Book Description

The Nature of Success is an inspirational gift book combining award winning photography with Mac Anderson's wisdom and insight on the keys to personal success. Beautiful nature scenes accompanied with an inspirational quote will introduce each "success chapter" followed by two to three pages of insights, unforgettable real life stories, and Mac's favorite quotes on each topic. Anderson's insights take on new life as he brings a solid Christian perspective to The Nature of Success.

Reviews (1)

Best Book Of the Month
A friend who didn't have time to read this work of art asked me if I would care to.

From the first page to the last, I was help spellbound by the simple inspirational messages of the author.

By taking everyday scenarios and blending them with age old truths Mac Anderson has created another success to his credit.

Everyone who is looking for an inspirational, easy reading, motivational book should read "The Nature of Success", I know I will keep it handy and refer back to it often.

If you only read one book this month, or only have one hour all year, this is a "Must Read" ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Documented and thoughtful
This book made me discover knowledge management. It is very well documented, very thougthful, easy to read... An excellent starting point.

Knowledge Enabling not KM !!
I had a pleasant surprise when a friend of mine decided to gift me "Enabling Knowledge Creation" by Georg Von Krogh, Kazuo Ichijo and Ikujiro Nonaka. It forms a sequel to "the Knowledge Creating Company" co-authored by Nonaka and Takeuchi published in 1995 . The first book was a seminal work which has profoundly influenced my views on Knowledge Creation (Nonaka refuses to entertain the concept of KM , resolutely denying that Knowledge
can ever be managed!) along with writers like Tom Davenport and Larry Prusak. However, the first book was open to a lot of criticism saying that it was just too "theoretic", "vague" and "generalised" ...Nonaka et al try and get more hands on, and tool bookish with this book.

However, this book is likely to disturb people who have read and formed ideas about KM by reading works of the American thought leaders.

In the start of the book the authors try and make the difference explicit.

In a passage titled "what's wrong with knowledge management?" they spell it out :

Pitfall I: KM relies on easily detectable, quantifiable information.
Pitfall II: KM is devoted to the manufacture of tools.
Pitfall III: KM depends on a Knowledge Officer.

While the premises of Knowledge Enabling and Creation are:

Premise I: Knowledge is justified true belief, individual and social, tacit and explicit.
Premise II: Knowledge depends on your perspective.
Premise III: Knowledge Creation is a craft , not a science.

The authors reiterate that organizational Knowledge Creation involves five main steps :

1. Sharing tacit knowledge
2. Creating concepts
3. Justifying concepts
4. Building a prototype
5. Cross-leveling knowledge.

To facilitate this the following 5 enablers need to be in place :

1. instill a knowledge vision
2. manage conversations
3. mobilize knowledge activits
4. Create the right context
5. Globalize local knowledge

The book is rich in case studies which show how different companies that follow these concepts are growing in leaps and bounds and innovating over others who remain stuck in the KM paradigm.

The authors note that in the Knowledge journey companies can be mapped in 3 phases, which might or might not be sequential.

1. The Risk Minimisers , whose focus is capturing and locating knowledge. The tools they use are data warehousing, datamining, Yellow pages, IC-Navigator, Balanced Scorecard, Knowledge Audits, IC-Index, Business Information Systems, Rule-based systems [these firms still view knowledge as a resource that needs to be collected and managed]

2. The Efficiency Seekers, who focus on transferring and sharing knowledge. The tools they use are internets, intranets, Lotus Notes/Groupware, Networked organization, knowledge workshops, knowledge workbench, Best Practice Transfer, Benchmarking, Knowledge-gap analysis, Knowledge sharing culture, Technology transfer units, Knowledge transfer units, Systems Thinking

3. The Innovators who enable Knowledge creation are typically those who embrace a knowledge vision, managing conversations, creating the right context, mobilize knowledge activists, globalize local knowledge, professional innovation networks, new organizational forms, New HRM-systems, new corporate values, project management systems, corporate universities, communities and storyboards.

Highly Recommended!
Dust off those liberal arts degrees before opening this challenging treatise on knowledge management, written by a trio of academics who call themselves "constructionists," quote Sartre and speak passionately of "post-modernism." Their work explains how to gain initiative and constructive input from workers by modifying traditional command structures - a grounded approach that is much more realistic than the revolutionary conversions called for by other experts. Managers who balk at the thought of granting autonomy or increased access to their employees may well be converted away from their hierarchical dogma here. We at getAbstract particularly recommend the lively knowledge-creation case histories and the wonderful section explaining how companies can create valid, imaginative futures. (What if IBM had imagined a world in which software was more important than mainframes?)

Sustainable advantage through knowledge enabling
In the many publications on Knowledge Management, the writings by Von Krogh and Nonaka (and, in this case, Ichijo) stand out in a number of aspects: 1) their emphasis of knowledge "management" as an essentially human and social process 2) their emphasis on linking knowledge management with strategic focus and business results 3) the inspiring examples and writing style.

This book is a clear showcase of these elements. It provides a profound yet pragmatic guidance on the road to becoming a learning organisation. Where capturing & locating, and transferring & sharing knowledge are essential in achieving competitive advantage through knowledge, the real source of sustainable advantage is, as the authors claim, the continuous creation of new knowledge, as a result of developing a strategic vision and an enabling organisation and culture to realise that (evolving) vision.

Being involved in implementing a number of the concepts in our organisation, I am convinced this book provides many ideas and tools that will help today's corporate world in reshaping our business for the knowledge economy.

Highly recommended!

Focus on knowledge creation, but what about integration?
The author's of this book are leading thinkers in the KM field. Perhaps the best way to describe this book is as a sequel to Nonaka's earlier 1995 book. But, we all remember what happened to Scarlett, again a much touted sequel. Although this book was a slight disappointment since Nonaka has set reader's expectations a little too high with his earlier groundbreaking title "The Knowledge Creating ompany" that, for the most part, defined KM as we know it. An academic reader will appreciate they theoretical insights provided and extensive references to supporting literature. But there are some aspects that this book underplays: 1. Knowledge creation is fine, but knowledge integration is perhaps as important---an issue to which the authors pay little attention. 2. Excellent ideas aside, this book underplays the significance of empirical evidence and most cases tend to be descriptive qualitative analyses. 3. The role of technology is highly underplayed. 4. The book has "sufficient" overlap with the authors' research papers in the uropean Management Journal. For academic readers who have read those, this might be a little disappointing. 5. The concept of KM and it's relationship with innovation at architectural and component levels is not described in much detail.

On the positive side, you will find that: 1) Lots of issues that were barely touched upon in Nonaka's preceding book are described in further detail. 2) The book is very well written and the tone is accsible to both academic and non-academic readers. 3) the concept of BA is elucidated in further detail Readers who do not follow academic research journals might find that an interesting extension. 4) A link between strategy and KM is well illustrated. For businesses, KM is of little value if there are no results. The authors describe how to look for those results (or in lay terms, ROI). Academic readers will also find Nonaka's recent paper in a recent issue of Organization Science (2000) to be of much interest. Academic readers must also realize that the approach here seems to be "post modern," and indeed quite qualitative in the European research tradition.

To sum my opinion, this book is a worthy addition to the bookshelves; but, it is not to be read without reading Nonaka's preceding book "The Knowledge Creating Company." A word of warning is in order: Academic readers will enjoy this title however, managerial readers might find it a little heavy and abstract. Indeed, this book stands out of the crowd with three authors who are well respected in the American research circles---consequently, its high overall quality comes as no surprise. Recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

Entrepreneurs, managers, parents, teachers, and—at some point—everyone have to explain goals and intentions to another person in order to enlist help in achieving them. Too often, those brilliant explanations fall on seemingly deaf ears. They just don't get it! Instead of blaming them, this book counsels readers to look within, and shows that "their" problem is often "our" problem. Using the popular parable format, and illustrated with clever line drawings, They Just Don't Get It! gives knowledgeable, down-to-earth behavioral suggestions for opening communication, achieving goals, and building teams. Offering insight into the reasons ideas aren't implemented in an expected manner, the book provides the reader with personal insight into how to become a better communicator of ideas and an inspired motivator of people, both personally and professionally. Includes black-and-white illustrations throughout. ... Read more

Book Description

Good Luck is a whimsical fable that teaches a valuable lesson: good luck doesn’t just come your way—it’s up to you to create the conditions to bring yourself good luck. Written by Alex Rovira and Fernando Trias de Bes—two leading marketing consultants—this simple tale is universally applicable and uniquely inspirational. Good Luck tells the touching story of two old men, Max and Jim, who meet by chance in Central Park fifty years after they last saw each other as children. Max achieved great success in life; Jim sadly did not. The secret to Max’s success lies in a story his grandfather told him long ago. This story within a story has a tone reminiscent of the classic The Alchemist and shows how to seize opportunity and achieve success in life. In a surprise ending, Good Luck comes full circle, offering the reader inspiration, instruction, and an engaging tale. ... Read more

Book Description

"Do you know what it takes to be a star at work?Robert Kelley has the answer." --Fast Company

• Find out what separates stars from average performers

• Learn how to be the top pick for the choice jobs

• Use nine star-performer strategies to become a member of the select "ten-for-one" club, with ten times the productivity of the average worker

• Find out how using the nine strategies enables you to out-perform people with supposedly better credentials

• New in this edition:special insights for women and members of minority groups
  

Reviews (50)

Mentoring for Those Without Effective Mentors
How to Be a Star at Work is excellent for attacking misconceptions that retard almost all careers. Everyone I know who had a fast rising career used the principles in this book: But they usually had to figure out some of the principles for themselves.

As a young person, many lack the experience and judgment to derive these principles. For example, many will see conforming to the views of co-workers (many of whose careers are going nowhere) as the way to get ahead. Not true!

As your first step toward becoming a star at work, read this book and apply its principles. If you want to go further and be a Superstar at work, read on for more instructions you will need.

Careers are also plagued by other flawed thinking habits not explored in this book including poor communications (assuming the message is received and understood without checking), disbelief in promising new ideas and technologies (check these new perspectives out carefully before you dismiss them), tradition (habits that have outlived their usefulness), bureaucracy (having people involved unnecessarily), harmful procrastination (delaying when the situation is deteriorating), and avoiding ugliness (everyone else avoids it also, so the best opportunities are often in the most unattractive aspects of your operations).

To be most successful, you need to be able to create better solutions.

The way to do this is to (1) learn the value of measurements (nothing improves that is not measured) (2) measure everything you can about important processes in your key activities (each measurement will teach you something you need to know) (3) identify the best practices anyone has ever done in these areas (especially by looking outside your industry), and anticipate where these best practices will be in 5 years (4) assemble best practices together in new ways that no one has ever done before to exceed the future best practice (5) identify the ideal best practice (the best people will ever be able to do -- for communications this will be having everyone get the message in one second, like shouting "fire" in a crowded theater where smoke and flames are evident) (6) find ways to approach the ideal best practice by applying the analogy of where humans do it almost perfectly now to your situation (7) assemble the right people, resources and incentives to get the job done and (8) repeat the process (you will get better at it and find better ideas, each you time you do this again).

Further, a lot of people are oblivious to the powerful trends around them. The most effective people will find ways to turn these trends to their advantage, regardless of how the trend shifts.

If you teach someone else these ideas, you will learn them even better, and proven yourself as a leader.

Now you have everything you need to be a superstar at work, except for the proper goals. Write them down! Review them frequently! You will outperform 97 percent of everyone else with just this focus . . . before you apply this book.

Don't forget to be a superstar in your personal life, where it's tougher . . . but more meaningful . . . to do!

A Role Model for Those Without Role Models
This book is excellent for attacking misconception stalls (bad thinking habits based on a misunderstanding of the circumstances) that retard almost all careers. Everyone I know who had a fast rising career used the principles in this book: But they had to figure out some of the principles for themselves.

As a young person, many lack the experience and judgment to derive these principles. For example, many will see conforming to the views of co-workers (many of whose careers are going nowhere) as the way to get ahead. Not!

As your first step toward becoming a star at work, read this book and apply its principles. If you want to go further and be a Superstar at work, read on for more instructions you will need.

Careers are also plagued by other flawed thinking habits not explored in this book including poor communications (assuming the message is received and understood without checking), disbelief in promising new ideas and technologies (check these new perspectives out carefully before you dismiss them), tradition (habits that have outlived their usefulness), bureaucracy (having people involved unnecessarily), harmful procrastination (delaying when the situation is deteriorating), and avoiding ugliness (everyone else avoids it also, so the best opportunities are often in the most unattractive aspects of your operations).

To be most successful, you need to be able to create better solutions.

The way to do this is to (1) learn the value of measurements (nothing improves that is not measured) (2) measure everything you can about important processes in your key activities (each measurement will teach you something you need to know) (3) identify the best practices anyone has ever done in these areas (especially by looking outside your industry), and anticipate where these best practices will be in 5 years (4) assemble best practices together in new ways that no one has ever done before to exceed the future best practice (5) identify the ideal best practice (the best people will ever be able to do -- for communications this will be having everyone get the message in one second, like shouting "fire" in a crowded theater where smoke and flames are evident) (6) find ways to approach the ideal best practice by applying the analogy of where humans do it almost perfectly now to your situation (7) assemble the right people, resources and incentives to get the job done and (8) repeat the process (you will get better at it and find better ideas, each you time you do this again).

Further, a lot of people are oblivious to the powerful trends around them. The most effective people will find ways to turn these trends to their advantage, regardless of how the trend shifts.

If you teach someone else these ideas, you will learn them even better, and proven yourself as a leader.

NOW YOU CAN REALLY BE A SUPERSTAR AT WORK! Good luck!

Don't forget to be a superstar in your personal life, as well.

Good Reference for 'Brainpowered' Workers
This is a good guide to success in the workplace for engineers and other 'brainpowered' workers. Dr. Kelly, professor at Carnegie-Mellon's business school, writes of nine 'breakthrough' strategies to move ahead of the pack, into the 'A player' ranks. While the somewhat cheesy title implies that this is a guide for lazy people (the 'C players') to sneak their way up the ladder, this is in reality a well-written and well-researched book that is strictly for highly-motivated workers that just need a little added 'edge'.

The tips Dr. Kelly provide seem to be common sense, but we all see hard-working 'B players' every day that neglect these at their own peril. (If it were as easy to spot one's own faults as it is to spot faults in others, this book wouldn't be necessary.)

It doesn't cover everything, of course, and the strategies aren't necessarily easy to implement, but it's a good starting point for someone truly motivated to improve their promotability. To that end, I'd personally recommend reading Stephen Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People", and this book.

Emotional intelligence in the work place.
This is an excellent book. The nine strategies make perfect sense. They are innovative, and will work for you. This is how to apply all your intelligences within the workplace and not just your IQ. You will recognize the ones who apply these strategies. They are the ones who may not have MBAs from Harvard, but yet are well liked and respected and go up the corporate ladder seemingly effortlessly.

The author strategies are also quite original. He stresses how strong "followership" is just as important if not more as "leadership." This is a really important point that is rarely mentioned in management seminars.

If you are a Harvard MBA, good for you. Nevertheless, this book will be invaluable to your success as it will give you the strategies and people skills you may need to truly leverage the superior business education you got.

Disappointed
I have just finished this book and found it to be very boring and lengthy. I agree with the other reviewer, only three pages worth reading.
No idea how anyone that has read this book would give it five stars, if not friends of the author. ... Read more

Book Description

The John Wooden Pyramid of Success features the words and values of the master: the official Pyramid of Success Lecture, Coach's favorite maxims, interviews with him about his life and philosophy, and 30 photos of Wooden throughout his life. Wooden is the consummate businessman, who during the last twelve years of his job obtained a virtual monopoly on the national title for collegiate basketball. Learn how he did so as the master strategist, psychologist, motivator, and example. Husband, father, friend, educator, poet, athlete, Hoosier, and just plain great guy, Coach Wooden¹s story and approach to life is an inspiration for all ages. At last, the complete story is told. For the inside story of a true hero in sports and life, this is indispensable and joyous reading. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Deep Look at Coach Wooden's Life and Philosophy
Technically, much improved over the first, I highly recommend the second edition of this book. The author, Neville Johnson, presents a wide variety of interviews with family members, friends, former players, and others associated with John Wooden throughout the coach's influential life. Mr. Johnson also takes great effort in presenting a "balanced" look at Mr. Wooden's philosophy embodied in the Pyramid of Success and its effect on the friends, family, and players who know "Coach". The interviews (which cover at least half the book's content) are candid and revealing. The interviews alone are worth the purchase price. Many years of work went into the research for the book and the reward is for those who read it. Each reader will discover information about John Wooden and his philosophy of life not found anywhere else. I would not describe this as a "how-to" book, but, rather, a very deep look at a man who has influenced more people than he will ever know. The insights gained may well translate into a practical outlook on all aspects of individual lives.

Excellent and No Typos!
I think Mr. Willingham is reviewing the first edition of this book. I have seen a copy of that and there are many typos in that edition. I should know as I am a professional proofreader. But I have a copy of the second edition, the one that has the cover shown on this page, and I have found very, very few typos, and most of those small grammar things that you might find in any book. Considering this book is well over 400 pages I think it is presented very well. I do agree with Mr. Willingham that this book gives a lot of new information about the people around Coach during the Wooden Era. All in all, I find it an excellent read and a must for any Wooden follower.

Informative, but what's the deal with the typos and errors ?
This book has a great deal of information about John Wooden, UCLA basketball, and many of the people who were involved with Coach Wooden during the "Wooden Era". However, this book is also FULL of typographical errors, grammar problems, and such. While it does not severly impact the content, it is frustrating and irritating for such a product that has so much potential.

The John Wooden Pyramid of Success
I am a licensed psychotherapist practicing in San Francisco for the past twenty years. I am always looking for books that give people a healthy and motivational structure for living life.
John Wooden's Pyramid of Success is one of those books that I recommend to my clients. This book was recommended to me and although I did not know much about John Wooden, I was very inspired by his life and his work. His ability to educate, and help others build character, gain wisdom and expand their capacity to live a life of integrity, service and love is remarkable.
Most people come into therapy because there is some area of their life that they are dissatisfied with. Therapy is about bringing into consciousness deeper emotional truths that can keep us from achieving a truly satisfying and meaningful life.
The Pyramid clearly defines the actions we are taking and the decisions we are making when we are living life to the fullest. John Wooden is an important role model and teacher for us all. This book is an excellent resource for living on purpose and for reaching the upper limits of what is available to us all in life.

Great Book on Wooden!
This is by far the most comprehensive book on Wooden yet. About half the book is interviews with former Wooden players, with Wooden's family, his friends, and even his former teachers. These interviews prove Wooden truly walks what he talks. The biography section is as in-depth as anything I've seen on Wooden and the amount of new information revealed is daunting. If you are a Wooden fan, or want to learn more about the former UCLA coach, this is the book for you. ... Read more

Book Description

People keep asking "How?" as a defense against living their life, says best-selling author Peter Block. In this witty, insightful award-winning book, Block shows that many standard solutions and improvement efforts, reinforced by most of the literature, keep people paralyzed. Here he places the "how to" craze in perspective and teaches individuals, workers, and managers ways to act on what they know. This in turn allows them to reclaim their freedom and capacity to create the kind of world they want to live in. Block’s "elements of choice" — the characteristic of a new workplace and a new world based on more positive values — include self-mentoring, investing in relationships, accepting the unpredictability of life, and realizing that the individual prospers only when the community does. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Seminal Work on the Leadership Required to Change the World
I have just finished reading this book for the 5th or 6th time. It contains a unique perspective on the type of leadership necessary to transform the world, from the local to the global levels, to a place of harmony, creativity, justice, sustainability, and love.

It is not for those still centered in their own egos or even those centered in their families and communities. It embodies a human perspective deep enough to touch values that are universal and if acted upon, healing and life giving.

The book culminates in a description of the leader as "social architect." This is a person who helps all people discover the values and vision that they hold collectively and then provides the space for collaborative and creative solutions and designs.

It would be wonderful and potentially powerful for all leaders to read this book and then act on what they have learned... especially the leaders of the nations of our world.

A Book for Everyone?
This is a good book. This book is for everyone, but not everyone will find it enjoyable. The reason is that those of us who are accustomed to looking for answers in a book won't really find them. This is a book about the right questions - not answers. It is about a different approach to our life.

Block feels we live in an instrumental society. We are too pragmatic. We are a society currently driven by the archetypes of the Engineer and Economist. We tend to rush to the question of How - the practical question. The underlying premise of the book is that we ask the wrong question first. We should be asking Why more often.

The book is not a good book for those of us who are looking for quick answers or a road map to nirvana. It is a great book filled with a common sense approach to a re-examination of what is really important to us and thus to the organizations we work in. His book evolves to the archetype of the Architect - a synthesis of the pragmatic and the philosophical approach to life.

Excellent book on re-thinking freedom and community
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who considers issues around freedom and community, experience and empiricism (I would include both therapists and coaches in this category). Block's eloquent writing identifies some of the significant flaws our Western culture makes in bowing to the gods of empiricism and data to the exclusion of experience and community.

An excellent book by a man with a unique perspective on the American culture of capitalism.

An attractive restatement of known principles
A carefully presented essay on the importance of personal purpose and meaning and the dangers to ourselves and our world of the instrumental world to which we are subjecting ourselves. The book is beautifully set out and easy to read. The philosophy and advice, though useful and cogent, is much the same as that to be found in a whole range of similar books concerned with personal development. There is perhaps particular value in his distinction between personal intimacy and the ersatz, commercialized 'customer intimacy' that is so much touted in books on marketing.

A BOOK THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!
BLOCK'S FLAWLESS CONSULTING OPENED MY EYES TO EFFECTIVENESS IN MY FIELD AS AN ADVISOR AND A COACH AFTER MANY YEARS AS A BANKER AND CORPORATE EXECUTIVE. BLOCK'S RECENT WORK, THE ANSWER TO HOW? IS YES AFFIRMS THE EXPERIENCES I HAVE HAD IN ORGANIZATIONS FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. I AM SO PLEASED TO HAVE FINALLY MATURED SUFFICIENTLY TO "LISTEN" TO HIS WORDS AND FEEL AFFIRMED IN WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS SEEING AND KNEW I WAS FEELING. THIS BOOK MAKES A REAL DIFFERENCE, BUT ONLY IF ONE HAS THE COURAGE TO BOTH ABSORB WHAT IT SAYS AND ACT ON WHAT IT MEANS! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

New & Updated version of Hill's first book. 5 stars!
I have been a fan of Napolean Hill since 1975 when I enrolled in my first network marketing company and Think & Grow Rich was practilly required reading for everyone. Later I found out that those who read Think & Grow Rich (as well as other positive mind books) excelled while those who didn't were left behind.

Someone recommended The Law of Success. At first I just saw it as an inflated version of Think & Grow Rich and didn't see the value. Then I met another network marketer who made nearly $3 million in under 2 years (in 1970's dollars!) and credited Hill's books, especially this one and Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude and Think and Grow Rich. He told me that Think & Grow Rich will get your interest, but The Law of Success would make me rich.

I recall the price of The Law of Success was around $20 (a lot of money in 1976 considering I bought Think & grow Rich for $1.95) for the 2 volume set. So I set a goal to buy the book set with the profits from my business, that is extra sales or residual checks on top of what I was already making.

Shortly thereafter, I bought the set and dove into the program. Reading a chapter a day, this was on top of reading other motivational material. My sales exploded. My attitude changed. And I thought I already had a good attitude!

Hill goes much deeper into the 17 principles in The Law of Success and in this updated version, while Hills ideas remain intact, the material is revised for the times, there are new quotes and new material.

This is also in one paperback book instead of two hardbacks. It is easier to read and packed with material that goes beyond what you will find in Hill's others books.

Since my old copies are all dog eared and worn, I went out and spent the $34 and bought the new & improved version over the weekend and again feel stimulated. It jogged my memory and gave me many new ideas for my new pursuit. I am now recommending this book to everyone and anyone who wants success.

If you liked Think & Grow Rich, you will love The Law of Success. It's Hill's best work and the new and revised version is better than the original.

Outstanding!
I was given a set of The Law of Success back in the 1980's a prize for winning a sales contest. I still have those hardback encyclopedia type books.

Recently while in Borders, I came across this newly revised paperback version. Remembering how I came across my copy, I offered this book as a prize for my top sales people. I couldn't believe the results. My top salesperson sales soared after reading and applying the concepts in The Law of Success.

This book is above Think & Grow Rich. It is 1,000 pages and 18 chapters covering the 17 principles of success. It has endorsements from many prominent people that you will know includinga former President of the United States. It is also new and updated.

Even though I have a copy of the hardback, I went out and bought the new and revised version and am recommending this to everyone in my organization. In fact, we even take a chapter a week on our onference calls and discuss how this book is helping our people. Great book. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Robin Wolaner Answers The Significant Seven

Robin Wolaner began her career as a copywriter at Penthouse, worked at Mother Jones and Runner's World, founded Parenting magazine, and launched Vibe and Martha Stewart Living. In Wolaner's new book, Naked in the Boardroom, she shares tales about making a successful go of it all. See the answers Wolaner gave for the Amazon.com Significant Seven questions that we like to run by every author.

Wolaner answers the Amazon.com Significant Seven questions

... Read more

Reviews (14)

Great Read!
I have to blame Robin for my being somewhat sleep deprived. I picked up this book yesterday and couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. This is a thought-provoking, funny and insightful read; and a 'must read' for anyone--female or male--in the business world. Her rules, anecdotes and reflections resonate with any of us who have taken on the mission of building cultures of integrity, excellence, and respect in an organization.

More helpful to the author than to the reader
This book reads more like a personal journal contributing to the author's benefit than to the benefit of people in search of career advice. The sisterhood aspect, professed to be the author's ethic in this book, reads disingenuous at best. But even if she actually walks the walk, it is of no practical value to read about it. Overall, not recommended.

Where was this book when I was starting my career?
As a businesswoman myself, I can only say I wish this book had been around twenty years ago.Not only is it wise and useful, it's a funny, fascinating read full of good stories that would be great gossip even if they weren't so helpful.

Naked in the Board Room is a Winner!
I loved reading Naked in the Board Room, which I'd characterize as a must-read for any woman who is pursuing a career. The book covers all the A-Z's of how to most effectively succeed in business, while simultaneously maintaining your morals and your sanity! Everything is included - from hiring to trusting your gut It's definitely "the book" to read this spring!

Eileen Bramlet

A Business Book of Uncommon Candor and Heart
This is not just one great book, it's actually a couple great books - a business advice title of uncommon candor, a jaunty personal memoir, and an eye-opening account of life as a powerful woman and mother in corporate America.In the interest of full disclosure, Robin was one of my mentors - and this book manages to distill her cool wit, cut-to-the-chase honesty, and keen judgement into one galloping read.If you're a woman in corporate America, read this book - and if you're a man in corporate America, really read this book - Robin's rare combination of fearless leadership, humility and open heart are a model for look-yourself-in-the-mirror career success. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tom Peters thinks that you can turn you "dept."--be it the HR "dept." or the payroll "dept."--into a professional service firm with the same level of creativity and commitment of the firms we always seem to hear about--McKinsey & Co., Chiat/Day, and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. In The Professional Service Firm50, Peters spells out 50 ways to transform your "dept." into a client-centered, passionate organization. His advice ranges from "Bring in wild and woolly outsiders. E-x-p-a-n-d the box" (no. 27) and "A rabid scheduler is a must!" (no. 32) to "Become a Research & Development evangelist" (no. 35) and "Provide 'project management-leadership' opportunities" (no. 45).

The Professional Service Firm50 joins Peters's Reinventing Work series, which also includesThe Projects50 and The Brand You50. Like that of all the titles in this series, this book's presentation--especially its bouncing typography--is distinctive and at times overwhelming. Nevertheless, managers looking to inject new ideas and life into their departments will find lots of high-energy advice here. --Harry C. Edwards ... Read more

Reviews (17)

You Are The Only Constraint Keeping Yourself From WOW!
I've completed the first three books in the "reengineering work" 50List Series--and think Tom Peters did an outstanding job. For those who read a great deal and believe in these principles to begin with--you may only rate it a "4-Star"--but is still great book--just did not get the "aha's" that someone who has not read as much may receive. His points are right on, and I totally agree with his point that "Knowledge Capital" is key for the PSF--but is especially important to each individual. I love the point he makes that in a PSF--"the people are the only asset"--not only to the company--but, you the employee. You have total control over your own knowledge capital, and if your capital is strong enough--you can select the employer with which to share your knowledge. Dennis Waitley in "Empires of the Mind", comes to the conclusion, that in the future, it will be the employee selecting the employer in which he/she will share part of his working life. This a great read.

Tom Peters at his best!
Since I had totally loved the "Circle of innovation", I was anxious for Tom Peters to release his series of "50" books. I wasn't dissapointed! This is Tom Peters at his best. Not only does he again throw business dogma out the window, he goes so far as to re-invent the style of a business book. It makes for a great read and the many tips he gives are really useful. I am looking forward to his next one!

Good suggestions for invigorating your department
Tom Peters sees himself as the antidote to the Dilbert mentality -- the relentless negativism caused by workplace bureaucracy that stifles creativity, stamps out individuality, and does its best to turn people into uninspired, clock-watching drones.

Peters seems to understand that many workplaces ARE uninspiring, but he urges you to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. And those of you who run departments are in a great position to turn your department or company into a nimble, energetic Professional Service Firm that empowers employees and sees clients as equal partners in a creative, exciting task. Whether you work in a law firm, an accounting office, or a purchasing department, Peters thinks you can make your work dynamic, inspiring, and challenging -- and treat your employees like valuable individuals.

This book is divided into fifty chapters, each of which offers a suggestion for ramping up into the dynamic world of the Professional Service Firm. The book reads like a management consultant who has been reading too much beat poetry (lots of ellipses, exclamation points, and all caps) but it works -- the book reads like an energetic screed that packs a punch.

If you're interested in books that empower and inspire, please read my book "The Rules of Ruthlessness," which offers a message somewhat similar to Tom Peters' books. You can buy "The Rules of Ruthlessness" on Amazon, and you can learn more about the book at ruthlessness.com.

good information but hard to dig out
Unfortunately one of the worst books I have ever read (certainly the worst layout).

Whilst there is some valuable information contained in the text, the bizarre writing style (changing font / colur / caps / exclamations marks / cliches etc.) makes for hard work digging the nuggets of gold out.

Personally I'd recommend spending your valuable time reading a text that's easier than this one with its appaling use of language(cool! phat! wow!) and oh-so obvious observations.

Highly Recommended!
Tom Peters takes this book's role in the "Reinventing Work Series" seriously. He urges corporate departments, such as human resources and accounting, to reinvent themselves as professional service firms, thinking of their work as projects and of their companies as clients. He believes this will result in a more energized workforce and higher-quality work. His approach is marked by his now signature "gee whiz" writing style, which is punctuated by large typefaces, exclamation points and remarks like "Amen!" and "WOW!" We [...] recommend this book for its innovative points and no "b.s." attitude, but Peters-bashers will groan at the repetition of ideas and cheerleading expressions. This is a useful, inspiring pep talk, and if it is not exactly In Search of Excellence - which seemed to be written for adults who didn't need quite so much hip-hip hoopla - that was then and this is now.
... Read more

Book Description

According to a recent issue of the Harvard Business Review, more than experience or training, it's a person's level of resilience in the face of stressful circumstances that will determine whether he succeeds or fails. Resilience at Work gives readers the courage and determination to face stressful problems instead of denying or avoiding them. Readers will learn proven techniques for:* Increasing positive attitudes like commitment, control, and challenge, while decreasing those of isolation, powerlessness, and threat* Developing patterns of support based on giving and getting assistance Luckily, resilience is not simply an ability one is born with, but a skill anyone can learn and improve. Resilience at Work gives readers the motivation and tools to work constructively and remain hardy through difficult situations, and turn stressful changes in the workplace into golden opportunities. ... Read more

Book Description

IF THE GRASS IS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE...

It's probably getting better care. Success is not a matter of luck or circumstance. It's not a matter of fate or the breaks you get or who you know.

Success is a matter of sticking to a set of commonsense principles anyone can master. In Lead the Field Earl Nightingale explains these guidelines: the magic word in life is ATTITUDE. It determines your actions, as well as the actions of others. It tells the world what you expect from it. When you accept responsibility for your attitude, you accept responsibility for your entire life.

Earl Nightingale -- the "Dean of Development" -- offers you a treasure trove of uplifting and insightful information like:

* The importance of forgiveness
* How "intelligent objectivity" can improve your professional life
* The usefulness of constructive discontent

Now it's your turn to bring positive changes to your own life, changes that will allow you to lead the field yourself! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Original!
I wore the tapes out and had to buy a new set!

The first tape, Attitude, should be required listening for every high school student out there. Nightengale hits the nail on the head with this single tape alone. Our success or lack thereof is attributed to this very simple belief - our own attitude.

Aside from Napolean Hill, Earl Nightengale has single handedly been responsible for more millionaires in this world than anyone else! Why? The sound principles on these tapes spell out everything you need to know to motivate yourself and think things thru!

The magic word is "attitude" and the rest of it falls into place from planning to educating yourself. These tapes are not your run-of-the-mill new age airy-fairy positive thinking nonsense rather they comprise a sound plan for you to create and exceed your own goals whatever they may be.

Best motivational series I've read
In simple, straightforward language, Earl Nightingale takes our lame excuses for NOT being successful and refutes them all. "We are what we think about." What a basic, yet profound statement of which we need to be constantly reminded if we hope to become our best! I will keep this cassette series in my car and play it whenever I start to lose my focus or feel sorry for myself.

Great book but the music
The are particular topics addressed in the tapes, as attitude, setting goals, and they are explored in extent with specific examples on how to achieve them. I consider that the topics themselves don't follow a "grand plan", they are more like self contained. This makes it less obvious the roadmap.
The reason for the 4 stars is because of the music that tends to be too much of it and loud, more like for a movie than for a serious developmental tape. The reading is difficult to understand because of the tone of voice of the reader. I wish publishers give more importance to the readers and not distracting from the topic with music that is not appropiate. For that is better not to have the music at all.

Outstanding, One of the best guides on personal achievement!
We use several training cassette books in our company and this is the most popular. Earl Nightengale, in laymans terms, exposes the secrets of succesful people. An excellent motivator and confindence builder. He shows that you can do it, if you only will. I have listened to it over and over the past few years, and it has had a significant impact on my development and my view of the world. ... Read more

Book Description

This woman's experience is far from unusual. As authors Pat Heim and Susan Murphy have learned through twenty years of corporate consulting on gender differences, time and again, professional women fail to support one another and even actively sabotage their female colleagues with subterfuge and "catfights."

The fact is, relationships can be either the best or the worst things to happen to women at work. Studies have shown that women have a greater capacity than do men to encourage and improve each other's professional performance-with better results for all if their relationships are good, and worse results if they are not.

In In the Company of Women, Heim and Murphy draw from thelatest research on brain structure, evolution, and socialization to explain why women's workplace relationships are unique. They describe what makes catfights happen-and how to avoid them. With startling insights into the meaning of everyday behavior, they offer straightforward techniques to change female conflict into female alliances by resolving discord peaceably, making the most of women's unique leadership skills, and building relationships with female superiors, colleagues, and employees. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A real problem that needs to be addressed in another book
I found myself nodding as I read some of the anecdotes in this book. Workplace conflict between women is an incredibly important topic, and it is the evil that cannot be named in PC corporate America.

I was really disappointed in the advice the authors offered. Most of the undermining tactics in the anecdotes were quite damaging to the businesses in question, and not just to the women who were being attacked.

The authors' suggestions? Be nice, be sensitive, try to do your own routine office tasks so as not to offend your female support staff or former coworkers. Appeasement seems to be the message. I do not think violations of a company code of conduct, or acting in ways that drive away customers are behaviors that need to be 'understood' and appeased. These behaviors need to be confronted directly, asked to stop, and documented. If they continues, there need to be consequences, and I don't think 'invoking the power-dead-even rule' really covers that. There should not be different standards of behavior for employees based on their sex.

A newly promoted woman who spends her time on administrative tasks for fear of offending her female coworkers will have less time to spend on project deliverables and management, and risks losing her new position and reinforcing the idea that women cannot be effective supervisors or executives.

I did not see many anecdotes about the beneficial alliances women form. I am left with the conclusion that most women in large corporations will have to make the difficult choice between being liked and being successful. I didn't see much constructive advice that would allow you to do both in the real world.

I Didn't Want to Admit They Are Right--But They Are
When I picked up "In the Company of Women" to read, I was prepared to disagree with every single sentence. A female colleague had given it to me as a gift, saying that all her friends were reading it and having an "aha" experience -- they finally understood what was happening in their interactions with other women at work, with their friends, etc. I wasn't even going to read it, but when she told me that Harvard Business School had the book on its recommended list on its website, I decided to go ahead and at least start.
My fear was that the book would play into every stereotype we professional women have worked so hard to overcome -- reinforcing that all-too-widespread male view that we are emotional, bitchy "girls" just out to get each other. BOY WAS I WRONG! These authors have PhD's and years of experience in corporate America and they know their stuff. I was really impressed with the scholarship and research.
As I was reading I began to see all my friends and myself in the examples. We have all been sabotaged by other women in the workplace; we just didn't want to admit it. I didn't find the advice trite or counterproductive to business in the least --and I didn't find it to be overly focused on the issue itself so that I was left thinking "OK now what do I do?" The majority of the book is focused on solutions THAT WORK, and those solutions are very simple. I have been using them, and I can say with absolute confidence that my work environment is better for all of us -- men and women -- as a result.
We all deal with co-workers based on their personalities, level in the organization, work styles, etc. If I manage someone who isn't brilliant but who is really organized, good-natured, straightforward, and works well under pressure, then I will assign a different project (or in a different way), and with a different set of expectations about completion date, than if he or she is brilliant but disorganized, moody, and gets overwhelmed by pressure. Gender is simply one more factor to consider, but I never thought about it before because I wanted to think it doesn't matter. (Maybe a little leftover 1960's idealism at work-I don't know). But of course gender matters and I just didn't see it! (The rest of our bodies are different -- why wouldn't our brains be too?) That means their work styles are likely to be different too. But as the authors point out, that's not a liability that's a PLUS. I was especially impressed with the biological research Heim and Murphy cite to show how these gender differences are hard-wired --that women's brains are different than men's. I also found the evolutionary and primate studies to be a real eye-opener.
I was prepared to hate this book because I thought it was would be "pop psychology" at its worst. Instead, it's groundbreaking psychology at its best. "In the Company of Women" gives all the scientific, rational explanations and solutions that make it safe for all of us to talk about the problem. It has intense scholarly research combined with "real-world" experience, and solutions, solutions, solutions. Otherwise, women don't want to talk about it for fear of reinforcing that "bitchy girls" stereotype, and men don't want to talk about it because they don't want to appear sexist. If we don't start dealing with the issue, we ALL lose, both in and out of the workplace!
The authors' solutions may seem simple at times, but in my experience the simplest solutions are the most effective ones. I just bought copies to send to my best old college friends as well as to my daughters, and I sent the Harvard Business School review to about 20 other professional women. I am also making the book "required reading" for everybody who reports to me. I hate to be wrong, but it made me realize that women AND men are shooting themselves in the foot by doing what I was doing -- NOT ADMITTING THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS.
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Valuable and authoritative information
This book was recommended to me by a friend and I thank her very much. The authors have described processes that explain what I have observed, but couldn't quite understand, until reading this book. Why women have an incredible memory for hurts and injustices; why women can be so 'catty' amongst themselves; why women can talk so intimately and so easily with each other and with men... I could go on and on with the questions I've always had about women. Learning about the 'tend and befriend' hormone and about the Darwinian survival characteristics of many of these behaviors helps men (as well as women) understand and not personalize these inherent patterns. I especially appreciated the research citations and the sound scientific foundations of the authors' conclusions. I have recommended this book to a dozen people I know, and I think it's a worthwhile read for any adult who works with, is in a relationship with, or is a woman - and I guess that's everyone.

Definitely a worthwhile read!
Based on years of research and practical experience of the 3 authors, Pat Heim, Susan Murphy and Susan Golant...

I found this book to be a new and honest perspective on women's relationships. It has helped me in my professional role as well as my roles as a daughter, a sister and a friend. It is extremely insightful and provides real-life examples and effective suggestions on how to create and sustain positive relationships with women.

I have already purchased more than 15 copies for colleagues and friends.

women - our own worst enemies
Fantastic book. Every job I have ever had I have had difficulties - ranging from mild to extreme - with other women in the workplace. - Never with the men.

I am in a field dominated by men, where most of the women are in support roles. This only makes things worse. They resent you for your success and confidence and your salary. There is no "old girls club" to nurture or mentor you - only a club to sabotage you if you don't follow the rules - and of course you don't know the rules.

With this book - I now know the rules. Despite the fact that following them will make me feel like a manipulator and dishonestly caring about the small talk that women do - i now realize that I must do it or else!

Every woman in the corporate world should read this and anyone, man or woman who manages women should be required to read this book. ... Read more

Book Description

"Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it."

-- Lou Holtz

Meet Lou Holtz, the motivational miracle worker who revitalized the Notre Dame football program by leading the legendary Fighting Irish to nine bowl games and a national championship. During his twenty-seven years as a head football coach, Holtz garnered a 216-95-7 career record. Each new assignment brought a different team with different players, but, invariably, the same result--success. How did he do it? By designing a game plan for his players that minimized obstacles while maximizing opportunities.

Now he wants to pass his game plan on to you. In Winning Every Day, you'll discover ten strategies that will drive you to the top of your professional and personal life. Coach Holtz will reveal how you can acquire the focus and commitment it takes to be a champion. It won't be easy; it takes sacrifice to be the best. But now you'll have a proven winner alongside you in the trenches. Winning Every Day demonstrates how you can elevate your performance while raising the standards of everyone around you. Follow Coach's strategies and winning becomes habitual. You will learn to welcome sacrifice as you dedicate yourself to excellence. He will show you how to clearly define your short-term and long-term goals, to develop an unwavering sense of purpose without compromising flexibility.

Through it all, Coach Holtz will help you discover the courage you need to live a life of unremitting triumph. You couldn't have a better guide. He will provide you with the strategies he has shared with Fortune 500 companies, groups, and organizations. Voted the top motivational speaker two years running by a survey of speakers' bureaus, Coach is going to present you with all the Xs and Os, the basics of his game plan for success in life and business.

Reviews (9)

NOPE!
When you read the reviews here, you'd think this guy could walk on water, but this book is long on motivation and short on application. Now, if you want something that will blow the concepts and information in this book right out of the water and, at the same time, get rid of the "Big Daddy" syndrome which this book fosters too, read SUCCESS CYBERNETICS by Uell S. Andersen - a book that's never been out of print since it first appeared in 1966! SUCCESS CYBERNETICS is available from amazon.com too, go see the reviews and get it. Forget the "Raw Raw Raw, Sis Boom Bah" approach that this one contains.

Life & Leadership Tips from a Master Motivator
Lou Holtz, currently the head football coach at the University of South Carolina, has written one of the best, and most enjoyable leadership books I have ever read. His game plan for success was largely told through his gridiron experiences, but this plan is about much more than just football-it is a proven, common-sense guide for succeeding in the game of life.

What makes Holtz's life and leadership insights so compelling and believable are his dynamic life experiences and his incredible list of accomplishments: parents were divorced; fiance' broke off their engagement, but they later married and remain so after 40 years; only coach to lead 4 different programs to top-20 finishes and 6 different programs to bowl games (William and Mary, N.C. State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame, South Carolina); 23 of 32 college teams he coached have received bowl bids, with 18 top-25 finishes, 8 top-10 finishes, and one undefeated national championship; 3rd winningest active coach and 7th place all-time with 243 victories; wife's heroic battle with throat cancer; fired or let go as assistant coach more than once; polled as the best motivational speaker in the country two years in a row, and his motivational video "Do Right!" is the all-time best-seller; guest speaker at most Fortune 500 companies; and was invited to the Oval Office by four different presidents.

Holtz's game plan consists of ten steps. Each step is explored in detail in its own chapter. The colorful, real-world stories and humorous anecdotes Holtz used to present the steps' lessons perfectly complemented his conversational writing style. The final chapter is considered the "end-zone" of success-where you can be if you have the courage, desire, and character to apply the lessons described within the plan's steps.

The book is jammed full of common-sense, spiritual, philosophical, and motivational life and leadership perspectives. The most memorable passages for me as a father, leader, and follower were Holtz's thoughts about discipline:

"For me, a disciplinarian is someone who requires that people understand the consequences of their decisions. You use discipline to reinforce choices. Our athletes and my children knew that if they chose to misbehave, they were also choosing to pay the consequences...In each case, I never punished anyone; the offenders chose the punishment themselves by their actions."

He illustrated his commitment to being a disciplinarian by describing the circumstances that led to him suspending his top three Arkansas players before the 1977 Orange Bowl (against Oklahoma), and to suspending two of his best players before his top-ranked Notre Dame team played the second-ranked University of Southern California in 1988:

"[They] recklessly violated our Do Right rule, which governs personal conduct...These were not bad guys; they simply made a bad decision...I didn't want the keys to our offense to miss our biggest game of the year, but when they decided to break our rules, they also decided to miss the game. Now I had to support that choice."

Holtz is a master motivator and a proven true winner in football and life. My highest recommendation for this book is best captured by Holtz himself when he wrote, "As you know, the only things that will change you from where you are today to where you want to be five years from now are the books you read and the people you meet." I hope I someday get a chance to meet Lou Holtz and thank him for his outstanding book on life and leadership.

Winning Every Day
I bought this book at Notre Dame when I was visiting my brother and it is a great book. Good thing I am a ND fan or I would have never found this book. I agree with everything Lou Holtz says in this book. I think it is all very true and makes good sense. It helps when he uses real life encounters as examples. I read all of the reviews inside the book from many celebrities who have found this book of great help. Lou Holtz can show you how you can win at anything you do, every day.

A winner of a book
A truly inspirational motivational book which has turned my attitude towards my career on its head. Mr Holtz' and Mr McKay's style is uncompromising and challenging - "If kissing a** was not a metaphor would you still do it to achieve your goal? If the answer is "No" toss this book in the trashcan now and go flip burgers." Drawing examples from notable "winners" from history the authors urge readers to harness their power and potential to achieve their dreams. Though I say so myself, Alexander the Great would have been "who da man?" as I nailed that paper towel distribution contract. I'll chalk that one up to "Winning Every Day" which I've certainly made part of my game plan for success in the public hygience product supply field.

Winning Every Day
Lou Holtz gives you motivation tips and how to succeed in life. He breaks it down into direct on clear-cut. The power of your attitude, tackling adversity, sense of purpose, your friends, being the best you can be, competing, taking care of yourself, trust, committed to your obligations, and care for others are all phases of the book takes you through. The goal of this book is to make you feel that Lou Holtz is sitting in front of you discussing all issues in a humorous way.

Winning Every Day": The Game Plan for Success is a book for everybody that wants to become a winner in every situation that life throws at you. It is direct, concise, clear-cut, humorous, wise, and precise in its recommendations for how to win every day. The book will make you a winner. All you have to do is spend two hours on reading the book. It's funny and a great book to read if you want to get on track or continue staying on track. ... Read more

Book Description

In today's dwindling job markets, people who rely on want ads and headhunters succeed about 5 percent of the time. But those who have mastered the art of networking find new positions nearly 66 percent of the time. Writing for job seekers and career builders alike, networking superstar Diane Darling shows how to cultivate a rich network of professional contacts and use it to find success.

Reviews (6)

Excellent Advice for a Novice Networker
I received this book as a gift since my friend knows that I'm continuing to refine my professional "soft" skills. Networking has always been one area that I've been terrified of. I've never been able to strategically meet new people and build upon the relationships that I had. Diane's book breaks down networking to the bare essentials and makes it very easy to understand. The important thing is that this book makes it easy to make small successes every day and soon enough, you're a networking maniac!

I've been successful using her advice in a very short time. Ultimately, you have to make the change and be more positive about meeting people and enhancing your professional and personal relationships but Diane's book is a great coach! I would recommend this book highly to anyone looking to build this very important skill.

The Complete How -To on Effective Networking
In the nineties, business people discovered the importance of relationships: it was easier, safer and more reliable to deal with people you knew and trusted. The evolution of this ninety's insight is the explosion we see today of networking groups. Businesses and business people alike understand the importance and potential of networking. Unfortunately for most of them, it is potential unrealized. For the truth is most business people don't know how to effectively network. They view networking as nothing more than showing up to an event, shaking some hands, handing out business card and waiting for the business to flow. It rarely does.

Networking, however, works and can be a fecund source of new business and new opportunities- if one knows how to do it effectively. In "The Networking Survival Guide" Diana Darling teaches you how to do just that. In 237 pages, Ms Darling covers not just the ABC's of effective networking but the complete alphabet on effective networking. What is networking? How do I get started and where do I go? How do I prepare to network and what tools do I need? How do I start, stop and transition a networking conversation? What are some of the best practices when I'm face to face and when I'm not? How do I follow-up on my networking opportunities? What do I do if I'm uncomfortable about networking? In a style that is easy, engaging and economical , Ms Darling addresses all of these questions and more. In doing so, she provides not just the know-how, but the how-to. You can open her book up to any page and gain value, a rare accomplishment even for a self-help book.
If you want to learn how to network, or if you are already networking and want to do it better, pick up this book. You won't be disappointed.

This book will make you look forward to networking
I have enjoyed hearing Diane speak on this topic in the past and have eagerly awaited the release of her first book. As I expected, it is a superbly pragmatic approach to refining a business and life skill that everyone needs, but few truly embrace, and even fewer maximize to its full potential. Diane empowers the reader through such practical, easy-to-follow advice, that one would almost have to feel silly to be intimidated in networking situations after reading this book. It's not rocket science, but a set of wonderfully helpful reminders and tips that take the anxiety (and mystery) out of networking. Read this book and you will actually look forward to networking events in the future.

Everyone Needs Somebody Sometime
It has become apparent in today's challenging times that the person with the best networks wins. The days of the "Lone Wolf" are far past and being able to tap into the advice and resources of others is the key to thriving today. Ms. Darling's excellent treatment of this subject can benefit anyone. The book is filled with practical tips on how to connect with other people and extablish a network that will be mutually productive. As I read the book there were constant "Aha's" on every page. To sum it up: networking is core to success today and core to networking is doing the myriad little things that are so easy to forget or overlook. an excellent piece of work which sets the standard for this type of book.

Fantastic, Easy to Read and Not Just For Job Seekers
This book is a treasure trove of great advice about building, sustaining and leveraging a network. It goes way beyond the standard suggestions about joining the right organizations and buying coffee for well-connected people, giving dozens of ideas that are new and refreshing. In particular, Diane Darling's expertise in the interpersonal aspects of networking -- how to introduce yourself, how to push without being a pain in the neck, and so on -- are really relevant for any professional in today's business environment. After all, success in the technology age is less about what you know and more and more about who you know and who is willing to help you. ... Read more