Books

Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done

Average customer rating:

Most important business book since Good to Great
Makes you wonder what "Management Talent " is
Limited Scope - Do some people believe the world really works like this?
A must read
Business case studies

Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
Larry Bossidy , Ram Charan , and Charles Burck
Manufacturer: Crown Business
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Winning

ASIN: 0609610570

Amazon.com

Disciplines like strategy, leadership development, and innovation are the sexier aspects of being at the helm of a successful business; actually getting things done never seems quite as glamorous. But as Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan demonstrate in Execution, the ultimate difference between a company and its competitor is, in fact, the ability to execute.

Execution is "the missing link between aspirations and results," and as such, making it happen is the business leader's most important job. While failure in today's business environment is often attributed to other causes, Bossidy and Charan argue that the biggest obstacle to success is the absence of execution. They point out that without execution, breakthrough thinking on managing change breaks down, and they emphasize the fact that execution is a discipline to learn, not merely the tactical side of business. Supporting this with stories of the "execution difference" being won (EDS) and lost (Xerox and Lucent), the authors describe the building blocks--leaders with the right behaviors, a culture that rewards execution, and a reliable system for having the right people in the right jobs--that need to be in place to manage the three core business processes of people, strategy, and operations. Both Bossidy, CEO of Honeywell International, Inc., and Charan, advisor to corporate executives and author of such books as What the CEO Wants You to Know and Boards That Work, present experience-tested insight into how the smooth linking of these three processes can differentiate one company from the rest. Developing the discipline of execution isn't made out to be simple, nor is this book a quick, easy read. Bossidy and Charan do, however, offer good advice on a neglected topic, making Execution a smart business leader's guide to enacting success rather than permitting demise. --S. Ketchum

Book Description

The book that shows how to get the job done and deliver results . . . whether you’re running an entire company or in your first management job

Larry Bossidy is one of the world’s most acclaimed CEOs, a man with few peers who has a track record for delivering results. Ram Charan is a legendary advisor to senior executives and boards of directors, a man with unparalleled insight into why some companies are successful and others are not. Together they’ve pooled their knowledge and experience into the one book on how to close the gap between results promised and results delivered that people in business need today.

After a long, stellar career with General Electric, Larry Bossidy transformed AlliedSignal into one of the world’s most admired companies and was named CEO of the year in 1998 by Chief Executive magazine. Accomplishments such as 31 consecutive quarters of earnings-per-share growth of 13 percent or more didn’t just happen; they resulted from the consistent practice of the discipline of execution: understanding how to link together people, strategy, and operations, the three core processes of every business.

Leading these processes is the real job of running a business, not formulating a “vision” and leaving the work of carrying it out to others. Bossidy and Charan show the importance of being deeply and passionately engaged in an organization and why robust dialogues about people, strategy, and operations result in a business based on intellectual honesty and realism.

The leader’s most important job—selecting and appraising people—is one that should never be delegated. As a CEO, Larry Bossidy personally makes the calls to check references for key hires. Why? With the right people in the right jobs, there’s a leadership gene pool that conceives and selects strategies that can be executed. People then work together to create a strategy building block by building block, a strategy in sync with the realities of the marketplace, the economy, and the competition. Once the right people and strategy are in place, they are then linked to an operating process that results in the implementation of specific programs and actions and that assigns accountability. This kind of effective operating process goes way beyond the typical budget exercise that looks into a rearview mirror to set its goals. It puts reality behind the numbers and is where the rubber meets the road.

Putting an execution culture in place is hard, but losing it is easy. In July 2001 Larry Bossidy was asked by the board of directors of Honeywell International (it had merged with AlliedSignal) to return and get the company back on track. He’s been putting the ideas he writes about in Execution to work in real time.

Download Description

The book that shows how to get the job done and deliver results... whether you're running an entire company or in your first management job

Larry Bossidy is one of the world's most acclaimed CEOs, a man with few peers who has a track record for delivering results. Ram Charan is a legendary advisor to senior executives and boards of directors, a man with unparalleled insight into why some companies are successful and others are not. Together they've pooled their knowledge and experience into the one book on how to close the gap between results promised and results delivered that people in business need today.

After a long, stellar career with General Electric, Larry Bossidy transformed AlliedSignal into one of the world's most admired companies and was named CEO of the year in 1998 by Chief Executive magazine. Accomplishments such as 31 consecutive quarters of earnings-per-share growth of 13 percent or more didn't just happen; they resulted from the consistent practice of the discipline of execution: understanding how to link together people, strategy, and operations, the three core processes of every business.

Leading these processes is the real job of running a business, not formulating a "vision" and leaving the work of carrying it out to others. Bossidy and Charan show the importance of being deeply and passionately engaged in an organization and why robust dialogues about people, strategy, and operations result in a business based on intellectual honesty and realism.

The leader's most important job -- selecting and appraising people -- is one that should never be delegated. As a CEO, Larry Bossidy personally makes the calls to check references for key hires. Why? With the right people in the right jobs, there's a leadership gene pool that conceives and selects strategies that can be executed. People then work together to create a strategy building block by building block, a strategy in sync with the realities of the marketplace, the economy, and the competition. Once the right people and strategy are in place, they are then linked to an operating process that results in the implementation of specific programs and actions and that assigns accountability. This kind of effective operating process goes way beyond the typical budget exercise that looks into a rearview mirror to set its goals. It puts reality behind the numbers and is where the rubber meets the road.

Putting an execution culture in place is hard, but losing it is easy. In July 2001 Larry Bossidy was asked by the board of directors of Honeywell International (it had merged with AlliedSignal) to return and get the company back on track. He's been putting the ideas he writes about in Execution to work in real time.

Customer Reviews:

Most important business book since Good to Great.......2007-06-08

Bossidy put together the most comprehensive top to bottom case for execution yet written. What so many books on business forget to emphasize is the people part of the equation. Bossidy balances not only having the right people but making sure the company is passionate about developing them and getting them in the right jobs where they can produce the best results for the company and themselves. Strategy is worthless without the right people that can execute to make the strategy happen. While Bossidy advocates strong messures for non preformers, he does so with delibert respect for individuals and reasonable compassion.
Rod Hagenbuch

Makes you wonder what "Management Talent " is.......2007-05-27

After reading this book I realized that these authors were lamenting the same point found in the hundreds of other business books I've read over the years. That the so called "Management Talent" isn't really talent after all. It is just goals, plans, action, and perseverance. Since the vast majority of people, even in business, don't do this or at least not consistently makes those that do seem like exceptional managers.

I marginally liked this book. I agree with one reviewer that this is just a case study on project management.

Limited Scope - Do some people believe the world really works like this?.......2007-05-16

I was looking forward to this book with a great deal of anticipation on "how." The trouble was, the underlying assumptions were that any reader has the carte-blanche power to hire and fire CEO's at-will. In the more common work-a-day world, I know of virtually no one with this kind of authority, so there was precious little I was able to take away from it. Overall, the theme of the text was more to instill a great deal of fear in those who are under you so THEY execute tasks, not the one who is in charge. I fail to see how this could apply to anyone but the precious few in the U.S. who have a 7-8 figure salary. I am also very puzzled at the positive reviews I have seen so far.

A must read.......2007-05-15

Book recommended by my manager. Great recommendation!
All stories and advices make sense either your are CEO and simply manager.
Very interesting reading even if you don't struggle to get things done..I'm sure you ain't :)

Business case studies.......2007-04-21

Execution is interesting in the context of numerous case studies that the authors have covered, but lacks a real, predictive model. There is some solid advice in the book, and a few lessons to be learned from the discussed examples, but many of the recommendations are either tautological, or simply motherhood and pie. At times, the authors contradict their own recommendations in the case studies and propose circular definitions that lead nowhere fast. This is not to say that this is a poor book, it's well written and offers some great insights - I just wouldn't place it at the top of my reading list.

The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't

Average customer rating:

A timely tome on topical issue (but lacking in breadth of solutions)
Entertaining but.....where's the Beef????
Best book ever on workplace bullying - tells it like it is
Essential for Administrators
Great advice for managers and mentors

The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't
Robert I. Sutton
Manufacturer: Business Plus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0446526568

Book Description

Today's deluge of business books exhaustively addresses problems with leadership, corporate strategy, sales, budgeting, incentives, innovation, execution, and on and on. But scant attention is devoted to a problem that plagues every workplace: Assholes. In a landmark Harvard Business Review essay, Stanford Professor Robert Sutton showed how assholes weren't just an office nuisance, but a serious and costly threat to corporate success and employee health. In his new book, Sutton reveals the huge TCA (Total Cost of Assholes) in today's corporations. He shows how to spot an asshole (hint: they are addicted to rude interruptions and subtle putdowns, and enjoy using "sarcastic jokes" and "teasing" as "insult delivery systems"), and provides a "self-test" to determine whether you deserve to be branded as a "certified asshole." And he offers tips that you can use to keep your "inner jerk" from rearing its ugly head. Sutton then uses in-depth research and analysis to show how managers can eliminate mean-spirited and unproductive behavior (while positively channeling some of the virtues of assholes) to generate an asshole free--and newly productive--workplace. Enlightening case studies include an analysis of how Google's "don't be evil" maxim helped launch the company to unprecedented early growth, how JetBlue and Southwest Airlines "fire" passengers who demean their employees, and how a "belligerent" e-mail from Cerner CEO Neal Patterson made his company's stock plunge 22% in three days (and how his graceful apology helped the stock bounce back).

Customer Reviews:

A timely tome on topical issue (but lacking in breadth of solutions).......2007-06-23

With the growth in numbers of legal claims being brought for either bullying or bad treatment at the hands of superiors, the book catches in a timely manner the mood of the issue of declining mutual respect in the workplace.

Written by a co-author of "The knowing-doing gap" one of the best books on knowledge sharing, Sutton brings his same practical no nonsense approach to this subject. Given he accidentally hit a deep vein of feeling in surfacing the topic in a Harvard Business Review article, he has he admits been helped by the vast unsolicited contributions made to his website on the subject. As a result the book has many good examples of how it can go wrong (including the author's own) plus analysis of the costs both financial and indirect with demotivation and staff leavers resulting.

Where the book fails for me is in the range of workable practicable solutions and strategies which is why I give it 4 stars. The key ones seem to be getting the tone from the top right and more importantly enforced daily which is inevitably dependent on the bosses "getting it", or if you at a lower level and on the receiving end, either get up and go to a new employer or learn to switch off and disconnect when experiencing such behaviour or form a group of similarly abused employees to support each other.

Entertaining but.....where's the Beef????.......2007-06-13

The initial concept is well thought out and communicated. But then, the book begins to fall flat. Very little substantive information, other than continued repetition of the main theme. By the last chapter I was skimming for content and finally closed the book thinking, is that all there is? I think this was a great article that should have stayed just that--this book is not ready for prime time.

Best book ever on workplace bullying - tells it like it is.......2007-06-13

Bob Sutton's veryy readable and well-researched book, "The No A-hole Rule," comes right to the point: we know who these people are, we work with them every day, many of them are our bosses, let's call them by the name we all know: A-holes.

These are the folks, mostly managers but they can be your co-workers, who demean and damage those with less power. These are the employees who ingratiate themselves upward, and kick anyone below who seems "irrelevant." They are forceful, nasty, obnoxious and often underhanded, spreading their poison in subtle or obvious ways. However they do it, they leave a trail of oppressed, humiliated and de-energized subordinates. They aren't worth the trouble, Sutton argues.

Sutton's argument is laid out in no-nonsense terms: a-holes cost money, demoralize staff and turn off customers. Research shows, Sutton writes, that companies cannot afford even top performers (for example, top dollar-generating salespeople) who are a-holes because the actual cost (TCA = Total Cost of A-holes) must be viewed in terms of what it costs the company in turnover, lost sales and lost productivity in the remaining staff who are forced to spend a lot of time avoiding or protecting themselves from a-holes.

Sutton's advice: Get rid of them. Failing that, at least don't let them on search committees because they breed like rabbits.

Although this book is gaining traction through its appealing message and highly contagious name, Sutton, a Stanford professor of management science and engineering, has not written a book that should be considered "trendy," even though its time has surely come. This is sound, real-life advice, based on research, that I believe will stand the test of time.

If you're thinking of hiring an a-hole, if you work with or under an a-hole or two or three (a "den of a-holes," as Sutton so aptly describes such workplaces), if you think you might be an a-hole, this book is for you. It's filled with advice for everyone, including who not to hire in an a-hole's place (wimps and polite clones need not apply).

I'm so glad Sutton had the courage to write this book. It needed to be said, and said in a way that people can understand. I have applied its concepts and am trying to spread his message at the company where I work, which was once ruled by a major a-hole, who hired and promoted a bunch of clones. That president is now gone, but his "residue" lingers. The new president is far more enlightened, and there is hope that he might establish the No A-hole Rule here.

Another book very worth reading that has a similar message is The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything by Stephen M.R. Covey. Covey also argues, in no uncertain terms, that bad people should not be in management, and that you will lose money and time if you don't create an atmosphere of trust.

Essential for Administrators.......2007-06-09

As an administrator at a school, there are continuous interactions that greatly reduce efficiency: Generally 10% of employees focus on creating trouble through slow, repeated, and private intimidation. This greatly reduces work ability and morale.

This book allows insight on flushing out intimidation, allowing employees to take constructive risks, and transferring intimidation from the -ssh-l- to empowering employees who prefer to be constructive rather than destructive.

This is a must read for any field of administration or those who are the focus of the -ssh-l-.

Great advice for managers and mentors.......2007-06-09

As a first level manager at an aerospace company, I found this book to be very helpful in giving me some tools to work with, and some advice to guide me at work.

I currently have a new boss that is quickly going from temporary jerk to a certified jerk, and this book gives excellent tips on how to deal with that circumstance. Not that I couldnt handle the situation, but this provides many enhancements for my situation.

I will definitely be using this book at work and in my personal life.

Bob

Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box

Average customer rating:

Nothing new here
Surprising, easy to read and thoughtful
Finally! An easy to read self help book!
Must read
a new cut at an old dilemma

Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box
The Arbinger Institute
Manufacturer: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Amazon.com

Using the story/parable format so popular these days, Leadership and Self-Deception takes a novel psychological approach to leadership. It's not what you do that matters, say the authors (presumably plural--the book is credited to the esteemed Arbinger Institute), but why you do it. Latching onto the latest leadership trend won't make people follow you if your motives are selfish--people can smell a rat, even one that says it's trying to empower them. The tricky thing is, we don't know that our motivation is flawed. We deceive ourselves in subtle ways into thinking that we're doing the right thing for the right reason. We really do know what the right thing to do is, but this constant self-justification becomes such an ingrained habit that it's hard to break free of it--it's as though we're trapped in a box, the authors say.

Learning how the process of self-deception works--and how to avoid it and stay in touch with our innate sense of what's right--is at the heart of the book. We follow Tom, an old-school, by-the-book kind of guy who is a newly hired executive at Zagrum Corporation, as two senior executives show him the many ways he's "in the box," how that limits him as a leader in ways he's not aware of, and of course how to get out. This is as much a book about personal transformation as it is about leadership per se. The authors use examples from the characters' private as well as professional lives to show how self-deception skews our view of ourselves and the world and ruins our interactions with people, despite what we sincerely believe are our best intentions.

While the writing won't make John Updike lose any sleep, the story entertainingly does the job of pulling the reader in and making a potentially abstruse argument quite enjoyable. The authors have a much better ear for dialogue than is typical of the genre (the book is largely dialogue), although a certain didactic tone creeps in now and then. But ultimately it's a hopeful, even inspiring read that flows along nicely and conveys a message that more than a few managers need to hear. --Pat McGill

Book Description

The "disease" of self-deception (acting in ways contrary to what one knows is right) underlies all leadership problems in today's organizations, according to the premise of this work. However well intentioned they may be, leaders who deceive themselves always end up undermining their own performance.

This straightforward book explains how leaders can discover their own self-deceptions and learn how to escape destructive patterns. The authors demonstrate that breaking out of these patterns leads to improved teamwork, commitment, trust, communication, motivation, and leadership.

Customer Reviews:

Nothing new here.......2007-06-24

Like so much pop-psychology today, what this book teaches is a small portion of Biblical Chrisianity...but without the Bible and without Christ.

The book could also be titled The Golden Rule. It teaches, basically, "do (treat) unto others as you would have them do (treat) you." In the business world, this philosophy has been a formal rule for how to do business since 1902 when J. C. Penney opened his first store, named the Golden Rule Store, which he developed into the JC Penney chain of today. As a moral philosophy, the ideas of this book have been around since Christ taught them 2000 years ago. This philosophy in an awesome one to live your life and business by. However, unlike what the authors seem to suggest, it is not the key.

Why settle for a portion of Biblical Christianity when you can have it all, free of charge.

Surprising, easy to read and thoughtful.......2007-06-16

I didn't know anything about this book when I picked it up from an airport as my airplane reading. I didn't expected much, but I was taken by surprise.

"Leadership and self-deception" is a short novel that describes the story of Tom who starts his new job in a new company. His manager, Bud, calls him for a meeting and explains him something about people and himself. Bud explains that people have two different ways of seeing other people. Either from in-the-box, from which you see people as other objects, self-focused. Or out-of-the-box, from which you see people as people and more people-focused. Tom has always been in-the-box and has never realized it. Slowly during the meeting with bud he starts realizing it and wants to change himself. He doesn't know how, so Bud goes over the different ways he could try and why they wouldn't work. In the end he reveals the secret on how to get out-of-the-box.

The book is small and it's surprisingly easy to read. I've finished in 2 days mainly because it kept me engaged so at every moment I wanted to pick it up to read a little further. Using a novel to explain a concept (like Goldrats "the goal") is surprisingly efficient.

I'd rate it 4 stars. The reason for that is that sometimes I felt the book was a little simplistic. It's very blakc-and-white, you're either in or out of the box. This black-and-white-ness is great for explaining the essense of the book, but sometimes it felt a little too simplistic.

Highly recommended for an easy and short read. Very useful also.

Finally! An easy to read self help book!.......2007-05-16

For all the information and new ideas you'll read in this book you may think it would be overwhelming and tough to read. it ISN'T. This is abook that uses every day people and life circumstances to illustrate how you can get out of the "box" of your self deception.

Most startling to realize is how we often blame others, and have great excuses, for our own misbehavior. This is living in the box, and prevents us form moving ahead and dealing effictively with those around us.

While it is written for business management, I found it extremely useful for family, work, and even church organizations that I deal with in my life. This book is a must for anyone who is interested in bettering themselves and dealing more effictively with others.

Must read .......2007-05-14

This book has a great way of sucking you in. What a way to learn about how calous we have all become. Little deceptions we tell ourselves in order to feel okay about being unkind. Self Deception, The Box, and being in Colusion, I did not realize. I have my own business with lots of employees, I belive this message is going to help bring up the self confidence of my employees and business partners, in turn I will enjoy more satisfaction, and peace. I wish I could force everyone I know to read this_ haha. Only I know the results I would like would never be realized by putting everyone in their boxes. I enjoyed this message, and plan on reading the other books from Arbinger Inst.

a new cut at an old dilemma.......2007-05-13

This is a fresh approach to help shatter the tendency in leaders to be pre-occupied with their personal agendas only in "getting the job done"...or the credit for....etc. It turns the process of leadership to recognize when the leader's pre-occupation blocks the associate's ownership of an enterprise, and prevents him from making the most of his resources....It is a very helpful book for learning healthy approaches to matters at home as well as at work....

Organizational Behavior & SAL CDROM Pkg (12th Edition)

Average customer rating:

Organizational Behavior & SAL CDROM Pkg (12th Edition)
Stephen P. Robbins , and Tim A. Judge
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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With its conversational writing style, cutting-edge content, current examples, the three-level integrative model, dialogues, and technological learning tools, Organizational Behavior remains the global book, used by more readers interested in the topic than any other since 1979. The 12th edition retains all of the best features of the previous editions, yet adds much more: contemporary issues and research have been included into a seamless, whole, and comprehensive tome. Many topics are comprehensively covered, but on the whole, this book is written in a conversational, easy to read style. Topics include: management functions; the social sciences; helping employees balance work and other responsibilities; improving people skills; improving customer service; motivational concepts; communication; power and politics; conflict and negotiation; culture; and stress management. Globally accepted and written by one of the most foremost authors in the field, this is a necessary read for all managers, human resource workers, and anyone needing to understand and improve their people skills.

Human Side of Organizations, The (9th Edition)

Average customer rating:

Good Service
Exceeded Expectations

Human Side of Organizations, The (9th Edition)
Michael Drafke
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
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Book Description

"The Human Side of Organizations" delivers complete, up-to-date, practical information on how people behave in organizations presented in a readable, easy to understand form. The vital information can be used to understand managers, peers or workers. If you work, you need this information to thrive and survive. FOCUS BOXES/Reality Checks - Bring the work world as it really is into every chapter./Question of Ethics - Presents ethical questions related to the particular chapters' material./A Global Glance - A look at an international aspect of a chapters' concepts./FYI - A new focus box for the 9e./Presents useful hints readers can apply in their daily lives. Anyone who wishes to better understand managers, peers, or workers can benefit from this book as it covers the vital skills needed to survive and thrive in an organization.

Customer Reviews:

Good Service.......2007-02-24

Received Book in about 2 weeks after purchase. Book was in excellent condition. Good Service.

Exceeded Expectations.......2005-09-30

My textbook came sooner than expected and it was in great condition! The savings were unbelievable and I actually recommended using this seller to everyone in my class.

The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations

Average customer rating:

Insightful
Cindy Sheehan' Starfish Moment
wow
Well Written, Insightful
Loss for Leadership

The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations
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Book Description

Understanding the amazing force that links some of today's most successful companies

If you cut off a spider's leg, it's crippled; if you cut off its head, it dies. But if you cut off a starfish's leg it grows a new one, and the old leg can grow into an entirely new starfish.

What's the hidden power behind the success of Wikipedia, craigslist, and Skype? What do eBay and General Electric have in common with the abolitionist and women's rights movements? What fundamental choice put General Motors and Toyota on vastly different paths? How could winning a Supreme Court case be the biggest mistake MGM could have made?

After five years of ground-breaking research, Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom share some unexpected answers, gripping stories, and a tapestry of unlikely connections. The Starfish and the Spider argues that organizations fall into two categories: traditional “spiders,” which have a rigid hierarchy and top-down leadership, and revolutionary “starfish,” which rely on the power of peer relationships.

The Starfish and the Spider explores what happens when starfish take on spiders (such as the music industry vs. Napster, Kazaa, and the P2P services that followed). It reveals how established companies and institutions, from IBM to Intuit to the US government, are also learning how to incorporate starfish principles to achieve success. The book explores:
* How the Apaches fended off the powerful Spanish army for 200 years
* The power of a simple circle
* The importance of catalysts who have an uncanny ability to bring people together
* How the Internet has become a breeding ground for leaderless organizations
* How Alcoholics Anonymous has reached untold millions with only a shared ideology and without a leader

The Starfish and the Spider is the rare book that will change how you understand the world around you. BACKCOVER: Advance praise for The Starfish and the Spider
“The Starfish and the Spider is a compelling and important book.”
—Pierre Omidyar, CEO, Omidyar Network and Founder and Chairman, eBay Inc.

“The Starfish and the Spider, like Blink, The Tipping Point, and The Wisdom of Crowds before it, showed me a provocative new way to look at the world and at business. It's also fun to read!”
—Robin Wolaner, founder, Parenting Magazine and author, Naked in the Boardroom

“A fantastic read. Constantly weaving stories and connections. You'll never see the world the same way again.”
—Nicholas J. Nicholas Jr., former Co-CEO, Time Warner

“A must-read. Starfish are changing the face of business and society. This page-turner is provocative and compelling.”

—David Martin, CEO, Young Presidents' Organization
“The Starfish and the Spider provides a powerful prism for understanding the patterns and potential of self-organizing systems.”
—Steve Jurvetson, Partner, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
“The Starfish and the Spider lifts the lid on a massive revolution in the making, a revolution certain to reshape every organization on the planet from bridge clubs to global governments. Brafman and Beckstrom elegantly describe what is afoot and offer a wealth of insights that will be invaluable to anyone starting something new—or rescuing something old—amidst this vast shift.”
—Paul Saffo, Director, Institute for the Future

“The Starfish and the Spider is great reading. [It has] not only stimulated my thinking, but as a result of the reading, I proposed ten action points for my own organization."
—Professor Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum

Customer Reviews:

Insightful.......2007-06-06

An interesting book on interesting subject.
Decentralization literature is not new, but the author uses a diversified set of examples.
However, most examples used for successful starfish (decentralized) organizations are not profit making companies, such as emule and craigslist.
Still, the book will definitely make you look at organizations and industries in a different way.

Cindy Sheehan' Starfish Moment.......2007-06-02

Cindy Sheehan is leaving the anti-war movement to which she gave so much life, energy, and focus. She will be back, no doubt, in some form. I wish her well in restoring herself and renewing her own life. But I firmly disagree (and this is a blue-moon moment) with William R. Pitt that "Anyone glad for her departure from activism is celebrating a disaster."

While I doubt I'd use the word "glad" to describe my own feelings, certainly "relieved" qualifies. At any rate, in no way does "disaster" describe this moment. Quite the contrary: this woman endured everything from divorce to death threats to arrest to public taunting and ridicule from the mass media; it is time she retreated and renewed.

There is also a broader theme to this, which I am going to explain with a book review. Yes, a book review. The book is The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations. The authors are Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom, and they have written one of the most crystalline gems of social insight that I have seen in any non-fiction these past 20 years. In a mere 200 pages of text, these two Stanford grads provide more clarity of perspective on our society, its group psychologies and cultural transformations, than you are likely to get from a shelf full of punditry or a year's worth of television. I do not think I am overstating the case for this book: it is the most important and clarion piece of non-fiction to arise in this first decade of the 21st century. It is a book made for, and by, its era.

The metaphor of the title is a comparison of "top-down", hierarchically-structured groups and organizations, such as we are all familiar with in corporate America and government (that's the spider, who can be made lame from the loss of its legs and dead from decapitation); and the fresh wave of decentralized, leaderless, or non-hierarchical organizations that have become such a force in society over the past decade of the Internet (this is the "starfish," which can be chopped up into numerous pieces, each of which will respond by growing a new organism or member).

The book opens with a heady analysis of how a starfish phenomenon evolved in one particular category: the P2P file sharing services in the Napster/Grokster model. The authors show how the early versions of these spontaneous organizations got stuck in "spider" mode, and were therefore eventually trapped and killed by big corporate media and its legal juggernaut. But these Napster-type experiments benefited from such attacks by a response of ever-increasing differentiation, diversification, and "starfish"-style regrowth. Brafman and Beckstrom finally lead the reader to the eMule service, which took decentralization to the point of anonymity and total leaderlessness. Big Media cannot attack an entity like eMule, because it has no head, no governance, no bank accounts: there is nothing for a legal or corporate machine to assault, except for individual users of the service, who, aside from being virtually innumerable, are mostly children and rarely wealthy.

The authors go on to reveal both the beauty and the danger inherent in the starfish-mode of organizational being, drawing examples as diverse as Wikipedia and al Qaeda. Along the way, they present portraits of environmental groups, activist organizations, online merchants, and Internet services. But if this book stopped with mere sketches of eBay, Alcoholics Anonymous, Apache, craigslist, Goodwill Industries, and IBM, then it would be merely an interesting intellectual snack for the MBA crowd.

The Starfish and the Spider becomes a banquet of cultural insight because it digs past the surface that so many pundits and social commentators stop to admire. Brafman and Beckstrom turn the starfish on its back, examine it in varying light, carry it into vastly disparate environments, and constantly ask questions of it. In doing so, they discover some principles and characteristics common to starfish organizations and the people who inspire and influence their growth.

One of their most fascinating discoveries is in the figure of what they term "the catalyst." It is here that we are brought back to Cindy Sheehan (this is my own connection, so if you think it's a stupid association, don't blame the authors of the book). The catalyst is the person who founds a starfish group, the one who gives it form, ideas, value, focus, and meaning. Examples of catalysts that Brafman and Beckstrom offer are:

# Granville Sharp, leader of the abolitionist movement against slavery in England

# Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who founded the women's suffrage movement that Susan B. Anthony later took up with still greater energy

# Craig Newmark of craigslist

# Bill Wilson of AA

One thing the authors point out is that

a catalyst is like the architect of a house: he's essential to the long-term structural integrity, but he doesn't move in. In fact, when the catalyst stays around too long and becomes absorbed in his creation, the whole structure becomes more centralized.

So one common feature to the life and health of a growing decentralized movement or organization is that the catalyst almost always leaves or at least recedes into the mesh of the whole, once the group has matured enough to work autonomously and to withstand assault. Whenever a catalyst attempts to assume a traditional, CEO-type of leadership role, the organization loses its dynamism, its life as a starfish, and becomes a centralized, hierarchical spider--much easier to mark, and then suppress or assimilate.

For a corporate entity, this may not necessarily be a bad thing: growth-as-profit, after all, can be nurtured in a traditional corporate management structure. But growth-as-message can become stilled or silenced when there's a top dog in place, approving this, denying that; or simply being a figurehead in a particular place as the focus of activism or just attention.

The anti-war movement has benefited enormously from Cindy Sheehan's presence, personality, experience, and energy. We have admired her from afar for some two years now: I first wrote about her here (note also that the fractiousness and in-fighting that Sheehan noted in her parting statement existed way back then, too).

Since then, however, the movement has grown, thanks largely to Sheehan's example and leadership. But I agree with Brafman and Beckstrom, that a time inevitably comes for every starfish organization when its formative human force must retreat. In our own democracy's formative stage, George Washington had to decline the crown that his followers attempted to place on his head. Other catalysts have had to spurn a crown or a corner office, and always for the good of the whole, for the sake of the movement's continued growth.

Since Sheehan first camped out in George Bush's backyard, Code Pink, IVAW, and hundreds of other "starfish arms and legs" have formed around her and taken on their own life in the anti-war sea. It is time that these organisms were allowed to share in both the light and the tribulation, the accolades and the calumny.

The blogosphere--itself a starfish organization--has benefited from Sheehan's influence and example. I think she recognizes this as well, and thus chose Daily Kos as the forum for her parting message. It is perhaps only seemingly ironic that the world wide web is perhaps the least "spidery" vehicle of communication on earth today. Only on the Internet, for example, could you find a science writer for a stodgy paper like the New York Times writing a scathing indictment of the Bush administration--it happened today.

As Brafman and Beckstrom point out in their book, this kind of seeming chaos is unique to a starfish-style organization: "When you give people freedom, you get chaos, but you also get incredible creativity." Even on the website of a spider organization like the New York Times.

Clearly, we probably need more chaos; and we certainly need more creativity. Congress has failed to carry out the will of the people, because it cannot respond to the fluid movement of the starfish; it is too mired in its own iron-stranded matrix of excess, corruption, deceit, and self-indulgence. As the authors of The Starfish and the Spider indicate, we can only overcome the turgid inertia of Washington politics by redoubling the starfish energy of the anti-war movement. In other words, it is time for a catalyst to step into the background, so that the whole is given renewed life. And so that a long-suffering and heroic Mom can once more feel the quiet joys of private life that the rest of us so often take for granted.

posted by Brian Donohue @ 5/31/2007

wow.......2007-06-01

If you underestad the meaning of this book and try to aply to a your work, company or organization...you will be part of the future.

Well Written, Insightful.......2007-05-25

This was a good book; well researched, entertaining and insightful. Brafman's conversational writing style and relevant historical references made this a great weekend read.

Loss for Leadership.......2007-05-17

This book gives you hope that there is a way to influence change in our society on a small but vast scale. I found the author's examples fascinating and, more importantly replicable. It's a quick read and keeps your attention. It would be a great text for sociology students or organizational behaviorists -- Steve

Average customer rating:

The Goal
Theory of Constraints explained and its wide applications revealed
A Great Read
IME415- review
The New Economics by W. Edwards Deming

The Goal
Eliyahu M. Goldratt , and Jeff Cox
Manufacturer: North River Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0884271781

Book Description

Over 2 million copies sold! Used by thousands of companies and hundreds of business schools! Required reading for anyone interested in the Theory of Constraints. This book, which introduces the Theory of Constraints, is changing how America does business. The Goal is a gripping, fast-paced business novel about overcoming the barriers to making money. You will learn the fundamentals of identifying and solving the problems created by constraints. From the moment you finish the book you will be able to start successfully addressing chronic productivity and quality problems.

Customer Reviews:

The Goal.......2007-06-08

If you told me that a story about cost accounting in a factory would be interesting I would say you are nutts. However this story is extremely will written & entertaining thru the first 80%. The finish concerning philosophy could be left off.
I would listen to the book until I reached the end of a chapter because it was interesting even when I had arrived at my driving distination.
I do have an accounting background so that may affect my opinion.

Theory of Constraints explained and its wide applications revealed.......2007-06-03

The Goal is a fascinating book about the Theory of Constraints which was introduced to the world by Eliyahu Goldratt. I must admit the title didn't appeal much to me, but bought it anyway because it was recommended highly. After reading it, I realized that the title was perfect since it plays well into the questioning that needs to take place in order to identify the constraint or bottleneck in an organization. The book is written as a novel, which makes the book a lot easier to read and also a lot more entertaining
Alex Rogo is a plant manager and at the beginning of the novel is greeted at his plant by the VP who informs him that his production numbers need to improve or they will be shutting down the plant. Of course, during all this mess Rogo is also going through a rocky marriage and throughout the book the reader is taken through the struggle of both issues.
Alex seeks advice from an old Physicist from Israel named Jonah. Jonah takes Alex through the Socratic method of analysis which is the way Alex then communicates with his management team to solve the issues causing the low throughput in the factory. The conversations that take place between Jonah, Alex and the entire management team are extremely interesting and informative. I wonder how often this level of discussion actually takes place, but it sure makes for interesting reading.
A lot of the applications of the theory of constraints, although they take place in the factory, could be easily implemented in all industries.
Mr. Goldratt has written a business book that will remain relevant for many years to come. I highly recommend this incredible business book. Anyone who does business consulting and does not read and use the information on this book is doing his/her clients a great disservice.

A Great Read.......2007-06-02

This book is not only entertaining and educational, but in actuality represents some of the manufacturing organizations today. It teaches many lessons and fundamentals that one can apply to improve his company. It touches on topics that are highly practiced on the field of industrial and manufacturing companies such as bottleneck operation, process scheduling, theory of constraints, and batch processing. The book transitions from a division plant being in trouble of closing down to its complete turnaround to become not only the most productive division plant, but the plant that saved the company. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Goldratt systematically went through the process of improvement and methods that the plant manager utilized to turn around his division plant. Having studied these topics that the book touched upon prior to reading made it easy for me to see the relevance of what was going on through out the novel. I strongly feel that the insight this novel gave me in regards to the process of ongoing improvement is something that I will be able make good use off in my career.

IME415- review.......2007-06-02

I expected the Goal to be a typical business book, however was surprised that it was an easy read, most likely because it was in novel form. I was also surprised at the relatable characters and how the plot was developed to include both his professional and personal life. Goldratt did a good job at making the concepts of the story easily understandable, well described, and generally applicable to many different situations. Because of Goldratt's introduction and explanation of the different problem solving methods, the book can be understood by anyone who has a basic knowledge of industry. Overall I thought the book was well written to keep the readers attention and universally relevant and beneficial to anyone in the industry (managers, engineers, operators, etc.). I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in new ideas that can help increase efficiency, understand how to improve systems, and problem solving.

The New Economics by W. Edwards Deming.......2007-06-01

This book help illustrate a better way to manage and to use statistical control to understand a companys system. I would recommend this book to anybody interested in how statistical control got started and how to use it.

Management of Organizational Behavior: Leading Human Resources (8th Edition)

Average customer rating:

A 'must have' for all leaders.
Management of Organizational Behavior
Goes where few texts dare to go: the real-world
All about Leadership!!! Must read!
Organized!

Management of Organizational Behavior: Leading Human Resources (8th Edition)
Paul Hersey , Kenneth H. Blanchard , and Dewey E. Johnson
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Leadership: Research Findings, Practice, and Skills

ASIN: 0130175986

Book Description

Used by more than a million people throughout the world, this highly readable book provides a comprehensive examination of the applied behavioral sciences, and focuses on fundamental ideas which have stood the test of years of application in academic, business, not-for-profit and administrative environments. Complete coverage of motivation and behavior, situational leadership, building effective relationships, planning and implementing change, leadership strategies, the organizational cone and integrating situational leadership with the Classics. For individuals interested in expanding their knowledge of, and proficiency in leadership strategies.

Customer Reviews:

A 'must have' for all leaders........2006-06-17

If you take your job as a business leader seriously, this book is a 'must have'. As a business coach I use it in my practice with great success. For leaders (and managers who think they are leaders) and their teams it's an eye-opener. It gives insight in what it takes to turn a good team into a great team, and what great leadership is all about. If you want to be more effective as a leader and take your team to the highest level of readiness, read this book. It will change your life....and of those you lead.

Management of Organizational Behavior.......2005-02-26

Not too bad as these books go but a tremendous amount of verbiage explaining the obvious. Excellent example of turning simple concepts in complex charts and definitions. I would imagine that people in the field love this hyperbole but it's BS to me and pretty much a waste of time to drudge though all of it.

Goes where few texts dare to go: the real-world.......2004-03-15

I recommend this to managers as much as students.

Sure, the price seems like a lot of cash to shell out at first. But trust me, it is worth it. I had to read it for a Management class, and it started of like a typical OB text, illustrating the history of management studies (Taylor to Maslow to Mayo to Likert to ...). Good stuff, but pretty dull. Then, Hersey et al went where most scholars, even the supposedly worldly MBA types, fear to tread: real-world application!

The text covers all of the material covered Blanchard's "One Minute Manager," "Putting the One Minute Manager to Work," and a shelf load of other books. It also does a great job introducing Blanchard and Hersey's Situational Leadership, where the manager matches leadership behavior to a report's ability level and motivation. This replaces "Leadership and the One Minute Manager," and delves much deeper into the topic.

Hersey et al also cover:
- Behavioral shaping, and positive and negative reinforcement quite nicely
- Communications skills necessary to lead reports
- Power building, and using effective power bases ...
- The list literally goes on and on.

I use the concepts I was first exposed to here day in and day out. They work. My OB professor told us that, if he would be limited to just one book on management, he would choose this one. And, five years later, I agree. I am very glad that I did not sell this book back to the campus bookstore. I consult the book at least once a week while pondering both thorny and maundane problems with my employees.

You see, Dr. Davis? Some of us do listen.

All about Leadership!!! Must read!.......2003-06-13

This book is one of my favorites! It leads you first through a complete review of management and leadership theories, then introduces the authors' famous SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP model and theory. This book goes into great depth about the sit-lead model and theory, and is a great read. Want to be a better leader??? Read the book by the experts! ...

Organized!.......2001-12-29

I was first introduced to Situational Leadership in the military quite a few years ago. This book did a great job of dusting off the cobwebs in the memory and proving that Situational Leadership is still a viable means of leading your people.

The book provides an overview of various management and human behavior theories, such as Maslow, Herzberg, Schein, Argyris, and McGregor. Then, fits them into a nice model deemed Situational Leadership. I must say that I've read the majority of the theories already and they do fit. Plus, if followed, the model is very effective in helping a leader in real world situations.

If you buy this book, you receive a host of valuable information. I think, besides involving you with the Situational Leadership model, the best attributes are the extensive lists of additional reading that are provided to you at the end of each chapter, and at the end of the book. If you're on a journey to better yourself as a manager and leader, the exhaustive list is well worth the price of the book. It saves you from buying the duds and "fadish" management/leadership books on-line without the ability to have them in your hands prior to purchase. Plus, the book gives you a good preview to the information contained in a book before you buy it.

All in all, if you're going to invest some time and money in a management/leadership book, definitely buy this book. You need to know this information and have it at your fingertips if you're going to survive in the organizational human behavior world as a leader.

Organizational Behavior
Average customer rating:

It's a great book

Good textbook

a textbook worth buying

Very confused, unnecessarily complicated, and above all - dull.

horrible service

Organizational Behavior
John R., Jr. Schermerhorn , James G. Hunt , and Richard N. Osborn
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

The Ropes to Skip and the Ropes to Know: Studies in Organizational Behavior

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ASIN: 0471681709

Book Description

Now revised to address the recent changes in the workplace, Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn’s Organizational Behavior, Ninth Edition sets organizational behavior within a framework of personal and organizational transformation, while retaining its solid base of theory and application. Prepare yourself for the changing workplace. The Ninth Edition features the theme of organizational behavior in changing times, anchored by a new Chapter 2 that introduces you to current issues in organizational behavior. Edition after edition, this text has established a reputation for its effective presentation of current theory and research in a student-centered context. The Ninth Edition further strengthens that tradition with new Research Insight boxes in each chapter that summarize relevant cutting-edge research reports. Changing times offer new insights from real-life change agents. Leaders on Leadership features for every chapter in the Ninth Edition bring you face-to-face with the experiences and perspectives of today’s change leaders––Rudy Giuliani, Carly Fiorina, Earl Graves, and others.

Customer Reviews:

It's a great book.......2007-02-18

It's a helpful book to have a better understanding of organizational behavior.

Good textbook.......2007-01-24

I enjoyed this textbook in my Leadership and Organizational Behavior class. Explains concepts well. Definitely a text to keep in my library.

a textbook worth buying.......2006-11-07

I have seen other people's review, and I must say that because people have different needs and expectations, so our ratings and opinions about this book is different.

I used this book one year ago for my class, and after the final, I sold the book, and now I am taking OB again in grad school, and even though I don't have this book anymore, I took detailed notes while reading this book, and the theories and concepts I wrote in my notes enabled me to support my arguments in my analysis paper. When I was writing my paper, I was thinking that if I still had my textbook, it would be great. (I kind of regret now that I sold the book one year ago.) This book tells you all the fundamental things you need to know about OB, and it also has many self-assessment tests at the end of the textbook). The textbook I am using now for my current class is just a composition of a bunch of articles (kind of like a reader). I feel glad that I had read this textbook before and kept the detailed notes on each chapter, because it helps me understand the basics easier than my classmates who have only read the reader.

Very confused, unnecessarily complicated, and above all - dull........2006-09-18

If you're made to buy this book you have every right to hate the professor that makes you do so. This book is a punishment! Not only is it very expensive, but it also offers information that it is not relevant to the real world at all.

There are some positive sides in this book after all. There are quick references on almost every page to make it easier to follow the chapter; there are good graphs the explanations to the graphs as well as the general argument do fit (more or less). There are also case studies, a fairly solid web page, and self-assessment questions that are helpful to get through with this material.

However, the style is unnecessarily pompous, filled with theories that make no or only very little sense; the information presented is way to shallow to really understand what the authors are getting at, yet miraculously they manage to fill the book with more than 500 pages with endless waffle. In some places, the author's even contradict themselves, which is the most impressive thing about this book.

Generally only two stars are awarded for this book, as it really is a waste of money and time, however if you have to read this insult for any intellectual mind, you will find some help to make nonsense into a science. Good luck to you!

horrible service.......2006-02-25

i never even got this book because apparently its not a book yet amazons web site said it was. it took me 4 phone calls with 4 different customer service reps for some one to figure that out. all they gave me for the inconvenance was a 15 dollar amazon gift card which i tryed to use and doesn't work. i still don't have the book i needed and it is 4 weeks into the semester. i have baought other things from amazon and gotten them but this expeirance makes me never want to use amazon again. i would like to give you a review of the actual book but i never recieved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kiss Theory Good Bye: Five Proven Ways to Get Extraordinary Results in Any Company

Average customer rating:

Get Ready To Take Action NOW . . .
Wisdom you can actually use!
Move Over Jack Welch!
A must-have book for knowledge workers, managers, C-levels
The Best Book since First, Break All The Rules

Kiss Theory Good Bye: Five Proven Ways to Get Extraordinary Results in Any Company
Bob Prosen
Manufacturer: Gold Pen Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0977684806

Book Description

KISS THEORY GOOD BYE

NEW BUSINESS BOOK GIVES TEXTBOOK THEORY THE BIG KISS OFF!

Business Expert Writes the Playbook on 'How To' Rapidly Increase Performance and Profit in Any Company.

Bob Prosen cuts like a laser through the fog of political correctness and business-as-usual in his new book, Kiss Theory Good Bye: Five Proven Ways to Get Extraordinary Results in Any Company.

Prosen says he's had enough of the business books that tell readers what to do rather than how. "Forget the platitudes and feel-good anecdotes from a few CEOs and business gurus. Get to the point—the how-to details that can actually help leaders get the results they need in the companies they run," Prosen counsels.

With the same genius that he used to turn around inherited, underperforming operations within 12 to 18 months in some of the world's most prominent companies including AT&T, Sprint, Hitachi, NCR, and Sabre, Prosen delivers a straightforward, no-nonsense, battle proven guide to accelerate performance and profits in any organization.

"A smart business leader can achieve unprecedented bottom-line results by forsaking abstract discussions and vague textbook theory, shutting down endless excuses, killing off company politics, holding people accountable, and simply doing things that clearly work," says Prosen.

Kiss Theory Good Bye shows you how to quickly and consistently achieve extraordinary results in leadership, sales effectiveness, operational excellence, financial management, and customer loyalty.

Packed with easy to follow, step-by-step instructions, this book will show you how to

•Achieve consistent results, quarter after quarter
•Align your entire workforce to meet the organization's top objectives
•Increase accountability so you get the results you need
•Attract and retain top talent
•Beat your competition and lock in customer loyalty
•Reduce costs while increasing quality
•React less and have more time to plan
•Make your job easier and your organization run more smoothly

Contrary to the book's seemingly corporate focus, readers quickly point out that his business execution principles apply equally to not-for-profit organizations. As Los Angeles Unified School District Business Manager Michael A. Eugene reports, "Kiss Theory Good Bye is a compelling read, offering a toolbox to public- and private-sector managers alike to help establish clear focus, increase accountability, effective management, and measurable outcomes."

While other business books try to tell you what to do to run your business better, faster and for greater profit, Bob Prosen's Kiss Theory Good Bye gives you the tools and step-by-step directions to make it happen. For leaders who demand superior results, Kiss Theory Good Bye delivers the goods for taking immediate - and lasting - action.

My goal for sharing my knowledge and experiences is to give you the answers you need to immediately enable your enterprise to achieve its full potential. Leaders want their ideas and initiatives consistently carried out without hassle and rework. They want accountability, and value results over theory. I wrote Kiss Theory Good Bye with two principles in mind. First, theory would be replaced with proven tools, tactics, and answers that get results. Second, all of the information must be relevant and directly applicable to today's business challenges without the need for translation.

Until now this information has only been available piecemeal, leaving you to find, assemble, and translate it to fit your business. You might have gathered some of it through mentors, by trial and error, or by surviving the "school of hard knocks." But by the time you finish reading Kiss Theory Good Bye, you will have the answers you need to immediately begin improving results throughout your entire organization. And you will find that this book will remain a useful resource for quick, proven answers to resolve your most pressing business challenges.

Customer Reviews:

Get Ready To Take Action NOW . . ........2007-06-27

I'm action oriented and view theory as a necessary evil. When consulting a business management book I want to know what I can do to IMMEDIATELY impact my business. Kiss Theory Good Bye was written expressly for me.

It's not enough to know the basics, and theoretical constructs are of limited help when you're in the trenches. This book is the bare knuckle fist fight of business books; true hand-to-hand combat. It's a virtual blueprint that can be customized and followed to propel your organization to excellence. Although the book itself is a short 218 pages, no space is wasted on needless chatter on unproven concepts. It gives you the tools needed to implement practical management techniques that generate results.

The broad strokes are pretty obvious. For example, his "five attributes of highly profitable companies" that include 1) Superior Leadership, 2) Sales Effectiveness, 3) Operational Excellence, 4) Financial Management, and 5) Customer Loyalty are fairly well-known concepts. But how do you implement them? That's where Bob Prosen makes the rubber meet the road. Step-by-step he gives you a roadmap to follow that helps you put concepts and theories into practice.

Be prepared to do your homework! While the author provides the blueprint, YOU must provide the details. It's your business. If you don't thoroughly understand how your business operates (or should operate) then no book is going to help, theoretical or not. Fill in the blanks and follow the plan and you should see dramatic results in your organization.

Wisdom you can actually use!.......2007-05-05

Perhaps the most popular professor at the Edgewood College MBA program is Joe Hahn, who teaches a Strategic Management course, and is also the VP of a $13 billion company. Students love Joe because he's a no-nonsense kind of guy who focuses on making decisions, getting results, and not pondering theories and possibilities until the end of time. Well, Kiss Theory Goodbye is a book that Joe would love! Here's why:
Bob Prosen has managed to put together an action-oriented how-to manual that will make anyone a better decision maker. It's a surprisingly compelling, readable volume (most books of this type are neither) with specific ideas and real-world examples of how a business leader can obtain results in virtually every area of an organization!

Prosen's direct, disarmingly straightforward style addresses such key issues as the "victim mentality" or the office politics that can slow down an organization and keep it from moving forward. He emphasizes in no uncertain terms the critical need to measure customer satisfaction (and, indeed, anything that a company values) and focus on forging ahead rather than perpetually having ineffective, time-wasting meetings that focus on talk instead of solutions. What's the alternative to taking home countless pages of essential financial reports that ultimately never get read? How should compensation issues be addressed effectively? These are just some of the important issues this book covers.

Of course this is a handbook more than a comprehensive analysis--as it would probably take several volumes to address such a vast array of issues: But perhaps therein lies its value. It's a starting point; a spring board that can generate action-oriented thinking--and most business leaders could use precisely that kind of tool!

Move Over Jack Welch!.......2007-05-02

Bob Prosen's book should be taught in every business school in the country. He gives direct advice from what he learned in the trenches of running large corporations. I run a small business but I discovered something in every chapter of the book applied to me and what I'm trying to accomplish. I really liked the idea about having a "one page report" you can reference that tells you everything you need to know about how your business is operating. This report should have every important aspect of your business measured as a number and should alert you when one of the numbers isn't within the range you want it to be.

Bob Prosen is a great speaker as well as author. If you get a chance to attend one of his presentations, I guarantee you will take something away that will fundamentally change the way you look at your business.

Mark Morris
Dental Salon

A must-have book for knowledge workers, managers, C-levels.......2007-05-01

Bob Prosen's book Kiss Theory Good Bye: Five Proven Ways to Get Extraordinary Results in Any Company is unique. Yes, we know of balanced scorecards and strategy maps, but Prosen's book is easy to execute, not requiring corporate-wide buy in to track success. A single manager or C-level can implement any of Prosen's recommended metrics for success. It offers practical advice, not academic theories, on execution models with actionable techniques that workers, managers, and C-levels can deploy to remove roadblocks that prevent companies from achieving profitability and desired results.

If you're a knowledge worker, check out this book so you can understand how your results contribute to your company's success. Be proactive about how you can come up with ways to help sales or operations. If you're a manager or C-level, Prosen's book will help you understand why some of your company's habits may be restraining your performance. It will enhance your understanding of how superior leadership, sales effectiveness, operational excellence, financial management, and customer loyalty drive profitability, providing you with execution models and measures to achieve desired results.

The Best Book since First, Break All The Rules.......2007-04-09

Not since First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently, have I read a great business book... and I've read hundreds since then. Too many business books nowadays are actually white papers that have been stretched and jammed into a hardcover.

Bob Prosen's finite insight and use cases into what makes great companies tick is dead on. Working in the software industry, we've been in the clouds since the dot-com boom and few companies have been able to capitalize on their products and services.

This book is a roadmap for anyone who wishes to succeed in modern business. If you want to learn about leading people, pick up Buckingham's book. If you want to learn how to lead a company, pick up Prosen's book. This book should be on every business leaders' reading list.

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