Amazon.com
Change can be a blessing or a curse, depending on your perspective. The message of Who Moved My Cheese? is that all can come to see it as a blessing, if they understand the nature of cheese and the role it plays in their lives. Who Moved My Cheese? is a parable that takes place in a maze. Four beings live in that maze: Sniff and Scurry are mice--nonanalytical and nonjudgmental, they just want cheese and are willing to do whatever it takes to get it. Hem and Haw are "littlepeople," mouse-size humans who have an entirely different relationship with cheese. It's not just sustenance to them; it's their self-image. Their lives and belief systems are built around the cheese they've found. Most of us reading the story will see the cheese as something related to our livelihoods--our jobs, our career paths, the industries we work in--although it can stand for anything, from health to relationships. The point of the story is that we have to be alert to changes in the cheese, and be prepared to go running off in search of new sources of cheese when the cheese we have runs out.
Dr. Johnson, coauthor of The One Minute Manager and many other books, presents this parable to business, church groups, schools, military organizations--anyplace where you find people who may fear or resist change. And although more analytical and skeptical readers may find the tale a little too simplistic, its beauty is that it sums up all natural history in just 94 pages: Things change. They always have changed and always will change. And while there's no single way to deal with change, the consequence of pretending change won't happen is always the same: The cheese runs out. --Lou Schuler
Book Description
The Change Survival Kit is an A-Mazing Way to Deal with Changes in Your Work and in Your Life. It reminds you to use what you discovered in the "Cheese" story - and enjoy it!
The kit contains:
A copy of the #1 Hardcover Book
12 Animated Reminders
24 Screen Saver Prompts
12 Desktop Wallpapers
Photo-Top Mouse pad
FREE! Multi-Level Maze Game
Customer Reviews:
Simplified change.......2007-10-15
Got an hour to fill? That's how long it'll take to read. As many have stated, company heads and consultant groups hand this book out to employees when there are about to be changes in the company. Basically, this is a very simplified parable on four different takes on how to deal with change. Of course at the end you are supposed to decide which of the characters you currently are. Sniff - you actively move about seeking change. Scurry - you move about and quickly adapt to the change to make things happen. And then there's Hem and Haw. Both resist change and stick to the old expecting it to return to the promised treasures. Eventually Haw decides that staying in one place with no rewards is not progressing so opts to go seek change on his struggling legs. The Hem remains obstinant and refuses to change and his fate fades away. Of course no one wants to claim they are Hem but most people are. One of my favorite bits in the book is the statement along the lines of "If you can't change, you may become extinct."
Overall this is a very simple take on how people can adapt to change in their personal and professional lives. Seems quite similar on how to change your personal attitude and outlook that is presented in Benjamin Hoff's "Tao of Pooh". If you're in a company that is about to use outside consulting, expect to get 'homework' to read this book.
Great book.......2007-10-15
This is a fantastic book about reassessing your life and career. I've given it to friends after reading it myself.
It's an OK book.......2007-10-04
Just like most of the people, I got this book from my employer (I hope it's not a sign of restructuring :)).
I'm afraid that I do a too good job of reviewing the book one would no longer need to buy it anymore. In essence, the whole book can be summarized in about 10 statements. In all fairness though, these are insightful and worth meditating on statements.
So, like I said... An OK book.
Thought Provoking.......2007-10-03
The book is an easy and quick read but the story will put thoughts in your head that you will think about for years if not a lifetime. Life brings us all challenges so this book is for all of us... That is, unless your life is perfect.
Genuinely Insulting..........2007-09-29
Genuinely insulting to the independent thinker. Yeah I know, it's been said countless times but I felt the need to reinforce that notion. If you're someone that's more comfortable being a follower and having your life and work environment structured for you then you're more likely to enjoy this book and find something meaningful in it. If you're someone that uses logic and reason to guide your decisions then don't waste your time or money on this rehashed brainwashing manual. This is a book written for unquestioning, mindless followers, not a book for leaders. But a tool that leaders would use to try and control their subordinates.
Book Description
In the last five years, the United States has lost 2.6 million jobs — the most in any five-year period since the Great Depression. In the 2006 edition of his legendary job-hunting book, WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE? Richard Nelson Bolles offers hope and presents an inspiring and detailed plan for finding your place in this uncertain job market. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE? has been the best-selling job-hunting book in the world for more three decades, in good times and bad, and it continues to be a fixture on best-seller lists, from Amazon.com to Business Week. It has well over eight million copies in print and has been translated into 12 languages around the world. With an extended preface that addresses job loss, vacancies, and outsourcing and updated references on how to use the Internet in your job-hunt throughout, the 2006 PARACHUTE addresses the top concerns of today 's job-hunters. In the words of Fortune magazine: "Parachute remains the gold standard of! career guides."
Customer Reviews:
Lots of useful info.......2007-10-17
I bought this book for my son, a recent college graduate, at his request. He says he has found lots of useful tips and I'll know if it really works when he finds a job!
A great help!.......2007-09-21
I was recently "downsized" and starting a job search for the first time in 22 years. Fortunately some one recommended this book to me. Beginning a job search can be confusing and overwhelming. This book has great advice for every step of the way.
Part of my company "goodbye package" was a few months of services with a career counseling firm. Many on the concepts from the firm are contained in this book. I have just recommended this book to a friend who is unhappy in her current job.
You've probably heard people talk about the importance of networking/using your network. ("It's all in who you know.") That is a central theme in this book, as it enlightens you on how to make use of the people you know -- friends, family, co-workers, friends of friends, etc. -- to find opportunities and land interviews.
A book worth having.
Your reference guide to a healthy job-hunting experiance.......2007-08-05
Whether you are a new graduate looking for a job or an experienced employee who wants to
change his/her job, pick up this enriching and engaging book to guide you through to a healthy
job hunting experience.
Mostly Common Sense.......2007-07-09
Great book to use as a refresher, but I found it to be a compilation of stories and anecdotes that were mostly common sense.
What color is your parachute review.......2007-07-08
This book is a helpful tool in career choice making. It is especially insightful for self evaluation during the career search. This book helps the seeker to become more organized and narrow the search to an area best adapted for the individual.
This book was a requirement for one of my master's level courses dealing with career development. We did the flower exercise and it was quite revealing. The work book which was designed to accompany this book deals precisely with this exercise. I would definitely recommend this book to those exiting high school, community college, trade school, or college at any level.
Book Description
You will experience psychological impasse many times in your life. During these times, you have the sensation that you’re stuck or paralyzed. You’re convinced that something must change, whether in your work or personal life. Though this feeling is normal, you need to move beyond it. Failure to “get unstuck” can put your career and personal life—as well as the healthy functioning of your team or organization—at risk.
In Getting Unstuck, business psychologist and researcher Timothy Butler offers strategies for moving beyond a career or personal-life impasse—by recognizing the state of impasse, awakening your imagination, recognizing patterns of meaning in your life, and taking action for change.
Drawing on a wealth of stories about individuals who have successfully transitioned out of impasses, Getting Unstuck provides a practical, authoritative road map for moving past your immediate impasse—and defining a meaningful path forward.
Dr. Timothy Butler is a Senior Fellow and the Director of Career Development Programs at Harvard Business School. He teaches career coaching and consults to organizations worldwide on career development issues.
Customer Reviews:
He knows what he's talking about........2007-09-21
The author does a great job of helping one to realize and appreciate that a "dead end" may be door to one of the best opportunities for growth one will ever receive in life. He helps one to address the fact that oftentimes being "stuck" is a very good and positive thing. The title of my review is appropriate because he obviously has worked with people, of different ages, who have felt stuck, how they got through it, and how positive it ended up being for most of them.
Buitler does an excellent job of acknowldging and dealing with the feelings that accompany "stuckness." In my opinion, chapter two "Feeling Stuck and Doubting Ourselves" is worth the price of the book alone. "The Accuser" is who he calls the Superego who relentlessly doubts and questions "stuck" people. He helps the "stuck" to see how pathetic "the Accuser" really is, how and when he often strikes and what "the Accuser" really is: "it's concern is to punish us and stop us from taking that action which would allow us to experience new possibilities." (p. 32)
This book is both psychologically insightful and of great practical help. It helped me a lot.
A fresh approach with useful exercises.......2007-06-27
Tim Butler's latest book addresses takes a creative approach to "getting unstuck", which he calls "impasse," in a clear, engaging and enjoyable read for coaches and clients alike.
Butler states that shifting to a new understanding of ourselves `is a "dropping down" into more imaginative and less conditioned ways of looking at ourselves and the world. We shift from cognitive analysis based on an old mental model to information that comes from giving our essence a chance to speak in the fresh language of image and metaphor. . . A new life vision has to come from employing all aspects of our consciousness . . . It has to arise from deep intuition.' [...]., includes access to audio downloads of some of his image gathering exercises.
This practical book includes exercises to help clients identify career interest patterns as well as "dynamic tensions," goals or motivations that may appear to be contradictory. Readers can assess themselves based on ten interest patterns, based on Butler's research. The next step is to explore the role of three social motivators: power, affiliation, and achievement and to identify which are most dominant.
By working through these exercises, clients assemble a powerful roadmap of life interests, motivators, themes, and dynamic tensions. Much of the books accessibility comes from the numerous examples of how clients resolved dynamic tensions and moved towards new, more fulfilling careers. Clients will find value in these examples and exercises and coaches will enjoy adding this creative approach to their coaching repertoire.
Boy Did I need this!.......2007-06-08
I have just started this book, but it has hit home already. The Deep Dive exercises are really good and helps you resolve things in your life. I Love the way the book takes you from one place to another to clear up issues in your life. I think this is a must read for all.
Probably best explored with guidance..........2007-04-04
There comes a time (or many times, actually) in everyone's life when things appear to be at a dead end. You know you don't want to be where you're at, but you're in a quandary about how to move on. That's the subject of the book Getting Unstuck: How Dead Ends Become New Paths by Timothy Butler. If you're willing to work his process and exercises, you may well find that "new path" to take you to the next level.
Contents:
Part 1 - Impasse: Facing Crisis; Feeling Stuck and Doubting Ourselves; Opening Up and Letting Go; Shifting to a New Understanding
Part 2 - Vision: Our Deepest Interests (The First Pattern in the Carpet); Learning to Let Our Passions Guide Us; Power, People, and Achievement (Three Interwoven Patterns); Mapping Our Insights (Patterns in the Sand)
Part 3 - Getting Unstuck: Moving from Impasse to Action; Living at the Border
Appendixes: Continuing the Journey (An Annotated Bibliography); A Note on Impasse and Depression; Scoring the One Hundred Jobs Exercise
Notes; Index; About the Author
Butler is a researcher and business psychologist who works with people who have hit a "dead end" in their life. Many of the stories in the book involve students who have gone to business school, have a number of options in front of them, but nothing seems quite right. His approach to getting unstuck is to allow the inner thoughts and passions to direct us towards what we probably already know the answer to be, but we just haven't tuned into it. Many of these exercises are covered in sidebar entries called "deep dives". These sidebars go into detail about how an exercise works and how to do it. For instance, "free attention" is the technique of allowing your focus to reside on a particular part of the body, letting the sensations and feelings wash over you without judgement. When your mind wanders, you've lost your free attention and need to refocus on the body part. This then shifts to focus on breathing, and the goal is to let emotions run their course and learn from them. Another technique is paying attention to images that form in your mind. These images can often be formed from deeper core feelings and emotions, and taking the time to reflect and analyze them can cast light on your situation and point to a new path. Probably one of the most in-depth exercises is the 100 Jobs list. You choose 12 jobs from a list of 100 that appeal to you on an emotional basis. Scoring the exercise involves categorizing the types of attributes that make up those jobs. By grouping and classifying the different underlying traits, you'll see trends such as leadership, persuasion, coaching, etc. These trends can then be used to examine your direction and make corrections...
On the whole, the ideas are solid. I can see where working through the process could lead to dramatic changes that might not be explored by a more cursory examination of your life. But while the book is designed to be used on your own, I think it'd work best if you had someone skilled in these techniques working with you. It's hard to be objective about your own mind, and an external viewpoint would help keep things focused. I also think that the material would appeal most to business professionals who are at a career crisis. Most of the material is slanted towards job-related issues, and the stories are largely about college and grad school students. While anyone could use these ideas in various areas of their lives, I think the "average" person might find it all a bit daunting...
How to avoid a dead end or to find a better path to follow .......2007-03-11
Well before reading the final chapter of this book, I concluded that Timothy Butler is both a relentless empiricist (i.e. being keenly observant of human experience, especially his own) and a relentless pragmatist (i.e. leveraging this experience to apply lessons learned in terms of what works...and what doesn't). In the Introduction he focuses on the six phases of what he characterizes as "The Cycle of Impasse." They are (1) the arrival of the [given] crisis and impasse, (2) its deepening and the attendant re-emergence of unresolved issues, (3) the dropping of old assumptions and the opening up to new information, (4) the shift to a new way of understanding our situation, (5) the greater recognition of deep patterns of our personality, and eventuaolly (6) the decision to take concrete action." Once having carefully presented the "what," Butler then focuses almost all of his attention on the "how" of "getting unstuck."
It is important to keep in mind that as Butler duly acknowledges, crises vary (sometimes significantly) in terms of their relative importance; also, impasses also vary in terms of their nature and extent; moreover, "getting unstuck" from one crisis does not mean that it will never recur; in addition, most people find themselves struggling to cope with more than one crisis at a time; finally, and obviously, its is highly advisable to prevent a crisis, if at all possible, and thus eliminate the need to get "unstuck" from one.
The subtitle suggests another interesting aspect of this book's appeal: "How Dead Ends Become New Paths." I am among those who believe that every problem and, especially, every failure offers an invaluable learning opportunity. Long ago, Jack Dempsey suggested that "champions get up when they can't." More recently Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas, in Geeks and Geezers and then in Leading for a Lifetime, assert that most (if not all) great leaders - at one time - experienced a "crucible" which forged qualities of character they would not otherwise develop. In Authentic Leadership and then in True North, Bill George makes essentially the same point. With all due respect to Yogi Berra (reputed to have suggested that "When you get to a fork in the road, take it"), what seem to be "dead ends" can become "new paths" if - huge if -- we can summon the courage and sustain the determination to take "concrete action."
To this last point, Butler insists - and I agree - that "our lives do not change without action. The impasse crisis has its resolution in a decision to make specific choices that change our day-to-day reality...Know what the action needs to be, and actually performing it, is what seals the cycle of learning and change and allows us to move forward."
I commend Butler for providing three valuable appendices: "Continuing the Journey" (an annotated bibliography), "A Note on Impasse and Depression" (differences between symptoms of clinical depression and symptoms at impasse), and "Scoring the One Hundred Jobs Exercise" (a self-diagnostic to accompany an exercise in Chapter 4). All of those who read this book find themselves "stuck" from time to time. On occasion, the "impasse" is minor and only temporary (e.g. missing several days at work because of having the flu). On other occasions, the situation is much more serious and seems hopeless, or at least daunting (e.g. an extended period of unemployment as bills pile up). Butler seems genuinely determined to help his readers cope effectively with all manner of crises, especially those which may seem hopeless. Obviously, it remains for each reader to determine the value of this book to her or his own circumstances.
When thinking about the many benefits that Butler's book offers, I am reminded of a prayer generally thought to have been composed by Reinhold Niebuhr: "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
Book Description
Richard Nelson Bolles presents an updated version of one of the most widely acclaimed exercises from PARACHUTE, the Flower. This highly effective tool, reproduced here in handy workbook form, helps readers target their ideal work situation. Simple step-by-step worksheets focus on translating personal interests into marketable job skills as well as often-ignored issues such as spiritual or emotional fulfillment in the workplace. These exercises are easy to do yet thought provoking. When completed, the workbook will present you with a full picture of your ideal job.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent resource, but full book is better overall.......2007-04-14
This is an excellent workbook resource for those who don't want to spend the time and money to read the full book and do the excercises there (although I would recommend that as a first choice). I did like this slim resource though, and bought multiple copies to use with my patients in a vocational program -- they loved thinking through the exercises, but I needed to explain many portions for them because the guidelines are rather broad at times, and too specific at others. If I hadan't guided several them through the exercises, it would have been worthless. The full book is a far richer and better resource, and gives you much more to think about -- but this is a good workbook approach that summarizes the main exercises in the full book. A hint -- there is one exercise (Very time consuming) that you can skip -- the first exercise asks you to write 5 life stories, then examine them for commonalities in skills -- You don't need the stories to do the ratings at all.
If you've got the regular text, you don't need this..........2007-02-22
I though this would provide more info than the book ("What Color Is Your Parachute?") but what's inside are the same exercises... so if you have the book or are getting it, then you don't need this. On the other hand, if you don't want to read all of the insightful text of Bolles's original book, then this is a nice book of exercises! :) [I'd just recommend the original text, though.]
What Color Is Your Parachute Workbook.......2007-02-14
The book is mostly limitless propaganda. I had to order it for a career building course.
Just do it!.......2007-01-12
This was recommended to my by my sister as being more useful than the book of the same name. So I got the book from the library and the workbook from Amazon. What my sister didn't mention that there is a lot of work to do! I am not finished yet but it is good to go through this mid-career reassessment of where I am.
It has been helpful to see and remember what my gifts and areas of strength are.
I may end up changing nothing about my life but at least then it will be something I have chosen rather than just slid into!
Great Resource.......2007-01-04
This is a great resource to use in conjunction with the ground breaking "What Color is Your Parachute" used for years to help people find work they truly enjoy.
Book Description
Don't let your company kill you!
Open this book at your own risk. It contains ideas that may lead to a profound self-awakening. An introspective journey for those in the trenches of today's modern organizations, Deep Change is a survival manual for finding our own internal leadership power. By helping us learn new ways of thinking and behaving, it shows how we can transform ourselves from victims to powerful agents of change. And for anyone who yearns to be an internally driven leader, to motivate the people around them, and return to a satisfying work life, Deep Change holds the key.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent read w/some weaknesses.......2007-10-10
This book is an excellent book for generic change issues. Quinn covers a lot of issues that will help business execs in a variety of situations. Having been a small business owner for years, I saw a number of things that would have helped me in those days. For example, he talks about willingness to change. He couches this topic with the sentence that starts out with 'walk naked into...'! He knows how to hook a reader, yet doesn't throw in a myriad of illustrations (like some other authors in this field). I found myself wanting to immediately apply every chapter as I read it.
After years of small business activity, I find myself now leading a church in Illinois. An excellence course I am taking recommended this book. I can see a lot of applications for churches as well. However, I find that I disagree with his premise that you can change yourself. So many people I work with lack the ability to transform themselves, and I am unconvinced his 'alignment' idea is all that is needed.
For the Christian business leader or church member or pastor, the power to change must come from an encounter with God through prayer and scripture meditation. Instead of reinventing ourselves, we die daily to our old nature and put on the new man in Christ Jesus. This enables us to flexibly apply Quinn's excellent principles.
So I would only add some good old Christian theology to the power points in his message. Otherwise I think this is a great book and I heartily recommend it.
An excellent read..........2007-01-22
I had to read this book for my executive MBA program, and the class agreed that it was a very relevant and enlightening experience. I work for a large company that had a big merger pending, and I ordered copies for the senior managers that report to me. It is thought-provoking and helps one re-examine oneself with rich anectodes and vignettes that keep the book from descending into psycho-babble or abstract theory.
I highly recommend this book for anyone that is interested making difficult changes in their lives. The fact that Quinn addresses change in both a personal and professional environment makes this book a useful tool for self-enrichment or teams. There are thought-provoking discussion and/or self-reflection questions at the end of each chapter that allow the reader to take what the author has discussed and relate it to their own situation.
Excellent read on real change.......2007-01-10
Quinn's purpose in writing Deep Change is to challenge the reader to recognize that everyone is a potential change agent, if they are willing to take the difficult, yet necessary steps to experience deep personal change. He lays a strong foundation by first differentiating between deep change and incremental change. There is little doubt that most change that takes place in the life of an individual is incremental. Because people are uncomfortable with major change they choose to move in small steps. The possible exception to the choice of incremental change occurs when a person is faced with a major crisis. For example, when a person experiences a heart attack, they are motivated to make deep lifestyle changes in habits such as smoking or dietary chooses. Or when a marriage is on the brink of divorce, marriage partners are motivated to make sweeping changes in how they communicate or handle conflict. However, beyond these periodic times of being motivated by crisis, people usually make changes slowly and incrementally, rather than making needed deep change.
The tendency towards incremental change over deep change is also true on an organizational level. Rarely do organizations, including the church, make deep major changes. While it may be argued that leadership needs to be mindful of bringing people along in the midst of change, there are certainly times that organizations need to experience deep change to survive. Quinn is correct in stating that without deep change, routine patterns move organizations increasingly toward decay and stagnation. This is true in the life of the church today. The church has grown comfortable with the patterns of ministry from years past and as a result has lost much of its influence in the changing culture.
One of Quinn's foundational themes is that personal deep change must precede deep change within a system or organization. While most of the time organizational change is seen as a top-down process, Quinn argues that it can also happen from the bottom-up. He states that deep change requires a personal evaluation of the ideologies that under gird the organizational culture. This is a refreshing insight that has application to other relational contexts. As people desire to see change in the lives of others, whether in parenting, marriage or work relationships, they first need to examine what changes need to occur in themselves. It is true that we do not easily recognize the part that we play in the problem. This thought is consistent with the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:3, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"
Another topic that is very applicable to numerous arenas of life is Quinn's discussion of the logic of task pursuit. Most people, under the pressure of task completion, have no opportunity to consider routine maintenance. This is true in the life of the individual on multiple levels. If a person does not take time to experience physical renewal through rest and exercise the body will experience exhaustion. This is certainly true with the spiritual life as well. People need to carve out time from the pursuit of tasks to spend time alone with God. The logic of task pursuit is also true in the life of the church. Each church needs to set aside time to revisit its mission and to ensure that the work of the church is in alignment with that mission.
Other helpful insights are found in Quinn's discussion on why organizational change doesn't take place. He states that the dominant coalition in an organization is seldom interested in making deep changes. Therefore, deep change is often driven from the outside. This has been true in the life of many organizations. Furthermore, there are pressures within most organizations to conform to the prevailing structure. Quinn does an excellent job of identifying the barriers of bureaucratic culture, embedded conflict, and personal time constraints. It is helpful to recognize that in most cases people do not need new skills and competencies, but instead they need a new perspective that allows them to act as empowered leaders in a changing organization. While this section on overcoming resistance to change was helpful, it would have been strengthened with practical examples of how individuals brought about significant change.
There is also much to appreciate with Quinn's emphasis on the transitions from the technical, the transactional, and the transformational paradigms. Quinn's description of each paradigm and the paradigm's representative would prove to be very beneficial to any organizational leader's attempt to understand those that they lead and the unique perspective they hold about the organization.
Finally the culmination of Quinn's emphasis on empowerment and ultimate transformation of an organization is what he refers to as the transformational cycle. The cycle is a helpful visual reminder that deep change does not come to a point of completion. It is a cycle that will itself become routine and stagnate if there is not a time of reinvention and realignment of self and the organization.
While written from a business perspective, Deep Change is applicable for anyone who desires to bring about change within an organization. The book is structured in an easy to follow format and includes reflection and discussion questions at the end of each chapter to provide further assistance to the reader in taking steps towards deep change, on both a personal and organizational level.
Deep Change.......2007-01-09
Absolutely one of the best personal and leadership books I have ever used.
Very practical applications. Plan to use as a reference for my managerial library.
Easy to follow recommendations.......2006-10-24
It is interesting that out of the many books that I have read this one does not hit me across the head. However with that said, I re-looked at the book before writing this note and I did mark a lot of text that I found highly useful. I particularly liked the solid recommendations for implementing personal and community change at the end of each chapter. Maybe the fact that the authors do not try wow you with their brilliance but provide solid and easy to follow recommendations is why this book is so valuable. The structure also lends itself to a study group within your management team helping to drive implementation of the principles introduced.
If you are more interested in solid principles to implement rather than the "my way is the best way" often presented, I highly recommend that this book be part of your arsenal to improve personal and community performance. A must for your library.
Book Description
Building the Bridge As You Walk On It tells the personal stories of people who have embraced deep change and inspired author Robert Quinn to take his concept one step further and develop a new model of leadership—“the fundamental state of leadership.” The exploration of this transformative state is at the very heart of the book. Quinn shows how anyone can enter the fundamental state of leadership by engaging in the eight practices that center on the theme of ever-increasing integrity—reflective action, authentic engagement, appreciative inquiry, grounded vision, adaptive confidence, detached interdependence, responsible freedom, and tough love. After each chapter, Quinn challenges you to assess yourself with respect to each practice and to formulate a strategy for personal growth.
Download Description
Building the Bridge As You Walk On It tells the personal stories of people who have embraced deep change and inspired author Robert Quinn to take his concept one step further and develop a new model of leadership—“the fundamental state of leadership.” The exploration of this transformative state is at the very heart of the book. Quinn shows how anyone can enter the fundamental state of leadership by engaging in the eight practices that center on the theme of ever-increasing integrity—reflective action, authentic engagement, appreciative inquiry, grounded vision, adaptive confidence, detached interdependence, responsible freedom, and tough love. After each chapter, Quinn challenges you to assess yourself with respect to each practice and to formulate a strategy for personal growth.
Customer Reviews:
Thought provoking, although no easy answers.......2007-03-10
Bob Quinn explores what it takes to be in the "Fundamental State of Leadership", stressing it is more about who a leader is than what a leader does to be effective. Eight practices are introduced which illustrate the creative tensions that exist in the leadership role. This book makes you think. Where each leader will come out on each of the 8 dimensions will depend on your own style and strengths, but the book serves as a great discussion/think stimulator to aid in the growth of your leadership ability.
A Great Guide for Those who want to Effect Organizational Change........2007-02-19
Many books have great ideas about how to lead change but this one is exceptional. Mr. Quinn provides great case studies / examples using Appreciative Inquiry to reframe decision making and facilitate the always difficult task of transforming organizational culture.
While the book is a bit heady it does provide some refreshing insights on how to lead change without going crazy.
It's All About Facing our own Fears.......2006-12-02
Walking naked into the wilderness. Being willing to talk about the elephants filling the room. Recognizing the trunk growing on my own face. Letting yesterday's organization go, those cozy perceptions that make our own inaction seem to be the safest way. Taking the road less traveled. Questioning my supervisor in an open, warm and respectful way---rather than complaining about him or her over lunch with a friend. Realizing the more of us who believe we are responsible for the organization we are part of, the more real that organization will become. That we are co-creators of our work reality--that there is no Them doing bad things to US.
These were many of the thoughts that emerged through my exploration of Robert Quinn's book Deep Change.
It is very challenging for me to evaluate Building the Bridge as I had the great privilege of Dr. Quinn including my story and some of my experiences once I faced my own fears at work several years ago.
There is no question in my mind, however, that Robert Quinn is a man of great wisdom and great gifts which he freely shares in a warm, personal and authentic way. After finishing his books I feel as though I have had a long conversation with a man who wants me to fulfill the purpose of my life. Such unselfishness is so rare in our age of narcissism and self-aggrandizement. I found his approach helped coax me toward being a more authentic, honest, and courageous leader.
No other author has brought me such insights in such an inviting and comforting way.
Jeremy Fish, M.D.
It will become a classic.......2006-11-25
Base on my understanding of the American society, I am not surprised that this book, like Quinn's previous book "Deep Change," doesn't get as many reviews as it deserves, but I am confident that this book, and Qinn's trilogy, will become classic down the line.
This book would seem esoteric for the society that is addicted to data and techniques, thinking that what we need is more information and skills in order to lead. It does require the reader to be more mature to understand the content at a deeper level. In my case, my understanding of Systems Theory helps a great deal. In fact, this book fills the gap that is missing in the systemic leadership books that I have read.
Edwin H. Friedman's A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix is one of the books that I like best on leadership and systems theory. However, even though it describes the sickness of the societies, organizations, families, etc. extremely well, it lacks the recommendation for the leader to develop the systemic quality to transform the society, organization, or family he or she is leading. Quinn's books fill the gap right on the spot.
As a Chinese living in America for 16 years, my concern is seeing the rampant reductionism in this society that seems to be leading America to gradually becoming like a third world nation that I escaped from. Books like this, though few, give me hope. America has a bright future if more leaders can chew this book, and its two siblings.
Challenging and wholly worthwhile.......2006-10-22
Dr. Quinn and his colleagues have been working with us at Prudential Retirement to help create a culture founded on the concepts that arise from this book. The effect on our business has been significant. I wholeheartedly recommend it.
That said, this book asks a lot of its readers. It provokes reflection, thought and contemplation about organizational change and the inner change that must precede it. If you are looking for a quick airplane read on the subject, this book is definitely not for you. If you have some reflective time to devote to this complex subject, it will provide an outstanding return on your investment. The book and its author possess an authenticity that you will appreciate.
Average customer rating:
- Feng Shui - Simplified!
- Well written and easy to understand
- Full of facts, well written
- Rave Reviews for this book
- A lot of Nonsense
|
Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life : How to Use Feng Shui to Get Love, Money, Respect and Happiness
Karen Rauch Carter
Manufacturer: Fireside
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ASIN: 0684866048 |
Book Description
Promising health, wealth, and happiness, feng shui offers endless appeal -- at least in concept. Unfortunately, feng shui's seemingly complicated methods are often difficult to learn and apply in a meaningful way. Fortunately, Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life is written in plain and simple English for the modern Western reader. Revealing the ancient Chinese secrets that are as useful and necessary today as they have been for centuries, Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life communicates how to:
* MEET "THE ONE"
* FIND A DREAM JOB
* EARN BETTER GRADES IN SCHOOL
* ENJOY A BETTER SEX LIFE
Customer Reviews:
Feng Shui - Simplified!.......2007-07-10
This book makes feng shui easy and fun! Karen Rauch Carter uses the Black Hat style which is a very simple, but effective, form of feng shui. With this book you don't need a compass, pendulum or certified feng shui expert, in order to enjoy the benefits of this timeless art. You'll be able to start making changes to your home, and your life, immediately with the easy to follow instructions that are provided.
Inside, you will find a chapter for each of the 9 sections of the Bagua. Immediate action items and a short summary are provided at the end of each chapter, which can be referred to over and over. Karen will keep you entertained though out the entire book with her quirky sense of humor! She also provides loads of examples and stories of how feng shui can improve your life. I am an antique dealer, by trade, and I own my own business. I can honestly say that after decluttering my laundry room (my prosperity area) and painting it a pretty shade of lavender, I immediately noticed and increase in sales at my shop!
Just A Tip: Make sure you read chapter 12 before you start making changes in your home, the affirmations in this chapter will make all of your actions much more effective!
Well written and easy to understand.......2007-05-20
This is probably on the top five list of good feng shui books that I've ever read. Very informative and easy to understand and follow. It's really put together nicely.
While I do think there is definately something to harmonizing the energy around you, I don't think that moving your stuff is any guaranteed way to bring a certain thing to yourself. I have a love/hate relationship to books like this. I find some really good ideas, and some I think are silly and just don't work. I know that there are other issues involved. -Like what's in a person's birth chart for example. If someone is having a difficult planetary aspect in their money house, then, no amount of moving furniture/furnishings is going to change that aspect. Although, I do think it COULD help the person deal with it better. By moving something, it could represent a shift in how one has arranged or re-arranged their thinking about the problem. So, in that way, I think it could have a beneficial side.
I found many interesting things in this book, for example, in my helpful people/travel section of my home, that's where I already have the computer (World wide web) and I just happened to have a world map there. I found a lot of other helpful information too.
This is a fun and interesting book, and it's not gonna hurt anything to give something a try afterall. Just see what works for you.
Full of facts, well written.......2007-04-12
Excellent explanations and suggestions without getting bogged down in thousands of years of history. Written in 21st century speak with humor and intelligence. The best Feng Shui book in my bookcase (I have a few) -topping Lilian Too's series. Even tells you the anecdote when the sink is in your romance corner!
Rave Reviews for this book.......2007-04-03
I LOVED this book, and I am having so much fun with this, I have completely redecorated my home, using mostly stuff I already had, and all my friends are commenting "What have you done?" "It feels different in here" and "Everything seems to flow better". I hung a cutglass windchime in my missing "family" space to energize the space as recommended, and within minutes my youngest daughter called me. Amazing! And so much FUN! Now I am waiting for my romance energy to imporove!
A lot of Nonsense.......2007-03-19
I purchase several feng shui books and this one was the easiest to understand. However, nothing happened after purchasing several hundred dollars of feng shui items. Instead it seems bad things were happening to me. I junked all the stuff. I think it's total nonsense and more like witchcraft...stay away from it.
Book Description
A disturbingly large number of people today are unhappy with their work. In this helpful book, career coach Julie Jansen addresses this work-dissatisfaction epidemic. Using career assessment quizzes and personality exercises, Jansen helps readers understand their present work or career situation, discover the type of work for which they're best suited, and learn how to create the changes they need. Filled with real-life examples and including a useful resource section, this guide provides the inspiration and know-how to implement positive career change.
Download Description
"A noted career coach defines workplace dissatisfaction and offers the tools for change A disturbingly large number of people today are unhappy with their work. In this helpful book, career coach Julie Jansen addresses this work-dissatisfaction epidemic. Using career assessment quizzes and personality exercises, Jansen helps readers understand their present work or career situation, discover the type of work for which they're best suited, and learn how to create the changes they need. Filled with real-life examples and including a useful resource section, this guide provides the inspiration and know-how to implement positive career change."
Customer Reviews:
For experienced professionals or those who KNOW what they want to do.......2007-08-29
I purchased this book because I have no idea what it is I'd like to do with my life. I am only one year out of college and am working in a job I most certainly do not enjoy. I was hoping this book could give me some insight into what it is I would enjoy, but instead it focuses on how to change jobs later in life. I am not a Baby Boomer who has worked at the same company for 20 years and yearns for a change. So while this book may be helpful to people who have been in the work world longer, it did very little to help me find my passion.
I Don't Know What I Want But I Know It's Not This.......2007-05-13
This is a concisely written career book that doesn't waste your time and invites you in even for scary stuff like self-assessment. If you believe that 'real jobs' have not lived up to their promise, you should check out this book. Also, the author, Julie Jansen, is highly responsive to email questions and sincere about helping those of us seeking something more than a paycheck.
Realistic........2007-02-21
This book gets into the "meat and potatoes" of career development. I encourage anyone who is "lost" to read this and start doing what it takes to find a realistic, economically sound, and FUN job! They do exist...I found one.
Find Yourself First.......2007-01-06
A book like this is as good as the reader. In order to find one self one must look inward and that takes a little work, maybe even more than a little. Julie Jansen's book is a great help in helping the reader start that search and she then guides the reader to the direction he or she must take. Does the book guarantee a new career? No, I don't think so but if the reader works at it, it can come.It probably will. Julie Jansen's Guide is as good as a book like this can get. It is then up to the reader to make use of it. That's the work part. I like the book very much. Anyone willing to work to impove their lives will like it too.
This book was not helpful....at all........2006-12-31
This book was not what I thought at all. I thought it would help me figure out what line of work I would be best suited for. Instead, there were just random self exploration questions which didn't help me know if I would be better suited to be an accountant or zoologist.
If you would like specific employment/career "what would I really enjoy doing" answers, don't get this book.
Amazon.com
Author Nicholas Lore uses the techniques of his career-guidance network, the Rockport Institute, to make The Pathfinder a substitute for a great job counselor. Through goal setting, list making, and other techniques, the book leads readers though the process of deciding exactly what they want to do for a living and finding a way to make it happen. Lore realizes that people have different temperaments and decision-making methods, so he provides individualized advice to suit each one. He also understands that creating a new career requires courage as well as desire, so The Pathfinder devotes plenty of space to motivation and overcoming fears. While anyone looking for a new career will find direction with this guide, people who didn't know they were looking may decide to start once they go through Lore's probing self-examination process.
Book Description
DO YOU JUMP OUT OF BED EVERY MORNING AND RUSH TO A JOB YOU LOVE?
Or is the work you once enjoyed now just a way to pay the bills? Perhaps you're even doubting your career choice altogether. Let The Pathfinder guide you to a more engaging, fulfilling work life. Based on breakthrough techniques developed by Rockport Institute, an innovative and award-winning career-counseling network that has changed the lives of over 10,000 people, The Pathfinder offers invaluable advice and more than 100 self-tests and diagnostic tools that will help you choose an entirely new career -- or view a current job from a new, more positive perspective. You'll learn:
* How to design your new career direction step by step so that it fits your talents, personality, needs, goals, values, and is, at the same time, practical and attainable
* How to deal successfully with the "yeah but" voices in your head that keep you going back to the same old ill-fitting job, day after day
* How to land the perfect job in your new field, plus tips on writing a really exceptional résumé, personal marketing, and networking (even for those who hate to network)
Whether you're a seasoned professional in search of a career change or a beginner just entering the working world, you want to make the right choices from the beginning. No matter where you are in your journey, if you want work to be more of a dance than a drag, The Pathfinder will expertly coach you through the process of designing a career you will love.
Customer Reviews:
WANT A CAREER YOU LOVE? GET THIS BRILLIANT BOOK.......2007-08-13
This is the masterpiece book on picking your perfect career. I went all the way through a PhD program only to discover I did not enjoy my field. I bought and read several of the popular career titles such as the Parachute book but did not find most of them particularly helpful. The exception was The Pathfinder. I read through all the reviews of it this morning and the one word that shows up in many of them is "brilliant", the best single word to describe this book. The author says that in order to have a career you love it needs to fit your "natural" talents and your personality perfectly, allow you to do work that comes most naturally to you. In addition, it must be in a field you care about, fulfill your goals and put you in a workplace environment that suits you well. I noticed that the few negative reviews of this book mostly complain that it is too long. I disagree. I found the whole book to be very useful. It is long because picking a career that fits is not easy. The book challenges you to reach toward a career that is not a compromise and shows you how to do so. It takes you through many exercises that help you discover what would make a career fit you perfectly. It teaches you how to deal with the obstacles that get in the way, most of which are self-generated internal voices that tell you to avoid risk. It takes you all the way through to the final goal.
I called the author's Rockport Institute today and got to speak with him. It turns out that this organization created the field of career coaching nearly thirty years ago and does constant research on what it takes to pick a career that fits. No wonder this is better than the other books.
Get Ready to Meet Yourself......Finally!.......2007-08-12
This book is not meant to be read overnight, but rather a guide to wake-up to everyday as you step yourself closer to the who, what, and when you really are. This book provides the "How" of getting there. Ranging from recalling your childhood dreams, discovering where you are at on your life's timeline, meeting the different parts of yourself all the way to ultimately waking up one day (for me, two years later) and realizing a vocation that fits you like your own fingerprints. This is a labor of love of discovering yourself with Nick (the author)along side you as you reflect and laugh along the way. I recommend this book highly....provided you value yourself enough to dig in and do the self-work involved in this type of journey.
Too long and windy!.......2007-08-03
I bought this book because it had a high 4.5 star rating in Amazon. I have been extremely disappointed. The author of this book must be in love with his own voice. I get the sense that the book was dictated. It wheezes on for over 350 pages. The text is like an endless blog.
Years ago, I read What Color is Your Parachute? That was a good book! Buy that one--instead of Pathfinder....unless you like endless pontification.
test in the book.......2007-06-06
hi - i actually wanted to give this test ..but not sure of...there are some tests already in the book...does this test provide much more?
Innate Ability battery.......2007-04-24
I did the innate ability battery recommended by this book and I feel a lot clearer on what I am good at, not good, at and different ways to think about myself and what might make me happy. This one clued me in in a very comprehensive way. If you are confused about what would make you happy, fulfilled, goal-oriented etc, then take this test. The other tests other than myers-briggs are not too useful. (I also did the whole workbook of what color is my parachute a couple years ago but this test feels more like knowledge I can build upon.) The cost to do the test is high but the value I feel I will get is equal plus the discussion I had with the counselor made me feel like I was talking to someone who understood where I was coming from. I would like to do more personal counseling but the book will have to do and I look forward to answering the questions to figure it out. ( i don't work for anyone or am related to anything regarding this book)
Book Description
The Men's Guide to the Women's Bathroom strives to answer life's most imponderable question: What Do Women Really Do in the Bathroom?
When the witty and urbane Claire St. John leaves New York City and returns to Austin, Texas, she realizes that all of the good advice she has ever received has been from strangers in the women's bathroom. If only she'd listened before she'd married the wrong man and wound up on the losing end of a divorce.
Swearing off men, Claire decides to take a big chance—she will quit her life as a lawyer and write the ultimate self-help book—a book detailing exactly what goes on in that most sacred feminine temple: the women's bathroom.
But will the new how-to guru ever learn to take her own advice? While she's discovering the truth behind the bathroom door, re-assimilating to Texas culture by eating "nuclear" jalapeño carrots, speeding down highways through the famed Texas hill country, and even joining an ill-fated booze cruise, Claire St. John is fighting her feelings for Jake Armstrong, a dashing organic food entrepreneur who threatens to throw off the balance of her new life. Will she be able to handle the pressure or will she watch her love life get flushed away?
Customer Reviews:
Generic chick lit.......2007-10-11
Claire St. John, recently moved back to Texas from New York after a painful divorce, has a breakthrough one drunken evening: she's going to write a book for men about what goes on in the ladies' room. The book will be filled with practical advice for the more clueless members of the species. The Men's Guide to the Women's Bathroom, the novel, is pretty much your standard chick lit, with the requisite cliches: the love interest, the gay best friend, and the nutty mother.
There's nothing here that really distinguishes this book from all the other tripe that's published today. Nothing is fresh or new or exciting. The humor is canned, and the writing style is childish. This book really isn't worth the time or the money you might otherwise spend on it.
Laugh a lot...........2007-04-27
This is a light, fast paced and breezy chick lit book that I enjoyed reading. I loved that on every page there is something to chuckle and giggle about. The main character, Claire, was really easy to relate to because I think there's so much of her in every women. She's just one of many great characters in the book.
I haven't read anything by Jo Barrett, but now I plan on reading her next book.
Entertaining, fun to read chick lit.......2007-04-24
Claire St. John is a divorced attorney who splits from her high-profile New York life when she learns that her husband is having an affair. Moving back to her hometown of Austin, Texas, Claire decides to give up her life as an attorney and instead decides to take up life as a novelist--an unemployed, inexperienced novelist. Her topic of choice: a self-help novel for men that will help them understand the mystery that is the women's restroom. Somewhere along the way, she meets Jake Armstrong, an organic food distributor who just might be the man to help Claire believe in love again. Along with her hilarious cast of friends, Claire tries to navigate the dating life, establishing her new career, and getting over her ex.
In The Men's Guide to the Women's Bathroom, Jo Barrett attempts to answer the age old question that has plagued men for years, "What exactly goes on in the women's bathroom?" The answer is simple. Everything. Bad date? The bathroom is where women go to make a sneak call to their friends informing them of the catastrophe. Bad day? The bathroom is where women sneak in a mid-day cry before heading back to the office. For any and all emotions, the women's bathroom is the place where we can find sanctuary, a place for peace when the world seems filled with chaos. Jo Barrett has captured the essence of the women's bathroom and placed it in the context of a fun, lighthearted chick lit novel that was a joy to read and entertaining to boot.
whimsical chick lit tale .......2007-03-30
New York based divorce lawyer Claire St. John decides to leave the Big Apple and her high paying job to return to her hometown Austin, Texas after catching her spouse cheating on her. Claire vows no more men in her life and considers writing a book based on the best advice column in the world: the women's bathroom.
Planning to heed the guidance of the strangers written reverently on the walls to avoid male jerks, Claire quickly gets rid of Manhattan mush as her friends and family welcome her back and her mom gives her a rent free home. However, there is one problem in her campaign the "Year of the Claire" that surfaces upon her reverting back to Longhorn status; she is attracted to organic food business mogul Jake Armstrong, but her salsa mouth keeps getting in the way.
This is a whimsical chick lit tale as the heroine's approach to life, relationships, and love seem inane especially when one considers she was a successful Manhattan divorce attorney. Still sub-genre fans will enjoy this lighthearted romp as you can take the Texan out of Texas, but cannot take the Texas out of the Texan as the moment Claire returns from that foreign land across the Hudson, she reacclimatizes amidst her friends, family, and Jake.
Harriet Klausner
LOL and Great Gift Too.......2007-03-27
Laugh-out-loud (LOL)! There is something to smile about--or chuckle over--on every page!
The prose is light and fun, the characters amusing and often ironic, and the plot thickens. I think this is this novelist's first book--and it appears she has a bright future!
This book also would make a good gift for girlfriends (and boyfriends!).
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- Your First Year in Network Marketing: Overcome Your Fears, Experience Success, and Achieve Your Dreams!
- Your MBA Game Plan: Proven Strategies for Getting into the Top Business Schools
- 101 Best Cover Letters
- 2007/8 Guide to Association Web Sites: For Recruiters and Job Seekers (Weddle's Guide to Association Web Sites)
- 96 Great Interview Questions To Ask Before You Hire
- A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD: How You Can Be More Creative
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