Book Description
Business
Customer Reviews:
Learn to Recognize How You Undermine Yourself.......2006-03-06
This short (and relatively inexpensive) book will help you recognize where your behavior is getting in the way of your success at work.
Bramson emphasizes the importance of seeking and really listening to the feedback you get from others without being defensive, since it often points to areas where you need to change or grow. He notes that many managers are not comfortable giving feedback directly, so they hint around the issues and hope the people under them will be able to read between the lines.
He also points out some additional pitfalls, such as what doing feels right in a situation may not be the best course of action, and that choosing behavior that moves us ahead does not come naturally.
An encouraging point is that we don't need to get rid of our bad habits, but we do need to modify or manage them to keep them from managing us. Bramson's model for image repair is very helpful, and for me was worth the price of the book.
If you are tired of tripping over the same old behaviors at work, try Bramson's prescriptions.
What your boss doesn't tell you book review.......2006-02-09
Not a lot new in this book. It focuses most on correcting really dysfunctional behavior, not on subtle defects.
Excellent Guide to the Prevention of Self-Sabotage.......2005-03-16
Watching several people I admire repeatedly sabotage their careers by failing to recognize and fix the same recurring personality problems caused me to take a break from German-Jewish history and read this book. I have been an employer and an employee, both boss and bossed, and believe that we all can use a good (emphasize "good") self-help book now and then. This book enables the reader to pinpoint self-defeating behaviors and correct them, or at least control them.
In my experience, there are three categories of criticism. The first one is task-related, and your boss will almost always give it to you: "This presentation should be reorganized." "We need a better argument for ...." "Next time include slides on the overhead projector." The second category is personal, but easily fixable, and your boss will give it to you (perhaps with some trepidation): "A tube top is just not 'business casual.'" "You need to start being on time for the 7:00 am meetings." The third category is what your boss will not tell you until it's too late: "you turn people off," "you are too aggressive" or "you are too indecisive." The reason she won't is that these criticisms are of difficult-to-describe personality traits and the message is always uncomfortable to deliver.
Unfortunately, the problems that your boss will not discuss with you (until after you have lost that promotion or job) are the very problems that are the most serious and can have the biggest ramifications for your career. That's where this book comes in. It contains a step-by-step process for identifying your trouble spots and addressing them. If you're not brave enough to actually engage people in discussions about your flaws (as the book suggests), it contains several chapters on common personality problems and suggested substitute behaviors. It also contains a chapter on repairing your image, if it comes to that.
The book takes a non-judgmental approach, pointing out that many personality characteristics may be hereditary. Yet, that makes it no less important to address them. (For example, if you knew that you had a gene which predisposed you to getting lung cancer, wouldn't you be even more careful not to smoke?) I learned a great deal from this book. Since none of us is perfect, I would highly recommend the book to anyone who wants to catch and fix bad behaviors early on, before they can ruin your career.
Great and Useful.......2000-03-06
I found this book to be quite useful, it gives you a different perspective on your job, and how others may be viewing what you do. It helps you to think out of your box.
Book Description
A practical guide to ensuring your child's success in school.What makes children succeed in school? For the past twenty years, the focus has been on building children's self-esteem to help them achieve more in the classoom. But positive reinforcement hasn't necessarily resulted in measureable academic improvement. Through extensive research, combined with ongoing classroom implementation of their ideas, Deborah Stipek, Dean of the School of Education at Stanford, and Kathy Seal have created a program that will encourage motivation and a love of learning in children from toddlerhood through elementary school. Stipek and Seal maintain that parents and teachers can build a solid foundation for learning by helping children to develop the key elements of success: competency, autonomy, curiosity, and critical relationships. The authors offer both practical advice on understanding different learning styles and down-to-earth tips about how to manage difficult issues -- competition, grades, praise, bribes, and rewards -- that inevitably arise for parents and teachers.Most important, Stipek and Seal help parents create an enriching environment for their children at home that will mesh with the school experience and become a positive, effective climate for learning.
Customer Reviews:
A very good reference book for parents.......2006-03-04
Wouldn't it be wonderful if a child is motivated and is willing and wanting to learn by himself, just because he WANTS to?
This book has given me so many ideas.
Parents who really want to put more effort in helping their children should read this book.
Great tips for all ages.......2003-09-05
This is an all ages book on how children learn and how parents can help them -- what to do and not do. Let me quote: "Although this book focuses on children from babyhood through elementary school, its general principles and recommendations apply to children of all ages, and even to adults. Everyone can follow the self-motivation model you will read about in upcoming chapters: the cycle of working hard, persisting to overcome obstacles, and being energized to do more by the feelings of pleasure brought by newly gained confidence." It's based on the latest research. This book opened my eyes to the inadequacy of my own education: I worked for grades, not to learn. I made great grades, but what did I learn? Not much. Even now, I have bad "learning" skills. My curiosity has been quashed by the desire to perform and get the job done. This book also covers choosing schools, toys, "getting smart" instead of "being smart," the harmfulness of grades and competition. Also included is what to say and not say to your child. This book will stay on my shelf for years!
Stellar.......2002-05-10
This book is, without question, the best book available for anyone who is a parent (or intends to eventually become a parent) and wants to preserve or increase their children's intrinsic motivation to learn. If you want children to WANT to learn, to learn WELL, to ENJOY learning, and to CONTINUE learning even after their schooling has ended, there is no finer book than this one. It also will be a fantastic contribution for any person who teaches or intends to eventually teach. I recommend this without question!!
SUPER REFERENCE FOR PARENTS.......2001-04-07
This book answers a lot of questions I've had about parenting. It has good sections on how and when to use rewards, when and how to praise your kids, when you should tell them "Do this now!" and when you should let go. I especially liked a chapter on intelligence where they explain why it's better to emphasize that intelligence isn't a fixed quality. I had never thought about this before but found that it is useful for keeping your kids encouraged in school.
I found that I already do some of the things this book recommends - like reading to my children -- but that they also suggested interesting ways to "stop nagging" my kids yet still have them do their homework, ways to help them do well on standardized tests yet face them calmly, and ways to ensure their self-esteem. One thing I found especially useful was two chapters on choosing schools. They give very specific instructions on how to judge a preschool and what to look for when you visit elementary schools. It gave me a list of questions to ask take when I looked at a preschool for my son recently, so I feel now that I can make decisions based on research and not just instinct.
The best thing about this book is that is a good read. There are lots of examples and suggestions for what to do and what to say, even a quiz to give yourself. This is a book I would definitely give at baby showers, because it's a guide you can refer to from babyhood onward.
Motivated Minds.......2001-04-05
This book should be required reading for all parents. Carefully researched, this book lets you know how a child can learn to love learning and how a parent can help that process. The book is written in a beautiful flowing style so there is not a minute of boredom. Research facts and stories intertwine to demonstrate exactly what children need to succeed.
Book Description
As an exciting sequel to his smash business bestseller 100 Ways to Motivate Others, Steve Chandler has teamed with Sam Beckford to write an astonishing wake-up call to the more than 20 million people in the United States and Canada who now own small businesses but don't know how to make them really pay off.
By exposing the nine most common (and often fatal) myths in business, Chandler and Beckford offer simple and inspired solutions to the self-induced problems created by small business owners every day. The surprising truths countering each lie - lies such as "It Takes Money to Make Money," "I Am A Victim of Circumstance," and "I Can Do This On My Own"—have been battle-tested for years by Sam Beckford and his hundreds of successful small business coaching clients.
Now, these same truths are delivered to millions of eager readers with the added kick of Chandler's trademark lively and entertaining writing style and powerful self-motivational tools. This book tells you not only how to guarantee that your business will be profitable, but also how to motivate yourself each day to do it!
Steve Chandler is one of America's best-selling authors whose eight books—including the bestsellers 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself and Reinventing Yourself—have been translated into more than 11 languages. Chandler is also a world-famous public speaker who was described by four-time Emmy-award winning PBS screen writer Fred Knipe as "an insane combination of Anthony Robbins and Jerry Seinfeld." Chandler was recently named to the faculty at the University of Santa Monica where he teaches in the graduate program of soul-centered leadership.
Sam Beckford is known throughout the United States and Canada as the "Small Business Millionaire." A five-time business failure who became a millionaire on attempt number six, his story has been told in books, on radio and television, and used in seminars across North America to help other business owners convert their own failures into successes. Beckford has successfully coached and been consulted by hundreds of business owners on how to get extraordinary results from ordinary small businesses, based on lessons from his own real-life experience.
Customer Reviews:
Attention Entrepreneurs!.......2007-01-22
If you don't read any other book this year, READ THIS BOOK!
Imagine going home at the end of the day with a feeling of contentment that your business is actually working "for" you instead of you working for your business. That dream can come true if you apply the concepts in this easy to read book.
Lee Manns, MA, MBA
Executive Coach
Every Business Owner Should Read.......2007-01-16
Absolutely a must read for a small business owner. It will make you rethink things.
Give your Business a Chance by Reading this Book!.......2006-09-18
I know, I know; you are downtrodden and are frustrated with your business. You try everything, lowering your prices, advertising and nothing seems to work. I tell you, I'm in that same spot, but I am climbing out of that hole and I'm going to make a difference thanks to this book.
I was wandering aimlessly through a bookstore, a bit down about my failing business. I randomly came across this book, "9 Lies...". Since I like to know the truth, I figured knowing what the lies are would be helpful to me.
Boy, was I right.
I sat down in the store and read the first chapter. I was completely humiliated and deeply offended by the first chapter: "I just need to know how to do this." I thought, honestly, that it was right on, that it wasn't a lie. Steve and Sam basically tell you, point blank, that it isn't that simple. It's not about the "how". It is about the "want". We as small business owners have to be OWNERS. We have to WANT to make it succeed. That means putting aside any ego or pride and putting our greatest talents forward.
I left the book at the store, to punish it of course, for offending me. As I mulled it over, I knew it was right. I also knew these crazy authors might be able to help me. It was worth a try; what I had been doing up to that point wasn't working.
This book is worth every penny. You will be embarrassed reading it, but do not worry, so were all of us brave enough to read it. I truly believe if we apply these techniques to our businesses, there is no stopping us. But, you have to do everything DIFFERENTLY. Probably everything you've learned? Unlearn it. NOW. I'm already seeing a difference in my business and I just did a few changes. I need to give this 150% and see what happens. You do too. We all deserve to have successful, thriving businesses.
Thanks Steve and Sam.
Annie Bathgate
antiquated marketing thoughts.......2006-08-18
I heard this author on a financial radio talk show (Bob Brinker) and the few things he had to say were interesting, to the point and powerful enough to make me buy the book. Should have quit with the talk show. If this guy is still building a new and successful business with flyers and Magic Marker posters he should read a little Ries & Trout or Seth Goodin (Purple Cow). We ARE in the 21st Century. We have the internet along with carefully focused radio and myriad other ways to reach people and mold thinking. There was nothing in the book that was not merely a stone cold rehash of old, old thinking. I was very disapointed. B. McDonald
A Whole Bunch of Great Business Concepts Boiled down to a few Hundred Pages.......2006-07-29
This book is packed with great concepts that the authors have learned the hard way. It is nice of them to offer their experiences for us to learn from. Here are few that I would like to remember.
"Nothing great was ever created without enthusiasm." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek "en theos" which means "the god within" which is the level you need to play at to win big"
"The whole concept of succeeding versus not succeeding is a result of thinking versus not thinking. Anything that stops you from thinking and gives you a vacation from creative thought and innovative ideas is going to harm your business."
This is a concept I always try to remember, and it is very very hard:
"Ask yourself this question about all your daily efforts: Is this something that leads me to greater profits?"
In other words, it's more important to work smart than to work hard. The authors explain how most business owners operate at the, "busy is better" level, while they may be working really hard their way be way more productive ways to spend their time.
Another great concept is, "Time is the new money". They talk about how important it is to "work on your business rather than working in it" going as far as saying that victims work in their businesses while owners work on it.
And some quotes on time management that I would like to remember:
"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly your doing the impossible." - St. Francis of Assisi
"Learn to use ten minutes intelligently. It will pay you huge dividends." - William A. Irwin
"You will never `find' time for anything, if you want time you must make it." - Charles Buxton
"You have more to do than you can possibly do. You just need to feel good about your choices." - David Allen
By Kevin Kingston, author of: A 20,000% Gain in Real Estate: A True Story About the Ups and Downs From Wall Street to Real Estate Leading to Phenomenal Returns
My Blog: The Real Estate Investors Blog
Book Description
When Janet Campbell Matson was on the verge of becoming a grandmother for the first time, this mom of four began jotting down notes for her expectant daughter. As Matson began writing about the rules of discipline as practiced by her mother and herself, more and more information surfaced; she soon realized she had enough material for a book.
Back to Basics Discipline: A Program to Raise Extraordinary Children is the result of generations of success in bringing up children. Matson, who is a mother and grandmother, has used the experience of the generations before her--as well as her own--to write this no-nonsense, down-to-earth approach to parenting. What started out as a few notes, quickly became an easy-to read guide on raising well-mannered children.
In this invaluable resource, you'll learn:
-How to make sure your children are of good character
-When to use a timeout or a spanking¡ªand how to know which is appropriate
-What five behaviors should be strictly forbidden
-The importance of sibling relationships¡ªand how to nurture them
-How to create a warm, loving, and happy home environment
Back to Basics Discipline will take the fear and guilt out of discipline and replace them with confidence and commitment. It is a must for parents and anyone looking for a way to raise exceptional children.
Customer Reviews:
The most straightforward "how to" manual for loving your toddler.......2007-02-26
There are two books that have made a profound impact on me as a first time parent of a now 17.5 month old: The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff and this. Janet Matson explains in no nonsense terms exactly how to avoid what Jean Liedloff describes as being too child-centered. Back to Basics Discipline is so well written I was able to implement her ideas almost immediately - with great results right away. I now spend my days loving my toddler and looking forward to spending time with him.
Helped a new mom feel......in control!!.......2007-02-09
I picked up this book because of the two good reviews listed previously. My 19 month old had really begun to have some tantrums and I would find myself either over-reacting, not reacting at all or just feeling inadequate at my ability to control my own child. After reading this book, I immediately felt empowered and in control. I even felt results from my son on the first day. My lack of knowledge in how to discipline had enabled his tantrums and the minute I gained control, his sense of security returned. This book reminded me of my parents discipline program and that made me feel at ease. You may not agree with all of her logic but I think the author makes some profound points (usually accompanied by a personal story) on why her discipline tactics work. My only critisism of the book was that I longed for more scenarios but the author wanted to relay the need for a parent(s) to take the individuality of the child into account. I long for an independent, honest, respectful, and successful child, teenager and adult and with this book, I feel I am on my way.
How To Control Children & Retain Their Respect.......2004-04-23
"Back To Basics Discipline" is the best book I have ever read about successful parenting. A step by step method is furnished that any parent can understand and apply to raising their own children. The noteworthy work will open the eyes of many parents about instilling self-control, honesty, and respect in their offspring. The book is a totally complete guide for creating a positive home environment blossoming with love and respect. This is a must-read for parents desiring their children to be controlled in a loving environment and growing up to be good citizens.
Raising Confident, Responsible Children.......2004-04-15
Janet Matson writes common sense advice about a subject often fraught with misinformation and flavor-of-the-month approaches. Every person who has children, might have them someday, or is just around children on a daily basis needs to own this easy-to-read, practical handbook for growing happy children into productive adults. I loved every chapter, and I totally agree with all Janet's advice. Teachers, as well as parents, will find helpful ideas on how to achieve control without crushing a child's spirit. This is a great gift for potential parents! I am a parent, grandparent, and high school teacher, and I will be implementing Janet's advice in my classroom tomorrow. What's more, I'm going to recommend it to some parents because this book will help even those with teenage children!
Customer Reviews:
Good book; well planned and written.......2007-06-12
I bought this book for general project evaluation purposes, for a project that I was called in on that was in trouble.
Well worth the read - a lot of it is just good common sense, straightforward project management process, but it provided a great roadmap for validation of my plan to put the project back on track.
Definitely would recommend it - it's an easy read; I finished it in under 5 hours on the flight out, complete with note-taking. Kudos to E.M. Brennatan for writing this in a straightforward fashion.
Tackles a problem not well-covered by other books..........2006-05-31
There are plenty of books that try to help you keep your project on track. But what happens when you are sitting on a catastrophe and you don't know how to salvage it? E. M. Bennatan fills a necessary niche with the book Catastrophe Disentanglement : Getting Software Projects Back on Track.
Contents: An Introduction To Catastrophe Disentanglement; When Is A Project A Catastrophe?; Step 1 - Stop; Step 2 - Assign An Evaluator; Step 3 - Evaluate The Project; Step 4 - Evaluate The Team; Step 5 - Define Minimum Goals; Step 6 - Can Minimum Goals Be Achieved?; Step 7 - Rebuild The Team; Step 8 - Risk Analysis; Step 9 - Revise The Plan; Step 10 - Create An Early Warning System; Epilogue - Putting The Final Pieces In Place; References; Glossary; About The Author; Index
If you're in IT for any length of time, you'll be part of a project that is massively over budget or late. Rather than just continue the death by 1000 cuts or a quick mercy killing, Bennatan presents a ten step process that allows an organization to take a (hopefully) objective look at the project and decide what can possibly be saved from it. I was impressed that it wasn't a long drawn-out procedure either. The plan calls for an evaluator (or a small team for huge projects) to come in and quickly assess the environment... what's been done, the climate of the team, and what could be redefined as a "minimum system". At the end of this process, the organization should be able to either kill it off with the knowledge that it can't be saved, or continue on with a redefined set of deliverables that are achievable. It won't be everything that was originally wanted, but it will be more than you'd get by letting it die. I was also impressed with the "What Can Go Wrong (And What To Do About It)" section in each step. He doesn't present this as some cut and dried panacea that will flow smoothly every time. It may not be an easy task, but the book will give you the help you need to make it all work.
Definitely a book that is worthy to be on every IT project manager's bookshelf, as you *will* need it some day...
It's best to know it before you need it.......2006-05-29
Catastrophe Disentanglement : Getting Software Projects Back on Track teaches the kind of skills you hope you never have to use. It's something like taking a CPR class for project management. You hope you never have to administer CPR in real life, but when you do get put in that position, you're really glad you have that training to fall back on. That clear, logical list of steps can mean the difference between life and death. In the world of project management, the skills taught in this book can save projects and careers.
This book differs from traditional project management books in that it focuses on corrective rather than preventive measures. The author teaches two critical things. First, he presents a set of criteria used to recognize a project that is in need of rescue. This is an important step! Once a project is identified as seriously out of control, you can apply the steps presented in this book to bring it back on track and guide it to a successful completion. This book will give you the reasoning and courage necessary to make hard decisions.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 An Introduction to Catastrophe Disentanglement
Chapter 2 When Is a Project a Catastrophe?
Chapter 3 Step 1--Stop
Chapter 4 Step 2--Assign an Evaluator
Chapter 5 Step 3--Evaluate the Project
Chapter 6 Step 4--Evaluate the Team
Chapter 7 Step 5--Define Minimum Goals
Chapter 8 Step 6--Can Minimum Goals Be Achieved?
Chapter 9 Step 7--Rebuild the Team
Chapter 10 Step 8--Risk Analysis
Chapter 11 Step 9--Revise the Plan
Chapter 12 Step 10--Create an Early Warning System
Chapter 13 Epilogue: Putting the Final Pieces in Place
I would recommend this book to anyone involved in software projects.
A useful addition to my software development library.......2006-05-10
Good book, good subject, well covered. The book builds an organized process around the rescue of a failed (or failing) software project. The steps are easy to read and understand, and seem well thought out. Some good methods for identifying projects headed for serious trouble. Also, some useful guidance on how to handle political (not just technical) problems. Obviously, the result of significant experience. Well recommended.
With this advice, you can right the rudderless software project.......2006-04-26
It is a law of nature, grouped under the general name of entropy, that it is easy to mess things up and very hard to straighten them out. In fact, it is the natural state of nature to tend towards increasing disorder. This law also applies to software projects, since they are naturally very complicated entities; they easily reach a point where difficulties compound to the point of dysfunction. The author calls this state a catastrophe, although in my opinion that is an overstatement.
A catastrophe is a major disaster, far beyond what most software development projects actually are. Granted, there are problems, but most of the situations described in this book are ones that can be recovered from with more effective planning and focused execution. The author puts forward a ten-step plan for disentanglement:
1) Stop the project - not permanently, just long enough to examine the project in detail before things get worse.
2) Assign an evaluator - a disinterested party is assigned to perform an honest and unbiased appraisal of the project and what is going wrong.
3) Evaluate the project - the evaluator takes the lead in doing a complete dissection of all aspects of the project, what is being done right and what is going wrong.
4) Evaluate the team - examine the people working on the project and determine if all are suited to their jobs and if all are performing at the appropriate level.
5) Define minimum goals - determine what is considered to be the minimum level of achievement that will be considered a success.
6) Determine if the minimum goals can be achieved - if the minimal level of success is not possible, then the decision must be made to terminate the project.
7) Rebuild the team - this step has two basic components. Personnel changes if necessary and reinvigorating those who are going to remain part of the team. One of the greatest tasks is to overcome the defeatist mindset.
8) Risk analysis - attempt to identify all possible risks and assign a reasonable probability of occurrence to all of them.
9) Revise the plan - as circumstances change, modify the plan to reflect the different conditions.
10) Create an early warning system that will flag the appearance of problems when they are not yet serious.
These ten steps are each the topic of a chapter. Exercises for further practice are included at the end of each chapter, although no solutions are given.
I enjoyed the book; it contains a lot of sound advice on how to right a rudderless software project. Most of the advice will work only on a project that is not yet seriously out of control. Quite frankly I don't believe that a ten-step plan like this is powerful enough to get the most dysfunctional death marches back to a point of potential profit. Therefore, while I believe that the advice is sound, it is limited in scale, where the measurement is of the level of dysfunction in the project. On that basis, I can recommend the book.
Book Description
Provides the learning tools needed to absorb new information and sharpen classroom skills.
Product Description
If you re bogged down by unrelenting e-mail messages, conflicting commitments, and endless interruptions, it s not too late to reclaim control of your workday and take back your life! By applying the same time management and productivity techniques used by leading companies, you can better manage all of your communications, action items, and interactions. In this book, productivity expert Sally McGhee shows you how to take control and reclaim something you thought you had lost forever: your work-life balance. Now you can benefit from Sally s popular and highly regarded corporate education programs, learning simple but powerful techniques for rebalancing your personal and professional commitments by using the latest productivity features in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007. Learn the proven methods that empower you to clear away distractions and loose ends and focus on what s really important to you and your business. You will discover what defines, and what limits, your personal productivity and learn how to create your own management system. Examine how you collect and store information, process and organize your e-mail messages for efficiency, and plan and prioritize with the calendar features in Office Outlook 2007. Learn what thousands of people worldwide have discovered about taking control of their everyday productivity, and start transforming your own life today! Includes a tear-out poster of the proven McGhee Productivity Solutions Workflow Model suitable for keeping right next to your desk.
Helps you understand what defines, and what limits, your personal productivity
Demonstrates how to make Office Outlook 2007 part of an effective and highly personalized system for managing the constant stream of information that flows across your desktop
Delivers the same powerful personal organization techniques from a popular corporate training class taught in some of the world s most successful companies
Offers an engaging, easy-to-read style for users of all levels
Applies concepts and models from the fields of behavioral psychology and education
Customer Reviews:
I took my life back!.......2007-10-22
I was a disorganized mess. My desk was piles and piles of clutter and things (important, time sensitive materials) got lost! It took me about a good year to get where I am now. I started with Michael Linenberger's Total Workday Control. Not a good place to start so I tried David Allen's book 'Getting Things Done'. It was a great start and gave me foundation. I then moved on to Sally McGhee's book Take Back Your Life! for Outlook 2003. Awesome! That helped me integrate everything into my real world computer life. Then I went back and reread Michael Linenberger's Total Workday Control, which now made a lot more sense and I used some of his ideas to create a 'custom' system for myself.
Finally, I bought this updated book of Sally McGhee's because I am using Outlook 2007 now. The material is basically the same, but tuned for Outlook 2007.
Now some people claim this book is a rip off of David Allen's book or that these books are all the same or they are boring. YES! and NO!
What you have to realize is that there are several ways of getting things done. All roads lead to Rome. I prefer the Sally McGhee method because it does not depend upon a plugin or extra software. It works with Outlook the way it is when you buy it and her methods translate over to my desk at home and work and since I am on the road...in my car. YES, the material is dry at times but so is work! lol
David Allen offers custom software as an add in for Outlook 2003 and 2007 that is Windows XP and Vista compatible and his extra software will cost you an EXTRA $70 folks! This could be very nice and efficient for some people. yet, there is a downside...the plug in only works with Outlook. If you use another email client, you have nothing. Another downside, you are now dependent upon that software instead of doing it yourself. If he stops making that software or it causes troubles and you have to remove it, you are now back to square 1 with no method of organizing. In other words, David Allen caught the fish for you, but McGhee wants to teach you to catch the fish yourself.
So, that is why I like McGhee's method. Yes, she basis it on Outlook but since there is no extra custom software involved to integrate into Outlook, you can translate the system to other mail clients. I also run Linux and I can use her methods in Evolution, Thunderbird, Kontact, etc. Also, it is NOT a 'blatant copy' of David Allen. They worked together and she openly discusses, reveals and discloses that info. She even quotes Mr. Allen in her book.
If you have Take Back Your Life! for Outlook 2003 and have been using it and are skilled in her methodology, you can make the transition to Outlook 2007 on your own probably. If you are new to this, and have Outlook 2007, this is a definite buy. Here on Amazon, it is only $17! What a deal! I bought a current copy for myself and to help others in my family.
She will probably come out with a SPECIAL EDITION like she did with her previous book that will include a CD, some pull out charts, etc. I would say, do not wait. Buy this book and get organized. I would also recommend the other books I have listed in my review too. I don't think just 1 book is enough! And this will take effort on your part. It took me a solid year to get really good. I fell off the wagon, got frustrated, reread the book, tweaked, learned, quit, failed, tried again, screwed up but eventually succeeded. I doubt many of you will get it going well in your first month...so don't quit! Keep trying and it will happen!
Finally an approach that ties it all together!.......2007-10-02
I've read them all: Getting Things Done, Seven Habits, Total Workday Control... What sets this book apart is the combination of modern theory and practical application. Finally there's an approach that shows both what AND how. I'm on Outlook 2007, and this is the best book I've found for tieing personal and professional goals, objectives, projects and loose ends all together into one elegant and powerful system. I'm more in control and more productive than ever - and finding more time to spend with my family everyday, too!
Show me how to fish instead of talking about fishing.......2007-10-02
As you may know, Sally McGhee and David Allen developed the productivity concepts together, and she decided to adapt it to Microsoft's Outlook. I'm very familiar with both David Allen's and Sally McGhee's work (having seen them both in person) and the main difference and value that I see in "Take Back Your Life!" is that instead of TALKING about what is productive, TBYL actually SHOWS YOU HOW TO USE OUTLOOK--it's akin to the difference between someone TALKING about the different ways you can go fishing (Deep-sea, fly-, bottom-, spear-) and someone ACTUALLY SHOWING YOU HOW TO USE YOUR Fishing Pole (Outlook in this case).
A waste of time and money.......2007-09-21
After reading Total Workday Control Using Microsoft Outlook: The Eight Best Practices of Task and E-Mail Management and then reading this (I bought both together as a Amazon "Better Together" package) I have come to conclude that this book "Take Back Your Life Using MS Office Outlook 2007" is a waste of time and money.
It is one of the few books I have purchased (out of the 20-30 per year), read (actually skimmed, it was so blah in less than 45 minutes) and then chucked it straight into the trash.
Do not waste your time or money.
Buy Linenberger's book instead. I spent much more time with his book and fully implemented his super-elegant system and now have a empty inbox and all my tasks & projects in Outlook in a fantastic, actionable way.
I only bought this book because I thought it would add value to his system, which came highly recommended. I was wrong.
Blatent Copy of David Allen .......2007-09-16
Pages and pages of blah, blah, blah. So ironic that this book is about productivity!?!?!
And all the core advise is a copy of the succinct advise available in David Allen's "Getting Things Done" (which is a good book).
I bought "Take Back Your Life" to help implement "Getting THings Done" into MS-Outlook. Waste of productivity. I now download David Allen's add-in to MS-Outlook (available at [...]) and it does everything required, fast and easy.
Product Description
This new book details how to care for customers and how to make superior service happen, and keep customers coming back to your store or Web site. You will learn practical and innovative tips and tricks that are easy to implement. These concepts and skills can be applied immediately. This book is a ready- made, in-house training workshop and step-by-step manual for creating superior customer service in an ever-competitive business environment. Learn from successful companies what works and what doesnt to help keep customers racing back to your business.
Customer Reviews:
Superior Book Too.......2006-12-21
I bought this book because I wanted to increase my conversion ratios. I wanted to know how to generate business and keep my costumers coming back. There are tried and true tricks for building consumer loyalty, and many of them are revealed in Blacharski's manual.
If you're a follower of the author's, you'll really appreciate this book. It's past-paced and, like it says, a ready-made step-by-step costumer service training manual. His "Ten Commandments for Managers" and then "...Employees" are great checklists/tools.
Blacharski also covers ethical ways to effectively collect client information and outsource. Superior Customer Service is also an entertaining read. There's a section that shows when to put on specific kinds of customer service "hats." My favorite description is of "The Spelunker's Helmet." It makes perfect sense. So does explanation of "The Mind Reader's Turban."
This should be a MUST READ for any and all employees -- Seriously!.......2006-11-09
From the Presidential Suite to the mailroom, and all the levels in between, the customer service aptitude of employees can make or break the success of a business. In his book, Superior Customer Service, Blacharski provides a fresh primer to reinforce the power that customer services has in the compettive world of business. Old conventional widom is shined up with new and fresh perspectives that make the informational, accessible and practical information provided a MUST for every employee. It is my opinion that this is the perfect text to build a customer service in-house training program around. Alternatively, it should be distributed as required reading at new employee orientation with the name badges and insurance information. It really is that good.
An Essential Read for Business Owners.......2006-11-02
Author Dan Blacharski has done it well. He's written a book about one facet of business that has not been dealt with much recently, despite its critical importance to business success. Blacharski discusses all aspects of customer service for both web-based and conventional businesses, and he defines guidelines for establishing a business whose employees have the "customer service mindset" that, undoubtedly, leads to increased sales and profitability.
This book is chock full of advice and specific steps and procedures to follow to create a customer service-oriented environment that will set a business apart from the competition. It is an excellent treatment of the subject and will be invaluable to business owners, customer service managers and personnel, and sales personnel.
When you pick up this book, jump right to "The Ten Commandments of Customer Service for Managers" and "The Ten Commandments of Customer Service for Employees" (pages 252-254), read them, and then start at the beginning.
What makes consumers decide to shop at one place over another?.......2006-10-16
With so many stores retail and online selling the same products at nearly the same prices, what makes consumers decide to shop at one place over another? SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE is the answer - and a book that tells both brick n mortar and online stores how to win over the competition. Chapters detail innovations, tips and tricks which are easy to implement and that drive customer attention and interest.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Keep Your Customers Coming Back for More.......2006-10-13
So you have a business, and you have customers; what now? "Superior Customer Service" is a one-stop-shop for all of your customer service needs.
Blacharski provides business owners with a fool-proof guide to keeping customers happy and business booming. With easy to read large type and bulleted checklists, finding the solution you need to any customer service issue could not be easier.
I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to run a successful business. In fact, buy this book for your employees and keep the "Ten Commandments for Employers/Employees" on hand too keep things running smoothly.
Book Description
Every baby starts life believing that he or she is the center of the universe, so feelings of jealousy are inevitable as toddlers begin to face the real world. Here are practical ways to deal with a child's jealousy when a new baby comes into the house. Here too is advice to parents on how to resolve conflicts among kids who don't want to share toys or who demand too much attention. There is also advice on dealing with sibling rivalry, coping at daycare centers, and much more.
Book Description
Nobel Prize-winning microcredit institution Grameen Bank has financially empowered the poorest families in more than a hundred countries across the globe for over three decades through savings and loans. Recently, Grameen has undergone a complete overhaul of its system, creating "Grameen II" and seeking to make its loan programs more effective.
The Poor Always Pay Back not only uncovers how a major financial institution was able to change its system in response to the needs of its borrowers, but also how Grameen redefined and continues to redefine the basic assumptions of credit worthiness. The immense success of Grameen Bank shows a hopeful trend in the alleviation of poverty.
Grameen Bank II is addressing the frontier issues in microfinance: open access savings, flexible loan products, self reliance and absence of donor dependency for funds, and product development to cater to the needs of the retirees (Grameen Pension Scheme) and their adult children (Higher Education Loans). The story behind these and other innovations show why Grameen has become such an inspiration to those working for social justice everywhere.
Customer Reviews:
A comprehensive look at Grameen Bank.......2007-07-09
No two people hold a more appropriate position to write about Grameen Bank than Asif Dowla and Dipal Barua. As former students of 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus, Dowla and Barua have been apprised of the logic behind small loans since the Bank's inception. They have Yunus's trust and approval when it comes to sharing Grameen with the world, which readers can see in his found appraisal of Dowla and Barua in the preface.
"The Poor Always Pay Back: The Grameen II story" is a comprehensive account of the overhaul of the world's premier micro credit institution and it is suitable for novice students of economics, masters of the field, and everyone in between who may be curious about microcredit. The central tenet of the text is that the poor are bankable--despite the fact that they lack liquid capital, they can be trusted to repay loans and to use money in an enterprising fashion if given a fair opportunity and clear terms.
The book begins with a review of Classical Grameen and its effects on the poor in Bangladesh, focusing on the Bank's structure and clearly explaining the terms of micro loans (such as the "Sixteen Decisions" which are both described and illustrated). However, the majority of this work, as its title suggests, is devoted to explication and analysis of the advanced terms and products of Grameen II. Claims and conclusions are well supported with both quantitative and qualitative evidence, to which the two authors have prime access through their ties to the Bank, granting a great deal of authority to the book. Tables and appendices are nicely tied in with the text, and citations allow readers to conduct their own research on individual aspects of Grameen and microcredit if they so desire.
"The Poor Always Pay Back: The Grameen II story" is a good way to begin study of the growing institution of microcredit and the assumption that there is financial potential among the poorest of the poor.
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