Book Description
Whether challenged with taking on a startup, turning a business around, or inheriting a high-performing unit, a new leader's success or failure is determined within the first 90 days on the job.
In this hands-on guide, Michael Watkins, a noted expert on leadership transitions, offers proven strategies for moving successfully into a new role at any point in one's career. The First 90 Days provides a framework for transition acceleration that will help leaders diagnose their situations, craft winning transition strategies, and take charge quickly.
Practical examples illustrate how to learn about new organizations, build teams, create coalitions, secure early wins, and lay the foundation for longer-term success. In addition, Watkins provides strategies for avoiding the most common pitfalls new leaders encounter, and shows how individuals can protect themselves-emotionally as well as professionally-during what is often an intense and vulnerable period.
Concise and actionable, this is the survival guide no new leader should be without.
"Few companies develop a systematic 'on-boarding' process for their new leaders, even though this is a critical function with major organizational implications. Michael Watkins's The First 90 Days provides a powerful framework and strategies that will enable new leaders to take charge quickly. It is an invaluable tool for that most vulnerable time-the transition."
-Goli Darabi, Senior Vice President, Corporate Leadership & Succession Management, Fidelity Investments
"Every job-private- or public-sector, civilian or military-has its breakeven point, and everyone can accelerate their learning. Read this book at least twice: once before your next transition-before getting caught up in the whirl and blur of new faces, names, acronyms, and issues; then read it again after you've settled in, and consider how to accelerate transitions for your next new boss and for those who come to work for you."
-Colonel Eli Alford, U.S. Army
"Watkins provides an excellent road map, telling us what all new leaders need to know and do to accelerate their learning and success in a new role. The First 90 Days should be incorporated into every company's leadership development strategy, so that anyone making a transition in an organization can get up to speed quicker and smarter."
-Suzanne M. Danielle, Director of Global Leadership Development, Aventis
"Michael Watkins has nailed a huge corporate problem and provided the solution in one fell swoop. The pressure on new leaders to hit the ground running has never been greater, and the likelihood and cost of failure is escalating. Watkins's timing with The First 90 Days is impeccable."
-Gordon Curtis, Principal, Curtis Consulting
"The First 90 Days is a must-read for entrepreneurs. Anyone who's been the CEO of a start-up or early-stage company knows that you go through many 90-day leadership transitions in the course of a company's formative years. In this groundbreaking book, Michael Watkins provides crucial insights, as well as a toolkit of techniques, to enable you to accelerate through these transitions successfully."
-Mike Kinkead, President and CEO, timeBLASTER Corporation, serial entrepreneur, and Cofounder and Trustee, Massachusetts Software Council
Customer Reviews:
Good way to get prepared.......2007-07-04
It just makes sense, and is very thorough. Many things I would not have thought about, or gotten around to thinking about - we live in such a fast paced world that it would have been a challenge to do. Luckily, I had a cross country trip, so this gave me the time to read this book and compile my "list" of notes and apply them to my upcoming job change. Bottom line - many good new perspectives that I simply would not have thought of. Highly recommended.
Practical and Actionable. It is an excellent book on the subject of management transitions........2007-06-22
As a human resources professional, I have seen a great deal of management transition. Many succeed but some do not. Unfortunately for our people and our organizations those that do not leave a stream of damage in their wake.
Recently I wrote a review about Scott Eblin's, "The Next Level" and I called it a real disappointment. This book is not and it is a far more actionable and practical approach to managing transitions.
One of the reasons this book is so practical is that each section not only provides you with clear direction but each section also ends with an action checklist. This make creating a 90-day transition plan doable and improves your prospects for success.
Lastly, the steps from this book create a framework that a company can use to create a "transition strategy" for all its new and upwardly moving managers. This alone will enable a firm to increase their odds that a new hire or promotion will be in the "win" column.
*****First 90 Days.......2007-06-10
I only ordered this for a superior and he is VERY VERY happy with the book...he asked for it by name so we ordered three copies! Thank you for the great service you provide.
A Must Read.......2007-05-30
Great book for all business leaders who are advancing to a new role or coming from the outside into an organization. Simple, easy to read with pertinent lessons for a successful transition.
Some great tips, but often not well developed or organized.......2007-05-28
We bought this book along with the "New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan" and read them side by side.
Pro:
-"STaRS" concept is excellent. Start-ups, Turnarounds, Realignments and Sustaining success are all different scenarios that you might be thrown into, and the environment you join directly affects what you need to do.
-Checklists are helpful, when available, to boil thoughts down to the most essential elements
-There are many good tips interspersed throughout the book that are good reminders of the basics you need to adhere to in order to be successful
-Breaks the "sink or swim mindset" often associated with starting a new position
Con:
-Does not really address the time opportunity BEFORE you start a job and in my experience is a major lost opportunity that I've been able to surprise and delight. Set up pre-meetings, arranging for email/phone and a place to sit, etc. as a chance to listen and learn without the pressure to perform. Any items that can/should be done ahead of time appear to me as afterthoughts, underdeveloped, and often out of sequence in this text.
-Would not serve as a handy reference... better chapter summaries and a stronger introduction with time lines and meaty chapter outline would have been helpful both now and in the future
-I think that many good concepts like "STaRS" were underdeveloped or under leveraged... I sense more detail that was perhaps omitted
-To me, many of the illustrations were filler and did not offer additional information
-Sometimes poor or awkward word choice or idea sequence (e.g. rather than "Promote Yourself" why not just call it "Prepare Yourself" as this is what you are really saying, so why not just say it that way?)
-Real life examples were unnecessarily detailed, consuming time and space that I think could be better used by the author as he's clearly brilliant and has some great observations
-I think that the scope is too narrow, picks up after you've started the job (day 1) and neglects the opportunity (and chaos) beforehand of the interview, moving, doing "pre-work" to get your basics at work set-up
Bottom line: While there were some interesting moments, I was disappointed. The book does offer several cautionary tales of CEOs who crashed and burned, and if nothing else serves as both warning and motivation to be smarter about your transition.
Product Description
Brand new book, autographed by author.
Customer Reviews:
Everything you need to know about the subject!.......2007-09-26
This one book has it all! The author hasn't left any segment of Six Sigma uncovered. The index is detailed, making it easy to find a particular thing in the book. The language is easy to follow.
Wow Book.......2007-09-07
This book is worth the price. A good guide indeed, covering theoretical perspective and making practical sense as well. A must for those new and enthusiastic readers of Six-Sigma.
My Six Sigma Handbook Review.......2007-09-01
The Six Sigma Handbook was a required reading as part of the Black Belt Certification I am taking. I have read the entire handbook. I found some chapters easier to read than others. There are other books, on Six Sigma, that may easier for the novice to read. This book is a great desk-top reference for anyone who is in the manufacturing line of business because most of the examples are focused in that direction. The book does contain some transactional examples from service companies that are helpful.
Review.......2007-07-17
The book is very good on stats and very comprehensive. However for a book this size, would like to have seen a bit more on problem solving tools
Book used as part of a Black Belt Program.......2007-05-14
I am reading the book as part of a SixSigma Black Belt program, currently at page 327. Reading as I am for comprehension, I find that there is a information in just about every line of the book. Pyzdek demonstrates his experience in the field of improvement, as all dimensions are thoroughly addressed. As an experienced engineering manager, I do not see too many stones unturned.
Book Description
At last a Mandarin CD course which requires no reading and which teaches you to actually speak Mandarin Chinese in a minimum of time and effort. Designed by the experts at Language Dynamics, 'Behind The Wheel Chinese For Your Car' takes the learner from basic to intermediate level Mandarin without the guesswork and pain usually associated with language learning. An expert English speaking instructor talks you through these tapes in English while 2 trained professional native Mandarin speakers teach you Chinese the way it is really spoken! Behind The Wheel Chinese For Your Car is the ideal way to learn Mandarin Chinese while you drive because there is no confusion, no reading, no looking up meanings, and no guessing. It's all on the CDs. Use your commute time to effectively learn Chinese with this delightful course whose method will have you speaking your first words in Mandarin within minutes of receiving your course, and enjoying it. The product has superb clarity of voices and exudes a spontaneity which makes learning Chinese fun. You'll be thrilled with the fast and easy to learn design of the course, beginning with the immediate gratification you feel when you conclude your first one half hour session with the CDs speaking sentences in Mandarin that Chinese speakers understand 10 minutes later on the street. You'll be amazed at the 'natural' way you just seem to pick up Chinese without having to learn grammar or reviewing. No need to go back. It's all 'built in' the course. Just imagine the thrill of being able to express what you really feel in Mandarin in 100 different ways because you know own a Chinese linguistic blueprint, a template that you can manipulate over and over again in different and personal ways while increasing your fluency in Mandarin. What' s more, you will also learn to speak in the past, present and future along with idioms all in the same course.
Customer Reviews:
Learn to speak Chinese.......2007-10-19
This product was a good deal. It is fairly a complete package to obtain a comfortable level of fluency in Mandarin Chinese. It is more for those desiring to learn to speak the entire language than those who wish to learn a few phrases for a quick trip to China. Very good for those with long commutes.
Excellent Supplement.......2007-05-16
The most important thing to remember when purchasing this pack is that these CDs are for beginners, NOT novice speakers. People who have had some training with Chinese in the classroom or self-study may be able to pick up and use this CD pack, but the information is presented too rapidly (and there is too much presented at once) to be good for initial acquisition.
I would give it 5 stars, but there is no clear advertising about this product. If I had some information about the rapid pace and the target audience, I probably would not have purchased this set. It will, however, be a useful set once I've mastered some basic phrases.
Excellent! CD 1 and Beyond.......2006-06-16
The 'good' doesn't stop with CD1. It's just beginning.
I notice no difference between the approach used in 'Behind the Wheel Chinese/Mandarin' and other Behind the Wheel courses I have used.
CD 2 and beyond evolve sentence building, tenses, expressions,
and tons of vocabulary that they teach you how to assemble.
Great course.
Good for listening comprehension and practice.......2006-05-06
This audio set is very useful for getting an idea of how things are pronounced natively, and some slight variations on those pronunciations. However, it would not be a good idea to start here, as it relies heavily on memory. However, a good accompanying set to any books and courses.
Meant to be listened to, not to replace study while not driving.
Great Course - Multi-Track - 2 Native Speakers.......2006-03-24
I tried Pimsleur's Chinese (Mandarin) (Instant Conversation) and returned it because it didn't have multi-tracks, they presented too little vocabulary and the the course was 'rigid'.
I prefer the method in Behind the Wheel Chinese because there are multi-tracks
(very important for in-car language learning), a good memory technique and great original sentence formation exercises that get you speaking Mandarin from the get-go.
Average customer rating:
- The Definitive Guide for PERL!!!
- Excellent Perl Reference
- Non Fiction
- A Complete Reference, But Not For Beginners
- Essential for lovers of Perl culture, recommended for the rest of us
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Programming Perl (3rd Edition)
Larry Wall ,
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Jon Orwant
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ASIN: 0596000278 |
Amazon.com
Larry Wall wrote Perl and he wrote Programming Perl. Better yet, he writes amusingly and well--all of which comes across in this latest edition of the definitive guide to the language.
Like Topsy, Perl just grew, and as a result the need for a third edition came about. It's now over 1,000 pages, which it needs to be, as it performs several different duties. First, it's an introduction to the Perl language for those who are new to programming; also, it's a guide for those who are coming from other languages; and, finally, it's a Perl language reference.
Among Larry Wall's other pursuits is being a linguist, and it's perhaps for this reason that Perl is a peculiarly flexible language with many routes to achieving the same ends, as the authors ably demonstrate. It's also extensible in several ways, designed to work with many other languages. Also, as it's largely interpreted, programs written in Perl tend to run unmodified on a variety of platforms--although platform-specific Perl modules and programming practices are also discussed.
A major strength of Programming Perl is the way subject areas are approached from several directions. This constant shift of viewpoint eliminates blind spots in the reader's understanding and provides a pleasing echo of the way Perl itself can take many routes from here to there.
Because the Perl community is both knowledgeable and active, the language covers much more ground here than in the previous edition. Even if you have both previous editions, you'll want this latest version--if only for the new jokes. --Steve Patient, amazon.co.uk
Book Description
Perl is a powerful programming language that has grown in popularity since it first appeared in 1988. The first edition of this book, Programming Perl, hit the shelves in 1990, and was quickly adopted as the undisputed bible of the language. Since then, Perl has grown with the times, and so has this book. Programming Perl is not just a book about Perl. It is also a unique introduction to the language and its culture, as one might expect only from its authors. Larry Wall is the inventor of Perl, and provides a unique perspective on the evolution of Perl and its future direction. Tom Christiansen was one of the first champions of the language, and lives and breathes the complexities of Perl internals as few other mortals do. Jon Orwant is the editor of The Perl Journal, which has brought together the Perl community as a common forum for new developments in Perl. Any Perl book can show the syntax of Perl's functions, but only this one is a comprehensive guide to all the nooks and crannies of the language. Any Perl book can explain typeglobs, pseudohashes, and closures, but only this one shows how they really work. Any Perl book can say that my is faster than local, but only this one explains why. Any Perl book can have a title, but only this book is affectionately known by all Perl programmers as "The Camel." This third edition of Programming Perl has been expanded to cover version 5.6 of this maturing language. New topics include threading, the compiler, Unicode, and other new features that have been added since the previous edition.
Customer Reviews:
The Definitive Guide for PERL!!!.......2007-10-06
I would not recommend this book upfront if you don't know any Perl. Read up Beginning Perl by Simon Cozens and feel around a bit. Then pick this book up and put in the effort and you WILL appreciate the power, truth and beauty about PERL.
It is not a light read... certainly wasn't for me. But at the end of it, the effort was so worth it. The book will give you several Aha moments and by the end of it, thou shalt be rewarded!!
Excellent Perl Reference.......2007-09-16
This contains a lot of useful information and examples which go above and beyond the "basics" found in the extensive Perl man-pages.
Non Fiction.......2007-09-03
A really quite good introduction and how-to guide to the whacky and very cool and useful beast that is the Perl programming language. It certainly helped me when I decided to pick up the language for some of the useful internet programming tricks that it had. A book I would definitely recommend as a purchase. Not too many you could say that about currently.
A Complete Reference, But Not For Beginners.......2007-07-16
Programming Perl, also known as "The Camel Book," is the ultimate reference guide, written by the creator of Perl, Larry Wall. As one might expect, this guide covers every nook and cranny of the Perl programming language. It's greatest strength is also it's greatest weakness: useful nuggets of information are buried everywhere throughout the text. This is a strength in that, when looking up a particular topic, you'll often stumble upon a useful morsel of information. It's a weakness in that you have to slog through often dry reading to find these hidden gems.
It should be noted that this book assumes a working knowledge of Unix, in addition to some previous programming experience. If you are new to programming, or just new to Perl, you should check out Learning Perl, Fourth Edition instead. It is a much easier read, and ranks in my mind among the most well written technical books. Programming Perl makes for a great second book, as well as a desktop reference.
Essential for lovers of Perl culture, recommended for the rest of us.......2007-07-14
Perl seems capable of evoking both rapturous adoration and abject disgust from those who are exposed to it. If your feelings are closer to the former than the latter, well, you probably own this book already, and you love it.
After all, The Camel consists of the God of Perl and two Perl demigods writing the definitive reference about Perl from top to bottom. What's not to love? In particular, if you've ever heard Larry Wall give a talk, you'll be able to spot his contributions: droll, parenthetical and punning.
For those of us who just like Perl (or even just have to work with it), it's not quite as essential as you might have been led to believe. In part this might be because the third edition is getting on a bit, and plenty of other good Perl books have emerged in the intervening time. And in part, it's because definitive tomes such as this one by definition contain large chunks that you don't need, where you'll spend most of your time just nodding and thinking 'yep, I already know that'.
But of course, there's always a few bits you didn't know, and that's where The Camel comes in handy. The first part of the book, which goes over the core of the language, is a must read in this respect. To be honest, I didn't find the explanations to be quite as cogent as what can be found elsewhere (e.g. Perl Best Practices or Advanced Perl Programming), but it's all in one place here.
In addition, beyond the core language, lots of other material is present, including: threading, details on Perl's internals, and a long list of Perl idioms and dos and don'ts. There's also the reference section, which covers the built in functions, and briefly outlines what's in the standard packages that come with Perl, which is also helpful, although in most cases I expect an internet search (or the perl man pages) is just as fast, and in the case of the standard library, provides more information.
On the one hand, I think you can get by without owning this. On the other you will not regret buying this book -- Perl has enough quirks that it's nice to have The Camel close to hand. Nice, but not essential.
Amazon.com
Amazon.com Exclusive
Leading at a Higher Level is Ken Blanchard's definitive statement on leadership excellence, collecting over 25 years of experience and time-tested management techniques. Check out Amazon.com's exclusive audio and video to begin your organization's journey on the path to customer loyalty, employee satisfaction, and sustained success.
|
Exclusive video from Ken Blanchard |
Audio selections |
 |
Ken Blanchard on:
- Leading for the greater good
- The Ken Blanchard Effect: Leadership is not about leaders
- Vision: Choosing the right targets
- 101%: Satisfied customers are not enough
- Treat your people right for the best results
|
Customer Reviews:
Putting It All Together.......2007-10-18
Leading at a Higher Level is an excellent book that really "puts it all together" related to leadership and Blanchard's principles. I highly recommend it for a comprehensive book about leadership. I am using the book with our management/administrative team. Each person is reading the book and then facilitating the discussion of one chapter. The website resources are an added bonus. I am very excited about the individual and team development possibilities. Thank you!
Required reading for everyone who wants to become a better leader.......2007-08-11
Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One Minute Manager, and his colleagues at The Ken Blanchard Companies have spent more than 25 years helping good leaders and organizations become great and stay great. In this book, they describe how leaders can empower people and unleash their incredible potential. This book must be required reading for everyone who wants to become a better leader.
A better definition of leadership, according to the author, is the capacity to influence others by unleashing the power and potential of people and organizations for the greater good. Leadership should not be done purely for personal gain or goal accomplishment: It should have a much higher purpose than that. Leadership can be defined as the process of achieving worthwhile results while acting with respect, care and fairness for the well-being of all involved. When that occurs, self-serving leadership is not possible. It's only when you realize that it's not about you that you begin to lead at a higher level.
Being a successful leader is not only about leading your organization, but your customers as well. According to the author, to keep your customers, you can't be content just to satisfy them; you have to create raving fans. Raving fans are customers who are so excited about the way you treat them that they want to tell everyone about you. A good example of how this works is Domo Gas, a full-service gasoline chain in Western Canada, cofounded by Sheldon Bowles. Back in the 1970s, when everybody was going to self-service gasoline stations, Bowles knew that if people had a choice, they would never go to a gas station. But people have to get gas, and they want to get in and out as quickly as possible. The customer service vision that Bowles and his co-founders imagined was an Indianapolis 500 pit stop. They dressed all their attendants in red jumpsuits. When a customer drove into one of Bowles' stations, two or three people ran out of the hut and raced toward the car. As quickly as possible, they looked under the hood, cleaned the windshield and pumped the gas (p. 42).
A successful leader must also have a workable vision, and be able to clearly communicate and share this vision with his organization. When Louis Gerstner Jr. took the helm of IBM in 1993-- amid turmoil and instability as the company's annual net losses reached a record $8 billion -- he was quoted as saying, "The last thing IBM needs is a vision." In an article in The New York Times two years later, Gerstner conceded that IBM had lost the war for the desktop operating system, acknowledging that the acquisition of Lotus signified that the company had failed to plan properly for its future. He admitted that he and his management team now "spent a lot of time thinking ahead." Once Gerstner understood the importance of vision, an incredible turnaround occurred. In 1995, delivering the keynote address at the computer industry trade show, Gerstner articulated IBM's new vision -- that network computing would drive the next phase of industry growth and would be the company's overarching strategy. That year, IBM began a series of acquisitions that positioned it to become the fastest-growing company in its segment, with growth at more than 20 percent per year. This extraordinary turnaround demonstrated that the most important thing IBM needed was a vision (p. 24-25).
Leaders must also know how to lead their workforce. Giving people too much or too little direction has a negative impact on people's development. Situational leadership is based on the belief that people can and want to develop, and there is no best leadership style to encourage that development. You should tailor leadership style to the situation. This is pretty much common sense. But leaders should also train their people in self leadership. For example, Bandag Manufacturing experienced the value of self leadership after a major equipment breakdown. Rather than laying off the affected work force, the company opted to train them in leadership. The company began holding their managers accountable and asking them to demonstrate their leadership capabilities. They were asking managers for direction and support and urging them to clarify goals and expectations. Suddenly, managers were studying up on rusty skills and working harder. When the plant's ramp-up time was compared to the company's other eight plants that had experienced similar breakdowns in the past, the California plant reached pre-breakdown production levels faster than any in history. The determining factor in the plant's successful rebound was primarily the proactive behavior of the workers, who were fully engaged and armed with the skill of self leadership (p. 104-105).
Leaders must also encourage team work, and be part of the team themselves. Teams provide a sense of worth, connection and meaning to the people involved in them. A study of 12,000 male Swedish workers over a 14-year period revealed that workers who felt isolated and had little influence over their jobs were 162 percent more likely to have a fatal heart attack than were those who had a lot of influence in decisions at work and who worked in teams. Data like this -- combined with the fact that teams can be far more productive than individuals functioning alone --provide a compelling argument for creating high involvement workplaces. Furthermore, according to a 2003 Gallup study, "actively disengaged" people -- workers who are fundamentally disconnected from their jobs -- are costing the U.S. economy between $292 billion and $355 billion a year. The Gallup survey found that 24.7 million workers (17 percent) are actively disengaged. These workers are absent from work 3.5 more days a year than other workers, or 86.5 million days in all. Statistics show an even less engaged work force worldwide.
When people lead at a higher level, they make the world a better place because their goals are focused on the greater good. Making the world a better place requires a special kind of leader: a servant leader. Robert Greenleaf first coined the term "servant leadership" in 1970 and published widely on the concept. Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela are examples of servant leaders. Servant leaders feel their role is to help people achieve their goals. They try to find out what their people need to be successful. They want to make a difference in the lives of their people and, in the process, impact the organization (p. 249).
Research shows that effective leaders have a clear, teachable leadership point of view and are willing to teach it to others, particularly the people they work with. If you can teach people your leadership point of view, they will not only have the benefit of understanding where you're coming from, but they'll also be clear on what you expect from them and what they can expect from you. They may also begin to solidify their own thinking about leadership so that they can teach others too. Some say that learning, teaching and leading should be inherent parts of everyone's job description.
The world needs more leaders who are leading at a higher level. Perhaps the day will come when self-serving leaders are history, and leaders serving others are the rule, not the exception.
Blanchard's 25-year cumulative definition of leadership.......2007-04-24
Dramatic changes have altered the workplace over the course of the past 25 years, but many executives stick to outdated scripts even as corporate directions shift. Fortunately, The One Minute Manager guru Ken Blanchard offers insightful coaching exercises that give leaders new ways to proceed. Using straightforward language, Blanchard provides templates, examples and guidelines for employee education, performance reviews and promotions. The reader may become impatient with the repetition of key points and with Blanchard's slightly jarring habit of referring to himself in the third person, but despite these minor annoyances, this book is an excellent primer about modern leadership roles. In fact, Blanchard says that it "pulls together the thinking from the Ken Blanchard Companies for the past 25 years." We recommend this leadership overview to managers, board members, team leaders and every employee in a cubicle who aspires to reach higher levels.
Integrated View of Leadership.......2007-02-20
Management expert Ken Blanchard has spent more than 25 years helping individuals and organizations become and stay great. Known for his co-authorship of The One Minute Manager, for the first time Blanchard combines his collective wisdom to show managers and leaders zero in on the right target and vision.
Blanchard argues that in high performing organizations everyone's energy is focused on three issues:
1. Being the provider of choice. To keep your customers, you must go beyond satisfying them, you have to turn them into raving fans.
2. Being the employer of choice. Workers seek opportunities where they feel their contributions are valued and rewarded.
3. Being the investment of choice. Money flows to organizations that provide viability, visibility and performance over time.
To achieve these goals, Blanchard argues, your organization must become a HPO - a high performing organization. The author employs the acronym SCORES to illustrate the six elements found in every HPO:
1. Shared Information and Communication.
2. Compelling Vision.
3. Ongoing Learning.
4. Relentless Focus on Customer Results.
5. Energizing Systems and Structures.
6. Shared Power and High Involvement.
In an HPO, Blanchard writes, every thing starts and ends with the customer. Each organization member is passionate about developing sophisticated knowledge of customers and sharing the information throughout the organization. This is accomplished three ways:
1. Decide. If you want raving fans, you do not announce it. You plan for it.
2. Discover. After you decide, it's critical to ask your customers' for suggestions to improve their experience with your organization.
3. Deliver + 1 per cent. Excite your people to deliver this experience, plus.
Enablement is the key to beating your competition day-after day. Allowing your people to pit their brains and allowing them to use their knowledge, experience and motivation is critical. To guide this transition to an enablement culture, leaders must use three keys:
1. Share Information.
2. Declare the Boundaries
3. Replace old Hierarchies with Self-Directed Individuals and Teams.
This requires a special leader: the servant leader. Leadership has two parts: vision and implementation. They need to find out what their people need to be successful and they make a difference in the lives of their people and in the process, their organization.
An Integrated One-Volume View of Ken Blanchard's Work on Leadership.......2006-12-13
I've been reading Dr. Ken Blanchard since The One Minute Manager came out. Perhaps you have been, too. While I haven't read all of his collaborations, I've usually read the books where the title seemed relevant to my interests.
More than once, I've wondered how I should fit all the pieces of his views on leadership into one finished jigsaw puzzle. Clearly, the views are humanistic, idealistic and inspiring. But how do we combine them all? My confusion was eliminated by reading Leading at a Higher Level which does an excellent job of integrating three decades worth of writing into one coherent set of ideas and directions for implementation.
If you tried to boil down this book into one idea, it's that of having the right target . . . what Dr. Blanchard and his partners and associates call the triple bottom line -- being the provider of choice for customers, the employer of choice for employees, and the investment of choice for investors. I'm not inclined to quibble, but in the rest of the book it's clear that other stakeholders are supposed to be considered (people who use the offerings, partners, the community, suppliers, and those affected by the company). I wonder if the triple bottom line doesn't need to be expanded to have more bottom lines.
Here's how the book is organized:
I. Set Your Sights on the Right Target and Vision
1. Measuring leadership performance -- the HPO SCORES model which is:
a. Shared information and open communications
b. Compelling vision
c. Ongoing learning
d. Relentless focus on customer results
e. Energizing systems and structures (ways of getting things done that fit with the vision)
f. Shared power and high involvement
As you can see, this is a highly participative concept of leadership where everyone has a role.
2. The Power of Vision
II. Treat Your Customers Right (Raving Fans created by Gung Ho people)
III. Treat Your People Right (Direct, Coach, Support, or Delegate depending on how prepared your people are for the task, and use one minute praisings and redirections and apologies)
IV. Have the Right Kind of Leadership (Servant leadership and diagnosing your own leadership perspective and style)
The bulk of the book is focused on the third topic, treat your people right, which is Dr. Blanchard's key operating philosophy.
The most interesting aspect of the book for me, however, was Dr. Blanchard's occasional revision of his philosophy. For instance, I could never understand why Dr. Johnson and he emphasized one-minute reprimands as much as one-minute praisings in The One Minute Manager. Dr. Blanchard makes a long-needed shift in that view to point out that one-minute redirections and one-minute apologies are needed much more often than one-minute reprimands.
Who will gain the most from this book? Someone who wants to see a process spelled out that can be used for being a humanistic leader and who hasn't read many books on the subject. If you've already read everything that's ever been written and feel comfortable with how Dr. Blanchard's many books fit together in application, you probably won't gain much additional knowledge from this book. But if you would like a friendly review of books you've enjoyed, you'll find the reading to be a pleasant experience. I enjoyed learning more about Dr. Blanchard's various colleagues.
If you haven't read anything by Ken Blanchard, just buy and read this book. It tells you everything you need to know about the other books. You could then expand your appreciation selectively by reading the fables that go with those books where you want to have a deeper understanding . . . by adding a story to go with the leadership lessons.
Be the leader you would like to have! That's the advice of Norman Schwarzkopf. I'm sure he would approve of this book.
Book Description
-Repetition of excerpts of complete conversations
-French language rules explained in a simple way
-CDs with booklet containing actual transcripts of French natives with the translations
-Color-coding shows what is and what is not pronounced in spoken French
Learning a foreign language is typically a very frustrating experience. After spending countless hours in a classroom environment, most find that they are still unable to comprehend "real world" French as it is naturally spoken between native French people.
To learn a language one has to develop speaking as well as understanding skills. What to do first is a matter of choice. To learn a few sentences to get by is good but to understand what's coming back to you is also important. Besides developing your speaking abilities, SmartFrench will develop your listening skills, which will raise your confidence to speak naturally (Just learning basic sentences will make you sound too "proper"). For better progress, this process of speaking and understanding should be done simultaneously and the sooner the better, right at the beginner level. If you go to France soon, SmartFrench will help you tremendously. You will feel "connected".
Some people think that developing understanding skills should be a part of the beginner level training. With these CDs you will learn how to understand and speak. A beginner is naturally not expected to be able to understand dialogs at real speed right away, but with a little patience, you will soon feel more and more confident about your ability to "talk" French just by learning how to recognize the "rhythm" of the language and its predictable patterns.
Customer Reviews:
REAL FRENCH.......2007-10-19
With this program you learn French the way it is actually spoken, with a very entertaining choice of conversations. It's very simple, just right.
Not ideal for the beginner..........2007-10-19
I believe this program is better suited for the intermediate/advanced French student looking to improve his/her pronunciation. Definitely not for the beginner. You are basically listening to and repeating normal French conversations with a little commentary thrown in for good measure. As a beginner, I got more out of the "Behind the Wheel" series.
smart french.......2007-10-16
This was a bit more than I was prepared for, the first conversation turned me off as it was a dialog on smoking, one I felt I would not encounter on my travels. I chose to return it and chose a more generalized course that appeared to be better at teaching me vocabulary with dialogs. Much harder than described for a beginner.
For me, the best course to learn french.......2007-10-15
I found what I was looking for!! Finally, here is a course that told me how to speak French! What a difference it makes! I am finally learning French! It might be a little difficult for the true beginner but I wish I had bought it sooner. It's better to get it right away, practice with it once and eventually keep it preciously for later. You will not find such a nice product on the market very often.
Wonderful and innovative with great results.......2007-10-03
Great course! The progress I have made just after two weeks of studying is incredible. Last time I studied French was 10 years ago in college. I retained some grammar and a small vocabulary. Three months ago, I renewed my interest in improving my French. I have learned a lot of new words and phrases on my own. However, comprehension was the elusive part which to me was the MOST important. After researching all available learning courses (took me two weeks of reading and going to various stores), I had finally found "Smart French." After exploring the website and listening to the demo, I was convinced this was a great product.
I have been studying the CDs for the past 2 weeks and I cannot believe the change in my listening and comprehension! My biggest frustration has always been the inability to separate the words and phrases in spoken French. Now, I can listen and discern TF1 news reports and interviews (I can actually understand what Thierry Henry is saying!). On top of that, my speech has changed - my French has acquired a melody and tone to it that surprised even my French speaking friends. I spend 2 hrs a day listening and repeating; to the point that I can feel the muscles in my face being `trained' to move in a different way. No other French class had such results for me. The phonetics I was taught in college sound primitive and crude in comparison to the way I am learning to speak now.
If you want to learn 10-20 "plastic" phrases so you can find a bathroom in Paris - buy a $5 phrasebook and don't waste your time and money. If you don't want to spend time, work hard and dedicate yourself to learning - hire an interpreter.
Learning a foreign language is 10% talent and 90% work. You still have to learn words, phrases and grammar but you don't need expensive CDs for that. Purchase some books and a dictionary, and study, study, study. Any idiot can do that.
"Smart French" has what you cannot get from books - live language - spoken by French people (from France). Not a 100 pre-packaged phrases in Canadian, North African or American accents which many other products use.
There was a comment regarding the sound quality which is completely without merit. There's nothing wrong with the microphone. The teaching part is recorded with crisp studio sound and the actual conversation reflects the natural sound. What you are hearing is exactly what you hear when you are speaking to people in real life - it is very important to learn to understand people in a natural environment.
Those who leave bad reviews are looking for some sort of magic - maybe watched `Matrix' too many times. Foreign languages are learned through studying; not downloaded into the brain while you sleep.
I recommend "Smart French" to everyone, advanced as well as beginners. A very basic knowledge of French would help the beginner student to better appreciate this course but it's never too early to study with "Smart French."
Book Description
Much as Good to Great described what separates top companies from the rest, The Next Level shows new, current, and future executives what differentiates success and failure at the executive level. Every day, high performers are tapped to be executives and then left alone to figure out how to function successfully in their new role. When this happens, most new executives rely on strengths that served them well earlier in their careers. As executive coach Scott Eblin explains, this is why 40 percent of them fail. Moving successfully to the executive level requires knowing which behaviors and beliefs to drop, as well as which new ones to pick up. Like having a personal executive coach, this confidence-building book outlines a program for success for new and future executives and offers frank advice from accomplished senior executives on what to do and to avoid.
Customer Reviews:
Your Next Level.......2007-06-26
Scott Eblin's book brings an integrated approach to succeeding at the next level. His perspective "from the balcony" of having worked as a Fortune 500 executive himself, takes a big picture approach to success. Scott gives the reader simple, specific tactics to succeed at higher levels in organizations AND the encouragement to look beyond tactics and explore other key behaviors that are critical to succeeding at the next level. Among the more innovative--he suggests establishing mental, physical, spiritual and relational routines and encourages recalibrating your perspective. Well written and fun, this book is a must read for a new exec and a great refresher for established leaders too.
Strategies for the Executive Suite.......2007-06-26
Scott Eblin's book offers valuable advice to the newly arrived member of the management team about how to navigate in unfamiliar, executive territory. He argues that your success will depend on how you operate at your peak level, and how you reach and maintain that optimal state, rather than on the actual nuts and bolts of getting projects done. He provides transcriptions of coaching sessions with executives in transition and each chapter ends with "ten tips" - a useful summary of the ideas and behavior you'll have to learn to succeed in your new role. We recommend this manual to managers who want to move up in the ranks, and to executives new and old - for whom its tips will still be useful.
True Habits of "Highly Effective Executives"!.......2007-06-16
Former HR executive turned coach/consultant Scott Eblin has written a practical guidebook on how to take your business game "to the next level." THE NEXT LEVEL is highly readable, mercifully devoid of acronyms and MBA-speak. It offers concrete examples of how those who aspire to be executives can unwittingly shoot themselves in the foot.
Reading and - more importantly, heeding - Eblin's advice will better position you to become an executive. If you already are an executive, the same approach will elevate your skills.
This is an excellent business book!
An excellent primer for the rising executive.......2007-04-25
I recently had the opportunity to work with Scott in a group coaching environment for rising executives at a Fortune 500 company. The coaching focused on the practical skills needed to advance from being a star individual performer to an executive with broader responsibilities and perspective.
If you don't have the opportunity to work directly with Scott, The Next Level is a superb road map for establishing an "executive foundation." Scott organizes The Next Level around three principles: personal presence, team presence and organization presence. Under each of these principles, Scott dispenses practical advice and actionable steps that lead to improved performance.
The Next Level succeeds where other leadership books fail by encapsulating practical advice on what executives need to know as they transition into a new role. While recent books on leadership by the likes of Jack Welch, Michael Useem and others provide inspiring stories and well reasoned academic perspectives, they do not provide the concise road map I am looking for.
The format of the book and Scott's writing style make The Next Level an indispensable companion for rising executives.
A real disappointment............2007-04-18
As a Human Resource professional I was looking for a book that I could use that would help new and emerging managers and executives with their transitions into their new roles. This book was a disappointment. While some of the points were good and insightful, the content could have been covered in a feature length article instead of the book format. Also, the testimonies from the other executives were tedious and unrealistically presented. They may all be quite true but the real world does not work in such a straight-forward, linear fashion with few roadblocks, detours, or major frustrations.
I did, however, get some pithy slogans I can use in my discussions with colleagues while I wait for someone to write the business book summary......wait, it's already been done. So, get that, save your time, and you will learn about as much from the summary than from reading the full-length book version.
I found "The First 90-Days" written by Michael Watkins to be more practical and actionable than this offering. I also am looking forward to Goldsmith new book, "What Got You Here Won't Get You There" hoping it might be the one I can recommend.
Book Description
FOR EVERYONE WHO STRUGGLES TO READ!
Clear, practical, science-based information and advice for successful results
One in five American children has trouble reading. But they are not stupid or lazy. In
Overcoming Dyslexia, Dr. Sally Shaywitz, codirector of the Yale Center for the Study of Learning and Attention and a leader in the new research into how the brain works, offers the latest information about reading problems and proven, practical techniques that, along with hard work and the right help, can enable anyone to overcome them. Here are the tools that parents and teachers need to help the dyslexic child, age by age, grade by grade, step by step.
--What dyslexia is and why some intelligent, gifted people read slowly and painfully
--How to identify dyslexia in preschoolers, schoolchildren, young adults, and adults
--How to find the best school and how to work productively with your child’s teacher
--Exercises to help children use the parts of the brain that control reading
--A 20-minute nightly home program to enhance reading
--The 150 most common problem words–a list that can give your child a head start
--Ways to raise and preserve a child’s self-esteem aqnd reveal his strengths
--Stories of successful men and women who are dyslexic
Customer Reviews:
Great resource for handling every aspect of dyslexia.......2007-10-05
This book is a wonderful way to learn what dyslexia is scientifically, the symptoms associated with it, and how to handle the disability. It is very straight forward, gives realistic suggestions and links to wonderful websites. Above all, it stresses the positive aspects of dyslexia and all a person with dyslexia CAN accomplish; which is everything! With this book I now consider myself an expert on the subject.
The book for people with Dyslexia.......2007-10-05
This is the best book for anyone that does not know about Dyslexia. Our son has been diagnosed with Dyslexia and we have given copies of this book out to all of his teachers every year. Just last year, his teacher said that after 20 years of teaching she didn't know of any children with Dyslexia in her class but after reading the book she can pick out at least 4.
Must-Have Resource.......2007-10-03
Dr. Shaywitz provides so much information that you won't want to just check this one out from the library--you'll want it for your bookshelf. It will be a well-used resource for many years!
Overcoming dyslexia requires a structured program..........2007-09-30
...because, as the author asserts, dyslexia does not remit spontaneously. That is, once you have it, it is yours, more or less, for life.
This assertion holds true only if dyslexic children do not receive a structured reading-phonics program, such as the one offered by Kumon centers across North America. (BTW, Kumon instructors never refer to "learning disability" or "dyslexia," but instead, to "struggling readers.") This program is one of daily practice for about 20 minutes, and has embedded the three components of successful anti-dyslexia programs: practice, sight vocabulary, and phonics/phonemic awareness.
Curiously, Dr. Shaywitz mentions U. of Oregon DIEBELS programs, but is not acquainted with Kumon, which has an equally broad reach across the country.
A Must Read for Parents, Educators and Rdg Teachers! .......2007-09-27
This was an amazing book. There IS hope if you or someone you know is dyslexic! This is an encouraging book that empowers you to take charge and help your child,student, yourself... become a stronger reader!
Dispells many myths about dyslexia and what it is.
Focuses on strategies and curriculum based on strong research.
Describes how the brain works when it comes to language... and how brain scans have shown "improvement" in areas of the brain (left lobes) that have been activated after effective reading strategies and programs have been implemented.
It is filled with lots and lots of specific, practical ideas, resources and information about how readers learn to read and how we can help children (and adults) who have difficulty reading. Although the title refers to dyslexia, it is a great book if you want to understand how the reading process works and what you can do as a parent/teacher/caregiver to help your child overcome dyslexia,to solidify your child's reading skills if they don't have dyslexia, or to get them off to a great start reading in the early years. There are also specific descriptions of which signs to look for EARLY ON to detect any reading difficulties or dyslexia and address them then.
I used many of the ideas in the text with my own daughter who is learning to read... and also with a few students I've worked with who struggle with reading. I was surprised to find that many of the descriptions in the book, of the kinds of errors that children with reading difficulties or dyslexia make, exactly described some of the things I was seeing with the children I worked with.
This is a book I borrowed from the library first, then knew, without a doubt, I had to buy and have for a reference again and again!
Book Description
Every year more than 230,000 high school students take a SAT Subject Test in Mathematics. The Official SAT Subject Tests in Mathematics Levels 1 2 Study Guide is the only source of official questions and answer explanations for these exams, and it is the only guide developed by the test maker. In addition to two full-length, previously administered practice tests for each exam level, this book also contains complete solutions, answer explanations, and test-taking strategies.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent .......2007-03-25
I think the study guide will be very beneficial to me. I believe I chose the right book...
Disappointing.......2007-01-16
Unfortunately, this book only has two practice tests. It is really tough to adequately prepare for this exam with so few problems. I recommend Barron's book instead.
Not very useful.......2007-01-12
Not very useful if you want to study for maths level 1/2.only useful for part time end moment practice but not worth its money.
Great Book!.......2007-01-10
It wasn't good for review, but really good because it has two OFFCIAL math IIC tests. I used Barron's for review and used both of these practice tests (answers and explanations in the back) to score a 790 on the real exam.
Pretty Good.......2006-12-25
The new Math Level 1 and 2 Book is not too bad. However, it is overpriced. This book is the same price as the SAT book with all the Subjects. Just because it has the answers explained does not mean it should be this expensive. I recommend buying from Amazon, since they significantly lower the price by about 30%.
I took the Level 2, so I do not know what the Level 1 was like. In actuality it only has one test for each; the second one they give is in the old SAT Subject Tests book (the one that's Red, white and blue).
This is a good supplement to Barron's. I took Math Level 2 the first time in October for a score of 720, then retook it in December and got 800 with this book and Barron's.
Average customer rating:
- A Very Helpful Book
- Haven't Used it just yet...
- If you want to know how to make a MOD or GAME... Get This...
- Very good book
- Top Notch Book!
|
Mastering Unreal Technology: The Art of Level Design
Jason Busby ,
Zak Parrish , and
Joel VanEenwyk
Manufacturer: Sams
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Unreal Tournament 2004 - Editor's Choice (DVD)
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Creating the Art of the Game (New Riders Games)
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The Dark Side of Game Texturing
ASIN: 0672326922 |
Book Description
Let your imagination run wild in the world of Unreal Technology. Mastering Unreal Technology: The Art of Level Design knows no boundaries as it shows you how to build custom mods, maps and levels with the Unreal engine. Its tutorial format will give you immediate results through the tips and demos provided from the industry's top level designers. Learn to create your own characters, weapons and gaming environments, as well as how to go beyond the Unreal environment and export custom elements from 3D modeling applications. A CD that contains the Unreal Engine, graphics, examples and code is also included, giving you everything you need to create custom levels in Unreal or build your own games and virtual environments. Mastering Unreal Technology will help put you on the cutting-edge of gaming technology.
Customer Reviews:
A Very Helpful Book.......2007-09-21
I am a Game Art Development student, and this book has been indespensible in aiding in my understanding of the Unreal Editor. Without this book, I'm sure that it would've taken me waaaaayyy longer to get things done than the limited time that I had. Even though the book is more expensive than the game itself, it is a must have for any aspiring modder or game creator.
Haven't Used it just yet..........2007-08-04
I just bought this book, and although It seems like it's going to be great, my major problem is finding either Maya PLE 5.0's registration number, or Maya 7.0 PLE and its registration number.
the Autodesk site only has Maya PLE 8.5 to download and there are only plug-ins for Unreal for Maya 5.0 PLE and Maya 7.0 PLE (note: there is no version for the regular Maya)
So it kind of leaves you stuck with nothing to use. There is also nothing on the net about it either.
If you want to know how to make a MOD or GAME... Get This..........2007-05-12
Wow, it Big, It heavy and yes my Friends it is a red Brick, But it well worth ever cent and every page. Packed full of Useful Information and Helpful Tutorials it writen with the Lamen in mind. and take you into the Skills needed to make almost a full game. The one thing it lacks is the swcripting language section. But this is forgivable as it would make the book way bigger and much more complex to read if you a new guy trying to make a few little Deathmatch levels.
Very good book.......2007-04-10
This book is very complete and very easy to follow. Get the videos from 3dbuzz and the planetunreal tutorials and you'll be making great levels in no time.
Also great is the coverage static meshes and character production in maya and export to unrealed.
Top Notch Book!.......2007-03-09
Anyone who wants to learn how to use the Unreal Engine should buy this bible, yes it is a bible, because without this book you would be lost, the second cd to the Unreal game which is all videos really isn't enough, this book will cover everything about the Unreal!
Definitely a good buy!
Books:
- The Four Elements of Success: A Simple Personality Profile that will Transform Your Team
- The Heavenly Man: The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun
- The Home-Based Bookstore: Start Your Own Business Selling Used Books on Amazon, eBay or Your Own Web Site
- The Irresistible Offer: How to Sell Your Product or Service in 3 Seconds or Less
- The Laws of Thinking: 20 Secrets to Using the Divine Power of Your Mind to Manifest Prosperity
- The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't
- The Peebles Principles: Tales and Tactics from an Entrepreneur's Life of Winning Deals, Succeeding in Business, and Creating a Fortune from Scratch
- The Power of One (Young Reader's Edition)
- The SBA Loan Book: Get A Small Business Loan--even With Poor Credit, Weak Collateral, And No Experience (Sba Loan Book)
- The Sixty-Second Motivator
Books Index
Books Home
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You're in Charge, Now What?: The 8 Point Plan
The New Leaders 100-Day Action Plan: How to Take Charge, Build Your Team, and Get Immediate Results
Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently
Right from the Start: Taking Charge in a New Leadership Role
