Amazon.com

Scott Adams's latest work is not a collection of Dilbert cartoons (though recycled strips are liberally sprinkled throughout); it's a dialogue between the man and his fans disguised as a tongue-in-cheek guide to surviving the corporate life.There are chapters on "Office Pranks," "Surviving Meetings," and "Managing Your Co-Workers," with enough weird stories and practical jokes to make any middle manager nervous, especially as many of the tricks and tips come from e-mails sent to Adams by his fans (one tip: never let anyone else use your computer). If these messages are any indication, the creative tide has turned, and now the corporate world is following Dilbert's lead. In the office blocks of America, life is imitating art imitating life, creating a pleasantly postmodern working environment. The final chapter of The Joy of Work, "Handling Criticism," includes a response to Norman Solomon's The Trouble with Dilbert, which accuses Adams of selling out and supporting the corporate hierarchy that he claims to satirize. Adams's response is thorough and convincing, with just enough nastiness (jokes about Solomon's hair, for example) to demonstrate that although Dilbert may not have a mouth, he certainly has teeth. --Simon Leake ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Getting a little tired. Sigh.
I live my life according to the Dilbert concepts. In fact, when I was a manager (I escaped and now live in a cube) my guiding light was to try to do things that the pointy-haired boss wouldn't do. I still wasn't successful, but that's another story.

I owe much to Scott Adams. However, I didn't enjoy this latest book. I sense that he's now using these books to simply vent and that he is going over material covered in other books. While I snorted and projectile laughed several times during the reading of this book, there were very LONG gaps between each mirthful episode.

Mr. Adams writes well and is humorous. But I fear that, at least with regard to his non-comic strip books, he may be in need of more inspiration. Perhaps he needs to get his job back at Pac Bell?

By the way, I am a proud member of the DNRC.

Hilarious Book, Out Loud Laughter - From A New Dilbert Fan
This is one of the first Dilbert books I have read. I enjoyed the book and thought it was outright hilarious. It is a nice easy read to relax and you will be laughing out loud. I usually do not laugh out loud when I am reading books, but this book did it for me.

There were two sections of the book that stood out to me. I especially liked the section on office pranks written in by readers of Dilbert to Scott Adams. Also particularly amusing is the instance where Adams pretends to be a consultant at Logitech. Read the book to see what happens. Not too surprising, but funny.

Whether you are a longtime Dilbert fan or a newcomer to the Dilbert series, I would recommend this book for a quick and funny read. I have also read The Dilbert Principle, but I found this book much funnier.

Dot-com boom book still laugh-out-loud funny
Clearly written during the dot-com boom, this book is nevertheless enjoyable for its laugh-out-loud humor. It's written tongue-in-cheek as a guide to enjoy work - you're there most of the time, might as well have fun. Being devious is key. Some of the practical "jokes" that readers have sent to Scott Adams border more on cruelty than humor, but hey, you wouldn't take this advice seriously anyway. Reading it in the dot-bomb era is fun, too, as it shows the "take this job and shove it" attitude that the stock option days led to.

The latter part of the book is Scott Adams' musings on creativity and humor. He tries to keep the same tonality as in the rest of the book, but you can tell he's a bit more thoughtful about this. It, too, is a good read, albeit different than the first part of the book.

The Joy of Work: Dilbert's Guide to Finding Happiness at the
The Joy of Work: Dilbert's Guide to Finding Happiness at the Expense of Your Co-Workers by Scott Adams tells it as it is. There is nothing phony in this book. Everything he says is true. I worked for a library and belive my I have seen all the strange bosses that he describes in this funny book. 5/5.

Funny but philosophical
Dilbert has always captivated me right from the time i remember. I always loved Dilbert cartoons (i subscribe to the cartoon via email) and i've read a number of Dilbert books.

But this book doesn't just make the mark that Scott Adams is famous for. True, this book does make you laugh and think at the same time; but after reading "The Dilbert Principle" and "Dilbert Future" you would think the humour is probably a bit stale and crude (at times).

Sometimes, i find the emails that Scott Adams publishes hard to believe and it even makes me think if a good percentage of them maybe spoofs. If you've such an idea, then this book will reinforce the fact! Many emails seem made up for the book. I even emailed Scott and (wisely) he's made no comments (and yes, he has replied to me on previous ocassions).

Another thing sorely missing is the absence of new characters that generally make the entire Dilbert experience a joy to read.

If you've read the other Dilbert books, go ahead and pick this one up, but if you're relatively new to Dilbert, i suggest you read the other books (Scott is a terrific writer) and then come back to this.

All in all -- a must have for die-hard fans, a good read for other people! ... Read more

Book Description

"Business demands innovation. There is a constant need to feel around the fringes, to test the edges, but business schools, out of necessity, are condemned to teach the past.'

-- Mark H. McCormack, from "What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School" published by Bantam Books.

Mark McCormack is the founder of International Management Group, a multimillion-dollar, worldwide corporation that is a consultant to fifty Fortune 500 companies, a major producer of television programming and credited as the single most important influence in turning sports into big business.

Listen to McCormack as he tells you how to -- read people -- create the right first impression -- take the leading edge -run and attend meetings -- the secrets of successful selling and moving up within the organization.

McCormack shares his experience, technique and wisdom, his street smart insights and skills, in a practical, how-to manner. Business will never be the same! ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Good book, but lacks a key content
This is a great book that gives good insights on business acumen and common sense. Where the book falters, however, is at the central theme of the book. He claims "selling" is what they don't teach you at Harvard Business School. It is obvious that the author does not know whole lot about selling either. He tries to teach sales techniques that are amateurish and perhaps what they DO teach at Harvard Business School. Otherwise, it is a good book.

Some nice tricks
This book is somewhat over-rated. Some of the chapters are just common sense. But there are also some tricks in 'sales'. The book emphasizes on silence and importance of the silence in negotiation.

WASTE OF MONEY
This is a story book! I usually give books the benefit of the doubt but this book flat out sux. All this guy talks about is how he is some hot shot sports agent and the lessons he supposedly learned through the years. Let me tell you something, this book got old after the 2nd chapter. Every F'in paragraph has to do with one of his golf clients and bla bla bla. Its ridiculous. The title is true, they dont teach this at Harvard because they're stories of an individuals life which completely put me to sleep. But im not going to leave without giving some positives, like saying you should check out Automatic millionaire and the 12 critical factors books. Those are worth reading. Peace in the middle east!

What is bigger, national debt or author's EGO??
The book is full of nonsense that should be simple common sense to anyone that has worked in the business world. Mostly this book is a chance for the author to talk of his many "high level" meetings and for him to boast about all of the execs and sports figures that he knows. This book is rather entertaining, but you will not gain much from it in the way of business or management knowledge.

Give Yourself a Psychological Edge Over Others
This means reading people from the moment that you see or hear them, while you slow down, and place yourself fully in the moment, as you anticipate the future.

To do this you must have a good grip on who you are, and be more than okay with that.

While you have that, it's important to know the players involved in your business interaction - those present, and those not present. So, do your homework.

My favorite message, from this book, which I have used as a quote in published articles is, "If you alienate your peeers, you won't have to worry about corporate enemies."

Read this book to balance being yourself, and being a person amongst business people. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nationally recognized authority on black business development Earl G.Graves pulls no punches in his honest and inspirational new book, How to Succeedin Business Without Being White: Straight Talk on Making It in America. Aimeddirectly at African Americans struggling with the white-dominated corporate world, itpresents a profusion of helpful suggestions drawn from Graves's 26 years experience aspublisher of Black Enterprise magazine and a leader in numerous otherminority-oriented business projects. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Very Influential For All Races
I came accross this book in a search for people I grew with from my childhood days.Whereas my relationship with one of Earl's sons was mixed at best, I realized that my classmate grew up in a very unique environment and was curious as to that lifestyle.

Let me say that How To Suceed In Business Without Being White is an extremely well written book on business and life.Yes it is written from an African Man's struggles and successes in establishing a better place for his people.However, the principles, values, thoughts, ideas, etc that Earl Graves discusses is definitely something that applies to people of all races. Earl discusses the importance of standing up for your family and your fellow man.I enjoyed reading the pieces where he actively sold for his son, Butch to get his fair shot at an NBA career.Also, it was nice to read about how Earl influenced his children to do their own yardwork and to keep close ties with each other.The Graves family court segment comment is amusing.

The fact that he discusses things from an African American point of view should not be lost on the white man or other races by any means.There is some very valuable advice that is given on franchising, investing,entrepreneurship, childraising, networking, and Family loyalty where anyone can gain knowledge.

Its good to read of someone who values hard work and the opportunity to compete effectively in today's ever changing business world.Earl Graves articulates these values in a very captivating way and I highly recommend this book for business people black or white or otherwise.

A MUST READ
This is the best book I read about success... I was so empowered...I listen to this atleast 2 a year.

Excellent Advice for ANYONE
When I first saw the title of this book I was a bit taken aback.In all honesty I expected commentary on how the white man is out to get up and coming blacks.I was pleasantly surprised when I began reading it.This book is an excellent source of information for people of all races.The advice given in the book is truley effective in the business world.I would reccomend this to anyone.

Best investment ever !
This book is worth the investment. If you are interested in being an entreprenuer or even succeeding in your career, I highly recommend this book.

A must read for all new entrepreneurs
If you're thinking about starting a business you must first think "success!"Since reading this book, I've learned the real meaning of success(not to mention starting my own business). This is definitely the BLACK BUSINESS BIBLE. ... Read more

Book Description

Office politics have changed drastically in recent years, as the structure and focus of corporations have changed. Here are tips on the moves that every successful professional must make, as well as 25 career blowers to avoid. Here too is advice on dealing with a difficult bosses, launching a counteroffensive against dirty politics, creating a general action plan for success, and much more. Books in Barron's popular Business Success series are written for career-minded men and women intent on moving up the corporate ladder or going out on their own as entrepreneurs. These titles offer advice from experienced business managers and experts on how to prosper in the corporate world and succeed at all levels of business management. ... Read more

Book Description

Thrive on challenge!

Some professionals, feeling overburdened by challenging job tasks, struggle through projects and avoid additional responsibilities that might prove enriching. They often find their careers unsatisfying, and their job performance may suffer as a result. This field-tested profile shows employees how to seek challenge and to develop valuable skills from their professional lives.

Professionals will use their feedback from the JCP to assist them in:
• Handling unfamiliar tasks
• Driving workplace transformation
• Seeking additional responsibilities
• Dealing with external pressure
• Managing group diversity . . . and much more!

The Facilitator's Guide, which includes a sample copy of the Participant's Workbook, details the essential workshop procedures--including setup, administration, and follow-up--and provides you with reproducible overhead and handout masters. You don't need to be a training professional to use this tool in your organization: this guide gives you all the basics.

Your participants will quickly be able to score and interpret the inventory using the practical Participant's Workbook. With the aid of this action guide, they will determine what and how much they are learning, what parts of their jobs hold key challenges, and what strategies they might adopt to derive maximal learning from these experiences. Every participant will need a copy. Use the world-renowned expertise of CCL to create a learning environment where challenge is welcome!

Helps participants:
• Gauge the challenges in their jobs
• Turn challenges into prime learning experience

TIMING: 2 to 4 hours

AUDIENCE: Managers, leaders, and executives at all levels

... Read more

Book Description

That special assignment came fully equipped with a problem co-worker? Don't despair! Learn how to work with people that are confrontational, problematic, unwilling­­and still get the job done.

Reviews (2)

Deal with this.
This book sucks, and anyone that thinks differently can jump in a lake.

A quick read witha lot of information.
This book is a very quick read and is set up exactly as the title says. It's 201, numbered paragraphs, each with a little insight into how to deal with "those people." The sections are informative and helpful. I would definitely recommend reading this book before trying to get transferred away from the difficult person in your life. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jack Groppel is a speaker-consultant on business issues and a partner in a company that helps sports stars such as Ernie Els and Monica Seles enhance their competitive edge by fine-tuning their training regimens and overall lifestyles. In The Corporate Athlete, he proposes a total program of nutrition, exercise, and spiritual fitness that's designed to do the same for those competing in the world of business. "Executives and employees in the new millennium can protect their health and happiness and continue to perform at high levels only by doing what athletes do--train," Groppel writes. "You must become a Corporate Athlete, which means adapting the training mentality of elite, high-performance athletes." His program is hardly "a quick fix," Groppel admits, but rather a demanding (albeit versatile) and multifaceted process with explicit short- and long-term guidelines. He clearly explains how carbohydrates and proteins, stretching and aerobic activity, and even ethics and values affect performance at work, for example, and offers practical suggestions for incorporating them into an already overcrowded day. He concludes by outlining a complete 21-day improvement program, which includes day-by-day goals for exercise and meals along with ways to track subsequent accomplishments. This book is for anyone, corporate or otherwise, looking to add balance to an otherwise stressful and hectic work life. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (3)

OUTSTANDING!
This great book should be on the desk of every stressed out business executive.It brilliantly describes what it takes to be in a peak state of mind when you need to be.There is no question that business people as well as everyone should train their bodies to get their minds in top shape.This book illustrates that with great information about diet,exercise,and proper attitude.A wise investment.

Lacking new Insight to an age-old problem
I waited in anticipation for this book to arrive. Much hype had been made about this new research and the 21 day plan. Business men and women stuggle to balance work and home-life, and the foundation of this book is right on. If we loose weight, drink more water and exercise we will have more energy for both. The problem with this book is that it says very little more. I found myself brousing through the book looking for new ideas to give me some boost. The book does have some excellent chapters on how to deal with stress in the work place. In fact, this book is worth buying just for these two chapters. However, for those of us who read self help books on a daily basis, you might be looking for more.

At the Top of Your Game
Finally - a book that delivers on its promise to help you get to the top of your game, to help you achieve maximal performance levels in life - and does so using a common sense approach that integrates experience, study and science with focus and commitment. The key is training like an athlete whether its following an exercise or nutrition program or developing a positive attitude. What a refreshingly realistic concept in this "a pill a day takes the fat away" world! Through Dr. Groppel's convincing clarity, it all makes perfect sense. And you don't have to be in the business arena to benefit from the principles of THE CORPORATE ATHLETE. Maximizing performance can be a goal that crosses age, gender and occupational or vocational boundaries. But what makes this book stand out for me is Dr. Groppel's holistic approach - completing the palate of fitness by incorporating the physical, mental and emotional with the spiritual. It takes courage to take spirituality out of its politically correct closet and plop it onto the Board Room table, to make it a key component of performance enhancement. Could it be that the growth of courage, confidence, conviction and character is a natural end product of one's development into the ultimate corporate athlete? I am convinced, after reading the book, that this is the case. ... Read more

Book Description

"Achieve your goals faster than you ever dreamed possible."
–Mark Victor Hansen
Cocreator, #1 New York Times bestselling series Chicken Soup for the Soul ®

Take control of your life, your career, and your future with Brian Tracy’s twelve critical factors of unlimited success

"As usual, Brian Tracy gets right to the heart of the matter. Success is predictable, but this powerful and practical book shows you how to create your own luck and take charge of your life."
–Lee Iacocca, Chairman, Lee Iacocca & Associates

"Brian Tracy has done it again. Create Your Own Future is another winner. This powerful, practical book shows you how to create your own luck, take charge of your life, and make your future whatever you want it to be."
–Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager® and Whale Done!

"Brian Tracy has done it again. This work will change your life and accelerate your success if you simply follow the steps."
–Tony Jeary, Mr. Presentation™ and author of Inspire Any Audience

"Anyone who has the desire to be successful in business and life must read Create Your Own Future."
–Jeff Rosen, Executive Vice President, U.S. Bank

"Create Your Own Future is the most powerful way to skyrocket your success because it gives you twelve solid steps you can take to dramatically increase your results almost immediately!"
–Mitch Huhem, President, MIT

"Brian Tracy has done it again! In Create Your Own Future, you learn twelve powerful, practical steps to take control of your life and turbocharge your success. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to accelerate their accomplishments!"
–Dr. Tony Alessandra, author of The Platinum Rule and Charisma ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Think Big and succeed with Brian Tracy
I have Brian Tracy's Thinking Big audio tape series upon which much of this is based. For those who compare this with Brian's earlier work, in particular, Maximum Achievement all I can say is Maxium was a great book but this one is even better. Brian Tracy is a no nonsense, just the facts type of authr that actually gives you more than your money's worth with his material.Read, thnk big and achieve with Brian Tracy. He is the best.

The Textbook On Success
The first time I heard Brian Tracy I thought he was awfully dull. Then I started to listen to his message and the ideas and concepts sank in. An awful lot of material is common sense and borrowed from other's ideas --- but what success literature isn't?

The things that you might find useful about Brian Tracy are:

- The ideas are all concise and to the point. These are easy reads and you don't get a lot of extraneous storytelling or religious fanaticism.

- His audio tapes mirror his writing. They are concise and contain many powerful yet simple concepts (How about his concept of repeating "I am responsible" over and over -- simple huh? Could never work, right? Try it!). Some of Brian's simplest concepts work great.

This particular book, Create Your Own Future, is almost a transcript of his great tape series - The Luck Factor. This is a great opportunity to get a nice written summary of Brian's ideas after listening to the tapes. I really enjoy that he has broken up the ideas into short manageable bits.

Give his books a try. They contain all of the success "secrets" in an easily readible format. Highly recommended (I have almost all of them).

OUTSTANDING!
Brian Tracy has put together the strategies you need to achieve success. You will find exercises to help you use the information and benefit from it.

Brian has done it again. Another powerful book by the #1 trainer in the world-BRIAN TRACY!

Read this along with Maximum Achievement
This book is excellent and is based on Brian's "Think Big" cassette series by Nightingale-Conant. I would recommend that you read this after or with Maximum Achievement. MA is more complete, but this one has newer material and will help you Think Big and achieve results.

Accelerate your success!
Using the techniques in this book is like putting your foor down on the gas pedal of your car, they will accelerate your success rate faster than you ever believed possible.

Brian Tracy offers 12 powerful steps that will turbocharge your success. Great book. Must reading for all achievers. ... Read more

Book Description

Drawing on many years of work in the field since the original publication of the book, Chandler has added numerous new stories, quotes, insights and recommendations on how to transform yourself from a fictional, limited, old personality to a fresh level of creative action. "It is a dream come true," says Chandler, "to have been given the chance by Career Press to reinvent Reinventing Yourself. I'll let the reader be the judge as to whether I succeeded at my mission of taking this book from good to great." "Reinventing Yourself is written forcefully, but with great humor, There won't be many books in the coming years that are met with as much enthusiasm as this book." -Colin Wilson, author of The Outsider and Alien Dawn "If you want a book that develops your hidden potential, look no further. Steve Chandler's Reinventing Yourself is it!" -Danny Cox, author of Seize the Day and There are No Limits :"If you put together the best of Anthony Robbins, Mark McCormack and Wayne Dyer, what you would have would be almost as good as Steve Chandler." -Dale Dauten, King Features Syndicate ... Read more

Reviews (21)

It's really an autobiography
I felt this book is just a story of a part of Steve Chandler's life. He repeats the same point in each chapter, but with different examples. He compares two types of people, owners and victims. Victims aren't going to read this kind of book. What can owners do to change victims? He says to be the change you are trying to effect. But true owners are not in need of change, and he gives very few specifics on how an owner can help a victim. He doesn't encourage you to change until the last third of the book, and then only briefly, until he gets back into repeating himself. This is in no way a literary work, with it's informal style, and discontinuous nature. I do not recommend this book unless you just need some 'fill' reading. The very short chapters lend it to readers who have small amounts of spare time, such as breaks, or waiting in the car for a child, etc.

Steve show you the road to success
Reinventing your self By Steve Chandler the best author book " 100 ways to improve your self"

By Mr. Steve you can walk on water.

By reading this book you will gain the information that can save your life. Mr. Steve teach you the process that can change your life as Mr. Steve said" you can be anybody you want to be, you can invent yourself as you go, you just do not know" you MUST believe in your self because if you do not nobody will.

This is my analysis of Steve"s book and, I would follow majority of Steve"s idea with you.

1.You can be anybody you want to be, you can invent yourself as you go, you just do not know 2.Studies of human performance over the years have proven that, there are two kinds of people in any given situation : Victim & Owner ,so who do you realy want to be. 3.You can tap into the spirit in your self, any time you want. It is always there, heros do not have any thing that you do not have 4.The next time you see the spirit in someone else , do not just admire it; think of how to do your own version of it, do not envy it, duplicate it 5.Talk to your self every day " I can do that" every time you see some one do something great, do not say like other people " I could nenver do that" 6.If you think you are coward, you will live and act as a coward 7.We can stuck inside a childhoood self concept, but we do not have to 8. People who are stuck inside a personality do not releazie that thet have a staranger self deeper inside 9.Do not work hard, work smart 10. Learn to say "NO" 11.We become what we think about 12. You fall, you learn 13.The more you give the more you get 14.If you help others", you will be helped 15.The primary reason that people do not get what they want in life is that, they do not want to ask for it.

This book changed my life!
Wonderful read. Very well written. Stimulating and fun. I read this book at one of the worse times in my life and it totally changed my me for the better.

Good content...
I like the content of this audio program, and have listened to it several times, a little bit at a time, on my way to and from work every day. The only problem is the author is the reader, and his voice is BORING! He should have hired a pro, because when I have to listen to him, it's easy to lose part of the message because of his lack of excitement. (It's also easy to fall asleep... Maybe he should have been a hypnotist!) Maybe I'm spoiled, because I like to listen to Top Peters on tape, and Steve Chandler just can't compare. The content of this program is so good, though, that I have to recommend it. You'll just have to endure the boring voice of the author. Maybe you should just buy the book instead.

Great book
I was pleasantly surprised by all the knowledge that was gained from this book. I found myself bookmarking many pages that I wanted to come back to and really re-read the words slowly.

I think this is a book that should be added to your reading list. ... Read more

Book Description

A concise reference and guide that will help anyone in their personal and career growth. Professionalism really is for everyone and in five key areas this book provides examples and describes how individuals can set themselves apart from the crowd and benefit from being true professionals. Includes the Ten Commandments of Professionalism. ... Read more

Book Description

Wallace D. Wattles expertly guides us toward financial success by providing the tools to spiritual growth through the acquiring of riches.We sacrifice nothing.We gain everything.We simply allow our consciousness to shift from the strain of competitive hustle to the joy of accomplishment by our own creativity.

His information moves forward in time with grace and ease.It is even more pertinent now than when it was written almost a century ago.It rings true for us today. - Beth L. McClaren ... Read more

Reviews (22)

A truely proven and practical method for getting rich
This is a wonderful expression of the prosperity consciousness that blossumed at the dawn of the 20th century. The principles set out in the text are universal and timeless. Wattles has synthesized the essence of personal manifestation of wealth in a clear and readable explaination. Wattles instructs the reader how to rise out of a competitive state of mind into a creative allignment with the abundance flowing to us according to universal law. He sets out a simple method of how to adjust our minds to cultivate real financial wealth into our lives. Wattles clarifies the purpose of money and makes a clear case that it is our duty to get rich if we are to more fully express the divine potential in our lives as physical, mental and spiritual beings. The contents of this book inspired me in the short space of six months to first believe that I could, and then go out and create a fortune greater than all my earnings over the past 20 years. For me, the greatest lesson presented in the book is the wisdom with which Wattles clears away the heavy baggage of disempowering ideas associated with spiritually rightous poverty. Wattles teaches that if you wish to make a difference in this world then get rich first! READ THIS BOOK over and over again until its contents soak into your deepest heart of hearts and then with the fortunes you create go out and share your blessings!

"Powerful and engrossing book!"
I just finished reading this book for the second time. The first time I read it, it was a first edition, written in about 1915, by Wallace Delois Wattles. A couple of weeks ago I found this newer version in a used book store for about fifty cents. I read it in a couple of hours--couldn't put it down. The sad part of this story is that the book was probably never opened, let alone read. it is extremely disheartening to see such great manuscripts tossed aside, unused. As for Judith Powell 'co-authoring' this great book...Not. However, she may have been related to the author, or gained publishing rights (lucky dog). Regardless, it is wonderful to see such a book available. Thanks

Nothing worth reading
This book has to be one of the worst books I have read. It took me 2 months to finish. After just a few pages I had to put it down. That's how bad it is.

Adulteration of a Classic
No doubt about it, Wallace Wattles' work is mandatory for the ambitious fortune collector. Unfortunately, Dr. Powell's version makes utter hogwash of the classic. Her 'explanation' of Wattles' theory is more than useless and befuddles understanding rather than helping it.
Instead of this blatant nonsense, do yourself a favor and get the unaltered original version by iceni books.

AN EARLY CLASSIC
This is very much a practical manual although the ideas are deeply rooted in the thought of Descartes, Spinoza, Leibnitz and Emerson, among others. The style is refreshingly direct and lucid as it explains the ancient truths anew. Much emphasis is placed on the emotion of gratitude and the individual's creativity as the channels for creating wealth; in other words, creating abundance without competing against others. Wattles writes with genuine authority and his style is free of embellishment. This is definitely a classic of the genre and ranks with the best works of later authors in the field, like Catherine Ponder, Joseph Murphy, John Randolph Price and Stuart Wilde. ... Read more

Book Description

Everyone who works wishes there were more hours in the day, so that they could do their job right. But the secret isn't working more hours-instead, you need to learn to use the time you already have more efficiently and effectively.

Contrary to popular belief, effective time management is not based on doing more things in less time. That's just not going to happen. Time management is about doing the right things better.

Time Management shows you how to organize your valuable time to make sure the things you need to make happen get done. It includes dozens of proven, easy-to-use techniques including how to:

Create a to-do list that's realistic and not intimidating
Prevent interruptions from lowering your productivity
Cope with information overload
Defeat procrastination

Time Management is perfect for anyone who has a desk, but can't find it; anyone who spends most their day working on to-do lists; or anyone who can't find the things they need because they don't have time to file.

Whether you feel overwhelmed by your workload, or just want to find a few extra minutes in the day, Time Management has the answers you need. Your world will keep spinning even if you don't pick up every last message-pick up Time Management instead, and take control of your agenda today. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

time managment, a very fast read with excellent solutions
I purchased this book over three months ago, which of course, I just got to read on a Saturday afternoon (procrastination?). I was looking for a fast, light read as well as a book that would help me improve my timemanagement skills.

I found that this book was excellent in providingmultiple solutions and methods for addressing, improving and mitigatingvarious situations dealing with time-sinks. There were multiple sectionsthat I "dog-eared" to go back to dealing with to-do lists, characterizingactivities, speed writing, controlling paper flow,optimizing waiting timeand also solutions dealing with procrastination and "worrying".I havefound the methods provided have very been effective.

If your looking fora book that will be a fast read with tangible guidance dealing with timemanagement, this is an excellent choice (and cheap too!). ... Read more

Amazon.com

In psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's definition of leadership, the personal is political. The best-selling author of Flow interviewed several dozen exemplary CEOs whose wisdom provides the radical job description of the book’s premise: "Leaders must make it possible for employees to work with joy, to their heart’s content, while responding to the needs of society." Csikszentmihalyi leverages his definition of "flow"—-the capacity for full engagement in an activity—-to create a blueprint for a workplace in which bringing out the best in workers comes before products and profit.When leaders select and reward employees who find satisfaction at work, they can create an upwardly moral organization.

In this view, leadership is a privilege that requires checking ego in the coatroom and peering into the mirror to ask toughquestions.For example, "How do I determine if something is right or wrong?"Or, "What is my business doing to benefit human well being?"He offers some inspiring stories from leaders who engage employees to go with the flow, including Body Shop CEO Anita Roddick, Patagonia crown prince Yvon Chouinard, and media mogul Ted Turner.Some of Csikszentmihalyi’s advice will sound familiar.Yet he creates a compellingly fresh vision of good business in both a material and spiritual sense. Ultimately, the success of this book lies in its powerful, non-flaky ability to define corporate soul in terms of a company becoming a stakeholder in an entity larger than itself.--Barbara Mackoff ... Read more

Reviews (5)

More than just a great business book
The premise of the book is that our jobs are a primary component in our life and that when we are happy in our work we are the most productive and of the most value to our business.

Mihaly reviews the concept of "flow" from his earlier studies which is a state where we fully utilize our skills and capabilities and how we are able to reach that state and what inhibits us from reaching it. We also learn about our own development stages and how we improve through the combination of

realizing our uniqueness and by valuing human relationships.

This book teaches us about good leadership qualities and how we (being led) can find satisfaction in our work.
Organizational leaders must clarify the goals of a business and ensure it is well communicated.
Three levers are available to managers to enable flow and create a great organization: make the environment attractive and comfortable; imbuing jobs with meaning and value; and by rewarding individuals who find satisfaction in their work.
Flow presents opportunity (such as finding more satisfaction) and challenge (as in the case of changing a job that sucks the life out of people).

Innovation is seen as repeatable through flow - but certain practices must be met such as: stay away from micro managing people; let people know the problems that need to be solved; and how to set and achieve performance goals (prioritizing tasks throughout a company has the effect of ensuring a company
won't meet its goals).

An outline of the conditions for flow:
1) Clear goals - you know your tasks and have the appropriate skill
2) Immediate feedback - you understand the effect of your efforts
3) Balance opportunity with capacity - you always learn to seek opportunity
4) Concentration - don't over think (remember the old 'Inner Tennis' books?)
5) The present is what matters - you exist in the 'now'
6) Control is no problem - you become immersed in the work
7) Time is altered - you 'slip through the cracks in time'
8) Loss of ego - you focus on giving not taking or defending

This book is a quick first read and will inspire thought, take the opportunity to read it.
It is more than a great business book - it is also a book about life.

Packed with Knowledge!
Take a look at the scandal-filled headlines, or just read a Dilbert comic strip about cubicle culture, and the message is clear: the business world is cutthroat, unethical and no fun. But here comes psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi with a contrarian message. Work should be fun, and companies should care about something aside from the bottom line. Using examples such as clothing maker Patagonia and investment pioneer Sir John Templeton, Csikszentmihalyi makes a convincing case that profits must come after meaning. Patagonia, for instance, lets workers take surf breaks, and Templeton became a model of full engagement. We suggest this book to any manager seeking a better way to do things, and to any employee hankering for deeper job satisfaction.

Must read for business leaders
A brilliant work taking the author's concept of FLOW and applying it specifically to work and business. The approach may have been taken previously ... though never so well or so clearly. There are practical, concrete matters addressed as well as the overall psychology of FLOW. It quickly becomes clear why some employees stagnate in their work, even though they may be highly skilled. There is much that business owners, managers and leaders can take away to enhance their own lives, the lives of their employees and of society on the whole. And the not-so-surprising outcome of these endeavors is greater success for individuals and for the business.

Good Work Makes You Happy
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is the Hungarian-born writer of the bestseller Flow. This professor of Psychology and Education at the University of Chicago has been studying this concept of Flow for many years and has written several interesting books, among which Flow (1990) and Finding Flow (1997). Now he has written a new book: Good Business. It turns out to be just the book I hoped he would write: a book about Flow and work.

=WORK CAN CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR WELL-BEING!=
Although many people view work primarily negatively, it can actually contribute importantly to your well-being, more so than gaining more and more possessions. And because work is so important, it is vital that managers and employees create conditions in which good work can happen. But what is good work? It is enjoying doing your best while at the same time contributing to something beyond yourself. Csikszentmihalyi explains how this can be achieved through two processes: 1) experiencing flow and 2) growth toward complexity. What precisely do these two things mean?

1. Experiencing Flow
In situations of flow, tasks demand the full involvement of the person. In these situations there is a perfect balance between the challenge of the task and the skills of the person. The so-called 'flow channel' represents optimal experience, where both challenges and skills lie above the average level. More challenge than skill leads to arousal, anxiety, or worry. More skill than challenge leads to control, relaxation, or boredom. Flow depends on eight conditions: 1) goals are clear, 2) feedback is immediate, 3) a balance between opportunity and capacity, 4) concentration deepens, 5) the present is what matters, 6) control is no problem, 7) the sense of time is altered, 8) the loss of ego.

2. Growth Toward Complexity
People flourish when in their activities there is a trajectory of growth that results in the development of increasing emotional, cognitive and social complexity. With complexity two processes happen at once: a) DIFFERENTIATION: realizing that we are unique individuals, responsible for our own survival and well being, b) INTEGRATION: the realization that however unique we are, we are also part of a larger whole.

Conclusion: Regularly experiencing flow plus growing toward complexity are the ingredients of good work. But what about the 'happy' part? How can it be that pleasurable activities, products and relaxation are less important for happiness than the hard work of flow and complexity?

=PLEASURE VERSUS ENJOYMENT =
Csikszentmihalyi contrasts pleasure with enjoyment. He explains pleasure is nice but also conservative and leading to equilibrium while enjoyment is like happiness in action leading to greater skills. Enjoyment leads to a "triumph over the forces of entropy" and is like building psychological capital. Too bad that our materialistic and marketing-dominated culture emphasizes the importance of pleasure over enjoyment, since enjoyment is far more likely to lead to long term happiness!

=WHAT CAN MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES DO? =
Managers and employees can do quite a lot to advance conditions of flow and complexity. The book does not provide a simple list but the reader will probably get many ideas.
As a manager I could take the eight conditions of flow and the two aspects of complexity and use them to rethink work and the way I interact with my employees. Doing that I would recognize I need to (among other things) create attractive working conditions (with clear goals, feedback, etc), provide a good degree of control to stimulate the development of employees and build an organization with a long term purpose people can relate to. Another I could do is start a one-on-one or group dialogue with employees about these flow and complexity principles in order to improve work.

Employees also can do a lot. As an employee I could do certain things to improve my objective work conditions. I could ask for clearer goals, and more specific and timely feedback. I could negotiate with my manager to get more autonomy and more flexibility in time schedules. Further, I could change the way I look at and what I expect from work. If I indeed believe that the hard work of flow and complexity indeed improves the quality of my life ...... I could resist the temptation to cut corners (doing my work with as little effort as possible) and instead pay attention more closely to the complexity of my tasks. In terms of my career development I could think about what kind of products I really believe in and what kind of company I truly would like to be part of.

=CONCLUSION =
The book contains a great framework, is well written and contains good examples. The one I liked best is the anecdote about the brother of the author, Moricz. It was not until his eighties that Moricz took up the hobby of the collection and study of crystals. Moricz describes a flow experience he had when looking at one of his crystals.
"I was looking at this thing just yesterday," he said, smiling. "It was nine in the morning when I put it under the microscope. Outside it was sunny, just like today. I kept turning the rock around, looking at all the fissures, the intrusions, the dozen or more different crystal formations inside and around...then I looked up, and thought that a storm must be coming, because it had gotten so dark...the I realized that it was not overcast, but the sun had been setting - it was past seven in the evening."

I think this is a wonderful book. I would, however, have liked the book even more if it had been still a bit more practical. Still, I recommend this book highly for anyone searching for ways to improve work and careers. I think Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (who seems to be a great example of his own theory) has something to offer of great value for them.

Coert Visser, m-cc.nl

Hits the nail squarely on the head!
As usual, Mihaly is insightful in articulating the true elements of happiness, this time in the context of work and modern business. He applies over a quarter of a century of solid research into "flow," this time indicating how leaders can use these ideas in the workplace. Heartily recommended! ... Read more

Book Description

What is LION TAMING about?

LION TAMING: Working Successfully with Leaders, Bosses, and Other Tough Customers proves that imagination is still the fastest path to learning. Lions are the people we encounter and work with in every organization or business who wield power and influence. They roam freely across all occupations. By applying the metaphor of being a lion tamer, you will learn how to understand these lions and to team with them for effective and rewarding results.

LION TAMING is divided into three parts:

I. Lions Are Never Tame helps you identify the lions in your midst, distinguish between the good lions and the bad lions, and understand what makes them tick. Lions act differently because they think differently, and we need to understand them as lions to work more effectively together. LION TAMING introduces the concepts of The Lion's Four Senses and The Lion's Instinctive Identity, which will serve as useful tools to "read" the lions you encounter and approach them with newfound ways to help both you and the lions be successful.

II. The Art of Lion Taming heightens your self-awareness while teaching you the strategies and methods that real lion tamers use and how to apply them where you work. This includes the use of verbal and nonverbal cues and communication, closing the gap between attention getting and attention using; and how to avoid sticking your head in the lion's mouth!

III. Lion Taming Is Really Lion Teaming reflects the cumulative nature of the experiences, lessons, and strategies throughout the book. These are embraced by the ultimate secret and irony of working as a lion tamer: leaders, bosses, and other tough customers are sensitive to being challenged as a lion but welcome the support, influence, and expertise of those who show that they are part of the lion's team. The best lion tamers inside the center ring and the boss's office understand that the foundation for teamwork is rapport, trust, confidence, and respect.

LION TAMING: Working Successfully with Leaders Bosses, and Other Tough Customers is able to bring the metaphor of being a lion tamer to life in a way no other book does because the author interviewed real lion tamers, watched them train and work, and blended their secrets and strategies with countless parallel experiences and stories from people across society and the workplace.

The book contains more than 75 Secrets of the Lion Tamers, quotes from many of the men and women whose workplace has been inside the steel-caged arena, such as: * "Lions are never tame, it takes strategies to deal with that" * "Lions always have your full attention but it is hard to hold their attention" * "Courage that is self-conscious betrays great fear!"

Every chapter concludes with specific take-aways called The Lion's Tale that summarize each chapter and provide tips and strategies to step inside the lion tamer's shoes!

Lion taming is everyone's real job, and this book finally tells us how to do it! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

It works!
While reading this book, I was faced with a situation involving the president of our professional society and several other officers. Our "lions" were quickly "tamed" by using the insights in this wonderful book, and now everyone (including the lions) is happier (and more effective).

The book is lively and easy to read. As an educator, I appreciate the instant summaries in each chapter and the pithy quotes from "real lion tamers" scattered generously throughout each chapter.

The "lion taming" metaphor is an apt one for dealing with all kinds of situations with bosses, leaders, colleagues, mentors, . . . just about anyone we deal with professionally. And Katz applies the metaphor masterfully, weaving in his own considerable experience "in the arena" with some interesting and occasionally intractable "lions" in business and government.

LION TAMING is certainly going to be the next "big thing" in management circles!

Has helped me with my career....
I highly recommend this book as it has already positively impacted my career. The Aha! moments are too numerous to pass along here but of immediate help was the section on quickly differentiating the good lions from the bad....as well as the entire chapter entitled Lion Taming is Really Lion Teaming. A particularly empowering line form that chapter: "You can live and operate in the lion's world, but they cannot operate in yours".

Got a boss who roars or eats things alive? BUY THIS BOO K!
My boss is a self made, powerful person. He roars, he eats people and their ideas alive and he intimidates everyone just by walking into a room. Around him. I used to feel ill at ease. I was always in a hurry to get away from him and I felt helpless to get him to sign off on any of my ideas.
Then I got lucky. I read a copy of Lion Taming: Working Successfully with Leaders, Bosses, and Other Tough Customers by Steve Katz and learned how to tame the beast that is my boss. I know where to sit when I am with him, how to keep him focused on what I am saying and how to get him to respond in a timely fashion. It's amazing, the techniques that real liontamers know and their value in the work place.
If you want to know how to get your boss to treat you with respect - this book has what you need.

What They Forget To Teach Me In Business School & On The Job
¯
This book was fun to read and it was a fast read!

I was never taught the kinds of things this book talks about when I was in business school; I've never before read any books or articles about these things (and I've read a lot on management); none of my mentors talked to me about these things; and I didn't learn these things on the job on my own. But at least once in every chapter, the following thought went through my mind: "Wow! I never noticed that before, but it seems rather obvious now that it's been pointed out."

The metaphor of lion taming has made it really easy for me to organize my thoughts about my relationships with bosses and other people who have authority relationships with me, and I think the lion taming metaphor will make it easier for me to actually use what I've learned, and to use it fast and powerfully on my feet (or should I say in the arena?).

Where was this book 15 years ago when I had more bosses than I could count!?!?

Wish I had this book a couple of bosses ago
Katz has written a really insightful and helpful book. He compares bosses to lions and the metaphor works. He also gives some specific ideas about how to deal with bosses who are lion like in their behavior. In fact, I really wish I'd had this book a couple of bosses ago. Recently I heard President Clinton speak, and I couldn't help but think he would have been benefitted greatly from having better lion tamers around him. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A regular feature in the Web zine Word is a column called "Work," conceived as an updated homage to Studs Terkel's 1972 book, Working. A selection of these Word columns, augmented with some new material, has been collected under another monosyllabic title, Gig. The slightly more effusive subtitle describes precisely what the book offers: Americans Talk About Their Jobs at the Turn of the Millennium. Word conducted interviews with and accepted submissions from a wide range of people with an equally wide range of jobs. The editors have organized the entries into rough thematic groups such as Plants and Animals (lawn maintenance man, buffalo rancher, dog trainer), Bodies and Souls (palm reader, orthopedic surgeon, telephone psychic), and Artists and Entertainers (video game designer, Elvis Presley "interpreter," art mover).

This is a casual book of over 120 brief first-person narratives. It is not a survey or an anthropological study, but a window onto how other people spend their days and nights. A few of the people are famous (supermodel Heidi Klum, painter Julian Schnabel), but most are not, and the latter are in some ways more interesting, not least because we already hear so much about the former in the welter of entertainment coverage that already graces our TVs and newsstands. The joy of Gig lies in its conversational tone and intimate peeks into occupations that many would never even know existed (who knew you could be a "clutter consultant"?). So, if you've ever wanted to ask the human resources director of a slaughterhouse how her day was, Gig is for you. --J.R. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

You think you hate your job?
Then you should read this book. Gig is an unexpectedly engaging collection of vignettes of diverse American workers. It makes you think long and hard about your job...as well as all those jobs that someone has to do, but that no one really wants to. (What does the garbage man really think about when he's riding the back of the truck?) My favorite profile: man who runs a company that cleans up murder scenes and homes where people are simply found dead from natural causes.

Listen to the people.
If you liked Studs Terkel's working you will like this book. The folks form word.com talk to people from every possible occupation, such as coporate lawyer, stripper, taco bell worker, CEO, etc. Each of them gets a couple of pages at least, and they talk freely about what their work experience is like. Some people love their jobs, some people plan on quitting soon. It is like talking to these people yourself. Gig is a fun read. There are lots of nicely obsereved details. The UPS guy talks about having to wear certain color t-shirts. An artist talks about liking the smell of paint. A temp guy talks about the need to look busy. It has a very high hard-to-put-down quotient. Also, I think it is a important book. This is the way people really think about their livlihood. A nice antitdote to coporate bs. Best read I have had in a while.

awesome, awesome read
I only read one entry a night to drag it out. It's that good. Not only is there much hilarity, you actually learn insider info about how things work--excellent cocktail conversation. I must have told 20 people things I've read in here, and I"m only a third finished.

I've actually confirmed some of the comments with people who really have those jobs--and they're true!

Escapism that gives U Ideas!
This is by far the best book i've read in 2 years. The stories are perfectly edited, so they are either concisely funny or heart-wrenching or appalling (mostly funny). YOu never know what you're going to get when you start one of the 3-page nuggets.

Not only was this fabulous escapism during the recent Horrors, it gave me truly useful ideas of how to better use MY life in a way that is rewarding and of use to the planet!! And how to appreciate the value, the contributions, and/or the sheer hilarity of my many jobs, past and present.

It¿s Not Just an Adventure. It¿s a Job.
There are three fundamental questions about work.

* What do other people do?

* Who actually does that?

* Is their job better than mine?

As it happens, all three questions have the same answer: you'd be surprised. After collecting years of a column on "Work", the editors of Word.com can tell you exactly what Americans do all day, and those jobs are both more bizarre and more mundane than you might imagine. As _Gig_ demonstrates, Americans are working as florists, lemonade salesmen, clutter consultants, smokehouse pit cooks, paparazzi, Elvis Presley interpreters, buffalo ranchers, heavy metal roadies - and in most cases, loving it.

_Gig_ is fascinating for its variety alone. But more importantly, _Gig_ is inspiring. It's hard to read this book and not be impressed: impressed by Americans' creativity, by their insight, even by their dedication. A receptionist echoes the voices of the 120-plus interviewees when she says that "I take pride in my job. I really - it's my baby, you know? That front desk is my baby. I just take a lot of pride in what I do."

There's no one way to read _Gig_. You can turn to the oddities. (Yes, crime scene cleaner is a real job.) You can look for the parallels and contrasts. (Temp, preceded by CEO, preceded by slaughterhouse human resources director.) You can flip around for anecdotes. (The systems administrator's tale is riveting.) Or you can take heart in homespun philosophy. A steelworker says that "you work with people you like, and they like you because you do your work, and you're with them. You're together." A lawn maintenance man articulates his dream to "finish up school. And then maybe I'll try to get one of those jobs where you can wear khaki pants and relax."

At times the editors try too hard to keep the interviews raw; the constant punctuation of "[Laughs]" can wear thin. But overall _Gig_ is extraordinary: part entertainment, part oral history, part homage to the work of Studs Terkel. _Gig_'s editors pay explicit tribute to Terkel's 1972 _Working_, yet the collection will remind you too of _Hard Times_, his brilliant collection of interviews on the Great Depression. If _Gig_ is a documentary, then it's a documentary in which the central participant shapes the structure and uncovers the meaning. Not unlike a job. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (10)

This is the ONE to buy
If you buy one book to help you if you're fired, I recommend this one without hesitation. I found the advice and recommendations invaluable. In a coherent, sensible approach, Mr. Sklover's experience shows through. At times he seemed to read my mind as he methodically covered my concerns as well as introduced topics that had not occurred to me. He translated the legal jargon into plain English, rendering the advice both understandable and useful. The list of more than 100 negotiating points is alone worth the price of the book. I think "this is the one" on this topic.

Practical guide to losing your job
I am in-house counsel to a major corporation and have had a great deal of experience with downsizing and termination and found this book to be a treasure-house of good advice on negotiating severance packages. The writer, a well-known severance lawyer who has represented many employees, presents a practical, sensible approach to negotiating the best severance package possible. He is a proponant of civilized negotiation as compared with testosterone-driven war-mode litigation and his advice is sound. Unlike many lawyers, he addresses the emotional side of losing a job and has many good suggestions for dealing with hurt pride before going to the negotiation table. In addition, he does not propose running to a lawyer on the day or termination. Rather, the book could be used by an employee to assist in negotiating his/her own package. The book is easy to read, written in plain English, and well organized. The index contains invaluable forms for severance agreements and letters. I can't imagine a better book on this subject.

Essential information helpfully presented
The problem is that when we have a job we tend to invest in the illusion of security. We also feel disloyal to our employer if we prepare for the time of separation.

The funny thing is that when the whack comes (and to often it is as unforseen as club to the back of the head) you can bet that the company has prepared very carefully every aspect of our severance package before they apply that hit to the sweet spot on your noggin.

Very few people have the clout to get an employment contract let alone negotiate up front for a separation arrangement. For most of us we live in an "at will" world. The author points out that this "at will" isn't necessarily as once sided as our employers would have us believe.

They rely on the shock of the moment, our lack of preparation, and our shame for losing our job to streamline us into signing away rights and getting the heck out of dodge. It isn't in their interests to give you time to think and prepare, and, frankly, when you are laying off 1,000 or 10,000 people you simply can't enter into separate negotiations with every one of them. However, I can tell you that in the UK employees are routinely given employment contracts as they are hired.

This is why every employee should read this book today. Prepare and think about the ever more inevitable separation. Empoyees need to be on as equal a footing with their employer as they can; given current laws and the limitations of economics. We need to have more open eyes and be less sentimental about our jobs.

This book is a great first step or two on that path. Just as profits are made when you purchase an asset (buying at the right price) - not when you sell them, the basis for your separation (which you should accept as inevitable in some non-specified future) is laid when you are hired. We need to be smarter when we go into these situations and realize the planning and, well, practiced sincerity (masked insincerity) that employers now use during hiring, throughout the term of employment and during termination.

They aren't bad people, necessarily, it is just that they are prepared for what is happeneing and most employees are not. The message of this very helpful book is "Get Prepared!".

It isn't that they are all bad people; it is the nature of the current business and legal climate that leads to much of this nonsense.

This book will provide a great morale booster and provide some thoughts that can help even a newly terminated employee create a decent plan of counter-attack. Better to use this information and take positive action than be pushed downstream like so many cut trees.

Shipping was Delayed!
I would have rated this book, but unfortunately, I was not shipped the order as promised. Maybe in a couple of months I will be able to offer better feedback.

"Now I know what to do, and how to do it."
Before I came across Mr. Sklover's book, I didn't know where to begin, or what had to be done. It was recommended to me by a friend who used it to help her, and it did. This book starts off slowly, and proceeds step by step in leading you through the process of Going Back, Asking for More, and Getting It..In Writing. It is the book on this subject that I believe will be the book everyone will read, use and keep...for the next time. ... Read more