Book Description

Get any training session off the ground fast-- or jumpstart one whenever it lags--with 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 brilliantly 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-plan tear-out exercises help you: break the ice and get participants 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 participant-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. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a pretty good buy
The games in this book require few props, which is one reason i like it. However there are many numerical and verbal exercises which might not be suitable for all groups. The games are well classified and easy to find in the book. The ones on creative thinking, learning and communication are particularly good. I work with students and have used many of the games with success. This book can be used for any type of audience, overall it is a pretty good buy. ... Read more

Book Description

THE COMPETE GUIDE TO COACHING AT WORK is a timely and important book for people looking to step into the dynamic and progressive area of coaching. This comprehensive, unique reference explains the basic principles and key concepts behind this increasingly well recognised, effective method of achieving change and development in organisations. Coaching follows a well defined, systematic logic which produces results that can be powerful.

This book provides a concise, step-by-step blueprint of successful coaching methods, models and tools, using case studies and an accessible format to make it easy to use and informative. It contains useful insights on how to permanently enhance personal and organizational effectiveness, performance and growth in the work place.

The authors have combined their wealth of research, professional knowledge and experience as successful Master Coaches to write this book and make a valuable and substantial contribution to current literature on coaching. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A solid reference!
If you are looking for a solid framework for professional coaching this resource is a must. In this book you are presented professional coaching models, a great range of templates and tips and traps every coach should be alert to.

It is presented in an easy to read format that allows this information to be employed in either an internal or external coaching practice. This is not just a book to read it is an action plan.

The Reference Text!
This book, written in non-academic prose and strewn with practical examples, is the most comprehensive book yet authored on the contemporary involvement of coaches in the business and executive development world. The book can serve as both a reference text for experienced coaches and a 'how-to' book for coaches seeking instruction. The book is also appropriate for those who want to make decisions about using coaches or establishing a coaching culture or academics or trainers seeking a primary text on coaching for use in an educational setting. Throughout the book, the authors underscore the importance of coaching as a learning opportunity. In tackling these issues the authors provide a blueprint for coaches on how to become more effective and increase their ability to work with a variety of clients. As coaching continues to grow as an applied profession, dominated by practitioners, its credibility is strongly enhanced when solid ideas are presented in a clear, articulate, and succinct fashion. This book easily achieves all those criteria and will add considerably to the wealth of knowledge and professional skills associated with coaching.

A great foundational text!
This democratic style of exploring, learning and transferring knowledge is a huge industry. The authors, international coaching experts, go into the discipline's history and basic principles before advising on how coaching can be used to change or develop organizations. There's advice on choosing the right coach, and how accomplished professionals can become external coaches and how managers can become internal coaches, techniques to ensure coaching is effective and dozens of case studies on how it has worked in practice. There's also analysis of various industry and business sectors where coaching has been successfully applied. This book will be of most use to people working in the Human Services field or to managers, team leaders, trainers, consultants or practitioners who have a coaching brief.

A Classic, must have!!
Dr. Skiffington's coaching books have become industry standard materials throughout the global coaching community and make valuable reference resources for any coaching program. This book is the first text that provides practical steps in applying the model of coaching... while her elite coach training courses via the Behavioral Coaching Institute show you how to select and master the appropriate methodology, tools and processes for your practice.

Not impressed
I`ve read widely on the subject of coaching and was very disappointed by this effort by Skiffington and Zeus. Having enjoyed reading the likes of Tim Gallwey, Bruce Peltier, James Flaherty and others expressing their views on coaching; learning something new, making slight adjustments to my own approach, I had high hopes but The Complete Guide to Coaching at Work didn`t impress me at all.

This is one of the those books that appears, at first glance to be a sustantial piece of work, yet by the time you get to the end you wonder if the authors know anything about their subject. I suspect they do, so must conclude they just wrote a poor book.

Best to look elsewhere I guess. ... Read more

Book Description

Go out with a BANG!

They'll forget you as soon as you walk out the door . . . unless you make your training memorable. This essential resource is your way to make your mark. Fifty ways to close your training sessions and presentations so they won't forget you--or your training.

Each activity lists the necessary time and equipment, a suggested group size, and an intended purpose. You'll have no problem finding a closer that's just right for your needs.

You'll get activities great for:

Amazon.com

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

Reviews (3)

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

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

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

Book Description

101 of the best games from Creative Training Techniques Newsletter gathered into one book. These classroom-tested games, exercises and activities add spark and energy to your training sessions and help adults really learn without even knowing it. Included are games for improving communication skills, developing conflict resolution skills, breaking the ice, creating team players, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great resource
I have used several of these games with great success. Most are intelligent and fun, unlike several other books I have read. The organization of the book is a little odd but that's only a minor complaint. It's still fairly easy to find what I'm looking for.

Very Good but needs some re-organization
A small book that is very popular among trainers. The Games and activities are chosen from the Creative Training Techniques Newsletter (By Bob Pike) and are suitable for a variety of topics and situations. The activities are very eclectic and many are unique since they are contributed by different people. The presentation is also very clear. However, the one thing that the book lacks is a topical index so that you can check the type of the activity and its suitability to different training topics and areas: You have to go through the whole book looking for the icebreakers, the activities, etc. and the areas that they suitable for.

A lot of Prep Time is Needed!
I came across this book while buying another one at Amazon. I've always followed Bob Pike so I bought this book unseen.

The book is laid out nice so all you have to do is pick a game and follow the brief instructions. There is one game per page so that tells you that it's not difficult to follow.

The one thing I didn't like about this book is that you really have to plan on a lot of time to prepare for each game way before the class. Some of the games, each participant needs a specialized tool or article such as a photo, paper cups, toothpicks, candy bars, etc.

Also some of the more detailed games require you as the trainer to do a lot of advance prep for items such as a paper license plate, index cards, lists of objects, cartoons, nickels, and lottery tickets. Once you have any of these items prepared, then the game is fun....but I found that I don't have a lot of extra time to prepare items such as these for large classes.

Nutshell: Easy Instructions, Great Games, Tons of Advance Prep Work Needed (for most games).

101 Games For Trainers
While looking for a variety of training games I came across this book. What I like about this book is that it offers a variety of games for different situations. Whether looking for an opener or a team-building event, I can find an activity to go with a multitude of topics. It's often difficult to come up with enough activities to go with your presentation. I like this book because it had so many options for me to choose from without using the same one over and over again. ... Read more

Book Description

Do you teach, train, or give information to other people? This book is for you! Presenting With Pizzazz gives you a host of easy-to-apply tips and activities for getting learners of all ages more actively involved in their own learning. Based on accelerated learning research and written in a fun, conversational style, this book is a resource gem for today's busy teachers and trainers. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great Tips!
Almost every book on presentation commanded at least a few hundred pages of text, so you could imagine my sceptism when I bought this book.

I am glad to say that I have not regretted this purchase. :)

You realise that this book is a no-nonsense, straight to the point tip book, the moment you flip to the content page. The elaborations are concise and punchy. You don't have to mull through numerous pages of boring academia but you get very useful tips. Sharon Bowman is quite obviously an old hand at training.

What I also loved were the punchy and witty little words of wisdom that Sharon Bowman boxed up in various parts of the book. It made lots of common sense when you read them, and of course, served to tickle your funny bones.

My only reservation about this book is that while the tips are great, its suggested games/pair shares do not seem very useful for most situations - to some extent, these pair shares can seem rather common and boring.

Nevertheless, I would take this with a pinch of salt, and rather use these suggested games/pair shares not as the hard and fast model answers, nor as templates, but more as suggested examples. Ultimately any game can become boring and mundane if too many people keep repeating it in different trainings. Your job as a trainer is to make sure this doesn't happen, and that creativitiy is always maintained.

A Superb Resource!
The first time I read Presenting With Pizzazz, I applied two ideas to a Negotiation Skills workshop. I plan to go back and use additional ideas for my other sessions. This has a wealth of unique ideas for active learning!

I hope my kids' teachers read this book!
This book makes involving students easy, quick, and fun. It makes sense to teach this way. I wish more teachers for both kids and adults would use these ideas.

Helpful, but a lot of Hype
The book offers some sound concepts for trainers. Some of the activities are a bit out there and might not go over well in corporate training.

Excellent and Full of Ideas
It was an easy book for me to read in few days and get a lot of wonderful easy to use ideas. I recomend this book to anyone who does presentations to a group of people. ... Read more

Book Description

The first edition of Ray Noe’s Employee Training and Development became the market-leading and market-defining text in this area within 6 months of publication. Instructors and students celebrated the arrival of lively and inspiring text that includes coverage of the most up-to-date developments in training and research and in practice, including the strategic role of training and the use of new technologies such as web-based instruction in training.The second edition of the book continues to define the training and development market. It finds a real balance between research and real company practices. The text continues to give students a solid background in the fundamentals of training and development – needs assessment, transfer of training, designing a learning environment, methods, and evaluation. In addition, the role of training is broadening due to its strategic nature, the changing nature of the workplace, and availability of technology. Current topics such as corporate universities, knowledge management, web-based training, e-learning, competency models, and the role of training in virtual organizations are discussed. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Review of "Employee Training and Development
I found this book to be very informative and the wide variety of topics covered involving training and development give a little something for everyone. The information in the book it present in digestible about and definitions are given for all information that may be unclear. For the beginner the is book is good but I would recommend it for use in a classroom setting where the lectures or some other form of discussion can supplement the material covered.

Employee Training and Development by Raymond Noe
I found this book to be very informative and the wide variety of topics covered involving training and development give a little something for everyone. The information in the book it present in digestible about and definitions are given for all information that may be unclear. For the beginner the is book is good but I would recommend it for use in a classroom setting where the lectures or some other form of discussion can supplement the material covered.

Be the best you can be....
Noe has hit the nail on the head with his exceptional presentations and breakdowns of employee development (My reason for choosing this book.) His explanations of the need for the companies to become competitive and how to achieve it with traditional and cutting edge approaches makes this a mustread.The reasons for training, how to do a needs assessment, and getemployees to be the best they can be, becomes obtainable with his step bystep processes.Go for it.You won't regret it. ... Read more

Book Description

Everyone communicates, problem is, most don't have the necessary skills to communicate effectively. The Leadership Solution offers six steps for developing better leadership communication skills to improve performance. Using lively anecdotes and real-world examples, Jim Shaffer provides firsthand accounts of how Towers Perrin has helped dozens of Fortune 500 companies to fully engage their employees, and consistently keep the company's strategies and goals in mind.

Far from a gimmick or method du jour, The Leadership Solution is a complete program designed to focus employees on achieving valuable, measurable business results. It features:

• Twenty ways to connect people to strategy now.
• Three communication sources that most influence action.
• Nine guidelines for negotiating through a merger or acquisition.

Reviews (6)

The Leadership Solution
Jim Shaffer's book, The Leadership Solution, is a MUST READING both for all corporate communications executives and staff and CEOs. Nobody does a better job in the age of "High Tech" to remind us to use the "High Touch." If we take the points that Jim cites, then we will find that attrition will be decreased.

Jim reminds us throughout that employee communications and touch will make the difference in performance and thus, stock price and a competitive and "best in class" company.

Shaffer lays out clearly the VISION aand STRATEGY. We all need to follow his course of what he states. "A vision is a target, a picture of the future. A strategy is a roadmap, how you're going to achieve the vision."

Tools are excellent. Follow the Readiness questionnaire to improving performance. See if we can all master the 6 course process to connect people or employees or associates to the business strategy. Shaffer identifies the 20 things to generate commitment. He cites the "3 people principles" that guide Best Practices and the Best Performance.

With all the focus on Mergers and Acquisitions, we find that Shaffer's 9 Guildelines for negotiating through the M&A are excellent.

Shaffer's examples of CEOs help build the case. His messages will help any communications chief help your CEO.

Shaffer demonstrates vividly how and why the communication function is being reinvented. The last chapter embodies the message strongly. It means what we all learn that communications much be align to assist the company's strategic goals. Shaffer does it.

Read and underline; share with your colleagues.

The Leadership Solution
For over twenty years, I have been an advisor to management in the field of rewards and compensation. Traditionally, discussions of rewards at work focus on cash compensation, benefits, and, more recently, stock deals. These monetary and wealth-building vehicles help one have great experiences in life outside of work. But what about the experiences at work, where a dedicated employee might spend more than half of waking time? What makes the day-to-day work experience itself rewarding? In an age where the war for talent demands that every organization address this question successfully, Jim Shaffer provides powerful, practical answers for CEO's, executive teams, general managers, and heads of human resources.

At the heart of the day-to-day work experience is the process of communication. As Mr. Shaffer writes, "You can't not communicate. Everything you say and do communicates." Forget about bringing dogs to work and on-site concierge services. These are fluff, not substance. Mr. Shaffer gets to the substance. He demonstrates that the quality of organization communication is, by far, the greatest governor of the quality of the work experience for all employees.

Mr. Shaffer shows leaders how to develop a communication environment that shapes a highly rewarding day-to-day work experience for everyone in the organization. He shows how to build and lead ongoing organization communication processes and disciplines that align people to a common purpose and motivate them to pursue it with vigor. In the war for talent, he shows how to span the generations and ensure that one and all agree: "Our company is a great place to work! "

Do you face unprecedented challenges in attracting, retaining, aligning, motivating and rewarding top-notch staff at all levels? "The Leadership Solution" delivers distinctive know-how for building a huge advantage in getting, keeping and deploying the people you need. And, it's an enjoyable read, sprinkled with metaphors, quotes and anecdotes that produce many rewarding "Aha!" experiences.

Shaffer delivers primer for leaders
Just when you thought you couldn't handle one more piece of Information Age data, Jim Shaffer mercifully reveals the secrets to managing message bombardment, recognizing and maximizing all forms of communication, and connecting people with purpose to run any business better. With insights from many of the world's top CEOs, two "case studies," plain old good writing and a spot-on sailing metaphor to top it off, Shaffer proves what the best leaders have known (or at least have sensed) for some time: "informed people outperform uninformed people..." Better still, Shaffer steers a clear course -- with plenty of helpful examples -- through the sea of ambiguity that is business today, mapping the route for leaders who need to connect their employees to their business strategies. He calls it "connecting the dots." Business schools everywhere should use it and call it "Leadership 101." This is a terrific book for great leaders seeking to gain further marketplace advantage, leaders in training seeking instruction for "putting it all together" and the managers who serve them. The chapter on "earthshaking" events would be especially helpful for any one managing through a merger, acquisition, turnaround and the like.

The Leadership Solution
Jim Shaffer, in this work, really connected the dots for me! His premise, that it all starts with effective communications, is dead on! As a former CEO and whose time is now spent as an outside director for a number of companies and as counselor to large company CEOs, this work is both relevant for today's leaders in today's warp speed economy and timeless in its approach.

Shaffer has crafted a very readable, yet content rich handbook for anyone either presently running a company or with dreams to someday run one! (In fact, this work is an excellent handbook for CEOs wanting to develop "bench strength" on the management team. Simply use Leadership Solutions as the textbook for a company-run academy for those up and comers selected for bigger jobs in the company's future. So many books are long on theory, short on application. Shaffer's approach is exceptionally practical...and applicable. It can be reread time and again.

LEADERSHIP SOLUTION SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING
This is an amazingly useful book for anyone who wants to learn how to motivate people. I love the stories from best practice companies -- Jim has been there, and it's easy for the reader to learn from his vast experience and thoughtful observations. This book should be required reading for M.B.A. and Executive Education programs. The practical tools and techniques are invaluable for leaders who want to mazimize productivity. Five stars on my list -- I've already recommended it to several hundred people. ... Read more

Book Description

Foreword by Ray Kurzweil, author, The Age of Spiritual Machines

"Virtual humans" may seem like something out of science fiction, but they are already here. Companies use them as website hosts, individuals use them aspersonal assistants, and people interact with them in computer games, educational applications, and many other arenas. The possibilities are limitless, butthe most amazing thing is that anyone can create a "V-human" from scratch. Virtual Humans gives not just start-to-finish instructions for designinga charming synthetic person, but also a CD-ROM containing the tools and techniques to make it real. Readers will learn how to:

* create their own authentic and engaging personalities * apply VH technology to business and individual projects * add synthetic voices and realistic faces to virtual humans * use personality psychology and humor in character design * design advanced emotion expression engines

This book-and-CD package is the first of its kind and a landmark on a par with the first build-your-own-Web-site products. Readers will be among the firstto create ultra-realistic, versatile V-human personalities, and will start well ahead of what is soon to be a tidal wave of worldwide interest. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Good read, even for non-techies!
Let me say two things first: I have no intention of creating my own V-person any time soon, and, unline the author, I don't look forward to the day when virtual humans make up a good part of my life.

So why do I give Peter Plantec's book five stars? Because in taking us on a tour of the technology of virtual humans, he makes us take a thorough look at ourselves. In his unusually engaging and humorous style, Plantec confronts us with the chemistry of our own minds and, by doing so, explores what being human really is. I expected a crusty scientific treatise; I got an eminently readable text that made me smile while learning.

A Slab of Mind Sushi
I just received my pre-ordered copy of Virtual Humans and have devoured it like a slab of fine ahi. I have waited years for Plantec to fully divulge his wisdom in this arena and this book was well worth the wait.

Virtual humans is a visionary tour of a technology which is already making its mark and is certain to have a profound impact on how humans interact with the world of bits. Plantec accomplishes this without any of the over reaching fantasy and wishful thinking of many futurists, yet spells out the dramatic effects virtual humans will soon have on our lives. Plantec explores not only the technological implications, but the moral and societal ramifications of this emerging field. With a fascinating tour of the history of all the streams which have come together, Plantec delivers a road map of the virtual future.

Or does he?

Virtual Humans is really a detailed technical manual for using this technology to build and design virtual characters. To those already proficient at coding v-people, Plantec adds layers of wisdom on how to make them funny, engaging and, in short, human. He delivers the tech detail and highly usable techniques without falling into the tech manual automaton mode which keeps most of us from ever RTFM (Reading the .. Manual).

Oh really.

Virtual Humans is actually a profound look into our own minds. We discover how personalities differ, what motivates them and how they express themselves. Anyone who reads this book without making discoveries about their own character and personality and those of others, may need to seek Plantec's help on a professional basis.

So which is it?

The answer is all of the above. Plantec has managed to deliver a usable and readable tech manual, a visionary peek at the future and an engaging examination of the human psyche. His quirky but charming wit pervades and makes this book an excellent read for anyone interested in humanity, virtual or otherwise.

Thanks Peter....

Peter is leading the way to future interfaces
Peter Plantec serves as a mentor for anyone pursuing user interfaces of the future. Finally the technology has caught up with Peter's visions for palatable interfaces the average person can use by presenting the critical issues that must be addressed for anthropomorphic interfaces that will allow the man in the street to leverage the power of computers in everyday life. Not only does he provide the mentoring required to address personality and emotions required in such interfaces, he provides the tool kits included on the CDROM to quickly bring those interfaces to life so you can see the vision for yourself. Peter's forum, that compliments the book for users to communicate today and participate with he and his fellow pioneers, actually makes this a living and evolving vehicle to allow everyone to assist in pushing this frontier faster than it would if left to its own devices. Anyone working in re-inventing the internet user interface, since speech recognition is here today, and provides a hands free computing environment where everyday people can talk to synthetic characters and have them intelligently respond, is missing a huge opportunity to bootstrap themselves forward if they don't purchase this book. A must read!

Great concept...poor execution
The book is great introduction to the concept of virtual humans...BUT the included software is so buggy as to be totally useless. To give the author credit he has addressed this through his yahoo community...over and over, and still there is no version that reliably installs.

Buy the book for the concepts, through the CD away and save yourself the heartburn.

A good introduction
This book immediately caught my attention at the bookstore.

It takes us beyond computer animation into the realm of AI programming of virtual humans - or androids. At least in a rudimentary sense. The next step once you have a functional AI brain with a personality would be to put it into a physical robot.

The book itself is an interesting introduction to this growing area of research. If you are into animation and AI you should find it of great interest. ... Read more

Book Description

The ideal primer for first-time trainers, Basic Training for Trainers, by training expert Gary Kroehnert, thoroughly grounds you in every aspect of training theory and practice-from applying the latest adult and group learning concepts to arranging and equipping a trianing room. Delightfully straightforward and brimming with lighthearted illustrations plus sample forms, checklists, questionnaires, and other aids, this user-friendly handbook helps you quickly get comfortable with: training needs analysis; survey methods and techniques; session plans; motivation and instruction; games and role-plays; measuring results; training aids; contract learning; budgets; and much more! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Solid Basics Here
Kroehnert delivers sold basics here. That's why I keep this book as part of my training library.

A good *basic* intro for new trainers
As someone with many years of experience teaching adults, I found this to be a very fundamental, baseline introduction to adult instructional techniques.That's not to say this is a bad thing; just that I believe new instructors will get a lot more out of it than those with some years under their belts.

The author covers the basics of adult learning theory, some methods and techniques, and provides good examples of what he's talking about.There are ample tables, sample sheets, and illustrations -- though I did find some of the ostensibly "humorous" illustrations tiresome after a few pages.In any event, material is broken down into logical chunks, and these are then broken down further into digestible points for the reader.

If you're brand-new to training and need a good introductory reference, I recommend this one.It delivers what you need, in a readable and mostly-enjoyable style.If you are an experienced instructor, or need a more in-depth analysis of adult learning theory and practice, perhaps another book would be better -- maybe Bob Pike's _Creative Training Techniques Handbook_.

Solid Basic Guide for First Time Trainers
If you have a generic training session to conduct, and want a quick, large format guide to training and training preparation, this is a reasonable choice.I used a few of the checklists for course design. However, for computer training needs, there are better choices such as Paul Clothier's Computer Training book.For general practice and theory of adult learning, I would recommend Robert Pike's Training Techniques book.

Basic, Basic, Basic!!!
The book offers extremely limited "trainer" information, anddelivers basic common sense information.If you interested in learningmore about the field, there are far better "basic" booksavailable on the subject.The format of the book is poorly structured, anddoesn't convey needed training knowledge.

A fantastic book of training games book for trainers
This book is a collection of 100 training games that trainers can utilize.It is a complete resource.It has a game description, instructions for use, and masters for all overheads and handouts.

All of the entries arehands on type activities and can made relevant to most types oftraining.

Highly recommended for a training library. ... Read more

Book Description

A valuable tool for any health care leader dedicated to improving the quality of care and enhancing patient satisfaction. Combining theory and discussion with a practical `action plan' format, Sherman challenges the reader to think about solutions, not just ideas.
--Irwin Press, president, Press, Ganey Associates, Inc.

Whether you're a CEO, a caregiver, or simply someone who cares about the results of service initiatives, you'll find plenty of great ideas in this book.
--Mark C. Clement, president and CEO, Holy Cross Hospital, Winner, 1994 AHA Great Comebacks Award, 1996 International Enterprise Award for Customer Satisfaction, 1998 Global Best Practices Award for Customer Service

Total Customer Satisfaction reports on the breakthrough methods used by awarding winning hospitals and health care organizations to achieve top-rated national status in customer satisfaction. Learn from top experts in the field of how to create and implement total customer satisfaction tactical plan that will boost customer satisfaction ratings in your health care organization.

... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Excellent Book!
An Excellent Book For All The Managers In Every Organisation....... A Must Read ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (10)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description

In clear step-by-step methodology, McArdle answers the three most critical questions of any training program developer: how to choose content, how to teach and deliver the materials, and how to ensure it is working. From business justification - getting management to "buy into" the training intervention - to the essential remaining steps in her six-stage model (needs assessment, design, development, implementation, and evaluation), McArdle presents a structured, systems approach to planning, preparing, conducting, and evaluating training programs. She includes an extensive trainer's toolkit, checklists, and sample forms to guide you in creating educationally sound and measurable learning programs. An extensive bibliography will guide readers to other valuable resources. ... Read more

Book Description

E-learning--the delivery of training and performance support directly to employees' desktops--is exploding in growth and complexity.The 2002 ASTD E-Learning Handbook gives readers the very juiciest, most practical, most recent articles and reference information from leading experts and gurus.Covering E-Learning best practices and useful reviews of the literature, the book gives guidance on getting better results for dollars committed to E-Learning and provides a directory of contact information for key E-Learning organizations, sources, conference schedules, and more.

Book Description

On-the-Job Training (OJT) is the single most used training method in organizations today. But it is also the most misused—because very few of those doing OJT are ever trained how to do it. In Hands-On Training, Gary Sisson draws on thirty-five years of training experience to lay out a simple, systematic approach to OJT that can be understood and applied by anyone in any organization—managers, line or staff supervisors, employees, and both internal and external human resource and training professionals. Using the acronym "HOT POPPER" to help readers remember the parts of the process, Hands-On Training outlines six easy steps:o P—Prepare for training o O—Open the session o P—Present the subject o P—Practice the skills o E—Evaluate the performance o R—Review the subject Each of the steps includes techniques that allow the trainer to apply the system to virtually any job or skill. Hands-On Training presents a universal training method that needs little, if any, modification to fit different jobs. Its emphasis on structured OJT—one of the few types of training that is theoretically sound and at the same time may be fully integrated into the workplace—makes it ideal for training people in applied skills, such as manual or sensory skills, procedure following, and problem solving.Truly low-cost and high-return, Hands-On Training is perfect in low-budget situations where an organization lacks funds to develop a more formalized training system. It requires very few resources and doesn’t require special developmental efforts. ... Read more

Book Description

Base your leadership development programs on proven-to-work techniques. In Building Leaders, authors Conger and Benjamin examine the very best practices of American and foreign companies to present a comprehensive plan for developing leadership talent at every organizational level. Here, readers will find an in-depth presentation of the specific skill sets that individual managers need in order to lead. They'll also discover which organizational values promote leadership, examine successful strategic interventions, and see what a successful leadership plan looks like. Equally illuminating is the section on plans that are destined to fail, along with the section on the future of leadership that shows readers how to design development programs that are most likely to last.

... Read more

Reviews (3)

Well-done book on leadership training
Highly enjoyed this book from Jossey-Bass because it clearly lays out the relevant issues involved in leadership development and training. It's concise and gives plenty of case examples. This would be an excellent purchase.

Also recommend a superb book our company uses for leader training - because it teaches managers very easily: "The Leader's Guide: 15 Essential Skills."

An important addition to the field of leadership research!
Stretching beyond the confines of books devoted solely to leadership theory, "Building Leaders" combines a conceptual understanding of corporate leadership development with the nuts and bolts of it all. Through impressive case studies of significant companies, Conger and Benjamin provide a blueprint for the design and execution of leadership development programs. If you are at all interested in understanding what will, in the future, distinguish those companies that survive from those that do not, you must read this book.

Very Relevant, Very Fun
Unlike a like of so-called leadership books, this one seems like it was actually written in the 1990s. No out-of-date references to "successes" like Wang computers or Saturn autos. Lot of Gen-X stuff. An easy read. ... Read more

Book Description

Tools for pleasing even the most demanding customers

A satisfied customer is a loyal customer, and in today's supercompetitive business economy few things are as crucial to a company's bottom line as the quality of its customer service. This latest title in the popular Perfect Phrases series is just the thing for customer service employees and those who train and manage them. Perfect Phrases for Customer Service gets you quickly up and running with everything you need to keep customers happy and loyal, including:

• Clear explanations of the reasons for difficult customer behaviors
• Proven tools and techniques for successfully handling even the most cantankerous customers
• 101 dialogues and scripts organized according to types of difficult behaviors, usable as is or as part of a training program, and easily tailored to any industry and company culture

  For more information, visit www.customerservicezone.com

Reviews (2)

Short, practical, concise help for dealing with customers
The book begins with a section outlining some sixty specific customer service techniques, and describes each of them. Some are very basic, and some are more advanced, particularly those that deal with dealing with angry customers, or preventing problems with customers from escalating and becoming time consuming.

But that's not the meat of the book, or what makes the book so useful. The rest of the book contains about sixty vignettes or dialogues between customers and staff, showing how the various situations SHOULD be handled. Each vignette is short, and to the point and the information for each one can be assimilated and learned from in a very few minutes.

I like this book because it can be used in so many ways. You can sit and read it through. You can browse it and just read the parts that you want help with. You can read one or two vignettes, and learn one or two skills a day, since each segment really stands on its own. It's a great source book to use in customer service training, because it's all there -- techniques, and how to use them.

It's low priced. It's quick to learn from. And it's real. Most of the vignettes struck home with me. I bet I've had most of these situations.

If there's a better, faster book to learn how to deal with customers (especially the difficult customers), I haven't found it yet.

Lots of Bad Advice!!!!An Awful Book :(
I've been in the customer service field for 15 years, and this is, hands down, the worst customer service book I've ever read!The techniques listed are truly awful. In every situation I put myself in the customer's position and if the person helping me followed these techniques - I would quickly become an angry customer or insulted and never visit that establishment again. The author lists the exact wrong things to do to provide good customer service, yet he presents them as good techniques and the right thing to do.Awful! I think Mr. Bascal didn't pay attention to the title of his book - it is NOT entitled "Perfect Ways to Enrage Your Customers."

The first part of the book the author labors on and on about how "allegedly" great his book is and then proceeds to take 15 pages to explain the set up of his book - which could be done in two or three sentences.He then outlines his very bad techniques in the second section, and the third section he gives examples of how to put these outrageous techniques in to action.

Whatever you do, do NOT buy this book.And most importantly, do not let your employees read this book!!!I would hate to see anyone putting these stupid and customer enraging/insulting tecniques in to practice. ... Read more

Book Description

Includes everything a Six Sigma facilitator needs to lead Six Sigma training

The Six Sigma Basic Training Kit, complete with facilitator notes, learning exercises, case studies, and more, is a series of training modules for any company that is implementing Six Sigma. It provides everything a trainer needs to take a quality improvement team through the Six Sigma process step by step, from appreciating quality to creating and executing a quality-improvement plan.

Classic, simple processes developed by the world-famous Juran Institute have been turned into easy training modules on how to:

• Identify business processes needing improvement
• Work as a team on the solution
• Track time and cost savings that result from the new process, and more

Reviews (4)

expensive & dissapointing
I am an ASQ certified Black Belt and a Six Sigma Trainer in Germany. I expected a good help for instruction but I was extremely dissapointed. This Kit contains no cd or disc with powerpoint slides. The contents are very primitive and not very helpful in training any students with a little experience in quality management. The name Six Sigma Training Kit is in my eyes wrong because it contains nearly only basic quality tools found in better publications. This time the name "Juran" doesn't guarantee quality. For 10% of the price buy better Rath&Strong's Pocket Guide!

Perfect for training non-technical students
Although the tools are not what one would consider core 6-Sigma tools (i.e., no control charts), this book is still a worthwhile training kit. Its main value is to provide a firm grounding in the basics for non-technical members of an organization that is implementing 6-Sigma. When used for that purpose the book gives the trainer or facilitator a clearly laid out syllabus for teaching what 6-Sigma means and why it's important to organizations from quality and competitive advantage perspectives.

In addition to providing a roadmap for teaching the what's and why's, the syllabus also covers a number of concepts and tools that will prove useful to anyone from admin assistant to line manager, including a good understanding of quality, cause analysis, powerful, but simple, tools (cause and effect, flow and Pareto diagrams and charts).

For the professional trainer or facilitator the book epitomizes what excellent training documentation should look like. The layout makes good use of white space, the writing is clear, and the use of tables and graphics enhance learning.

If you are a trainer or facilitator this book will dramatically shorten course design and provide you with solid training materials. It is not suited for advanced training in 6-Sigma techniques, however, but for the target audience I cited above it's perfect.

Should be called "Six Sigma for Dummies (sans cartoons)"
Overall, the quality of this book is adequate, provided you aren't expecting a thorough treatment. That, in itself, would've rated it three stars if there wasn't one mitigating factor - in reading this book, one could (easily) assume the Juran Group (or Juran himself) invented Six Sigma, and nothing could be further from the truth. (As best as I know, it was Bob Gavin, in 1988.)

Egoism drops the rating to two stars.

This book is a good basic overview - nothing more. Save yourself the grief (and money!) and buy the Pyzdek book instead.

A positive review with some constructive comments
The book is a very good tool to use to teach the basics of Six Sigma. The training guide is exact, clear, and concise as is the participant guide.
It is a BASIC course and as such, it contains no statistical tools.
Now for the bad.
The paper of the manual is very flimsy and apt to tear.
The participant guide section starts with page number 201. I thought perhaps it should start with page 1.
On some of the Participant pages, at the bottom it gives a web address to go to if you would like to download an electronic (MS Word) customizable document. I went there, and could not figure out how to do so.

I think the book is an excellent basic training kit, as advertised, but handle the manual gingerly, the pages more than likely to tear. ... Read more

Book Description

ZQC is based on the principle that defects are prevented bycontrollingthe performance of a process so that it cannotproducedefects, even when a mistake is made by the machine or a humanoperator.Instead of pointing fingers at people, ZQC finds ways tokeep errors from turning into defects. This book introduces front-lineworkers to the basic methodology of ZQC in a succinct, easy to readformat that covers all aspects of this important manufacturingimprovement strategy. ... Read more