Customer Reviews:
Why some companies seem to have a devoted customer base..........2007-06-20
There's a difference when you fly Southwest vs. United. You feel different shopping at Costco than you feel shopping at Wal-mart. Why? That question is explored and answered in the book Firms of Endearment: How World-Class Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose by Raj Sisodia, Jag Sheth, and David B. Wolfe. This is one of those books that will cause you to think about why you feel as you do towards certain companies, and how those feelings translate into real profits.
Contents: A Whole New World; It's Not Share of Wallet Anymore - It's Share of Heart; New Age, New Rules, New Capitalism; The Chaotic Interregnum; Employees - The Decline and Fall of Human Resources; Customers - The Power of Love; Investors - Reaping What FoEs Sow; Partners - Elegant Harmonies; Society - The Ultimate Stakeholder; Culture - The Secret Ingredient; Lessons Learned; Crossing Over to the Other Side; Acknowledgements
On Wall Street, companies are usually judged on their profit. Squeeze as much out of your business as you can, cut costs wherever possible, and make sure you meet your numbers. To be sure, plenty of companies are successful under those rules (such as Wal-mart). But when you look at their performance over the last few years on the stock market, returns have been stagnant or have trailed the field. The alternative way to run a business is as a "firm of endearment" (FoE). These companies have a passion for what they do/sell, they have a strongly defined purpose for what they want to accomplish, and they look to contribute to society in more ways than just the quarterly dividend to shareholders. These FoEs, like Costco, Whole Foods, Harley-Davidson, and others, include stakeholders to mean all parts of society that they touch... shareholders, employees, the community, etc. The focus isn't on pure profit, but instead on contributing to the well-being of all the stakeholders. That's why a company like Costco can afford to pay their employees a living wage, have low turnover, and *still* turn a substantial profit. They have captured the hearts of their customer base, and that base will go out of their way to shop at Costco whenever possible. That's also why a company like Ikea can propose a new location and have nearly universal acceptance in the community, while a new Wal-mart location brings out protesters in force. There's obviously a lot more that differentiates FoEs from their counterparts in the marketplace, but once you recognize an FoE, you'll understand why they are successful by *not* following the same formula as everyone else.
It's tempting to think that all the FoEs covered in this book can do no wrong. That's not the case. JetBlue was/is an FoE that badly damaged their reputation during the winter when storms caused massive cancellations. It even led to the resignation of the CEO. Like other business books of this genre (In Search Of Excellence, From Good To Great), only time will tell how these companies will fare over the long term. It may well be that a decade from now, the stars of this book will have all fallen to the wayside. But I would venture to guess that the companies covered here will have a much larger margin of forgiveness than would other companies that are just focused on the next quarter...
This is a book that is highly recommended for anyone running a business. It should cause you to rethink the factors of success for your company, as well as point you in directions that could lead you to become an FoE in your niche.
Why "endearing companies tend to be enduring companies".......2007-05-16
In the Prologue, when discussing The Age of Transcendence through which the contemporary business world is now proceeding, the co-authors (Rajendra S. Sisodia, David B. Wolfe, and Jagdish N. Sheth) suggest that it is "a cultural movement in which physical (materialistic) influences that dominated culture in the twentieth-century are ebbing while metaphysical (experiential) influences become stronger. This is helping to drive a shift in the foundations of culture from an objective base to a subjective base: People are increasingly relying on their own counsel to decide what the truth is...That shift acknowledges a long-suppressed idea in a world largely guided by Newtonian certainty that chemistry Nobel laureate Ilya Prigogine says is scattering to the winds: Ultimately, everything is personal."
Thus do the authors establish a frame-of-reference for the thesis of their book: That each stakeholder in an organization tends to thrive best when all stakeholders thrive. That is, no stakeholder group is more important than any other. "It is disciplined dedication to the well-being of all stakeholders that separates firms of endearment from their competition." Stakeholder relationship management (SRM), the authors suggest, can achieve and then sustain superior business performance that, in turn, will create n a decisive competitive advantage. They are convinced that SRM business models will increasingly be seen "as the most efficacious way to achieve sustained superior business performance in years to come" but only if (huge "if") the interests of all stakeholder groups are brought into strategic alignment.
Two Questions: Are all stakeholder groups of equal importance and do they have the same interests? Also, are all members of a stakeholder group (e.g. shareholders) of equal importance and do they have the same interests? These questions occurred to me as I read the first chapter, especially the brief discussion of the "distinctive" core values, policies, and attributes that firms of endearment (FoEs) share in common. Eventually, Sisodia, Wolfe, and Sheth provide answers to these questions, answers best revealed within the narrative.
If indeed "endearing companies tend to be enduring companies," how do the 28 FoEs that "made the final cut" for this book compare with the 11 companies praised by Jim Collins in Good to Great? "Over a 10-year horizon, FoEs outperformed the Good to Great companies by 1,026 percent to 331 percent (a 3.1-to-1 ratio). Over five years, FoEs outperformed the Good to Great companies by 128 percent to 77 percent (a 1.7-to-1 ratio). Over three years, FoEs performed on par the Good to Great companies: 73 percent to 75 percent." (FYI, there are no duplicates on the two lists.) As with the exemplary companies discussed by Thomas J. Peters in Robert H. Waterman, Jr. in In Search of Excellence, not all companies on any such list continue to meet the criteria that were the basis of their initial selection.
For me, some of the most interesting material is presented in Chapter 11, "Crossing Over to the Other Side." At one point, the authors cite Oliver Wendell Holmes's observation "I would not give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity." They then quote one of my favorite passages in James O'Toole's The Executive's Compass:
"To move beyond the confusion of complexity, executives must abandon their constant search for the immediately practice and, paradoxically, seek to understand the underlying ideas and values that have shaped the world they work in. Managers who clamor for how-to instruction are, by definition, stuck on the near side of complexity."
According to Sisodia, Wolfe, and Sheth, the big challenge of the times is to transcend the zero-sum mindset because, given the profusion of new opportunities, absolutes (by nature limiting) are found everywhere on the near side of complexity. "They emerge from people's perennial quest for pat solutions, or `silver bullets,' as they are sometimes described. This is a key point because, as Sisodia, Wolfe, and Sheth explain, a zero sum mindset leads to the conclusion that one stakeholder group can only benefit at the expense of the other stakeholder groups...However, opportunities increase by an order of magnitude when the mind breaks free of zero-sum thinking."
There are specific reasons why endearing companies tend to be enduring companies and one of the most important is their having "the ability to transcend ruthless competition and embrace the fruits of cooperation [which is] the essence of evolved humanness."
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Bill George's Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value and his later book, True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership, co-authored with Peter Sims. Also Michael Ray's The Highest Goal, Adrian J. Slywotzky's The Upside: The 7 Strategies for Turning Big Threats into Growth Breakthroughs, Enterprise Architecture As Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution by Jeanne W. Ross, Peter Weill, and David Robertson as well as Ram Charan's Know-How: The 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform from Those Who Don't, Lynda Gratton's Hot Spots: Why Some Teams, Workplaces, and Organizations Buzz with Energy - And Others Don't, Robert J. Herbold's Seduced by Success: How the Best Companies Survive the 9 Traps of Winning, Jack Alexander's Performance Dashboards and Analysis for Value Creation, and Michael Useem's The Go Point: When It's Time to Decide--Knowing What to Do and When to Do It.
Excellent description of a service oriented business model.......2007-05-16
This book identifies a batch of companies that have oriented their business model to providing a superior feeling in the minds of their customers. In many cases I absolutely agree with them.
Wegman's supermarkets for instance presents an excellent shopping experience. I particularly love their cheese department where knowledge people stand ready to discuss their magnificant array of choices and even to giving you samples to taste seemingly without end or sales pressure. In turn I buy far more cheeses than I would otherwise. We both win.
But then they turn to Wal-Mart and repeat a litany of alleged problems with employees, suppliers, and communities. My own experience with Wal-Mart is limited to one store in the small town where I live. But my experience doesn't match the alleged problems. I go there, the people, from the greeter at the door to the most junor sales clerk are friendly and willing to walk halfway across the store to help me find something. I talk to people who work there (away from the store) and they universally say that it is the best job they've ever had. Does the Wal-Mart experience depend on the store? Are the alledged problems just that, allegations? And for that matter, does every Wegman's have such an excellent cheese department? And what about Microsoft? Everyone (nearly) uses their products and most people hate the company. What does this say about their future? I guess we'll just have to watch and see.
This is a book that describes one way of doing business that has worked for a lot of companies. It provides a good insight into what these companies do.
Impressive Examples of Serving the Full Gamut of Stakeholders.......2007-05-08
What is a Firm of Endearment? The authors argue that their example companies share a common set of core values, policies, and operating attributes which include:
1. aligning the interests of all stakeholder groups (customers, employees, partners, investors, and society) rather than seeking profit optimization
2. below-average executive compensation
3. open-door policies
4. employee compensation and benefits are above average for their industry
5. above-average employee training
6. empower employees to satisfy customers
7. hire employees who are passionate about the company's purpose
8. humanize customer and employee experiences
9. enjoy below-average marketing costs
10. honor the spirit as well as the letter of laws
11. focus on corporate culture as a competitive advantage
12. are often innovative in their industries
Companies identified include extensive examples drawn from Commerce Bank, Container Store, Costco, Harley-Davidson, Honda, IDEO, IKEA, jetBlue, Johnson & Johnson, Jordan's Furniture, New Balance, Patagonia, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Timberland, Toyota, Trader Joe's, UPS, Wegmans, and Whole Foods.
These companies are often contrasted with Wal-Mart and the Good to Great Companies identified by Jim Collins in 2001 in terms of stock price growth.
The authors argue that there is a new level of consciousness emerging that rewards those who do good while doing well. The implication is that all firms should shift to stakeholder optimization and the cultural values identified in the example companies.
While they don't make this argument, it's clear that the authors have identified many of the mindsets that lead a company to seek optimizing results for all stakeholders.
Before you assume total cause and effect, I would like to raise some issues not fully addressed in the book:
1. This is an after-the-fact evaluation. As such, (like Good to Great), we may mostly be seeing what the leaders are proud of . . . rather than what caused their success. For example, Southwest's success is focused on their corporate culture. But the company also has a better business model than almost any other airline (Ryanair's is better) and does a better job of fuel cost hedging than any other U.S. airline. Those factors aren't mentioned.
2. These companies are almost all in consumer products or services. A class of socially conscious consumers has sprung up who look hard for such firms. It's not clear that OEM and industrial buyers have evolved their preferences nearly to the same extent. So many of the lessons may only apply consumer goods and services (except for those validated by Gallup for having a motivated and effective group of people working for you).
3. Almost all of these firms are highly effective business model innovators who have gained enormous advantages over competitors who seldom innovate their business models. As a result, they can afford practices that may or may not pay off in profit without incurring any negative reaction. The next business model innovation will pay for the cost.
I was surprised that this book didn't look at the study I made from 1992-2001 that identified continuing business model innovation as the single best factor for explaining high levels of corporate performance (see The Ultimate Competitive Advantage). The books share some examples in common (including Jordan's Furniture and Timberland), but many of FoE's examples are also superior business model innovators (Amazon, BMW, CarMax, Caterpillar, Container Store, Costco, eBay, Google, Harley-Davidson, IDEO, IKEA, jetBlue, Patagonia, Starbucks, Trader Joe's, UPS, Wegmans, and Whole Food).
4. It often pays better to serve stakeholder interests than to ignore them. Why? Because ignoring stakeholders often burdens both the company and the stakeholder with costs and experiences that neither want. This economic case for stakeholder focus isn't fully developed outside of the customer arena.
5. The book emphasizes sustainability, but much of that argument is built around companies disappearing from the Fortune 500 (something that happens whenever a merger happens . . . which doesn't mean that the organization goes away, just the corporate headquarters in most cases). In the research of my students on environmental sustainability (see Hiroshi Fukushi's work, A Strategic Approach to the Environmentally Sustainable Business, for example), it's apparent that making the environment cleaner than when you touched it is economically advantaged in most situations. The idea of sustainability is based on the outmoded notion of not doing too much damage rather than finding profits in making the world better than you found it.
But it's a good book that creates more questions than it answers. This one will probably stimulate some more careful thinking in the area of where seeking to be more considerate of others is going to create better results as well as better sleep.
Sharp, New Millennium Look at Emotional Intelligence as a Quantifiable Value in Corporate America.......2007-04-16
With the tidal wave of publicity for Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" and the spotlight it has given to the green movement, it seems like a ripe time to take stock of companies who are incorporating more social responsibility into their charters. Co-authors Raj Sisodia, Jag Sheth, and David B. Wolfe make a compelling case for how such thinking is not only a much-needed injection of humanism into private enterprise in this country but also the impetus for long-term success at a time when people are seeking greater meaning in their lives. Wolfe, the only non-academic of the three, ventures the furthest in delineating what he considers the art of empathy and the power of bringing soulfulness to the workplace. Such seeming intangibles have been repeatedly dismissed by those unwilling to recognize the human equation at the base of such operations.
Wolfe's bottom line is that soft skills translate into hard numbers, and he feels the days of well-known autocratic CEOs like Disney's Michael Eisner and Hewlett-Packard's Carly Fiorina are numbered if not over. The book's coy title actually refers to the model firms - Whole Foods, Harley-Davidson, Trader Joe's, Costco, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Patagonia, IKEA and New Balance among them - who have aligned principles of emotional intelligence with shareholder value in ways that induce more loyalty among the most valued employees. The data gathered by the co-authors suggests that firms which encourage emotional intelligence are more likely to have workers who benefit from feedback and achieve more for themselves and their companies over time. Emotional intelligence manifests itself in several ways, whether it is more modest executive salaries, open-door policies, better employee benefits, better training or a stronger focus on the customer experience. Moreover, the co-authors place high value on environmentally friendly practices and social consciousness as part of a company's vision.
The emphasis on emotional intelligence represents a major paradigm shift and one that has been working in tandem with globalization in recent years. It has given birth to the stakeholder relationship management business model (SRM), which supersedes the well-established customer relationship model with its primary focus on products and profits. Reflecting a much broader vision, the SRM is more dependent on coordinating systems which help keep healthy the company's economic ecosystem, which is the basis of its growth, development and economic health. The ensuing loyalty among employees gives rise to what the co-authors term "share of heart". It's an elusive concept but one mastered by a new breed of CEOs who manage to inspire with their idealism even when short-term profitability looks bleak. Sisodia, Sheth and Wolfe provide intriguing portraits of these leaders and the unique cultures they have managed to develop over time while still delivering on their bottom lines. If anything, this eminently readable book is a testament that Machiavellian tenets need not guide companies at the expense of the people who maintain them.
Book Description
This primary textbook for graduate-level curriculum courses is comprehensive, rigourous, practical, and professional. Provides a thorough presentation of theory and research focused on how they pertain to the practice of teaching.
Book Description
Discover Your Passion is a concise, easy-to-read book for readers who are looking for personally-satisfying work. No matter if the reader is 17 or 97, this book will be of help. Recent graduates, those dissatisfied with their jobs, those about to return to the job market or retire from it, and those who are already retired will benefit from reading this book and completing the exercises.
After teaching this course for almost a decade, Gail Cassidy has successfully formulated a self-inventory that will lead readers to discover four things: 1. what they most enjoy doing; 2. who they most enjoy doing it with; 3. how others will benefit from what they do; and 4. how they will personally benefit. Responses to questions are gathered in one location so friends and/or family can study the answers, then intuitively respond with their recommendations.
The next lesson is learning the steps needed to achieve this passion. Recommendations are given on how to set up success teams in order for readers to get where they need to go and/or how to guarantee success by hiring a personal coach. The last section of the book contains blank charts for daily use and motivating quotes to help keep the reader inspired.
Customer Reviews:
The Passion is in the Discovery.......2000-01-23
I am always searching for ways to improve myself. Ms. Cassidy really has develop a system that can be utilized not only today but tomorrow and whenever. It is easy and fun to do, but more importantly the content can really probe into who you are and what you can be! The book deals with positive aspects of our character and properly places the negative or dark side in its proper perspective. I enjoyed each chapter, especially for example, the first chapter which deals with writing our own epitaph.( She truly has a funny bone!) As you continue on this adventure, you will find that each chapter helps you deal with the large wall that you keep blaming is in the way. There are truly no walls when you finish this book. It is a keepsake that goes on and on, to be used whenever the need arises. It's always complimenting the human spirit and reminding us that we are always in search for our passion, most of all the Discovery of It! .
Book Description
Today virtually every type of organization is looking for ways to maximize and effectively manage their people resources. One of the keys to this streamlining is successful teamwork. Lee Ellis draws from his survival experience on a team of Vietnam POWs and his management consultant expertise in creating Leading Talents, Leading Teams. Perfect resource for anyone who desires to gain insights on how to unleash the natural talents of people and blend them into well-led, effective teams.
Customer Reviews:
Essential part of executive coaching.......2006-07-25
I work with executives and entreprenuers to experience maximum performance, career success and abundant life through continuous assessment, alignment and action steps that help them explore, educate and employ their gifts, passions and calling based on purpose-centered, whole-life planning. Leading Talents, Leading Teams not only provides insight into how people work best, but also develop effective leadership teams. Brian Ray, Founder, Primus Consulting
Hard hitting personal Leadership growth strategies.......2003-07-29
This book is fantastic!!! It has shone a new light on my struggles... with pinpoint accuracy. Detailed work is the most
challenging for me. As a result of this insightful book - I repeat the "engaging" persons mantra often - "Focus, focus, focus" "No, No, No" & "Prioritise, Prioritise, Prioritise".
It has also provided me the best framework / paradigm I have yet to come across on leadership (accomplish the mission and look
after the people).
Average customer rating:
- Passionate self-help manual on actualizing yourself at work
- Thank you for the passion!
- "There is no other way."
- Thought provoking, practical approach to happiness in your career
- Change with a Passion!
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Passion at Work: How to Find Work You Love and Live the Time of Your Life
Lawler Kang , and
Mark Albion
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ASIN: 0131854283 |
Customer Reviews:
Passionate self-help manual on actualizing yourself at work.......2007-04-30
Lawler Kang is here to help if you're feeling unhappy or unfulfilled in your career. His "Five Ps" self-examination process arises from his philosophy that, since "you don't get nine lives" like the fabled feline, you must live each moment to the fullest. Life is too short to stay in a boring job. You've probably heard these ideas before, but Kang's exercises and checklists may help you to act on them. His style is sincere, but overeager and jargon-ridden, and the peculiar, hard-to-read typeface exacerbates his confusing tendency to trip on his own clichés. We suggest that people who are feeling inextricably stuck in unsatisfying careers will find it worthwhile to transcend these drawbacks. Kang may be able to start you on a journey to fulfillment and happiness.
Thank you for the passion!.......2006-04-21
Looking for inspiration, I picked up this book and found much needed encouragement to enjoy my latest job search. Now I look forward to what I might discover, find, and/or create. Mr. Kang has helped me expect to find more than a "job" and to get out there and find a "life" and I have to say the journey just got a whole lot better.
"There is no other way.".......2006-04-06
Passion and rage are among the most powerful of human emotions and each is obviously capable of producing extraordinary results, either positive or negative. The happiest people tend to be those who are passionate about both how they earn a living and the quality of life their efforts provide. Conversely, the unhappiest people are those who continuously rage against real (or imagined) grievances in any or even in all of the areas of their lives. In this book, Lawler Kang addresses these and other issues. Specifically, he suggests answers to questions such as these:
1. When am I and/or when have I been I happiest? Why?
2. Doing what?
3. Not doing what?
4. With whom am I and/or with whom have I been happiest? Why?
One of the greatest benefits of this book (and there are several) is the assistance Kang provides so that his reader can measure the gap between where she or he is now, and, where she or he would much prefer to be. He then provides sound, practical counsel on how to close that gap.
At this point, I presume to suggest (and presumably Kang agrees) that many of our wounds are self-imposed, that in our daily struggles to achieve whatever desirable objectives we may have, Pogo was right: "We have met the enemy and he is us." Hence the importance of taking full responsibility for the consequences of our decisions, both past and recent, so that we can then make better decisions henceforward.
Kang carefully organizes his material within seven chapters. Throughout the narrative, he inserts appropriate real-world examples of his key points. I appreciate the fact that, unlike so many other authors of books which address many of the same issues, Kang resists the temptation to be a sophist or evangelist. He correctly realizes that people can sometimes be inspired by others (who are by nature passionate) but only they can motivate themselves. At one point Kang observes, "The most important source of competitive advantage in the twenty-first century will come from individuals and organizations that unleash the power of passion." Quite true, but it should be added that -- more often than not -- individuals and organizations which find themselves at a disadvantage are those which compete against themselves. This is especially true of many of those involved in sales: They are preoccupied with reasons why a prospect could be resistant and are, therefore, reluctant to ask for an order. In effect, they sell against themselves. Of course, there are others (not only ) in sales who seem convinced that "enthusiasm" can compensate for insufficient understanding of a prospect's needs and interests. They demonstrate passion without competence and, on occasion, passion without integrity.
Throughout his book, Kang leaves absolutely no doubt whatsoever that what he recommends must be guided and informed by three "priorities": Passion, of course, but also proficiencies and principles. He insists that two other "priorities" must also be served: a plan which accommodates both one's organization and one's personal life, and, various means by which to verify and validate (i.e. prove) the appropriateness and effectiveness of that plan. These last two "Priorities" (plan and proof) are discussed with rigor and eloquence in Chapter 10. This chapter, all by itself, is worth far more than the cost of the book but should not be read until after the previous nine.
In the next chapter, Kang responds to a question many readers will pose after absorbing and digesting the material provided to that point: "Now what?" Let's assume that his reader is determined to begin a new (albeit perilous) "journey" to achieve career and personal goals once assumed to be unattainable. Much of the preparation has by now been completed but Kang correctly alerts his reader to the fact that several "canyons" await and one's "journey" through and beyond them can be completed only if unnecessary "baggage" is cast aside along with any guilt associated with it. Kang: "Make friends with your past." Only closure can release the emotional energy needed to continue. Next, the canyon of finances. Kang offers several suggestions as to how to "make friends with your future." That is, financial as well as emotional "baggage" must be eliminated. "The thought of working your passion, however you define it, without having [BOTH] a tactical [AND] a financial plan in place is simply unthinkable." With regard to third and last "terrifying, dimly lit, and dust-ridden corridor called `The Unknown,'" having a sufficient and sustainable commitment to completing the journey is absolutely essential. I suspect (only a suspicion) that, for most people, this last "canyon" is the most difficult.
As I read the final chapter "Looking for Your Life's Work," I was reminded of the marathons in Boston and New York which also require rigorous and extensive preparation, both psychological and physical. Hopes are high as the race begins. As it proceeds over time, most participants drop back and some drop out, exhausted and discouraged. Those who complete the course may feel exhaustion but also a sense of achievement, whatever their final standing. Another marathon awaits. In so many respects, our lives consist of a sequence of cycles as does marathon competition. Kang seems to be suggesting that getting through the three "canyons" and then locating one's life work is indeed admirable but by no means the end of the "journey." New "baggage" will be acquired which must eventually be discarded; new financial issues will emerge which must be resolved; and we will encounter new "canyons," hence the importance of passionate and thorough preparation as well as passionate and total commitment to proceed through each of them.
As Kang concludes his book, he shares a Japanese saying, shoga nai, which literally means "There is no other way." As he explains, it is usually uttered with the guttural seriousness of a Samurai warrior and the existentialism of a kamikaze pilot. By now Kang has stressed the importance of sharp focus, strategic timing, constant iteration of core principles, "and most importantly, patience. There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going. It is this undercurrent of patience to which you must fundamentally commit as you start edging closer to living in the prime of your life." To those about to begin this journey, I join Kang in wishing them bon voyage!
I also highly recommend Michael Ray's The Highest Goal, Jim O'Toole's Creating the Good Life, and David Whyte's The Heart Aroused.
Thought provoking, practical approach to happiness in your career.......2006-01-20
Passion at Work causes me to think about what is not only important in my career but in my life. Lawler poses some thought-provoking questions and then provides a practical and useful process to help us create focus in our career efforts as well as life. The approach has helped clarify for me the next target in my career. I highly recommend it!
Change with a Passion!.......2005-12-02
Passion at Work is transforming my outlook on work, life and the future. Thich Nhat Hanh -- "We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize". Lawler Kang demonstrates this principle throughout his compelling analysis of how we settle, how we change, and the process that can assist us as a catalyst and a companion on the journey. A must read!
Book Description
Discover Your Passion Workbook contains all of the questions from the book, Discover Your Passion. The workbook is for readers 17 or 97, whether they are recent graduates, those dissatisfied with their jobs, those about to return to the job market or retire from it, and those who are already retired. The workbook is a fast, easy way for readers to determine their passions.
After teaching this course for almost a decade, Gail Cassidy has successfully formulated a self-inventory that will lead readers to discover four things: 1. what they most enjoy doing; 2. who they most enjoy doing it with; 3. how others will benefit from what they do; and 4. how they will personally benefit. Responses to questions are gathered in one location so friends and/or family can study the answers, then intuitively respond with their recommendations.
The next lesson is learning the steps needed to achieve this passion. Recommendations are given on how to set up success teams in order for readers to get where they need to go and/or how to guarantee success by hiring a personal coach.
Amazon.com
With a client list that ranges from corporate heavyweights Morgan Stanley and Marriott Hotels to style-setters Tommy Hilfiger and Kenneth Cole to Elton John and the Prince of Wales, David Tutera's party-planning prowess is indisputable. A Passion for Parties, his first book, reveals the secrets of the Tutera touch, so now partiers of all stripes can benefit from his decadent aesthetic. In 10 chapters that cover everything from choosing the date and the invitation to design concepts and the icing on the cake, Tutera distills his years of creating gloriously unrestrained events into practical advice for artful entertaining.
Whether planning an intimate dinner for four, a formal wedding, a New Year's Eve gala, or a Memorial Day clambake, the key to a successful party is, of course, passion. Tutera addresses the basics of organizing and hosting various types of parties, and throughout shares colorful anecdotes and "Tutera Tips" that vary from the obvious ("If you use open flame candles, make sure you keep the flame away from flowers, tablecloths, and other flammable materials") to the conscientious ("Leftover food from your event can be donated to a local homeless shelter soup kitchen"). Menu ideas, flower arrangements, table settings, and more are discussed in detail, and photographs from Tutera's occasions demonstrate his special flair and provide plenty of inspiration. If Martha's too New England and Colin Cowie too L.A., Tutera's touch could be just right for you. --Rebecca Wright
Book Description
Truly great parties cast a powerful spell. They delight the senses, lift the spirit, and enchant their hosts as well as their guests. No one wants them to end, and in fact they never do, as the best ones live on as cherished memories. But how exactly do you produce one of these magical gatherings?
The first thing you do is consult David Tutera's A Passion for Parties. One of the world's premier event planners, Tutera produces extraordinary parties for such disparate luminaries as the Rolling Stones, Tipper Gore, and the Prince of Wales. Now, in this lavishly illustrated entertaining guide, he reveals his trade secrets and helps you stage your own unforgettable event.
As inspiring as it is informative, A Passion for Parties is a comprehensive guide to planning any kind of party, on any size budget. Tutera begins with the basics: how to find a location; select the invitation; choose a theme; and make decisions about menus, table settings, music, lighting, flowers, and decor. Then he shows you how to apply those basics to a variety of events: intimate gatherings, birthday parties, weddings, formal celebrations, and holiday entertaining. For the major events, he guides you through the technical details -- what to know if hiring a caterer, live band, valet parking, or tenting service -- and pulls in specialists like wedding cake expert Sylvia Weinstock and culinary master Wolfgang Puck.
Best of all, Tutera identifies the key elements of all parties, large or small, and offers a dazzling array of possibilities to make each party special. Throughout the book you will find dazzling photographs that bring all of his ideas to life. So whether you are planning a romantic fireplace picnic, a ladies' breakfast, a tented bat mitzvah bash, a New Year's dinner party, a Memorial Day clambake, or the wedding to end all weddings, David Tutera helps you throw the party with your own personal flair.
As lighthearted as it is invaluable, David Tutera's A Passion for Parties is sure to become your party bible.
Customer Reviews:
Not his best .......2007-05-07
It's not as well-edited as his other books, it has lots of text with smaller pictures & is more technical & focuses on the parties of his zillionare clients - not really relevant to anything I would do. Some of the theme ideas at the end were fun.
Designer's book is a flop.......2003-12-30
Being heavily involved in producing large events, I would have expected a much better book. The ideas offered were mediocre at best. Better you focus on decor ideas by companies such as Avi Adler or Preston Bailey (their work is of better quality) and consult real caterers for food. Both Avi & Preston are much more creative and versatile than anything offered in this book. I can tell you this from first hand experience.
All About Working With Party Planners.......2003-10-17
I expected a book on how to plan your own parties, nice doable tips - not at all what this book is about. If you want tips on hiring a party planner or other party services, this is for you. If you like to do things yourself, ie. cook, plan, decorate, look elsewhere.
Fabulous!.......2002-09-13
This book is great!
It offers many helpfull suggestions for anyone who isnt sure how to throw their next party.
The tutera tips are great, they are straight to the point, and even have some humor.
The photography is spectacular, I wish I could do what he does...I look forward to another great book by David Tutera!
Fantastic Book.......2002-09-13
I usually do not review items, but this book, A Passion for Parties, I felt I had to. I saw David on "The View" several times and decided to order his book. I am sure glad I did.
This is one book I have absolutely enjoyed from page 1. David gives great advice for planning an event. He covers all the finest details on throwing a party from invites right down to how much liquor to order according to your guest count.
He also adds humorous stories from his experiences in the industry and very informative tips throughout the length of the book.
I recommend this book highly to anyone who throws a party. I can only hope that Mr. Tutera is working on another book to keep me updated on the latest trends.
Book Description
Civic Revolutionaries offers a practical guide for renewing the great American tradition of spirited, breakthrough community leadership. By their very nature, revolutionary leaders help their communities reconcile the competing values on which our nation was built: individualism and community, freedom and responsibility, trust and accountability, economy and society. Like the Founders, today's civic revolutionaries are extraordinary leaders who are deeply committed to place, not just to specific issues or constituencies. They provide the vital spark, inspiring others who must ultimately own the revolution if it is to be successful. Written for leaders in business, government, education, and community, Civic Revolutionaries features practical guidance and in-depth case studies from communities across the country. The book provides tested advice to both new and seasoned leaders and draws essential lessons from the American revolutionary tradition to demonstrate how to become an effective leader within the community.
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Download Description
Civic Revolutionaries offers a practical guide for renewing the great American tradition of spirited, breakthrough community leadership. By their very nature, revolutionary leaders help their communities reconcile the competing values on which our nation was built: individualism and community, freedom and responsibility, trust and accountability, economy and society. Like the Founders, today's civic revolutionaries are extraordinary leaders who are deeply committed to place, not just to specific issues or constituencies. They provide the vital spark, inspiring others who must ultimately own the revolution if it is to be successful. Written for leaders in business, government, education, and community, Civic Revolutionaries features practical guidance and in-depth case studies from communities across the country. The book provides tested advice to both new and seasoned leaders and draws essential lessons from the American revolutionary tradition to demonstrate how to become an effective leader within the community.
Customer Reviews:
Collaboration in Context and Practice.......2003-12-07
A decade or so ago the authors of Civic Revolutionaries: Igniting the Passion for Change in America's Communities decided to bring the art of collaboration to the field of economic development. They even called their new firm "Collaborative Economics, Inc." to the amusement of many hard core industrial recruiters. This book is a result of their experience coupled with a sense of history and an idealism that is rare to find in a profession built on the principals of competitiveness.
The numerous examples of collaboration described by the authors go significantly beyond the details of the efforts. They are carefully woven into the Nation's revolutionary history by appropriate quotations and references to the role of collaboration as promoted by the authors of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as well as other notables in the "American Experience."
In addition, the illustrative examples drawn from the author's extensive and practical field experience working with collaborative efforts in all sections of the Nation over the past ten years are made particularly useful by describing not only results but discussing in detail successful collaborative processes that can be endlessly replicated in a variety of settings as well.
Due credit is given throughout the book to their mentor, John W. Gardner, through carefully selected and placed quotations and references. For example, Gardner is quoted in the introduction as saying "...the crucial task is to design a society (and institutions) capable of continuous change, continuous renewal and continuous responsiveness," a theme that runs throughout the book.
Henton, Melville and Walesh are optimistic about the future of collaboration and provide compelling evidence of its value in continuing the process of "dialog" which is the heart of the "American Experience." This book will be useful to anyone seeking to improve his or her community through collaboration. It will also be interesting for those with a more philosophic interest in the subject. It might even be worth the attention of hard core industrial recruiters.
A New Leadership Paradigm for a New Economy.......2003-11-15
In Grassroots Leaders for a New Economy (1997), the authors of Civic Revolutionaries identified a new type of leadership that has been emerging in regions that have been in the forefront of dealing with the problems and opportunities brought about by the new economy. They called these leaders "civic entrepreneurs." In Civic Revolutionaries: Igniting the Passion for Change in America's Communities, the authors have given us a compelling reason why this leadership model is essential in enabling regions to compete and prosper in the new economy.
By analyzing the complex problems that regions are confronted with today through the lens of the Federalist Papers and the debates between and among our nation's founders, they paint a picture that clearly demonstrates that traditional leadership is no more adequate today than it was in 1776. The authors have brilliantly made their case for regional stewardship taking the place of the traditional, top-down, command and control leadership that still persists in myriad communities throughout the United States. By focusing on the many tensions that exist within regions, such as the conflict between trust and accountability; change and continuity; individual rights and community, they leave little doubt that times have changed and the our concept of leadership must change as well.
I would recommend this book to anyone that is frustrated with the gridlock and inertia that still exists in many regions. A solution is at hand and it's called regional stewardship.
Average customer rating:
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A Passion for Planning
Gina Vega
Manufacturer: University Press of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Business & Investing
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Leadership
| Management & Leadership
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Management
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Planning & Forecasting
| Management & Leadership
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Systems & Planning
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ASIN: 0761818545 |
Book Description
As businesses grow and evolve, the plan that guides them needs to keep pace with the changing company. Too often, a business plan languishes on a shelf, unrevised, to be trotted out and tarted up when money is being sought. This book focuses on existing small businesses and looks specifically at the ethics of organization that guide their development. Entrepreneurs or small business owners will find the following four tools very helpful: a three-dimensional matrix that clarifies which sections of the business plan should be emphasized at the three main stages of the business life cycle development in various industries; examples of "live" business plans in these industries, developed and used by small business owners today; commentaries on these plans by functional specialists and industry experts who evaluate the plans in the context of the business; an extensive set of resources and references, electronic, hard copy, and human, to assist the small business owner in business plan development.
Book Description
This book represents the first detailed approach to how people who are serious about their careers can seek their financial goals in life while still maintaining their inner spiritual sense of who they are and what they stand for. Peppered throughout with numerous quotes, quips, and observations, Making a Life, Making a Living is designed to help readers re-examine their own business lives as they learn how to take control of their souls destiny.
Download Description
Few of us will regret not having spent more time at the office upon reaching heaven's gate. Yet as we focus on making a good living, we often forget to make a life. Why not transform work into a pursuit that feeds the spirit and the pocketbook, and benefits society, too? Now that would be a life worth living, a legacy to look back upon. Former professor at Harvard Business School, highly successful Fortune 500 consultant, and part owner of lucrative businesses, Mark Albion had it all--but the "it" he had wasn't what his body and soul needed to thrive. So he did the unthinkable. He gave up what he did so well and started over. Drawing on intimate interviews with a dozen fast-trackers he met on his search for happiness, Mark shares how these men and women found the courage and motivation to re-create successful professional lives guided by passion. You'll meet, among others, Judy George, who went from a crushing job termination to establishing her own home furnishings company based on the same treasured values that guide her family . . . Ira Jackson, who left his public sector job--and put his social conscience to work rebuilding a bank's reputation . . . and Tom Reis, who found the climb up the corporate ladder unfulfilling--and now works at a nonprofit organization for a cause that truly matters to him. MAKING A LIFE, MAKING A LIVING proves that you can change horses in midstream and find work you really love. Inspiring, eye-opening, and sprinkled with insightful quotes from such diverse sources as Mother Teresa, W. C. Fields, Maya Angelou, Marilyn Monroe, Warren Buffett, and Martin Luther King, Jr., this personal IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE for the new millennium will help you combine your ambition and passions to create a livelihood that enriches both the world and yourself.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-05-07
I first read this book 2 years ago after going through a mid-life/career change.
The title spoke to me-Making a life, Making a living.
I didn't go to Harvard, I don't have an MBA, but I had a successful career for years and still felt something was missing. While there are alot of successful people profiled with Ivy league degrees-the core of the message about making a choice with how you live your life personally and professionally really made an impact with me.
As with any book, you extract and interpret what is meaningful for you.
I've read this book 3 times and each time I get something more from it.
I now live the life I imagined and my priorities are synced.
Mark's book will give you insight, profiles interesting people and makes you think-that's what I look for in a great book.
Making a Life or Making a Fortune?.......2006-11-01
The quotes in this book are good. Some of the stories are interesting. But as much as I wanted to really like this book because it was recommended to me by people I admire, I couldn't make it to the end. The moral and tone of the book seemed to be that the ultimate purpose is making lots of money. The examples of people giving up six-digit salary careers and fancy lifestyles for a higher purpose eventually wound their way back to those same people earning heaps in a different business. Maybe I didn't read far enough, but I didn't see any stories of people who gave up the high life, worked for a cause they loved, never made another dime and were still happy.
the elitist BULLCrap novel, don't believe what you read...........2006-07-17
I worked for a name/ego that was highlited in this book.
All about ego, financial and political gains. Any resemblence of true atruism is very far from the REAL truth. This book feeds on the thirst for liberal ideals. Maybe the next planet but surely not this one.
Not enough...........2004-12-21
I was a subscriber on Albion's e-mail list some years ago. I bought this book expecting more depth than what the list had. I was looking for a book that would really show how people make hard choices and focus their lives in alternative paths.
I was disappointed and actually could not even finish the book.
It lacked depth. Albion could have probed its subjects, could have tried to question them. Instead, he chose to almost worships them.
Life is full of difficult choices. I personally have looked for books that open my eyes to new ways of looking at things, for in that I may find "my truth". This book tries to sell us "one truth" almost as a one-size-fits-all solution. I don't buy that.
For a book of this type, with life-stories examples, I suggest Po Bronson's "What should I do with my life". I think is more authentic and more dettached in its analyses.
Condescending Dribble.......2004-09-20
I found this book to be very condescending in the way that it was written. I listened to the audio cassettes and stopped listening after the first cassette because I felt like I was being talked down to because I had not given up everything in life to go live in a eskimo community or in Africa figthing AIDS in some tribe that lives in the Nigeria.
I completely agree that the path to true happiness is not merely achieving success through becoming rich and famous, but I found it very interesting the examples that he chose for his success stories. For example, in his story of Judy and her business the "White Dog", he portrayed her as being so happy and having achieved such great success through her activism with regards to social issues, but just passed over the fact that she had two unsuccessful marriages and could keep her personal relationships successful.
I feel that the sense of the book is that you have to be involved in these major earth saving causes to find true happiness and I don't agree with that. I believe that you can find true happiness within the walls of your own home just as easily. I also believe that through small and simple things like being kind to others and volunteering in your community that great things are brought about.
I am glad the the author was able to come to some conclusions about how to find happiness in his own life but I felt that the book was very preachy in its approach.
If this book touched others' lives for the better, I think that the author was successful, but it didn't touch mine. In fact, it got on my nerves so much that I had to quit listening to it and felt the desire to write a review to let others know of the condescending airs that it portrays.
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