Book Description
Meet Fred.
In his powerful new book THE FRED FACTOR, motivational speaker Mark Sanborn recounts the true story of Fred, the mail carrier who passionately loves his job and who genuinely cares about the people he serves. Because of that, he is constantly going the extra mile handling the mail – and sometimes watching over the houses – of the people on his route, treating everyone he meets as a friend. Where others might see delivering mail as monotonous drudgery, Fred sees an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those he serves.
We’ve all encountered people like Fred in our lives. In THE FRED FACTOR, Mark Sanborn illuminates the simple steps each of us can take to transform our own lives from the ordinary – into the extraordinary. Sanborn, through stories about Fred and others like him, reveals the four basic principles that will help us bring fresh energy and creativity to our life and work: how to make a real difference everyday, how to become more successful by building strong relationships, how to create real value for others without spending a penny, and how to constantly reinvent yourself.
By following these principles, and by learning from and teaching other “Freds,” you, too, can excel in your career and make your life extraodinary. As Mark Sanborn makes clear, each of us has the potential be a Fred.THE FRED FACTOR shows you how.
Customer Reviews:
Let's be more like Fred.......2007-09-14
The Fred Factor
The Fred Factor is a rather small book that gives the details on how someone can, by its own motivation, get the extraordinary out of something rather common. The book gives an explanation of how the behaviour of someone can change when and if they commit to it. Some of the topics in the book are rather obious, but re-reading them every once and a while makes one reflect again on how we sometimes can go the extra mile and make a huge different.
We all have values. This book is about making sure that we don't forget about these values when we are doing our job. Let's all care and have a little Fred in us..
This book is worth the reading.
Koen
(review first posted on my blog on http://koen.blanquart.be/blog/item/99/ )
Fred Factor.......2007-09-10
Buying new from Amazon is almost always the best way to go. As a school secretary having them delivered to our door is always a plus. You are quick and accurate. As a college student I like to buy used and you take your chances doing this. BUT if you review who you are buying from FIRST you should have no problems. I have greatly appreciated the deals that I have gotten thru Amazon.
Choosing to Make a Difference is Leadership.......2007-08-28
Every day, in every individual interaction, we have a choice; a choice to make the interaction transactional or relational. That choice will make all the difference in the world to the quality of our lives.
In "The Fred Factor", motivational speaker Mark Sanborn tells the very real story of his postal delivery person, Fred - and how he gave definition to his job as a `service provider' by making mail delivery a relational interaction. Sanborn says that Fred exemplified 4 principles: Everyone Makes a Difference; Success is Built on Relationships; You Must Continually Create Value for Others and It Doesn't Have to Cost a Penny; You Can Reinvent Yourself Regularly. All very real and very useful principles, but perhaps the most valuable principle in this story and the other examples in the book is the principle of choice: Everyone has the choice to be a Leader, by making a difference in the lives of others. This book is highly recommended as a gift for those who say, "Why bother?"
Learn to be a Fred.......2007-08-23
This is a pass it forward book. I am a Fred and I have helped others find the Fred in them. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for everyone who is tired of seeing grumps in the office or in their home and wants to make a change. One person can make a difference if that peoson is a Fred.
Inspirational.......2007-07-27
I own a small business with 20 employees and this book was recommended for "homeplay" for our new staff. I loved this book not only for the inspiration it gave me in the workplace, but the inspiration it also gave me when I am not at work. It is amazing, the small things we can do that have such an impact on others (and also ourselves). I look forward to the presentations our new staff will give me and the management team on this book. Great read!
Book Description
The project that captured a nation's imagination.
The instructions were simple, but the results were extraordinary.
"You are invited to anonymously contribute a secret to a group art project. Your secret can be a regret, fear, betrayal, desire, confession, or childhood humiliation. Reveal anything -- as long as it is true and you have never shared it with anyone before. Be brief. Be legible. Be creative."
It all began with an idea Frank Warren had for a community art project. He began handing out postcards to strangers and leaving them in public places -- asking people to write down a secret they had never told anyone and mail it to him, anonymously.
The response was overwhelming. The secrets were both provocative and profound, and the cards themselves were works of art -- carefully and creatively constructed by hand. Addictively compelling, the cards reveal our deepest fears, desires, regrets, and obsessions. Frank calls them "graphic haiku," beautiful, elegant, and small in structure but powerfully emotional.
As Frank began posting the cards on his website, PostSecret took on a life of its own, becoming much more than a simple art project. It has grown into a global phenomenon, exposing our individual aspirations, fantasies, and frailties -- our common humanity.
Every day dozens of postcards still make their way to Frank, with postmarks from around the world, touching on every aspect of human experience. This extraordinary collection brings together the most powerful, personal, and beautifully intimate secrets Frank Warren has received -- and brilliantly illuminates that human emotions can be unique and universal at the same time.
Customer Reviews:
Totally engrossing.......2007-09-26
I bought this as a gift for my twenty-something brother. I started to glance through it a little before wrapping it, and ended up sitting with my nose in it for an hour. Really cool coffee-table book.
Great!.......2007-09-07
An amazing book! Read it page for page and it's so hard to put down, great buy.
Secrets shared are a wonderful thing........2007-09-05
Big time fan fot he website and love this collection of books. The honesty makes me laugh, cry and feel totally connected to others. A birlliant project.
Amazing.......2007-08-24
This book absolutely amazing and unique. Sure there are 3 books so far from him, all with the same postcard concept, but each book is direct and revealing. I found myself looking into my life and relationships and thinking that the post cards are saying and showing exactly what I felt/remember feeling. The pages are beautiful and colorful along with the words and writing that somehow display exactly what the writer was feeling. Even if you only read a few pages every once in a while, it will ground and humble you, pick you up, and make you want to be a better person. Truly amazing.
Amazing book, amazing video trailer to go along with it.......2007-08-16
I have been a fan of the Postsecret phenomenon since the first book came out. They are moving, and make one feel that you are not alone. Everyone has baggage. quirks. Human beings have alot going on. You must see the Book Trailer just posted on Youtube, it is inspirational, a work of art and makes you want to buy the books! Go to Youtube and search for Postsecret, and watch!! Its extraordinary!
Book Description
WAKE UP AND SMELL THE SUCCESS!
You already know the Starbucks story. Since 1992, its stock has risen a staggering 5,000 percent! The genius of Starbucks success lies in its ability to create personalized customer experiences, stimulate business growth, generate profits, energize employees, and secure customer loyalty-all at the same time.
The Starbucks Experience contains a robust blend of home-brewed ingenuity and people-driven philosophies that have made Starbucks one of the world's “most admired” companies, according to Fortune magazine. With unique access to Starbucks personnel and resources, Joseph Michelli discovered that the success of Starbucks is driven by the people who work there-the “partners”-and the special experience they create for each customer. Michelli reveals how you can follow the Starbucks way to
- Reach out to entire communities
- Listen to individual workers and consumers
- Seize growth opportunities in every market
- Custom-design a truly satisfying experience that benefits everyone involved
Filled with real-life insider stories, eye-opening anecdotes, and solid step-by-step strategies, this fascinating book takes you deep inside one of the most talked-about companies in the world today.
For anyone who wants to learn from the best-and be the best-The Starbucks Experience is a rich, heady brew of unforgettable user-friendly ideas.
Customer Reviews:
All fluff no substance.......2007-10-05
This is a charming book and I've learned a lot about Starbucks by reading it. However, it was all fluff and no real substance and it came across as a PR piece for Starbucks.
If you're expecting a book that will give you some insight as to how to replicate the "Starbucks experience", you won't find that here. In truth, I read 1/2 to 3/4 of this book and gave up on it. After a while, it became tiresome to read anecdote after anecdote without any real substance behind it.
Highly Recommended Reading.......2007-10-03
Why has Starbuck's seen such phenomenal success and growth in a highly competitive niche? How have they becoming synonymous with coffee the way Kleenex is to tissue?
Michelli makes the case that it's partly consistent quality coffee, but much more so the whole "experience" consumers can expect at any Starbucks.
The author breaks down what makes up the Starbucks Experience into:
1) MAKE IT YOUR OWN
2) EVERYTHING MATTERS
3) SURPRISE AND DELIGHT
4) EMBRACE RESISTANCE
5) LEAVE YOUR MARK
He fills the book with stories that demonstrate the points made which makes it very readable. I did find the distinction between items 1-3 above a little vague and that many of the examples could easily have fit into one of the other categories he created.
I would be fascinated to hear more about how Starbuck's screens to get employees that give service well beyond the norm.
If your vocation involves any level of customer service this is for you and great to share with your friends, employees and business partners.
starbucks is special because it is personal.......2007-09-20
this book shows why starbucks is special. At first blush, it is so glowing in its praise that it seems like propaganda. But the sheer volume of anecdotes and the homely feel of many of them quickly sink in. One in particular sticks in my mind. A starbucks shop was hiring partners (employees) and decided to hire some local homeless people. The partners chipped in to buy them suitable clothes until they could earn enough to stand on their own. Now tell me, why can't other companies do this? good question.
Attention to Details.......2007-09-16
The Starbucks Experience provides an interesting insite as to keeping it simple and staying focused on details. From the fields to the customers, a total focus on details makes the Starbucks Experience a terrific guide on how to conduct business.
REALLY LIKED IT - BOUGHT 4 MORE COPIES!.......2007-08-29
A quick read with tasty principles and mouth-watering ideas. I bought 4 copies for a church organization's staff to give them guidance as they grow to be a dynamic place in their community. (And, because Starbuck's in one of their favorite places to buy beverages!)
Book Description
Save the day with over 2,300 clever, ingenious, smart ways to use everyday household products—all guaranteed to save you time and money!
Did you know that tea can hide gray hair? Or that aspirin can revive a dead car battery? How about the power of table salt to make panty hose last longer? Or that shaving cream can remove rug stains? Yes, there's a treasure trove hidden in your pantry, medicine cabinet, garage, and basement. This remarkable book shares amazing secrets to save you time and money—and shelf space in the process. Fully illustrated and written in a clear, down-to-earth style, this practical guide contains over 2,300 handy tips about using more than 200 common household items like aluminum foil and dental floss in exciting new ways. Don't spend your hard-earned money on expensive storebought products. Restore, replace, repair, or revive practically everything in your home with this indispensable handbook that features:
• Nearly 400 full-color illustrations
• Easy A-to-Z format to find items easily
• Clear, step-by-step instructions
• At-a-Glance section provides the Best Uses for every item
• Hundreds of sidebars full of extra tips and informative ideas
• Complete index for cross-referencing
Throughout, Did You Know?, Science Fair, and Kids' Stuff sidebars add to the wonder and fun of this easy-to-use reference. From Alka-Seltzer to baby shampoo, pepper to pillowcases, vinegar to yogurt—discover the untold value of hundreds of everyday items with
Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things.
Customer Reviews:
Great Household Help .......2007-09-09
Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things offers recipies for many environment friendly cleaning products, quick self help, beauty remedies ,and even introduces ways to entertain kids budget friendly.
Some of the remedies explained are well known, others seem a little far off, but all in all this book certainly can help to cut cost of cleaning products etc.
If you are willing to experience "new" methods, that were old timers for your grandparents this is the book to get. It also is fun just to cross read, and be in awe of some of the things one can do.
Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things: 2,317 Ways to Save Money and Time.......2007-07-27
So much information that really can be used. Can not absorb with one reading. Marked most useful and will re-read balance over time.
2,317 Ways to Save Money and Time.......2007-07-09
This is a very good resource for solving problems with household care, health issues, and just about everything. Easy to use, and simple to read
fun and useful.......2007-06-24
I never thought I would enjoy this book as much as I have been. It is 400 pages of fun facts with all those things you would find in your home and all the normal problems you would run in to. For example, onions remove rust stains from silverware, use bananas as a face mask, nail polish to remove warts, vinegar for carpet stains and to defrost windsheilds, beer and salt to make windows frosty for the Christmas holidays, use a vacuum nozzle with a pair of pantyhose to find that valuable object on the floor without sucking it up, etc.. I love this book! =)
Good for the non-handy.......2007-06-08
This is an excellent book for those (like me) who are rather unimaginative when it comes to making/fixing/cleaning things. I was quite impressed with many of the ideas.
Book Description
Israel is smaller than New Jersey yet captures a lion's share of headlines. It looks like one country on CNN, a very different one on al-Jazeera. The BBC has its version, The New York Times theirs. But how does Israel look to Israelis? The answers are varied, and they have been brought together here in one of the most original books about Israel in decades. From battlefields to bedrooms to boardrooms, discover the colliding worlds in which an astounding mix of 6.8 million devoutly traditional and radically modern people live. You'll meet "Arab Jews" who fled Islamic countries, dreadlock-wearing Ethiopian immigrants who sing reggae in Hebrew, Christians in Nazareth who publish an Arabic-style Cosmo, young Israeli Muslims who know more about Judaism than most Jews of the Diaspora, ultra-Orthodox Jews on "Modesty Patrols," and more. Interweaving hundreds of personal stories with intriguing new research, The Israelis is lively, irreverent, and always fascinating.
Customer Reviews:
Eye-Opening, Balanced. Astounding insights,.......2007-06-17
There is no other book on Israelis like this. It's very balanced, filled with fascinating insights into the lives of ordinary Israeli women, men and children from vastly different backgrounds. It's fun to read and reread. You'll smile, laugh and cry as you visit discos, battlefields and internet cafes, synagogues and mosques, learning about these hyper modern and very traditional Jewish, Muslim, Christians and Druze -- all Israelis.
This well researched masterpiece truly helps you understand what TV and newspaper reporters are not telling you. Every reporter based in the Middle East should read this book before letting the cameras roll. The Israelis is excellent for tourists, arm chair travelers, students, teachers, and diplomats.
No wonder it's sold all over the world.......2007-05-09
You can't say you know much about Israel without reading this engaging, entertaining, original book. It's really fun to read, balanced and packed with fascinating information.
I hear about Israel on the news nearly everyday-- but until I read this absorbing book, I never knew much about regular Israeli people. The author lets all kinds of young Israelis speak. Female soldiers, Israeli Arabs and Israel Christians and religious and non religious Jews. My friend in Berlin told me about it -- she says The Israelis is selling like hotcakes in Germany.
Incredible Book.......2007-02-23
If you are looking to learn about the real mix if people that we call the Israelis this is the book to read. Having been to Israel and returning aagain for 6 weeks this summer I now have a better insight into the people I met and will be with again. A beautiful book about a beautiful country and its people.
The Israelis: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Land.......2007-01-05
I thought that I understood the dynamics of Israel in our world today. After reading this book, I can only take my hat off to all of the people in that country that are making it work. Ms. Rosenthal's work is so thorough and yet so interesting to read. I feel better after reading this book that the people living in Israel today will be able to withstand all of the forces that are against them in the troubled world today.
Well written and fun to read -- rich human stories.......2006-12-21
The author put quite a bit of work into writing "The Israelis" - and it shows. This book is especially useful for anyone truly interested in challenging their perceptions built up through a lifetime of mainstream media coverage of Israel.
I read most of the book on a flight to Israel. I found the information immediately useful in better understanding that complex society then finished it on my flight back.
In the amazing timing category, I had just read the chapter on Israel's ultra-Orthodox and their belief that Israel should not have been founded as a secular state (believing that only Messiah should do so) when I was amazed to see a TV news report showing four ultra-orthodox Jews standing next to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at his Holocaust denial conference. Some of the ultra-Orthodox community believes the Holocaust happened as God's punishment to the Jews for not being religious enough. It seems inconsistent to, on one hand participate in a Holocaust denial conference, and on the other believe that the Holocaust was somehow God's punishment, but there they were in Teheran. If it were not for having just read "The Israelis" I would have had no idea why.
I highly recommend this book for anyone wishing to better understand Israel.
Average customer rating:
- A Book to Savor Everyday
- Natural remedies and speedy recovery
- I Felt like I was with my Grandmother!!
- Dr Dossey shows us what is truly important
- Another Outstanding Contribution from Larry Dossey
|
The Extraordinary Healing Power of Ordinary Things: Fourteen Natural Steps to Health and Happiness
Larry Dossey
Manufacturer: Harmony
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Healing
| Alternative Medicine
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Naturopathy
| Alternative Medicine
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Dossey, Larry
| Authors, A-Z
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Naturopathy
| Alternative & Holistic
| Medicine
| Subjects
| Books
Dossey, Larry
| ( D )
| Authors, A-Z
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
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ASIN: 030720989X
Release Date: 2006-02-07 |
Book Description
Every day modern medicine announces the arrival of yet another “wonder drug” or “miracle procedure” to a world increasingly wary of expensive high-tech cures. Drugs, transplants, and surgery don’t work for 90 percent of our aches and pains and, while we are grateful for life-saving developments, we know that most come with risks that we ignore at our peril.
Long hailed as one of the founding fathers of mind-body medicine, Larry Dossey directs our attention to simple sources of healing that have been available for centuries—treasures often hidden in plain sight—from the power of optimism and of tears to speed recovery to the surprising usefulness of dirt and bugs in curing disease and infection to the benefits of doing nothing.
Exploring the medical research that validates these simple remedies, Dossey encourages us to align ourselves with the wisdom of nature and allow true healing to take place. The Extraordinary Healing Power of Ordinary Things can transform our view of what health is all about, whether our concern is cancer or the common cold.
Customer Reviews:
A Book to Savor Everyday .......2006-09-05
Dr. Larry Dossey's book is for everyone who seeks everyday peace, everyday purpose, everyday hope and everyday love. He gives us stories to nourish our hearts, science to satisfy our minds and a 14-step path to ease our way. Truly, we CAN find sacred footing on ordinary ground.
Natural remedies and speedy recovery.......2006-04-22
Larry Dossey, M.D.'s THE EXTRA-ORDINARY HEALING POWER OF ORDINARY THINGS: FOURTEEN NATURAL STEPS OF HEALTH AND HAPPINESS comes from a physician long hailed as one of the discoverers of the idea of 'mind-body medicine'. Here Dr. Dossey discusses sources of natural healing and speedy recovery, exploring the medical research that acknowledges and supports natural remedies. From the return of leeches as useful medical tools to religion as a risk-reduction tool, THE EXTRA-ORDINARY HEALING POWERS OF ORDINARY THINGS surveys both physical and psychological rituals and healing methods.
I Felt like I was with my Grandmother!!.......2006-03-17
Thank God for Larry Dossey!!
As I sat at my grandmothers' feet, many years ago, she told me of the importance of the subtle world around me. She ministered to people struggling in various ways in the back-woods of West Virginia in the early nineteen hundreds. She learned medicine from her grandmother. Her life was rich with stories of healing and her love of nature.
Larry Dosseys' voice in the world is long overdue!
Dr Dossey shows us what is truly important.......2006-02-14
In the spirit of Aristotle and Thoreau Larry Dossey provides compelling and stimulating answers to the eternal question - "what is truly important in life?" At a time when we seem increasingly confused by complexity, speed and continuous change this book reminds us that the important things in our lives are timeless and simple.
As befits the title Dr Dossey writes with simple elegance. The essays are lucid, well-reasoned, practical and frequently moving. Indeed I experienced the rare feeling that I was receiving genuine wisdom, and was being shown the path to a joyful and meaningful life through paying attention to the small things. So I recommend that the reader learns the principles in this book and takes "route one" to health and happiness
Another Outstanding Contribution from Larry Dossey.......2006-02-14
Physician, writer and editor Larry Dossey has been an important voice in medicine for more than two decades.
In his previous books and papers he has articulated an emerging vision of medicine which goes far beyond a simple mechanical view of the body, and emphasises a model that also addresses the emotional, spiritual and timeless aspects of our lives.
In this book he incorporates and expands upon some of the insights of the burgeoning field of positive psychology. One of the most attractive things about this new work is that he also emphasises the importance of apparently "negative" experiences. I have pointed out in my own work that we need to understand the importance of duality, balance and personal integration: To recommend positive thinking can be disastrous for some people, for whom pessimism and negative cognitions are their natural defense styles. Similarly, there are some people who get sick once stress is over. And the constant drive to boost self-esteem has created many people with narcissistic and sociopathic personality traits. In the same vein, Dossey also points out the importance of bugs, tears, dirt and an occasional a bit of unhappiness for our overall well-being.
This is a book that should be widely read and the principles applied in all our lives.
Highly recommended!
Amazon
Robert Quinn's Change the World offers profound yet practical guidance for those who truly want to improve their surroundings. Quinn, a University of Michigan professor and author of five books on change and organizational performance, bases Changeon eight "seed thoughts" drawn from the philosophies of Jesus, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. After relevant quotations from each, he cites contemporary real-life examples to show how these principles--Envision the Productive Community, First Look Within, Embrace the Hypocritical Self, Transcend Fear, Embody a Vision of the Common Good, Disturb the System, Surrender to the Emergent Process, and Entice Through Moral Power--can really be used. "All our lives we have been explicitly and implicitly taught to see human influence as an exercise in domination," Quinn writes. By learning instead to practice a new type of "transformational behavior," he suggests, even "ordinary people" can have "extraordinary impact." The section on asserting moral authority, for example, segues from his own fifth-grade coaching experiences to those of basketball superstar Larry Bird to details on building a bond between "change agents and change targets" that effects desirable modifications. Recommended for anyone open to new ideas on motivation and stimulating change. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
In this empowering book, Robert E. Quinn, author of the highly successful and influential Deep Change, gives readers the courage to use personal transformation to positively impact their home life, work life, and communities -- to be what he refers to as "inner-directed and outer-focused." We are all potential change agents, but most of us are trapped by belief that we as individuals cannot make a difference. Informed by the teachings of Jesus, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. -- three of the most successful change agents ever -- Quinn outlines eight steps each of us can take to move ourselves and others to the highest levels of excellence. Following his advice, each of us can access and apply the power that lies within us in ways that will change our world for the better.
Customer Reviews:
My first and only review at Amazon - The Highest Recommendation.......2006-12-22
This, more than any book, has had a profound influence on my life. Quinn helps us understand why our lives are so frustrating. The basic notion is that we are hypocrites. We believe or think one thing but we act differently. This integrity gap is what causes us to continue to accept the ordinary, or transactional, world as it is. He challenges us to reduce our integrity gap, and thus transform ourselves from ordinary to extraordinary human beings.
Quinn uses three historical figures to illustrate the power of transformation - Gandhi, Christ, and King, Jr. He also gives examples from his personal life and from his work as an organizational consultant of moving from the transactional to the transformational world. If you are willing to do the work Quinn challenges us to do, you will find yourself much more in tune with your highest ideals. By transforming yourself, Quinn argues, you can change (or transform) the world around you - your family, office, organization, and ultimately, the larger world.
Please read this book. Give it to friends and family. We (and they) are all hypocrites. Let us close our integrity gaps together.
top notch.......2005-09-04
If you want to be effective at influencing others, study this book. This is one of my favorites. It also has many lots of valuable references and a great bibliography.
Change the World by Changing Yourself.......2005-05-26
Bob Quinn is definitely one of the most profound writers on change in this era. But his work is not for the faint of heart because he challenges each of us to start change initiatives in the place we'd least like to go -- inside ourselves. I found this an incredibly powerful book. I've used sections of it with my "change management" classes for several years and I know it has a tremendous impact on students, who like most managers have grown up unconsciously believing that change always needs to start with the other guy. If you want a simple formula for change, don't buy this book. Although it is full of practical, actionable ideas, "Change the World" addresses change at a profound level that asks readers to reflect seriously on what they stand for. It's a very difficult but rewarding assignment.
real change.......2001-01-07
"Typically a top management team goes off for three days," writes the author Quinn. "They hole up in a room with lots of flip charts and go to work." Then he says that when they're through they typically write words on small cards and pass them out to employees. Sadly, he observes these cards are "ignored and things go on as before." The premise underlying this book is that Quinn would have us care enough to change this way of thinking. The key, he says, is to stop doing things out of self-interest and start identifying and going after the shared goals of the group. He does a nice job of working good examples into his text. He also points out how risky it is to be a true leader since it involves overcoming a fear of failure when trying something new. He also does a nice job of making clear that hierarchy in itself is not a bad thing; it's only bad when they're perceived as mechanisms that result in getting nothing done. "Hierarchies become frozen bureaucracies due to the failure of human courage." He makes a compelling case for why it's crucial to skip the hollow words and dare to lead toward change. Only then can organizations hope for real change.
Look Within: That's Where Change Management Begins.......2000-11-24
Hopefully, you have already read some (if not all) of Quinn's earlier books, especially Deep Change which serves as an excellent introduction to this one. In the Preface, he explains that this book "is about changing the world. It is about coming to a deep understanding of human beings and human relationships." He then adds, "The book focuses on vision, unconditional confidence, and profound impact. It is about the mastery of human influence, transformational power, and the capacity to accomplish extraordinary things. It argues that everyone of us is a change agent." It is important to add, that Quinn advocates "deep change" as opposed to "incremental change." Moreover, no organization can achieve deep change unless and until those within that organization achieve deep change. So as I understand it, each of us must assume full authority as well as responsibility for (and have control of) our personal development. "There is a language of transformation. Yet most of us are cut off from that language. All our lives we have been explicitly taught to see human influence as an exercise in domination." Even the most sensitive among us is shaped by this paradigm or worldview. But this outlook prevents us from seeing more deeply into the actual workings of human systems. This book demonstrates an alternative system."
Quinn recalls the remark by Oliver Wendell Holmes that he placed little value in simplicity that lay on this side of complexity but a great deal of value on simplicity that lay on the other side. The framework within which Quinn presents his material comes from the "seed thoughts" of people who have mastered "the language of transformation." By "seed thoughts" Quinn means some of the "core notions that masters of transformation hold in common, the simplicity they send us from the other side of complexity." Specifically, Jesus, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Quinn focuses on eight (8) "seed thoughts" (eg Envision the Productive Community, First Look Within, Embrace the Hypocritical Self), providing brief quotations from each of the three "masters of transformation" which he correlates with each of the eight "seed thoughts." His objective is to explain how Advanced Change Theory (ACT) can enable individuals to achieve deep change in their own lives and then within their organizations. The title of this book (Change the World) may be somewhat misleading. I wholeheartedly agree with Quinn that "ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary results", both individually and as members of a group. I also agree that Jesus, Gandhi, and King were "masters of transformation" within their respective spheres of influence as were Carnegie, Edison, Ford, Morgan, and Rockefeller within their own. Quinn's basic idea is sound. He and I may differ only when defining terms such as "change" and "world."
I urge you to read this book, to consider very carefully what ACT offers to you (personally) and to your organization, and then to select whatever is most appropriate. Quinn provides an eloquent and convincing argument in support of his concept of deep change; better yet, he suggests all manner of strategies and tactics to achieve and sustain it; even better yet, almost anyone who reads this book already has the resources required. If you need help to organize and allocate those resources, and truly powerful encouragement to support your efforts in process, look no further.
Book Description
How did a secretary, a firefighter, a retired naval officer, a housewife, a construction worker, a schoolteacher, and a pharmacist become wealthy? Bestselling author Ric Edelman has studied the wealth–making habits of these 5,000 other ordinary Americans and reveals his findings in this extraordinary book that outlines in eight easy, practical steps to secrets to achieving and maintaining wealth.
Here you'll find a lifetime of wealth–building experience from people just like you –– people who have figured out how to arrange their finances and make wise investment decisions so that they can reach their goals and achieve financial security. Plus, you'll find tips on
Download Description
"How did a secretary, a firefighter, a retired naval officer, a housewife, a construction worker, a schoolteacher, and a pharmacist become wealthy? Bestselling author Ric Edelman has studied the wealth-making habits of these and 5,000 other ordinary Americans. What he found is revealed for the first time in this book: the eight great secrets to attaining wealth. This extraordinary book is filled with the advice of everyday people--people like your own friends and neighbors--who entered the world of personal finance, often with no real plan at the start, but who found ways to accumulate astonishing amounts of money. A rich, irreplaceable lifetime of wealth building experience is now at your fingertips. Here you will learn to arrange your finances and make your investment decisions so you can reach your goals and achieve financial security. Including: · How to turn your mortgage into a wealth-enhancing tool · Why small investments work better than big ones · How to max out on your employer-sponsored retirement plan · Your investments: when to hold them and when to fold them · Financial news: when to pay attention and when to turn it off · Plus, of course, much, much more."
Customer Reviews:
What's the secret of getting this lousy book published?.......2007-07-30
This book is full of half-truth and false promises.
As the author knows too well how thin his book is in terms content, there are stupid sections called "In Their Own Words" after each "secret". And, as if it's not enough, the author inserts a "primer" on behavioural finance in the middle of the book. I really wonder how he can get this published.
And, this book seems to testify again to my own rule of choosing books:
"Never, never, buy a book with a portrait of the author on the cover, unless the author is already dead for a decade."
Informative book.......2006-11-24
The book came pretty quick in perfect condition. Very imformative to those who are new to this kind of money advise. Excellent service from the company it came from. They have great business practices. I just joined a financial service and what they taught me really caught my attention and I wanted to know more so they recommended this book to me. It is an excellent book for anyone who is just starting in the financial business.
One of the worst financial books on the market.......2006-11-16
The premise of this book is to reveal the 8 secrets of how ordinary people became successful investors. Yet there really are no secrets revealed. The whole book is basically one big, thinly disguised advertisement for the author's financial advisory services. One of the secrets in the book is to devote less than three hours per month to personal finances, and that includes paying bills. I fail to see how that is "secret" that will ever help anyone get a handle on their finances. While the author encourages readers not to spend any time reading up on personal finances, the book is filled with comments about how the smartest thing many of the author's clients ever did was getting a financial advisor. So evidently the path to financial success, according to the author, is to not read anything about personal finances on your own and instead pay someone else to do all of the financial thinking and planning for you. I don't think anyone with any basic logic skills would believe this is really true. If you want a good book on how ordinary people really became wealthy, I'd recommend reading the Millionaire Next Door instead.
Don't be a follower, don't be a Lemming!!!.......2005-12-31
I ask that you please bear with me in my response to the other reviewer's responses about this book as well as my review.
As for my review, I felt that the author presented some very good axioms about money and finances in general. I felt that the "In Their Own Words" sections were extremely insightful and prove that the average person can obtain wealth. Overall, I would recommend this book to others and I would recommend that you keep an open mind about his ideas, as they most likely are not the same ideas that your parents touted about money.
As for the other responses, many readers commented along these lines and I would like to rebut them because it is obvious that those readers are following rules about money that where probably passed to them by others who had very little financial success.
-Some readers say the Mr. Edelman talks down to the readers; I think that they feel this way because like a lot of people, they don't like being told that they are wrong. Their pride gets in the way. When it comes to money lessons, you need to shelve your pride!
-Some suggest that this advice is dead wrong even though they admit that their way of amassing money didn't work or that they have very little to show for it; This is pride getting in the way of clear rational thinking. Why not try a different approach if yours isn't working?
-Some gave it a bad review because they felt that Edelman was trying to push his own products. Other than promoting his other books which was annoying at times, he never suggest that you should use his insurance, brokerage or financial advice services!
-It's amazing how many people gave this book a bad review but how most gave a book titled, "Die Broke" five stars!? This proves the overwhelming trend towards instant gratification in today's world, which is in direct contrast to this book.
-Still others point to the recent downturn in the market as evidence that the stock market or investing in equities can't be counted on. Yet these same people forget that the market has had historical highs and lows but over the long term has produced an average return of +7%. These people are nothing but a modern day chicken little. Should we just put or money under a mattress and do nothing because we may loose money in the short run? Remember we are supposed to be investing over the long term.
-Still others reference that many people "they knew" lost everything in their retirement accounts just years shy of retiring due to the recent stock market bust. If these people had done their homework they wouldn't have had their entire retirement accounts 100% invested in equities. That's their fault. Again are we supposed to NOT invest because "they said this" or because of fear? Many people get in bad situations with finances because they act on Emotions and not out of Rational decisions.
-Still others give the good old Enron standby as a reason not to follow Mr. Edelman's advice. If they did even a little research they would have found that those employees lost everything because they were 100% invested in Enron stock. Whose fault is that? They were riding the cash cow like everyone else until it all fell apart. Remember the old adage, that `Pigs get slaughtered'? Yes, the company did require every employee to invest at least 20% of their 401k in Enron stock. Shouldn't these employees have used some deductive reasoning and asked if that was a company that they wanted to work for if they were forced to buy company stock? Does that even sound logical? No, those employees had dollar signs in their eyes like everyone else.
-Another talking point that other reviewers referenced was the hotly debated idea of carrying a Mortgage. Most people tie emotions with paying for a home. While I understand that there are some feelings tied to home ownership it shouldn't dictate your financial decisions. As an example, one reviewer said this in reference to paying extra on their mortgage; "The piece of mind that came with owning our home free and clear was worth more to us." This is a perfect example of what Mr. Edelman talks about in his book. Will that piece of mind pay the bills if you get laid off, loose your job? I don't think it will. Why do people beat themselves over the head to pay off a 5%, 6%, or 7% mortgage? Truth is, it's the cheapest debt you can ever have. As an example, I know people that have 15-year mortgages or people that send extra payments while at the same time having two or three credit cards charging 17%-30% interest. Or they have one or two car payments totaling $500-$1000 a month but they are consumed with paying off their mortgage!?
-Still others ask if he would still follow this advice after the recent loses in the stock market and down turn in the economy. Well he does. It is obvious that these people didn't do their homework and bother to find out that he wrote another book after 9/11 suggesting and reinforcing the same principles he had prior to the economic downturn.
-Lastly, why would you want to follow the nepotism of these readers if after all their way hasn't worked or they haven't tried Mr. Edelman's way? After all, the 5,000 or so in this book were able to do it! I think that many forget that slow and steady wins the race. The author isn't offering a quick fix but a sensible plan to put one on the road to wealth! Regardless of what these readers say, success isn't measures against the DOW or S
Rachel Capil.......2005-11-02
When I started at a new job this book was recommended to all new hires so I read it and I thought it was a great book. I really believe anyone that wants to learn more about investing and being finically knowledgeable should read it. I am not an expert by any means, but I thought it was well written and kept me interested in reading it every day. He has helpful suggestions to growing your financial future and that can never hurt anyone who is open to learning.
Book Description
“If life were fair, employees would be perfect. They would do exactly what we asked them to do, exactly when we asked them to do it - except, of course, for the fantastic ideas they would cook up on their own…Back to reality. Your employees are, like you and me, flawed and hopeful human beings whose success is at least partly dependent on your skill as a manager, human beings who will thrive with skillful and consistent attention and wither without it.”
In business today we're told that management development is a thing of the past. Staying limber, preparing to change hats at a moment's notice, and keeping your finger on the pulse of the “new” - that's what we're told is critical.
At this moment when companies and managers aren't focusing on the long haul, Erika Andersen says just the opposite. If you want to compete with the market leaders, grow your business, and succeed in your field, you need support: an all-star staff that epitomizes your company's mission and has the skills to implement it.
How do you achieve this? Grow great employees.
For twenty-five years Erika Andersen has been helping some of the best-managed companies in the world develop their employees. In Growing Great Employees you'll learn how they stay ahead of the competition by investing in their people. You'll discover that:
• Listening is your most powerful asset. Use it to motivate and build commitment.
• Everything you know about interviewing is wrong. Find out how to discover what you really need in a potential employee and how to find it.
• Successful companies hire for keeps. Get people feeling like part of the team from day one.
• Great leaders surround themselves with the best. Recognize who has potential and develop them into tomorrow's leaders.
Whether you're a manager or a senior executive, Growing Great Employees is your guide to creating a dynamic workplace where the efforts you make with your employees today will blossom into success for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
An inspiring resource! .......2007-09-16
Tending the garden is metaphor and departure point for this brilliantly clear, wise and pragmatic book. If you aspire to be an effective leader, if you strive to achieve the potentiality of those who work with you or for you - whether you are a human resources professional, a CEO or newly minted supervisor - Erika Andersen's insights, tools and exercises will deepen your skills, give you fresh insights, and reinvigorate you.
GROWING GREAT EMPLOYEES reminds me that one's humanity plays a big role in becoming an influential leader. The importance of being a good listener, a mentor, being bold, honest, responsible and accessible to those around you are welcomed reminders in this era of myopic functionality, quarterly returns, and corporate liability.
Beyond trend, GGE will be a `perennially' relevant resource for the business community.
An Exceptional Resource Guide to Building and Managing a Powerful Team. .......2007-09-13
Growing Great Employees is an exceptional resource guide to building and managing a powerful team. We send this book to all of our clients, candidates and new hires as it is full of inspiration, powerful tools, practical examples and insight. Erika's conversational writing style, realistic examples, and multi-faceted approach empowers each reader to enhance their leadership skills and manage with confidence.
Practical Management Tips to Grow Yourself (and your team)!.......2007-09-04
Erika Andersen provides us with all the skills we need as managers to turn our associates from contributors to superstars!
In addition to being full of insights and inspirations, Growing Great Employees has space for you to write YOUR story, and to make this book your own.
Don't buy 1 copy of this book...BUY 2: 1 for you, and 1 to give away to your favorite manager or manager-to-be!
If you buy one business book this year, this should be it........2007-08-24
Finally a practical business book that teaches the skills you need to be a top rate manager. No theoretical mumbo jumbo, just practical advice told in a witty, conversational style that makes it a joy to read. Using true life examples, Andersen shows techniques for delegating, making agreements, giving feedback etc.. that provide a virtual road map for becoming a better boss and colleague.
Great Book.......2007-08-17
For nearly a decade, we have been the lucky beneficiaries of Erika Andersen's wisdom and counsel. Her communication style is clear and engaging, and we only wish we could type fast enough to memorialize all her wisdom. We consider having all her great insight in one book as not just a gift to us, but to anyone who wants to sharpen their own business skills and create an outstanding team.
Book Description
Discover How the Best Companies Win Not By Acquiring the Right People--But By Building the Right Organization
The "war for talent" is one battle every company believes it should be waging. But while competitors are busy chasing after the same "hot" individuals, smart companies are doing something infinitely more useful and far more difficult to copy--they're building organizations that make it possible for ordinary people at every desk and cubicle in their companies to perform as if they were stars.
Blowing up the prevailing wisdom that companies must chase and acquire top talent in order to remain successful,
Hidden Value argues instead that the source of sustained competitive advantage already exists within every organization. O'Reilly and Pfeffer, leading experts on organizational behavior and human resources, argue that how a firm creates and uses talent is far more important than how the firm attracts talent. The authors provide vivid, detailed case studies of several organizations in widely disparate industries--including Southwest Airlines, Cisco Systems, The Men's Wearhouse, and NUMMI--to illustrate how long-term success comes from value-driven, interrelated systems that align good people management with corporate strategy.
In a refreshing break from management tomes that force-feed superficial frameworks and trite "rules," the authors instead allow the company stories to take center stage. They guide readers in discovering for themselves how seven different firms maximize talent, why one firm hasn't fully released the hidden value in its work force, and, most importantly, how the winning companies have made it tough for competitors to imitate them. Collectively, the stories reveal a common path to success that places values before strategy, emphasizes implementation over planning, and focuses on getting the best out of all employees, not just individual stars. The authors also explore concerns or questions managers might have about how each company's experience parallels or conflicts with their own.
Providing a rare opportunity for managers to actively participate in an invaluable learning process,
Hidden Value offers a customizable template for building high-performance, people-centered organizations.
Customer Reviews:
Very practical and useful.......2006-12-19
Charles O'Reilly puts out an interesting idea of how to get the most out of people with various management strategies. I worked in a human resources department for a little while and his ideas were among the more useful that I applied. The book is very well written and does a good job of holding your interest. Highly recommend.
The value of being a people-centered organization.......2006-01-27
In a McKinsey & Company's study, "The War for Talent," McKinsey found that of 200 executives interviewed 58 responded that values and culture were absolutely essential in their decision to join, stay with, or leave an organization. The authors believe that by establishing the right value system and culture, companies can make all their employees perform as if they were in the top 10% of their field. The authors further state that companies must find new ways to tap the knowledge, experience, energy, and talents of employees.
Studying several companies that the authors believed had successfully leveraged their "hidden talent," the authors summarized these 6 essential practices:
· These companies place values and culture first
· They make those values real
· They hire people that will appreciate and espouse the company's values
· They invest in people
· They share information widely
· They reward and recognize those who adhere to the company's values.
A key way to have an organization tap this hidden talent is to achieve the status of being a people-centered organization. The authors see successful people-centered organizations have 3 basic themes that are common:
· Each has a well-articulated set of values that are widely shared and act as the foundation for its management practices.
· Each has a remarkable degree of alignment and consistency in the people-centered practices that express its core values
· Each has senior management whose primary roles are to ensure that the values are maintained and constantly made real to all employees in the organization.
Very Interesting.......2005-09-21
Only on Chapter 5. Reading about the excellent practices of these companies makes me want to strive for the best for my employees, also!
The "Value" of this book is certainly "Hidden" from me.............2003-01-31
This book is merely a compilation of case studies. There are few -- if any -- check lists, tables, charts, bullet points, or step-by-step methodologies to help you implement the concepts within your own company or organization. In fact, THERE ARE ONLY 21 PAGES not dedicated exclusively to either a case study and/or an analysis of the various case studies presented within the book. Save your money and purchase "The HR Scorecard", "The Talent Solution", or "Aligning Pay and Results" instead. Very disappointing...
Detailed case descriptions of high performing companies.......2001-12-31
This book tells the story of eight extremely successful companies that manage to bring out the best in their people. The stories are detailed descriptions of the company's backgrounds, strategies, systems and management practices. The stories are also larded with quotes from the company's CEO's, HR managers and employees. Following this approach the authors provide the readers the opportunity to form their own hypotheses about the companies' successes. But the authors also present their interpretations of the case studies.
What these studies show is how these high performing companies have achieved their success by aligning their values, strategies and people. This is something which is easy to understand but hard to do. It requires consistent articulation and implementation of the values and vision and a relentless attention to detail in ensuring that all policies and practices support the company's values. In order to be able to show this kind of consistency a real belief and commitment are needed and a willingness to persevere.
This book shows how high performing companies consciously turn a lot of the conventional management wisdom upside down. For instance:
1. Contrary to what many people now think, recruiting, selecting and retaining unique talent is NOT the prime source of competitive advantage. Although these activities are important, the examples of these extraordinary companies show that it is much more important to build a culture and work system that enables all people to use their talents and develop their talents. A byproduct of this will be that your company will also be better at attracting and retaining people.
2. Values first instead of strategies. The conventional view puts competitive strategy on top and derives from that what structure is needed, what competencies and behaviors are needed and so on. The companies described here work differently. Although they do have competitive strategies these are secondary to their set of guiding values and to the alignment of these values with their management practices. In other words: they have a values-based view of strategy.
3. Respectful and trusting way of dealing with people. Many companies monitor, check and try to control employee behavior. The hidden value companies work differently. In the spirit of Douglas McGregor's book The Human Side of Enterprise, they seem to understand that if you begin by designing systems to protect against the small unmotivated minority, you end up alienating the motivated majority. So they put their people first by treating them respectfully, involving them and trusting them.
Lessons like the ones presented in this book can be found in several other books by for instance Jeffrey Pfeffer himself, David Maister and Jim Collins. What makes this book different and interesting to me is the presentation in the form of detailed case descriptions.
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