Average customer rating:
- Best little Finance Book I have read
- Dr. Levin is the guru of simplifying business concepts
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Buy Low, Sell High, Collect Early and Pay Late: The Manager's Guide to Financial Survival
D. Levin
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Corporate Finance
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| Business & Investing
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General
| Business & Investing
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Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
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| Business Ethics
| Consolidation & Merger
| Decision-Making & Problem Solving
| Distribution & Warehouse Management
| Industrial
| Information Management
| Leadership
| Management
| Management Science
| Motivational
| Negotiating
| Operations Research
| Planning & Forecasting
| Pricing
| Production & Operations
| Project Management
| Quality Control
| Risk Assessment
| Statistics
| Strategy & Competition
| Systems & Planning
| Systems Analysis
| Teams
| Total Quality Management
| Training
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Customer Reviews:
Best little Finance Book I have read.......2007-01-30
I have been involved in finance in the construction industry for over 25 years. Of all of the books I have read on the subject Dr Levin's book is the most straight forward and in many ways the most valuable. He presents the world of finance in a simple common sense sort of way which is down to earth and easy to absorb. "Cash is King" and "Follow the Cash" stick with the basics and avoid the over complications that humans seem to love to add to everything in life. Read his book and you will find the time it takes to be very rewarding. Cheers!
Dr. Levin is the guru of simplifying business concepts.......2002-08-03
I have read this book, plus I had Dr. Levin as a professor in the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at UNC-Chapel Hill. He was a great teacher and his book's style and way of conveying business concepts was equally satisfying. This is not a book for the scholar, rather it is a very good book for those that want a quick, but substantive way to grasp the basics of everyday business. The title also belies Dr. Levin's laid back and easy-going style and sense of humor. He teaches and writes using sometimes folksy, but always perceptive stories and examples of the concepts and points he is trying to convey. If you want to get the basics of how a business operates, how cash flow works and why it is important, why "buying low and selling high" are not only simple concepts but critical guidelines for any business, of any size or scale or complexity . . . then Dr. Levin's book is for you.
Book Description
This practical, "hands-on" guide includes vital information every case manager and administrator of a case management program need to be successful. A useful resource for working in the changing face of healthcare, it addresses case managers in all settings with an emphasis on nurse case managers and their role in providing patient care and containing costs. Focusing on the "nuts and bolts" aspects of case management, it discusses the operations of case management programs based on the authors' first hand experiences.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent, concise, practical, very useful for new CM's.......1999-10-30
As a new Case Manager I found this book to an excellent reference book. The information was concise and practical. A must fo Case Manager's who are starting out. Gives great descriptions of teminology and the differneces in all health care systems. The legal and ethical material provided offer much for the working case manager.
Excellent, clear guide for case managers.......1997-12-04
I have read several books on case management in the last year. This informative book gives concise information on the history, finance, roles, models,documentation and measuring quality and effectiveness of CM. Espcially helpful was referenes to JCAHO and CM. Well worth the money
Book Description
Being saddled with a terrible supervisor can turn even the best job into a nightmare. Unfortunately, not every boss is the great symbol of managerial perfection one would hope for. In fact, more people than not consider themselves stuck with a "bad boss." But short of remaining miserable or quitting a job, what can be done about it? "A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses" provides readers with savvy, practical advice for coping with managers and supervisors who are mean, incompetent, unethical, and worse. The book includes powerful strategies for not only working with -- but thriving under -- such bad boss types as: * The Great Betrayers -- how to defend yourself against a corporate backstabber * The Know-Nothing Bosses -- what to do when a boss is clueless * The Bad Communicators -- how to respond when a boss is consistently unclear Whether a boss is high-strung, incompetent, or a power-mad tyrant, this book has the solution.
Customer Reviews:
A Survival Guide for Working With Bad Bosses: Dealing With Bullies, Idiots, Back-stabbers, And Other Managers from Hell.......2007-07-15
If you've ever had a job, you've likely come across a bad boss. Bad bosses come in all types from the no-boss and the party planner through the scatterboss and the promises, promises boss to the overloader and the control freak. A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses describes mangers from hell complete with stories of real life versions of these monsters. Each section also includes a What Should the Employee Do section which outlines a number of possible solutions to the problem. A summary called Today's Take-Aways end each section.
A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses is an excellent resource for employees stuck in a difficult situation. Not only does the book remind the reader that he or she is not the only one to have such circumstances but also gives them options which are often difficult to think of when stuck in the middle of a problem. Bosses may also want to read this book as often bad bosses don't even realize their problematic behaviour.
Survival at the office.......2007-04-02
It is a great feeling to know that you are not alone in the jungles of the workplace. Especially when the advice comes from an expert...You learn not to kill the "bad bosses" and how to deal with the problem zone with kindness without burning your fingers. Yet, I still hope someday any kind of pills will be discovered to terminate such "bad bosses" and we will live happily ever after.
Don't buy bad workplace advice!.......2007-02-05
I used the advice in this book to deal with a bad boss and the toxic work environment that was created. In compliance with Amazon's review policy I won't reveal it here. In my case the end result is hostility, harassment, and retaliation. What Scott apparently forgets is that these "bad bosses" will regard ANY challenge (even those advocated in her book) as a personal threat and will use the assets at his disposal (i.e., company assets, discipline process) for retribution AGAINST the assertive employee. And since he IS the boss, he has the full backing of the company, regardless of legality, ethics, or motives. These tactics may work with rational, well adjusted supervisors in employee-focused companies, but in my experience pathological bosses are the rule and not the exception.
Do yourself a favor. If you have a bad boss, find a better job and DON'T buy this book or use the advice contained therein.
Unhelpful.......2006-09-17
I thought this book was filled with cliches and did not find it helpful.
Keep looking this one falls short.......2006-03-26
I was rather disapointed in this book. It appears that Ms. Graham Scott's prefered method of dealing with bad bosses is just to put up with them and keep things as status quo hoping it will all work out in the end. Pretty lame advise in my opinion. I am looking for a book that actually helps me solve problems not just put up with them.
Book Description
This clear, concise, "hands-on" guide provides practical, realistic advice to nurse managers who have had little or no management training. Application-oriented, it eases the transition from staff nurse to staff manager with useful tips and specific guidelines that are helpful to both new and experienced nurse managers. Updated to provide the most current health care management information available, the 3rd edition of this handbook offers a new chapter on recruitment and retention, new content on managing in community settings, and new discussions on health care legislation including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Book Description
Accessible, refreshingly candid, but above all helpful, this pragmatic guide addresses a real need by dealing with the problems that face the new IT manager. By providing a number of practical recommendations and approaches including how to make the transition from technical professional to manager and dealing with people, to giving advice and guidance on organization structure, architecture and planning approaches, this book covers a whole raft of issues essential to managing an IT unit.
If you have chosen to move from the safe haven of technology to the unpredictable world of management, this book could make the difference between success and failure.
"The IT Manager's Survival Guide is well named. Aimed at the techie becoming an IT Manager it covers the many alligators of IT management - from legacy systems to managing vendors - in easy chunks with checklists. It also provides the new manager with help to get ahead of the game by including articles from experts on what is wrong with IT management and a set of short reviews of management theorists from Strassman to Mayo.
I recommend this book for those who would like to buck the trend - the average tenure of an IT Manager is about 900 days - and run an IT outfit appreciated by customers and staff."
Gill Ringland, Fellow of the British Computer Society and Member of the BCS Management Forum. Author of Scenario Planning: Managing for the Future.
Download Description
The IT Outsourcing Guide provides invaluable, practical advice to both guide the novice and inform the veteran on how to effectively navigate through the IT outsourcing minefield once they have decided this is the route their business needs to take. Advance praise for The IT Outsourcing Guide: "A well researched and refreshingly practical look at how and where outsourcing might assist modern business harness the power of IT - written in an articulate and engaging style." Peter Hine - International Data Corporation "If your organisation has already decided to outsource some or all information technology, Aalders Guide to IT Outsourcing provides a vital "how to" toolkit. Rob Aalders has assembled a set of IT outsourcing templates, checklists, and success criteria for which consultants would charge customers thousands of dollars. This book is recommended to any manager who wants to quickly understand how to make IT outsourcing work." Mary Lacity, Associate Professor of MIS, University of Missouri, St. Louis, USA "Rob Aalders has provided a strong practical framework for going about IT outsourcing. Along the way he provides many insights into the do's and don'ts. The book draws upon considerable experience, and it shows. Clear and accessible, it's a real handbook for the practitioner." Leslie Willcocks, Arthur Andersen Professor of Information Management and E-Business, Warwick Business School, UK
Customer Reviews:
This book never fails to amaze me!.......2002-05-29
I have an M.S. in Logistics and a nine-foot shelf of text books. When I need an answer I reach first for Williams' book, it is often the only one I need. I have only two complaints:
1. The binding - for these prices the binding should not be so fragile (I'm on my second copy).
2. References to ISO-9000 as a "Quality" standard. While most pursue ISO-9000 to help improve their quality, it is a "Documentation" standard, and it is possible to become ISO-9000 certified to build garbage.
For these two reasons (and the fact that Amazon won't let me) I can't give the book the seven stars it otherwise merits.
Manufacturing For Dummies.......2001-08-17
I am not dumb, you are not dumb, but as Blair says in his introduction to this book- It takes more than hard work and common sense to run a manufacturing facility. My copy of this book is dog eared and warn out from use. Everytime I reference a section, I learn something new. Clear and simple explanations to complex and difficult challenges we all face in today's competitive environment. This book should be in every practitioner's back pocket.
A must have desk reference for manufacturing professionals.......2000-02-26
As a manufacturing professional with over 20 years of experience, I find Blair's book extremely insightful and current. Blair's book embodies his practical knowledge of manufacturing while incorporating today's business environment philosophy. Manufacturing for Survival helps to integrate the value of supply chain management into all aspects of the manufacturing environment. It is an invaluable tool that I frequently refer to. Very well written and practical --- I wouldn't be without it!
If you could only buy one book on manufacturing ............1999-04-06
This book couldn't have been better if Moses himself had brought it down from the mountain along with the Ten Commandments. I started to highlight the most important and relevant points but, unfortunately, began to run out of ink well into the second chapter. Despite the technical nature of the subject matter, the book is easily read and digested. The formulae and calculations are presented in a manner that is quickly comprehended by both engineers and nonengineers alike. This is one great book!!!
...Perhaps five stars are not enough.
This book should be on the shelf of every production manager.......1998-01-11
Manufacturing for Survival is a fundamental yet easy-to-read text on manufacturing that every production manager can lean on for great advice. The book thoroughly covers all of the key shop floor best practices such as setup time reduction methods as well as traditional manufacturing textbook concepts such as MRP. So the book is a rare combination of the practical and theoretical.
Book Description
"Whoever you are, and however you operate as a family manager, this book can help. Use it as a yearly planner, a reminder, and a good friend with good ideas."
--Kathy Peel
Throughout the year, life is full of surprises. A sudden rainy day confines your kids to home. Wouldn't it be nice to give them fifty fun ways to combat cabin fever? Your husband calls: he's bringing home some important business associates for dinner. Imagine whipping up a delicious meal on a half hour's notice. A sudden visit from family? Learn to clean your entire house in a weekend. You can do it--and family manager expert Kathy Peel shows you how in this indispensable year-round planner.
¸ Outline monthly and seasonal goals and strategies
¸ Develop your best management style
¸ Apply the seven survival strategies
¸ Simplify finances and record keeping
¸ Anticipate and plan for the big changes
Plus ideas for shortcuts in the kitchen, speed cleaning, smart shopping, and hundreds of other ways to make every day easier and your life much happier.
Customer Reviews:
One of the Good Ones..........2006-01-12
I have a couple of bookshelves in my home dedicated to homemaking and organization books, this is one that gets pulled out and skimmed over on a pretty regular basis.
I like that I can just flip around and find good reminders and quotes just about every page I end up on.
I like her "tone" -- meaning there are some books out there with an annoying tone (i.e., the kind that sound too bossy and haughty, and then the kind that you feel like they are speaking to a toddler or puppy: "good girl! you can do it!" - blech...).
Just an overall good book. I don't give it 5 stars b/c I reserve that rating for those I consider the absolute best.
Decent book but there might be better.......2005-12-22
This is a pretty decent book. What confuses me is why this author has so many books out that seem to be variations of the same thing. I happened to pick up this particular one but I'm not sure why she has authored so many different ones that seem to be all the same topic. This book is pretty jam packed with lots of great ideas on how to be organized. Of course it's full of pretty much the same stuff other books are full of too. That's because when it comes to being an organized mom much of this information is going to be the same no matter what book you read. If you are looking for something really simplified and very hands on with exact steps on what to do then I prefer Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley. If you are already a pretty organized person then this is going to be a nice addition to your library. If you are already overwhelmed then this will probably just be another book to fill your shelf.
A good start for the organizationally challenged.......2003-07-03
I am organizationally challenged. I admit this. My home is an explosion of toys, cracker crumbs, laundry and paperwork. Our bills are regularly late because we can't find them or worse forget about them. I would like to say this book re-invented my life, I have to be realistic though. After almost 30 years of disorganization nothing will change over night. The author does offer some very practical simple solutions that I was able to implement with almost no effort. This was great for us. I created an organization system and rearranged a few items of furniture to find that I could use the space and things I already owned to my advantage. I try to look through the book weekly to find something new I can add to our routine to see what we can do to improve things. If you are just starting out with organization or you are to the point I was where you were ready to explode this is an excellent resource.
You may be the boss, but are you the Family Manager?.......2003-05-20
It's so easy to feel like we stay-at-home moms do so little in the world. Everyone else has titles at their job: "assistant product developer", "marketing coordinator", "research and design engineer". We're simply "Mom". And often as we sit around in our jeans with banana mash stuck on them juggling a baby and figuring out when we need to leave to pick up our older ones from school, we wonder whether we're really that important.
Kathy Peel helps us in two ways: first, she encourages us that what we do truly is important. In fact, it's the most important job there is! And if we're going to do it right, it requires some organization.
The Family Manager doesn't just teach us how to organize our homes, it helps us make sure that the main priorities don't get lost in the shuffle of driving to gymnastics, to Boy Scouts, and the grocery store. She reminds us to plan family activities, to make everyone feel special, and to take time just to enjoy each other. And to keep stress to a minimum, she reminds us to do the "preventative maintenance" in all areas of our lives, so that we don't have to spend precious time putting out fires.
When I wrote To Love, Honor and Vacuum, I didn't repeat what Kathy Peel did, because she did such a good job. I focused on how to change our relationships so that we don't feel so taken for granted, but I recommended that everyone also read The Family Manager to learn how to do that housework quickly, efficiently, and to everyone's benefit.
If you're down in the duldrums and feeling like you're running off your feet, this book will help you to remember that you are important and that you can make a difference.
Full of Information, Repeat of much information.......2001-10-23
First the positive:
This book is full of useful information to help you in organizing your home, your time, your life and more. There are many hints and techniques as well as a encouragement. If you are just starting down the road to organizing, this is a good book to begin with.
However, if you already have a fairly well run family and need to fine tune your organizing this is not the book to get.
Much of this can be read in any women's magazine in any given month. Many of the ideas are very simplistic (not that this is all bad).
Overall, I'd say that there are other better books out there that deal with organizing a home. I prefer Confessions of a Happily Organized Family or others by the same author.
Book Description
Summer vacation can be a wonderful bonding time for parents and their kids... if it's done right! In The Family Manager's Guide to Summer Survival, best-selling author Kathy Peel shows you how to make the most of the summer months with activities, learning experiences, trips, and more. Plus, she'll show you the top ten ways to answer the cries of "I'm bored!" with creative activities that teach children skills and values.
The ultimate guide to surviving school vacation for both working and stay-at-home moms, this book will help parents give their kids summers to remember!
Customer Reviews:
Wow I'm glad I got this book.......2007-04-05
I'm psyched for summer. I'm a SAHM and just read this tonight (I did do a lot of skimming as far as the actual crafts and stuff but read all the introductory text in each section).
I have no idea why someone would say this is geared toward working moms. There is a part in the beginning saying how to ADAPT it to working moms, but most if it deals with what to do with your kids on a day-to-day basis in the summer to help them entertain themselves (and avoid the "I'm bored" monster) along with teaching different values and focusing on different areas of their growth. I actually don't think it would work that great for working moms - did I miss something?!
There is a lot that I skipped over, such as how to help them earn money doing different summer jobs, and with any "list" type book of tips and ideas, there are some I already knew and a lot I probably won't use. However, just the craft part alone is worth the cost of the book. I got it from the library but am on here right now finding a copy to own so I can highlight and dog ear.
There are many many craft ideas that are actually cheap, unlike a lot of craft books and magazines that require you to buy special expensive ingredients and ending up with crafts that the kids can't even make well so the parent ends up taking over. The ingredients in here that look like they might be costly are used over and over again so at least you are not buying a big box of something like Borax or liquid starch and only using a tablespoon. And the crafts seem to be easy enough for the age range of 6-9 that I'm looking for. There are enough crafts that I'm interested in that I actually think it would take several summers to do them all!
I've already enrolled my 9yo and 6yo in a few day and overnight scout-type camps but was looking into some expensive daycamps at the Y and elsewhere (starting at $200 a week for both boys - yikes!) to keep them occupied during the day, since I plan to turn the tv and video games off for the summer. Now I realize I can actually enjoy doing camp-type activities with them without Mom getting too bored, and still have enough time to do the things I, myself, need and want to do this summer. Especially since there are a lot that require planning on my part but that they can implement all by themselves.
BTW, it has definite Christian overtones. If you are not big on Christian literature, as I am not, don't be turned off. It's not preachy and there is plenty here for parents of any religion or even no religion, like me.
Mostly geared towards working moms.......2006-08-08
There were some helpful worksheets and ideas, however, over all it is geared toward the working mom. Also if you homeschool - most of the ideas don't fit but some could be modified.
Make the Most of Summer.......2006-06-03
Sure kids need some time to relax over the summer but quickly become bored. What's a busy parent to do ?
I was delighted to discover this book after reading about in in the Maine Sunday Telegram. The author advises really listening to your children's input on what excites them, but also wants the parent to offer suggestions and set limits.
A child may think watching cartoons non-stop makes a fun summer. This book gives ideas (tennis, hiking, other exercise or structured programs). I highly recommend investigating the free programs at your local public library. They might be able to lure your child into reading for pleasure (or reward).
The book wants you to get resourceful and creative with your children. Learn origami or stamp collecting or take turns with other parents teaching the children new skills.
The author also suggests a designated "pickup time" each day to gather up the toys and do a 10-minute clean up. Great idea!
There are lots of things to do in the summer with children and many are inexpensive. Turn off the TV and turn on your family to having fun together this summer.
Book Description
Seeing a project through to completion involves not just technical knowledge--of tools like Work Breakdown Schedule, Gantt Charts, and Network Analysis--but also human skills, such as the ability to communicate, negotiate, listen, and lead. After all, it's people who do most of the work on projects, and "people problems" can derail even the most meticulously planned project. Practical and user-friendly, A Survival Guide for Project Managers covers both the technical side and the human side.
Now in an affordable paperback edition, the book has been revised to reflect the latest version of the PMBOK(r) Guide, and includes new material on topics including Project Risk and the Project Management Office. The book shows readers how to:
* develop the interpersonal and business skills required of a project manager * resolve conflicts and improve negotiation capabilities * understand and apply the technical tools of project management * establish project teams, and more
Packed with forms and other tools, this is the ultimate resource for project managers.
Download Description
More and more companies (even those that aren't project driven) are turning to project management to take advantage of the highly disciplined process that focuses on achieving results on time, on schedule, and on target. "A Survival Guide For Project Managers" is a practical, hands-on guide that gives project managers all the skills they need to move a project through its complete life cycle, including how to: -- develop the behavioral and business skills required of a project manager -- resolve conflicts and improve negotiation capabilities -- understand and apply the various technical tools of project management -- improve speaking and writing skills -- establish project teams, and more
Customer Reviews:
Very pleased........2006-07-27
I've only just started using this book, but so far I've found it a great resource. It doesn't go into a huge amount of detail about the technical tools to use when managing a project, but it does tell you what to use and when. However the sections on managing resources, communications and negotiating are a great addition and just as important as knowing what technical tools to use.
Takes PMs to the next step in their professional development.......2001-04-05
When I am asked to recommend a good book on project management I always recommend Visualizing Project Management by Forsberg, Cotterman and Mooz. That book teaches project management the right way, in my opinion, by laying a solid foundation. However, at some point you will master the material through application and experience, and you'll want to go to the next level. That is where this excellent book will take you.
As you mature as a project manager you eventually discover that the technical aspects are a great foundation, but the 'soft skills' are essential to success. The book starts with these. The author provides some excellent material on how to make effective oral and written presentations, negotiation skills and leadership.
Don't get the impression that this book does not cover technical material. It does, and it goes pretty deep into some advanced techniques. For example, the author provides a very comprehensive discussion of work breakdown structures (WBS) and how to develop them. In my opinion the biggest failure of projects is the fact that a WBS is never developed before the estimating and scheduling is performed. I really liked the network analysis chapter. It presented in clear prose how to risk-adjust a critical path, which is something I learned over a decade ago, but am met with blank stares when I mention this to most project manager. Indeed, most project managers don't know what a critical path is (they use the term often enough, they just don't know what it means), much less how to perform a critical path analysis. This book will provide this information and a few easy-to-learn techniques as well. I thought that the chapter on earned value was adequate. I was glad to see it included in the book and give the author credit for his comprehensive treatment, but I almost fell asleep here. I recommend that serious project managers augment the earned value knowledge in this book with Earned Value Project Management, 2nd Edition by Quentin Fleming and Joel Koppleman. That book was written by authors who developed the 32 earned value criteria for the Project Management Body of Knowledge (2000 version).
The part of the book that covers managing a project is filled with great advice. I thought the chapter on project selection was particularly valuable because it is objective and based on financial formulae that should be applied to these kinds of decisions. The sample reports are also good templates that should be in every project manager's tool kit.
Overall, this book will give a seasoned project manager much sound advice and provide him or her with an array of advanced techniques. It is truly a project manager's survival guide earning it a solid five stars and a place on the list of the handful of books that I always recommend.
Good introduction to project management........2000-02-14
This book is exactly what I was looking for. I took a Project Management Course back in College, but did not remember much of it. I needed a book that would give the basics of this subject, without being too involved in particular software.
This book does exactly that, and also lists some of the most frequent pitfalls for projects, with half the book emphasizing the human side of Project Management.
Read it and SURVIVE!.......1999-04-12
An excellent "survey" book on project management. It will be especially useful to new-comers to project management, both individuals and companies. Unlike other books, it shows how to adapt to the realities around you, rather than jumping a rigid "analytical" approach. His emphasis on the human element is refreshing.
Great for beginners and seasoned project managers.......1998-10-03
Excellent book that provides real life examples along with project management theory. Lots of practical application ideas. Written in a manner that is easily understood by the non-technical reader. Very informative and provides lots of good references for additional reading on project management. Brings the theory into reality. I highly recommend this book for managers looking for answers.
Book Description
Most managers hate conducting performance appraisal discussions. What's worse, few feel confident in their ability to accurately assess the performance of a subordinate. In The Performance Appraisal Question and Answer Book, expert Dick Grote answers over 100 of the most common -- and most difficult -- questions about this vitally important but often misunderstood and misused tool, including:
* How should I react when an employee starts crying during the appraisal discussion . . . or gets mad at me? * Which is more important -- the results the person achieved or the way she went about doing the job? * Is there such a thing as a perfect performance appraisal form?
Many of the answers include a Hot Tip or Red Flag: a note to the reader making a particularly insightful suggestion. This book helps supervisors and HR professionals ease the pain of performance appraisal and use the process effectively.
Customer Reviews:
Questions, Answers, and a Great Deal More.......2006-08-02
Although this book was first published in 2002, I only recently read it and, as my rating correctly indicates, I think it is an outstanding piece of work. Performance measurement is one of the most important and yet least understood business subjects and it is certain to become even more important during the next several years as organizations become more "virtual" and many of those involved with them become "free agents" or are at least more independent. Also, on average, people now make 7-9 job changes during a career. The average for those in my generation is half of that, if not less. Grote wrote this book primarily for managers who are responsible for measuring the performance of others.
A relatively recent and (in my opinion) promising trend is that, increasingly, one of the metrics used for evaluating the performance of a manager is how well she or he measures the performance of others. That is the subject for another book which Grote, perhaps, will one day write.
Given the substance of the material in this book and how Grote wishes to organize and then present it, the Q&A format seems eminently appropriate. He adds a clever variation: The inclusion of "Tell Me More" comments after his initial response to each core question. I greatly appreciate the personal, conversational tone which Grote establishes and then sustain in each of his three books, the other two being Discipline Without Punishment and Forced Ranking. He comes about as close as a business thinker/writer can to seeming to interact directly with his reader.
Obviously, this book will be of primary interest and value to supervisors but I also highly recommend it to those who are supervised. Now more than ever before, it is imperative to make crystal clear what expectations are and how performance relative to those expectations is measured, especially during interviews of candidates and then, once hired, during their orientation...which few organizations do well. (That is another book awaiting someone to produce it.) As Grote would be among the first to point out, the results of countless research studies which examine employee satisfaction concur that feeling appreciated, believing in the value of the work done, and having one's performance evaluated fairly and consistently are among the attributes which participants in the research studies considered to be most important. Also revealing is the fact that, depending upon which results are consulted, compensation was ranked anywhere from #9 and #14 in importance.
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Grote's other two as well as Michael Ray's The Highest Goal and The Oz Principle co-authored by Craig Hickman, Tom Smith, and Roger Connors; also Mark Samuel's Creating the Accountable Organization and The Power Of Personal Accountability, co-authored with Sophie Chiche.
I use this system. I never want to go back. .......2006-01-09
I work for a dept. with a state government and Grote's comprehensive performance management system was implemented several years ago. It works! Takes the indecision, inconsistency, and the bias/subjectivity out of perform. mgt. It is systematic. This text is excellent & thorough. Addresses in practical ways MANY of the problems that mgrs. run into when doing performance evals. (your ratings are defensible when you have a difficult employee). I found that it was easy to read and to apply. It gives you knowledge & confidence. I have "highlighted" throughout this book and refer to it often. It is my Performance Eval. "bible". We also use Grote's Discipline Without Punishment (DWOP) system also. I recommend his book of the same title also. Excellent system. Definitely not "wimpy"! Takes the indecision, inconsistency, and the bias/subjectivity out of office discipline. It is systematic and defensible also.
a no-nonsense approach to performance appraisals.......2004-09-13
I found the book very easy to follow, and the principles and concepts were down-to-earth. The author gives a no-nonsense approach in performance appraisals, using common-sense and throws out all the other HR mumbo-jumbo. He also lays out a good argument for tying the PA to the company's objectives and missions, ideas on employee motivation (forget the "employee of the month" ideas), how to deal with difficult reviewees (those who just don't understand how their performance is bad), and the best way to handle performance planning meetings at the beginning of the year and the importance of these.
A book for new and old managers alike.......2002-10-23
Mr. Grote tells it like it is, and I loved his approach in this book. It's presented in a question & answer format where he presents a question that is just about everyone's mind who conducts performance appraisals for employees, and he answers it with a short answer then a longer and more detailed answer. The best line is when he says, "Supervisors put up with too much [stuff]otherwise writes very well and straightforward, and strongly pushed the responsibility for improvement back to the employee, not the manager. Thank you for liberating me! He spends a good deal of the book on performance planning as well, an often underutilized tool to set an employee up for success.
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