that issue further. I believe that the authors are posturing too much to get the secular audience to read the book. But for the Christian, it is an excellent book.

An excellent primer for servant leadership
Ken Blanchard's allegorical style leads the reader through a case study as we learn about the leadership style of Jesus. The story helps us get beyond the typical studies, charts and graphs of many leadership books and allows us to touch on the spirit and heart of true leadership.

This book will appeal to those persons who are intuitive and feeling. Ken leaves out the data and speaks to the heart of leadership.

A significantly different Christian leadership book than those put forth by John Maxwell.

Very Slow Story!
I was absolutely bored to tears while reading this book. I think that a lot of the suggestions towards better leadership are very well intentioned and are good ideas, but it is very heavy in religion. If you are a strong believer in JC then this book might appeal to you. I was sick of the many religious references by page 30. The story was also poorly written. I found myself having to re-read portions of the book to understand the point. The only thing I will remember from this book is EGO (you'll get it once you've read it).

Another great Blanchard book
Leaderhsip By The Book is another in a great string of management books. While many books scratch the surface of management and other delve into the minute details, Blanchard and his co-writers deliver practical, useable ideas in a common-sense manner that will allow the brightest of managers see new insights and the newest of managers see the bigger picture of the challenges ahead of them.
The story is told in parable format, similar to Raving Fans and Gung Ho (two books referred to within LBTB), which allows Blanchard, et al. to tell the story of a hard-charging businessman who had built a solid foundation for his direction and effort and had lost his way getting caught up in the fever of big business and big EGO. I'm confident most managers can identify with some of the mistakes made by Michael, the good guy that gets turned around, has a heart attack and finds his way back. The heart attack is symbolic of what often confronts leaders that allows them to see the wrong choices they make that are casued by EGO or other motivators that are not aligned with the idea espoused in this book called servant leadership.
You have to read this book. I am leading a leadership program at work and this book is the capstone of the program. Buy it and get a copy for all your employees who are in the position of leadership, whether in management positions or line positions.

Let there be leaders
This is yet another parable by Ken Blanchard in his characteristic style for driving home powerful messages. This story is around Michael the executive and his friends the minister and the professor. It clearly brings out the pressures experienced by a high-flying executive in his pursuit of success, that soon he loses his links with friends and guidance from the Lord.

Business leaders tend to assume themselves as masters to get things done through lesser mortals to achieve business goals. Their egos start bloating, denying them the true unconditional love bestowed on us by the Lord. EGO is aptly described here as "Edging God out".

The leadership model as described in this book is based on Jesus and, in my opinion has not been discussed in most management books on the topic.

Let there be leaders....who lead as servants of the Lord.

Highly recommended for all men and women who would like to lead in leading. ... Read more

Book Description

the PATH In a world in which we are daily forced to make decisions that lead us either closer to or further from our goals, no tool is as valuable in providing direction as a mission statement -- a brief, succinct, and focused statement of purpose that can be used to initiate, evaluate, and refine all of life's activities.

Individuals and companies have recently been learning what history has demonstrated all along -- that people or groups with carefully defined missions have always led and surpassed those who have none. Yet the process of outlining that mission statement has been, up to now, an arduous one that all too few have committed the time, energy, and resources to undertake.

In The Path, Laurie Beth Jones, author of the national bestseller Jesus CEO, provides inspiring and practical advice to lead listeners through every step of both defining and fulfilling a mission. With more than ten years' experience in assisting groups and individuals, Jones offers clear, step-by-step guidance that help you create a mission statement in a matter of hours rather than a month or years.

Rich with humor, exercises, and case histories, The Path is essential listening for anyone seeking a lighter, clearer way in the world. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Phenomenal
This book is life altering. A completely different twist on finding your purpose and place in life. In my case, my final life purpose statement shocked me at first. I thought I must have done the exercises wrong. However, after thinking about it for a moment, I realized the mission statement revealed my inner most truth, the absolute and quintessential me. I love how Laurie Beth Jones helps you develop a personal mission statement. She teaches the importance of aligning yourself with a company that has a similar or complementary mission statement. Powerful stuff!

Insightful!
Laurie Beth Jones' survey of the basic principles of creating mission statements and vision statements is accompanied by her personal observations. She includes stories about clients, business associates and friends, and stories from the Bible. The book focuses on ways each individual can develop a personal path to guide him or her through professional and personal life. The book is written in short, easy-to-read sections. The basic message about missions and goals is familiar. Many readers will find that this book offers a quick and useful guide to creating an overall plan, within an inspirational and spiritual context. However, some may admire her strong Christian orientation and others may find themselves uncomfortable with it. As she notes, her personal mission is to "recognize, promote and inspire the divine connection in myself and others." She fulfills that mission with the book's underlying Christian message. We [...] recommend this book to those who wish to develop a personal plan and who are interested in including a Christian-oriented spiritual dimension in that process.

Religious Themes and yet Very Practical
In the book the path, Ms. Jones demonstrates how "People with clearly defined missions have always led those who haven't any. You are either living your mission or you are living someone else's."

Although Ms. Jones reaches into the historical past of Judeo-Christian tradition for many of her examples, she also gives many personal and contemporary accounts. The religious references may put off some non-religious readers, yet the book still has many powerful exercises that do help you create a powerful mission statement.

Ms. Jones is humorous at times which helps to drive home her points. One of my favorites is when she is making the case for the power behind having a clear mission statement. "I often visualize heaven as being like a catalog fulfillment center, full of angels reading requests. 'This one reads, 'I want to be happy in the future', says Gabriel. 'What exactly does that mean?' asks Michael. 'I do not know. What should I do with it?' asks Gabriel. 'Put it in the hold file, with all the rest. Someday maybe these humans will learn to be specific," sighs Michael, as he marks yet another request incomplete".

The heart of the book is the chapter entitled "Creating the Vision Statement." Here she created two very practical sets of exercises. One for individuals and the other for groups/organizations. Each question is designed to help you create a clearer vision of what you want thus helping you to attract, manifest and get clear about "the path" you want to follow.

Rick's Purpose Ratings
Relevance of exercises 10
"Woo Woo" scale* 5
It makes a good case for purpose 8
Good for individuals 10
Good for groups 8
Overall 8.2
*Indicates how mainstream the book is. 1 = Very far out, strap on your astral helmets, 10 = Practical and contemporary, a great book for a skeptic like Archie Bunker.

I highly recommend her book.

Excellent
This is a great product that helped me to focus my own life a great deal more. It is not just for professional use, it can be for spiritual growth as well. I loved it!

One of my top 3 recommendations of all time
If you do it right, this book will change your life. Next to SIMPLE ABUNDANCE and THE BIBLE, there are few books with that power and influence. I've read this book 20+ times, always with the idea that I can improve on what I learned the times before. If you are looking for a way to set goals in your life in a structured, yet personal, way....this is the place to start. It is geared toward everyone, but women seem to find it more applicable. ... Read more

Book Description

Synchronicity is an inspirational guide to developing the most essential leadership capacity for our time: how we can collectively shape our future. Joseph Jaworski offers a new definition of leadership that applies to all types of leaders: community, regional, national, international, corporate, political. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Some day more books will be written this way.
Talking of dreams, magical moments with animals, following hunches and coincidences, dealing with the pains of personal history, talking about life as if it were an adventure story of wonder and self-discovery; you could say this is no way to write a book about business leadership. But thank goodness Joseph Jaworski, with the help of friends and a visionary editor, had the courage to do just that. Because the result is as profound as it is compelling. Dialogue is at the heart of Joe’s leadership philosophy, and the style and integrity of his writing is such that it draws the reader’s mind into just that state. His words are no dry treatise, they leave the page and make a direct emotional connection. Some day, more books will be written this way, and the world will be wiser for it.

The Power of Intuition Is the Irresistible Opportunity to Be
Many books about leadership view the subject as being akin to mechanical engineering. How do you get all those people (like cogs in a machine) to act in just the ways you want them to? Mostly written by leaders to describe their own experiences or by writers to explain what leaders told them, these books are unsatisfying in the extreme. Take a look at Flawed Advice and the Management Trap by Chris Argyris to get a further perspective on this problem. This book is totally different, and quite appealing.

Jaworski (son of Leon Jaworski, the famous special prosecutor of the Watergate scandal) tells of his personal journey from being a successful corporate lawyer to becoming someone who works on making leadership better for all of us. Like most personal journeys, this one has low points (his wife falling in love with another man and telling Jaworski to move out that day, his father not telling him that he loved him, and the deaths of a child of each of his two sisters) and some high points (breakthrough meetings with great thinkers and stimulating helpful change). You could read the book for this, and you would have the rewards of a nicely done biography of someone who is working towards living an exemplary life.

But there is more. Jaworski has accumulated some important insights into leadership that are well worth knowing. He makes an appealing case for servant leadership (the leader looks out for the group, rather than his self-interest). He also tells a fascinating tale of running the scenario development work at Royal Dutch Shell for 4 years. From this, he develops what seemed to me to be a profound insight: Scenarios can be used both to prepare for the future by helping us think through it in advance, and to create the future. That last thought provided me with a nice epiphany. Although I was very familiar with the Shell planning technique from the business literature and from talking to Arie de Geus about it, this implication had never dawned on me. I deeply appreciate learning this.

Beyond that, the book is a living testament to the importance of finding your true self and listening to the wee small voice of intuition that can steer you in the right direction. Jaworski to his credit has been quite willing to do both, and it has made all the difference.

Many books on leadership talk about the role as a state of being. That usually leaves me confused. Jaworski makes the same point, but through his personal history I was able to understand what he meant.

At another level, I found the book to be quite astonishing because it paralleled my own personal journal. I started out as a lawyer, heeded my inner voice to become a management consultant, and then heeded my inner voice again to become an author to spread important ideas about how people can become more effective in working with one another. He was fascinated by how to use scenarios to help the political transition in South Africa. I founded a company in the early 80s to find ethical ways for companies to leave South Africa while strenthening the position of nonwhite employees. I have read the works of everyone Jaworski cites in the book. At first, this seemed like a big coincidence. Then I realized that Arie de Geus is someone we both know, and he probably suggested more then a few of the authors to both of us. In fact, Arie de Geus played a pivotal role in the development of our new book, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise. Six degrees of separation is occuring all over again!

If you read this book, and read the works of those who Jaworski cites, you will have given yourself a valuable trip towards becoming the kind of signficant leader you have the potential to be. With the help of you wee, small inner voice, this should be an irresitible call to action!

Reads like a good mystery novel
My colleagues and I have been designing and facilitating leadership development programs for about 20 years. I've also served as a VP of three Fortune 500 companies. I recommend this book to everyone who is a leader or who wants to be one. Not only does it contain THE secret to true leadership, Mr. Jaworski has written his account so that it reads like a good mystery novel. You wonder what will happen next. And he has written this book from his heart. I hope our paths cross one day soon.

Good Story about Personal Reinvention
I read the book on the recommendation of a coworker. For me, it opened up my eyes to finding my type of leadership-in my case servant-leadership. His journey of personal reinvention is a joy to read especially as he learns what is truly important in life.

Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership
Ideas of Grandiosity.
I would suggest that the individuals mentioned in this book be interviewed for their version of the experiences. Then determine if this book has taken some "fictional" license. But wouldn't we all like to paint a fantastic autobiographical picture of ourselves especially if our lineage had someone truly outstanding in it. ... Read more

Book Description

A Business Week, New York Times Business, and USA Today Bestseller

"Ambitious and readable . . . an engaging introduction to the oddsmakers, whom Bernstein regards as true humanists helping to release mankind from the choke holds of superstition and fatalism." —The New York Times

"An extraordinarily entertaining and informative book." —The Wall Street Journal

"A lively panoramic book . . . Against the Gods sets up an ambitious premise and then delivers on it." —Business Week

"Deserves to be, and surely will be, widely read." —The Economist

"[A] challenging book, one that may change forever the way people think about the world." —Worth

"No one else could have written a book of such central importance with so much charm and excitement." —Robert Heilbroner author, The Worldly Philosophers

"With his wonderful knowledge of the history and current manifestations of risk, Peter Bernstein brings us Against the Gods. Nothing like it will come out of the financial world this year or ever. I speak carefully: no one should miss it." —John Kenneth Galbraith Professor of Economics Emeritus, Harvard University

In this unique exploration of the role of risk in our society, Peter Bernstein argues that the notion of bringing risk under control is one of the central ideas that distinguishes modern times from the distant past. Against the Gods chronicles the remarkable intellectual adventure that liberated humanity from oracles and soothsayers by means of the powerful tools of risk management that are available to us today.

"An extremely readable history of risk." —Barron's

"Fascinating . . . this challenging volume will help you understand the uncertainties that every investor must face." —Money

"A singular achievement." —Times Literary Supplement

"There's a growing market for savants who can render the recondite intelligibly—witness Stephen Jay Gould (natural history), Oliver Sacks (disease), Richard Dawkins (heredity), James Gleick (physics), Paul Krugman (economics)—and Bernstein would mingle well in their company." —The Australian ... Read more

Reviews (111)

Mathematics for freethinkers, for gamblers, for bankers
Any reader who picks up "Against the Gods" for mathematical amusement will be surprised to find out that "the revolutionary idea that defines the boundary between modern times and the past is the mastery of risk." This claim, in the introduction, should be evidence enough that this book is no brainteaser, but rather the chronicle of a concept that has transformed how society thinks about the future.

Peter Bernstein, author and consultant, begins with the ancient civilizations that came close but never actually thought specifically about risk. The reasons are many-for one, absent Arabic numerals, computational mathematics were impossible. More importantly, conceiving of risk required a profound metamorphosis of the way people thought about the future: mathematicians and philosophers could only develop risk mathematics once people were convinced that the future was unpredictable and depended on their choices more so than the whims of any particular deity.

Most of the advances in the field came from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century. Often, the impetus was gambling; in fact, most of the puzzles that mathematicians tried to solve by developing probability mathematics were related to card games or craps. After that came the actuarial science, with mathematicians gripping with questions of life expectancies and illnesses.

Only in the second half of the twentieth century does risk become highly mathematical, as it enters into economics and finance, where precision and quantitative data overtake rough estimations and qualitative analysis. But with the emergence of precision have also come severe criticisms-on one end from psychologists who have cast doubt on the robustness of the rational behavior hypothesis, and on the other, from chaos mathematicians who prefer non-linear and complex explanations that go against the intellectual tradition of statisticians.

The history of risk, readers will find out, is more interesting than expected. It is a story of gamblers, philosophers, mathematicians, economists, psychologists and many others. Most of all, it is a chronicle of an ever ending dream: to anticipate or even predict the future. Whether people will ever be able to do that is doubtful; but there is no better account of that quest than Mr. Bernstein's "Against the Gods."

An outstanding book about the evolution of risk.
Against the Gods is an outstanding book about the evolution of risk and man's attempt to understand it. Bernstein begins with ancient times and traces the history of numbers and probability leading eventually to today's seemingly complex financial world of portfolio theory, derivatives, and risk management techniques. Readers will learn about revolutionary thinkers including John von Neumann (inventor of game theory), Isaac Newton, Harry Markowitz (grandfather of portfolio theory), and the late Fischer Black (Black Scholes option formula) among others. Readers will also find enlightening stories about game theory, fibonacci numbers, chaos theory, the bell curve, regression to the mean, and more. Yet despite all the intelligence, computer power, and sophisticated techniques, Bernstein presents us with the growing body of evidence discovered by researchers including the late Amos Tversky and others that "reveals repeated patterns of irrationality, inconsistency, and incompetence in the ways human beings arrive at decisions and choices when faced with uncertainty." Against the Gods was chosen as one of Business Week's top 10 books of the year for 1996.

History Buffs: Here you go!
Against the Gods draws you through a vast time span. Peter Bernstein begins with the conception of the Arabic numbeting system, up through present time super speed computers. Although, the history found in this book is interesting, the title leads you to believe it is all about investment risks, however it is more of a history text book than a manual. This book is a story of theories and how they developed. You will learn quite a bit about ancient times and how things evolved into the way that they are now, but do not expect any great help or advice on how to deal with risks in the investment world. Once you get into this book, Bernstein's writing sytle draws you in. The book is interesting enough, Bernstein's knowledge of hisotry is astounding. History Buffs: here ya go!

Good outline of the history of risk
"Against the Gods" is a book outlining the history of risk. The book provides an outline of all the key players and their contribution to risk theory and management. Chronologically, the book begins in ancient times and stretches all the way to the present, where Bernstein delves into the works of modern day risk luminaries. The book is well written and the style is engaging, with the author always managing to find a way to keep the reader entertained as well as informed.

The book does not pretend to be a "how to" guide for risk management, nor should readers treat it as such. Although the book does discuss modern risk management tools such as derivatives, it is devoid of complex technical analysis and its treatment of such devices is limited to outlining their place in the history of risk. Those looking for technical trading analysis should seek elsewhere.

One of the key questions a potential reader of this book should be asking is "Does this book have any practical applications with regards to modern day risk management?" Whilst as mentioned above the book is not a step by step guide, I firmly believe the book is useful insofar as it enables the reader to avoid the pitfalls of the past. For example, capital markets are continually surprising those who hold an unwavering belief in "regression to the mean". The books provides an explanation of what this theory states, how it has been applied and where overzealous disciples have misused this principle in the past. Overall I would recommend this book as an informative and enjoyable read.

Neutral Recommendation - Do Not Buy - Maybe Borrow
I am going to give you a short review and to the point.

I read this book because it was recommended on "Money Talk" the national radio show on every weekend for 6 hours on investing - Bob Brinker hosting. He is an excellent market timer and gives solid advice. Follow his (diversified investment) advice and you will make lots of money and unlike mutual funds do better than the S&P 500 with low expense ratios.

He had a recommended reading list and he named this book. The book is a disappointment. It is light weight stuff. Only part is on the markets. Frankly I cannot recommend the book.

The point of the book is that the market carries risk. Most people know that and never put more than 4% in one stock. Even Bill Gates knows that and has quietly converted some of his Microsoft stock into other areas. So skip the book and just invest in government backed instruments or follow the golden rule, no more than 4% in one stock.

Jack in Toronto ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sometimes, "what we've got here" is not "a failure to communicate." Often, people understand each other perfectly well and still disagree with each other. What to do? Dr. David Stiebel outlines a four-point plan that can help you resolve seemingly unwinnable arguments in your favor.

In humorous, yet straightforward, language, Dr. Stiebel guides readers through the principles of "strategic communication." These strategies allow you to anticipate your opponent's reactions and play to them, often by underemphasizing your own motives, in order to get what you want. Whether you're looking for solutions to conflicts at home or in the workplace, When Talking Makes Things Worse! offers sensible advice that you can apply immediately. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great book on negotiation, debunks many misguided myths
I bought this book second-hand and had it shipped from USA. Read it in one evening, and the verdict is - one of the best books on negotiation. Although neither the title, nor the subtitle bear any referenceto negotiation (a marketing and editorial mistake in my opinion!!!) this book is not just about communication, it is predominantely about persuasion and negotiation.

I run training courses on negotiation, so, naturally, I've read almost all negotiation books available in English language. Can't tell you how much rubbish is out there on this particular topic. Not David Stiebel's book - this one is one of the best. Regrettably, one of the least obtainable ...

If you liked "Start with NO ..." by Jim Camp, you will like this book too. It also debunks the win-win myth (and many others)and puts to shame many bestselling books out there .. Negotiate This or That, Secrets of This and That ...

Although by no means a complete treatise on negotiation, this book should be on every negotiator's Top 10 list! ... Read more

Book Description

From the audio archives of the Napoleon Hill Foundation-a series of classic lectures by Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill is the acknowledged master of motivational speakers. The principles and philosophy of success that he outlined in his masterwork, The Laws of Success, and his international bestseller, Think and Grow Rich, have served as the foundation for every motivational speaker since.

In these rare recordings you will hear a complete and thorough exposition of Napoleon Hill's life-alterin