Book Description

CASH. COERCION. CONS.

Whatever it takes to get unsuspecting grads to sign that offer letter, Corporate America is game.Because once it’s finally plain that the entry level, in fact, is a hellish and demeaning place of gruntwork, brownnosing, and mental drool, the ink’s already dry and the newbies in bed.

Way in, what with the pressure to keep post-college résumés stocked with "respectable" Fortune 500 firms.Instead, most early-stage workers end up ashamedly burying their dreams underneath their paychecks, suffering quietly through the frustration, depression, and thoughts of beating their manager with a stick.

No more.@ THE ENTRY LEVEL is designed to lead you through the psychologies, philosophies, and strategies for succeeding in business’ basement, but with the single-minded purpose of finding the work you were made to do.It’s the first book ever to dispel the myths, whisper the tricks, and supply the tools to help you as a young professional:

> Manage the transition from college to work.
> Negotiate the Entry Level Rite of Passage.
> Navigate office politics and build your personal brand.
> Earn the promotion or transfer with the right fit.
> Locate a sturdy work – life balance.
> Uncover your values to make healthy career decisions.
> Gain the courage to follow your passion

Further taking a hard look at the seduction of money, the silliness of company loyalty, and the side effects of waiting until midlife to figure out what your job should mean, this is the indispensable guide for career freshmen seeking a richer, deeper, more meaningful working life.And for those who just need to keep breathing. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Wonderful read!
This book is so unique in that the author takes a head-on view of the corporate world--he doesn't sugarcoat the reality of being in the trenches day-in and day-out.

But time and again, he draws you back to the fact that you have to use your first couple of jobs to find your calling--to discover that work you're passionate about doing. Plus he shows you step-by-step how to go about doing that. So it's not negativity so much as it's reality and common sense. And it's written with such depth and humor...

I (and all of my associates) strongly recommend this immensely enjoyable and exceedingly useful book!

Incredible!
This book is a must read! It answers all the questions you were afraid to ask and those you never knew to ask. The author shares may of his own experiences with colorful detail and insight. I would recommend this book to any recent graduate heading out into the corporate world.

nothing new for people who figured out their calling
I was actually a bit disappointed in this book because I expected more advice on how to deal with the survival and achieve success rather than how to find a true calling. I do think I have found that true calling already thus this part was not interesting for me. I was fresh out of grad school when I got this book and despite having some work experience I did not think I had come even close to starting to figure out office politics etc. This book has not offered me many new insights and I still feel I am at the starting point re: survival and success. If anyone has good tips on books that might be more helpful, please let me know.

Mr Ball's book really got me rolling
I've been in the workforce for almost twenty years, and am only now going back to college, but I felt like this book was written just for me. It talks about direction, and uses words we don't see enough of - like Passion, and Value. After working in customer service for so long, every word he said rang true. It is obvious he has studied many succesful people (from the quotes and anecdotes he sprinkles throughout the book) and is trying to pass on what he has learned from them while emphasizing that most important third dimension of work - satisfaction. (The first and second being Money and a Benefit Package *wink*)

While the theme is a serious one, the book is a great read. Michael's style makes you feel like he's right there in the room telling his jokes in person. The intimacy really worked for me. I'm glad I picked this up - I might even change my major!

Well worth your time
Every graduating student should consider reading this book. It provides an honest and thoughtful account of life as a young professional. By sharing his own difficulties, Mr. Ball helps us avoid some of the difficulties that he encountered. Mr. Ball obviously spent a lot of time articulating his thoughts, and by spending a few hours reading and thinking about his experiences, one may save oneself from a few years of frustration. ... Read more

Book Description

The ASTD Trainer's Sourcebook Series presents complete toolkits and instructions for creating effective, personalized training programs. Each individual sourcebook--written by an expert trainer in the field--contains everything needed to design and conduct training sessions. Developed in association with the American Association for Training and Development, the first six sourcebooks cover some of the hottest topics in training, from leadership, to diversity, to team-building. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A true Sourcebook
All the titles from the 'ASTD Trainer's Sourcebook' series are excellent. These are books that provide the trainer with a comprehensive reference on the subject matter, ideas on activities and games, as well as other tools.

For the beginning and advanced trainer alike, this is a wonderful and comprehensive book on teambuilding that can also be easily used by non-training professionals.

Teambuilding Basics
Excellent book for the novice facilitator as well as the pro! This comprehensive guide takes you through every phase of team development from start to finish. It presents the data in an easy to follow, step-by-step facilitator style. It includes reproducable handouts and slides. An excellent resource for establishing teams! I recommend all of the training guides in the series of ASTD Sourcebooks. I've used them all! ... Read more

Book Description

Mental Health and Productivity in the Workplace is a comprehensive and practical guide to identifying, understanding, preventing, and resolving individual and organizational mental health problems in the workplace. Originally published as Mental Health in the Workplace (Van Nostrand/Wiley, 1993), this completely revised, updated, and expanded edition represents the most current thinking in the field and contains contributions from an expert panel of organizational and occupational psychiatrists. With fifty percent more chapters, this new edition adds essential material on creating systems and cultures that encourage organizational productivity and employee mental health and on finding cost-effective,quality mental health care. The book focuses on problems that start "at the top" (executive dysfunction) as well as on the effects of organizational structure, office politics, chronic change, downsizing and employment uncertainty, office wide emotional crises, and aspects of organizational development. In addition, this helpful resource includes information about such basic issues as anxiety, stress, burnout, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, violence, and psychosis.

... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good Handbook
Mental Health and Productivity in the Workplace: A Handbook for Organizations and Clinicians
by Jeffrey P. Kahn, Alan M. Langlieb (Jossey-Bass) Efficiency and employee well-being are more important than ever to the overall success of organizations. Emotions are key to understanding executive effectiveness, organizational change, and corporate ethics. Stress, burnout, depression, drug abuse, violence, and other mental health problems are costing businesses billions of dollars every year in lost productivity and costs of ineffective treatment.

Mental Health and Productivity in the Workplace is a comprehensive and practical guide to identifying, understanding, preventing, and resolving individual and organizational mental health problems in the workplace. Originally published as Mental Health in the Workplace (Van Nostrand/ Wiley, 1993), this completely revised, updated, and expanded edition represents the most current thinking in the field and contains contributions from an expert panel of organizational and occupational psychiatrists. With 50 percent more chapters, this new edition adds essential material on creating systems and cultures that encourage organizational productivity and employee mental health and on finding cost-effective, quality mental health care. The book focuses on problems that start "at the top" (executive dysfunction), as well as on the effects of organizational structure, office politics, chronic change, downsizing and employment uncertainty, officewide emotional crises, and aspects of organizational development. In addition, this helpful resource includes information about such basic issues as anxiety, stress, burnout, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, violence, and psychosis.

Written for executive management, human resource, benefits, occupational medicine, and mental health professionals, this essential handbook offers an emotionally informed guide to cost-effective implementation of policies for maximum productivity. ... Read more

Book Description

Dilbert may make people laugh, but he doesn't show them how tosucceed. Cubicle Warfare will train today's Dilberts to becometomorrow's CEOs. This take-no-prisoners survival manual reveals therules of corporate warfare--and how anyone can play to win. It evenincludes survival skills for people who want to stay neutral in theiroffice war games. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

...
I could never understand why so many people did so many counterproductive things in the workplace. I was brought up to have integrity & work hard (& thought that's what other people were like). This booked helped explain the motives & reasoning behind behavior I had previously found baffling. Understanding the tactics & motives of political players in the workplace is the first step in coping with them (instead of just being cannon fodder). This book isn't perfect & won't solve all your problems, but it's a good start.I recommend everyone read this book, even if you don't think workplace politics effects you.

This book was great
I work in a very competitive office and this book is full of strategies for coping with this type of workplace.highly recommended for anyone working at high levels in a company, or in politics, entertainment oranother field where employees will stop at nothing to succeed.

Too machiavellian
This book is way too machiavellian and shares its flaws. The prime flaw of Machivallianism is it doesn't take into account of the principle rule of human relationships: what goes around comes around.

This books teachesyou to lie, cheat, and steal from your enemies in order to destroy them.What it COMPLETELY ignores is that it will almost definitely come back tohaunt you.

If you don't want others to hurt you by lying, cheating, andstealing from you, then don't practice the teachings of this book unless itis absolutely neccessary.

Dilbert Meets Sun Tzu
The author describes the types of enemies you'll face, their probabletactics and countermeasures you can take. Some of those tactics are quitenasty. This is the type of skill you need to move up the corporate foodchain. The Pointy-Haired Boss would not stand a chance.

Outstanding insights into human behavior in the office
One of the best books I've read on gaining insight into human behavior in the office.This book has no flowery words, no consultant-speak.It's practical down to earth advice on the behavior of people and most importantly, how to detect the behavior and the best ways to deal with it.It is also very non-judgmental in that it matter of factly points out the behaviors and how to deal with it.It's of great value even to the a-political type who doesn't want to deal with politics in the office, but wonders why things go the way they do (and appear to be very non-sensical).On the downside, I believe that the book could start on Chapter 6.I found the first 5 chapters to be an explaination of the obvious.It's also expensive for a paperback. But this book is worth it. ... Read more

Book Description

"A must-read book for any committed adventurer of the heart.Dr. Jeffers provides clear, specific strategies to have the love and life you always dreamed of having.And much more."

HAROLD H. BLOOMFIELD, M.D.

Author of HOW TO MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR PARENTS

We've all felt it.Unsure.Alone.Anxious.Unworthy.When it comes to reaching out to others, we've all heard the little voice inside our heads telling us to stop.Why face rejection?In this empowering book, bestselling author Dr. Susan Jeffers reveals to us the heart and soul of connection.Her insights and tools pave the way for ending isolation and loneliness and creating a sense of belonging anywhere we go.We learn that this is a world where there are no strangers and we never need to feel alone.

... Read more

Reviews (2)

Absolutely fantastic
This is one of the most important books I have ever read, and I know it has been so for many of my friends. I say this because I started a weekly discussion group centered around this book and many people would tell me how profoundly grateful they were to be exposed to the concepts here.

I don't think it's fair to try to compare this book to her earlier "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway" because that book is about overcoming fears that inhibit you, and this one is about new attitudes to make your social life flourish. There are a few parallels, but the books only compliment eachother.

The most important concept here for me was that of "everbody training" - the idea that social situations become more rewarding and less stressful if, instead of trying to create external successes, you focus on creating positive situations for everyone around you. Instead of pressuring yourself to get a woman's phone number at a party (getting something for yourself), make a point of helping her to have a good time there, even if it isn't with you (giving to the community). The neat thing about this is that it becomes easier to make contact with new people AND makes you a more desirable friend at the same time.

The author does NOT present gimmicks or strategies that only work for confident people in unusual situations: it ALL applies to everyone and helps build your confidence about yourself and your abilities in social situations. One caution: don't think you can read this book and suddenly go from being a shy nerd to a confident person with dozens of friends overnight! It takes time, practice and may need to be integrated into one's self-improvement efforts.

Dare To Connect
I didn't think "Dare TO Connect" was quite as good as Susan Jeffers' book "Feel the Fear". But she gave me many ideas to think about in communicating with others. The main idea of the book is to understand yourself and reach out to others. It is also a spiritual book about our Higher Self. It has given me a better understanding of how to treat others as part of God's plan. We are all here for each other. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Self-Sabotage Syndrome
From the moment I started to read this book, I was 'smacked in the face' by the relevence of this book in my life at this "exact juncture" !.

I have just lost a job that I "loved", it was my "home away from home" (I actually used to say that...); my boss was my "best friend", I would do virtually ANYTHING to support and help him in the work place and in his failing personal life. I was terminated because his wife felt we were "too close" after two years of blind loyalty. Terminated ! No notice ! No severance ! Lost my job, my best friend, my source of income, my entire world/life.

READ THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE AN ADULT CHILD !!! I wish I had read it before. I will not be the 'enabler' and the 'fall guy' the next time.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that is an ADULT CHILD and find themselves without a job/sense of self/reason to live/purpose in life because the "job" and "your life" ARE NOT intertwined unless you allow them to be. I did not establish correct "boundries", and coincidentally, my previous "boss/best-friend" is an Adult Child also.

I just ordered the book to be delivered to my previous boss/best friend. Hopefully he will learn from this book as well, and not follow the same patterns.

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO WORK-RELATED PROBLEMS
If you have been losing jobs despite working "very hard", and you are an ACoA, this is the book that will finally answer the big question of "why! " ACoA's, as explained succinctly yet in detail by Woititz, have ingrained patterns of behavior that result in problems on the job. We can identify these patterns, come to understand where they came from, and finally, do something to change them! This book gave me far more insight than years of counseling - Woititz truly knows the ACoA! ... Read more

Book Description

Building on nearly eighty years of scientific work, The Handbook of Emotional Intelligence is the first definitive resource that brings together a stellar panel of academics, researchers, and practitioners, in the field. Sweeping in scope, the text presents information on the most important conceptual models, reviews and evaluates the most valid and reliable methods for assessing emotional intelligence, and offers specific guidelines for applying the principles of Emotional Intelligence in a variety of settings. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Jonathan Cohen, Ph.D., Columbia University
This is an excellent book. It provides 'state of the art and science' information about past and emerging work in emotioanl intelligence and competencies. I highly recommend it.

If you are serious about learning the background to E.I.
The Handbook of Emotional Intelligence is a must read for anyone who is serious about emotional intelligence. Through this book, Bar-On and Parker have brought together a world-class collection of academics, psychologists and researchers. Before the Handbook was written, researchers and practitioners who wanted to get to the bottom of emotional intelligence needed to look up thousands of sources to even start their research. Bar-On and Parker have completed a sterling effort - the chapters include hundreds of research studies and the links are made between many different strands of research on intelligence and emotion and they are brought together in a 'tome' of useful information. This book is not a light piece of bedtime reading. It is a text book which should be on the shelf of anyone who wants to hear direct from the key researchers who have helped to create the field of Emotional Intelligence, so well popularised by Daniel Goleman in his book 'Emotional Intelligence'.

More information about this book
I've read your book, and I need more information about it, such as : * Are there any subtest and the guidance theory of this book ? I mean, I want to know, is your book, has a several tools of Psychotest, especially to measure Emotional Intelligence, which will be used (by ME, as an officer in HANESA CONSULTANT in Jakarta, in Selection Division), in selecting, recruiting, and making a Psychological Report toward to our Clients (Industrial Field). * May we have a convenience time, to have a short and comfortable conversation about your book ?

Thanks before and I'm waiting for your good news as reply.

Essential resource
This is the essential resource for a summary evaluation of research and emerging measures for emotional intelligence. Anyone with an interest in this fundamental human capacity should consult this book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Making Diversity Work offers fresh and fascinating ideas for reducing bias--one person at a time. "Bias lies in every heart and mind--it is also where the answers lie," writes diversity expert Sondra Thiederman. By focusing on the individual, rather than the organization, she defines a powerful focus for bias busting in the workplace. Racial and sexual bias costs big bucks warns Thiederman, citing litigation, lowered sales, and loss of employees and customers. Using case studies, politically incorrect questions, and insightful strategies, she guides readers through "the discomfort of self discovery."

After detailing how biases are learned, Thiederman introduces seven steps to prevent bias from blocking and distorting your work relationships. The book's centerpiece is a brilliant discussion of how to manage "gateway events,"(for example, hearing an inappropriate comment or being treated with a biased behavior) and start a conversation about sticky diversity issues. This brave and groundbreaking analysis should define the direction of diversity training for decades to come. --Barbara Mackoff ... Read more

Reviews (3)

weLEAD Book Review by the Editor of leadingtoday.org
Some books are written simply to impart knowledge to others. Other books are written to fulfill a strong personal interest by the author. It is the rare book that is written because there is a deeply genuine need for it. Making Diversity WORK is that rare book that was written for all the reasons above. Author Sondra Thiederman attempts to strip off the "veneer" of diversity that exists in the modern workplace to examine the real reasons why diversity is hard to talk about and even harder to achieve! This book may make you uncomfortable, but maybe that is exactly what we all need to feel in order to achieve a level of diversity that respects and honors all people for what they can contribute.

Early on in this work Sondra Thiederman candidly discusses her own cultural background and how she recognized her own personal biases. The purpose is to show that if we honestly examine ourselves and become mindful of our biases, we can dissect and set those biases aside. After spending 25 years providing practical results to some of the largest international organizations in their quest for diversity, Thiederman is a leading expert on this subject and it is prominently reflected in this book. She also received a doctorate in cross-cultural studies from UCLA.

Making Diversity WORK has three major parts which are embedded in thirteen interesting chapters. Each chapter ends with a conclusion and summary to reinforce their major points. Part one examines the basics of bias including the correct and incorrect definitions of bias, and how it is learned and taught to all of us. It is in this part that you will learn the term Guerilla Bias™ and how it can affect us in subtle ways. The second part of the book is the largest and deals with self-discovery, how our biases can hurt us and how we can strive to overcome them. The third part of the book is about creating healthy dialogue which the author calls gateway events. What are these events? Our workplaces are filled with opportunities to engage in conversations about bias. Typically there is discord in the work environment between people who are different from each other. These incidents are capable of bringing about productive dialogue and serve as gateways to create greater understanding and reduce bias. This final part also outlines some cognitive and verbal skills to generate diversity dialogue.

Diversity isn't just a good thing to do; morally it is the right thing to do. Our modern workplace is more diverse than ever before in recorded human history. Diversity means a greater talent pool, larger markets, and the unfortunate potential for discord in the workplace. Making Diversity WORK is a frank and powerful book that dares to challenge us and prods us to live up to the democratic ideals of fairness, equity and accountability. If you desire to read just one powerful book on this important subject, Making Diversity WORK should be it!

Highly Recommended for Any Dialogue About Diversity
In her wise and insightful new book, Making Diversity Work, Dr. Sondra Thiederman examines the roots of diversity-related dilemmas to reveal how our own biases get in the way of our relationships with people we perceive as different from ourselves. Dr. Thiederman's thought-provoking thesis breaks new ground and elevates diversity discussions by rejecting finger-pointing as a strategy and replacing it with personal responsibility instead. No one is free of bias, but Dr. Thiederman gives us the cognitive and verbal tools to help us move forward to a place where we can respect each other and value our differences. Making Diversity Work is a must-have reference for anyone who wants to improve their personal and professional relationships.

Important book tells how to beat your bias
Dr. Thiederman shows that companies pay a big price for allowing bias to flourish in our workplaces, from litigation and costly turnover to diminished profits and lowered standards. She shifts the dialogue from blame and finger pointing to the responsibility we all share in successfully ridding the workplace of discrimination, inequity, and tension. One frequnetly unrecognized aspect of bias she brings to light is what she calls "Guerilla Bias" (nice actions that are really biased but remain hidden from the target as well as perpetrator), and she also rejects the current brand of political correctness.

Finally, she lays out an effective way to recognize and then combat our own personal biases by giving a 7-step process to follow which she calls a "Vision Renewal Process". Very informative, with real life examples of bias that a reader might find familiar but never have recognized before. ... Read more

Book Description

If only they would . . . !
They screwed up, it's their fault!
I have my own goals and numbers to meet!

If you've heard any of these phrases before, exercise great caution-they have the power to undermine and poison your company!

Creating WE, by visionary executive coach Judith E. Glaser, goes to the root of the problem in organizations today, illuminating how "I-centric" work environments cause "unhealthy thinking" to form and doom companies to failure.

Whether your company has recently been acquired, merged, restructured, downsized, or, in the midst of rapid growth and expansion, has lost the sense of unity it once had, this revolutionary new book shows you how to create healthy work environments and become a "WE-centric" company that achieves extraordinary breakthrough success. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

One of the Best in the Field of Creating Positive Cultures
Of the several hundred books I have read over the years related to the business topics of leadership and executive coaching, organizational change, and creating dynamic, positive work cultures, in my estimation, Creating WE, by Judith Glaser, is one of the Top 5 on my personal list of the best 15-20 - a must read for anyone who is serious about doing what every leader should want to do -- "making a positive difference" as a leader.

Judith Glaser is one of a few of the "thought leaders" in this field today that I have taken the time to carefully research and study their work.

In Creating WE, I believe Judith captures and clearly details many of the core essential elements that leaders and organizations need to demonstrate and build into the fabric of their corporate cultures.

Over the past 10+ years, there have been some great works published by respected authors such as Marshall Goldsmith, Ed Gubman, Dan Pink, and Daniel Goleman, just to name a few of the best, who have tried to inspire us and guide us in how to improve leadership capabilities, attract, engage, and retain the best talent possible, and create "workplace or employer of choice" cultures.

In my view, through rich and practical models, actual case studies, and truly unique insights into some of today's emerging "best practices", Creating WE shows us a very clear path to help leaders and organizations get to the next level in the areas of employee engagement, creating "employer of choice" cultures, and true leadership excellence.

Business research today makes a very compelling case that the companies who have successfully "cracked the engagement code" are more the successful and more profitable "market leaders" in their industries.

This is a "must read" for organizations and leaders who truly desire to create and/or sustain high employee engagement,commitment, and loyalty, should read this book CAREFULLY, and figure out how to put into place, workable "WE-Centric" strategies.

Susan Peabody, Mgr Organizational Dev., CTR Systems
As part of two management book club groups; to date, this is by far the most outstanding book on leadership that both groups have decided to read and discuss.

Judith Glaser is brilliant in the way she is able to break down the most complex issues in organizations today and put them into basic Vital Principles.She takes if further by helping us to put a mirror in front of ourselves to see if we are capable of changing to become a new style "WE-centric" leader, working successfully through collaboration, or remaining caught up in the web of the "I-centric" past.

There are so many powerful quotes in the book:

"When we are at the edge, we have a choice.We can turn away from others and try to handle the challenge on our own, or we can turn to others for help.

Old-style leaders and managers believe they should have all the answers and their people expect solutions to come from the top.

New-style leaders and managers don't believe they have all the answers, but they engage people in coming up with them.I call this WE-centric leadership.

WE-centric leaders realize that WE is the power that fuels corporate growth.They know they don't need to know all the answers, and they also know that in the face of unprecedented change, inclusive behaviors radically shift the power dynamics toward partnering and positively influence productivity and quality in a company."

Her lessons are endless.And while we feel like we've heard the same old "to do's" over and over again, Judith provides clear-cut action steps to help us begin changing the way we lead.Here are the key chapters, each with stories, new practices and how to's:

Chapter 1: What Happens When Bosses Are Domineering, Insensitive & Tough?
Chapter 2: What Happens When Bosses Don't Listen & Think They Know it All?
Chapter 3: What Happens When Employees And Management Don't Trust Each Other?
Chapter 4: Reinventing a Challenging Culture!
Chapter 5: The Comfort of Comfort Zones... How to Interrupt Old Patterns!
Chapter 6: How to Open the Space for Growth!
Chapter 7: How to Transform Conversations!
Chapter 8: How to Create Our "WE" Story!
Chapter 9: How to Trigger Corporate Caring!
Chapter 10: Real Success Stories About Living We!
When You Run into Trouble - How to Make UP!

She helps us to realize that up to now, most of us have lived in a world that we know ourselves only from the inside out ~ it's how we see ourselves.She questions whether we have the guts to discover what people really think of us from the outside in ~ how we make others feel about our leadership.

All leaders and managers who are interested in shaping and crafting a successful future should read this book.It will help you develop a clear self-awareness of how you affect others you lead now, and how that impact will affect the future.

A life-altering Read
"Creating WE" is an amazing book. It's about relationships, in business and also in life. At the heart of Creating We is a universal truth:we are all connected, and to grow to our fullest, we need to support one another.

Just reading the Preface you will gain many wonderful insights into why this book's author Judith Glaser has been so successful and impacted so profoundly on the clients with whom she has consulted.Each story is about CEOs and their teams who worked together to create new standards of excellence for their businesses as they faced challenges in a world of moving targets.You will want to read Judith's list of "nine principles" on page 9 of the Preface, detailing how executives and companies can succeed.This list as well as many others in every chapter provides an incredible roadmap for leaders to inspire their organizations to outrageous success.

An uplifting and empowering reading experience for anyone who owns a business or works for one, the book is filled with ideas, suggestions and templates for immediate use, coupled with a plethora of great resources for building strong relationships and having powerful conversations for change.I especially loved this passage, which shows, in one small way, why Creating We is a life-altering read:

"Growth, the very essence of change and transformation, is about pushing back what is -- and making room for what can be. The dynamic tension between what is and what can be pervades the environments in which we work and live every day.Healthy relationships operate from mutual support and concern for others.When we engage with others to remove barriers to growth and development, we miraculously feel more inspired and full of life."

Jan Goldstoff, New York City

The Right Book for The Times
As business learns the limits of the I-focused executive, this book provides the kind of perspective and guidance we all need to help leaders build creative, energized and effectives teams. I recommend this book for every executive who wants to take their organization to the next level of performance.

A Business Book that is Personal
This is the first business book (of many) that I have read that not only makes sound business sense but also engages the reader by intertwining the author's personal life and experience (and her husband's). This makes for a very special book that I am sure others will enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

"Creating Effective Teams takes readers by the hand through the four developmental stages of getting from group creation to highly effective teams. It is packed with strategies for building and supporting well-managed, high-performing teams. The author provides ample checklists and case examples to guide members and leaders through their groups’ developmental states and to help them work through the times when they inevitably get stuck. She does an amazing job of summarizing a vast literature of empirical research on team functioning and development into a comprehensive yet uncomplicated, straightforward guide. She supports detailed explanations of how to start, build, and sustain a team with real-life examples from her many years of consulting experience. This book is a must for anyone whose work requires teamwork." --Andrea Markowitz, University of Baltimore Based on the author’s many years of consulting experience with teams in the public and private sector, the book tells us why teams are important, how they function, and what makes them productive and unproductive. The author clearly illustrates the developmental nature of teams and describes what happens in each stage. Separate chapters are devoted to the responsibilities of team leaders and team members. Problems that occur frequently in groups are highlighted, followed by what-you-can-do sections that offer specific advice. Real-life examples and questionnaires are used throughout the book, giving readers the opportunity for self-evaluation.

Book Description

Creating Teams with an Edge: The Complete Skill Set to Build Powerful and Influential Teams

Teams can be a driving force for organizational performance-and managers can play a key role in teams' ultimate success or failure. Highlighting the latest research on team development and dynamics-and including hands-on tools for improving communication, resolving conflicts, promoting interdependence, and more-this guide will help managers at all levels to motivate teams to achieve higher performance.

The Harvard Business Essentials series is for managers at all levels but is especially relevant for new managers. It offers on-the-spot guidance, coaching, and tools on the most relevant topics in business. Each book includes the critical information that managers need on a given topic-from budgeting to hiring to communication to strategy-and offers interactive tools and worksheets that translate advice into action. Providing ready answers to day-to-day issues, these guides make sound, trusted mentoring advice available whenever managers need it.

Other Books in the HBE Series:
Managing Change and Transition
Hiring and Keeping the Best People
Finance for Managers
Business Communications
Innovation
Negotiation ... Read more

Book Description

From the workplace to the Mall, Americans and Mexicans come together as co-workers, students, friends, and neighbors. For any American who encounters some of the millions of Mexicans residing in the U.S—as well as travelers to Mexico, retirees contemplating a move, businesspeople looking to build U.S.-Mexico collaboratives—MEXICANS & AMERICANS: Cracking the Cultural Code gets to the very heart of our cultural differences and demonstrates what it takes to build a cultural fluency essential to success, on both sides of the border. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Indispensable to those doing business in Mexico
Ned Crouch gives us a great book, full of practical advice and interesting anecdotes. His love for Mexico and its people shines through. His goal is to make sure you gain, personally and professionally, from your travels in Mexico. This is a must read for those who do business in Mexico and want to learn more about how to walk in the shoes, as well as embrace the hearts and minds, of their Mexican hosts and future compañeros. ... Read more

Book Description

Today virtually every type of organization is looking for ways to maximize and effectively manage their people resources.One of the keys to this streamlining is successful teamwork.Lee Ellis draws from his survival experience on a team of Vietnam POWs and his management consultant expertise in creating Leading Talents, Leading Teams.Perfect resource for anyone who desires to gain insights on how to unleash the natural talents of people and blend them into well-led, effective teams. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Hard hitting personal Leadership growth strategies
This book is fantastic!!! It has shone a new light on my struggles... with pinpoint accuracy. Detailed work is the most
challenging for me. As a result of this insightful book - I repeat the "engaging" persons mantra often - "Focus, focus, focus" "No, No, No" & "Prioritise, Prioritise, Prioritise".

It has also provided me the best framework / paradigm I have yet to come across on leadership (accomplish the mission and look
after the people). ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you're in charge of putting together or overseeing a work team, butyou can't bring yourself to crack those gazillion-pound guides or weightyworkbooks that you've been handed to help you, you'll love this nifty palm-sizecompanion to every aspect of leading the crew. Here, you'll learn not only whatmakes a good team and how to balance individual skills within a team, but alsohow to set the whole thing up (from setting goals and establishing trust tocreating a self-managed team, or taking on an existing one), improve itsefficiency (by facilitating improved communication, running meetings, improvingteam standards, and getting everyone to deal with problems and thinkcreatively), and ensure team success in the future through measuring teamperformance and tracking its progress, setting and meeting targets, rewardinggood work, and adapting to change. On every snazzy little page, boxed tips,handy checklists, mini case studies, and easy-to-follow flow charts bring thewhole team-leading process to life--from inception to long-term operation andplanning. Granted, if you're looking for very specific or in-depth guidance, youmight find this book too cursory and general in its approach. But, if you'relooking for a thumbnail guide to the basics, it'll do just fine.

It's worth mentioning that the book is part of the "Essential Managers" seriesby reference publisher Dorling-Kindersley--a series comprising 20 itty-bittybooks on business and career topics that range from communication, leadership,and decision-making to the management of time, budgets, change, meetings,people, projects, and teams. Combining the talent of the "For Dummies" bookseries for breaking down a lot of information into bite-sized bits and sidebarswith Dorling-Kindersley's signature design style of crisp, classy graphics on agleaming white backdrop, the books don't represent the cutting edge of businessthinking or reflect necessarily any unique individual perspective. Instead, it'sas if someone had collated the best general thinking on these 20 topics, androlled them out into 72 brightly designed and easy-to-read pages--studded alongthe way with boxed tips, color shots of a multiracial cast of "coworkers"animatedly hashing through the workplace issues of the day, and, on the last fewpages of each volume, a self-test of one's skills in the topic at hand. Again,they're not for anyone who's looking for more in-depth or focused help on any ofthe covered subjects, but they're perfect as a quick general-interest reference;and, let's face it, they're so damn cute, and look so smart in a neat littlestack or row, that probably you'll want to buy a whole bunch to give as gifts toyour entire staff or department. --Timothy Murphy ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An Essential Book for Managing Teams.
"Managing Teams" by Robert Heller is a very informative book and definitely should be read by new managers. This book contains many different ideas on how to manage your team. Heller brings up important points that many new managers may not be aware of when first starting into the challenging world of team managing. Heller discusses several different topics including 'Understanding How Teams Work,' Setting Up A Team,' 'Improving Team Efficiency,' and 'Working For The Future.' Each of these chapters cover important topics that are broken down into easy to understand summarized sections. This book helps you determine the right people for a team, and how to form a multi- talented, functioning team. You will also learn how to motivate your team to complete the goals that they were brought together to achieve. Learning to manage a team can sometimes be a difficult transition if you are not used to doing so, but Heller's book can really help you to adjust to the position.
One great part about this book is that it is short (74 pages) and to the point. The chapters are informative and do not drag on and on like some of the books out there on the market. However there are enough details to help you understand and try out his suggestions and ideas. There is even an added bonus of 101 tips that offer practical advice. I especially like the examples and charts that are listed in this book. They are great in helping understand the individuals in the team, and how to deal with each person within the group and as a group. I highly recommend "Managing Teams" to anyone interested in learning new techniques for managing a team in the workplace. I also highly recommend several of Robert Heller's other books as well in the 'Essential Managers' set of books, including "Motivating People."

Well-organized, brief, and covers key points
I'd recommend this to anyone who's part of a team and wants a brief, concise, useful summary of key points that help you better manage (and be part of) a team. Sections are well organized, and actual techniques are described that you can use to improve.

One of the better of this series. Best of all, it's small and cheap! ... Read more

Book Description

What is LION TAMING about?

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

LION TAMING is divided into three parts:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (6)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description

Describes concepts of facilitating meetings and offers a six-step plan to improve the process. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

An Excellent Source of Information
I felt this book was a valuable source of information. I needed a brief account on the necessary components on being a successful and effective team leader. This book led me from step to step on how to go about learning how to be a successful team manager. It included the basic know-how of team leadership, like being prepared and posing crucial questions to the team. However, it also went in-depth into the necessary skills needed in order to manage a goal-oriented group. I felt that this book not only acknowledged how to plan for a discussion, but it also looked at the real truth that can come up in group discussion. It analyzed the ins and outs of a group dynamic and even suggested ways of combating difficulties that arise in the process. The authors, Donald Hackett and Charles L. Martin, have a style of writing that is efficient, easy to grasp, and sensible. They were able to provide a step by step analysis on what it takes to be a valuable facilitator, but also the things that come up that leaders need to deal with carefully. Their topic ranges from the basic start of what a facilitator is to what skills a team leader needs. Then they consistently maintain this vision of how an effective leader can lead the group to a successful completion of the task. I enjoyed reading this book, because it not only opened my eyes to how I see leaders perform in groups I have been involved in, but I also know now how to be a successful facilitator in groups that I may choose to lead in the future. I can know use these suggestions and techniques to really drive a team into successful task completion. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has thought about leading a team in group discussion. The authors' simple, to the point style of writing, including examples and suggestions, made for a delightful read. I enjoyed reading this book as much I enjoyed learning from it as well.

Team Facilitation-Not a Mystery Anymore
A wonderful book for a person whose new to facilitating teams. The writing is in language that's very easy to understand, and the concepts are presented clearly. The book takes the reader on a step by step progression of the processes and tools required to help meetings be productive and efficient. Cudos to the authors, who created a wonderful and effective tool.

Essential reading for all involved in helping groups work
This excellent book provides a simple overview of the skills and tools needed when getting a group to work on a problem. Nothing is covered in depth, however I did not think that was the purpose. This books starts a learning process which people can take further if needed. The sytle is light and it has been written to maintain the readers interest. It adequately covers concepts, communication (questioning, body language, etc) and some simple tools with easy to understand examples. Most impressive was the straight forward treatment of writing a process map to identify and deal with problems.

Facilitation For Team Leaders
An invauable tool for any one who is involved in Team Building, Facilitation, Training or Management. This book leads you through the many processes to gain agreement or concensus in groups. The approach and questions for problem solving are very practical. ... Read more

Book Description

The book is designed to develop high-performance teams in an organization by focusing on the four factors that contribute to team performance: structure, process, culture, and politics. It uses an applied approach centered around the construction of a "team charter."Teams: Structure, Process, Culture, and Politics provides a comprehensive view of the management principles that foster effective teams as well as examples of effective and problem teams within organizations. Practical exercises such as How Does a Team Show Trust? give readers an opportunity to develop team-building skills. Reflections features ask readers to draw from their own experiences. Team Work discussions encourage readers to productively arrive at team agreements. Section Objectives highlight the topics to be covered, and end-of-section activities and discussion questions reinforce important topics.A valuable book for any manager seeking to improve the functioning of the teams within an organization. ... Read more