Book Description

The coauthor of the international bestseller Execution has created the how-to guide for solving today’s toughest business challenge: creating profitable growth that is organic, differentiated, and sustainable.

For many, growth is about “home runs”—the big bold idea, the next new thing, the product that will revolutionize the marketplace. While obviously attractive and lucrative, home runs don’t happen every day and frequently come in cycles.

Products like Kevlar, Teflon, and the Dell business model for selling personal computers may be once-in-a-decade phenomena.A surer and more consistent path to pro?table revenue growth is through “singles and doubles”—small day-to-day wins and adaptation to changes in the marketplace that build the foundation for substantially increasing revenues. The impact of singles and doubles can be huge. They are not only the basis for sustained revenue growth but, in fact, the foundation for home runs. Singles and doubles provide the discipline of execution, an absolute necessity for successfully bringing a breakthrough technology to market or implementing a new business model.

Inherent in this way of thinking is the revolutionary idea that growth is everyone’s business—not solely the concern of the sales force or top management. Just as everyone participates in cost reduction, so must everyone be engaged in the growth agenda of the business. Every contact of each employee with a customer is an opportunity for revenue growth. That includes everyone from the people working in a company’s call center handling customer inquiries and complaints to the CEO.

In this trailblazing book, Ram Charan provides the building blocks and tools that can put a business on the path to sustained, pro?table growth. For more than twenty-?ve years, Ram Charan has been working day in and day out with companies around the world. The ideas he has developed for solving the profitable revenue growth dilemma facing many businesses are based on personally seeing what works in real time. These are ideas that have been tested across industries and that deliver results, and they can be put to use starting Monday morning.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Trite
I had heard great things about Ram Charan, so perhaps my expectations were set a bit high.I realy got very little out of this, indeed, I didn't finish it.This review is of the audio edition.I have a bias against professional readers who don't understand what they are reading.While the reading was very professional, it tended to put one to sleep, because the reader didn't know where the important infections were.Other details like pronouncing DEC (Digital Equipment) as "Dee Eee Cee" added to the impression.

Profitable Growth
I do not know Ram Charan.Although impressed by his lecture at the GE Mgmt. Dev. Institute in the early 1970's I did not read Execution.

I advise anyone who was underwhelmed by Profitable Growth to read it again.In addition to the seemingly simple checklist for fostering success, Ram presents an underlying lesson in systems thinking that, once subsumed, will serve you well far beyond the the ten tools presented at the iceberg's tip.

Revenue growth must supplement a cost reduction agenda
Charan's credentials include co-authoring the bestseller "Execution". His writing is very much down-to-earth, no-nonsense, and straightforward. So when he says 10 tools for Monday morning, believe him! Here they are:

1. MAKE REVENUE GROWTH EVERYONE'S BUSINESS. Just like a cost reduction agenda may be a permanent theme in daily conversations and meetings in all departments, so should revenue growth be. And it's not just for the management, it's for all employees to think in this direction (just like we try with the cost reduction agenda).

2. HIT MANY SINGLES AND DOUBLES, NOT JUST HOME RUNS. While home runs provide the opportunity for a quantum leap, they are unpredictable and don't happen all the time. Singles and doubles, however, can happen every day of the year. This piece of advice may sound somewhat trivial. But for what it's worth, my experience from especially larger firms is that it may turn out to be the most important tool. Many big corporations tend to devote too much thinking into finding the big home run - and may give too little attention to the many small growth areas that short-term perhaps do not make an important contribution, but often keep the organization full of life and energy - and well-prepared for take-off...if the elusive home run should materialise.

3. SEEK GOOD GROWTH AND AVOID BAD GROWTH. Good growth not only increases revenues but improves profits, is sustainable over time, and does not use unacceptable levels of capital. It is also primarily organic (internally generated) and based on differentiated products and services that fill new or unmet needs, creating value for customers. Charan constantly challenges leaders that seek acquisitions as primary driver for revenue growth ... instead of organic growth.

4. DISPEL THE MYTHS THAT INHIBIT BOTH PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS FROM GROWING. Confront excuses such as: "We are in a no-growth industry, and no one is growing"; "Customers are buying only on price"; or "The distributors are the ones in direct contact with retailers, and there's not much I can do."

5. TURN THE IDEA OF PRODUCTIVITY ON ITS HEAD BY INCREASING REVENUE PRODUCTIVITY. The old saw says, "We have to do more with less." The problem, though, is that the focus is usually on the "less" and the "more" rarely happens. Revenue productivity is a tool for getting that elusive "more" by actively and creatively searching for ideas for revenue growth without using a disproportionate amount of resources.

6. DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A GROWTH BUDGET. All companies have a budget. It is, however, astonishing how little detail about revenue and sources of revenue growth you can find there. Almost all of the lines in the budget are cost-related. Few, if any, identify resources explicitly earmarked for growth. The growth budget provides a foundation that will allow a company to increase revenues instead of just talking about it.

7. BEEF UP STRATEGIC MARKETING. One of the key missing links for generating revenue growth at most firms is strategic marketing. Most people visualize marketing as tactical tools such as advertising, promotion, and brand-building. Strategic marketing, on the other hand, takes place at a much earlier stage by identifying and precisely defining which customer segments to focus on. It analyzes how the end-user uses the product or service and what competitive advantage will be required to win the customer and at what price points. Charan is using the term "upstream marketing". But I find it a weird way of describing strategic marketing. So I changed it.

8. UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO EFFECTIVE CROSS-SELLING (or value/solutions selling). Cross-selling can be a significant source of revenue growth, but most companies approach it from exactly the wrong perspective. They start by saying, "What else can we sell to our existing customer base?" Instead of looking inside-out your organization, you need to look outside-in. Successful cross-selling starts by selecting a segment of customers and then working backward to define precisely the mix of products and services they need and creatively shaping a value proposition unique to them.

9. CREATE A SOCIAL ENGINE TO ACCELERATE REVENUE GROWTH. Every organization is a social system, the center of which is a way of thinking and acting that sets both day-to-day actions and the long-term agenda. When an organization has an explicit growth agenda understood by everyone, growth becomes a central focus--a social engine--during formal meetings as well as informal discussions. This tool is closely linked to tool no. 1.

10. OPERATIONALIZE INNOVATION BY CONVERTING IDEAS INTO REVENUE GROWTH. Innovation is not the private property of lone geniuses working apart from the mainstream of the business. In any company of reasonable size, innovation is a social process that requires collaboration and communication for idea generation, selecting those ideas for revenue growth that are to be funded, and shaping those ideas into product prototypes and launching them into the marketplace.

Those were the 10 tools. I find the conclusion to be that revenue growth must supplement a cost reduction agenda (though you may want to wait 6-9 months after the efficiency programme have been initiated before embarking on the growth theme). Too many firms focus narrowly on cost cuttings, but to survive long-term we need to have the growth engine to be running as well (singles and doubles are just fine!). Charan explains how to make it work in practice.

Peter Leerskov,
MSc in International Business (Marketing & Management) and Graduate Diploma in E-business

Not as good as I had anticipated
I did get some things out of the book, such as how he explains the "social engine" process as a way to turn a company into a "customer-centric company". But on the whole, I felt there was a lot of repetition, and a lot of other stuff just seemed like good old common sense to me...I was a little disappointed.

Didn't live up to expectations
I should have read the reviews a little more closely.Sounds like most of them know Ram personally.

This is a fine books, but not great.As an executive, I don't think it deserves the 5 star rating that it has.

... Read more

Book Description

A revolutionary new audio program that will guide business leaders into the next century!

He gave them a vision of something larger than themselves.

The world is changing at almost breakneck speed, and the leaders who succeed will be those who can marshal their most powerful resources in the most effective ways. With principles embedded in spirituality, ethics and strength, acclaimed motivator Laurie Beth Jones brings us Jesus, CEO -- a bold yet sensitive inspirational guide for leadership success.

After years in business, Jones was struck by the notion that Jesus' leadership approach ran counter to most of today's management styles. In Jesus, CEO, she explains that by harnessing the three strengths behind Jesus' leadership techniques (the strengths of self-mastery, action, and relationships), we can become the empowered leaders that the next millenium will require.

Following the example of Jesus -- a "CEO" who took a disorganizied "staff" of twelve and built a thriving "enterprise" -- Jesus, CEO details a simple, profound, fresh, and often humor-filled approach to motivating and managing others. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Dissappointing, full of error and new age 'spirituality'.
There was very little in this book that would be useful for leading anyone to Christ, which is what Godly leadership is all about.Scripture was used out of context in far too many places.Never was an emphasis made on encouraging a personal relationship with Christ.There is no way that a person can SUCCESSFULLY use the concepts that Christ taught without KNOWING Him personally. There was lots of talk about being spiritual, but NONE about knowing the Holy Spirit.I would highly recommend, instead, James Hunter's "The Servant".

Letting the Truth Lead
I choose this book for a communication class I have been working on, the assignment was to create a speech based on a book of our choice. The speech was to be directed to a group of prospective peers in a professional environment, such as a Rotary club. The group receiving my speech was to be encouraged to follow my direction, I was to communicate to them that I was a good example of a leader and should be trusted and followed. I came across this book late into the list of acceptable choices and recalled my father reading it several years back. I cannot think of a better book to read for insight on leadership and pragmatic business. The book overlaps so many genres; it is comprehensive to any vocation, any personal investment, or any relationship. Laurie Beth Jones also paid careful attention to the lay-out, done in a logical progression of, self to others. I was particularly attracted to the rationality of using the fundamental teachings of Jesus Christ and applying them to success. I beleive all too often people/readers have difficulty seperating religion from practical day-to-day business, leadership, teaching, ect.... The way Jones presents the teachings of Christ makes it an easy read for all ages, something that I beleive is incredibly difficult. Her skill inunderstanding of the verses of the bible, present the theories so that people can easily make them applicable to their lives. Well done.
That simplicity is also sometimes dangerous, as people often think they have a full understanding of a subject after reading a great text said in plain easily understood language.
I had diceded to use this book for a vehicle to deliveer my speech to an imaginery group of educators, parents, and student. I was delivering it as if I were a teacher for a Christain based school district. My goal was to get people excited about getting involved as a community to teach and raise the community's children-together. I beleive we have become so isolated and so afraid of other people getting involved with our "business." People have taken their children and made them into possessions, when God's teachings clearly tell us we are all brothers & sisters. We clearly need one another, what perfect reminder of that than the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

Helpful advice for anyone in the relationship business
A therapist loaned me this book because it exemplified successful relationships being built on timeless principles. I found useful advice and strategies on every page. Even if you're not a CEO--and just a sister, mother, wife or friend--these short essays will change the way you see the world of people we live in and give you a new way of relating to them. Wonderful!

Practical Applications Oriented as well as Wisdom Filled
Laurie Beth Jones breaks her discussion of Jesus' Ancient Wisdom of Leadership into three sections: Self Mastery, Action and Relationships.

The short, punchy chapters in this book make it the perfect daily companion.I really appreciate how Jones shares examples and illustrations from Bible references as well as bringing in people like Georgia O'Keefe and Dan Millman and others.

Each chapter concludes with a question or two (several have quite a few) which allow the integration and application of the principles in that chapter.I could definitely see taking a chapter a day and really studying and applying as I go about living my life, working my business, etc.

A primer for those seeking to understand Leadership
I picked this book up in an airport bookshop, with no preconceived notions of what it might be.In my search to become a better leader, I found the book compelling and was unable to put the book down.I do not claim to be a biblical scholar and this book didn't require it. Simply, this book is a good primer for a leader looking to understand what leadership is. ... Read more

Book Description

With new millionaires being made with amazing frequency and people from all walks of life investing in the stock market, times have never been better for business. But failures are common too, with companies collapsing at an alarming rate. In The Ten Commandments of Success, management expert James Belasco uses an inspiring rethinking of biblical decrees to help readers bring success and meaning into their lives. For those seeking success at work, at home, or in the community, this book captures the essence of enduring principles to help them achieve their goals. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Common sense, but not very commonly used - it's a good read!
The "Ten Commandments of Success" is packed with practical, bite size morsels of the principles of success. Throw in the Ten Commandments, and it sounds like a basic premise for a book on success. However, the distinct power is his ability to communicate the value of building successful leadership that simultaneously builds heart in an organization while leaving a legacy. There's lots of common sense wisdom in the "Ten Commandments of Success," that I'm sure you'll find is prevalent in ALL successful individuals at some degree; especially the value of continuing to learn and treating others well. Though I listened to this one only once, it made such a positive impact on me, that I desire to revisit it a few more times and continue to "be a student." ... Read more

Book Description

Whether you're engaging in supersonic jet combat at 48,000 feet or entering a tough sales battle with a cutthroat competitor, the goal is the same: absolute victory. In Business is Combat, former F-15 pilot James D. Murphy, an expert in both business and combat strategy, offers a full-scale training course in military techniques that have made the United States Air Force the most advanced air-combat force in the world. From nurturing teamwork to maintaining focus to planning and executing each new mission, Murphy offers advice that's practical as well as thrilling. Whatever your mission, whatever your battle, Business Is Combat provides a blueprint for the kind of success every warrior seeks -- absolute victory.

Reviews (6)

Best ROI in 2000!
I purchased James Murphy's book in 2000, we just completed our financials and I am pleased to report that we doubled our revenues. We contribute this increase to a single statement we found in the book, Business is Combat. "All of our resources in the Air Force are alligned like a shaft of a spear, pushing the "pointy end forward". We did that in our business and the results were dramatic. We have become great planners, we execute efficently and we now debrief, all of this we learned from Mr. Murphy's book. I keep it on my desk and refer to it often because it makes us money.

A Book About Getting Things Done
Many business books are long on theory, but short on providing any insightabout actually executing. And face it, theories come and go, but gettingthings done is never out of style.

James Murphy has written a book aboutgetting things done. His style is informal and accessible ... he writes asif he's sitting across the table talking to you. And he remains focused onhis message: the planning, execution and debriefing required to build asuccessful business or organization.

Getting into this book requires thereader to accept that the skills taught to fighter pilots apply tobusiness. The amazing thing is that they actually do. I've not receivedthis training, but I have been in business for a long time. And theinformation imparted in this book can help anyone run a business better.From handling 'task saturation' to staying focused, this book providesuseful insights in an entertaining way.

If you're looking for a book onthe latest theory on business, skip "Business is Combat." If youwant to pick up some ideas you can start using immediately to get thingsdone, I highly recommend it.

Tactics to put into action right away!
Jim Murphy's book is dead on.As an entrepreneur, one can tend to overlook planning on a day to day scale... this book brings the necessity of a plan back to the center of your business.The best thing you can dofor your business or life... finally something that you can read and thenput into action RIGHT AWAY.Just what I needed.

Aviation & Business Go Together
As a former Air Force Weapons Crew Chief and a 25 year businessman, I thought Business Is Combat was not only an informative and exciting read but one that is absolutely accurate in its analogies, lessons and promiseof success. The fighter jock is cool, calm and collected not just becausehe is who he is but because he is confident in his abilitiy to do what hedoes.This can only come from preparation, repetition and more repetition. As Jim Murphy points alludes, to loose focus for an instant can be thedifference between returning home safely or trying out the handle on theejection seat.

The stakes are just as important in business (perhaps moreso since a leader is also responsible for the people under his charge). Attention to detail and flawless execution has no substitute. I believethis book is a great read and a reference for winning teams

Mission Accomplished
A great read for a young entrepreneuror or veteran who wants to soar his business to new heights.Business is Combat is truly inspirational not only in the corporate world but also in life! ... Read more

Book Description

Now, for the first time ever, the time-tested, proven techniques perfected by the world-famous Dale Carnegie® sales training program are available in book form.

The two crucial questions most often asked by salespeople are: "How can I close more sales?" and "What can I do to reduce objections?" The answer to both questions is the same: You learn to sell from a buyer's point of view.

Global markets, increased technology, information overload, corporate mergers, and complex products and services have combined to make the buying/selling process more complicated than ever. Salespeople must understand and balance these factors to survive amid a broad spectrum of competition. Moreover, a lot of what the typical old-time salesperson did as recently as ten years ago is now done by e-commerce. The new sales professional has to capture and maintain customers by taking a consultative approach and learning to unearth the four pieces of information critical to buyers, none of which e-commerce alone can yield. The Sales Advantage will enable any salesperson to develop long-term customer relationships and help make those customers more successful -- a key competitive advantage. The book includes specific advice for each stage of the eleven-stage selling process, such as:

How to find prospects from both existing and new accounts

The importance of doing research before approaching potential customers

How to determine customers' needs, such as their primary interest (what they want), buying criteria (requirements of the sale), and dominant buying motive (why they want it)

How to reach the decision makers

How to sell beyond questions of price

The cutting-edge sales techniques in this book are based on interviews accumulated from the sales experiences of professionals in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. This book, containing more than one hundred examples from successful salespeople representing a wide variety of products and services from around the world, provides practical advice in each chapter to turn real-world challenges into new opportunities.

The Sales Advantage is a proven, logical, step-by-step guide from the most recognized name in sales training. It will create mutually beneficial results for salespeople and customers alike.

Dale Carnegie and Associates, Inc, has produced three giant international bestsellers -- How to Win Friends and Influence People, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, and How to Enjoy Your Life and Your Job -- with more than thirty million copies sold to date. Their most recent bestseller is The Leader in You. More than twenty-five hundred people around the world enroll in Dale Carnegie courses each week, adding to the five million people who have graduated from the world-famous self-improvement and training programs. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Sales Advantage by Crome
This is a good introductory work for a salesperson or
someone opening his/her own business. The author teaches
how to develop credibility, interest, stories, instructional
approaches, needs analysis and a host of other components aimed
at cultivating customer sales. Later on, the work builds
upon a negotiation scheme involving information gathering,
resolution of concerns, conflict resolution, collaboration,
customer needs and multiple solution sets in order to produce
a successful sale through advanced negotiation techniques.
The thrust of the work teaches how to gain and cultivate
customer commitments. The book is a good introductory
rendition for budding salespeople. It will provide reinforcement
for experienced salespeople.

Disappointing at Best
As an agent for one of the largest life insurance companies in the world, I am always looking for "THAT" book which will reveal a missed point that can give the edge over my very capable competition. When I saw this I thought this might be it. After reading this book, my search must continue. The book may hold some value for someone brand new to the field of sales, but for anyone who has sold for more than a few months, the teachings are old hat with no nuggets to be found. I have other Carnegie books and this one is not worthy to be on the shelf beside the others. I would recommend books by Tracy or maybe "SuperSelf" by Charles Givens. Now there is a book to chew on for days. My advice, save your money and buy something else.

From Naperville
There are a ton of different sales books out there, and more written each day. From strategic to rainmaker, each plows into a well-worked strategy to get the sale and be the star. Yet, one must know the basics well, and this book does that in a complete fashion. Great for beginers, but essential for us all to run through so our heads don't get to big. The biggest message in this book is process - setting one and keeping to it. By having a process, one can look for the next target, with the knowledge that the ones in the pipeline are easy to identify as to status and progress. The fact that ACT! chose to use the 11 steps was also interesting. Worth the amazon.com price!

AWESOME!!!
You get a proven process, practical examples, and enjoyable reading.

Cliche Selling Approach For The 60s-80s
I read this book with great expectations, thinking that the Dale Carnegie School of Thought should have something useful and great to say about selling this time.

As it turns out, this book is poorly written, and is so naive about selling in such a hypercompetitive business world these days.

If Dale Carnegie is still alive, he can definitely write a better book on selling since his writing is more persuasive, and his suggestions on selling should be more practical and convincing.

At least, Dale Carnegie is a good salesman himself, with a strong philosophical rather than just how-tos, jargons-filled perspective on selling.

Try Non-manipulative Selling or SPIN Selling, you can get more dollars out of reading them instead. ... Read more

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

Despite the wealth of technical advances in the 1990s workplace, managing, motivating, and communicating remains a challenge. The Leader in You adapts the simple, time-tested management theories of Dale Carnegie to this high-tech environment with refreshing results. Read in an engaging but direct tone, the tape's pace is varied with excerpts from recent management studies and anecdotes from contemporary business leaders. It's a sound introduction to leadership skills for anyone working in the public, private, or nonprofit sector. (Running time: 1.5 hours, one cassette) --Sharon Griggins ... Read more

Reviews (12)

How To Win Friends & Influence People modernized
This excellent books written by Staurt R. Levine and Michael A. Crum combines the best of the Carnegie strategies and will show you How To Win Friends and Influence People and Succeed in a changing world.

Unless you are a hermit, dealing with people is a must and this book shows you how to strengthen your human relations and develop the leader in you.

Great book. Should be read right along with Carnegies Classic How To Win Friends and Influence People.

Success in a Changing World
The Leader in You: How to Win Friends, Influence People and Succeed in a Changing World by Stuart R. Levine and Michael A. Crom is, by all considerations, an excellent book. Following in the fashion of Dale Carnegie, Levine and Crom tell readers in a concise, straight-to-the-point manner the truth about leadership. This truth is that good leadership truly equals good communication.
Some of the key aspects to valuable communication skills resulting in effective and successful leadership are motivating people, expressing genuine interest in others, listening to learn, and respecting the dignity of others. In each chapter, Crom and Levine make extensive use of examples, usually coming by way of business success stories, or even excerpts from anecdotes of the lives of well-known individuals or important CEOs such as Denis Potvin of the New York Islanders hockey team, or Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart. Personally, I found these examples extremely helpful and motivating throughout the course of reading The Leader in You, for through them Crom and Levine show how the principles they tell the reader are effective, and truly are.
Furthermore, The Leader in You is a valuable read to anyone who seeks success both in his or her professional and personal lives, not just the business executive or the worker climbing his way up the corporate ladder. I found this to be the case because the tenets Levine and Crom give the reader really concern fostering lasting and trusting relationships with others, not just shortcuts to getting ahead in the company. I have learned valuable information and lessons about talking a walk in the other person's shoes, the importance of being personally happy before I can ever hope to be professionally successful, and what it truly means to be a good listener. This is a book that will have a lasting effect on many aspects of my life, and I would without a doubt recommend it to anyone, for there will undoubtedly be a takeaway for everyone in any walk of life.

Great book for me ..
I have read this book for 2 times. This book is like a mirror for me, my working lifestype and the people around me. I learned to see things in others view. I would suggest this book to young manager that suspicious about their leadership skills.

EQ

Disappointing... it is a simple rehash
Having twice completed the original "How to Win Friends and Influence People", I found 75% of this is a rehash. The other 25% was mostly modern anecdotes that support the original author's theories. I found little original material.

Poor Rewrite of "How to Win Friends and Influence People"
This is a re-write of Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Stuart Levin, the CEO of Dale Carnegie and Associates, Inc. Unfortunately, the new book is an empty shell of the original -- it's already dated, although it was published in 1993, while the original, first published in the 1930's, is as fresh and as relevant as it was the day it was first printed. Recommend skipping this lesser imitation and sticking with the original. ... Read more

Book Description

Since its initial publication in 1992, Leadership and the New Science has received acclaim for its pioneering look at how new discoveries in quantum physics, chaos theory, and biology can revitalize organizational thinking. In this long-awaited second edition, Margaret Wheatley brings together the fruits of seven years of experience applying these extraordinary ideas to diverse organizations around the world. Updated and expanded, this program cuts to the heart of the real problems and real solutions of anyone wishing for more meaning, potential, and creativity in his or her workplace and life. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

A Good Read!
Author Margaret J. Wheatley describes how new developments in the sciences show us how to design a new, more effective organizational structure. The new structure is more responsive to human needs and to our rapidly changing times. Based on this understanding, you need to make your organization more flexible and adaptable. Using leadership and vision as a guiding force in an organization involves participation, self-management and shared information and power.

This excellent, thoughtful, break-through book offers a new way of thinking about organizations and leadership. In clear, compelling language, it emphasizes the ways we are all part of an ever-changing natural order. Wheatley explains the need to get rid of our old out-dated mechanistic models and adapt our organizations to prosper in the future. Our accepted analytical world view, based on using logical analysis and relying numbers to chart progress, should be replaced, Wheatley says. She makes a compelling case and urges organizations to become more effective by becoming more human and natural. We [...] recommend this pivotal book to leaders at all levels.

A Spiritual Gift That will Awe and Excite You!
Margaret Wheatley has indeed revised and updated her orignal book. This edition offers more clarity to the "new science" and in some ways is an autobiography of her growth and connectedness to the positve "energy" that guides and informs our ever expanding creation. Her new chapter, "Change, the Capacity of Life," is exciting to read for the clarity and universal spirituality emanating from her observations. If you have read her original "Leadership and the New Science," and "A Simpler Way," you will marvel at how this new chapter and her updating of others unifies "The New Science" and adds depth and wisdom to her life's work.

I work in a Jesuit high school and part of my job is to connect my community to the new world that is building all around us. This book is a gift to organizations worldwide and will help those who lead their organizations, no matter the size, to do so from a "personal centeredness" of trust and integrity. Her insights offer hope as we struggle with the great issues of our time.

New Direction in Leading Organizations
I was a bit skeptical about the book after the first chapter. However, after opening my mind to what the author had to say, I realized that she had some good points, which are applicable to everyday organizations and leadership.

The book could have been kept to under 100 pages without all the extra examples. Then again, I see how many examples can engage someone, especially if he is not familar with organizations. Nevertheless, if she would have stuck to her point that our current paradigm in understanding organizations is from the seventeenth century and illusionary that would have sufficed.

The book does not offer any concrete examples for working with systems instead of parts, which is the main point the author drives home. The author does offer a theoretical framework. The framework is a lot better because it is meant to apply to many situations.

This book is worth reading if one is familiar with old models of organizations and leadership. Otherwise, reading it will be too abstract and meaningless.

Interesting conclusions, lack of good argument
In this book, the author describes current theories in science and applies them to human organizational management. She develops a number of concepts that I think are applicable to organizational management, such as flexibility, greater communication within an organization, the importance of information, and valuing the intelligence of individual workers.

However, the reasons for applying these principles developed from science to organizations are not well established in this book, in my opinion. The applications may be valid, but a strong case for them is not made here. For example, one claim made to justify one conclusion is that "organizations are open systems and are responsive to the same self-organizing dynamics as all other life." (p. 97). This is a bold claim, to link life sciences to management, that is not well substantiated in the book.

The author seems to revel in the ancient (and ongoing) philosophical tension between the parts and the whole, calling us to look at the whole of a system, though rejecting objective reality (an ultimate whole), and with a bit of Gnostic thinking as well: "Matter doesn't matter" (p. 153),

Also, this is not an informative work, rather its intention appears to be persuasive. The author does reference many works in the scientific literature, but it is not intended to be a review or strict proof (I hope) of her position. Some aspects of science that seem to me to contradict some of her conclusions are not discussed, such as the order imposed top-down in the theory of relativity (according to my limited understanding of it), and the fact that some changes must be wholly destructive and cannot have positive effects (e.g., certain genetic mutations).

Again, some good points are made, but their basis is not well established here. As an industrial engineer, I do not think we should throw away all the current practices, and hopefully that attitude is not simply self-serving. I cannot recommend this particular book, but hope there is a more substantial treatment of these concepts elsewhere.

What science??
First off, the author is not a scientist. Second, the author tries to link PHYSICAL science with human leadership. I only read 1/4 of the book, and I had to put it into trash because I felt like barfing everytime I lay my eyes on it. If you think a non-scientist has any right to write a book with "New Science" on its title, then you should buy this book. Otherwise, stay away from this LSD induced junk. ... Read more

Book Description

From The New York Times bestselling authors of Gung Ho! and Raving Fans

Through the story of Alan Foster, High Five! offers a timeless parable with cutting edge information as to why teams are important and what individuals and organizations can do to build successful teams. Although Alan is an effective employee, he is unwilling to share the spotlight and is fired because, as his boss puts it, "Alan, we need good producers who are good team players, too."

While dwelling on his disappointment, Alan takes his son to hockey practice where it is clear that his son's team doesn't work well together either. joining the two overworked coaches, Alan teaches himself and the players the true meaning of teamwork.

Wrapped in a delightful and charming story, High Five! delivers a powerful message on teambuilding and why ten simple words, "None of us is as smart as all of us" can work magic for any organization.

Reviews (28)

I'm a Raving Fan for High Five
Typical. That may be the best word to describe Ken Blanchard's recent book, High Five. It's typically written and, as typical for Blanchard, easy to comprehend the point he is trying to make. The story is one of a displaced (fired) Alan Foster, a great performer but horrible team member. Foster has the incorrect notion that individual production is more important than company performance. Too often, people in business and sports begin to believe their production is essential to the team when in fact there production is breaking down the team. High Five takes you into the concept of teamwork with a look at Alan Foster's fifth grade son and his hockey team. They are the cellar dwellers and with good reason...no teamwork. With the help of an aged woman and a bit of introspection, Foster helps turn a band of underachievers into a team worthy of a championship. As a coach of elementary-aged students and a manager of people, High Five is a helpful, instructional tale that will benefit me greatly in both roles. There's a reason for the terms "team sports" and "sports teams". Football, basketball, hockey, baseball, soccer...they are all driven by a team. Michael Jordan is a great example of a star who shined the brightest when he adapted his individual talents to the goals and values of the team. This same concept works in your company, in your department and in your office. To beat the competition, it takes everyone working together...as a team. Ken Blanchard continues to underwhelm me with his style and overwhelm me with his message. You'll be a Raving Fan for teamwork when you read High Five.

High Five Ho-Hum
The management principles illustrated in this book are sound but could be more effectively displayed on a poster.Blanchard lists basic principles that have been the staple of many management books in the past decade: hire good people, define goals, provide the tools staff need, encourage teamwork, and reward achievement. Knowing what needs to be done is not the problem; knowing how to implement the principles is the challenge, and it's precisely that challenge that Blanchard ducks. My impression was that the book was not carefully written or researched. Take, for instance, the scene in which member of the boys' hockey team is rushed to the hospital with a closed head injury. The boy is unconscious, and Blanchard has an EMT administer codeine "so he won't wake up and thrash around." Sorry, Ken -- but how long the victim of a head injury is unconscious is a key diagnostic tool. Sedatives that prolong unconsciousness or supress the respiratory system would not be administered in an ambulance. This gaffe made me wonder how much care the author took with other information -- and whether or not the physician-author of "Who Moved My Cheese?" read the book carefully before writing his glowing endorsement. All in all, a disappointing work.

Sounds Good In Theory
I would love to go to work everyday as a member of a high performing team. The book has good ideas in theory, but it seems next to impossible to actually make them work. The real reason behind the book though is the fact that people will get farther when working together. I think that is what all the parable books are trying to tell us, to look at things from a different perspective.

Also check out the book Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey, it will show you how to look at the rat race fom a whole new angle -- what do you want in return for running the race?

Motivating quick read
This is a great book to share with your team members to inspire them and to help them learn how to work together more effectively. It's easy to read and will lead to great conversations.

Sounds good in theory
I would love to go to work everyday as a member of a high performing team. The book has good ideas in theory, but it seems next to impossible to actually make them work. The real reason behind the book though is the fact that people will get farther when working together. I think that is what all the parable books are trying to tell us, to look at things from a different perspective. Also check out the book Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey, it will show you how to look at the rat race fom a whole new angle -- what do you want in return for running the race? ... Read more

Book Description

The bestselling author of In Search of Excellence now projects a very near future in which business organizations as we know them will no longer exist and shows how we can meet this unprecedented challenge. 2 cassettes. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Ahead of it's time
I liked "In Search of Excellence" but thought the concepts (& certainly companies) didn't stand the test of time.I read "Liberation Management" with some trepidation.

My initial reaction on this book was, "Tom's gone off the deep end, he's doing this just to be provocative" - that's a good enough reason to read this book, but I wouldn't have rated it well just based on that.

If you look at today's business environment, he really wasn't a radical.Ideas that he plugged (Turn all work into a project, outsource, turn everything into a profit center) don't really seem so crazy.His mantra of speed certainly fit the period we just went through.His companies (example: EDS) even did better than prior books.

I've read all of Tom's books - if you want one to guide how you manage and lead, this one is it...

Well before its time.
A fantastic book with mind-blowing detail and scope.Introduces (and complements with research!) many of the important 'management' topics that have gained popularity in the last few years.Which is impressiveconsidering the book was written 8 years ago!

Topics include: NetworkOrganisations and other non-hierarchy-based organizational models,Networked Markets, Knowledge Management, reduced 'mass'-marketing, etc,etc, etc...

It's impressive that he has been able to capture many ofthese trends BEFORE the proliferation of the World Wide Web.

Alsopreempts some of his own more recent movements, like the plain-Englishmovement and the Wow! Project movement that advocate categorization interms of 'wow!' and 'yuck' projects.

His latest '50List' books are muchmore digestible and prescriptive - if that is what you prefer.

In search of curious behavior
Tom Peters tells us that he can boil his entire management philosophy downto one sentence: "Crazy times call for crazy organizations."

The new marketplace in one word is "fashion." Every market isbecoming a fashion market. "That means: fickle, fleeting, ephemeral,faddish, and unfair." Peters says you can thrive in the marketplace ifyou'll:

"Free the human imagination . . . Get close to and servethe customer. . . Customize products and services . . . Abandon everything;continuously reinvent yourself.. .Access the brainware around you. . . Knowthe front line . . . Demolish the monolith. . . Create teams that allowpeople to express their personalities."

Peters says a corporationtoday must be "curious." Don't expect the personnel in thepersonnel department to hire curious people. Peters says HR people operateby this unwritten rule:

"Thou shalt not hire a person who has anunexplained nanosecond in their life past the age of three."

Theywant the person who maintained a 4.0 grade average through graduate schooland "has not had an interesting thought in their entire life."

They don't want any people who drop out of college, spend a year and ahalf in Europe, and offer no explanation. That, says Peters, is just thekind of behavior to look for when you're ready to hire curious people. Headds: "Hire a few genuine off-the-wall types. Collect weirdoes."

Peters says he is totally serious about this: "This is coldlylogical stuff." Nobody disagrees that markets are weird, "but howare you going to conquer weird markets with stuffed shirts?"

Tom Peters' most thoughtful and insightful book!
This is a stimulating and broad ranging discussion of developing trends in business and organization, focusing on the rate and nature of change and the evolving nature of markets and technology world-wide, liberating peoplefrom the constraints of traditional industrial organizational structure.This book is, in our opinion, Peters' most thoughtful and insightful book.Reviewed by Gerry Stern, author ofStern's SourceFinder Master ManagementInformation Directory and Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder.

Peters is in tune with the times
As the writings of Tom Peters have moved away from the structured management style of "In Search of Excellence" to the disorienting postmod style of "Liberation Management" and "The Pursuit of WOW!",many of the conventional business book reviewers are baffled. Some have even hinted that Tom Peters has gone crazy. Quite the contrary, I find the more recent work -- particularly Liberation Management -- exhilarating reading, very much in tune with the fragmented, hyperreal conditions of today. In particular, I have found the various case studies and examples in Liberation Management very useful in may work as a strategy consultant, researcher, and professor ... Read more

Book Description

In 1990 Michael Hammer introduced the world to reengineeringand set in motion a series of events that has transformed the business worldbeyond recognition. What began as an effort to improve performance has ledto a complete rethinking of all aspects of business, from the jobs thatpeople have, to the ways in which companies are structured.

In BeyondReengineering, Hammer offers powerful insights into the consequencesof the reengineering revolution and how they are changing our work and ourlives. To succeed -- or even to survive -- in today's global economy, companiesmust refocus and reorganize themselves around their processes: the end-to-endsequence of tasks that creates customer value. This change, so easily described,in fact marks the end of the Industrial Revolution and of the organizationsthat were designed for it. In this groundbreaking work, Hammer, co-authorof the bestselling Reengineering the Corporation,mines the experiences of individuals and organizations that have alreadymade this transition to offer a compelling vision of an imminent future.

Beyond Reengineering provides more than a preview of tomorrow's businesses.It also offers an understanding of what we must all do to prepare ourselvesand our children for an economy in which all the familiar rules have beenbroken. It is required reading for executives and frontline workers, forstudents and investors, for everyone who wants to be prepared for the newworld that is at our doorstep. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Mr. Hammer has little knowledge of the real business world
I come from four generations of independent businessmen, none of whom needed a book to tell them how to run one. And none of whom ever failed at the business they owned. I currently work for a company that has been in business for 102 years, and this book has sold some of the marketing types in management down the Hammer River of "process", whose implementation and loose interpretation of this book has resulted in mass retirements; fragmentation of skilled staff; loss of communication between working departments, and physical movements of employees that follow no logical purpose. The effect upon moral as a whole has de-motivated all of us. You cannot come to work or take a break without small groups of people venting their outrage at what's going on. There are increased hand-offs and rather than report to one person, now we must go through five, wait for a number to be generated for each task we perform (2 to 5 days). It's the craziest way to run a business that I've ever seen! We are left trying to figure out who is the leader and how we are supposed to get a project completed. None of us can figure out why management would go along with what Mr. Hammer proposes, when we won the JD Powers award for Customer Satisfaction in 2003. If we were not successfully doing our jobs before this "process change implementation", I'd like to know how this company stayed in business for 102 years! His proposals have intentionally set us up to fail. The only reason I can find for a company to use his recommendations is if they intend to be bought, want to get rid of all their employees, and want to cause general dishelvement and frustration. We were told that no jobs would be eliminated, this was not a reorganization, not a restructure. And yet entire departments that were instrumental in the core business of this company have been dissolved. And those who have retired would not have otherwise done so, had this company not chosen Mr. Hammer's path. Staff that has left is not being replaced. And no one prefers the job title "Subject Matter Expert" over the one they had before. Nobody wants "Process Leader" on their business cards. We all want to be productive, to feel that our work has real purpose and relevance. Mr. Hammer would have us all be nothing more than the by-product of some process that was unnecessary. I'd like to be there the day they lock Mr. Hammer away for insanity. I guess it's worth the price of this book just to buy it for a dartboard (which is precisely what I intend to do). Yes, Mr. Hammer, this has definately impacted my life, and I hope I never see you stranded by the side of the road: the result will be the implementation of a process you didn't mention in your book...

Heresy
Sorry, but I'm not as impressed by Hammer as he is of himself. I work for a large Fortune 100 company as a Director of Business Process Reengineering, and I'm NOT convinced after reading this that Hammer has rolled up his sleeves and gotten dirty (we all think it but no one will admit to it out loud). Just read the chapter about process owners and his theory about managing the employee and it is clear he has littler or no experience working with front-line $20K/year employees that are found in our operations. Sure, if you're working with professionals making $50K+ his theories are more plausible.

My boss swears by Hammer but when it comes to planning and performing the Redesign work she calls on my team to get it done. We aren't disciples of Hammer, but everyone on my team has read this book and in order to understand the terminology. Using the methodology found in this book will be of minimal use for planning and completing your BPR.

A must read for anyone interested in how organizations work
I recently had the privilige of attending a Dr. Hammer seminar in Boston and can tell you that this book tracks closely with his seminar which was the best I have ever attended. The book however goes into much greater detail and depth than a one day high level seminar can go to. The portions that described the first principles of business (chapter 6)and the dramatic impact that process centered organizations will have on employees (the entire book)were standouts. I have already used information contained here in my work as a consultant for a major federal systems integrator. I am also going to try and get my children who are attending college and high school to read at least chapter 14 (What I Tell My Children)so that they can take advantage of Dr Hammer's guidance with respect to the selection of fulfilling educational and career choices. I think it is the best book on business that I have ever read.

I also understand the book was written for a general audience but it would have been nice to have some footnotes and research to underpin some of the pronouncements of business benefits. I tried to track the performance of American Standard, Texas Instruments, and GTE to see if I could confirm Hammer's assertions but it would have taken too much time. Maybe he can publish an addendum for those of us interested in such matters.

Almost a homer, just a long double off the top of the wall
After the first nine chapters, I thought this book was better than the original, Reengineering the Corporation. But the second half of the book wanders off into repetition, ambiguity and irrelevance. Oh well, it is still worth the cost just to read the first half of this sequel, because it adds depth to the original book.

It is a shake-down to tradition!
After going thru all the series of Michael's "state-of-the-art" books, I also applied some ideas and approaches while doing consulting work with my clients. However, it is not a happy ending for every case I consulted with in the real world. But to myself, I definitly believe in what Michael promoted all about - process thinking, process organizing - without any doubt. The "thing" we deliver to the customer, even we can say the reason why a comapny can exist is VALUE, not product, technology, or so-called "service". I know it's hard to define what VALUE means, but what I do believe is to delight the customers may represent they feel the value! By the way, Chapter 7 in the book - A Football Team is my favorite part, because I also use "Basketball team" to motivate my staff! And believe me, it does WORK! ... Read more

Book Description

A radical new plan of action for corporate managers from the co-author of In Search of Excellence and A Passion for Excellence.

In this adaptation of his bold new book, Tom Peters delivers an urgent message: if American corporations are going to thrive in today's (and tomorrow's) turbulent economic/political world, a revolution in both management practices and organizational structure is required. The winning companies will be those (and only those) that are able to adapt quickly to rapidly changing customer needs and market conditions, creating new market niches and continually adding new value to every product and service. Combining trenchant analysis with a series of 45 prescriptions encompassing literally hundreds of concrete actions and examples, Thriving on Chaos shows what managers at every level must do -- and do now! -- if this revolution is to be accomplished.

An essential tool for corporate survival. ... Read more

Book Description

Developing leadership qualities in others is the way to ensure success in today's competitive world because the one asset that truly appreciates within any organization is people. Systems become dated. Buildings deteriorate. Machinery wears. But people can grow, develop, and become more effective if they have a leader who understands their potential value.

Developing the Leaders Around You takes personal leadership one step further by showing you how to identify and train potential leaders and foster a productive team spirit.

Reviews (12)

Teacher & Engineer
This is one of the best books I have ever read in term of the leadership development.

Despite a glut of leadership books, this one is excellent
Books on leadership are a dime a dozen these days, and often they start blending together.However, John Maxwell has put together some great insights into leadership that are often taken for granted or not well described.

The book starts with a solid question for any leader; "Am I Raising up Potential Leaders?".What makes this focus important is the fact that too often leaders focus on leading for results, not for future leadership.An important distinction.

Another aspect of the book looks at the ripple effects of leaders.True leaders are able to attract potential leaders because; Leaders think like them; Leaders express feelings that other leader's sense; Leaders create an environment that attracts potential leaders; Leaders are not threatened by people with great potential.The author lays out what happens when strong leaders are not selected.They in turn hire people with less leadership skills than they have, and so on.The organization as a whole suffers as a result of this domino effect.

Leaders who mentor potential leaders multiply their effectiveness.While this sounds simple, it is rare."There is no success without a successor" (Page 11).Leaders take others with them, or they are not true leaders but mere managers.Delegation is the most powerful tool a leader has. (Page 159) However, if delegation is so important then why do some leaders fail to delegate effectively?Some ideas are postulated here; Insecurity; Lack of Confidence in Others; Lack of Ability to Train Others; Lack of Time; etc.In my experience the most common of these aspects is a lack of confidence, as many so called leaders never take the final step of "giving complete authority" to others.This derails success and future potential.I find that this is the most common weakness of leaders in corporate America, who in turn should not be considered leaders, but rather just people with higher titles.

Overall, this is a very good book.The author asserts that leadership is both a combination of tactical choices and personal character, with the latter being the more important.A great book, easy to read, with some assessments and other tools included.This book will benefit anyone who wants to enable success in their organization through leadership.

Great Guide for Life and Leadership
I really enjoyed this book, it was very well written and funny.I love the added stories and comic relief it provides.I would reccommend this to anyone who is a coach or a boss in the workplace.It is a top reference for leadership and how to be successful with it.I will use this book for a long time.The only thing that might be a concern is that the author is a preacher and he uses references to God sometimes.Might be a turn off for some, but it didnt bother me at all. He is an excellent writer and knows what he is talking about...

Maxwell's Anecdotal Style Makes This an Enjoyable Read
John C. Maxwell has made a name for himself as an authority on leadership, landing on bestseller lists in both the Christian and general markets. That's quite an accomplishment, and it's one he has legitimately earned. In addition to writing more than two-dozen books, he has established several organizations geared toward training and equipping leaders and has developed numerous ancillary products like tape series, handbooks and manuals, and curriculum materials. In short, he's an expert in his field and one of the best communicators out there.

That said, you should know that Maxwell mines the wealth of information and resources he has amassed and recycles it all to create new books --- which means that one Maxwell book often overlaps into another one, which overlaps into another one, and so on. Longtime readers of Maxwell are well aware of this, having discovered a significant amount of familiar material in the context of information that's genuinely new. He's often criticized for this, but he still manages to sell a whole lot of books, so I suspect it isn't as much of a problem as his critics would like to believe.

In DEVELOPING THE LEADERS AROUND YOU, Maxwell provides both inspirational and practical assistance for leaders who are committed to helping others reach their leadership potential. In trademark Maxwell style, the author gets his point across by making the most of reader-friendly features like assessment tests, charts, cartoons, sports analogies, and mnemonic devices like original acronyms (such as RISE, Rewards Indicating Staff Expectations). He also sprinkles the text with well-chosen quotations --- some profound, some funny, but all of them relevant to the topic at hand.

One of the things I like most about this book is its helpfulness to people outside of the business community. It's especially appropriate for CEOs and other leaders like pastors, but many of the principles and practical tips can be applied to people in all walks of life who supervise (or even parent) others. That's because at the heart of each principle is the priority Maxwell places on building strong relationships and learning to relate to people in a healthy and positive way. Another strength is that it is a stand-alone volume; there's no need to be familiar with any of Maxwell's previous works to benefit from this one.

Here's an example of what you can expect to find, from a chapter on a lifelong commitment to developing potential leaders. In addition to straight text, Maxwell offers a chart defining the distinctions among nurturing, equipping and developing others; three specific questions designed to determine the potential leader's motivation; an example of a practical plan for personal growth; a description of the four steps it takes for someone to adopt a new idea and adapt to new situations; several mnemonic devices, including the IDEA grid (Instruction, Demonstration, Exposure, Accountability); 10 guidelines for positive confrontation; and an analysis of the six levels of leadership growth. Clearly, this is an author who covers all the bases.

Anyone who has read Maxwell or sat through one of his many speaking engagements knows that he has a reputation for excelling in communicating his ideas. (I've actually attended several after-lunch Maxwell sessions, and I did not fall asleep. This is something of a record and high praise indeed.) With DEVELOPING THE LEADERS AROUND YOU, that reputation remains intact. His casual, anecdotal style makes this an enjoyable read --- not bad for a topic that could easily produce the opposite result.

Representative Maxwell
There is nothing original in this book but, as with other books produced by Maxwell, it is well-organized and well-written. Also timely. Maxwell focuses on three key objectives: Developing leadership within one's self (discussed in greater depth in his book Developing the Leader Within You), developing leadership within associates, and thereby maximizing the potential of all human assets within any organization, regardless of its size or nature. Maxwell has a tendency to re-cycle essentially the same ideas from one book to the next but all of them are sound. My own opinion is that the scope and depth of Noel Tichy's The Leadership Engine are greater and hence more valuable than Maxwell's in this volume. However, not damning with faint praise, this is a book which will probably be well-received by middle managers who are encouraged to read it by their supervisors. As for those supervisors, I think the severely limited time available to them for discretionary reading is best allocated elsewhere. My own recommendations to them include the aforementioned book by Tichy, Hamer's The Agenda, Buckingham and Coffman's First, Break All the Rules, O'Toole's Leading Change, Fitz-enz's The ROI of Human Capital, and The Essential Drucker. ... Read more

Book Description

"Welcome to a world where imagination is the source of value in the economy. It's an insane world, and in an insane world, sane organizations make no sense."

-- Tom Peters

Tom Peters has for the past twelve years been telling American business that the rules have changed. Now he goes farther in The Tom Peters Seminar, the first in an exciting new series aimed at helping everyone -- Fortune 500 chairmen, middle managers trying to hold on to their place on the ladder (a mistake!), and hotel housekeepers -- thrive in the brave new world of business in the nineties. He presents the provocative and sometimes scary analysis and advice that have led thousands from all over the globe to attend his trademark seminars. The bold new ideas vault business people beyond reengineering, beyond total quality management, beyond empowerment, and even beyond change, and toward nothing less than reinvention and revolution. The result is a timely audio loaded with "how-tos" for mastering the new economy. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"Where's the Beef?!!"
Nothing here that is implementable. This tape contains one message: CHANGE EVERYTHING. The entire book and tape revolve around this single message. Mr. Peters provides no implementable plan or suggestions on how to adapt this message to you, your department, or company. In fact, you have to ask yourself, "Is it truly necessary to change everything?" Most of us would have to say "No." In fact, this is more often than not a recipe for f-a-i-l-u-r-e. Instead, A RETURN TO BASICS is what is needed in 90-95.0% of the cases. However, my biggest complaint isn't that I believe Mr. Peters is wrong, it is that his recent books and tapes are filled with superfluous and outragious statements that fail to advance the listener's or reader's understanding of the concept. When I buy a management book or tape, I want information and concepts that I can quickly take to my company and implement to our mutual benefit. Unfortunately, Mr. Peters' recent works appear to be nothing more than pep-talks and cheerleading sessions. You have to ask yourself: "Where's the beef?"

Tom Tom Club
With a Copyright of 1994, its a little dated, but the basic message remains clear. Innovate or become extinct. Tom's enthusiam is apparent with each chapter.

If you can overlook the examples of corporations that are no longer around, and listen to the concepts, ( refer of course to the audio version) its a great program.

For true members of Tom's movement, this book remains a variation on a theme. A must have for the "Work Matters crowd" a cheap substitute for his live programs. Or a great refresher course for someone that has been to one.

The entrepeneural spirit of Tom Peters is here
Beyond review, I read this book first in 94 and just re-read it again in july 97, It is still wonderfull and give a lot of insight to business. I wish I can see him LIVE in THE SEMINAR someday, most of Tom books are good and worth reading. Read it.

Tom Peter's $1,500 a day seminar in a $14.00 book. Buy it!
Since the publication of In Search of Excellence, Tom Peters' books have consistently provided a much needed kick in the seat of the pants to would be entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. His messages related to the need for innovation and a focus on excellence provide a refreshing challenge to the "business as usual" school and to those with a typical short term survival management philosophy. In The Tom Peters Seminar (subtitled "Crazy Times Call for Crazy Organizations") Peters uses his $1,500 a day seminars as the basis for a quick, concise analysis of the problems and solutions associated with the new, scary, and impossible to stop information economy. As Peters relates in the book, "Do something. Make things happen. It's inaction that kills you." This book is the place to start ... Read more

Book Description

Using metaphors from The Wizard of Oz, the authors

convey core principles that make a company successful. ... Read more