Book Description

In their landmark book The Machine That Changed the World, James Womack and Daniel Jones, two of the top industrial analysts in the world, explained how companies can dramatically improve their performance through the "lean production" approach pioneered by Toyota. Lean Thinking extends these ideas to provide a rallying cry for today's corporate leaders.

After a decade of downsizing and reengineering, most companies in North America, Europe, and Japan are still stuck, searching for a formula for sustainable growth and success. The problem, as Womack and Jones explain in Lean Thinking, is that managers have lost sight of value for the customer and how to create it. By focusing on their existing organizations and outdated definitions of value, managers create waste, and the economies of the advanced countries continue to stagnate.

What's needed instead is lean thinking to help managers clearly specify value, to line up all the value-creating activities for a specific product along a value stream, and to make value flow smoothly at the pull of the customer in pursuit of perfection. The first part of the book describes each of these concepts and makes them come alive with striking examples.

As Lean Thinking clearly demonstrates, these simple ideas can breathe new life into any company in any industry, routinely doubling both productivity and sales while stabilizing employment. But most managers will need guidance on how to make the lean leap in their firm. Part II provides a step-by-step action plan, based on in-depth studies of fifty lean companies in a wide range of industries across the world -- including Pratt & Whitney, Porsche, and Toyota.

Even those readers who believe they have embraced lean thinking will discover in Part III that another dramatic leap is possible by creating a lean enterprise for each of their product families that tightly links all value-creating activities from concept to product launch, from order to delivery, and from raw materials into the arms of the consumer. This new concept takes the best features from the American, German, and Japanese industrial traditions and recombines them in a way that can be applied to every economic activity, from long-distance travel to construction to health care.

Lean Thinking does not provide a new management "program" for the one-minute manager. Instead, it offers a new way of thinking, being, and doing for the serious manager -- one that will change the world. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Good Conceptual Overview of Eliminating Waste in Producing
Unlike most cost-reduction books, Lean Thinking has a strong conceptual underpinning for thinking about improving your operations. The authors move beyond the narrowest application of the lean manufacturing model (the original Toyota system) to explore key concepts like value (what do the customers want? as opposed to what do they choose from the limited options we give them?), flow (continuous production is faster and more efficient than batch processing), pull (letting immediate demand determine what is produced rather than sales projections), and perfection (thinking through the ideal way to do things, rather than just improving from where you are today somewhat). Providing this conceptual framework makes it easier to understand the benefits of operating a lean enterprise. People who did not understand the message in Direct from Dell would find Lean Thinking to be a useful framework.

One of the strengths of this book is that it is deliberately full of examples of companies which took traditional methods in existing plants and converted them into lean operations. I know of no other set of case histories half as useful on this subject.

The key limitation of this book is that most people new to lean manufacturing would not be able to implement solely using the book as a guide. The conceptual perspective, while being uniquely valuable, leaves the inexperienced person with few guideposts. Some of the key requirements are simply described as "get the knowledge" and so forth. As a follow-up, I suggest that the authors team with those who have done this work and write a hands-on guide. Much more benefit will follow.

If you are interested in understanding how a new business model of how to provide your products and/or services might work and what the benefits might be, Lean Thinking is a good place to start. Most executives and operations managers have never seriously considered going from batch to cell-based production. This will open your eyes to the potential.

Based on my many years of experience with improving business processes, you will actually need to go visit some of the companies cited to fully understand the issues and what must be done. I know that visits to Pratt & Whitney can be arranged and are very insightful. You might try to start with that one.

One area may turn you off. The cited examples moved forward pretty ruthlessly. That may not be your cup of tea. You may be reminded of some of the early reengineering. My own experience is that such changes can be done in a more positive and constructive way. Stay open to that possibility as you read the cases. They basically all use command and control to create more flexibility. You can also use other methods like those encouraged in The Soul at Work and The Living Company to create these kinds of results. Keep that in mind.

I recommend that everyone who uses batch and sequential operation methods read this book. It will open your eyes to great potential to grow faster and more profitably.

This is the business bible!
As a strategic planning consultant, I recommend 'Lean Thinking' to all of my clients. Some mistakenly view this book as a 'how to' for manufacturing companies. While it is, it is also much more. It is an attitude about business strategy. Waste, in any type of company, drains profits in one of two ways: as direct costs that they can see today, and as indirect costs when waste discourages repeat business. For any business manager worth his or her six figure income, this book is a must read.

Great, if you like stories about business.
I'm not sure who the audience is for Lean Thinking. Call me naïve, but I assumed it was written by Womack and Jones to help organizations analyze their business processes and eliminate muda (Japanese for "waste"), thereby improving overall performance. However, after reading almost 250 pages of anecdotal success stories, the chapter entitled "Action Plan," where one would assume resides the punch-line of the text, I was met by the profound advice to "Get the knowledge" by hiring one of the numerous experts in North America, Europe or Japan, and read some of the "vast literature" available on lean techniques. Reminds me of the Steve Martin joke where he tells you how to be a millionaire. "First, get a million dollars."

After reading Lean Thinking, I'm struck by the irony that while the authors recommend removing waste from the manner by which your products are delivered to the end customer, they don't take their own advice. The text could have been distilled from 384 pages down to five or six, since there's no real substantive instruction on how to implement lean principles. Then again, maybe I completely misinterpreted the intent of the authors as to their audience and it really was written for the business historian who enjoys reading about how Pratt & Whitney started in 1855. That must be it, because after I ponder the title, I realize that Lean Thinking is for just that, thinking. What I really wanted was a book entitled Lean Doing.

A Roadmap for Efficient Value Creation
Would you like to double productivity, cut development time by 60%, reduce inventory by 65%, reduce throughput time by 95%, reduce capital investment while doubling sales? Pre-existing assets, technologies, practices, organizations and concepts often cause enormous waste, i.e. activity which does not create value. This exciting book is about a way to do more and more with less and less - to create value instead of waste.

Lean Principles
1. Accurately understand VALUE (needs and preferences) from the customer's perspective.

2. Perform VALUE STREAM analysis. This will reveal three types of actions: 1) those that create value, 2) those that do not create value but are unavoidable in the present situation and 3) those that don't create value and are immediately avoidable.

3. After eliminating avoidable waste activities, make the remaining activities continuously FLOW. This requires the elimination of departmentalized "high speed" batch-and-queue "efficiency". It requires quick changeovers, "right-sizing" and close coupling of operations without buffers. The authors state that the results are always a dramatic reduction of effort and improvement in throughput.

4. Because of the radical reduction achieved in throughput time, you now are capable of Just In Time operations. You can now let the customer PULL the product.

5. Finally search for PERFECTION. Perfection is, of course, impossible. But the effort compels progress.

"Just Do It"
The lean approach is to "just do it" with dedicated cross functional product teams which often include suppliers and customers.

The beauty of this system is that it won't work at all unless everything works properly all the time. Thus 100% performance becomes an absolute requirement.

The authors present a number of very interesting case studies in which dramatic results were obtained. They conclude with advice as to how to get started - including a list of available resources. This book is especially well-suited to operations managers, but will also benefit any executive in a company that relies upon operational excellence as a part of their strategy.

(Robert Bradford is CEO of Center for Simplified Strategic Planning and co-author of Simplified Strategic Planning)

Russian edition of Lean thinking
This book was translated and published in Russia in January 2004. We find that it will be interesting and usefull for russian managers and companies. ... Read more

Book Description

As leading authorities on adult education and training, Elwood Holton and Richard Swanson have revised Malcolm Knowles' exemplary work on adult learning. While retaining the best from the past editions, they incorporate the latest developments in adult learning theory and practice into this major revision.

This new book is divided into three parts. The first part contains the classic chapters that describe the roots and principles of andragogy. The second part contains four new chapters that examine:
*The latest perspectives on andragogy
*The application of andragogy in human resource
development
*New advancements in understanding adult learning
*Practical applications of adult learning theory

The new chapters incorporate developments from recent research in adult learning, human resource development, cognitive psychology, adult development, and educational psychology. The last part of the book contains an updated selection of topical readings that advance the theory and practice of adult learning.

This new edition is an ideal introductory book for adult learning practitioners and students.

The late Malcolm Knowles' cornerstone work on adult learning theory and practices is updated with the latest advances in the field.In this new edition, Elwood Holton and Richard Swanson build upon Knowles' foundation to give:
* The latest perspectives on adult learning and its application in adult education and human resource development.
* New developments in understanding adult learning (andragogy in practice)
* Methods for developing effective adult learning programs
* The basics of learning theories
* Why and how teaching adults is difference from teaching children
* A self-diagnostic tool (ready to photcopy) to determine your skill level as a trainer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Unreadable
This book was the text for an adult learning course, and all 300+ students judged the book to be incomprehensible. So many complaints were received that the instructor apologized, saying it was the only book the school could find. There is good information in this book, but you need dynamite to unearth it. I have a better than average vocabulary, but I had to keep a dictionary by my side as I read, and even then I found words from the text for which I could find no definition. Some chapters had to be read 4 times before I understood the authors' message. Reading this book was a guarantee for a nap or a headache. Please, somebody stop this book before it kills again!

very comprehensive look at adult learning theory
This book is like a one-stop shopping guide to Adult education. It is so comprehensive that I doubt it leaves out one development in the history of adult education. My only warning is that the opening chapters which basically trace many theories of learning (both adult and traditional) are hard to get through -- it reads more like a research paper that summarizes every major educational theory since the beginning of time. But, if you don't want to know that much, you can simply skip these chapters and get right to the meat of the adult learning theories which are more appropos. For those who need a quick primer on learning theories, you'll love the first few chapters for their abundance of quick summary information. A useful guide to adult education.

Excellent primer of Adult Learning Theory
Malcolm Knowles is known as the "Grandfather of Adult Education" in many circles, and this update of his original book does him justice. I recommend the book as a primary resource for people looking for information about how adults learn (adult learning theory), as well as what works and how to make it work in different situations.

An essential read for HRD professionals and adult educators
For those new to Knowles work, this book really is a 'must'. It takes the reader through the essentials of adult education, both in the traditional environments of adult education and in settings such as the workplace. It provides a theoretical framework for understanding the adult learning issues faced by professional educators each day, and also offers significant guidance on future practice. To those who have read past editions of the book, as I have, you will find the Swanson and Holton work true to the spirit of Knowles, and the two authors have introduced more than enough new material to justify buying this Fifth Edition. ... Read more

Book Description

As companies shift from hierarchical management into teamwork, managing is not nearly as important as coaching. Here is the first book on the coaching process written exclusively for sales managers--a brief, easy-to-digest primer on making the transition from a traditional boss to a sales coach. Created by an author/instructor who teaches sales management as the prestigious Wharton Executive Development Center, this guide shows sales managers how to: understand the nuances and payoffs of coaching: conduct coaching sessions and improve key skills such as listening and giving feedback; deal with problems such as discipline and reluctant behavior within the sales team; and coach and peers on oneself. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sales Coaching is practical, applicable, and long overdue.
I often say to Sales Managers, "Show me a great Sales Manager with lousy salespeople and I will show you a lousy Sales Manager." Then I tell them to read 'Sales Coaching.'

Linda Richardson has constructed the ultimate step-by-step guide in getting managers to reevaluate their priorities and focus their attention on improving the sales staff through effective developmental coaching. The book is easy to read and full of practical tips and coaching models that will make any sales team more productive.

Most importantly, unlike many sales management books, this work translates into practical application without the brain damage. Sales Managers should be able to apply these principles immediately. Read this with a highlighter in your hand - and be prepared to transform your sales management approach. ... Read more

Book Description

Designed specifically for trainers, speakers, and group facilitators, this 400-page cookbook of playful group mixers helps to "break the ice" among participants at the beginning of any meeting, or to recharge participants on the brink of boredom. Complete with guidelines, these simple activities-like games, energizers, brain-teasers, and quizzes-require little or no preparation time, and most can be completed in less than 5 minutes. Also included are props and hand-outs that can be photocopied for the entire group to enjoy. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great for Residence Life staff
There are few books on icebreakers/teambuilders that I've found to be useful with college students ( I work in Student Affairs). This book, however, offered many activities that were useful not only for just 'breaking the ice' but also for applying them to the many educational workshops we do in this field. There was also a very helpful section called "Icebreakers for the Non-Icebreaker types" that was both interesting and practical. Because I work with such a diverse range of students, I struggle to find icebreakers that are not geared solely to the extroverted-types. This collection gives a number of activities that are beneficial to teambuilding while respecting the different learning/interaction styles we see in our students. Out of the 201 offered in the book, I have found at least 180 of them that I will use as integral parts of the next staff training. This book also offers activities for groups ranging from 8 participants (good for small staffs) to 400 participants (good for all-hall activities)!

Disappointing
It was disappointing to find so few ideas for a group of 100 business people who don't know each other. Most of the activities are far too personal for such a group, involving sharing personal information or touching. In addition, many of the activities have no "closure": they simply end, leaving us to wonder, what was the purpose of THAT? Many of the activities would be fine for very informal gatherings where being silly (marching in a parade, charades, making a human octopus) and getting personal are appropriate. But business people--even my lighthearted group--expect some degree of professionalism and purpose associated with such activities.

Group Warm-up Exercise Testing/Assessment Instruments
Can any one help me locate a Testing or Assessment instrument that I can use to validate the usefulness of Ice-breakers or Group Warm-up Exercises? I am a Ph.D. student at Walden Un. presenting a research paper on the usefulness of Ice-breakers through Experiential Learning. I would be most greatful for any help I can get. Derrick W. Copper ... Read more

Book Description

Thoroughly updated and revised, the third edition of this essential resource for trainingprofessionals is packed with new and valuable features for delivering cost-effective, high-impact training.Like previous editions, Creative Training Techniques Third Edition covers all the important basics: Presentation preparation, learner motivation, visual aids, group involvement, creative materials, resource materials, presentation techniques and customized training.New to the third edition are six chapters covering the following: .Instrumented learning .Transformation of existing training programs .Participant-centered techniques for technical training .Participant-centered techinques for computer training .The myths and methods of eLearning .Classroom management techniques.You'll also find a new appendix packed with simple job aids to help you make, buy, or build decisions when planning training. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Turn nervousness into confidence
I am an independent corporate trainer and saw this book praised in a variety of places. I bought it and read it from cover to cover. While I was reading it, I kept saying to myself, "Isn't this stuff kind of simple?" When I finished reading it, I felt like I had not learned enough to justify the high price. These first impressions were not lasting impressions. Here is how I can tell: Whenever I feel nervous about a new training assignment, I open this book and quickly find solutions that turn my nervousness into confidence. I grew to understand that the simplicity I observed during my first reading is actually the result of skillful winnowing by an expert.

Because of its price, I rated this book 4 stars instead of 5 stars. I understand the marketing justification for the price. Some stuff in the book is provided for HR professionals who train trainers. These people are usually buying the book with someone else's money. The publisher knows that and banks on it. But, given how much I continually get from this book, I figure at least the author has earned the extra money.

The best book I've read on the subject
I've had a bit of a hard time finding books on training the trainer to train and I feel that this is THE book that does it best. I work for a new company and ended up doing most of the training of new employees. I've thoroughly enjoyed it and this book helped me to be more effective at it. I love the 'instructor led, participant centered' idea that he presents. It allows me to treat the trainees as adults but we still have fun. Being new to training I didn't feel that he was talking over my head. It was to the point, useful information that I was immediatly able to put to good use.

a couple of good ideas but practically limited
i bought this book as it was a a suggested read by a big american design software corpoartion for whom i was an authorised trainer.
having picked up most of my training techniques from teaching or other teachers, or indeed practically picked up, i was intrigues to refine my techniques or expand them.
But, i found very little here of use to me, i think this is much more useful to people eho train in the vaguer sense of the word, as i was running professional training courses, i actually found a lot of the material given i disagreed with in practice, to be honest you just could not run a prodessional graphic design course like this.
maybe the ideas of teaching in England are a bit more quirky and persoanlity based, but these ideas are either common sense or patronising of the audience.
maybe if you are in some kind of business arena and completeley new to the whole field theres something for you.
I got nothing out of it really, and ive been a professional trainer for ten years.

Great resource for teachers & trainers of adults
Bob Pike has distilled hundreds of hours worth of classwork on theory and technique into one of the best books I've ever seen on the subject of teaching adult learners.

Pike gives hundreds of tips, tricks, examples, and outlines for instructors to use and adapt, and he gives something even better: his experience as an instructor *using them*. His credentials are excellent, and the style with which he presents this material attests to his ability to teach effectively.

This is a great reference for experienced instructors, but I think it is a must-have for those new to teaching adults. As the author states, "So many people get into training by accident." Just because you accidentally found yourself a trainer is no reason not to become good at it. With Pike's book, you will have a much beter chance (and much easier time) of becoming truly effective.

Highly recommended.

One Of The Best Books On Adult Training
This is one of the best books I've read on adult training. I used many of the theories and techniques when helping to design a large computer training program for my company, and they worked very well. The key that Mr. Pike demonstrates is that adults learn best when they teach themselves. Thus, his "instructor led, participant centered" philosophy. If you have to deliver, or design, training programs for adults, this is one of the best guides to get. ... Read more

Book Description

This practical, reader-friendly book discusses training and how it relates to business objectives and strategies. Using a model of the training process to assist readers in understanding the training process, it emphasizes the value of developing training programs, with examples provided for both large and small organizations, relating training to the overall strategy of a firm.This book provides comprehensive coverage of such topics as the role of training in organizations; training in large and small businesses; strategic planning; human resources departments and their role in supporting strategy; theories of learning and their application; needs analysis; training design; training methods; training development and implementation; and training evaluation.For Human Resources Department managers and staff, trainers, project managers, business strategists, and team trainers and team developers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Just the facts, ma'am...
I'm currently using this as a college textbook.It's taken me three weeks to work through three chapters.After two weeks, I ended up skimming over the 2nd and 3rd chapters just to make it through without stopping 4 or 5 times wondering what it was I was reading.I can see it's loaded with important information, but it's an effort to stay focused.The headings and subheadings are bland and repetitive.I often feel like I'm rereading a section, but how can I tell when sections I've read aren't memorable? The authors also show a knack for stating the obvious.For instance, "Identifying the required KSAs is not as obvious, but they are still relatively easy to obtain, by examining each task and asking the question, 'What knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes are necessary to perform a particular task?'" (p.143).

I find it ironic that a book that is attempting to teach people how to make training pertinent and interesting to others is itself uninteresting.This is a book for those who just want the facts and don't care if the writing and presentation are lively or engaging. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Best used as a course book
At 144 pages this book is a short introductory text and workbook that is designed to introduce systems thinking. It starts by building an awareness of systems thinking as a discipline, and by providing a series of learning activities that lead you through the basics.

The two main techniques that this book teaches are (1) behavior over time graphs and causal loops, both of which are the main tools employed in systems thinking. These are also the foundation of system dynamics of which systems thinking is a subset (system dynamics uses expanded techniques such as simulation models and analysis of alternatives).

What I like about this book is the clear explanation of the basics and the use of illustrations and learning activities. I also like the summaries of system archetypes and system thinking tools included in the appendices, which provide starting points for further study. It's not the best book for self-study because it is written more as a workbook than an introductory text. As such it is best used in an instructor-led course, or in conjunction with more in-depth books about system thinking (my favorite is Systems Thinking: Managing Chaos and Complexity by Jamshid Gharajedaghi). ... Read more

Book Description

It?s here! An all-new edition of the handbook that started the active training revolution.

You'll learn how to:
* Assess training needs and participants
* Develop active training objectives
* Create practical opening exercises
* Prepare effective lectures
* Design active training exercises
* Provide for back-on-the-job application . . . and much more!

Silberman is synonymous with active training. Thousands upon thousands of trainers look to Silberman for sage advice on teaching adults the way they learn best: by doing.

Now Silberman presents an all-new edition of his runaway bestseller, Active Training. This handbook shows you how to design and conduct experiential programs in private and public sector organizations from beginning to end. Silberman has augmented the first edition, with a wealth of new training exercises and updated case studies, along with information on emerging training technologies and ways to substantiate the ROI of training. Plus, a new section entitled Introducing Active Training explores in greater depth the reasons why adults learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process.

You get over 200 real-life designs and case examples distributed over 35 subject areas including:
* coaching
* communication skills
* team building
* performance appraisals
* customer service
* problem solving
* time management
* leadership . . . and much more!

The index to the case studies enables you to find a training example that suits your current need. Checklists and assessments reinforce training topics and enable you to plan for action.

I'm 'Gung Ho!' about Active Training. All trainers should find it a valuable reading experience. It is loaded with sound concepts and practical ideas.
--Ken Blanchard, co-author, The One Minute Manager and Gung Ho!

Within the covers of this book is all the material you need to make a course or seminar a success. Silberman?s guidebook is loaded with practical, original training tips and a whole host of ways to incorporate these ideas into your training. Experience the second edition of this training classic and you'll never face an audience the same way again. Active training starts here! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wow!
Great book with plenty of practical comments and ideas which allow you to design a truly active session that both, your audience and you, will enjoy.

The best book in training i have read since i am training
I have pleasant meetings with you book Active Training at the last weeks. I am very impressed from it. The book is the best book that has been written about active teaching and learning. The book taught me new active ways as well. The book could help you diagnosis your faults at training and remind you what you forget to do. The book is very friendly. Active Training make it clear that you can be the best trainer if you just work for it. "Active leaning" might hurts but it helps you to grow. I am very grateful about the adventures. The book function like a mirror that tell you where your lipstick is not polished , so you can correct it. The book gave me new insights even I am teaching for 10 years already . The book is like a mentor If you like you can give your hands and travel at a virtual exelent training class.

Many good ideas on how to make your training more active
This book has many good ideas on how to make your training more active. For example, it give one ideas on how to turn a mundane one-way lecture into a lively interactive discussion so that the participants not only enjoy the learning, but retain and use the knowledge gained. In addition, there are many activities that a trainer can use to make his or her training more lively. I strongly recommend this book to all trainers. ... Read more

Book Description

Coachingis based on the premise we must understand people before we can coach them.Flaherty asks fundamental questions rather than supply "easy to apply" tips and surface bandaids. "Coaching is not telling people what to do; it's giving them a chance to examine what they are doing in the light of their intentions." (from the Preface) "A coach is someone who builds a respectful relationship with a client and then researches the situations the client finds himself in, with particular emphasis on the client's interpretation of the events." (from Chapter 1)Then, in partnership with the client, the coach can work to altering actions to bring about expected outcomes.This book provides the language and operative principles and assessment models and sample coaching conversationsnecessary to do that.

The book is grounded in many different paths of wisdom including time-tested philosophies, sociological premises and psychological discussions. Chapter bibliographies encourage further interdisciplinary reading.

ú This book is a coaching tool enabling the reader to become a business coach who can self-correct and self-generate your own innovations
ú It addresses the question: How do I contribute to someone's competence in a respectful, dignified, effective way? ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent coaching resource -- worth your investment
A friend of mine who did a review of coaching resources for Harvard Management Communication Letter let out a huge yawn when I mentioned James Flaherty's book. We had a good and lively debate over drinks in Cambridge (Massachusetts).

Meanwhile, if you're a serious practitioner (or serious about getting into coaching), don't let the style scare you off. This one is a gem, with an ontological bent, and packed with practical models and exercises. James' book is the result of a lifetime of study, decades of coaching, and integration of diverse intellectual traditions, including hermeneutics, phenomenology, pragmatism, the arts, and Zen.

I have studied under James and my only wish is that his sharp (and sometimes goofy) sense of humor and amazing gift for story-telling had come through in his book. Perhaps in his next book.

great guide to coaching
I am a coach and i train people into coaching, and I use this book and referr to Flaherty as one good manual to get a frame on how to work with people and which way to build with them the coaching interaction, objectives and achievements. It is also very clear, has a lot of visual maps, and it's quite accurate too when it comes to issues definitions and their origins. It' not the complete guidebokk of coaching but very helpful indeed.I do suggest any coach to have it among the basic important manuals.

For the Serious Coach


This book probes the philosophical underpinnings of coaching. Jim challenges the reader and coach to examine the core issues and fundamental questions that we all face. It's a serious book for those in the coaching business. Put on your thinking cap for this one.

• Mark Kelly, coauthor of MASTERING TEAM LEADERSHIP: 7 ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS

A textbook for the practioner
This is heavy reading, but well worth it. Remeber your college philosophy classes and associated textbooks? Well, Flaherty takes the beauty and probing questions of philosphy and creates practical use of them by applying them to the art of coaching. Flaherty relies heavily on a few of his favorite modern philosophers, and takes their discoveries and theories and converts them into assessment models, enrollment techniques, etc. What you end up with is a very lucid, free flowing book that allows the coach to see the client as a human being with varying motivations, competencies, agendas, etc., and frees us from the trap of attempting to coach our clients into becoming ourselves (someone with our values, motivations, etc.); instead allowing them to grow into their own self-correcting, self-generating person.

One caveat, this book looks just as much at the growth of the coach as it does at the growth of the client. In fact, the author asserts that failed coaching often stems from a coaches inability to completely appreciate the client for who s/he is (their motivations, world interpretation, etc.); this falls under the topic of Relationship in the book, and essentially discusses the meaning and importance of mutual appreciation, respect and freedom of expression. He advocates self discovery and continued growth of the coach; allowing yourself to learn from your client while they learn from you.

In summary, the book moves us away from simply using techniques and models as our "catch all" coaching tools and moves us towards understanding the unique human being, their unique situation, their unique drive, their unique interpretation of the world, etc. The author also encourages coaches to understand their own humanity, including their own mortality, so that our connections with our clients are more solid and hopefully more fruitful.

Although the author does provide some assessment model examples, don't expect a step by step coaching program from this work. The author throws out ideas to stimulate our own thinking about ourselves and our clients' needs. It is left up to us to put the theories, suggestions and ideas into a workable form that can be used in our coaching practices.

A note on the heavy, textbook quality of this work: It is just that. It is an amazing, thought provoking work, but it's college textbook like quality (the author does begin to throw in humor around page 90 or so) can be a little rough to get through (hence the 4 out of 5 stars).

If you don't mind free-flowing structure that allows you to draw your own conclusions, or are looking for a humanistic view on this sector of consulting, then this work is for you.

Terrific
This is one of the two best books on coaching I have seen. Not for the casual reader, it is ideal for the serious practitioner of change. It has the rigor and systematic approach that are needed in a field that has become the province of lifestyle gurus and fortune-tellers. It provides a solid philosophical base for change through coaching that is a great foundation. It could serve as a textbook for how to coach. Thanks, Mr. Flaherty. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Multiple Uses
I purchased Thinkpac nearly 2 years ago, but have waited until now to write this review. One reason is the myriad uses I have discovered for these versatile cards. Thinkpac is tool for brainstorming, and is based on the author's wonderfully useful acronym SCAMPER. (See 'Thinkrtoys,' Ch. Nine.)A brief book summarizes the principles. The cards provide the means.

Traditionally, brainstorming is viewed as a technique for solving problems occurring in business and industry. However, I have become increasingly intrigued with other applications. When 2 or more people engage in creative discussion many options open. I have used Thinkpac to plan a family vacation. And a friend and his associates used the cards to strategize and assemble a fantasy football team for an entire season. The sky's the limit.

Fantastic
We used this deck of cards brainstorming in our company, and the cards sparked an idea that has doubled our profit. Can't begin to tell you about all the ideas this little deck has sparked. All I know is we are very happy to discovered this tool.

Dynamite!!!
I have had "THINKPAK" for about 3 years now and they have never failed to help me or my management team generate tons of ideas. Every new idea is some addition or modification to something that already exists. These cards show you how to take anything (service, product, process, etc.) and manipuate it into something new by using a checklist of questions based on the classic SCAMPER brainstorming technique that dates back to Alex Osborne the early guru of creative thinking who invented the process of brainstorming itself. Anytime you are at a loss for an idea, need a solution for a problem or just plain brainstorming, pull these out and the ideas just keep coming. If you're in a business where you need to keep coming up with novel, fresh ideas to stay ahead of the competition, this deck is the ticket. It's dynamite

Thinkpak? Think Again!
This was one of the worst 'toys' I've ever invested in. Purchased the item for use during motivational/sales training sessions. I was in the market for some new ideas & felt this might be the breath of fresh air I was searching for. Wrong!! I'm embarrassed to mention that I own this worthless box let alone use the kit in front of employees! My own brand of brainstorming has netted more creative explosions. Quite frankly, a deck of Old Maid garners a higher rating than Thinkertoys. At least someone was thinking of more than a quick buck when he/she created that deck of cards. My advice is: don't waste your money. Rather than investing in Thinkertoys, buy your child a set of Tinkertoys and watch a true creative genius at work.

In what ways might I ThinkPak?
ThinkPak is 56 individual cards used to create new and innovative ideas. Not only can the cards be used individually but also with groups, co-workers, teammates, family, children, etc. First let me demystify ThinkPak, ThinkPak is basically the technique of SCAMPER, but with some great additions. If you have not read the books Thinkertoys, or Cracking Creativity, SCAMPER is merely a way to create new ideas.

SCAMPER
S = Substitute?
C = Create?
A = Add?
M = Modify
P = Put to other uses?
E = Eliminate?
R = Rearrange or Reverse?

You merely get an idea or a problem and expand on them using the individual SCAMPER cards. In addition, you then can evaluate your ideas with the "evaluation" cards. Sound simple? Yes it is, but all too powerful!

Let me also start by properly labeling how the cards are separated, and put together into 4 different uses. From the ThinkPak booklet,

Card No. 1 is an easy -reference list of the nine principle strategies.
Card No. 2 outlines the basic techniques for using ThinkPak.
Cards No. 3 through 47 are idea stimulators, i.e. SCAMPER
Cards No. 48 through 56 are techniques that help you evaluate your ideas. i.e. "evaluation" cards

What makes the cards very nice is they are sort of "bullet-items" for SCAMPER, so the cards can do the walking. One side of the cards is some creative diagram visually labeling the card sets (just visual, nothing to use). The backside of the cards is where the information is. All of cards are numbered and the cards are filled with questions and examples, useful to understanding and using SCAMPER.

ThinkPak also comes with a small 61-page booklet with instructions on how to use the cards. The booklet is also great, I have read both of Michael's books and the little ThinkPak booklet gave me some new examples on how to use SCAMPER. Also in the booklet Michael gives some great examples on how people used ThinkPak in real life creative situations. There is a lot more in the booklet as well, including an area on how to use ThinkPak in-groups.

Lotus Blossam is also mentioned in the ThinkPak booklet. Another one of my favorite techniques for creating new ideas. Lotus Blossam is merely a special diagram you draw on a piece of paper that you expand your ideas with. You merely start with a central idea and you expand it outward from a central starting point. The diagram is expanded and is shaped somewhat like a flower (although with squares), hence the name Lotus Blossom. For an in-depth explanation of the Lotus Blossom, check out Cracking Creativity. One of my all-time favorite books, and a great addition to ThinkPak.

Two minor, but noteworthy quivers that I do have concerning the ThinkPak card deck.

No. 1 problem is the size of the individual cards. The cards measure at about 3" x 4 3/4" in size. This makes the cards rather bulky and not extremely pocketable. I would like to have seen the cards been a little smaller in size, something akin to regular playing cards. There is a lot of text on the cards and this is the possible reason for the size? The cards are a little large, but they are handleable. However, they are great size for business groups, or group brainstorming. They can be easily scattered on a table and then selected by your group, or thrown into a box and shaken vigorously. I usually separate my card deck into two piles and then select individual cards. The evaluation cards (48-56) I use mainly after creating new ideas, so they are usually always separated from the main deck.

No. 2 problem is the cards are essentially thin paper. I was curious if the cards would be laminated or not, sadly they are not. I enjoy my cards so much I merely fixed this problem by laminating my cards. Your local Kinko's will laminate the cards. Kinko's offers two different types of lamination (light or heavy) for all sorts of cards, layouts, pictures, etc. Rather inexpensive to laminate but well worth the time and effort. Now my cards are practically waterproof, pocketproof, and childproof :-)

These are only minor complaints for ThinkPak! I love my card deck and I find them very helpful. I also have always liked SCAMPER, and find it very idea-friendly. With SCAMPER, evaluation cards, Lotus Blossam and other ways to create ideas, be prepared to have a notepad ready because ideas will come so fast you may not be able to write them down fast enough! Yeehaww! ... Read more

Book Description

Get it done fast and right!

You're busy! You don't have the time or the need to wade through the theory of a traditional instructional design book. But you do need a basic understanding of what instructional design is and a hands-on, to-the-point method of ensuring that the training and performance interventions you put into place meet the needs of your staff and your organization. Right?

Well then this is the book that you've been waiting for! If you have any involvement in training or HRD at all, you'll find this guide to understanding and creating quick and effective training designs an asset to your work. Respected consultant and author, George Piskurich has included input and commentary from practitioners and trainers in this one-of-a-kind guide. Find out how these methods are applied in real world situations and how you can put them to work for you! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Clear and easy to follow
I teach Instructional Design, and most of my Grad students don't have a clue what it is. They do not realize that Instructional Design is a Process not a Product. Piskurich's book is a no-nonesense walk through all the steps in the process. Each step is explained in clear, unambiguous language, and is easy to follow. This book can make anyone into an Instructional Designer.

A good resource to add to your ID library
While certainly not the "definitive" book on the art and science of instructional systems design, this text contains lots of tips and tools to help you as you design your instructional project. Warning: Because books are often published months or years after they were researched and written, and as with any text that contains hyperlinks, you will find some of the links are no longer active.

Very Practical Guide to Instructional Design
For instructional designers at all levels of experience and in all settings, this book gives insight and practical applications for the systematic design of instruction. It is also excellent for sharing with clients, colleagues, and professional who have limited or no familiartity with Instructional Systems Design (ISD). The layout and content simplifies the perceived complexity of ISD models and provides straightforward concepts and practices. A must for the professional developer's library!

One of the best books written on the subject!
A must have for all instructional designers and trainers. An extremely well written book and a very enjoyable read--- it puts the book "The Systematic Design of Instruction" to shame...which by the way is a "definite sleeper"! If you want current information about instructional design, with step by step directions, with clear and concise professional opinion, this book is definitely for you! I highly recommend this book to all design associates.

Rapid Instructional Design - review
This book is an excellent guide to learning the processes of instructional design. The book details clearly the proper methods and techniques in creating courseware and the desired design stages to successfully create a well defined & structured course. ... Read more

Book Description

"Schank's success designing teaching software has made him a much sought after figure among businesses, military clients, and universities."

The majority of corporate training programs are weak, ineffective, costly, and inconvenient for the time-pressed employees they are supposed to train. Designing World-Class e-Learning explores on-line learning­­--today's hottest business training topic­­--and explains the "learning-by-doing" approach that the author and his firm have used to develop effective on-line courses for Harvard Business School, IBM, GE, Columbia University, and other world-leading organizations.

Roger Schank, a leading E-learning guru and innovator, demonstrates steps and strategies proven to excite employees, make them want to learn, and decrease training costs while increasing productivity. Schank's approach to E-learning involves:

• e-Learning by doing
• Encouraging learners to fail--­­and learn from failure
• Just-in-time storytelling from experts
• Powerful emotional impact

Reviews (2)

Packed with Knowledge!
E-learning expert Roger C. Schank describes the secrets of a good e-learning program. He emphasizes using e-learning to train in-house employees, although his methods could work in any setting. Schank clearly establishes the basic principle that makes e-learning work: learning by doing. He outlines methods using scenarios and simulations that permit the learner to put new ideas into practice immediately. He's a little too fond of failing and trying over as a learning method, when one might learn just as well by studying others' failures and successes. However, he supports his approach with education-based examples that demonstrate how children learn, along with an inside look at IBM and GE programs. Visuals in the book show the computer screen in a teaching mode as displayed to the user, so you see how your e-learning material should look, whether on a Web site or on a local intranet. We from getAbstract recommend this solid hands-on instruction manual for training and development managers, and for those who are building e-learning experiences.

Modern Alchemy That Produces Some Gold
For masochists who can only learn from their own mistakes, this book provides the best way to teach them. Roger Schank's methods create temporary results that can help people react well in a situation but can limit a persons ability to think ahead avoid problems and communicate issues and solutions appropriately.

Schank's "Sink or Swim" approach of leading the learner to failure encourages educators to be clever and sneaky about the way they craft their training. He warns against telegraphing your punches to the learner. His methods manipulate peoples fears to get them to do what he wants them to do. The golden rule of education is to respect the pupil and Schank unfortunately treats learners with more contempt than he claims traditional methods produce.

The good news is there is plenty of useful insight and examples that aren't covered in other books that I know of. I have mixed feelings because I like so much of what he points out that is wrong with most training and education today. I am also in agreement on how he stresses the importance of good stories and examples and I'm in the car with him right up until he locks the doors, floors the gas and steers the car off a cliff.

Like many alchemists, Schank really believes in his methods to turn base metals into gold and is unyielding in his opinion that all other methods are worthless. He uses only the worst case examples of traditional training methods to reject the educational establishment while using the most idealistic examples to promote why he is the only one who can teach people anything. Thank god, he was there to help Enron communicate issues better to their employees. See the case study on page 44 "e-learning at Enron".

Schank's basic philosophy is that people can only learn from their own failures. He states, "Real thinking never starts until the learner fails." This is a serious flaw. Not many of us would survive if it were true. Learning from our own mistakes is how we keep from falling behind but learning from others mistakes is how we move ahead. And this is what traditional education methods can accomplish, if they are done correctly.

Schank states that "Small children are failure machines, failing hundreds of thousands of times before they learn." He seems to think this is okay and that's the way it should always work. But, most children don't need to be run over by a car to learn not to play in the street. Most children don't need to poke an eye out to learn not to run with scissors.

Schank continually refers to flight simulator training as the ultimate way to educate because pilots are immersed in a completely realistic three dimensional environment. But flight simulator training is just one part of a larger effort that pilots go through. If he would bother to follow up on this a little more, he would find that the FAA and the major airlines discovered a big problem, some time ago, with too much reliance on simulator training.

The problem is that people don't like being set up to fail. When this happens they begin to blame the computer training and don't take responsibility for the failure. The significant changes that have been made include providing more preparation of presentational information and guided practice before pilots enter the flight simulators.

Schank brags throughout the book about how people get through his training courses and graduate classes without learning anything new but that they know how to do something. Well, that just doesn't fly in most of the world. The reason you teach people a certain process and test for knowledge instead of just how to do something is because people tend to take short cuts that may seem productive in the short term but can get other people killed or in trouble. Schank's programs teach people to figure their own way to accomplish a goal. Who cares how they get there? Well sometimes, the Justice and Treasury Department care how you get there, often the news media care how you get there and usually your co-workers care. Ask the ex-employees of Enron whether they care.

Schank couldn't find any psychological research to support his theories, so he made up his own and refers to his own books for support. If you read a broader selection of books than what he recommends, you'll find that most research supports that people consider motivation to be a personal responsibility while they perceive de-motivation to be the responsibility of the system or person they work for or learn from. This means you can pump people up or scare them for a short period of time but ultimately people motivate themselves. However, they are quick to blame the system if you trip them up.

Schank's entire methodology is based on artificially imposing failure on people, to motivate them to learn. When you set someone up to fail, you may teach them not to repeat a mistake but they will become increasingly resistant to this form of training and will begin to blame the system for their failures.

Schank's psychology and methods are at odds with human nature but while Schank rejects all traditional methods of training and education, like multiple-choice tests and Instructional System Design (ISD), I can't reject all of his experience. Overall, he is too extreme and dangerous for me, but like all good agitators, he provides a unique perspective and makes some good points because he has so passionately pursued how to educate people.

Reading this book has been good for me if only to provide a backdrop and comparison to what I am currently doing. Writing this review has helped me deal with the snow storm that people like Schank stir up. There is actually a great deal of valuable information (knowledge) in this book on real corporate case studies, using stories, examples and gathering content that you won't find elsewhere. I just recommend being very careful how you apply it. ... Read more

Book Description

Never before in the history of the workplace has the concept of teamwork been more important to the functioning of successful organizations. Ken Blanchard bestselling coauthor of Raving Fans, The One Minute Manager, and Gung Ho! teams up with Donald Carew and Eunice Parisi-Carew to explain how all groups move through four stages of development on their way to becoming high performance teams -- orientation, dissatisfaction, integration, and production. The authors then show how a manager can help any group to become fully effective quickly and with hardly any stress.

The valuable addition to The One Minute Manager® Library is essential for anyone who works with groups and wants to build a high performing team.

This valuable addition to The One Minute Manager. Library is essential for anyone who works with groups and wants to build a high performing team. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Simple, fun superficial read
Kenneth Blanchard turns his attention to small group dynamics and group performance in this, on of the stable of One Minute Manager books.

Academically, the two principal concepts that Blanchard and his co-authors use, are the stages of group development and Situational Leadership. The familiar stages of forming, storming, norming and performing are termed orientation, dissatisfaction, integration and production. Situational Leadership in this context refers to changing leadership styles according to the stage of the group, thereby filling in for process tasks that the group is unable to accomplish for itself.

Groups tend to start in a high-energy, high motivation but low skills and understanding mode of operation. In this stage, directive leadership provides the structure necessary to move forward. The second stage is one of dissatisfaction, questioning of leadership and clarification of roles. As unpleasant as this stage is, we are reminded that conflicts cannot be resolved if they are avoided. A resolving attitude on the part of the leader is exactly what is needed. As confidence and morale return to the group members, they pass hesitatingly into a third stage, termed integration. In this stage, commitment on goals, roles and tasks increases, as well as to the norms, values and processes of the group. A collaborating leadership style that allows control to be shared and facilitates the surfacing of disagreements is critical to the group's continued growth. Finally, the production stage is characterized by high levels of trust, morale, energy and empowerment. The team can pretty much function autonomously, without a leader whose primary purpose is to validate.

Blanchard's strength is his manner of presentation and clarity of relating ideas from disparate sources. The book is a quick read and yet it presents some fairly profound concepts, connecting the dots in a way that reading a collection of "Harvard Business Review" articles can never accomplish. Most of the book is a conversation between Dan Brockway, the director of training at a chemical company, and his mentor, The One Minute Manger. The coordinator of customer service programs, Maria Sanchez, disagrees with the presentation of material for The Essentials of Management course that Dan is coordinating.

Instead of helping Dan convince her that she is wrong, The One Minute Manger allows Dan to observe the functioning of four groups at different stages of development at his own company. The gradual, real-world exposition of the central issues of group dynamics leads into three-way discussions between Dan, Maria and the Manager about the practicalities, pitfalls and variations in group development. The goal is to produce what Blanchard and others have called "Highly-Effective Teams", effectively defined in the early pages.

The intent of the book is to teach and, with two educational doctorates as co-authors, the structure and style is simple to read and flows so logically that it is as easy to digest as Jello. A busy manager can read this book in a single New York commute and keep revisiting it as needed, while his teams evolve. Students can learn and integrate new concepts more fruitfully, as they learn how the pieces all fit together. Participants in teams can quickly get a sense of what they need to do to effectively contribute to the tasks at had, which inevitably include the processes that the group uses to get things done. Anyone reading this book is well advised to realize that this is a brief synopsis and oversimplification of group dynamics and leadership styles. Extended discussions of roles played by participants in dysfunctional groups and extensive elaboration of Situational leadership are found elsewhere and should be referenced when necessary. In the end, drawing on all our creativity and individual knowledge and experience is the path to generating value in a knowledge economy.

Wonderful book
I think this is a wonderful book. It belongs on the bookshelf over every manager and should be read by everyone who is or aspires to be a manager. We must learn to turn groups of individuals into teams. This book offers solid concepts and practical advice on how to do it.

Twenty Minute Bath
I read this while I was soaking in the bathtub last night. It reads a lot like The Tenth Insight series - easy to follow, pretty simplistic. I chose this book because I have been observing the group process in many different contexts and because I am currently struggling with managing a brand new membership committee at church, as well as a new team at work. This book provides a good hook on which to hang team-building concepts.
The team management principles are easy to apply to the church Membership Committee. I have a lot of autonomy in management at church. I can decide without going through the hierarchy (church board) how to conduct this committee. They are very happy for me to decide how leadership is provided and how group meetings will happen.
One Minute Manager's "Group Developmental Stage" concept includes the stages of Orientation, Dissatisfaction, Resolution and Production. These stages make sense to me and dovetail nicely with concepts of human developmental stages. The Membership Committee has only met once under my leadership and is obviously in the Orientation Stage. I wish I could jump over the next two stages and get right to the Production Stage. I am getting a lot of pressure from board members to produce all sorts of results. One Minute Manager has validated what I already knew about managing this team; we have to go through these stages, and I need to work on getting my style of leadership to match the team's developmental stage. It will take some time, and I will have to get some of the "production" done with little help from the team until this team growth happens.
However, management at work is a totally different situation. I am on several teams, but only have one leadership role so far. This is a newly organized group called the RAT (Rapid Assessment Team) charged with the initial emergency response at the District Public Health Level. I share responsibility for leadership of this group with my supervisor. So far we have had two organizational meetings and two training meetings. The One Minute Manager concepts will help me address a couple of issues I have been struggling with.
The first issue has to do with leadership of this group. In the Orientation Stage, a group needs clear messages from a clearly designated leader. I need to take responsibility for delivering these messages. I need to remember to observe the group interaction, including the content and process, so my leadership style can change with the group's changing needs.
I will also need to figure out how to balance my leadership style with my supervisor's leadership style. I tend to be more the "Low Supportive and Low Directive" type of leader. She tends to be a "High Supportive and Low Directive" type. In the Orientation Stage that this team is in, we need to provide High Directive and Low Supportive Behavior. Providing High Directive isn't a difficult change for me to make because as the trainer, I am responsible for teaching what and how to. As this group moves into the Dissatisfaction Stage, I need to encourage my supervisor to provide the High Supportive Behavior that she is good at. As we work together and make progress with this group, the One Minute Manager concepts will help us coordinate and balance our leadership.

Just in time
This book has come to my aid at the most appropriate time. I am in the midst of an exercise, as a leader of an internal task force entrusted with the responsibility of recommending a solution in a short time. This group is heterogeneous, drawn from different departments with a common problem on hand.

The four stages of group behavior (orientation, dissatisfaction, integration, and production) as described in this book, and the different styles of leadership appropriate at each stage is very essential understanding for any manager. More than this it is important to diagnose the stage at which the group is in and what action the leader needs to take to lead the team quickly to the Production stage.

This is a must read for all managers who wish to understand group behavior - for achieving optimal output.

Solid principles and reminders, though a little overcooked
This book, like its predecessors, is written in a story format. The basic storyline is Dan Brockway's series of visits with the One Minute Manager, in which he learns about team building and the "situational leadership" that team building requires. The One Minute Manager has him visit a team in each of four stages: Orientation, Dissatisfaction, Production, and Integration. The visits provide information about the unique characteristics of each stage, and the book provides discussion of these characteristics by a series of dialogues between Dan and the One Minute Manager. After the visits have concluded, some discussion of how to lead a team depending on its stage occurs.

This book reinforces the important concepts and major characteristics of each stage by including charts and outlines for each stage of team development, as well as reiterating key points throughout the book. The section on situational leadership is valuable also, and the book seeks to answer potential questions from real readers by having the characters ask them during the course of the sessions with the One Minute Manager.

Overall, this book is very insightful, and its tenets are presented in a very creative, though occasionally corny, manner. (It contains frequent subliminal messages: "Let's make an appointment for next week to talk this over" said Dan. "No," said the One Minute Manager, "let's do it right now.") The charts and diagrams are the real treasures in the book, and in spite of its brevity, the book manages to be a fairly good primer on the subject. ... Read more

Book Description

The surge in the number of online training sites has created an unprecedented demand for experts who know all aspects of Web-based training (WBT) site design. Written by bestselling author William Horton, this book provides the hands-on and practical guidance that trainers demand. Packed with over 100 examples, this well-illustrated guide walks you through every phase of designing WBT, from analyzing your course requirements and assessing the needs of potential students to designing a course for a global audience.

You'll find out how to combine elements into effective and interesting learning sequences, discover how to overcome any technical hurdle that may arise, how to offer materials that motivate learning, and how to use Web technologies to create 21st-century alternatives to traditional courses.

Praise for Designing Web-Based Training

"Horton has done it again! He's addressed the cutting-edge problem of Web-based training design with his pragmatic, research-based approach. His work is task-oriented and down-to-earth. He doesn't waste our time with excessive educational philosophy. In short-comprehensive overview, practical advice, engaging presentation."-Robert E. Horn, Author, Visual Language: Global Communication for the 21st Century

"As each new media wave is adopted for instructional pur-poses, there is a lag in effective exploitation of the unique features the medium brings for supporting learning. Designing Web-Based Training bridges the gap by providing a rich and detailed reference."-Ruth Clark, EdD, President, Clark Training & Consulting

"Designers have been seeking guidance on how to exploit the Web's distribution potential while combining it with powerful instructional programs. Horton provides structure, stimulation, and substance in this important book. Web-based training is definitely what is happening now. Designing Web-Based Training will be a de facto classic in the field." -Gloria Gery, Principal, Gery Associates, Author, Making CBT Happen

The companion Web site at www.wiley.com/compbooks/horton/ features:
* Design guidelines
* Live versions of many examples from the book
* A course shell and sample lessons
* Links to helpful references ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Solid, Block & Tackle Web-Based Training
A great reference book written in the classic William Horton style. William Horton produces clear, concise descriptions and advice in this refernce. He "walks the talk" by organizing the text with classic documentation organization techniques. You always know where you are, and know where to find stuff.

The content is basic, but gives both traditional instructional designers and technical developers a common platform from which to work together.

I used this book to bring these two facets of WBT development teams together, as technical and instructional design (ID) people need to be able to work together to produce sound WBT. By giving the technical folks an ID primer, and the ID folks a technical primer, they are communicating better.

Of course, there is risk printing a book on such a dynamic, ever-changing subject. The text could be stale before long- I would have liked to see a web-based version of this!

A great reference for basic WBT concepts and use.

Excellent overview and covers the in depth considerations
note: I submitted my review yesterday and incorrectly put the publishers name instead or Horton in the review. I have corrected that error below

Excellent overview and covers the in depth considerations necessary for any successful WBT program

I do consulting in education on WBT and I am a Director of a WBT Consulting Certification Program and consequently usually do not have the time to write reviews. However, in this instance I had to take the time. Horton has done an excellent job of providing an overview of WBT and an in depth study of the instructional design related to a WBT program. He covers most of the issues you will be facing setting up WBT and his book should be on your shelf and one of the first that you read if you are just getting started in WBT or in need of further guidance in this area. He doesn’t go into the practical development side of the how to do the graphics, programming, and Web architecture, but that is OK because that is a separate area in itself. If you need to know most of the considerations involved with WBT, then this is definitely your book. After you have read his book sit down and use his suggestions to plan your WBT program and you will not go wrong. He also addresses very practical issues in the instructional design of the WBT program and the courses within the program, how to set them up and conduct them. I can’t say enough about how well he covers these topics. If you need a book that will give you ideas and make you think about your WBT program and the instructional design and development within your upcoming or current WBT program, his book will do all of that and more. His book will definitely make you think and will provide insightful assistance for WBT program managers, WBT instructional designers, WBT course development teams and WBT instructors alike. I particularly liked the instructional design of his book; it is full of illustrations that are as thought provoking as his words. The book is truly an idea generator. It is an easy read for a newcomer and a must read for the WBT professional.

Long on tips. Weak on theory.
This book contains a collection of web design tips which are in the main useful but not earth shattering. Where the book fell down, for me at least, was in the area of theory. It is weak here, and that can be a major problem if you want to conduct a scientific evaluation of the work using the umpteen heuristics suggested by the author. I doubt that there is enough information in the text to adequately help one frame an evaluation of a course, let alone put one together.

The book really has very little to say on instructional design methodologies. The reader is told to bear X, Y and Z in mind and then thrown a few sample scenarios (with screen shots). In many ways this is the tenor of the whole book: a vast and never ending list of do's and don'ts and qualifications to those do's and don'ts. I have to demure from the consensus among the other reviewers and adopt a minority position because quite frankly compared to other eleraning books, I found this one almost unreadable. The book is fullof particularities that are never adequately situated within a theoretical framework. It just seems like bad science to base so many recommendations on induction.

To be fair, it's good stuff in places, and frequently relevant, but can you retain it? Who wants to read a several hundred page long list of tips?

In terms of theory, balance and scientific worth a far better book, for my money, is by Alessi and Trollip.

Excellent e-learning overview
I am a corporate trainer who seeks to convert much of his highly successful classroom-based training to the Web. This book was EXACTLY what I was looking for and met my very demanding criteria for a 'how-to' book.

It succeeds in that it:

1. Takes the reader step by step by step through all of the big-picture considerations (and several subtle but important nuances) one must undertake to create an e-learning program from scratch, or convert an existing training program to one that can work on the Web

2. Is written clearly, concisely and simply - - an absolute rarity in a world of technology handbooks that are muddled and/or require the reader to already have a Ph.D. in computer science to understand.

3. Introduced me to small and large ideas that I had not considered but that made perfectly common sense when I thought about them.

This book made me a disciple of William Horton, and gave me the confidence that if I wanted to, I could transform my classroom training to the Web yet avoid a lot of errors I would have committed had I not read this book.

Great, Great Book
Most of the book covering e-learning are too much based on northamerican politics and standards since that's the reality for authors but, Horton's ideas and guidelines can be applied virtually in any country. He english is very to understand, he does not use word taken from slangs, or any "strange" word.

Chapter Organization is very good, every chapter can be read as whole unit, without going backward and forward reading other chapters because ideas are completely developed within a chapter.

Horton, is my fav. author on e-learning topics. ... Read more

Book Description

Get any training session off the ground fast­­or jumpstart one whenever it lags­­with the more than 400 proven activities in the bestselling Games Trainers Play series. Their names may range from ``Tombstone Planning'' to ``The `Nobel' Prize Winner,'' but these brilliant offbeat, unexpected, disarming, fully reproducible games have one serious mission: to coax even the most reluctant groups to talk, laugh, think, and work together. Page after page of fun, easy-to-plant tearout exercises help you: break the ice and get particpants acquainted; shake up outworn habits and perceptions; challenge with thought-provoking brainteasers; test learning and retention; develop communication and listening skills; bring out and involve particpant-leaders; win back lethargic, distracted, low-energy groups; encourage creative problem-solving; boost or reinforce a group's self-image; forge cohesive work teams that value group effort; facilitate transfer of training to the job.

Reviews (5)

I like it!
So many training guides merely compile the same old activities that have been circulating forever. I was glad to see some really unique activities in here (even though it first came out twenty years ago!). I also found the trainer's introduction pertinent and helpful.

If you work in an international context, you'll be especially pleased. Many of the other game compilations have activities that are language (puns, play on words) or culture (trivia) based. This volume seems relatively free of such nonsense.

It's not the sexiest book you'll pick up. The format and design are simple, even stark. Nevertheless, for sheer fun for your buck, you'll have a hard time beating it.

Games Trainers Play
I was really looking forward to getting this book and was so disappointed when I got it. I don't see how anyone could rate it at 5 stars. It was dry and boring. There are better books out there than this one. I even met Ed Scannell last year in Austin. I'm just gled that he is not as boring as the book.

reader's comments
This book is very helpful for me. I am working as Training Manager at hospitality industry, and in our country we do not have such books to facilitate the training session or to help in getting the proper ice breaker. I would say if we have a definit games book for the hospitality career will be appreciated. Thank you.

Excellent resource pack for any business trainer
Excellent resource pack, with a very comprehensive selection of exercises appropriate to many subject areas in business training. I really enjoy trying out new exercises all the time and this pack allows for this.

Excellent
This book is excellent for helping the trainer develop conceptual thinking in staff. Good for lead ins and cooperative education as well. ... Read more

Book Description

Don't let the audience snooze through any of your presentations! How do you keep an audience from becoming bored or restless during a presentation? Find out with The Big Book of Presentation Games.

Each game in The Big Book of Presentation Games is fast, fun, creative, and easy-to-read, and easy-to-lead, and costs little or nothing. Categories also include: great session-openers; icebreakers; climate-setting games; practical jokes and tricks; audience brainteasers; motivation activities; memorable closing activities; and much more!

Reviews (4)

Even company money could be spent more effectively
For any medium to advanced trainer, group leader, or presenter, this book does not raise any new methods of improving audience participation. In fact, the "cheese" factor is enough to choke even the most discriminating mouse.

Having said that, if you're a beginner with little to no background in or exposure to group training, then this book may help give you a little head start to realize how to engage an audience through active participation.

It's only because of the potential to aide a beginner that I rated this a 2. Otherwise, it's sitting with a lone star.

Decent
I was expecting more. But it certainly lived up to its title. Maybe my expectations were a little to hight.

I have yet to try any of the examples yet, but I am certainly waiting to try.

It's not that great.
This book wasn't that great. There were VERY few ideas that I would use. I wouldn't recommend buying this book.

Great for any Organizational leader!
I used a bunch of ideas from this book for my position in a student organization. A definite must for programs on dry material. It never hurts to have an ace up your sleeve, and this book is it! ... Read more

Book Description

A Treasure of Performance-Boosting Tricks for Trainers! The best training and development handbook ever published just got bigger and better! The ASTD Training and Development Handbook, Fourth Edition, by Robert L. Craig, is bursting with great new training ideas that'll help you work your magic in your organization. Top industry leaders give 100s of practice-proven techniques you can use right now to: Develop effective leadership skills; Exploit self-directed learning to meet empowerment, continuous improvement and other quality goals; Maximize an increasingly diverse workforce; Select and develop professional training staff; Design customized instructional systems; Build employee participant and involvement; Promote computer literacy in your workplace; Prepare for organizational development and change; Sell management on the importance your HR programs; Measure and evaluate training results; Much more! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Classic reference for Training & Development Professionals
The Handbook is brilliantly arranged to cover almost all aspects of Training & Development. The topics have been carefully selected and their authors picked from among the top names in their respective fields. No practitioner should go without this book whether as a reference and a quick source of information when memory will just not oblige or an informative and learning resource.

The Book is generally divided into 5 Sections:
1) The Training & development Function
2) Program Design & Development.
3) Media & methods.
4) Training Applications - This is a brilliant discussion of almost all training topics that you will ever do in your career.
5) Resources.

Check the table of Contents and some of the samples in the pages so obligingly provided by Amazon.com and don't be deterred by the length or the price of the book. This book is worth every cent and will last you long after you have forgotten the cost.

A must for every educators reference library.
The ASTD Training and Development Handbook, Fourth Edition, by Robert L. Craig, is an essential reference book for faculty, teachers, educators, and learning system administartors at all levels including University, Corporate, K-12, and Community Colleges. It is easy to use, very comprehensive, and has great quick summaries. With the fusion of the teaching, training, and tutoring into a learner centered model this book is more useful than ever. A MUST BUY. The price is worth every penny.

Excellent reference source for HRD professionals
This is a great resource for HR professionals from tiny to mega corporations. Contributing authors are the most respected experts in their fields. Primary focus is on training and development: accountability, justifying programs, format, leadership, pros, cons, pitfalls, challenges . . . all aspects are covered.

As I research and write my Adult Education thesis, this book is the most useful tool I've found. ... Read more

Book Description

Millions of Americans have to train others as part of their jobs. Whether you’re an employee training your co-workers on a new process or skill, a volunteer asked to train new volunteers, a chef training your staff, or a paramedic giving CPR training, it’s just as important to know how to teach others as it is to know what you’re talking about. It doesn’t matter how much you know about your subject if you can’t share it with others.

Fortunately, Training For Dummies offers all the nuts and bolts of training for anyone who has to educate others on any subject and in any field. It covers all the modern, interactive instructional methods and dynamic training approaches available and helps you get trainees inspired, involved, and enthused. Training For Dummies will help you:

• Keep it interesting so trainees learn more eagerly
• Master the jargon of training
• Use audio and visual aids effectively
• Prepare for the training certification process
• Evaluate your results and improve your tactics

Elaine Biech, President and Managing Principal of Ebb Associates, Inc., and known as “the trainer’s trainer” shows you all the tips and tricks of the trade. Based on her long experience as a trainer and her work for clients such as the IRS and many Fortune 500 companies, Biech helps you discover:

• Tips, techniques, and tidbits for enhancing your training sessions
• Methods that improve trainee participation
• Alternatives to the traditional lecture method
• Tactics for gauging and managing group dynamics
• Strategies for addressing problems in the classroom
• Hints for understanding and adapting to different learning styles
• Helpful resources and other extra material you can put to immediate use

No matter what you do for a living, there will probably come a time when you have to teach others what you know. Training For Dummies cuts through the complicated jargon to present the basics of teaching and learning in straightforward, plain English so you can share your specialized knowledge with those who need it. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

You don't have to be a "dummy" to use this book!
Training for Dummies should really be titled "Handbook for Training that AnyOne can Understand."Everything you need to know about training is written clearly and succinctly.With over a dozen years training people to facilitate high performance teams, I found Elaine's book to be a great resource.The content, logic and the flow of the book is perfect for the novice as well as the seasoned professional.

No more excuses
With Elaine's clear guidelines, there are no more excuses for bad trainers and bad training designs.The use of this comprehensive resource should raise the quality bar for trainers and make participants much happier!

Here is a Clear, Practical, Inspiring Resource for Trainers
Not only does Elaine "nail" the essence of being a trainer, she inspires you be the best trainer you can be with her tips.As an experienced trainer, reading this book has added more tools to my toolbag and renewed my enthusiasm to be a GREAT trainer.An easy and fun read.Thank you Elaine for a terrific resource.

For Both Novices & Profesionals
Finally -- a book on training that covers the waterfront of the field and both novices and professionals can learn from.I gained new information and ideas on icebreakers, taking a COOL approach, evaluation and creating visuals.Thanks, Elaine, for writing this -- it's a great contribution to the field.

Julie O'Mara
1983 National ASTD president

Excellent source for training information!
This book is an invaluable resource for experienced trainers, new trainers, and anyone considering becoming a trainer. It is clear, comprehensive and chock full of good information. I would recommend this book to anyone as the first stop for all the nuts and bolts information on training. Excellent, just excellent. ... Read more

Book Description

The Handbook of Coaching is the first resource to offer a compendium of basic information about the burgeoning field of adult coaching--the art of guiding individuals and organizations to function at their most effective and creative levels. Written for experienced and aspiring coaches, as well as for executives and human resource professionals interested in this rapidly growing profession, the Handbook describes the essential underpinnings of successful coaching and includes a comprehensive, annotated list of books, articles, and other resources. The Handbook of Coaching is sure to become a classic in the field.

"A coach needs to be able to touch people with new possibilities and bring wisdom, compassion, and humor to the issues and problems they face. The Handbook of Coaching provides a treasure trove of learning resources that you will be able to practically and immediately apply to a wide variety of personal and professional situations."
--Robert Hargrove, author of Masterful Coaching and founder of R. Hargrove Consulting ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Hudson is the real deal.
The author has been working with adult developement and coaching since earning his PhD in the 60's. Hudson shows us how the field of coaching relies on the work from a variety of disciplines. He provides many sources from these disciplines to help aid coaches when working with specific groups or specific problems. For anyone building a strong foundation in coaching, this is a great reference book to have handy on your shelf. It's especially useful for newly-trained coaches who might need a deeper understanding of their profession or a good way to avoid reinventing the wheel.

A Handbook and Silent Coaching Partner
As a Life Skills Coach, based in Melbourne Australia, I am always on the search for coaching texts that will enhance my professional skills and coaching knowledge. 'The Handbook of Coaching' is with out a doubt I believe one of the most valuable coaching resource materials I have discovered. Hudson has covered a great deal of material, yet the insights into the various areas of coaching, methodologies and foundations of coaching, are supported by an excellent bibliography section, relevant to the end of each chapter.

The author's writing style is clear and only uses jargon relative to the context, ensuring a novice to the coaching practice feels immediately able to grasp key concepts. This is the value that managers, HR personnel and coaches alike will gain from the book...ease of understanding and practical.

It is a how to book and refernce guide that sets out to (and I daresay achieves)to establish a relationship with its reader; as a handbook of this nature should.

The life transition model that Hudson introduces, acknowledges the validity of adult hood problems, as being more than mere extensions of our child hood challenges. It acknowledges also the process of transition versus the static nature of a changing event.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

A total disappointment
I have read several books about coaching and generally enjoy them alot. This book however was a big disappointment. Really it only contains list after list of suggested reading. That is all it is. I would really estimate that no less than 75% of the book is made up of "Basic library suggestions". Terrible.

Masterpiece for the Coaching Professional
Dr. Hudson, like a master surgeon, cuts into the complex art of professional coaching with the effect of making each critical step more meaningful and understandable.

Detailed introductions into the vast domain of related disciplines are complemented with extensive topical bibliographies. Where no sinlge volume could cover the entire breadth of professional coaching, Dr. Hudson provides a jump start for your arduous learning journey.

Coaching, as an emerging helping profession, needs structure and discipline. Dr. Hudson is well on his way to helping define such structure and discipline.

A prudent read for every genuinely aspiring coach. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

e-book beware
I ordered this book with the Adobe Digital Download. After running the install file 3 times, it still wouldn't work. It kept saying "None of the requested vouchers could be obtained."

I called Adobe twice and they said they don't support the e-Book reader! I checked their user forums at (...)and there are three other people with the same problem. I can't believe Amazon(.com) and Adobe sell a product neither one supports!

How to get up and running when training assessment is wanted
Jack J. Phillips' has been writing several books on assessing the impact of training and his latest book, co-authored with Ron D. Stone, is among the best ones, it is indeed a very good introductory book on evaluating training.
The more experienced training practitioner, who may have been using Kirkpatricks 4 levels, will also get a lot out of the book. It adds tools to Kirkpatricks levels but it also completes the Kirkpatrick model by adding a fifth lev, a ROI analysis. However, not everything may be measured in $ so the authors also include some ideas on how to present intangible assets in the reports.

A lot of the concepts have been presented in previous books, but here they are taken a step further when the authors give examples from their long experience within the field. Downloadable forms, worksheets, and checklists (at the publishers website!!), that may be adapted to various needs is a definite valuable add-on for practitioners who do not have an urge "to do it all on their own".

The book starts off with taking a look at the need for measurement and evaluation and presents the ROI-process as a framework for 6 types of measures, (Kirkspatricks' 4, the ROI and intangible assets). Then all levels, possible measurements etc are presented throughout the book, finishing off with key implementation steps. It is all wrapped in the ROI-process, a step-by-step "receipe" for planning, building and implementing the evaluation process.

So when the top management want to know if a training program is worth the money . . .
Reading the book may get you on the track. It may help you talk the language of Money a way that senior management understands.
This is in addition to building better programs.

And it sure was practical with a digital version on my laptop, that way I bing it with me whereever I go; really conveniant when being a consultant - -

Money Talks . . .
Jack J. Phillips' has been writing several books on assessing the impact of training and his latest book, co-authored with Ron D. Stone, is among the best ones, it is indeed a very good introductory book on evaluating training.
The more experienced training practitioner, who may have been using Kirkpatricks 4 levels, will also get a lot out of the book. It adds tools to Kirkpatricks levels but it also completes the Kirkpatrick model by adding a fifth lev, a ROI analysis. However, not everything may be measured in $ so the authors also include some ideas on how to present intangible assets in the reports.

A lot of the concepts have been presented in previous books, but here they are taken a step further when the authors give examples from their long experience within the field. Downloadable forms, worksheets, and checklists (at the publishers website!!), that may be adapted to various needs is a definite valuable add-on for practitioners who do not have an urge "to do it all on their own".

The book starts off with taking a look at the need for measurement and evaluation and presents the ROI-process as a framework for 6 types of measures, (Kirkspatricks' 4, the ROI and intangible assets). Then all levels, possible measurements etc are presented throughout the book, finishing off with key implementation steps. It is all wrapped in the ROI-process, a step-by-step "receipe" for planning, building and implementing the evaluation process.

So when the top management want to know if a training program is worth the money . . .
Reading the book may get you on the track. It may help you talk the language of Money a way that senior management understands.
This is in addition to building better programs. ... Read more