Book Description

Praise for The New CFO Financial Leadership Manual

"Steve Bragg has done it again! This manual shows what a CFO needs to do to truly add value. It should be mandatory reading for all CFOs who want to play a strategic role in their organizations."
–Janice M. Roehl-Anderson, Partner
Deloitte Consulting

"This timely guide will help CFOs master the right thinking and management skills. An effective tool for navigating today’s corporate financial waters."
–Clint Davies, Principal
Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker

"An excellent reference book and good reading besides. This book is a how-to for new and experienced CFOs. It is one place for new CFOs to get information on how to start in their job as well as continuing reference on many issues–such as personnel, accounting and reporting, banking, credit, taxes, and so on."
–Gail W. Sevier, CPA
Member/Manager of Marrs, Sevier & Company LLC ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Everything you need to know in finance - superb!
I found this book very complete and comprehensive as a reference source. It covers the strategic and operational perspectives of the finance function. This is one of the best "CFO" books, together with "CFO Architect" and "CFO Handbook". A little bit overpriced - I would have put it in the US$60 range. Reading this book is like taking an advanced course in preparing yourself for the CFO career. It is very didactic and straightforward. A recommendation for the author: in a future edition, you might consider expanding on the topics of international finance, value based management and corporate restructurings. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Good first book, but not his best
Patrick Lencioni has a talent for cutting through the complexities of leadership and teamwork to highlight core principles then presenting them in easily digestible fictional form. In this book (in the UK going by the title of Five Temptations of a Manager) technology company CEO Andrew O'Brien has a mysterious encounter with an unlikely mentor on a deserted commuter train the night before the annual meeting of the board of directors. He's in trouble but doesn't understand why. The enigmatic Charlie leads him through an exploration of five "temptations" that often trip up ambitious executives: Choosing status over results; choosing popularity over accountability; choosing certainty over clarity; choosing harmony over productive conflict; choosing invulnerability over trust. Easily read in a single sitting, this book conveys the temptations effectively in fable form, followed by a summary and discussion by Lencioni. This may not be a comfortable book for some leaders to read. It doesn't let them off the hook for any of a company's problems. The message is timely as CEOs exit failing companies with massive severance packages. If you read only one of Lencioni's books, you will probably find his style further developed and even more effective in his second book, The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive, or his third, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.

Excellent management book for any type of leader
I was thrilled to pick up this management book that not only had excellent principles, but an intriguing and enthralling storyline that kept me interested all the way to the finish. Five Temptations of a CEO proves an easy read-but certainly not lessons easily tossed aside. These are principles I'll keep with me-regardless of what job or leadership position I may occupy.

The story begins with a struggling CEO, Andrew O'Brien, on the eve of a big, year-end board meeting. Strange occurrences lead Andrew to take the metro system home that evening-and it's on the train where he encounters Charlie, a custodial engineer with a wealth of advice.

Andrew learns from Charlie five temptations that every manager, CEO, teacher, parent or coach might face along their way to success. These are basic temptations that seem very simple-and really are simple. Charlie teaches him that its not in looking for solutions in technology, budget, financials and other usual suspects common to a CEO, but in the common, everyday wisdom that every leader must have.

And for those readers who don't appreciate a good story-or who are just used to the textbook style management books-the five temptations are listed in a summary and self-assessment section in the back. But I won't spoil the ending...

widely applicable
This book was short, sweet, and to the point. Although it is focused on CEO as the prototype, this really points to anyone in a leadership and managrial role. The fable is illustrative, and the flow chart and short didactic at the end spells out the key message. It's worth pulling out and quickly reviewing once or twice a year to check back into your own personal growth and areas that still need improvement

A great little FABLE!
I am amazed at some of the negative reviews about this great little book. I guess these negative people are not familiar with what a FABLE is? I think this book hits all of us executives right in the face with what we all struggle with. I think this is a must read (no, you will not feel like you have just read Atlas Shrugged after you are finished) for all execs, or people who aspire to lead organizations. I am excited to read the rest of the collection

Why can't I give a 0 star ?
This is the crapiest anti-motivational book I ever got to read.
It is a story of Andrew who is a CEO and who meets with an old man one night in the train. The old man is a janitor and his father was a CEO (whatever)so the janitor, CEO's son (Gosh)starts
mentoring Andrew on how he should run his company.
If this janitor was smart enough to motivate a CEO how come he
ended up being a janitor in the first place?!?

I thought, to be a writer you have to be born as a writer but only now I realized that anyone can be a writer and Patrick
Lencioni is the worst one from the ones I've read.

Am I just being paranoid or is the today's literature following
today's music fate ?!? ... Read more

Book Description

Corporate Information Strategy and Management: Text and Cases 6/e by Applegate, Austin and McFarlan is written for students and managers who desire an overview of contemporary information systems technology (IT) management.It explains the relevant issues of effective management of information services activities and highlights the areas of greatest potential application of the technology.No assumptions are made concerning the reader’s experience with IT, but it is assumed that the reader has some course work or work experience in administration or management.This text is comprised of an extensive collection of Harvard Business cases devoted to Information Technology. ... Read more

Book Description

This text is a revision of our highest-level, most strategic, introduction to MIS text. What sets this book apart from others is its managerial focus and its unique case approach. In addition, the new, fourth edition has been revised for currency throughout and offers new end of chapter real world cases. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Decent introduction to MIS, but misses on some issues
I used this book in a graduate level course on MIS.It was a decent introduction to the subject, but I would really expect the book to be used more at an undergraduate level; as others have noted, it does not delve too deeply into any areas.

My biggest complaint about this book is that it simply misses the point on a couple of issues, both technical and business.Its discussion of internet technologies contains many of the "newbie" mistakes one would expect from someone just learning about HTML, HTTP, XML, and web programming, especially Java.It also has a section in one chapter that goes into marketing and in my opinion misinterprets some of the foundational concepts.

Two things I do like about the book are
1. It covers ethical issues within MIS, which is a developing topic and one that deserves attention.Every chapter has anectdotal stories highlighting ethical delimas.
2. Each of the 5 Parts of the book starts with a case introduction, and each chapter starts with an expansion or continuation of that case.The case exemplifies some of the issues that will be discussed on subsequent pages, and brings a level of reality to the subject that I enjoyed.

Not a bad book, but by the same token requires an instructor who really knows the subject well to separate the good parts from the bad for the students.

The second edition is great!
The 2nd edition of this book (whose cover is NOT shown here) is great

It's Pretty neat.
This book has a great cover, however I was thrown a little by the pages. and, oh yea it's a little outdated.

cheers

The Best!
The best textbook for anyone who wants to learn about information technology and its business implementation. Very readable, informative, and entertaining.

Great textbook. Clear. Well written.
Excellent textbook for anyone who wants to learn about contermorary information systems. Explains the Internet and e-commerce in clear, jargon-free language. ... Read more

Book Description

A quick introduction on how to use Lean Six Sigma to improve your workplace, meet your goals, and better serve your customers.

Lean Six Sigma combines the two most important improvement trends of our time: making work better (using Six Sigma) and making work faster (using Lean principles).In this plain-English guide, you’ll discover how this remarkable quality improvement method can give you the tools to identify and eliminate waste and quality problems in your own work area.

Packed with diagrams, cartoons, and real-life examples, What is Lean Six Sigma? reveals the “four keys” of Lean Six Sigma and how they apply to your own job:

• Delight your customers with speed and quality
• Improve your processes
• Work together for maximum gain
• Base decisions on data and facts

You’ll see the big picture of what your company hopes to gain with Lean Six Sigma, how it may affect your work area, and what it can mean to you personally.

Reviews (1)

A Must Read!
The authors did a great job on the book. I read it on an airplane earlier this week and really enjoyed it. It is very well written - very understandable at a novice level and insightful at the "supposed expert" level. I think it is
a "must read" for everyone in an organization deploying Lean Six Sigma or anybody interested in improving the economic value of their business. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Great book, great value, buy it today!
If you have even a little bit of interest in writing or editing or working in any kind of advertising, even if it is just a simple flyer for your business or nonprofit fund raiser this book will easily pay for itself.

I've read and reviewed a few books on writing, from Stephen King's nonfiction work on writing fiction to books on writing nonfiction. This work stands up there with the best of them, and I'd recommend this work to writers of all types. Joseph Sugarman explains the purpose of the headline. It's to get the second line read. The purpose of the second line, well, that's to get the third line read. If fiction writers followed this formula, they'd sell more books. I can't count how many books, both nonfiction and fiction, I put down after a short time because I just find no reason to go on.

But this book isn't about writing fiction or nonfiction, it's about writing great copy. The reason I bring up other types of writing is that they all have the same strengths or weaknesses' going for them that get them read or ignored.

A copy writer has a short time to get the reader to either send money or request more information or act in some way. The fiction writer has to grab the readers attention and I mean now. See my review for Noah Lukeman's "The First Five Pages", basically he's got the same advice for fiction writers, you better grab the readers attention, and you better be flawless, because you have about the first five pages to win or lose the game. Often less.

In copy writing you have the first five words. Often less. Same idea.

I highly recommend this work to writers of all types. If you're in advertising, even if just for your own small business, you'd be foolish to pass on this one.

An Advertising Bible for the Ages
If you are writing ads for magazine and newspaper placement, this is a superb Bible. As I travel the world I see ads written based on Sugarman's philosophy and each time I return, I see the same ads running again and again. The sign of success. I've always found Joe Sugarman's work to be remarkably effective in helping our direct marketing programs. Sugarman has truly got decades of experience to back up his marketing directives. What I found most useful in this book were the many sample full page advertisements which are replete with crisp and powerful writing. At kevinhogan.com we utilize Sugarman's approach and continue to be profitable year after year. This book is a heck of a good read and should be read in conjunction with the marketing book in the same series.
Kevin Hogan
Author of The Psychology of Persuasion
and
Talk Your Way to the Top

An Excellent Primer on Creating Effective Ad Copy!
This book can be described as WOW! As a copywriter I implemented many of Joseph Sugarman's strategies in this excellent manual. It's not just another advertising book - it's a book on persuading on paper. He gives some great examples from his own ads too. Though I have many of his ads in my swipe file - this resource explains the psychological points that went into creating those ads. He takes you by the hand and guides you to creating ads that really works - that is to get the reader to read and to take action.

This book is one of my top ten books on business - especially advertising.

WOW - Perhaps the Best Book EVER Written on Copy!
I just finished reading "Advertising Secrets of the Written Word" for the second time! ...And now I'm about to go back and begin studying it with a highlighter.

After being completely disgusted with a few other books on copy writing, I was so pleased to find this jewel. In this day and age, with so many books being simply manufactured or compiled by people with no experience or real knowledge (you know, they send a hundred letters to people in an industry and then compile the responses into a book), this book is actually written by a true master who not only knows what he's taking about, and has truly lived it - but more importantly he know how to teach it.

Honestly, if you only buy ONE book on copy... make sure it's this one!

If You Could Have Only One Book on Copywriting, This is it!
On a scale of 1 to 10, this book is a 20. Truly the ultimate course on copywriting. My library is filled with books on how to write advertising copy. My shelves brim with books by Gary Halbert, Jay Abraham, John Carlton, John Caples, Brian Keith Voiles, Michael Masterson, and many other outstanding, top-notch copywriters. Joe Sugarman's Advertising Secrets of the Written Word is my all-time favorite. The absolute best book on the subject, period. ... Read more

Book Description

Hands-on help for quickly­­and persuasively­­writing company-mandated performance appraisals

Writing performance appraisals is one of the most difficult and time-consuming tasks managers face. Perfect Phrases for Performance Reviews simplifies the job, providing a comprehensive collection of phrases that managers can use to describe employee performance, provide directions for improvement, and more. For example:

• "Sets priorities well"
• "Misses important deadlines"
• "Thorough, reliable, and accurate"

All managers and HR professionals will value the book for its:

• Hundreds of ready-to-use phrases, organized by job skill and performance level
• Tips for documenting performance issues and conducting face-to-face reviews
• Easily adapted performance review templates covering five performance levels

With the wide-ranging assortment of descriptions available in this book, managers will be able to find the perfect terms to help them analyze and understand the work performance of each person they work with.

Reviews (3)

Perfect Phrases for Performance Reviews .... Not!
The background to giving appraisals is very good, as is the advice on how to conduct an interview. For this alone the book is worth purchasing. Included within this book are many pages of "perfect phrases". To state they are perfect is, I feel, a little misleading. Although I must mention that at the start of the book it is stated that these sentences should be altered to suit the individual. My gripe is that the sentences have not been rated very well. For example, on page 41 under Accuracy, Outstanding options provides you with "Mistakes don't slip through" as one of the choices. Should that not read, "Exceptionally accurate at all times". Many of the sentences are very weak and fail to use any "power words" to strengthen an employee's qualities.

My feelings are that the book has been thrown together from previous appraisals with little though to the content of the phrases. The "sentences" require regrading and stronger words added to give them more bite. Also other attributes need to be added to give the book a wider audience such as: Loyalty, Sense of Duty, Competence, Confidence but to name a few.

Finding Fish
Finding Fish, by Antwone Fisher is an awsome autobiography of a foster child that became a very good father and served his country in the army
This story is about a boy, Antwone, who was put into the foster care system as a child. He stayed with the very abusive family for about 12 years. He didn't want to believe at the time that it was a bad place to live. But when he got older he finally realized that it wasn't agood place to be living and that the foster parents weren't letting him grow up. He was thrown out of the house at the age of 17 and was homeless in the coldest weather. If it weren't for his social worker believing in him and telling him that he could make it. He wouldn't have made it as far as he did. His message is that you have to have help to get anywere and have confidence in your self.
I liked the story. I say this because it shows how going through a tough life can get a good life in the end. I can relate to the foster care system and not wanting to move. I know what his life is like, especially when he denied some bad things but not all of them.

Phrases and a lot more
Doing performance reviews--preparing for them, filling out the form, and understanding how to make them effectively improve an employee's performance--can be a challenging task. How do you make it a positive experience, for yourself and for the employee? It's not easy. How do you let the person know he or she is not living up to the organization's expectations? Again, not easy. This book can help in doing these things. The majority of book is given over to phrases you can use in over 70 different categories of performance. Each category has five levels of phrases, from outstanding to unacceptable. Even if some phrases don't fit exactly what you're looking for, you have a place to start and you can easily modify them to fit your purposes. I also like the first part of the book on how to plan, conduct, and write a performance review. The book also has two cool appendixes. One is titled "Ten Mistakes Managers Make When Conducting Performance Reviews," and the other is "Seven Mistakes Employees Make During Performance Reviews." For a retail price of [money], this book is a great tool for anyone having to do performance reviews. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

This unique, re-engineered book defines and describes the new "paradigm" brought on by recent dramatic changes in the field of management. Managing Today! redefines the traditional"functional" approach employed by previous management books to more accurately reflect recent, fundamental changes in the economy and workplace—changes that have significantly reshaped today's managers' jobs.Robbins' balanced approach presents an effective integration of theory and application displayed within a clear, visual design specifically tailored for today's readers. Coverage includes changing issues in today's workplace (risk, privatization, multiple skills, and continual retraining); culture shock; time-management skills; cycle-time reduction and technology transfer; virtual teams; human behavior; leadership; trust building; change management; and more.For human resources professionals, business managers/team leaders, and anyone interested in Organizational Behavior and Business Management. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Heart of Change is the follow-up to John Kotter's enormously popular book Leading Change, in which he outlines a framework for implementing change that sidesteps many of the pitfalls common to organizations looking to turn themselves around. The essence of Kotter's message is this: the reason so many change initiatives fail is that they rely too much on "data gathering, analysis, report writing, and presentations" instead of a more creative approach aimed at grabbing the "feelings that motivate useful action." In The Heart of Change, Kotter, with the help of Dan Cohen, a partner at Deloitte Consulting, shows how his eight-step approach has worked at over 100 organizations. In just about every case, change happened because the players were led to "see" and "feel" the change. In one example, a sales representative underscores a sense of urgency to change a manufacturing process by showing a videotaped interview with an unhappy customer; in another, a purchasing manager makes his point to senior management about corporate waste by displaying on the company's boardroom table the 424 different kinds of gloves that the company had procured through different vendors at vastly different prices. Well written and loaded with real-life examples and practical advice, The Heart of Change towers over other change-management titles. Managers and employees at organizations both big and small will find much to draw from. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Worth the time to read...then pass it on.
I will admit to being skeptical when I was first introduced to this book. I had not read the original book, "Leading Change" by John Kotter for the same reason that I was reluctant this time...books that focus on change mangement are generally too dry and formula driven. This book was also driven upon the 8-step process highlighted in the first book.

However, I was told that the book focused this time more on the behavior changes of people that are needed to make change successful...and from experience, I knew that getting employees to really want to make a change makes all the difference to a successful change effort.

The book uses stories to describe how to educate and motivate others to accept change through the 8-step process. If you just look at the eight steps, they appear dry and built on well-worn cliches. Increase Urgency, Build the Guiding Team, Get the Vision Right, Communicate for Buy-In, Empower Action, Create Short-Term Wins, Don't Let Up, and Make Change Stick. Certainly, anyone that has led change can figure this out.

However, I found the stories to be very practical in describing the concept of See, Feel, Change that is needed by all employees to really embrace the change emotionally and not just logically. They have to want to change their own behaviors, not just for the project, but forever. The story I could relate to the most was "The Boss Goes to Switzerland". I have seen this happen numerous times for others and myself.

This book has practical content that can be referred to over and over again...I will use this book each time a new change initiative gets underway. Recommended for all business leaders.

The Heart of Change
As the title indicates it's a "how to" book of real life stories of how people changed their organizations. This is not a quick fix-it remedy book. It has real take-away values and merits applicable not only for the corporate environment but for any organization where people are recognized as the key to success through change. Kotter introduces his book with the premise that people are more willing to change if shown a "truth that will influence their feelings" rather than be bombarded with analytical data that force them to change their thinking. He then introduces his 8-step process which will lead to successful large-scale change. To further validate his viewpoint Kotter includes examples of real stories of individuals(managers, tech people, presidents, etc) who succeeded in bringing about positive change to their companies of course sometimes after much frustration and repeating of certain steps. I strongly recommend this book for those who are "change agents." The book also lists an interactive site for additional tips to one's personal change effort. The book is dynamic and forceful and an excellent resource for those organizations/communities of practice with the vision for the future and a "heart for change."

Show, don't tell
If you've ever felt like you're not powerful enough to make needed changes in your organization, this book has a powerful message for you: Approach change in the right way and you'll make things happen.

Filled with real-life stories, this book offers lots of inspiration. Perhaps the strongest anecdote is the story of an executive presentation made by a mid-level manager and an intern about revamping a wasteful purchasing process. Instead of cranking out a fancy report, the manager and intern filled a box of 424 different pairs of gloves (with attached price tags ranging from $5-$17) that the company was buying. Then they dumped the box on the boardroom table, clearly making a point that this process needed to be fixed.

The moral: Communicate change by appealing to emotions. And often, emotions are stirred by showing people, not just telling them.

A solid read.

Good book, plus...
This is a good book. But, I also recommend "Strategic Organizational Change" by Beitler.

Change Management - an Oxymoron?
In this book Kotter explains how people change less because they are given analysis and facts about why change is needed and more because we show them a truth that influences their feelings. This concept is not adopted by all those writing on change management. Yet it is a concept that does fit with my experience. Unless the facts, figures, and general information presented by those wanting to effect change is compelling enough to generate the feelings that change is a requirement, then change will not happen. Kotter puts it this way: See, Feel, Change. So the information and analysis must be geared toward the "seeing," and the "feeling" in order to prompt people to change. If we do not actively pursue the task of driving necessary change, change management becomes an oxymoron - change forced upon us becomes chaos and we do not manage the change, it manages us.

One of the things I enjoyed most about reading this book was the clear and logical layout with the interesting web-page navigation graphics. Also the case studies from "real life" gave practical examples of what successful change might look like in our companies. His eight steps to successful change are: 1. Increase Urgency, 2. Build the Guiding Team, 3. Get the Vision Right, 4. Communicate for Buy-In, 5. Empower Action, 6. Create Short-Term wins, 7. Don't let up, 8. Make Change Stick.

All of this helps in building a practice of Shaping the Corporate Culture, which is, of course, near and dear to our hearts at dbkAssociates. Many of the insights in this book will be of practical use to us and to our clients. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not Limited to Swimlane Diagrams
To me, the chapters on data modeling and use case modeling are the most valuable because I now see them in the context of process modeling. I am wondering if W. H. Inmon's book on the operational data store would help complete this "big picture." Readers of this book benefit from the very extensive experiences of the authors. The authors have seen it all and warn readers which roads are dead ends. This book includes both theory and prescriptions as to how teams can design and document processes and contribute to the alignment of technology with the needs of the organization.

Swimlane Diagramming For Analysts Doing Requirements
This book nicely sets forth a detailed methodology for doing swimlane diagramming for workflow business processing. This book is for analysts; the discussion is about the nature of business processes that have workflow as a key characteristic. It is not about the architecture of computer solutions for such processes. If you follow the methodology in this book and flesh out the diagrams with use cases (just briefly touched on here), you will have captured most of the requirements for a business workflow process.

The book is nicely bound and well written. The authors have been around a while and the vocabulary and approach fit nicely with older concepts like business process reengineering. The authors are not unaware of the latest developments and "UML" crops up here and there but not in the index. The diagramming is very simple compared to UML activity diagrams.

This is good reading for the domain experts on a team working on the requirements document and a nice primer for geeks who are forced for the first time to talk to the business side of an enterprise.

Comprehensive, fresh and, yes, exciting
Rarely do I get excited about books on workflow modeling. I have a few good books on the subject, all of which provide solid approaches and most of which are well written. This book stands out because it goes beyond merely "solid" or "well written" by giving one of the most comprehensive approaches to workflow modeling I've had the pleasure of reading.

First, like most books on the topic, none of the components of the approach are new. What makes the approach refreshing is the way the authors take standard techniques and tie them together into a coherent process. Second, this book can be used as a workbook during a workflow modeling project, and is well suited to this because of the numerous checklists and diagrams that will prove invaluable every step of the way. Finally, this is the first book of its kind that incorporates use cases, making it invaluable to project teams that have standardized on UML (Unified Modeling Language)or wish to integrate an object-oriented approach into a workflow modeling project. If you're not familiar with use cases I strongly recommend Writing Effective Use Cases by Alistar Cockburn (the best book on the subject in my opinion); UML Distilled by Fowler and Scott is an excellent introduction to that subject if it's new to you.

The approach is straightforward: frame the process and define its scope, understand the existing process (if there is one), design the "to-be" process and develop use case scenarios. I wish to offer one caveat at this point: if you are reengineering a process that is seriously broken you might consider skipping the "as-is" process. Understanding the existing process is useful if your goal is incremental improvement. Reengineering efforts usually radically transform existing processes, making efforts to understand them both moot and wasted.

Some of the highlights of this book include the authors' clear definitions and way of decomposing complex systems into discrete steps and components. For example, they use a five tier view of processes that ensures you have a complete view of all issues and factors. The views are: (1) mission, strategy and goals (I personally extend goals further into Goal-Question-Metric), (2)business processes, (3) presentation, (4) application logic and (5) data. Note that the last three align nicely to a 3-tier client/server architecture. This observation clearly shows how coherent the authors' approach is and how it can foster alignment of technology to business requirements.

I also like how the authors clarify the key issues in process design by pointing out six enablers that you need to account for during the analysis and design phase: (1)workflow, (2) technology, (3) human resources, (4) motivations and measurements, (5) policies and rules and (6) environmental constraints (facilities, external process capabilities, etc.). There is one minor point of disagreement I have between their workflow modeling technique and the one I use. The authors use swimlane diagrams (also called Rummler-Brache diagrams), while I use deployment diagrams. The difference? Swimlane diagrams do not capture phases or cycles. I always place workflows into the context of Entry Criteria-Task-Validation-Exit Criteria (ETVX), which is nearly identical to the TQM Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. I insist on ETVX because it allows me to spot missing validation points in an existing workflow, and ensures that I clearly define entry and exit criteria, as well as validation points in a "to-be" workflow. Of course I am stating personal preferences - following the authors' approach verbatim will definitely result in a workflow design that is not only "bulletproof", but will align information systems and business process almost perfectly.

This book is a gem. It's readable, full of ideas and, with the incorporation of use cases into the approach, completely up-to-date with respect to IS/IT methodologies. If you want a fresh, modern approach to workflow design this book is the only one that will provide it.

The best book on applicacation development modeling to date.
If you've ever asked the question: Is there a great book that teaches an excellent methodology for analyzing real world workflow, and then designing the application that will implement that workflow into an application? I've found the book that answers that question.

Workflow Modeling is the book. It is the best book on the subject that I have read to date, and I've read dozens. It teaches you how to build visual models that illustrate the workflow process, and shows how to implement the model into an application. Superb! But it before it goes out of print. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Much-Needed Book, Right on Target
If you are a business owner employing people between the ages of 16 and 24, buy, read, absorb, and apply this book. If you are a manager or supervisor in any kind of company where you are responsible for employees between the ages of 16 and 24, buy, read, absorb, and apply this book. If you are the confused parent of one or more children between the ages of 16 and 24, buy, read, absorb, and apply this book. If you are an educator of students between the ages of 16 and 24, buy, read, absorb, and apply this book. Are we communicating here?

OK, your first reaction is the profanity in the book title. Live with it! You will find the word a few places in the text, but it's there to make a point. Yes, the writing is punchy, direct, and pushes the envelope of your thinking. However, so do the attitudes and behavior of your young people. We older folks (let's say that term refers to all us gray beards over 35) need to wake up and smell the differences between today's young workers and their counterparts in previous generations. They are different, and must be managed differently. Learn how and succeed. Ignore the lessons of this book and continue to pour profits down the drain by recruiting, training, recruiting, training, recruiting, training, ad nauseum.

Eric Chester is respected as the leading authority on this age group, assuming that anyone can be an expert on kidployees. As a consultant and author in the workforce field, I'm very comfortable telling you that the man is right-on in his writing as he is in his speaking. He'll grab you at the beginning of the book and hold your attention with anecdotes (some from his own life) and lessons learned. In page after page, Chester presents knowledge, insight, techniques, and advice that-if heeded-can substantially strengthen a manager's effectiveness.

In the first of five well-organized sections of the book, you'll gain valuable perspectives about the 16-24 year olds (Generation Why), noting how and why they're different...and how the difference can be a powerful asset for your company. Subsequent sections address how to attract, keep, and connect with this important employee group. The last section offers important insight into some employers who get it right...why and how. An index supplements the text, enabling you to go back to particular sections for refresher readings.

You will be amazed at how much the author has packed into this comfortably-sized book.
After you're finished with your first reading, you'll probably be inspired to buy copies for other managers in your organization. Wait. I take that back. That inspiration will come to you before you've finished with the book. It hit me somewhere about half through the pages.

Warning: if your competitor uses this book and you do not, you are in big trouble!
... Read more

Book Description

Praise for Enterprise Risk Management

"In the aftermath of Enron, WorldCom, and Sarbanes-Oxley, every publicly traded company should be concerned about risk management. This book takes a pragmatic approach to risk management that can benefit any CEO or senior executive. Lam lays out clear strategies to address what is often a highly complex issue."
–William L. Walton, Chairman and CEO, Allied Capital Corporation

"James Lam provides one of the most practical, insightful books on risk management that I have read in the last thirty years. It clearly reflects experience and deep understanding of the art as well as the science in risk management practices. A must-read for all who wish to advance risk management practices in their businesses."
–Sandra Jansky, Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer, SunTrust Banks, Inc.
Chairperson, Risk Management Association

"In this book, James Lam has provided an effective overview of business risk. Enterprise Risk Management will be useful to professional risk managers and business executives seeking to understand the latest tools and organizational approaches."
–Robert Simons, Charles M. Williams Professor of Business Administration,
Unit Head–Accounting & Control, Harvard Business School

"The most comprehensive and engaging handbook on enterprise risk management, written by the pioneer of the Chief Risk Officer function. Filled with practical examples and lessons learned, this book is destined to become one of the most widely read primers on today’s top business initiative. James Lam is the authority on enterprise risk management, and I highly recommend this book to all board directors, senior executives, and risk managers."
–Cassandra R. Schultz, Vice President and Chief Risk Officer, KeySpan Corporation

"James Lam’s book Enterprise Risk Management: From Incentives to Controls provides an insightful road map to best practices in risk management. Based on a solid and successful career in risk management, James’s advice is both timely and relevant and should be required reading for all risk management professionals."
–Michael J. Litwin, Chief Credit and Risk Officer, Merrill Lynch Capital ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The book for ALL CROs and CFOs
Thank you for writing this book. This book is must read for all CROs and CFOs. Looking forward to reading your coming Risk Management books.

Critical but Easy to Read and Comprehend
Anyone whose career interests intersect with the risk management discipline will find this book extremely valuable in understanding the risk management discipline and viewpoint. Anyone who is considering a career in risk management will find this book a critical help for success. James Lam writes in an easy to read style and the ease with which one can grasp and understand the material might fool one into under estimating the rigor and logic James has built into his work. I recommend this book without reservation.

Edward P. Paules, Managing Director Risk Management
Investors Bank & Trust
Boston, MA 02116

ERM Made Practical and Executable
James Lam, the founder of ERisk and the pioneer for the chief risk officer concept has penned the best and most comprehensive book yet on enterprise risk management and how this emerging business practice can add practical, measurable value to any business concerned about how risks affect performance and stakeholder value.

For the first time, a true ERM expert has articulated in user friendly terms, what ERM is and how it can be applied to many different business types in many industries. This book makes clear that there is no one way to design and ERM model and that customizing it to the needs of the business will be the one way to optimize the outcomes desired.

The book is well organized and starts with a section on setting the "context" for delving into risk management; outlining the framework of a comprehensive approach; showing real world applications in various industry contexts; and closing with some prognostications on the future of the practice.

I highly recommend this book to all business managers who want to take risk management and their careers to the next level.

Enterprise Risk Management: From Incentives to Controls
Excellent resource on Enterprise Risk Management.

The author draws upon his 20 years' rich real world experience to drive the subject to home. It offers valuable insight, which is rare to find elsewhere. This book is not only up to date and comprehensive, but also particularly practical.

As a risk analyst with more than 6 years experience, I highly recommend this book to those who are in this field and to those who have interests in this field. ... Read more

Book Description

In the wake of continuing corporate scandals there have been few, if any, CEOs that have stepped forward as models of "doing things right" -- except the former chairman and CEO of Medtronic, Bill George. George has become the unofficial spokesperson for responsible leadership -- in business, the media, and academia.

In Authentic Leadership Bill George makes the case that we do need new leaders, not just new laws, to bring us out of the current corporate crisis. He persuasively demonstrates that authentic leaders of mission-driven companies will create far greater shareholder value than financially oriented companies. During George's twelve-year leadership at Medtronic, the company's market capitalization soared from $1.1 billion to $460 billion, averaging 350er year.

George candidly recounts many of the toughest challenges he encountered -- from ethical dilemmas and battles with the FDA to his own development as a leader. He shows how to develop the five essential dimensions of authentic leaders— purpose, values, heart, relationships, and self-discipline. Authentic Leadership offers inspiring lessons to all who want to lead with heart and with compassion for those they serve.

Bill George helps readers answer vital questions such as: What should I do when my personal values conflict with company business values? How do I make trade-offs between the needs of my customers, my employees, and my company's shareholders? Do I really want to devote my talents to business? Authentic Leadership provides a tested guide for character-based leaders and all those who have a stake in the integrity and success of our corporations.

... Read more

Reviews (31)

Bill George Challenges Conventional Wisdom
In this first book by Bill George, the reader is confronted with many ethical dilemmas that he has faced as a corporate leader and that challenges conventional (US) business thinking. Are we too fixed on quarterly earnings? Is shareholder value really the most critical measure to assess a leader's success? Is leadership style important? Can a leader be effective and still have a life outside work? By describing in detail how he struggled with these and many other dilemmas throughout his career and life, George gives his readers a refreshingly and couragously honest insight into his quest to become an authentic leader.

Bill George sends an evocative message, that should be read by all leaders. As a learning and aspiring leader, I hope that this will be the first in a long series of inspirational and thought-provoking works by him.

A minor critical observation is that Bill George at times spends longer than necessary on those points where he wants to mention a long list of people that have influenced him. Yet, one could argue that this attention for those around him is a true sign of authenticity.

There is a better way to lead: Ethical Leadership
This book describes timeless leadership principles by a man who, as he writes, has spent his entire life learning and working to become a better leader.

Bill George has written an inspiring book for all who aspire to be good leaders. He states his case for authentic leadership: values centered and performance oriented, using a candid and open style. He writes about his many experiences in a leadership role: as CEO of Medtronic, and with Litton, and Honeywell - describing challenges leaders face and how they deal with them.

Personally, I like to read and understand more about leadership - what is being a good, effective leader. This book appeals to me because it seems to confirm what I feel is important about being a good business leader: "Good leaders are people of the highest integrity, true to their core values, with the courage to build enduring organizations to meet the needs of all their stakeholders, and who recognize the importance of their service to society" (Bill George, slightly re-written).

I recommend this book to all who wish to understand more about leadership, and what it is to be a good leader.

A Compelling Invitation
The day after I read this brilliant book, I read an article in the Dallas Morning News (Tuesday, September 30, 2003) in which sportswriter Gerry Fraley discusses the Minnesota Twins whose payroll is $110-million less than that of the Yankees. (The Twins won 90 games this past season and had just defeated the Yankees in the first game of the American league playoffs.) As Fraley notes, the Twins are renowned for how they treat their people. One of them is Al Newman who is currently struggling with a life-threatening illness. Here's a brief excerpt from Fraley's article:

"When beloved third-base coach Al Newman was hospitalized in Chicago this month because of a brain hemorrhage, general manager Terry Ryan remained with him for the entire 11-day stay. While Newman was hospitalized, the Twins clinched the Central title at home. Manager Ron Gardenshire stopped the postgame celebration, brought out Newman's uniform top and reminded the crowd of what he had done for the club."

If I understand George's key points in Authentic Leadership, both Ryan and Gardenshire offer examples of it. Specifically, they demonstrate "the highest integrity, [are] committed to building enduring organizations...who have a deep sense of purpose and are true to their core values...who have the courage to build their companies to meet the needs of all stakeholders, and who recognize the importance of their service to society." George addresses what he views as a need for new leadership when in fact the need is to increase the number of authentic leaders, not only in business but in government, religion, and the military. We need more men and women who "genuinely desire to serve others through their leadership...are more interested in empowering the people they lead to make a difference than they are in power, money, or prestige for themselves. They are as guided by qualities of the heart, by passion and compassion, as they are by qualities of the mind."

George invites, indeed urges his reader to "rediscover the secrets of creating lasting value" in literally all areas of contemporary life. On page 6, he poses a series of questions and then in the 17 chapters and Epilogue which follow, he responds to each. However insightful those responses may be, and they are, I think the primary purpose of the questions is to guide and inform each reader's consideration of the various issues which those questions suggest. With all due respect to what George so generously shares from his own life and career, the nature and extent of the reader's own engagement in self-exploration will ultimately determine the value of this book.

The material is exceptionally well-organized. The quality of writing is first-rate, and especially effective because of the conversational tone of George's observations and suggestions. Although there are frequent references in this book to "companies," the questions posed and the issues associated with them are also directly relevant to all other organizations (regardless of size or nature) in which there is a compelling need for authentic leaders. Daily, it seems, there is evidence of such need in news accounts of corruption in all areas of our society. Corporate executives are indicted and convicted of fraud. Officers in the military are demoted, discharged or, in some instances, imprisoned as are clergy in various denominations. Although the reasons for their behavior vary, all of them betrayed the trust of those to whom they were accountable and for whom they were responsible.

Authentic leaders are first and foremost authentic human beings. For me, this is George's key point and because it seems so obvious, it may also seem simplistic. On the contrary, he has cut through all the rhetoric and urges his reader to examine her or his core values. For most of us, that is an immensely difficult, perhaps painful experience. In this context, I am reminded of the fact that in The Inferno, Dante reserved the last and worst ring in hell for those who, in a moral crisis, preserve their neutrality. Throughout all manner of organizations, there are women and men who are authentic leaders and should be commended. The reality is, their respective organizations need more of them. More to the point, all of us in our global community need more of them. In his unique and compelling book, George challenges us to join their number.

Insightful!
Few companies got more marketing mileage out of their culture than Medtronic. Its former CEO, author Bill George, is proud of his company's squeaky clean corporate record. Despite all the clichés he may muster, despite his occasional preachiness, perhaps no CEO has written a more lucid or insightful series of reflections on the challenge of managing a corporation in twentieth century America. Read this book and you will learn some obvious lessons and some new ones: that leaders should be honest, that they will be tempted to cut corners in pursuit of short term profits but really ought to resist that temptation, that devotion to customers is at least as important as devotion to shareholders (provided you make your numbers every quarter) and that managers at Enron and WorldCom did the wrong thing, but we can learn a lesson from them. We acknowledge that Bill George may be as close as American executive ranks have come to producing a moral philosopher.

There is a better way to lead: Ethical Leadership
This books describes timeless leadership princibles by a man who, as he descibes, has spent his entire life learning and working to become a better leader.

Bill George has written an inspiring book for all who aspire to be good leaders. He states his case for authentic leadership: values centered and performance oriented, using a candid and open style. He writes about his many experiences in a leadership role: as CEO of Medtronic, and with Litton, and Honeywell - describing challenges leaders face and how they deal with them.

Personally, I like to read and understand more leadership - what is being a good, effective leader. This book appeals to me because it seems to confirm what I feel is important about being a good business leader: "Good leaders are people of the highest integrity, true to their core values, with the courage to build enduring organizations to meet the needs of all their stakeholders, and who recogize the importance of their service to society" (Bill George).

I recommend this book to all who wish to understand more about leadership, and what it is to be a good leader. ... Read more

Book Description

The classic bestseller on performance management is updated to reflect changes in today's working environment. When an employer needs to know how to gain maximum performance from employees, renowned behavioral psychologist--Aubrey Daniels is the man to consult. What has made Daniels the man with the answers? His ability to apply scientifically based behavioral stimuli to the workplace while making it fun at the same time.

Now Daniels updates his ground-breaking book with the latest and best motivational methods, perfected at such companies as Xerox, 3M, and Kodak. All-new material shows how to: create effective recognition and rewards systems in line with today's employees want; Stimulate innovations and creativity in new and exciting ways; overcome problems associated with poorly educated workers; motivate young employees from the minute they join the workforce. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Wow! It will change the way you manage your staff! Great!
One of the very best, if not the best, books on motivating a group of people that I have ever read. I've just started implementing some of the stratagies and I'm already seeing positive results. The book is easy to read and understand.

Breakthrough in business literature
Business is characterized by a lot of common sense solutions. But in fact, the many books that are released articulate only the particular view and experiences of the author. A scientific based book about how to understand and change behavior in organizations was lacking. Aubrey Daniels has made the remarkable accomplishment of writing a book that is both strongly based in the science of behavior analysis, as easy to read and to use. This is one of the best books that has been written about business, also because it demonstrates that business is behavior.

Drs. M.M. Rietdijk, Nyenrode University, The Netherlands

The most "a-ha" moments I've had in a long time
Wow - This book, if you are willing to listen, will help you become aware of what is going on around you. At least, it did for me. Every couple of pages, I found myself saying "oh .. oh yes.. of course!" If nothing else, this book made me realize that I'm not crazy nor am I alone; that my environment, particularly the standard salary compensation system, really is de-motivating. No wonder I and so many others often struggle with procrastination!

The concepts are explained very well and he does a very nice job drawing out the implications to specific examples that most readers will immediately relate to. This book was one of the most satisfying reads I've had in a long time.

Read it today
I'm very happy I picked up this book. This book opened my eyes to how people work. With this book I now more prepared and I am more confident with how I now deal with people. I recommend this to anyone who is any leadership role, this book helps you understand people and how to get the best out of them. not just get something out of them, but getting best from what they have to offer. and as leaders, thats what we want from our people. get it today!

Skinner Would be Proud
Dr. Daniels brings the subject of behavior analysis to a level where human resource managers can understand the concepts of performance management and actually apply his principles of scientific employee management. For anti-behaviorists (those who fear being controlled by the human tendency to adapt behavior in order to receive rewards and avoid punishment) this book is a nightmare. Daniels succinctly describes the behavior analysis process and how employers can use it to improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency by "pinpointing" job performance standards and incentive programs. A must read for any manager. His chapter on incentive plans was particularly insightful and illustrates the fallacies of most reward systems. ... Read more

Book Description

Term Sheets & Valuations is the first ever in-depth look at the nuts and buts of terms sheets and valuations. The book, written by leading venture capitalist Alexander Wilmerding of Boston Capital Ventures, covers topics such What is a Term Sheet, How to Examine a Term Sheet, A Section-by-Section View of a Term Sheet, Valuations, What Every Entrepreneur & Executive Needs to Know About Term Sheets, Valuation Parameters, and East Coast Versus West Coast Rules. In addition, the book includes an actual term sheet from a leading law firm with line by line descriptions of each clause, what can/should be negotiated, and the important points to pay attention to. A must have book for any executive, entrepreneur, or financial professional.

Praise for Term Sheets & Valuations:

"This primer should be required reading for every entrepreneur. It is short, authoritative and worth its weight in gold." - Murray Low, Executive Director, Columbia Business School, Eugene M. Lang Center for Entrepreneurship

"An invaluable resource for executives and financial professionals." - Graham D.S. Anderson, General Partner, EuclidSR Partners

"A valuable resource for entrepreneurs..." - Jeffrey Donohue, Esq. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Most Insightful Book Ever Written on Venture Capital
I would spend $1,000 for this book - simply put. Even though I am a VC, I was completely awe struck by the detailed information on raising capital, term sheets and valuations this book presented. Besides having great insight into raising venture capital, the highlight of the book is clearly an actual term sheet, put together by one of the leading law firms, with line by line descriptions of what the wording means and actual "legal wording" for "investor favorable," "entrepreneur favorable," and "neutral" terms. This is information you pay $20,000 for with your lawyers. This book is a must have for any entrepreneur, venture capitalist or financial executive.

The Book Every Management Team, VC & Lawyer Should Have
This is by far the most widely used title by every venture capitalist. I would highly recommend this book to every vc, lawyer, and management team member (especially) of every company looking to obtain venture financing. You could not find better advice on negotation points, changes to wording or overall guidance on a term sheet than Wilmerding's advice in this book. Especially look at Chapter 3 where Wilmerding goes through line by line what every parapraph means on a term sheet. Also check out Wilmerding's other book, Deal Terms, or Raising VC From a Tier 1 Firm (which includes the entire text from Term Sheets & Valuations and Deal Terms).

Advice from a seasoned financial professional....
After having this book referred to me by about 7 of my venture capital friends I decided to take a look. Well, I was very impressed as this is the first venture capital book I have seen to provide a true insider's perspective. This book literally tells you exactly the wording you need to use to make the section applicable to you - whether you are a:

Venture Capitalist

Entrepreneur

Lawyer

Etc.

Look at the below section and the detail it provides (you should note the book itself goes on to explain what this entire section means and what each section specifically does):

(4) Conversion: [Investor Favorable, Middle of the Road and Company Favorable are the same.]

The holders of the Series [A] Preferred shall have the right to convert the Series [A] Preferred, at any time, into shares of Common Stock. The initial conversion rate shall be 1:1, subject to adjustment as provided below.

(5) Automatic Conversion:

Investor Favorable:

The Series [A] Preferred shall be automatically converted into Common Stock, at the then applicable conversion price, (i) in the event that the holders of at least two thirds of the outstanding Series [A] Preferred consent to such conversion or (ii) upon the closing of a firmly underwritten public offering of shares of Common Stock of the Company at a per share price not less than [3 times the Original Purchase Price] per share and for a total offering with net proceeds to the Company of not less than $40 million (a "Qualified IPO").

Middle of the Road:

The Series [A] Preferred shall be automatically converted into Common Stock, at the then applicable conversion price, (i) in the event that the holders of at least two thirds of the outstanding Series [A] Preferred consent to such conversion or (ii) upon the closing of a firmly underwritten public offering of shares of Common Stock of the Company at a per share price not less than [2 times the Original Purchase Price] per share and for a total offering with gross proceeds to the Company of not less than $25 million (a "Qualified IPO").

Company Favorable:

The Series [A] Preferred shall be automatically converted into Common Stock, at the then applicable conversion price, (i) in the event that the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Series [A] Preferred consent to such conversion or (ii) upon the closing of a firmly underwritten public offering of shares of Common Stock of the Company at a per share price not less than two times the Original Purchase Price (as adjusted for stock splits and the like) and for a total offering of not less than $5 million, before deduction of underwriters commissions and expenses (a "Qualified IPO").

The Industry Standard for Term Sheets in the VC Industry
As a VC, I can tell you this is THE book every VC, lawyer, investment banker and entrepreneur has on their desk regarding term sheets. It is a great overall reference and the line by line explanations are extremely important for anyone doing deals. I would also highly recommend Wilmerding's second book "Deal Terms" and "Executive Reports: Raising VC From a Tier 1 Firm" which includes this entire book, Deal Terms, Ways of the VC and a list of top VC Firms. I am also told this book specifically is available as a CD-Rom (sold separately), in a Word document, that you can use for your own dealings.

This Book Saved Me
As an entrepreneur trying to secure venture financing, this book was a godsend. Not only did it help me better negotiate with my investors, but it made me seem like I really knew what was going on and had experience in the area. It also saved me thousands in legal fees since I was able to make suggestions on my own time (not lawyer time). My backers were quite impressed with this book themselves and all bought copies after I shared it with them when the deal closed. If you have any ties to venture capital at all, this book is worth it's weight in gold. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Useful For New Managers
New to management? Have to give a performance review and you don't know how to approach it? This book will get you there.

"Effective Phrases for Performance Appraisals: A Guide to Successful Evaluations" by James E. Neal isn't the snappiest book you'll read, and it is not the best value.

It is alphabetically organized by main topic terms, from 'accuracy,' ' achievement' and 'administration' to 'versatility' 'vision' and 'writing ability.'

You'll find 25,000 phrases under 58 such topics. For 'accuracy' there are 24 phrases, like "expects perfection" and "meets precise standards."

The drawback is twofold: the layout wastes space, and the content is easily found in other, more substantive books. It could easily be reduced to a 50 pages booklet.

There are guidelines for appraisals spread across several short appendices.

Useful for the new supervisor, or as a refresher for an experienced middle manager...

Anthony Trendl

Effective Phrases for Performance Appraisals
I purchased a previous edition of this pocket handbook some years ago and replaced it recently with this newer edition..

I get the impression that this thoughtful and well laid out guide was originally for use in the military and other government agencies. It is a very useful tool for allowing your own creative juices to work for you when writing up an appraisal.

The best method that I've found for this little guide is start in with an employee appraisal, then scan through the relevant pages when you feel you are at a sticking point and need some time in order to place the correct phrase that just doesn't seem to come to mind at the moment.

Rest assured that taking a break, scanning through this guide for a while, and then putting your work aside for a few hours will result in some very constructive ideas for you..

s/ Patricia Gibbons

It's a very useful book
This is a fantastic book. The thoughtful yet articulate phrases enhance any performance appraisal. I would highly recommend it.

Awesome! Reviews done quickly!
This is a terrific resource--I finished my performance reviews in half the time!

Invaluable tool for writing
This is an invaluable tool for writing military perforance evaluation reports. The book's best use is as a memory jogger to pick out those phrases which I can then expand upon. Better yet, it keeps me writing in current tense, instead of past tense.

It saved about 5 hours while writing the last one. ... Read more