Amazon.com

"It isn't how much you know about maintaining a positive attitude that's important," writes Keith Harrell, formerly one of IBM's top training instructors and now a popular speaker, trainer, and consultant. "It's how well, and how consistently, you put that knowledge to use." In Attitude Is Everything, Harrell teaches 10 steps for "an attitude tune-up" that "turns attitude into action." Some of these steps are identifying the attitudes that hold you back or propel you forward, reframing bad attitudes, building supportive relationships, and seeing change as opportunity. Harrell weaves his personal stories into the book, such as turning the disappointment of not being drafted by the NBA after college (which he had fully expected) into skillfully landing a job with IBM, even though he didn't have the qualifications and they weren't hiring at that time. In each section, he discusses an attitude concept, illustrates it with anecdotes, and teaches specific strategies for integrating it into your life--all in an easygoing, friendly, and motivating style. For example, the "Your Attitude Tool Kit" chapter opens with Harrell being notified in junior high school that he had to go to speech therapy for his stuttering, as he had for six years, and using affirmations to cure his stuttering on the spot. Then he teaches nine "Attitude Tools," explaining each one and showing you how to put it into action. --Joan Price ... Read more

Reviews (24)

attitude is everything : Keith Harrell superb!
The book was very good. Keith is a fun and interesting storyteller.

Awesome book!It was the catalyst to my new attitude.
I love this book! Keith is an awsome motivational speaker.I have never finished reading a book so fast.It will help anyone who is needing a new start on life. You might just see that the one person holding you back it you.Thank you to Keith for writing this book. :)

Attitude is Everything
This is one of my favorite positive thinking books because it is action oriented.If you are a procrastinator, this book will help you to get going.If you believe that you become what you think, read Optimal Thinking: How To Be Your Best Self as well.You will learn how to optimize (and not just improve) everything in your life.

SAVE YOUR MONEY!
I'll make you a deal - try the following suggestion and don't waste any money on this book. Do what I say here and you won't be sorry.
First, if you want to change anything in your life or about yourself, tell yourself "I CAN" when approaching it. Next, every time you re-approach the attempted change (nothing happens instantly), add in "..and the more I do it, the better I get at it!" Third, don't worry about results (if you worry, you throw your mental machinery out of gear). Instead, just keep saying "I CAN, AND THE MORE I DO THIS, THE BETTER I'LL GET AT IT". And guess what?! You'll accomplish the change so fast you won't know what hit you - just don't worry or bother about perfection. Be light hearted and devil-may-care, and keep working the change while holding the saying I just told you in your mind.
If you follow this simple formula, you'll save a LOT of money on these self-help books, accomplish fantastic things, and not have to waste time reading a lot of filler that covers up this same message - which is what books like ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING are all about!
Also, if you still insist on reading this sort of stuff, get the grand daddy of them all - SUCCESS CYBERNETICS by Uell S. Andersen. It spells out everything these Johnny Come Lately authors say (or should I say, copy) from human cybernetics theories that SUCCESS CYBERNETICS covered back in the 1960's.

My Attitude is Great About This Book
I heard Keith Harrell speak at a sales meeting in January and immediately bought his book.Keith is the real deal.He weaves stories about his life into the principles he reveals about how much our attitude effects our lives and the lives of those around us.He obviously has a relationship with God, and he uses that relationship as the foundation stone for his belief system.I highly recommend this book for adults and teenagers alike. ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for Just Enough

"One of the things society needs most right now is a reasoned sense of what is enough. This book will advance the dialogue of this important topic for individuals and their communities."
–Hon. Barbara H. Franklin, President and CEO, Barbara Franklin Enterprises
former U.S. Secretary of Commerce

"Rarely do we find a book for leaders that addresses all aspects of leadership success. Just Enough does just this in a powerful and inspiring way. From values and self-fulfillment, high performance and results, to legacy, the last great gift of a leader, Just Enough delivers a profound new resource for leaders everywhere."
–Frances Hesselbein
Chairman, Leader to Leader Institute

"Just Enough will make you think about how you define success in your life in entirely new and creative ways. If you are searching for the kind of meaningful success that endures, read this well-researched and well-written book."
–Ralph S. Larsen, former Chairman and CEO, Johnson & Johnson

"Just Enough provides insights and guideposts for dealing with the complex pressures for performance in today’s workplace environment. Readers of this impressive book will have a better understanding of what success should mean and how to go about achieving it. Best of all, Laura Nash and Howard Stevenson use their experience and research to provide concrete examples and helpful ‘quick points’ summaries."
–Thomas W. Dunfee
Joseph Kolodny Professor of Social Responsibility in Business
The Wharton School

"A brilliant assault on our conventional assumptions of success. Completely fresh and original, Just Enough is filled with wisdom and unfettered thinking. The book takes the reader to the core of life’s deeper meanings and offers real solutions to man’s obsession with success."
–Jim Loehr, CEO, LGE Performance Systems and coauthor of the bestselling The Power of Full Engagement

"I wish I could have read this book when I was thirty and then reread it periodically throughout my life. Its insights into how to define success and what is not enough, just enough, and too much are fascinating. I could have set clearer targets and periodically altered them as my life and the world changed."
–Frank Batten, retired CEO, Landmark Communications, Inc. and founder of The Weather Channel

"Bravo to Laura Nash and Howard Stevenson for tackling a complex subject and providing a framework for analysis that is both original and engaging. For anyone who wants to sort out ‘success’ from ‘significance’ in work and life, Just Enough is the book for you."
–Janet Morrison Clarke, President, Clarke Littlefield LLC and former Executive Vice President, Young & Rubicam, Inc. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

"Just Enough" is more than enough.....
"Just Enough" is more than enough: A turgid, pretentious, strident, and wholly unoriginal piece of work. Its framework neither breaks any new ground in the study of the sociology of business or organization behavior, nor is it a particularly useful addition to the realm of self-help pop-business literature. At best, this might have been a reasonable ten page article in the Harvard Business Review, but surely not enough material for 280 pages! Better to read "Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow : Discovering Your Right Livelihood," by MARSHA SINETAR, and call it a day.

Thank you to the authors
Just Enough helps you do two essential things. It helps you define where you want to be, and then helps you be in that place, be it at work, with your family, or in volunteer activities, fully. I strongly suggest this book to everyone struggling with why we are all so rushed, tired, and crazed but still feeling unfulfilled.
Denise Rossman
Concord, Massachusetts

Grateful Reader
This book is a most thoughtful and thorough look at that elusive feeling called fulfillment. It helped me find peace with decisions that I have made in the past, and will be a resource for the decisions I make in the future. I wish I had read it as a younger man as I was struggling with being pulled in so many directions. I gave a copy to my daughter and son-in-law who just had their first baby hoping it will guide them parent my first grandchild. The information is presented in an analytical style that I enjoyed very much. It is the most helpful guide I know for self-reflection and I strongly recommend it to almost everyone I care about.

Honorable Robert H. Bohn
Massachusetts Superior Court

The kaleidoscope of success
Laura Nash and Howard Stevenson published an article that is adapted from their book, in the February issue of the Harvard Business Review (go to http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu, and search for "Success that lasts"). If you are time-constrained, for $6 it is a very good way to get an idea of what the book covers. And you can download the article too.
This is a review of the article but of course the concepts are the same.

Success can be so elusive. The authors compare it to an Escher drawing of a staircase! They propose an interesting framework to help us capture our own definition of success. After all we are the ones living our lives. Why let anyone else decide for us?

In their view success comes from 4 irreducible components:
happiness (feelings of pleasure or contentment about your life); achievement (accomplishments that compare favorably against similar goals others have strived for); significance (the sense that you've made a positive impact on people you care about); and legacy (a way to establish your values or accomplishments so as to help others find future success).

But they note that unfortunately, "you cannot neatly categorize the realms of your life, assigning happiness to self, achievement to work, significance to family, legacy to community."

So, "no matter how noble, one goal can't satisfy all of a person's complex needs and desires." Actually, they say that since we have limited time and energy, we need to find a balance, something along the lines of less (in any one category) is more (overall).

To capture this, the authors have developed an interesting metaphor: The Kaleidoscope Strategy. It combines the four components with the realms of life: self, work, family, community. It brings structure to our exploration of what success means to us. The Kaleidoscope comes with a set of questions, to help us shed light on our findings.

Highly recommended.

Good framework / weak on existing social science
Authors have an excellent framework for considering these issues.

They seem to address the book to the "power and money mad" reader.

They ignore considerable research demonstrating that those who value intrinsic motivators live longer, are happier, and are more healthy.

This is THE book for the power and money hungry who need to see the world in more balanced terms. ... Read more

Book Description

Success or failure? Good or bad? Good or better? We make choices every day that impact us-and others-forever. The Choice is Yours helps readers recognize opportunities for making better decisions in 16 key aspects of life, such as "Attitude is a Choice" and "Character is a Choice." Other topics to be addressed in Maxwell's succinct style are: Commitment, Communication, Courage, Power, Initiative, Listening, Passion, Relationships, Responsibility, Self-discipline, Servanthood, Teachability, Morality, and Love. ... Read more

Book Description

Ken Blanchard, coauthor of the business classic The One Minute Manager, has teamed up with Jesse Stoner, a leader in the field of vision and strategy, to show how anyone can create a compelling vision for their organization and for their own life. They show where vision comes from, how it unleashes great power and energy, and how it provides ongoing focus and direction.

They explain how to create the three key elements of a compelling vision: significant purpose, clear values, and a picture of the future. They demonstrate how to engage people in shaping meaningful visions and putting those visions to work in their organizations and their lives. And they describe how to ensure that the vision stays alive through understanding three principles: how it is created, how it is communicated, and how it is lived.

The elements of vision are presented in a beautifully written and engaging story about two people who are struggling to create visions-both for the company where they work and for their own lives. Blanchard and Stoner offer numerous examples of effective visions and explore precisely why these visions work.

The lessons are remarkably easy to understand and apply. According to visionary leadership expert Warren Bennis, Blanchard and Stoner have given "meaning and life to vision. Even Dilbert will get it!" Readers will learn how to crystallize a vision that resonates with their own hopes and dreams and allows them to go full steam ahead! ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Going Full Steam Ahead!
Everyone should read this book, whether you're in business or not. The principles could be used in your personal life as well as your professional life. The co-authors, Ken Blanchard and Jesse Stoner show how to create a vision for your work and for your own life. They clearly explain the three components of a vision so that you understand how to apply them to your own situation. The story is beautifully written and the book is hard to put down. I guarantee you'll be thinking about this book for a long time after you finish it. And you might want to read it a second time! When I finished it, I gave it to my wife. She loved it too!

Subject comes alive, thanks to the authors
A book about vision ordinarily wouldn't be the first thing I'd pick
up to read . . . yet I'm glad I made an exception for FULL STEAM
AHEAD!, an engaging story by Ken
Blanchard and Jesse Stoner about two people struggling to
find direction for the company where they work and for their
own lives.

Blanchard's THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER, written along
with Spencer Johnson, has always been one of my favorite
business books . . . this one follows that format; i.e, present
a tale with believable characters and have them ponder
something important . . . when they do so, then let the reader
discover a number of important principles that will help him or
her grow as an employee or employer . . . and human being.

By reading FULL STEAM AHEAD!, you'll learn the three
elements of a compelling vision: significant purpose, clear values
and a picture of the future . . . perhaps more importantly, you'll
also discover how to ensure that the vision comes alive through

understanding the principles of how it is created, how it
is communicated and how it is lived.

My only regret is that I did not learn the above earlier in my life!

Several of the book's passages stood out for me, including these:
* "If I had been clear about my vision of if Doug and I had shared a
vision, we could have talked about what we were doing that was
consistent with our vision and where we were off track. Maybe we
could have fixed things early on before they became irreparable."

* I continued. "I grew up in Michigan, so I'm very aware of the
automotive industry. I was impressed with their rallying call
'Quality is job one.' To most people this sounds like they're saying,
'Quality is the most important job.' And they are. But it's also a
message that conveys deeper meaning. Most people don't know
this, but job one is the term for the prototype of each model-the
first car off the assembly line. This car has to be perfect because
it is the standard against which all of the other cars are built. When
workers at Ford Motors first heard 'Quality is job one,' what they
really heard was that every car they produced had to be perfect, held
to the standard of the first job-the first car off the assembly line.
They had a clear picture of what quality looks like. The rallying call
also told them that they are going to seriously compete with the
Japanese market in the area of quality. There was a lot of meaning
attached to their rallying call, and it connected them to a shared vision.
That was the year that the Ford Taurus overtook the Honda Accord as
the best-selling car in that class."

* We agreed that a rallying call is a great way to encapsulate the messages
of a shared vision. We thought of examples where the rallying call of a
company was a true expression of their vision, such as Ritz-Carlton's
"We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen" and
Disney's "to keep the same smiles on people's faces when they leave
the park that they had when they entered six, eight, or twelve hours
earlier," and Steve Job's vision to make computers accessible and
affordable for everyone by creating a world with "a computer on every
desk."

Highest Praise for Full Steam Ahead!
When do you need vision? During times of growth, change or opportunity--and during times of uncertainty. According to Blanchard and Stoner, vision means know who you are, where you're going, and what will guide your journey. They show you how to create a vision for your work and your life that will unleash your power and potential and allow you to go Full Steam Ahead! They offer many examples of effective visions and show how to create one that will guide you. The authors share suprisingly simple, practical and powerful lessons and demonstrate how to use the power of vision to get focused, get energized and get great results; how to create a vision that touches the hearts and spirits of everyone involved; and how to create a vision for your own life that provides meaning and direction. Most importantly, they show that vision is not only necessary, but also how each of us can create one.

Vision is Power!
Blanchard and Stoner has presented a really readable book on such a broad topic as vision building. Blanchard's parable format has served him well throughout all his business and leadership books from One Minute Manager to Raving Fans and Whale Done! and it still continues to amaze with its simplicity and ability to convey powerful messages that connects with the readers.

The journey taken by Ellie and Jim in using and applying their skills in vision building in their career and family life is both inspiring and instructional. Their definition of purpose, values and visualisation of the future are clear and simple to apply (not easy tasks but definitely simple).

The lessons here can be learnt and applied in a great variety of situations and more importantly, they can be taught after they are acquired. Anyone or any organisation seeking to move from where they are NOW to where they want to be in the future will benefit greatly from this short but powerful book.

Take care of you

Highest Praise for Full Steam Ahead!
I read this book in one day having been totally absorbed in the journey that Jim Carpenter and Ellie embarked on to discover a mission statement for the insurance agency. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and liked the style of writing that made me feel as though I was overhearing someone's conversation. The most poignant part of this book was a telephone message by Jim that said, " ...if you think your self-worth is a function of your performance plus the opinion of others, then you're caught in a trap that leaves your self-esteem up for grabs every single day. But if you're playing to a higher audience or higher set of values, that's a different thing. Now you can do what is right because you know it's the right thing to do, instead of being driven by other people's opinions of you. It's what allows you to act with integrity." Another key point which stuck me from Full Steam Ahead is that it's vital to be in the present, to start living your vision once it becomes conscious, acting on what you know. I found this book extremely helpful not only on a professional level but also on a personal level. ... Read more

Book Description

Foreword by Robert G. Allen

Do you realize how much your success, relationships, leadership potential, and income depend on your ability to persuade, motivate, and influence others? Whatever you want to achieve, Maximum Influence can help make it real. Renowned expert Kurt Mortensen combines scientific research with real-world studies to provide the most authoritative and effective arsenal of proven techniques for persuading, influencing, and motivating others. You'll learn the 12 Laws of Persuasion, plus how to:

* Read people instantly* Make people trust and like you instinctively* Discover persuasion techniques that 99% of people don't even know exist* And persuade anyone to give you almost anything -- anywhere, anytime!

You'll also learn why prospects aren't buying from you -- and how to change their minds. A refreshing departure from the same old worn-out techniques, Maximum Influence presents the life-changing skills and techniques that will help you fulfill all your hopes and dreams! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Finally, new, refreshing, and highly applicable information!
I have found this book to be the most useful tool on persuasion and influence that I own. Finally, new, refreshing, and highly applicable information I can use for any persuasive situation!

This is the book for all professions
This book made me look at sales in a new way. It is amazing with all the marketing around us and how it works, what controls us and makes us buy and do the things we do. I loved this book. It was a eye opener for me.

wow this is amazing
this book has changed me life in the way that i do things. it has made me a more influencial person and as well a better person everyone needs to read this book.

An Absolute Must For Everyone's Library
Maximum Influence has changed the way I deal with people, not only on a professional level, but socially as well. The 12 Universal Laws Of Persuasion is an absolute must for anyone and everyone. Once you have mastered the tecniques in this book, you will wonder how you ever lived without this knowledge.

Cutting-Edge information that delivers results
This book is amazing! It outlines soo many new ideas and principles that will help anyone master the laws of persuasion and influence. Not only have these principles and techniques increased my income, they have changed my life forever. This book is a must for anyone. ... Read more

Book Description

"To live with change, to optimize change, you need principles that don't change." -- Dr. Stephen R. Covey

Success that endures -- sustainable and balanced success -- can seem difficult to achieve in today's turbulent, complex world of change. But those who achieve this kind of success live by seven universal, timeless, self-evident principles that apply in any situation, in any culture.

In Living the 7 Habits: The Courage to Change, Dr. Covey shows how successful people have used these principles to solve problems, overcome obstacles, and change their lives. By showing how real people have used the principles to thrive in a changing world, he provides practical guidance and powerful inspiration to readers searching for a proven framework for living a meaningful life. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

It's not enough to know, you must also do...
I like this book. It is very inspiritional. It's sort of like Chicken Soup for the Soul or like an Millionaire Next Door for inspirition and attitude. It tells stories of people who have done it---used the 7 Habits and gotten incredible results.1 star reviewers don't like it because it takes all of the wind out of their claims against Covey and his philosophy.I particularly enjoyed the story on page 57, "I can choose my life." Very, very powerful.7 Habits should be your first book to read. You can then add this one either as a companion to while reading 7 Habits or after you get through the 7 Habits.I also recommend Principle Centered Leadership.

7 Habits in action!
I hesitated to buy this book. After reading 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, I thought that Dr. Covey had said all that he needed or could say. Boy was I wrong?

In living the 7 habits, Dr. Covey brings the 7 Habits to life. This book touched my heart and my soul. It made me dust of my old copy of 7 Habits and read it again along with this volume. It made the 7 Habits work like never before and created more balance and happiness inmy life.

If you are not touched agter reading this book, then you had better check your vitamin dosage. It is powerful.

Not enought to learn, you must LIVE the 7 Habits
What I liked about this book is that it includes many inspiring stories, but even better, goes even deeper into the 7 habits than the original book did and in a different way.

This book should be read in addition to, not in place of The 7 Habits. It is not the "same book on a different cover." It is an expanded version of The 7 Habits.

Gives Real Meaning to the Original Book
You can compare this book to the laboratory portion of a class, that brings the textbook to life. As a follow up to his original 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (the textbook), Covey uses Living the 7 Habits (the lab) to let people tell how they applied the 7 habits at work and in their personal lives, and describe the results.

The result? Far more interesting than the original book. You will enjoy reading these intensely personal and often dramatic stories, and you will reinforce what you learned with the first book.

Covey does a fine job of elaborating, as good teachers do, on the points made by the contributors.

A multitude of examples of successful applications
When I first read "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" I recognized its value but was not highly enough motivated to incorporate it into my daily life. Then with the passage of time and particularly after reading Covey's "Principle-Centered Leadership" I came back to it. Yet there was still something holding me back. The missing something was "Living the 7 Habits: Stories of Courage and Inspiration" with its multitude of examples of successful application in real world situations. I needed the encouragement of others to tell me "Hey this is how I applied it; it worked for me; you can do it, too." You need to read all three books because there is a multiplier effect - the three together are greater than their simple sum.

"Living the 7 Habits: The Courage to Change" is a collection of personal statements in four broad contexts: individual, family, community and education, and workplace. This synopsis is about the person who was appointed change agent of a major company that, with an annual growth rate of 40%, was one of the fastest growing companies in the world. " My goal was to create an organization of fifteen thousand exceptional businesspeople. We assumed that everyone wanted to be an entrepreneur within the company, and we gave them credit for having the brains and initiative to do it. My mission was to change the culture within what is essentially a virtual company. Our corporation had more territorial rivalries than the Middle East. Information was hoarded. Communication was disjointed. Trust and synergy were virtually nonexistent. Suddenly, the competition was all over us, undercutting our prices and courting our customers. One of my directives was to make the company more competitive and to learn faster than our competition. My job was to help create among the company's widely scattered population a sense of shared purpose (Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind). After recruiting the best, brightest, and most highly motivated people, we gently immersed them in the realities of our business, presenting them with information on profit margins, the marketplace, and the influences impacting the decisions of their customers (Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood). They were also introduced to a specially designed 7 Habits course to provide them with foundational principles and context for the other materials. There were only three rules: Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Take care of this place. It wasn't long before mission statements began appearing on cubicle walls, and the conversations among employees were marked by references to making deposits into Emotional Bank Accounts. It was an experience of self-discovery for many people. They realized that the company valued them. I had spouses come to me after their husbands or wives had been to a session and say, 'This changed my life because it changed our family.'"

Not all the stories relate specific actions against a specific habit. This is a synopsis of a story by a person from Indian stock whose grandfather was cheated out of 160 acres of oil-rich land. "It was only after he died, when we were going through his papers and correspondence, that I realized what a phenomenal man my simple, unassuming grandfather actually was. The Washington my grandmother referred to was actually Washington, D.C. In his papers, we found letters from governors, senators, U.S. representatives. Some congratulated him on his fiftieth wedding anniversary; others thanked him for his help with legislation issues and for his community service. I sat there thinking, "Did they know the same man I did?" He had no eloquence, no wealth, not even his own home. Yet here were famous, powerful people corresponding with him. I realized that his life had been lived not to acquire things for himself, but to help other people. He had lived a life of integrity, honesty, and dedication to family and community all the while toiling in relative obscurity and humility. Once, before he died, he told me that there are two reward systems: people who will be rewarded here and people who will be rewarded later. 'These are not the same people,' he said. He continued, 'For all that you don't see in a reward system now, you will see some other time.' We debated long and hard what to do about the situation. Should we sue him to take back the land? Should we let it alone? Shouldn't he have to pay for his wrong doings? In the end, we knew. We knew what he would do. He would let it alone and allow the taxpayer to reap whatever rewards his behavior would cause him to reap, whether here or later. My grandfather might not have been able to leave us 160 acres of oil-rich land in Oklahoma but he left us something far more important. His insistence on humility, on compassion, on spending his life trying to help those around him with no thought of reward or praise is now our family legacy. He has changed generations of people with the help he gave. Can you put a dollar-and-cents value on that? I say absolutely not. We now have a value I try to instill in my own family to continue the legacy started by the Choctaw preacher who never owned his own home."

I think there is a maturity continuum. It is as though most other books address the nuts and bolts of doing business well - and of course that is important - and then we discover that there is something more to business than just that. Then we are ready for Stephen Covey. ... Read more

Book Description

This straight-from-the-hip handbook by bestselling author and self-made millionaire Harvey Mackay spells out the path to success for readers everywhere. They will learn how to:

• Outsell by getting appointments with people who absolutely, positively do not want to see you, and then making them glad they said "yes!"
• Outmanage by arming yourself with information on prospects, customers, and competitors that the CIA would envy - using a system called the "Mackay 66."
• Outmotivate by using his insights to help yourself or your kids join the ranks of Amercia's one million millionaires.
• Outnegotiate by knowing when to "smile and say no" and when to "send in the clones."

This one-of-a-kind book by a businessman who's seen it all and done it all has sold almost 2 million copies, and is the essential roadmap for everyone on the path to success. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Harvey's Take On Things
Some worthy information about particular business issues are raised and noted, and for the most part this is an off-the-cuff soliloquy talk about how Harvey views business, and the world.There is nothing more amusing than some wealthy person in business who thinks they have the answers and the remedies for the rest of us.Written in the late 1980s, some of the attitudes presented towards hiring potential employees will become evident.All in all, this is an easy and quick-read.

I read "Swim With The Sharks" front-to-back, however each chapter concerns a different topic, so one does not have to read this book straight through from page 1 to the end.

One thing I found a bit quirky were the consistent references to allegedly "successful" collegiate and professional sports coaches. I don't feel it's an appropriate analogy to commonly equate coaches with the situations outside of the sports world.The sports culture is often not applicable to making a business deal, dealing with corporate culture, and/or avoiding mistakes with people socially.The sports in itself is a microcosm of society, but a separate world within its own.Time and time again I would chuckle to myself as I would read a quote made by Vince Lambardi, some NBA coach, or read a personal anecdote from the now disgraced coach Lou Holtz.Having to read Yogi Berra's lobotomy-like quotes and philosophy was quite dull, and not very informative.

Some helpful and practical information is the "66 question customer profile," as well as the "12P Competitor profile."I liked his noting (book written 1988) of how people who usually don't have money go out and buy a brand new "prestigious" car that depreciates.

Mackay also reminds us (or me atleast) of the importance of writing small yet important things down on paper and/or notepads.

One of his tips on how to save time is to drive near the front of a grocery store you plan on shopping in.Then look for how many people are in line.If its too crowded don't go in.Thanks Harvey.You've changed my life with your insights.

He also tried to break an attempt by his employees to form a union, which he lost.He openly stated how he conned very employee into thinking they were "special" and "important" with his one-to-one meetings with them.It didn't work.They didn't buy it.

He does understand (see "Dig You Well Before Your Thirsty") the art of the schmooze in talking with celebrities such as O.J. and world figures such as Castro about things that they do, and interest them in their free time and NOT about what they do for work.

All in all, useful things can be gleaned from "Swim With The Sharks," and it's a very quick read.

Passes on Some Simple But Important Lessons
I came across this book a few years ago during a difficult time in my life.I was in the process of failing miserably at yet another professional endeavor, and in the throes of a major personal upheaval.It was shortly after these calamities that I seriously began to read this book.Internalizing just a few of the simple but important lessons in this book has made all the difference for me, and has allowed me to pursue life very much on my own terms.

From this book, I learned that in order to satisfy a demand, you first have to create the demand, the very first lesson of the text, and one that I applied to maximum benefit repeatedly shortly after internalizing it.I also learned that while money is nice, good information is priceless; otherwise, you will not have the money for long.Too many people never learn that lesson.Finally, the most important lesson for me came in the first few pages and had to do with salesmanship.As MacKay says, anyone can get the order if they are willing to say anything and do anything to get it.The real question is whether or not they can get the reorder, as that is the mark of the true salesman.I work with people at the moment that should have learned that lesson, but did not, and let me tell you, it is excruciatingly frustrating to interact with such individuals.People who have not learned this crucial and important lesson simply can not be trusted, and lack integrity.They develop reputations that, in a word, are most un-flattering, and can bring out the worst in people.An appropriate analogy for such people are scurrilous and reproachable politicians- all talk and promises, but very much non-action and non-delivery.Most important, once entrenched in a position with a fancy title andof some limited power and authority, they can and do frustrate any and all attempts at progress and forward locomotion. You would do well to cease contact with these people at the first and most convenient opportunity.

As an aside, I liked his musings on the old cliche 'Sell Yourself'- truly a meaningless and overworked phrase if there ever was one.As MacKay remarks, we as individuals often make for lousy products.I also concur with others who found Mr. MacKay's admonishment, Don't Get Mad, and DON'T Get Even, to be wise beyond words.I can affirm that stewing over personal and professional slights and plotting revenge wastes precious time and energy which could be directed towards more constructive and fruitful pursuits.However, I must admit that I have yet to internalize this truest of truisms, as some tresspasses are difficult to forgive.Still, as for most of the other lessons the reader probably already knows them or is familiar with them, but having them placed before you by an unrelated and credible third party always makes for good, sound, positive reinforcement.While some may dismiss most of the lessons in the book as common sense, I have to commend Mr. MacKay on his key insights on the human condition and human relationships.

Which, in the end is what business, and for that matter, everything else, including my profession, science, is all about.I especially recommend this book to those from non-business or professional backgrounds (especially scientists, as many of us are, perish the thought!, unfortunately severely handicapped in the people skills department, this reviewer included) who nonetheless must interact with people.Obtaining this book solely for the lessons on good, effective salesmanship alone would justify its purchase.I have also found that reading this book, in combination with a handy and powerful little volume, Soft Selling in a Hard World: Plain Talk on the Art of Persuasion, by Jerry Vass, can turn even the most reluctant, shy non-people-person into an effective salesperson.One of these days I am going to read Mr. MacKay's follow-up, Sharkproof!, as there are quite a few of those carnivorous, maneating fish in The Business of Science.

Why didn't I think of that?
Looking into networking for any reason at all? This is the book for you. The information is simple to apply and leaves you asking, "Why didn't I think of that?" If you are ready to not only meet people but to remember them well then read this book and have fun putting it into action today!

Nuts!
A bunch of feel-good stories about the author. The only real meat is his list of questions about his/your customers. The substance of the book is: find out all you can about you customers AND find out how they fit in and see the companies they represent.

The only good news is the book has so little substance it took me only an hour to read it.

A must read for those in competetive business situations
...

This book, for me, was a guide in how to conduct myself in this difficult environment in an ethical manner, yet still succeed. I'll never forget reading the maxim, "Don't get mad, DON'T get even". After observing the behavior of those around me, many from the nation's top B schools, I was stunned to read this.They don't teach these types of ethics in MBA school. Anyway, I was dumbfounded when I read this simple rule, but Mackay deftly explains how this will not only help you rationalize your situation, but actually excel in this environment.

This is just one example. The book lays out Mackay's extremely wise philosophy. It is important to read this book and learn how to work with the sharks, reduce your anxiety, create win-win situations, and not be eaten. ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for the Relationship Edge in Business

"A great coaching tool for every sales manager–finally, a book that outlines step by step how to build both strong customer and personal relationships."
–John M. Woychick, Senior Vice President, Sales
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals

"A trailblazing book! An innovative preceptive system that shows how to build long-term client relationships that are priceless. It will set you apart from the crowd!"
–Danny Cox, author, Leadership When the Heat’s On

"Time and time again, Jerry Acuff’s approach to selling has proven to work. A must-read for those who believe that successful selling is a part of their everyday life."

–Georges Gemayel, Executive Vice President
Genzyme Corporation

"If you need to learn how to build meaningful relationships with customers and colleagues, then learn what Jerry Acuff teaches and watch your investment flourish. He is a true sales guru."
–Heidi J. Gearhart, National Sales Director, HCV
Roche Laboratories ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Accentuate the Positive
Most business books hit you over the head with "must do" lists. In The Relationship Edge in Business, the book shows you how to establish and maintain positive relationships, how to be interested and open to many levels of relationships. Relationships enrich personal and professional lives and this book offers so many ideas with a friendly, "can do" tone. No matter who you are, these ideas can work.

My favorite chapter is Chapter 5, "It's a Small World After All." In this chapter, the author reminds us that connections can be made, even when the odds seem unfavorable. Positive connections lead to other positive connections.

Is anyone listening? it's about the long term relationship!
Jerry Acuff outlines methods not taught by many companies. Although said companies devote time and capital to train sales forces about their products or services, most do not spend any time teaching the skill of building long term relationships with clients. This is a must read for the enlightened, forward-looking executive.

A better professional and personal life
As a professional sales person, I have long been aware that it is easier to sell to customers that like you. Just like anyone else, I hit it off with some people and not others. "The Relationship Edge in Business" provided me with an integrity-based path to improve relationships with all customers.

I read the book for one reason, I thought better relationships might translate into more sales, and I am sure it will. However, the book also touched me on a personal level. I've gained an outlook and process that I believe will improve my life outside of work.

A powerful yet simple to understand process
This book indeed goes where Dale Carnegie might have gone had he written the next logical book. The Relationship Edge in Business tells you exactly how to build meaningful relationships with people who are crucial to our success. It is full of real life stories of real life people practicing the 3 step process and experiencing unusual success. I found it very believable and easy to draw on the experiences and lessons shared in the book. IF relationahips are a key part of your success this is a great read.
The book is also grounded in sound yet lettle practiced principles about how to more effectively influence or persuade. A great business book that I will be studying not just reading

It's About Time
It is about time someone finnally has written a book that tells you exactly what to do to develop and grow a relationship. The great thing about what Mr. Acuff writes is that he lays out a clear and concise step-by-step approach. The Relationship Pyramid gives you a basis to assess where you are in the relationship process, and then he provides specific steps to take inorder to move the relationship to the next level.

Mr. Acuff also provides plenty of examples that illustrates exactly what can be accomplished by following the program. It is a must read for anyone who depends on strong business relationships to succeed.

A great side benefit is that it has helped me to dramatically improve my critical personal relationships as well. ... Read more

Book Description

Set the bar for outstanding performance

A follow-up to the top-selling Perfect Phrases for Performance Reviews, this book provides managers with phrases and goals that describe expected future performance from their direct reports. A timesaving job aid for any performance review or plan, the book:

• Makes it easy for managers to set high performance goals for executives, management, or non-managers employees
• Includes many categories of goals, from revenue and productivity goals to quality and personal development goals • Facilitates the goal-setting process across the organization
• Includes a guide to writing a performance plan for any employee

Featuring hundreds of ready-to-use performance goals, this practical job aid makes it simple for managers to set the bar for outstanding future results.

Book Description

New York Times bestselling author and expert on leadership John C. Maxwell explores the concept that success is really just a frame of mind. Good thinking. It's the one thing all successful people have in common. People who achieve their dreams understand the critical relationship between their level of thinking and their level of progress--and they know that when thinking is limited, so is potential. Now, John C. Maxwell explores this idea and identifies the specific skills people need to make their potential for success explode into results. From focused and creative thinking to thinking of the big picture or the bottom line, he provides examples of effective thinking for every situation. This book doesn't tell readers what to think, it teaches them how to think. After all, success is as simple as changing your mind. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

You're thinking right now...right?
Several years ago, one of the best leaders I know, someone who managed to rise to the top of every organization he was ever in --including the one he currently works for, told me the secret to his success. "Think like a leader," he said. I've often meditated on his words. I've discovered that they are absolutely true...

In his book, Maxwell explains how you can leverage the power of your thoughts to acheive unthinkable success: He gives you all the different ways leaders think and then shows you how to do it yourself. Just like my friend said: "Think like a leader." Order this book and find out how.

You may not use all of it....
You may not use ALL of the ideas in this book BUT if you find just one that helps you - then it is worth the investment. I believe each one of John Maxwell's types of thinking that are identified and briefly explained could be individual books all by themself.The thing I appreciated most about"Thinking For a Change" was that it gave me "just enough" of what I was looking for.My suggestion is to read "Thinking.. " then pick the area you most need work on and delve deeper with other resources.
Reading this book, gave me one key concept on strategic thinking which I was able to immediately apply to a business issue I was trying to figure out for the last 18 months. It made the difference in how I saw the problem and gave me a tool to successfully analyze it and ultimately move through it.

Whether you are in business or not, if you are looking for a fresh idea- this book may just get you started on that path, if you let it!

One of the best books I've ever read
This book and John Maxwell's 21 Irrefutable Laws of a Leader are 2 of my all time favorite books. They have had tremendous impact on my life and my work

not worth the money
A mediocre, intellectually lazy piece of work that will be of moderate value to beginners. Its basic points are valuable to those who have not been exposed to this structure, but it sorely lacks depth, committment to its subject, or the information value to hold the interest of a reader of above average mental capacity.

gets you thinking
Look around, and you will see that a lot of people in our society don't think. Our television shows have laugh tracks to tell us when something is supposed to be funny. Our coffee cups now warn us that the contents may be hot. Labels on our hair dryers remind us not to use them underwater. We are so used to having someone else do our thinking. What would happen if we woke up and started...thinking for a change?

Right away Maxwell establishes that successful people think differently than unsuccessful people. In Part I, he develops a foundation by explaining the merits of good, changed and intentional thinking. Part II reveals the 11 ways that successful people think -- big-picture instead of small, focused instead of scattered, creative instead of restrictive, realistic instead of fantasy, strategic instead of random, possibility instead of limited, reflective instead of impulsive, innovative instead of popular, shared instead of solo, unselfish instead of selfish, and bottom-line instead of wishful.

Each chapter explains one of these facets of thinking and allows you to evaluate yourself in each area. Maxwell then gives you action steps to develop that type of thinking in your life. This is an excellent resource to help you jump-start and expand your thinking beyond where it is today. If you are ready for a change, this book will get you thinking...for a change.

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

Reviews (10)

Great Leadership Book!
I was assigned to read Leadership Jazz by Max Depree. The first chapter really grabbed my attention because Depree had a way of relating everyday experiences with a way to better himself as a leader. The book began with a story about his granddaughter. When she was a baby, a month premature, the nurse told him he must caress her back and tell her that she was loved so the baby would put the voice together with the touch of her grandpa. He says, " A leader's voice is the expression of one's belief and a leader's touch demonstrates competence and resolve." I thought this was a very good way to introduce the topic because it really makes people stop and think what leadership means to them. I was very impressed with this book and I would suggest you read it!

Leadership Jazz
I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Leadership Jazz" because of its easy reading style that enables the reader an ability to relate certain underlying principles with actual experiences. As for the principles presented, I am impressed because the focus is on solid leadership qualities that are genuine, opposed to appearances. As one who has managed people for 20 years, it is a practical and valuable resource. I did, however, bristle each time I read "she" rather than "he", but was able to accept this without too much difficulty. I have purchased a copy of the book for all department heads, and each of my children.

Superior book by Max DePree
In Max Depree's book, Leadership Jazz, the importance of both the leader and the "follower" are explored in great detail. DePree chooses to not only relay what a leader must be in order for an organization to be a success, but he also focuses on what type of employees must be present for a company to achieve a goal. This book goes beyond the normal management book that dictates how to lead with rules and procedures and delves into the communication and respect that must be present at all levels at all times. It is an excellent guide for what should be contemplated, considered, and carried out in a thriving, team-based operation. This book is one that individuals should definitely consider reading if they are looking for this type of material.

Ok Leadership
The Max Dupree book was ok I guess. I read this book for a Communication leadership class and it has some good points and a few that were no good. Dupree writes the book so that about anyone can read and understand but is no thriller. It is based on some solid leadership principles but not all of them. It does give some insights on how to be a more effective leader in the future. It does however have too much emphsis on the "touchy-feely aspect to leadership in my opinion. I probably would not have read the book had I not been assigned but it was not bad but not that good either. What I am most confused about is the use of she and not he, What is up with that?

leadership jazz
Certainly in this work environment of a every decreasing employee pool, this book offers a significant look at what leadership qualities are needed to keep employee turnover at a minimum. ... Read more

Book Description

Release the Power and Potential of Every Employee.

Have you ever wanted a book you could share with everyone who works for you -- a book that gives employees the tools they need to make their work more rewarding and help the organization become more successful? Here, at last, is such a book -- from Bob Nelson, the million-copy bestselling author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees. What's more, this book is essential for anyone who wants to get ahead and applies equally to managers and employees.

Bob Nelson maps out a specific and easy-to-follow strategy for fulfilling what he calls "The Ultimate Expectation" at every workplace: that people will use their best judgment to figure out what needs to be done and then do it without having to be told. His advice is surprising and novel. For example, some of the ways he suggests to excel at work include.

--Make Your Job More Difficult
--Develop a Reputation as the Office Cheapskate
--Shoot Holes in Your Own Plans
--Ask Silly Questions

Brief, to the point, and inspiring, Nelson's advice can be applied to any situation, from the mailroom to the boardroom, and is illustrated with examples and anecdotes from real life. This book is a perfect "first day on the job" read; an inspiring motivational tool for long-time employees; a useful resource for any HR department; and an invaluable investment for anyone who wants to go further than he or she ever dreamed possible in a job, a career, and in life. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Take Initiative
Mr. Nelson offers advice and ideas in the book that I never thought about before. Before reading this book I was afraid to step out of line on anything, taking the initiative on a few issues has helped me in my job, hopefully to get a promotion.
Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey is another great book for companies to share with employees because it offers entertaining stories and goal oriented advice about improving your workplace and your life.

Taking the initiative
Mr. Nelson offers advice and ideas in the book that I never thought about before. Before reading this book I was afraid to step out of line on anything, taking the initiative on a few issues has helped me in my job, hopefully to get a promotion. Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey is another great book for companies to share with employees because it offers entertaining stories and goal oriented advice about improving your workplace and your life.

Initiative + Timing = Promotion
This is a very easy to read book full of examples of how people were able to make headway on the corporate ladder by showing initiative, waiting until the timing was right, and even disobeying superiors.

Through a string of specific examples from which generalized ideas are formed, this book explains how you can be an empowered employee with a driving force that will not only bring you job satisfaction, but can help you turn even a doldrum job into an opportunity for success.

The ideas, such as "be a person that makes things happen" can apply to any job, you just have to think about how it can apply to you.

Pro-active thinking!
Bob Nelson has assembled a quick reading book on popular business concepts and situations facing a regular employee. He offers suggestions on becoming more pro-active than re-active to situations that arise through out many different careers. Nelson also gives examples of true story scenarios in which a person took a chance or challenged an idea and was later promoted for it. He talks about successes and also failures in careers in which people either sat on the sidelines or got in the game. This book most can probably read in a day as it is under 100 pages and reads very fast. It has quick chapters and a lot of useful insight.

Not so thrilled
I was a bit disappointed after reading the book because I thought the author was giving 'general advice' rather than 'specific tips'. I would rather recommend 'The Administrative Assistant' (Crisp Publications) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Another winner from Donald
I have to disagree with the reviewer that said this book could have been written by anyone. Yes it true anyone could have written a book, but how many could relate the actual impact of that knowledge than Donald himself?

I read How To Get Rich and loved it. This book is also highly recommended.

Thank you Donald for another great book.

What¿s the best business advice you¿ve ever received?
Donald Trump is an Optimal Thinker. He makes the most of his thinking and resources. The question: 'What's the best business advice you've ever received?' is the basis of this first-rate book, and is an example of Optimal Thinking.

Trump is a genius!!!
You can not deny that Donald Trump is a genius-he is able to make money in television with "The Apprentice", real estate deals,books, and the most important asset-the Trump name.
This book, which is not as impressive as his last(How To Get Rich)could have been written by anyone. It is simply a compilation of advice from other business super-minds, skimping on advice from 'The Donald'. It is a very good read, but will only be on the bestseller list because of his most valuable asset-the Trump name. ... Read more

Book Description

Surprising Advice from Top Business Minds on What It Really Means to Lead

Leadership requires many attributes besides intelligence and business savvy-courage, character, compassion, and respect are just a few. New managers learn concrete skills in the classroom or on the job, but where do they hone the equally important human values that will guide them through a career that is both successful and meaningful?

In this inspirational book, Daisy Wademan gathers lessons on balancing the personal and professional responsibilities of leadership from faculty members of Harvard Business School. Offering a rare glimpse inside the classrooms in which many of the world's prominent leaders are trained, Remember Who You Are imparts lessons learned not in business, but in life. From the revelations on luck and obligation brought by a terrifying mountain accident to a widowed mother's lesson of respect for people rather than job titles-these unforgettable stories and reflections, shared by renowned contributors from Rosabeth Moss Kanter to HBS Dean Kim Clark, remind us that great leadership is not only about the mind, but the heart.

Addressing the moral, ethical, and personal dilemmas professionals face as they climb the ladder to success, Remember Who You Are will help aspiring leaders everywhere use their time and talents in ways that truly matter. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Reflect, Learn and be Inspired
Is this book destined for the best seller's list? Probably not...but anyone who reads it will read it again.

This is a solid piece of work, an amazing collection of stories wherein the reader can reflect on their own life and career and be inspired.

Beyond inspiration, the stories are also a very telling of the professors who have spent decades training the world's current and next generation of leaders at Harvard Business School. You can just imagine Wademan talking with these professors, soaking in their every word as they talk about what is important to them, what they make sure every student hears of them. And a relief: when exposed to these professors, the money-greedy stereotype of the the MBA goes out the window.

A perfect book for anyone thinking about their career, in school or in transition, or those looking to be better leaders in whatever they do.

Defining Moments of Harvard Business School Professors
This book was inspired by the Harvard Business School tradition of sharing life lessons with students in the final class. Ms. Daisy Wademan, a recent graduate in 2002, collected a number of these stories as shared in final classes and in many cases rewrote them to fit into this wise volume. In other cases, the professors wrote and polished the stories themselves.

At its best, the essays in this book are among the most compelling that I have ever read. At its weakest, Remember Who You Are's essays remind me of the most boring moments I have spent in a classroom. With stronger editing, this could have been a knock-out of a book. As it is, the book is very valuable . . . and will be a five-star offering for any Harvard Business School graduate who wants a quick course in key life lessons. I graded the book down one star as being less relevant for those who did not attend Harvard Business School. To have met that standard, the book's stories would have had to have been geared for those involved in less exalted roles than Harvard Business School professors and alumni. As a side note, I took two courses there in marketing while studying law at Harvard Law School so I have a foot inside the camp as well as one outside of it.

Each essay describes a defining moment in a professor's life, and the epiphany that resulted from that defining moment. Unfortunately, the defining moments sometimes had a little too much to do with being a good student . . . and becoming a good professor rather than focusing on how to become an effective person in a business career.

The most universal business story in the book is "A Bad Meal, and the Truth" by Stephen P. Kaufman a professor since 2001 who is the former long-time CEO of Arrow Electronics. He describes the way that organizations form around their leaders to shelter the leaders from difficulties and bad news (or even the truth). He provides excellent advice on how to overcome those tendencies. This idea and its development are worth being the subject of a whole book.

There are two stories that are so compelling that I defy anyone to forget them. The first, "A Fall before Rising," opens the book and recounts a life-threatening fall during a climb in the Himalayas by the late professor Ramchandran "Jai" Jaikumar. He has a beautiful reaction in terms of the karmic debt involved in all of our lives which should echo forward into future generations. Ms. Wademan has given us a great gift by capturing this story.

The second remarkably compelling story is "The Mount Rushmore Question" by Thomas J. DeLong. On a motorcycle journey to Mount Rushmore with his young daughter, she asks him if he makes a difference in people's lives. The essay goes on to encourage you to ask two questions for becoming more effective in these dimensions. One, "how do people experience you?" Two, "how do people experience themselves with they are with you?" I thought that those three questions are among the most perceptive ones that I have ever run into. I wish I had heard them many years ago. Please pass them along.

One of the most intriguing sections is "The Oath" by Nitin Nohria in which he expresses the moral and ethical responsibilities of the manager. This essay should receive much wider dissemination as well. I am always struck by how many people see business leadership as solely a personal opportunity rather than as a social responsibility to create positive results for all stakeholders. The management oath in the essay is a good step in the right direction of redressing this fault. Peter Drucker has often said to me that management has few problems that becoming like a profession wouldn't solve. He points out the many differences between how physicians advance medicine and medical practices versus how business managers perform. I hope that this thought process will receive more attention in the future.

Many of the other essays reminded me of those dreams we all have about impossible tests that we cannot complete. Some of the more memorable ones include "The Stuffed Bird" by Jeffrey F. Rayport, "Katharine Hepburn and Me" by Rosabeth Moss Kanter and "The Race" by Henry B. Reiling.

With due nostalgia for my two courses at Harvard Business School, I remembered that two of my biggest career lessons came from brief moments in class that were not the final class. In one, Professor Marty Marshall told us about friends of his who ran a small video company in New Hampshire that had a great life style . . . while providing New York quality work at New York prices. In another, I heard a McKinsey partner describe a consulting assignment in which he solved the problem by moving beyond the charter the client had given him. I have drawn on both stories successfully many times in my career to become the head of my own strategy and financial consulting firm in suburban Boston.

The lesson that I learned from this book is that it would be a good idea to ask people who have more experience than you what the defining moments in their lives have been . . . and what they learned from those experiences. I hope that Ms. Wademan will consider writing other books using this format that focus on thoughtful, ethical business leaders.

Nice job!

Genius!
This book is a must read for those interested in the power of thought and introspection. It is an important tome that inspires us to think about what we want in life and how we are all going to get "there." Kudos to Ms. Wademan, she is clearly a star in the making, a most impressive debut.

Food For The Soul
This superb collection of inspiring stories is a must-have addition to any collection. You will find yourself going back and rereading many of these tales time and again.

This book has quickly become one of my favourite gifts to give to friends. The stories are not only inspirational, but make you want to take a closer look at your own path in life.

I keep a copy of this book in my spare bedroom (it's the perfect size, if you only have time to read a few short tales at a time), and find that guests who pick this book, end up chatting about the stories throughout the day.

Well Done!

A compilation of simple inspirational messages
Great short and simple book. Read the messages which every HBS professor transmits to their students during the last day of class. From real life stories, to amazing metaphors, to inspirational messages, I am happy see a fellow grad had the initiative to put in writing some of those messages with which our professors leave us year in and year out. Inspirational messages don't get any simpler than this - you will truly spend a couple of hours of magnificent inspirational reading from some of the top thinkers in the business world. ... Read more

Book Description

With its previous bestsellers-First, Break All the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths-The Gallup Organization rewrote the book on great management. Now Gallup finally makes its classic, hilarious parable, ANIMALS, INC., available to the general public. A story that has proven effective and popular with Gallup clients for over thirty years, this tale introduces you to a group of unforgettable barnyard animals trying to run a successful business.Deciding that education is the key, the members of Animals, Inc. conduct employee surveys, evaluate competencies, and set up training classes. Filled with the excitement and hope that accompany any new project, they work hard to overcome their natural shortcomings. The workhorse tries to operate the computer, the shy sheep makes sales calls, the scarecrow attempts to lay eggs. What results will seem uncannily familiar to the human reader.As revelatory as Who Moved My Cheese? and as funny as Fish!, ANIMALS, INC. will have you laughing and learning at the same time.Recharge your thinking with invaluable practical insights. Get an edge in the business world you won't discover anywhere else. And discover the key to effective management, reenergized morale, and super-heightened performance. Just listen to the animals. ... Read more

Reviews