Book Description
A noted clinical psychologist, speaker, and radio host, Dr. Henry Cloud is ready to break out to a whole new audience with this book that explains the central importance of character and integrity in success—and how you can develop yours.
Customer Reviews:
An exercise in well intentioned mediocrity.......2007-10-02
First things first, Henry Cloud deserves praise for putting the subject of Integrity on the table. Integrity, or as our grandparents called it, Character, seems to have acquired an almost quaint, musty old time patina of days gone by.
Nothing could be further from the truth. In contemporary language, the central failing of our age is what clinical psychologists call Character Disorder. The endless litany of leadership breakdowns, the Enrons, the WorldComs, ad infinitum, the narcissistic exhibitionism of reality TV, the oily relativism of modern politics, are all manifestations of the Character Disordered personality.
This stands in contrast to the preceding generation which seems to have labored greatly under the weight of excess repression and neurotic anxiety. The Baby Boom in its impatience decided that "repression" was a blanket social ill, and all that need be done was remove the repression and by an unspecified magic, an inner goodness would be liberated.
In this philosophical adventure, the Baby Boom generation was terribly misguided, and then swerved in the opposing direction with a velvet fascism of their own design, Political Correctness. But neither the cult of the liberated self nor the shaming of the compliant self would lead to a resolved state of Character.
The reason for this is that the concept of Character rests on the idea of being tested by adversity. We wanted Character minus the adversity, resolution with challenge, the bargain basement Hero's Journey, and then we'd "put lipstick on the pig" and pretend we'd had some great Soul shaping life adventure.
Here I wish Dr. Cloud had delineated his subject with more brimstone and less soft soap. As timely as his book is, and as welcome as it is, and as useful as I am sure it will be until something more gripping hits the shelves, it still comes across as something of a bland scoutmaster's talk to the boys around the campfire.
Integrity.......2007-07-12
Excellent reading! You don't want to put it down. Down to earth principals for everyone. It should be read by all Management and they should encourage employees to read.
Theory meets practice.......2007-07-05
This is rare book in terms of solid theoretical insight into human behavior, coming essentially from Dr Cloud's extensive experience as a clinical psychologist combined with analysis and inference drawn from his consulting experience with business leaders and CEOs.
The introductory chapters however lack the punch and clarity on what the book is about does not emerge initially. This is perhaps because in my opinion, the approach and definition of the topic of integrity of character is radically new and takes some time to understand. The definition that integrity is much beyond and higher than just honesty and ethics and is about the courage to meet the demands of reality is difficult to comprehend at the beginning. Thereafter the book devotes one part each to the six dimensions of integrity - Establishing trust, Orientation toward reality, Getting results, Embracing the negative, Orientation toward increase and Orientation toward transcendence. Each of these facets as I like to call are like the sides of a hexagon; equally important to create the whole.
The depth of discussions of each of the six dimensions is accompanied by actual case studies and quotes from some of the best business books. In the part devoted to Establishing Trust, Dr Cloud narrates a situation in which a CEO completely fails to convince his people on the benefits of a merger. In fact the meeting intended to get the buy-in of the folks turns counter productive. The CEO was talking, but not communicating. He failed to empathize to some of the genuine concerns of the people thereby ending up alienating the team.
In the chapter `In touch with reality" Dr Cloud starts with the story of the CEO of a dog food company who obstinately tries all possible ways to increase the sales of the company's product except in finding out what his ultimate customers really want. When finally explained to the CEO by an employee "Sir... the dogs don't like it", reality finally dawns. Dogs bark, but reality bites!
In many chapters I found commonality in inferences to CEOs' achieving corporate results and to success of marriages. Perhaps this is a reflection of Dr Cloud's typical mix of clientele.
The six dimensions are well sequenced and are interrelated. Ignorance or failure of one dimension can lead to overall nonperformance explains Dr Cloud. The "gap" in a person who lacks the wholeness of character is bound to result in failure in three specific ways and to quote from the book (page 38):
1. Hitting performance ceiling that is much lower than ones aptitude
2. Hitting an obstacle or situation that derails you
3. Reaching great success only to self destruct and lose it all.
This book was presented to me by a colleague. While I thank him for the wonderful gift, trust me, I loved it and shall do my best to put it into practice to fill in my gaps.
A Really Good Book that will help you tremendously!.......2007-04-24
In my view some of the reviews are a bit hyped up. One is far too negative. This is a really good book aimed at bringing up the integrity factor for corporate leaders. We all know this is a problem.
I think Dr. Cloud has offered up a number of great concepts in a very readable form that will help many CEO's 'get it'. Many of his illustrations bring a sense of healthy reflection and conviction to the reader. Many (but not all) of his illustrations feed the concept he is making well. I found myself agreeing with him because of the pure logic of his points (over and over).
A few problems some of my buddies pointed out with this book are:
He has redefined the word integrity to include a lot more than the word normally means. The problem with this is that many readers will tend to forget his nuanced definition over time and therefore may forget what he is saying they need to do. Whenever someone takes a common word and expands it's definition to mean more than the dictionaries give for that word, we risk cultivating a short term memory of the concepts given.
For myself, I think I found nagging questions left unanswered in my mind.
How does he know these are the keys? What has research shown? What are the real priorities of a great or successful leader?
I think the research I am aware of points to different factors, and this is why I was a little unconvinced that he has hit on 'the key' for success. One can have integrity and still not be a great leader. Leadership and integrity are two different things. To bring success to a corporate organization requires more than integrity. It requires inspiring and equipping leadership. This is the 'inspirational factor'. Hasn't research proven these are keys that cannot be overlooked for success? I think so. I think that integrity in the soul of a powerful leader then becomes inspiring, partially because of the integrity, but also because of the leadership and competence of the leader.
So I found myself asking the question...why has he chosen these things. He says that he chose them because they occured to him in a conversation. That was unconvincing for me. Now the points he makes seem really important, but how do we know that they are really the keys for success that he claims they are? Surely some studies could be developed to bear this theory out or to show if it needs adjusting. Having said all this, Integrity is a really good book. It's packed with great points and will help you tremendously.
So I would suggest that this book be read as it really is, a proposal on what we need to bear in mind for success in our ventures. With that in mind, I think this book is very helpful, it is very creative and it is fun to read. He challenges us in six essential areas that all feed into integrity in one way or another. One of his concepts is that success requires us to finish well. Another one is that we must connect well with others and gain their trust. The intrinsic logical quality of the points is as solid as it can get. This book is also packed with a steady stream of great illustrations. If you are a reader who loves illustrations, you will absolutely love this book.
I think this book is good for owners, presidents of corporations or managers of people in various settings.
I highly recommend Integrity for developing great leadership talent in churches as well. There are a lot of great ideas in this book that any trainer of leaders can use. I hope you enjoy it thoroughly. I certainly have.
Required Reading for Recruiters, Hiring Managers and Human Resources -- Crisis-Resistant Personality Traits .......2007-04-04
Your candidate may have the skills and experience to succeed -- but do they possess the character traits to rise above times of crisis? I've seen enough "can't miss candidates" crash and burn to be skeptical. However, this book provided clarity on many a bad hiring decision I've made in the past, as well as how unlikely stars can emerge in "interesting times". It won't stop me from ever making a poor personnel decision, but I'm certainly better armed to assess the intangible traits that can make or break job performance in changing times -- whether the change signals crisis or success.
Average customer rating:
- Maxwell has done it again, but in a new way!
- Great principles you can apply today.
- This book will change your life-Best book on leadership.
- Excellent Book
- Quick and Practical
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Today Matters: 12 Daily Practices to Guarantee Tomorrows Success (Maxwell, John C.)
John C. Maxwell
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Book Description
New York Times bestselling author John C. Maxwell reveals the surprisingly straightforward secret to daily success and fulfillment. Most of us look at our days in the wrong way. We overexaggerate yesterday. We overestimate tomorrow. We underestimate today. The truth is that the most important day you will experience is today. Making today your masterpiece is the key to success. Maxwell offers twelve decisions and disciplines-he calls it his daily dozen-that can be learned and mastered by any person to achieve success. He teaches how to possess possibilities, remain focused, enjoy good health, exhibit stability, hold an advantage, be tenacious, experience fulfillment, exercise options, sense inner peace, feel significant, receive direction, and learn to grow. These lessons are simple, but the gap between knowing and doing is greater than the gap between ignorance and knowledge. In TODAYMATTERS, Maxwell teaches how to close that problematic gap.
Customer Reviews:
Maxwell has done it again, but in a new way!.......2007-07-09
Maxwell has done it again, but in a new way! Maxwell has written some of the classics on leadership and living, and he takes a fresh and basic look at life in this book. While he still uses his principle driven style of instruction, he strips away a layer and lets us into his life. In "Today Matters" Maxwell gives us insight into his "daily dozen." These are his twelve decisions made throughout his life for various reasons and the practices he associates with them. Phenomenal place to start for anyone looking to bring more discipline to their life or ministry. I consider myself an advanced "daily practice" guy and I found this book exciting and invigorating. His perspective on why today is so important and a plethora of other special insights make this book a must read. Dave Tilma
Great principles you can apply today........2007-05-09
You only have today. And what you do (or don't do) today bears much significance. Today Matters is practical and well written, giving insights from someone who has lived many significant, meaningful days. If you're looking for a book that helps guide you into making every day count, John Maxwell's Today Matters is a must read.
This book will change your life-Best book on leadership........2007-01-23
This is by far the best book on leadership. It covers everything that one needs to know on leadership. Most book, as they cover leadership, talks about the attitude, action and discipline but John Maxwell has taken leadership to a greater level by incdluding health. As a nutritionist and working in a hospital, I see that most people forsake their health to succeed and then I watch them having to slow down to catch up to life and find life real priorities which is first our relationship with ourselves and with others. People forget, without you there is no leader, so if you forsake your health to succeed you will die not accomplishing what you intended to accomplish. LIke most leaders Maxwell learned the hard way, he had a heart attack that almost killed him. The book covers everything one needs to know, impacting your world everyday and not putting it off for later. Today Matters. What we do today impacts what we do tomorrow. This book was so good that I gave a seminar of leadership based on this book and got a standing ovation. Everyone wanted to talk to me. I encourage everyone to get this book and do the exercise at the end of each chapter.
Excellent Book.......2006-06-27
This book has a lot of great principles for taking action today and making your tomorrow better.
Quick and Practical.......2006-05-06
This is the second book that I have read by John C. Maxwell, and boy am I glad I did. I am currently on my second reading of this book.
This book is the kind of book that you can review every so often to just make sure you are still on track, and firm up some decisions you may have made, but are letting slack.
I chose to read this book a chapter per day. This means that it actually takes two weeks to read if you don't skip a day, though it can be read MUCH faster. I just read it the first time through and didn't do any of the practical exercises that follow each chapter. I don't recommend you do it this way.
If I had to do it all over again, which I am doing, I would do the practical exercises as I came to them. I think you will get the most benefit by putting things into action. Start moving on them right away, and you will begin to see a change.
This book is very readable, it isn't dense at all. The material though simplistic, which is a good thing, can bring about deep changes if you apply it.
If you have read other books of the self-help, motivational type you might read an example or two that you have read elsewhere. This wasn't a problem for me, and all of the examples are very appropriate for the material presented.
I liked this book so much that I bought a copy for my Mother. I hope that she reads it and passes it on to the rest of the family. This seems like a book that would be good to read as a family, and would benefit from discussion. The sooner you get your children reading this book, the better. If they buy into it while they are young, look out world!
Book Description
Most of us look at our days in the wrong way: We overexaggerate yesterday. We overestimate tomorrow. We underestimate today. The truth is that the most important day you will ever experience is today. Making today your masterpiece is the key to your success. Maxwell offers twelve decisions and disciplineshe calls it his daily dozenthat can be learned and mastered by any person to achieve success. He teaches lessons in possessing possibilities, remaining focused, being tenacious, learning to growand more. These lessons are simple, but the gap between knowing and doing is greater than the gap between ignorance and knowledge. Maxwell teaches how to close that gap in Today Matters.
Customer Reviews:
Unreadable.......2007-10-12
Very poorly written. There are more quotes from other authors than original writing. He may be writing under the guise of being a christian writer, his bigotry and hate are shine through all too clearly - definitely not true christian values.
Go For It.......2007-09-27
I recently attended a function that John Maxwell happened to be speaking at. He is a very engaging and insightful presenter. I had to pick up a copy of one of his books to hear more about what this guy had to say.
This is a well written and easy read. Anyone that reads this will come away with something. The book is well structured and I think it should be required reading for college students.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by all of the life's pressures, this book will aid in prioritizing. John Maxwell lays out some very useful techniques for managing the clutter in your life. More importantly, this book suggests that "the things you do today, will be realized tomorrow." Just buy it.
Read it TODAY; it MATTERS.......2007-07-22
A friend loaned me this book by John Maxwell and after the first chapter, I put it down to go buy my own copy! I knew I needed to highlight the great, practical advice on how to live a balanced life that makes a difference. Leaders often forget to "feed themselves" and this book is definitely great food for thought! Maxwell's Daily Dozen will help you get a handle on your day to day living and in the process help you become a more effective and efficient leader. I have used his tenents in several motivational speeches in the last few months and in fact, used his book as a "speakers" gift at a recent conference. I highly recommend this book and the "plan for improvement" included in the last chapter!
It does!.......2007-07-17
My oldest son made Father's Day 2007 special with Today Matters. Having it gave me the idea that all my guys should have a copy, so I purchased a copy for my youngest son and my son-in-law. I believe it will make a difference to the men in my life ... and also their boys!
Maxwell has done it again, but in a new way!.......2007-07-09
Maxwell has done it again, but in a new way! Maxwell has written some of the classics on leadership and living, and he takes a fresh and basic look at life in this book. While he still uses his principle driven style of instruction, he strips away a layer and lets us into his life. In "Today Matters" Maxwell gives us insight into his "daily dozen." These are his twelve decisions made throughout his life for various reasons and the practices he associates with them. Phenomenal place to start for anyone looking to bring more discipline to their life or ministry. I consider myself an advanced "daily practice" guy and I found this book exciting and invigorating. His perspective on why today is so important and a plethora of other special insights make this book a must read. Dave Tilma
Book Description
Shows lawyers how to manage their practices in a more business-like manner. It explains how to determine both personal and law firm goals.
Book Description
In this empowering book, based on his bestselling video series, T.D. Jakes shows readers how to use Christian principles in the workplace, using faith as the key to happiness and productivity. Bishop Jakes explains how people can rise above petty conflicts, turn obstacles into opportunities, and let God do His work in their lives every day-even when they're coping with complaining co-workers or difficult bosses.
Customer Reviews:
A must read for all Supervisors.......2007-09-18
I really like this book .. It is a quick and easy read and it provides some real tools for your toolbox. My only regret is that I didn't have it 10 years ago ..
A must read for every believer.......2007-08-12
Most working people spend majority of their time at work. Unfortunately, for some the environment can be hostile.
Like most believers, I work in a hostile work environment, and this book gave me insightful points on how to respond to the environment.
Thank Goodness for a book like this!.......2007-02-27
This book has helped me to focus my attention on me instead of the issues at work which are beyond my control. If you're in a job that seems stressful and you need some encouragement, this book is for you. You can choose to be happy at work or you can choose to be miserable. This book clearly let's you see which choice is in your best interest! You can be peaceful at work regardless to your work circumstance if you choose to. This book was worth reading and sharing with other people that I work with.
Great Book.......2007-01-05
This book was very helpful and practical in dealing with uncomfortable work environments in a Christian manner. It gave specific examples of ways to deal with difficult situations, using scriptural principles based on the life of King David.
It's a great book.......2006-03-20
I had a friend who was going thru some very difficult times at work with a few co-workers. I saw the book and purchased it for myself but once I read it I knew that my friend could benefit from reading it so I gave it to her because her situation was more complex than mine. She thanked me for the book because she knew that it would help her to better understand how to survive in a hostile work environment.
Book Description
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) make commercial real estate profits available to everyone! REITs are one of the hottest and most potentially lucrative investment vehicles in the market today. Find out how you can take advantage of these increasingly popular securities in the powerful new book Real Estate Investment Trusts. Professionals Richard T. Garrigan and John F.C. Parsons have gathered over 20 of todayÕs most influential opinion leaders to explain how investors both large and small are beating the S&P 500 with REITs, how these REITs combine superior income and growth with relative safety, behind-the-scenes information on how to assemble and launch a successful REIT, and statistical support for market confidence in the long-term appreciation potential of REITs. Whether you are a real estate investment professional seeking comprehensive information on todayÕs REIT operational requirements; an investment professional needing to better understand REITs; or an individual investor interested in diversifying your own portfolio into real estate, Real Estate Investment Trusts will open your eyes to the incredible opportunities available in todayÕs REIT market. Order this well-researched, interesting and informative book today.
Customer Reviews:
Dull and disappointing.......2005-06-11
I bought this book because I am an investor in REITS and wanted to get a deeper insight into comparing different REITs to find the best ones to invest in. I wanted to be able to read the balance sheets of several different REITs and decide which is the better investment. This book left me bored and no further forward.
The main problem is that each chapter is written by a different "expert" on a particular topic such as "Asset Allocation" or "Institutional Investing". Firstly these experts may be great money managers but they are dull writers without a jot of personality. The chapter on Tax Treatment of REITs is a lifeless regurgitation of the tax code. Worse, the editors did not steer each contributor strictly enough to avoid repetition and as a result every chapter begins with yet another review of REIT history.
There was no analysis of different REIT business models, such as trading CMOs compared with Residential or Office space. There is no analysis of how to tell good REIT managers from ordinary ones. I was optimistic about the chapter on Asset Allocation to see how REITs fit in with stock and bonds in your portfolio but again I was disapppointed. After grinding through page after page differential equations the chapter fizzled out with no mention of reccomended asset allocation ratios.
I gave the book 2 stars instead of none because the data seems to be accurate and authoritative but then so is the maintenance manual for my vacuum cleaner. A $75 book has a duty to do more than assemble boring facts in sequence.
I don't really know who this book is targeted towards. If you are going to be a junior paper pusher employed by a REIT it may give you a head start but the rest of the planet should look somewhere else.
An excellent overview of the REIT Industry.......1999-07-17
The book provided an insightful overview of the REIT industry. The book was organized by various topics relating to investing and managing a REIT. The chapters were written by practioners and academics working in the different REIT industry areas. The authors were able to provide vital insights into their areas of expertise. As a new REIT employee I learned about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for my company and the REIT industry as a whole. some of the chapters were a bit technical in nature; particularly the analysis on historical private verses public REIT returns. Overall the book should be required reading for REIT investors and Managers as well.
Book Description
You have what it takes to be a CIO. Do you have a strategy for getting there? Now you do.
"Gregory Smith has written the definitive work on how to achieve leadership success in IT. This well-written and carefully researched book is a must-read for any IT professional with aspirations toward the top IT spot. Years from now, seasoned IT leaders will be crediting Smith's book with playing a role in their success."
—Martha Heller, Managing Director, IT Leadership Practice, Z Resource Group, and cofounder, CIO Executive Council
"Wow! Put all the tips, advice, and strategies in this book to use now. The road to the top is rarely straight—follow Gregory's advice and the path will reveal itself to you!"
—John R. Sullivan, CIO, AARP
"While most professions have a distinct road map to the top, there is no standard career path to becoming a CIO. Smith addresses this unique challenge and provides aspiring CIOs with encouragement, advice, and essential skills based on years of his own and other CIOs' cumulative experience -- an important effort for the profession that Smith's fellow members in the CIO Executive Council embrace and applaud."
—Mark Hall, General Manager of the CIO Executive Council
"Teaching students what a CIO really does has been tough. We've had to choose between anecdotal treatments based on trade press articles and integrated academic frameworks that offer little in the way of lived experiences. Greg's book fixes that. By organizing interviews with leading technology executives, trade press reports, and his own experiences as a CIO, he provides an organized and comprehensive view of the job and its important role in modern organizations."
—Fred Collopy, PHD, Professor and Chair of Information Systems and Professor of Cognitive Science, Case Western Reserve University
Customer Reviews:
Great Book for Aspiring CIOs and IT Leaders.......2007-08-10
This book serves as a great roadmap to becoming a top IT leader, because it covers the entire spectrum of topics that one should either know or be aware of in his or her quest to become a CIO. Many IT publications may provide articles on some of the topics covered in the book (such as how to manage expectations with your staff), but this book is unique in a number of ways:
1) It is written from first hand knowledge and experience. Every topic, ranging from Methodologies, to IT Governance, to Contract Negotiation includes a "What Did I Do to Prepare?" section, where Gregory candidly recounts examples of things he did in those categories.
2) Every section of the book provides recommendations and advice for aspiring CIOs.
3) Some topics (such as learning golf for business purposes) may not have been obvious for aspiring CIOs. Topics such as learning golf for business is rarely, if ever, in trade magazines.
4) All of the information in the book is well referenced, and there are very interesting statistics gathered from impressive sources.
I actually just finished taking a Graduate level course taught by Gregory himself using this book. I can say that Gregory is a very knowledgeable, experienced, candid, and friendly guy, and the information in the book and the tone of this book demonstrates that.
With his advice and the tips from this book, I have already made a few improvements to my personal IT career path. I feel that most people's IT careers can benefit, too, with the advice from a solid mentor and tips from this book. I highly recommend this book!
Very helpful with lots of insight.......2007-01-10
I'm not too sure about current CIOs, but this book proves to be very informative and concise for a junior IT executive like me aiming for the top IT post. Unlike some IT books which focus on stories and leaving you to ponder how you can relate to them, this gem of a book addresses key issues and tells you straight to the point what CIOs of established companies feel and how they react to these issues. In addition, Smith has given his own input and experience in the form of easy-to-follow guidelines which anyone can put to use immediately.
I'm glad I did not miss this book.
Excellent career guide!!!.......2006-09-26
When I was offered the job of CIO, I only had 1 week to prepare for the interview. I purchased this book immediately based on the exerpts that I read on line. What an amazing and helpful book. Mr. Smith's pointers and recommendations helped me tremendously! It assisted in preparing me for the interview and even though I am now working as a CIO I still review it. I liked his points on the IT Governance Structure document - somthing that I plan to put in place here, I also read with interest his tips on the first 100 days in the job. I also like the statistical data that were included in each chapter. What was also particularly helpful were his personal experience. I like how the book gives direction to aspiring CIOs and new CIOs. I highly recommend this book.
More credible than informative.......2006-09-07
The information contained in this book are not exactly revolutionary. You want to be a CIO? Get an MBA from top notch school, be technically proficient, get project management experience, work on large scale projects, get experience with large scale budgets, and work on your soft (communication and interpsonal) skills.
What sets this book apart from other books with similar title is the source of its information. They are from CIOs and recruiters who have experience placing CIOs.
Too often, many books on becoming a CIO are based on guesses and speculations of the authors who do not have full comprehension of the topic. The author of this book purposely do not use his own conclusions, he merely gathers information and analyze them in an objective fashion.
If you want to read a book on becoming a CIO based on a solid research and survey of relevant professionals, then this book will provide credible, albeit common sense, suggestions.
Upcoming CIO.......2006-09-01
My first CIO book and this made me more excited to get my first CIO position. Good format, excellent recommendations and in-depth knowledge of the CIO position.
You gave good feedback on how to improve skill sets of managers looking to become the next CIO. I like the detailed recommendation you gave to get there but some of the graphics need improvement. Overall, I'm very satisfied with the book and i'll work on my network and hopefully find that mentor I've been looking for all these years...Greg you're on my list!!!
Book Description
In this intimate treasury of wit and wisdom, Richard Bolles, author of the job-hunting bible WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE?, explores the spiritual aspects of finding one's place in the work world. For anyone who has ever wondered how to make the most of their unique natural gifts, or how to find a vocation that is both socially responsible and personally fulfilling, this enlightening and empowering little volume provides immeasurable guidance. Originally appearing as an appendix in PARACHUTE, this book has led countless people through life's most difficult passages and is sure to inspire anyone who is either new to the job market or reconsidering their place in it.
Customer Reviews:
Thoughtful.......2007-01-12
This was a thought provoking book. Unfortunately it doesn't tell you what your mission in life should be! However it does put into words approaches that are useful as you try to find your own purpose.
It was pretty short and relatively expensive for what you got!
Its short and brief and not very helpful.......2006-10-17
The key in the book is How to Find your Mission in Life, well after reading this thing several times, I found it as unhelpful as the first read. Quite honestly it is full of feel good platitudes, which are not only Christian, and no roadmap. If you really want to find your mission perhaps try the other book, Parachute, the 2007 edition is superb.
Read this book and you don't need to read all of the others.......2006-09-24
It really speaks to you. To answer the criticism of some, if you aren't a Christian, sub any other higher power.
Finding Value and Peace in the Workplace.......2004-04-24
This book in written with numerous references to the Christian Bible. The author is writting through his christian backgound and using christianity as his vocabulary. This is not to say that people of other faiths or no faith could not find value in this book. As he is writting in "big picture", "macro" terms it would be impossible to do so without using "God" terms.
The book is simple and profound at the same time. It's basic premise is to find your greatest value and to see it as your place of vocation.
He states that there are 3 stages in finding your mission in life. The first is to connect with your God; the second is to do what you can to make the world a better place. My favorite is the third phase: a)"execise that Talent which you particulary came to earth to use -- your greatest gift which you most delight to use". b)"in the place(s) or setting(s) which God has caued to appeal to you and the most" and c) and for the purposes which God most needs to have done in the world".
I do not see what some reviewers have stated that it boiled down to waiting on some inspiration or spiritual leading. I especially liked the example of being as medical doctor and working in a leper colony. It has to be a match that is helpful for both sides or you will not be happy and will have missed your mission in life.
Meditative Vocational Advice.......2003-07-08
I purchased this book two years ago and read it through, but it didn't impact me very much. I just pulled it out again to reread and was deeply moved by the author's conviction about the spiritual nature of life. Even if one has strong spiritual convictions, it is all too easy to compartmentalize work, family, friends, and spiritual life. Bolles reminded me of the "integrity" of integrated life and work. Although it is very short, this book should not be a quick read, rather, it is something to meditate on.
Book Description
A manifesto for reinventing the sales function
Selling Is Dead argues that selling teams and growth-motivated organizations must change to remain competitive. It presents a new selling framework based on research that indicates that buyer behavior can be modeled and that large sales and small sales are fundamentally different. This new framework provides salespeople with a practical structure for giving buyers significantly more value for their dollar-value well beyond the products and services being sold. Rather than focusing on one selling model, regardless of the type of sale, this book offers four different types of large sales and presents specific strategies for succeeding at each. Many sales organizations are systematically mismanaging their selling opportunities and failing to optimize their markets. Through effective selling models, illustrative case studies and examples, and real-world anecdotes, Selling Is Dead brings strategy and efficiency to sales-and shows every sales-based business how to reap the rewards.
Download Description
Sending your gluten-free youngsters off to school can be a worrisome experience for both parents, kids, and school personnel. This guide is jam packed with ideas and strategies for helping your child maneuver through a gluten-filled mine field with minimal disruption to you or to school personnel. ¿Back to School with Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance¿ is a comprehensive guide which thoroughly covers areas where your G/F child may encounter gluten during their school day; many of which you may not even be aware of. It offers a huge array of suggestions on how you can successfully integrate your child¿s needs into the school environment without making them feel different or deprived. This is an in-depth guide filled with information such as: - A special pull-out summary, targeted specifically at educators which conveys the basics of gluten intolerance and the importance of following the diet - Hid
Customer Reviews:
If your product/service is not mission critical -- buy this book.......2007-07-07
This is THE best book I've ever read (and I have shelves full of them) on the sales process as it applies to products and services which fall outside of being mission critical to the buying organization.
If a company has to have some form of what you sell even though they don't have to have your's this book would be of some value. If your offering falls in to the elective category - people like it, think it would helpful, has a wow factor - by which I mean it is a nice to have but the buying organization doesn't absolutely have to have it in some form to continue doing business this is a must have book.
The writing style is a bit stiff to the point of being slightly academic at points but this is a reflection of the process which has yielded their step by step methodology. If you've been in elective style sales such as much of the software world you will find that this book helps you think more systematically.
I have found help in making this my primary sales process resource and in making the "Advanced Selling" podcast my primary personal motivation resource.
If you are a student of sales you will welcome this addition to your library.
Selling is Dead.......2007-06-08
As with Spin Selling (Neil Rackham), it's pretty heavy reading, and contradicts a lot of old style selling techniques,so I am yet to see if it works well. But I do admit that selling has changed a lot over the years, and it could be worthwhile advice !
Provocative & Practical For Enterprise-level Selling.......2007-02-11
'Selling is Dead' offers insightful & provocative perspectives for sales organizations to capitalize on large selling opportunities. It offers readers a disciplined framework in selling. There are two key points of the framework that I cannot agree more: 1)To plan sales activities from prospects' point of view & decision making process, and 2)To develop sales people into 'business people who sell'. These two points may seem to be common sense, but I find many sales organizations overlook them or may find them challenging to be executed successfully; Miller concisely illustrated practical steps (along with some good case studies) to make them happen. Taking Rackham's 'SPIN' process to a new level, Miller elaborated a new systematic questioning process called 'FOCAS' (Fact, Objective, Concern, Anchor, Solution), which I also find to be pragmatic for enterprise-level sales situation.
Strong Contribution to Effectiveness in Complex Sales.......2005-09-02
"Selling is Dead" is one of 10 best books on sales effectiveness published in the United States in the past 20 years. It makes a strong contribution to sales effectiveness for sales reps and sales managers who are involved in complex sales in major accounts. It is especially valuable for companies that sell innovative solutions.
Because of its focus on selling innovative solutions, the book cites examples that tend to be skewed toward sales of technical solutions and especially of information technology. But the book also carries useful advice for selling less innovative products and services.
Of course selling isn't dead, literally. But it's changing in major ways, the authors say. Sales teams are underperforming because they are ineffective. The cost of sales people has risen much higher than their productivity. If selling isn't exactly dead, it's broken. The authors say the main reason is that sellers are generally unable to cope with the quickening pace of innovation.
"Sales teams rarely falter when selling commodities because buyers see commodities as safe, comfortable, existing applications," they say. "However, once a company's core business has matured and the market for those commoditized offerings has become saturated, organizations must turn to innovation for growth and survival. Unfortunately, there is powerful evidence that the transition of sales teams from selling commodities to selling innovative new platforms is difficult and fraught with failure. The real challenge in selling is selling innovation."
The authors' answer, in part, is to develop sales people into "business people who sell."
The authors rightly give credit to Neil Rackham for his prior contributions in "SPIN Selling," "Major Account Sales Strategy" and other ground-breaking work. They then build beyond Rackham's work to distinguish between appropriate selling behavior for what they call "continuous" and "discontinuous" products.
Continuous products are already well known in their marketplace. Some level of demand already exists for them. Many customers are familiar with such products and are likely to know when they need them. They may already have set a budget and established a selection process to acquire them.
Discontinuous products, on the other hand, did not previously exist in their target market. They are so new that no budgets are set for them and decision processes are not in place to evaluate them. Most prospects have no idea they need them. Such products represent the greatest selling challenge and also the greatest profit opportunity. They are highly differentiated. Because they are not subject to direct competition, they command premium prices. The challenge for the seller is to help people recognize that they need them enough to outweigh the cost and perceived risks of buying them.
For sales of discontinuous solutions, the authors propose that sellers use a structured questioning process the authors call FOCAS. The acronym, like Rackham's SPIN, stands for different kinds of questions: Fact Questions, Objective Questions, Concern Questions, Anchor Questions and Solution Questions. The purpose of these questions is to help the prospect recognize his or her latent needs. Having done so, s/he can overcome innate resistance to change and aversion to risk. Only then is a sale possible.
For sales of continuous products, the authors propose a significantly different sales behavior. It is more oriented toward helping buyers choose which of several alternate products they prefer in a category they already know and understand.
As good as the book is, it could be better in some areas. The authors refer to empirical research they say they've done, but they provide no details on methodology or results. The book contains a few copy-editing errors and oversights. It seems to take more time than may be necessary to describe the differences between continuous and discontinuous sales. The book also seems to spend excessive energy in explaining the need to sell each type of solution differently. The authors describe FOCAS questions very briefly, and they provide no advice on how to develop or refine them. Nor do they give enough guidance on how to use FOCAS questions in everyday selling situations.
Even so, the book is well worth reading multiple times.
This field is full of books that are little more than thinly disguised, high-priced sales-promotion vehicles whose primary objective is to build the authors' consulting business. While it's clear the authors would also be happy to provide their consulting and training services, this volume is a quality stand-alone effort from a quality publisher (John Wiley). It does not invite you to visit the authors' web site to learn how much you can pay for the really useful stuff they've maddeningly withheld from the book you bought for $30.00.
With dedication and imagination, you can begin right away applying the principles they teach. When you overlay the ideas in "Selling is Dead" onto the step-by-step question-generation process in Rackham's "SPIN Selling Field Guide," you can start improving your sales effectiveness almost immediately.
Selling is Dead - couldn't agree more.......2005-08-29
This book reiterates what I've long thought - that selling, at least in the traditional (pushy, gimmicky) sense, is completely outmoded for today's much more complicated exchanges between buyers and sellers. The title caught my eye and I found that Selling is Dead addressed the issue of growing complexity (especially when dealing with innovative sales offerings) in a useful and very applicable way.
The authors not only explain the theory behind the work, but also provide plenty of case studies to illustrate, and different questioning strategies for the different types of sales offerings.
For anyone who A) realizes that selling is dead and wants to take advantage of a better way to exchange offerings or who B) doesn't realize that selling is dead and can't understand why the old tricks aren't working. Great read, and enjoy the humor between the theory!
Average customer rating:
- Ina a Dark Wood: The Fight Over Forests and the Myths of Nature
- ignorant and angry but useful
- eye-opening clear analysis that changed my views
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In a Dark Wood: The Fight Over Forests and the Myths of Nature
Alston Chase
Manufacturer: Transaction Publishers
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ASIN: 0765807521 |
Customer Reviews:
Ina a Dark Wood: The Fight Over Forests and the Myths of Nature.......2007-01-10
A very well researched and well written account of the "Old Growth Forest" controversy. I strongly encourage students of enviromentalism to read it. It clearly lays out some of the seminal disagreements of forest management that stil plague our forests today.
ignorant and angry but useful.......2005-05-03
Chase's angry critique of "environmentalists" and their myths of nature has its points, but he ignores most of the substantial efforts to manage our ecosystem holistically -- e.g. including land, people, and money. He criticizes "biocentrism" but many of us recognize that human life, for example, is totally dependent on other organisms, E. coli to start. The question is not hierarchy, but interdependence.
Hundreds of pages on what's wrong in my edition, and only two pages that mention possible pathways to the future in the form of the Quincy Library Group and Applegate Partnership.
eye-opening clear analysis that changed my views.......2002-11-28
Until reading "In a Dark Wood" I espoused "politically correct" environmentalist views -- such as "all old growth forests must be saved at any cost from evil logging" -- in a knee-jerk, emotionally charged, self-righteous way, without ever taking the trouble to study or think through what was really at stake, and what premises about reality underlay my views. Alston Chase's thinking on conservation is so clearly presented, so well backed by evidence, so carefully analysed, and so full of good will and integrity, that I find it impossible to read his book without respecting his intentions -- and his conclusions, which challenge everything I had unthinkingly assumed in the past. This is the kind of book that not only addresses concrete problems, such as the political struggle between, say Earth First and Maxxam Corporation, but also inspires the reader to think more deeply, and question his/her assumptions. This is the kind of book I think most self-labeled "environmentalists" -- especially those who come from white, middle class, college-educated backgrounds -- will dismiss prior to investigation, and will never read. If so, it is a sad loss. It's a book that can change your views and help you learn to think better -- and I believe most people would rather not do so, since thinking better might well spoil the dramatic excitement of waging a war of good against evil, nature against humanity. Still, I hope people will read this book. It's one that changed my life.
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