Editorial Review

The Challenge
Built to Last, the defining management study of the nineties, showed how great companies triumph over time and how long-term sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the verybeginning.

But what about the company that is not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness?

The Study
For years, this question preyed on the mind of Jim Collins. Are there companies that defy gravity and convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? And if so, what are the universal distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great?

The Standards
Using tough benchmarks, Collins and his research team identified a set of elite companies that made the leap to great results and sustained those results for at least fifteen years. How great? After the leap, the good-to-great companies generated cumulative stock returns that beat the general stock market by an average of seven times in fifteen years, better than twice the results delivered by a composite index of the world's greatest companies, including Coca-Cola, Intel, General Electric, and Merck.

The Comparisons
The research team contrasted the good-to-great companies with a carefully selected set of comparison companies that failed to make the leap from good to great. What was different? Why did one set of companies become truly great performers while the other set remained only good?

Over five years, the team analyzed the histories of all twenty-eight companies in the study. After sifting through mountains of data and thousands of pages of interviews, Collins and his crew discovered the key determinants of greatness -- why some companies make the leap and others don't.

The Findings
The findings of the Good to Great study will surprise many readers and shed light on virtually every area of management strategy and practice. The findings include:

Editorial Review

Amazon.com ReviewBusiness Model Generation is a handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers striving to defy outmoded business models and design tomorrow's enterprises. If your organization needs to adapt to harsh new realities, but you don't yet have a strategy that will get you out in front of your competitors, you need Business Model Generation.

Co-created by 470 "Business Model Canvas" practitioners from 45 countries, the book features a beautiful, highly visual, 4-color design that takes powerful strategic ideas and tools, and makes them easy to implement in your organization. It explains the most common Business Model patterns, based on concepts from leading business thinkers, and helps you reinterpret them for your own context. You will learn how to systematically understand, design, and implement a game-changing business model--or analyze and renovate an old one. Along the way, you'll understand at a much deeper level your customers, distribution channels, partners, revenue streams, costs, and your core value proposition.

Business Model Generation features practical innovation techniques used today by leading consultants and companies worldwide, including 3M, Ericsson, Capgemini, Deloitte, and others. Designed for doers, it is for those ready to abandon outmoded thinking and embrace new models of value creation: for executives, consultants, entrepreneurs, and leaders of all organizations. If you're ready to change the rules, you belong to "the business model generation!"

The Power of “What If” Questions
Content from authors Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur
We often have trouble conceiving innovative business models because we are held back in our thinking by status quo.The status quo stifles imagination.One way to overcome this problem is to challenge conventional assumptions with “what if” questions.With the right business model ingredients, what we think of as impossible might just be doable.“What if” questions help us break free of constraints imposed by current business models.They should provoke us and challenge our thinking.They should disturb us as intriguing, difficult-to-execute propositions.

What if...
…furniture buyers picked up components in flat pack form from a large warehouse and assembled the products themselves in their homes?What is common practice today was unthinkable until IKEA introduced the concept in the 1960’s.

…airlines didn’t buy engines for their airplanes, but paid for every hour an engine runs?That is how Rolls-Royce transformed itself from a money-losing British manufacturer into a service firm that today is the world’s second biggest provider of large jet engines.

…voice calls were free worldwide?In 2003 Skype launched a service that allowed free voice calling via the internet.After five years, Skype had acquired 400 million registered users who collectively had made 100 billion free phone calls.

... Read more

Reviews

A Brilliant Book: easy and fun to read
This is an absolutely superb book and my first and only book on business models. It is so up to date and filled with gems that I feel no need to read another anytime soon.

The book is aptly titled, being all about how to generate business models. However, you have to know what it is before you can generate it. To this end, the first section of the book is devoted to introducing a standard language and format for talking about business models. They introduce nine key items which serve as the building blocks for all business models. These are listed below, illustrated with Skype's business model.

CUSTOMER SEGMENTS: Who will use the product?
1) web users globally 2) people who want to call phones

VALUE PROPOSITION: Why will they use the product?
1) free Internet and video calling 2) cheap calls to phones (SkypeOut)

CHANNELS: How will the product be delivered to the customers?
[...] and headset partnerships

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS: how will you develop and maintain contact with your customers in each segment?
Mass customizedMass customized

REVENUE STREAMS: How is revenue generated from which customer segments?
1) Free 2) SkypeOut prepaid or subscription

ACTIVITIES: What are the key things that you need to do to create and deliver the product?
Software development

RESOURCES: What assets are required to create and deliver the product?

PARTNERS: Who will you want to partner with (e.g suppliers, outsourcing)
Payment providers, Distribution partners, Telco Partners

COST STRUCTURE: What are the main sources of cost required to create and deliver the product?
Software development, complaint management

These building blocks are laid out on a page in a very specific way, referred to as a "business model canvas". As each chapter unfolds, we get a clearer and clearer understanding of each building block and how to use them to create, evaluate and communicate business models.

The business model canvas can be used to describe any of a wide variety of business models. Patterns emerge which correspond to categories of business models. For example, the Long Tail business model is all about selling less of more. The focus is on "offering a large number of niche products, each of which sells relatively infrequently". This pattern is illustrated with the transformation of the book publishing industry and Netflix.

Another example is the so-called "Freemium" business model used by Skype and countless other Internet businesses. This is compared with the standard Telco model making the two models easy to compare. A similar analysis compares the traditional computer gaming model used by Sony and Microsoft which competes on high performance with Nintendo's Wii business model which focuses on casual gamers and a dramatic reduction in development costs. Visualizing these alternatives on a canvas is very powerful (much easier than the above lists).

The Freemium model is a special case of a more general "multi-sided market" pattern which "brings together two or more distinct but interdependent groups of customers". For example, Google gives away a variety of services to one customer segment, the average web user, and earn income from keyword auctions from advertisers, which comprise the other side of the pattern. As is typical with the multi-sided market pattern, the key resource is the platform which facilitates interactions between the two customer segments.

Another major section of the book is devoted to designing business models. Very explicit instructions and tips are given in the context of an overall process. Different phases include: gathering customer insights, ideation/brainstorming, visual thinking, prototyping, storytelling and scenarios.

A major section on strategy includes a section on how to evaluate existing business models, identifying problems, and brainstorming about possible solutions. Nintendo's Wii is featured. One problem with the traditional gaming model is that consoles are sold at a loss to a relatively small market. By eliminating the huge cost of gaming platform development and adding motion-controlled games with a family focus, the market grew much larger.

The design and layout of the book is equally delightful. It is a cross between a Powerpoint pitch and a regular book, and is easy and fun to read.

The only negative I can think of is the binding. I don't know the lingo, but basically, the front and back (hard) covers are not directly connected to each other. Between them are the sewn and glued sections of the book that are normally hidden. Unfortunately, the book seems to be flimsy. But this is a minor niggle.

Overall, this is a brilliant book. If you have any interest in business models, get it as soon as you can. I got mine by chance on a recent trip to Europe while visiting a colleague. I saw that it was not available yet in the US, so he traded me for my copy of an equally excellent book: The new business road test: What entrepreneurs and executives should do before writing a business plan (2nd Edition).

The building blocks of innovation in a beautiful book!
Lots of people talk about business models, but words alone can't capture the interconnected, systems, wholistic nature of business models. That's why this book is so incredibly useful. For the many people who understand better with pictures, the nine interconnected blocks of a business model laid out in this book will change forever the way you think about value creation systems - be it businesses, non-profits, or even government. I've used this revolutionary visual model to explain the concept of business models to those who have never heard about the concept before, as well as to develop business model innovations for my start-up based on business model challenges that came to light through using this model. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Most business books give you the same old advice: Write a business plan, study the competition, seek investors, yadda yadda. If you're looking for a book like that, put this one back on the shelf.

Rework shows you a better, faster, easier way to succeed in business. Read it and you'll know why plans are actually harmful, why you don't need outside investors, and why you're better off ignoring the competition. The truth is, you need less than you think. You don't need to be a workaholic. You don't need to staff up. You don't need to waste time on paperwork or meetings. You don't even need an office. Those are all just excuses. 

What you really need to do is stop talking and start working. This book shows you the way. You'll learn how to be more productive, how to get exposure without breaking the bank, and tons more counterintuitive ideas that will inspire and provoke you.

With its straightforward language and easy-is-better approach, Rework is the perfect playbook for anyone who’s ever dreamed of doing it on their own. Hardcore entrepreneurs, small-business owners, people stuck in day jobs they hate, victims of "downsizing," and artists who don’t want to starve anymore will all find valuable guidance in these pages. ... Read more

Reviews

Refreshing
This book is unlike most business books, both in its brevity and message. Many of the ideas are common sense, but a lot of the business books out there, especially when it comes to startups, stray pretty far from the tenets advocated here. Notable ones include:

- Don't take outside investment
- Don't try to grow indefinitely
- Don't always listen to your customers
- Scratch your own itch

Recently, I've read a lot of business books focused at starting a small business, but this is the first one that really strives to keep you honest, not just feed you hype. Business books, schools and people themselves like to over-complicate business and I'm planning to keep Rework on my desk as a reality check for myself and my business.

I also truly appreciate the brevity. Way too many business (and technical) books are padded with reiteration of a few key points just to get to a respectable page count. Jason and David respect our time enough to keep it short and to the point. If you need reiteration, read it again; I know that's what I plan on doing! ... Read more

Editorial Review

In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two best-selling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. This time, he turns his keen intellect and storytelling power to the fascinating, complex world of teams.

Kathryn Petersen, Decision Tech's CEO, faces the ultimate leadership crisis: Uniting a team in such disarray that it threatens to bring down the entire company. Will she succeed? Will she be fired? Will the company fail? Lencioni's utterly gripping tale serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight.

Throughout the story, Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team. Just as with his other books, Lencioni has written a compelling fable with a powerful yet deceptively simple message for all those who strive to be exceptional team leaders. ... Read more

Reviews

So glad I came across this!
Emotional Intelligence 2.0 is a book I enjoyed which Pat Lencioni wrote the foreword for. I found Lencioni's foreword intriguing (apparently I was the one person who hadn't heard of him). So, I decided to check The Five Dysfunctions out, and am so glad that I did.

This book explores the fundamental causes of organizational politics and team failure. Lencioni does an outstanding job showing a team that's going through some typical, real-world sticking points, yet is able to maneuver through them successfully. The central premise is that any team can work together effectively once they understand and overcome the five dysfunctions.

The Five Dysfunctions are:

* Absence of Trust,
* Fear of Conflict,
* Lack of Commitment,
* Avoidance of Accountability, and
* Inattention to Results

I'm now using The Five Dysfunctions with my work group with great success. They were already reading the EI 2.0 book, and didn't skip a beat when I threw this one into the mix. Highly recommended.

Finally! Another VERY helful and applicable management book!
By dedicating 90% of his book to a so-called leadership fable, Patrick Lencioni very effectively conveys the very essence of the model he proposes in order to deal with dysfunctional teams. Though the story he presents is that of a hypothetical newly appointed CEO of a distressed start-up and (in the beginning of the story) her highly dysfunctional executive team, the model is perfectly applicable to any team throughout most organizations.

The model consists of a pyramid with the five dysfunctions of a team (from the bottom, up):
1) Absence of trust: stemming from an unwillingness in the team members to be vulnerable and genuinely open up with one another about their mistakes and weaknesses.
2) Fear of conflict: inability to engage in unfiltered, passionate (yet constructive, though it may strike you as odd) debate.
3) Lack of commitment: no buy in and commitment can be expected when ideas and opinions have not been aired and genuinely taken into consideration prior to a decision.
4) Avoidance of accountability: without commitment to a clearly defined set of goals, team members will hesitate to call their colleagues on their actions and behaviors that are counterproductive for the team.
5) Inattention to results: Lencioni brings it all home through the realization that avoidance of accountability leads to a state where team members tend to put their individual needs above the team's collective goals.

Throughout the last leg of his book, Lencioni contrasts how dysfunctional teams behave by comparing them to a cohesive team in the case of each of the five dysfunctions. He also provides suggestions on overcoming each of the dysfunctions and insights into the role of the leader in this process, all in a very structured and to-the-point way. Complementing this, he provides a Team Assessment tool to help determine where your team is at in terms of each of the five elements of the model.

As much as the book can be digested without too much trouble in 2-3 straight hours, it is inevitable (unless you are fooling yourself or you operate in a very healthy team) to have your managerial wheels in your mind turning at full speed by the time you are done with it. As a manager and an avid reader, I welcomed this book with open arms because I found it to be very useful and readily applicable. Now comes my challenge in putting it to use.

Chief Innovation Officer, SmartLeadership.com
This book is helpful to anyone who serves on a team and specifically helpful for team leaders. You will see yourself and your team in this book. More than that, you will find specific steps you can take to make your team better. Through a real life fable, Pat leads you through the steps you need to take to move a team from dysfunction to health. You will find a clear model as well as examples that are as relevant as your last meeting.

As I read this book I discovered:

1. A vocabulary I can use with my team to discuss dysfunction.
2. A self-analysis that will get the discussion started.
3. A clear model for implementation.

As a team leader, this book challenged me to:

1) Lead selflessly
2) Take risks
3) Encourage conflict
4) Embrace the power of meetings
4) Direct my team around a common theme

This book is simple, practical and filled with wisdom. Highly recommended.

Excellent book
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is an interesting, easy to read fictional story about a Silicon Valley company in a turnaround situation. Lencioni did a really good job of creating characters that everybody can relate to.

The one theme that I took from this book is the importance of open, frank communication between team members. That is the core of the five dysfunctions. Most of the time when people are in a group setting, their primary goal is not to get the job done right, but instead it is to not offend other members of the group. This leads to some terrible decision making since nobody ever objects to bad ideas for fear of making another co-worker look bad. This book drives home the important point that conflict in groups is good as long as it is respectful because it leads to much better decision making.

In addition, as another reviewer mentioned, one of the most impressive parts of the book is that the author doesn't shield you from the fact that there is going to be some pain and struggle when working through problems. As a reader, there are a few times when I genuinely wondered: "Are they going to make it?" This is important since in real life you will probably wonder the same thing when you hit some obstacles along the way.

I highly recommend this book.

Greg Blencoe
Author, The Ten Commandments for Managers

Very practical and insightful!
This is a genuinely significant book for anyone who works in a team environment, whether at work, in sports, in the community, at home, etc. Of all the business books I have read on team building, "Five Dysfunctions" stands at the top of the pack. The strength of this book lies in the fact that it gets at the ROOTS of team failure. Anyone who has been forced to go through corporate "team building" sessions and sing with their fellow co-workers knows that it is an approach that doesn't work! The principles presented in "Five Dysfunctions" are solid and will get results.

The organization of "Five Dysfunctions" is as follows. The bulk of the book comprises of an extended fictitious example of a dysfunctional group, and slowly works through the underlying principles. These principles are then succinctly presented in the last few pages of the book, along with further analysis and suggestions on implementation. This organization allows the principles to slowly sink in through the book, but then gives the reader a very focused section the use for later reference and review.

A great strength of the book is that it avoids the all-too-frequent tendency of creating tension and then resolving it more quickly than would happen in real life. Reading the story gives you a sense of the effort needed to work through the dysfunctions of a team. The tools are presented to the reader, but without the illusion of a quick fix. Rather, "Five Dysfunctions" gives a simple message that inspires, energizes, and creates a vision of hope for how thing could be in a team.

One "a-ha" experience I had while reading this book is that some of the teams I have been on - teams where we all got along just fine - shared at least some of the five dysfunctions which made them less than effective. While these teams were quite accomplished at the superficial types of team building activities that are so popular, we avoided the core issues that Lencioni discusses in his book.

This book is one that I will review often, and recommend to anyone.

You gotta read "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team"
Before I read "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" by Patrick Lencioni, I was unaware that professionals who work together in groups and teams face the same problems as teenagers in high school. Lencioni disscusses the five dysfunctions that teams face. He uses a spectacular model to explain them.... a story line about a major company facing troubles because the survival of the company depends on a team of about 7 people who are in such a disarray and "just can't get along." Lencioni told the story in the point of view of a new CEO of the company, who was challenged to piece the team and the company back together.

There were pros and cons to this book, although I really really enjoyed it. The discussions among the CEO and group about why they are failing as a team and at succeeding (i.e. lack of trust, avoidance of conflict/accountability) were so general and so obvious, but at the same time so necessary. I believe that people can relate to some of the characters on the team. It will help you to understand your team members, it allows other teams members to understand you, and it allows everyone to be able to relate to each other. Because I guarantee, if you are in a team, you have experienced much of what was discussed and experienced in the story. This book will allow you to overcome those obstacles and hopefully work towards a better work atmosphere and create healthier, more understanding relationships with your co-workers.

Another positive aspect of "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" is that the story is told through the narrations of the CEO. This allows people to get a closer sense of what she is dealing with and how she is feeling at the time.

However, the story is a bit long, and if you are reading the story and trying to apply it at the same time, it would not be much help right away. Also, the story sometimes went off on tangents when in the group discussions, which caused them to get off of the subject at task. There could have been more stress on how the teams overcame their hurdles, instead of elaborating so much on explaining each dysfunction. Because the dysfunctions were the obvious part, it was the overcoming part of it that is important in guiding readers to overcome the same hurdles.

Overall, I really believe that this book is really effective in teaching a lesson, guiding readers to success, and even giving people a reality check as to why they may be hurting their own team. I would definitely recommend this book to CEO's and team leaders/members. If you are in a dysfunctional team and wonder why, I guarantee this book can explain it and guide you to success, also!

Really understands team dynamics
This book does 3 things that really hit home for me and justify the 5 star rating I gave it: it's completely in touch with REALITY, it's brilliantly SIMPLE in it's presentation of both the problem and the diagnosis and it's 100% APPLICABLE to every management situation I've ever been part of. Too many times, I've encountered management books or consultants who will assemble a list of things to do that's too long to act upon, out of touch with the reality of working on the planet earth or narrow in their application (eg - how to lead teams to develop better software). Lencioni takes the universe of issues that prevent apparently smart managment teams from succeeding and distills it to the most important 5. As you read this book, I can guarantee you'll have that "I've been in this situation before" feeling. The characters are people I've seen repeatedly in my business career, the situations so familiar they made me laugh. The best aspect of Lencioni's analysis of the dysfunctions is that he takes you materially beyond the diagnosis and offers a real world approach to treating the problem.

A Project Management Professional
One of the most difficult challenges when starting a new project is forming a team ready to row in the same direction to achieve project objectives. I have long searched for a tool to overcome this challenge and have found just what I need in Patrick Lencioni's new book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. His easy to read style of writing allows readers to grasp the material quickly. The story of a new CEO unfolds in the first five minutes and keeps unfolding until one is finished with the book at around ninety minutes. I found my answers in "The Model" which follows the fable. This book will be on my desk for easy reference every time a new project is started, for this book is an absolute must for project managers as well as CEO's.

There is No Better Book About Managing Teams
I have to admit that I had somewhat limited expectations for this book. I was worried that this book would simply be a re-hash of the same material written in the first two books by this author. So often, it seems that the creator of a very successful and revolutionary paradigm (and Pat Lencioni's first books were certainly both of those) will put out a whole series of books that explain the same concept with a slightly different spin. Fortunately, that isn't the case here - - This is one of the most powerful business books I've ever read.

While the themes in this book are very consistent with the author's first book, the approach is completely different. The first book forced me to constantly look inward and ask myself what I could be doing better as a CEO. This book was much more team oriented, helping me to guide everyone of my direct reports in how they could be better managers and how we can function more cohesively as a team. I can't say enough about how eye opening the book was in terms of my ability to instantly improve the effectiveness of my entire team. I'm going to give this book to everyone on my team and plan to have a group discussion of what each of us learned from the book.

The book is a VERY quick read (probably an hour cover to cover) and will make a thoughtful manager completely re-think whether his or her team is optimally managed. The book allows you to quickly diagnose the area where your team has weakness and almost instantly chart a well defined course for a much more productive team.

I sincerely believe I'm a much better manager after reading this book and my approach to guiding my team is much more enlightened. For those with the courage to truly examine the way they manage and the commitment to seek out a better way, you won't find a better investment of 60 minutes of your time. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In this first new and totally revised edition of the over two million copy bestseller, The E-Myth, Michael Gerber dispels the myths surrounding starting your own business and shows how commonplace assumptions can get in the way of running a business. Next, he walks you through the steps in the life of a business -- from entrepreneurial infancy through adolescent growing pains to the mature entrepreneurial perspective: the guiding light of all businesses that succeed -- and shows how to apply the lessons of franchising to any business, whether it is a franchise or not. Finally, Gerber draws the vital, often overlooked distinction between working on your business and working in your business. After you have read The E-Myth Revisited, you will truly be able to grow your business in a predictable and productive way. ... Read more

Reviews

Well worth reading and pondering
I would have to rate this is the most influential small business book I have ever read. I've been in some kind of business since I was 11 years old and probably further back than that, but I don't really remember all that. I've never held a full-time job in my life. I had one job, and it was part-time. I say that because I hope to present my review from the perspective of the "business battlefield."

I first read this book in 1994. I believe it was first published in 1986. The first time I picked it up, I stayed up all night and read it all the way through. I just couldn't put it down. With that said, I need to point out that if you don't own a business, never have owned a business or never will, this book probably won't appeal to you. It will appeal to you if you already own a small business or are planning on opening a business. It may just save your sanity. It's saved mine.

Basically, the point of the book is this: "Your business is not your life" (quote from the book). It took me about 4 readings of this book to figure that out. Business owners tend to think working 16 hours a day is some kind of heroic effort. It's suicide. Been there done that. There's nothing glamorous about working in your business until you fall over. How, then, does the author propose to solve this problem? How many small business owners don't work insane hours and are successful? The key according to the author is to make your business into a system like McDonald's that anyone can run. Too much of a business is dependent on the owner to be there. You're not there, the business doesn't make any money. If you're not there for an extended period of time, you won't have a business when you come back.

The key factor in turning a business into a system as the author states, is to have operating manuals which describe each function of the business. One criticism I have of the book, and I suppose he did this on purpose, is that he really doesn't go into a lot of detail as to how these manuals are done. I guess we have to figure that out. The example in the book about the owner of a pie shop, I felt, was a very good example. I know, because I wrote operating manuals for my business, and I started franchising my business back in 1995. I had 15 offices up and running at one point, and I decided not to pursue it any further, so I pared it all back down. This book works, but you better be prepared to take a really long hard look at how your business is run and particulary how it fits into your life.

The bottom line on this book is that you can make your business into a system. You can reduce your hours to a reasonable level. Yes, you can even make a good living in your own business. I've been doing it for years. The only problem is, you have to do it. You have to sit down, take a good hard look at your business, and get the thing built or rebuilt from the ground up. You need to have all your financial records in order. You need to know at any moment what your operating margins are, what's going on with everything. It's a big task, and I suspect many people who have read this book don't want to do all that. As for my business, I've implemented much of what he talks about with great success. I haven't implemented all of it because some of it is difficult and time consuming. The other problem is, there's no "step-by-step" method presented, at least not what one would want. There is a methodology to it, but as with most things in life, we have to adapt them to our situation and take the time to do it. The author won't take you by the hand and do it for you.

I'm giving this book 5 stars because I think it provides much thought provoking material. If you own a business or are planning on going into business, this book is a must. Even if you ignore most of what he says, it will at least change the way you think about your business. For example, take the total number of hours you work in your business per week, month, year or whatever and divide that by your net business income factoring in expenses that were just for tax purposes. After you do that, find out your hourly wage. I did that, and I was shocked. If you're working 12-16 hours a day, and you're making an average income in your business or if you're breaking even, you're wasting your time. Take a day off and read this book. It will change your focus dramatically. It's not an easy process, but if you're serious about making your business work without you having to work so hard, then this book is worth every penny. Good luck in all your ventures.

Guide to creating a business that lets you 'breathe easy."
If you own a small business or are considering starting one, put this book at the top of your "must read list." As a personal coach, I recommend the E-Myth Revisited to our entrepreneurial clients, especially if the business has "taken over the client's life."

Gerber's E-Myth Revisited offers salient points with the most important being, "Work ON your business not IN it." We are introduced to three working personalities: 1) the entrepreneur who always has ideas, 2) the manager who keeps everything organized, and 3) the technician who knows that "If it's going to get done right, I'd better do it myself." Through the eyes of a business owner/client, Gerber unfolds the story that allows us to see the importance of each personality preference and the necessity for balance between them. We also see the different stages of business growth and come to appreciate the benefits of implementing systems at the beginning of developing a business.

Humor throughout the book makes this an enjoyable read, and as I tell my clients, savor your chuckles when you find Gerber describing you almost perfectly.

Excellent teaching/learning tool for anyone in business
I am now using this book as a text for a college level course designed for Information Technology students. I read the original version about 6 years ago when I purchased it for 39 cents at a thrift store. Having been a business systems analyst for many years I used these techniques but never knew it. Now using the messages in this book, I can share techniques that work with others. This book is a practical giude to business problem solving and it can be used to design useful information systems and implement effective training in any size operation. The "Revisited" edition has been enhanced using a case-study approach that makes the message easily understood by any reader. Employers today want more from employees than mere technical proficiency. They want people who can analyze their business and provide viable technical solutions that contribute to a good work environment as well as to bottom line success. This book focuses not only on developing a good business strategy but also on the leadership skills required to develop a business and meet goals. It provides all the steps needed to implement these ideas in the real world. It is an exellent book for the technician, the manager or the entrepreneur. Whether you run or are a part of any business I highly recommend it.

Read this before starting your own business!
This is one of the few books you must read if you want to go into business. It's called The E-Myth because it addresses the entrepreneurial myth. The book starts off by telling you what a business is not. Having done so, the book goes on to tell you what a successful business is all about.

In a nutshell, a successful business is all about systems. A systems-based business is neither beholden to individuals nor at the mercy of their personalities and quirks. It is capable of running on its own without its owner having to be present.

An owner who cannot afford to be away from his business is merely a self-employed person. An employee sells time. A self-employed mere buys a job to work in. A real business owner works on the business rather than in it. The book adopts the concept of a franchise as the ultimate objective of all business owners. By aiming to be a franchise in any business you do, you will be reminded of the need to systematise every facet of your business.

If you are an employee, have little or no prior experience in business, but are keen to start your own business, you would do well to read this book. There are a lot of things that you should know before taking the plunge. This book will save you a whole lot of heartache and unnecessary aggravation. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Innovation is rapidly becoming democratized. Users, aided by improvements in computer and communications technology, increasingly can develop their own new products and services. These innovating users—both individuals and firms—often freely share their innovations with others, creating user-innovation communities and a rich intellectual commons. In Democratizing Innovation, Eric von Hippel looks closely at this emerging system of user-centered innovation. He explains why and when users find it profitable to develop new products and services for themselves, and why it often pays users to reveal their innovations freely for the use of all.

The trend toward democratized innovation can be seen in software and information products—most notably in the free and open-source software movement—but also in physical products. Von Hippel's many examples of user innovation in action range from surgical equipment to surfboards to software security features. He shows that product and service development is concentrated among "lead users," who are ahead on marketplace trends and whose innovations are often commercially attractive.

Von Hippel argues that manufacturers should redesign their innovation processes and that they should systematically seek out innovations developed by users. He points to businesses—the custom semiconductor industry is one example—that have learned to assist user-innovators by providing them with toolkits for developing new products. User innovation has a positive impact on social welfare, and von Hippel proposes that government policies, including R&D subsidies and tax credits, should be realigned to eliminate biases against it. The goal of a democratized user-centered innovation system, says von Hippel, is well worth striving for. An electronic version of this book is available under a Creative Commons license. ... Read more

Reviews

More than another open innovation book
This is a wonderful book beyond the typical managerial how-to-do checklists. This is the reason why I recommend this book especially to managers and practitioners (innovation management researchers will read the book anyway as Eric von Hippel is one of the leading scholars in this field). Managers may find the book, on a first glance, academic, full with tables, numbers and references. But von Hippel is driven throughout his book by the motivation to present not only a fascinating new idea, but to show that this idea is already a reality and that there is empirical evidence that his concepts provide value for companies and customers. This is the main difference to other books in the area which present various fuzzy weak signals but no proof.

Von Hippel's book goes also beyond the open innovation idea of Chesbrough and others as mentioned by the first reviewer. Chesbrough names a lot of important actors in the innovation process, but neglects the - in my opinion - most important one: the customer or user of the innovation. Von Hippel starts exactly here. His approach is focused on the role of users and customers for the innovation process. In this regard, he builds on his earlier word of the 1970s and 1980s, but has a new story to tell: that user innovation is not only changing the corporate innovation process but also the nature of value creation: If manufacturing is outsourced to Asia, and users take over innovation (and perform this process superior to internal innovation processes), what is left for the corporation?

State-of-the-art
The book comprises an outstanding publication in the field of innovation management. It has the potential of becoming the central textbook in the field of user-centered innovation which is an increasingly important research area.

The objective of this book is to provide a state-of-the-art overview of research in the field of user innovation. Also, it aims to show how the different (so far more or less isolated) aspects are related. These are ambitious goals.

From my perspective, the manuscript fully meets them. It offers a profound, concise and easy to read overview of the research done in the past decade. Its outstanding quality is that it manages to relate different aspects in an innovative way and shows the rationale of the research field. It delivers new insights even to a researcher active in this field for some years now.

The book it interesting for a broad audience. It is stimulating even for a specialist in this field. But of course, the main audience is much broader. It should be of interest for scholars and students in the fields of innovation management, new product development, market research, economics and other. It will be of interest also for practitioners and policy makers in the corresponding areas.

I really like the many easy-to-understand examples and its conciseness. One does not necessarily have to have an understanding of the research field before in order to learn from the book (and enjoy it!).

Great ideas on innovation
This book is a great read, especially for someone who has not been taught about user innovation and who questions the open source business model. Von Hippel is a pioneer when it comes to user innovation. If you thought that companies come up with winning ideas, or that the only way to make any money on a great idea is to patent it then this book will open your eyes to a much greater world. The concepts of free revealing (vs. IP) and of lead user (vs. manufacturer) innovation are great. It goes deeping into the idea that information is sticky and cannot be communicated from users to engineers very easily, even in consumer focus groups. Also discussed is the opportunity to create a toolkit to allow users to do the development work for you. This book is truly outstanding.

Excellent and thought provoking read
Von Hippel has done an excellent job with this new work. I downloaded the pdf, read the first chapter and had to buy the book to read the remaining chapters. He has introduced many new subjects into the field of innovation and I'm sure this will be a book I will reference time and again. His writing style also made this an easy and enjoyable book to read at leisure. Well done.

A Definitive Book on the Subject
Innovation is today considered one of the main driving forces behind the economic growth. Traditionally it has been assumed that the source of all innovation stems from the producers and manufacturers, while the consumers were imagined to be just passive beneficiaries of the new products and services. This model in fact never corresponded to the reality, and with the increasing accessibility of tools and information it is even less adequate today. In the light of that, the purpose of this report is to shed some light on the increasingly complex and intricate relation between producers and consumers, especially those lead consumers who actively engage in making products that they use better suited for their particular very specialized needs.

The report uses many examples from various groups of consumers: mountain bikers, kite surfers, construction workers, open software developers, and many others. The report, however, is not meant to be a collection of case studies, but aims for a higher theoretical understanding of consumer-driven innovation. There are many very detailed charts and statistical analyses strewn throughout this report, as well as some very sophisticated mathematical modeling. Because of all of this the suitable audience for this report will probably consist of advanced business professionals and academic researchers. Nonetheless, the report is very clearly written and eschews much of the technical academic jargon. Thus, many of its main points could be appreciated by the general audience that is interested in the way innovation occurs in the marketplace today.

An insightful and practical view on the future of innovation
Democratizing Innovation covers a lot of new ground. It is important both for those responsible for generating innovations inside of companies and those researching how innovations occur.

von Hippel's first book showed that in many cases users innovate ahead of firms. Democratizing Innovation goes much further and systematically presents a new framework for an entire user-centered innovation system. Many people are often puzzled by the success of open source software, wikipedia and other user-centric systems. This book explains why users innovate for themselves and why user innovation is rapidly increasing in importance. Von Hippel shows why users tend to freely share what they develop, why user-innovators tend to band together into communities, and why user-centered innovation is a really good thing from the point of view of both society and economy.

Far from being overly academic �this book gives very practical advice built onto a clear framework. It offers many concrete examples as to how firms can link to and benefit from product and service developments by users. It is a must read for CEOs� not just junior staff!
... Read more

Editorial Review

Entrepreneurial dreams do come true! Starting with nothing more than a home brewing kit, Sam Calagione founded Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and made it America's fastest growing independent beer. This unconventional business story reveals how Calagione found success by dreaming big, working hard, and thinking differently-and how you can do it too.

"Rarely is a book as good as a beer but this one is. It's written with humor, humility, and passion, essential ingredients for any entrepreneur."
-Bob Guccione Jr. founder of Spin magazine and Gear magazine

"Brewing Up a Business will inspire both entrepreneurs and aspiring small business people to have the confidence in following their dreams."
-Jim Davis Chairman and CEO of New Balance

"Sam Calagione embodies the spirit of a true Delaware entrepreneur. Starting out as the smallest brewery in the nation, Sam's ambition, acute business sense, and vision have allowed Dogfish Head Craft Brewery to successfully enter an extremely competitive market as Dogfish Head continues to leave an indelible mark on the beer industry."
-Ruth Ann Minner Governor of Delaware

"Everything you want to know about succeeding in business you can learn from beer. At least you can if it's the remarkable story of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. Brewing Up a Business is like a 'how-to' manual for entrepreneurs. With humor, creativity, and wisdom, Sam Calagione has crafted a new kind of business book that's as unique as his great beer!"
-Joe Calloway author of Becoming a Category of One and Indispensable ... Read more

Reviews

To answer your question...

So why buy this book? The reasons are three-fold:

Firstly, if you have any interest in what makes Dogfish Head, Dogfish Head, you're a candidate. This book provides a peak at the mind behind the movement, the creation of the brand, and the hard years that made the company. It will give you a look at what's behind the label, behind the bottle, and into the blood, sweat, and tears. Chances are you already know how unique the beer is, but you may not know why.

Secondly, if you have an interest in starting your own business, of any kind, there is something for you in here. It must be said that, though this book centers on starting a small business, it should be used primarily as a springboard to bigger ideas not as a blueprint. Sam introduces a large number of ideas from which to develop your own strategies and fit your own needs. To his credit, he never explicitly tells you what to do (though occasionally what not to do) which is positive because your business should have your personality in it, not Sam Calagione's. Again to his credit, he provides the reader with his own sources during his years of preparation. Books by other entrepreneurs which will help flesh out any idea. He also gives his OWN credit to the many people that got him and Dogfish Head where they are today. That is not a common theme in the world. Again, this book is not for you if you're looking for advanced strategies or specific business models. But it's a fantastic starting point.

Lastly, this book is wonderful for literature's sake. Even someone with no deep interest in beer or business can appreciate it. I've passed it on to several who have. Sam's superb writing style, along with his stories and anecdotes, serve both to keep the book entertaining and to illustrate and emphasize his points.

Honestly, there is no reason not to own this book. Anyone and everyone can learn something from its pages whether it be a major revelation, or a minor insight. Dogfish Head's motto is "Off-centered ales for off-centered people," but this book hits it dead on.

My husband LOVES this book
My husband has had dreams of starting a brewery, after getting into home brewing. I bought him this book to help him learn more, and he is constantly talking about it. Now he is looking into more details, and maybe one day soon we will be "Brewing up a Business" as well!

An intoxicating look at the startup beer biz.
A great read; full of enlightening small business/marketing info and entertaining anecdotes specific to Sam's life and the brew biz. Reading it makes me want to start a business and drink beer...preferably at the same time!

A non-dry journey - very entertaining
Mr. Calagione is certainly passionate about his business. This book takes the reader on an entertaining journey from the time Mr. Calagione brewed his first beers until the present - operating one of the most successful and innovative craft breweries in the country. Great read for both the aspiring entrepreneur or anybody interested in the brewing business. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Young serial entrepreneur Scott Gerber is not the product of a wealthy family or storied entrepreneurial heritage. Nor is he the outcome of a traditional business school education or a corporate executive turned entrepreneur. Rather, he is a hard-working, self-taught 26-year-old hustler, rainmaker, and bootstrapper who has survived and thrived despite never having held the proverbial "real” job.

In Never Get a "Real" Job: How to Dump Your Boss, Build a Business, and Not Go Broke, Gerber challenges the social conventions behind the "real" job and empowers young people to take control of their lives and dump their nine-to-fives—or their quest to attain them.

Drawing upon case studies, experiences, and observations, Scott dissects failures, shares hard-learned lessons, and presents practical, affordable, and systematic action steps to building, managing, and marketing a successful business on a shoestring budget.

The proven, no-b.s. methodology presented in Never Get a "Real" Job teaches unemployed and underemployed Gen-Yers, aspiring small business owners, students, and recent college graduates how to quit 9-to-5s, become their own bosses, and achieve financial independence.
... Read more

Reviews

Perfect Wake Up Call
As a fellow Generation Y'er, it is great to see a book out there attempting to guide our generation to what works now, instead of guiding our generation to what worked 10,20,30 years ago.

This book is 'in your face', as Scott takes you through what to do and what not to do. Instead of holding your hand and telling you that you will make a million bucks in 3 days, he gives you lessons he has learned along the way and insightful tips on how to be successful, while also being realistic.

The writing style makes this book a great read and with sage advice, good humor and Scott already proving that this could be done, you will find yourself unable to put the book down.

With a sister graduating college soon, this book will be a must read for her as the lessons learned in this book are priceless.

You Had Me At "Business Plans Suck"
I had the good fortune of getting a pre-release copy of Scott's book... and gotta tell you, it is totally my style. He is "in your face" but he cares. This book is the kick in the ass to take the business idea you have been pondering and make it into a real (successful) company. Here are some of the must read parts:

1. Start on page 82 - Scott explains the trap of a traditional business plan, and why the goal to get it exactly right is by design impossible.

2. Then when that chapter gives you the slap in the head, jump back to the beginning and read this whole book, twice.

3. Read page 32, the "your not special" section. Now, while I argue you have special talents and experienced, that combined DO make you 1 in a billion, the fact is Scott is right.... you have to work yourself to the bone. Period.

4. Check to page 102 - 105, Scott gives a a cool analysis of the people to avoid when partnering. He categorized the personality traits that dictate a lot of cash but bring little value.

5. I like the break outs too... like the one on page 207 about becoming a Google superstar. While it could be argued to be "basic knowledge", I noticed I was only doing about 1/2 of what he suggested. These tips serve as a great check list.

Overall... very well done. Strong enthusiasm and backed by a guy that has been wildly successful... in his twenties. Great book!

- Mike Michalowicz, Author of
The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur: The tell-it-like-it-is guide to cleaning up in business, even if you are at the end of your roll.

Not just for 20 somethings!
Really a terrific book! Anyone starting a business, or just trying to breathe life into an existing one, could learn from this book.

An easy read, the book is to the point and full of references that require the expenditure of sweat equity as opposed to wads of cash.

Highly recommend!

When is the follow up?
Honestly, when I first heard about this book I was just getting done with a string of conferences that had speakers that were nothing but a bunch of Tony Robbins rip offs and disconnected rich guys that I could never relate to. Don't get me wrong Tony Robbins and his imitators are very successful but they also have their place ...and it is not in a conference for 20-something entrepreneurs that are in a boatload of college debt. This book was the light that broke through the darkness aka non-practical hyped up motivational speeches that offer nothing but some fleeting excitement. As a 24 year old college grad in debt the last thing I need is some millionaire telling me to "follow my dreams" and "go for the gold" over and over again. I need solid real world experience and story telling from someone who walked in my place before. This book is just that. Sure, those millionaires started somewhere but its 10 thousand miles from where they are now and 20 thousand miles from where I am. I do not connect with that kind of advice but I connected with Scott Gerber and couldn't put the book down until I was done. Scott Gerber is walking next to us and is the voice for this generation of entrepreneurs. I can't wait for the follow up.

This book does not mess around
As a couple of other reviewers have noted, this is not a sugarcoated book. If you're happy in your day job, don't even bother. But if you're desperate to escape, this kickass book can save you from a kissass job. For best results, read it from your cubicle... and then start planning your farewell trip to the boss's office.

Fantastic read for any entrepreneur!
Scott's book defines what it means to be an entrepreneur and how more business owners/creators should think. It's not about some secret sauce, it's not about a 12 step guide to success, it's about hustle, hard work, being authentic and learning from mistakes. I highly recommend this book if nothing else to read the "dedicated to" page at the very beginning. Great read!

Get Your Reality On - Read this Book!
If you're in search of a wake-up call from your disheveled and sedentary lifestyle, read this book. Scott slaps arrogance, ignorance and mainstream theory directly in the face with dose after dose of real world practicality.

Read this book if Your Can't Hold or Get a Real Job
I could never hold a "real" job. If you can't either, read this book about how to take control of your own future as a small business owner. You may not always enjoy the ride, but it will be exhilarating!

Fabulous Practical Wisdom!
If you want to be coddled, don't buy this book. If you want tons of great wisdom on what it's REALLY like to start and grow your own company from a guy who's been there and done that, then Never Get a Real Job is for you. Parents: put this under the tree for your 20-something kids and you'll never have to worry about them moving back home! ... Read more

Editorial Review

For more than twenty years, millions of managers in Fortune 500 companies and small businesses nationwide have followed The One Minute Manager's techniques, thus increasing their productivity, job satisfaction, and personal prosperity. These very real results were achieved through learning the management techniques that spell profitability for the organization and its employees.

The One Minute Manager is a concise, easily read story that reveals three very practical secrets: One Minute Goals, One Minute Praisings, and One Minute Reprimands.

The book also presents several studies in medicine and the behavioral sciences that clearly explain why these apparently simple methods work so well with so many people. By the book's end you will know how to apply them to your own situation and enjoy the benefits.

That's why The One Minute Manager has continued to appear on business bestseller lists for more than two decades, and has become an international sensation.

Reviews

Short to Read, Big on Wisdom
I really liked this book, but for the same reasons I liked it, some may hate it.

First of all, it's an easy read, and it gets its points across by telling a story. Other books, such as The Sixty-Second Motivator, have also used this format succesfully, but this style may not appeal to everyone. To me, it makes the book a lot less boring to read.

Secondly, the book is short. The vast majority of readers will easily be able to read this book in a day. It has bigger font, which I personally liked and thought it made it a joy to read. However here again, some may be turned off by that and consider it to be too "child-like."

Thirdly, the book takes solid mangagerial info and gives it to the reader handily in the form of three "secrets." I found the advice to be very practical and while some may consider it far too simple, it can help you a lot IF you actually apply the info- which I suspect most managers do not.

In conclusion, I recommend this short business classic to anyone looking for better ways to improve their managerial skills. I doubt most will be disappointed. Also liked Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life by the same author.

Great Role Modeling of Communications and Motivation
When most people become a manager for the first time, they are more than a little unsure of themselves. Naturally, they often use speech and ways of doing things that they have seen others use. That's great if their role models are good, but can be terrible otherwise.

The One Minute Manager provides a positive role model for those who have not yet seen one, and good reinforcement for those who have not seen one lately.

If organizations try to operate on the assumption that only the manager has ideas worth acting on, then very little will be accomplished. The One Minute Manager provides a useful model for opening up and stimulating the minds of everyone in the organization to accomplish more.

Not only is this advice worth following from an effectiveness point of view, it will also make you feel better about yourself as a manager and as a person when you follow it. And you will certainly make those who report to you feel a lot better, as well.

I like the use of a parable to help each of us reexamine ourselves, because it makes the reader feel less defensive. But be sure to remember what you gut instincts would have been in the same situations the One Minute Manager describes. Otherwise, you may miss the point of how much your behavior needs to change.

This is one of a handful of books well worth rereading annually.

Unlike most business books, this one is short and easy to read. The academic language has been banished, and it is well written.

If you want to go beyond The One Minute Manager to get even better results, you will have to learn and use other beneficial habits as well. But you can have all the great ideas in the world, and if you annoy and stifle everyone around you, not much will happen. So think of this book as necessary for more success, but not sufficient in and of itself for getting the utmost benefits in working with others.

The One minute Manager
A measurement of a good leader is ability to develop other leaders, not followers. In today's world, many new supervisors are thrust into a "baptism by fire" management environment. I found this book to be an easy to read guide that arms newcomers to management with the basic tools for building worker relationships and getting the best out of their staffs. As a result, their efforts are guided into decisions that generate increasingly positive outcomes in uncomfortable situations. Self confidence builds and leadership/management styles improve.

I have made it a habit during my welcome interviews to provide each new management employee with a copy of "The One Minute Manager". We all enjoy the benefits!

Must Reading for all Leaders
This book has influenced me for many years. It's wonderful. Some people may consider it too simple and common sense...unfortunately common sense isn't always common practice. It's quick and easy reading and on my personal "Top 10 List of Great Book." I refer to it in nearly every Seminar I present, because it's basic philosophy motivates people...catch them doing something right and tell them about it. This book is simple, yet very powerful. I'm still amazed how few people raise their hands when I ask in my Seminars, "How many people have read `The One Minute Manager.'" This is must reading for all leaders.

Powerful Simplicity
I was a little disappointed when 'The One Minute Manager' arrived in the mail and I saw its small size and large fonts. However, this tiny little fairy-tale is the best management book I've read. I strongly recommend this book for managers in all fields, including professors in academia. 'The One Minute Manager' takes less than an hour to read, and if you have any interest in becoming a better manager or a stronger leader, surely you can risk 60 minutes of your time? The ideas are not contrived, artificial mechanisms that interfere with our natural personalities. Instead, the entire strategy can be implemented by following a few simple rules that feel natural and are easy to perform and maintain. Sound too good to be true? Just try it!

A word of caution though, use of the strategy assumes the individuals on the manager's team are intelligent, and the tools presented are designed to encourage subordinates to become more independent and responsible, not reliant on a manager's approval, input or direction on minor decisions. Any manager who wants to be involved in all aspects of a project couldn't possibly use the strategies of 'The One Minute Manager' without driving his team nuts.

Practical, cute, and easy to read
This is a great little introduction to personnel management. Though slightly misnamed, the book introduces three skills of management which can be done in a concise way (but probably not quite 60 seconds). Managers should cast clear vision and expectations, commend good work, and correct mistakes. That's it.

The reason the book is so good is that so many managers can't or won't do those three simple things. The ability to confront employees in a non-combative way is too abrasive for sensitive people-people, and too limited for true autocrats. Praise is simple and obvious enough, but many managers think they've done it when they haven't. And precise goal-setting is sometimes beyond business leaders who do not have sharp mental editing skills. When you're finished with the book, you haven't heard anything you didn't already know, you've only been reminded of how important it is to do these things. Like diet and exercise, most of us know what's best for us regardless of whether or not we do it. Additionally, and this is a subtle point, the manager has to express how he or she feels about an employee's performance, and accurate expression of feeling is sometimes beyond the emotional range of some really driven leaders.

It's a top notch, brief read. Everyone in leadership ought to read it, even if they walk away with nothing new. The only thing I'd correct is some mediocre narrative, as the whole book is written as a fictional set of interviews by a young manager-to-be of his idiolized One Minute Manager, running a company. But no one's reading this book because they meant to pick up a good novel, so writing style is a minor issue. That aside, it's worth the content.

THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER ISN'T STALLED
The first time I read The One Minute Manager, I remember thinking "If only I could remember all these good ideas and what to say and what questions to ask". On rereading it, I can say "Yes, I do these things naturally". That is why the book is so powerful. It describes what effective people in business do naturally. Why then should so many people reread it and share it with their friends and children? The answer is simple - With today's daily pressures, people take too many short cuts and those short cuts along the bumpy road get us stalled. "The 2,000 Percent Solution" by Donald Mitchell, Carol Coles and Robert Metz talks about these "stalls" that keep us from succeeding. These "stalls" are caused by poor Communications (the message is not understood), Disbelief (We can't do it), Tradition (We've always done it this way), Bureaucracy (too many unproductive policies and procedures), Misconception (based on poor assumptions), Unattractiveness (Not wanting to wade in murky waters) and Procrastination (We can do it tomorrow, and maybe it will get better before then). The One Minute Manager takes us back to the basics of being a good manager. "The 2,000 Percent Solution" shows The One Minute Manager how to grow his or her business by 20 times the normal rate. Both are needed. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Why does one man succeed and another fail? There is an answer. And it will be found in this book. For there are formulas, prescriptions, recipes-rules, principles, systems-even treasure maps, if you please-which, when followed in proper sequence, bring the good things in life to those who seek them. Often the rules for success are so simple and so obvious they aren't even seen. But when you search for them, you, too, can find them. And during the search something wonderful happens: you acquire knowledge...you gain experience...you become inspired. And then you begin to realize the necessary ingredients for success.

This ebook is complete with linked Table of Content making navigation quicker and easier. ... Read more

Reviews

1 Good Reason to Read Is It NEVER Fails

If W. Clement Stone lived for over 100 years I am willing to accept that the principles of this book have worked far longer than I have had time to experience. But one year from now I will be able to testify that I have successfully seen all the successes of practicing these principles and all the failures of not practicing them as well for over twenty years.

W. Clement Stone & I attended the same High School but during different times and I'm sure that in my days of living on the North side of Chicago that I actually walked across some of the same sidewalks and pathways that he traveled. I experienced seeing the insurance empire he created in Combined Insurance. Many days I walked passed this building as a Senn High School student but it was not until I read his book "The Success System That Never Fails" ten years after I graduated from High School that I realized how much W. Clement Stone had an amazing mind.

So when I recommend this book to you it is not just out of having read it but also out of having seen with my own eyes some of the communities and some of the lives W. Clement Stone touched.

This is a great book written with valuable easy to read illustrations that move the heart and inspire the emotions. If you want to learn how to experience future abundance and the fact that it takes less work to succeed than to fail you've just considered the right book for you.

Learning how to use the power of the will while developing the true understanding of know-how has brought me huge benefits and it all came from this book. Some other real powerful things you will learn from this book are:

How to Get a Person to Listen to You.
Using Positive Statements.
Taking Inventory of Yourself.
Developing a Time Recorder.
Doing The Right Thing.
Learning From The Experience of Others.
It's Never to Late to Learn.
Enthusiasim Attracts.
A Blueprint For Success
If You Want Something, Go For It.

Well this is only a few of the things that you will learn from a man who set a goal to live for 100 years and achieved it. Now it's your time to succeed, it's your time to experience greatness and truly consider the real truth that you too like W.Clement Stone were born for great things. Don't take my word for it read the book today.

I worked for W. Clement Stone
Back in the 1960's after college I was lucky enough to land a job working for Mr. Stone out of his office at 5050 N. Broadway in Chicago. His PMA was an inspiration to me. I read his book over and over and applied his principles of Positive Mental Attitude. I believed and achieved my short and long range goals. Currently I am semi retired living the good life in Miami, Fl. and enjoying my days in the sun. I was sad to learn of his passing at the age of 100 recently. I owe a lot to Mr. Stone, Mr. Nightengale and Mr. Napolean Hill. His success system never fails if followed properly.

It'll get you PUMPED!
If you are a salesman or trying to accomplish a difficult goal, this book is worth reading. W. Clement Stone, who later teamed up with Napoleon Hill to write Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, is quite a success story. Starting from nothing, he was ultimately worth over 500 million dollars. His is a story of persistence and enthusiasm, and much of this book is autobiographical -- the story of how Stone did it -- and he goes into specific detail. It is an enjoyable read. I am the author of the book Self-Help Stuff That Works, and I am an expert on what works and what doesn't. This book will effectively motivate you and increase your determination to succeed. And that, my friend, makes a big difference!

You will learn a lot about yourself
I've not read too many self help books, but this is my favorite so far. Clement Stone is a master storyteller and a master motivator. He has obviously done serious research and meditation on the subject of success. His three step system is brilliant and I continue to use it everyday, even after having first read this book over three years ago. His first hand stories about himself and other success stories are all true and extremely motivating. The only part of the book I found less than useful is the time recorder at the end. That part would be useful to anyone in field sales though. The book appears to be out of print which is a shame because everyone could benefit from this book and learn a lot about themselves. Pick up a used copy if you can. You won't regret it!

Go to the core to get the truth!
When I was about 14 years old my dad a self made successful real estate broker in Inkster Michigan insisted I read this book. This book has been etched in my mind ever since. 43 years later, I've found an original copy of this book to give to my dad as a gift. That's how important this book is. If you do a you tube video search you can hear Stone in his own words give you the first 8 segments of the book. After hearing him, I know you'll want to buy this book. I like this book because 1) he gives you practical, useful stories of how he developed a success system which never failed for him in business. He gives concrete ideas on what to say and do to develop a success system. The most important thing you will take from this book is a perspective and behaviorally specific tips on how to become successful. What this book shows you is the key to your own wealth: you will learn that you need to track all of your activities, behaviors and goals and do a critical analysis, and apply that which works in every step of your processes. What you will discover combined with the principles he's sharing, is your own success system which never fails. Sometimes we forget when involved in our daily activities is the necessity to look at what works and discard what doesn't. We need to fine tune our approach to tasks and develop systems which can be duplicated over and over again. If you're one of those type of people who yearn to understand how "self help" works and how it can be applied in "your" life then this book is for you. There is no fluff; at the time Stone wrote this book I think people were less enamored with manipulation and more focused on helping people.

The Success System that Never Fails
Everyone should own a copy of this book and apply its principles. Because if they did, this world would be a better place to live in and everyone would be happy with their lives.

the success system that never fails
The best book ever written. There should be 7 billion copies printed and handed to every person in the world to read . . . the world would infinitely better if everyone did.

A Self help book worth reading
I seen W. Clement Stone referenced in other motivational books by Zig Ziglar, Earl Nightingale etc, but had never read any of his writings. I have found The Success System That Never Fails to be inspirational and very enjoyable reading. Mr. Stone wrote in a very conversational manner and consistently urges readers to put the ideas gleaned from his writings into action and do it now. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in trying to get the most out of life.

... Read more

Editorial Review

Do you have a hobby you wish you could do all day? An obsession that keeps you up at night? Now is the perfect time to take those passions and make a living doing what you love. In CRUSH IT! Why NOW Is The Time To Cash In On Your Passion, Gary Vaynerchuk shows you how to use the power of the Internet to turn your real interests into real businesses. Gary spent years building his family business from a local wine shop into a national industry leader. Then one day he turned on a video camera, and by using the secrets revealed in this book, transformed his entire life and earning potential by building his personal brand. By the end of this book, any reader will have learned how to harness the power of the Internet to make their entrepreneurial dreams come true. Step by step, CRUSH IT! is the ultimate driver′s manual for modern business.

Gary Vaynerchuk has captured attention with his pioneering, multi-faceted approach to personal branding and business. After primarily utilizing traditional advertising techniques to build his family′s local retail wine business into a national industry leader, Gary rapidly leveraged social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook to promote Wine Library TV, http://tv.winelibrary.com, his video blog about wine. Gary has always had an early-to-market approach, launching Wine Library′s retail website in 1997 and Wine Library TV in February of 2006. His lessons on social media, passion, transparency, and reactionary business are not to be missed!

Reviews

Just because it's not rocket science doesn't mean it's not important
The most important takeaway I found in the first read through is that honesty always wins in an established market that's playing by an old set of rules. Gary clearly lays out a plan to use the best tools available to succeed in your own space. There are no shortcuts, but Gary provides the map.

Start living your passion
Gary Vaynerhuk is one of the most inspiring people anyone will ever cross. Definitely attend a signing if you can, and make sure you read this entire book. This book helps anyone who might find themselves even 1% unhappy with their work life. They are sure to be inspired to jump into, and be a part of the Web 2.0 movement. Learn how to harness the power of the internet with this book, and realize how to work based off of your passion from Gary Vaynerchuk, one of the most successful entrepreneurs ever. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Napoleon Hill was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success literature. His most famous work, Think and Grow Rich, is one of the best-selling books of all time. Hill called his success teachings "The Philosophy of Achievement" and he considered freedom, democracy, capitalism, and harmony to be important contributing elements. For without these, Hill demonstrated throughout his writings, personal beliefs are not possible. ... Read more

Reviews

Truly inspirational. The single best book I have ever read.
If you asked me to recommend to you the single best book I have ever read, my answer would be a very definite "Think and Grow Rich".
First published in 1937, this is the end product of two decades of research conducted by Napoleon Hill. His research started when Andrew Carnegie (the steel tycoon who was then the richest man on earth) gave him the assignment of organizing a Philosophy of Personal Achievement. Hill, who was a poor journalist, armed with just an introductory letter from Carnegie, set out to interview over five hundred successful people including Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, John D. Rockefeller, George Eastman, William Wrigley Jr. and Charles M. Schwab. Hill then revealed the priceless wisdom of his research in the form of the thirteen steps to success (in Think and Grow Rich) and the seventeen principles of success (in courses and lectures he conducted).
The concepts taught by Napoleon Hill transformed my life. Some of these include developing a definite purpose, building a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA), channeling the power of the sub-conscious mind and dealing with adversity. Everything he wrote about or talked about is thought provoking. He was wise, humble and funny. His philosophy is universal; he did not mix it with religion. The riches he referred to were more than money, for the Philosophy of Personal Achievement can be applied to anything in life.
Hill was well ahead of his time. This book has a chapter dedicated to some of today's most important issues - Specialized Knowledge, Decision Making, Imagination and Organized Planning (in which he deals with Leadership). He also has principles for Teamwork, Creative Vision, Health, etc.
This is a classic, and hence the examples are old (not to be confused with outdated). But they are as relevant today as they were in the early twentieth century. Here is an example from T&GR in the chapter on Desire:
On the morning after the Great Fire of Chicago (1871), a group of merchants on Chicago's State Street went into a conference to decide whether to rebuild their stores or leave Chicago. All but one decided to leave. The merchant who decided to stay pointed a finger to the remains of his store and said "Gentlemen, on that very spot I will build the world's greatest store, no matter how many times it may burn down." His name was Marshall Field and his store still exists, and in Hill's words is "a towering monument to that state of mind known as a burning desire." I lived in Chicago from 2002 through 2004 and worked three blocks away from this impressive store on State Street. Sometimes I would visit it or stand outside it to derive inspiration and be reminded of the power of desire. It is amazing that Hill describes "burning desire" with a story based on the Chicago Fire.
There are thousands of self-help books out in the market and hundreds of self proclaimed "gurus" who have made a living by copying the wisdom in Hill's books. As I went through some of those books I realized that there was not much in them that Hill had not already written about. I recommend quality over quantity. Instead of reading through many books, I recommend that you study the following works of Hill and internalize his wisdom:
1. The Think and Grow Rich Action Pack (1937) - I recommend the Action Pack edition,
2. Napoleon Hill's Keys to Success: The 17 Principles of Personal Achievement - this is an excellent guide to his principles,
3. Your Right To Be Rich [Unabridged] - this consists of 12 hours of live lectures covering the 17 principles, that Hill conducted in Chicago in 1954.
By internalizing, I mean studying in depth - analyzing the ideas, making notes and summaries. I own more CDs by Hill, but I believe that these 3 items make the perfect study plan on the Philosophy of Personal Achievement.
I am greatly indebted to Napoleon Hill. The purpose of my writing this is to spread awareness of his work so that more people can benefit from it. This, I believe is the best way in which Hill would have liked to have been repaid.

Best personal development book ever!
Although this book has been around since the 30's, it is still head and shoulders above the others.

The title can be misleading. You do need to think and by reprogamming your mind with these time tested and proven techniques, you will become rich.

The most beneficial part of the book to me was the exercise of holding a mental picture of myself for 30 minutes per day along with affirmations.

All I can say, is that it works, it really works.

Read yourself into a fortune
I was introduced to Think and Grow Rich over 25 years ago. WOW! What an outstanding book. This book contains money making secrets that have changed my life.

"Think and Grow Rich" is based on Napolean Hill's famed "Law of Success", a 16 lesson, 2 volume course on personal development and success. "Think and Grow Rich" represents the distilled wisdom of distinquished men of great wealth and achievement.

Andrew Carnegies magic formula for success was the direct inspiration for this book. Carnegie demonstrtaed it's soundness when his coaching brought fortunes to those young men to whom he had disclosed his secret.

This book will teach you that secret. And the secrets of other great men like him. It will show you not only what to do but how to do it.

If you learn and apply the simple basic techniques revealed here, you will have mastered the secret of true and lasting success.

And you my have whatever you want in life. As Napolean Hill says; "Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. I also recommend "The Law of Success" on which this book is based

A very well researched book that gets results
Napolean Hill spent over 20 years interviewing the most successful men of his time and then put the findings of his study; the characteristics of the most successful people in Think & Grow Rich.The fact is that successful people think differently. This is why a multi-millionaire can lose his entire net worth and have it all back in five years or less while unsuccessful people plod along and never amass any real level of wealth or success.Hill states that when the secret appears to you, whether it be in the first ten pages or on the 200th page, that is when your life will change.This is when you are ready for it.I have known people who read the book and never got it. Not surprisingly, these people have never achieved very much in life either. If you don't get it...you don't get it.Think & Grow Rich is a must read for all those who want success and are ready for it.I wish you the best of succe$$, happiness and wealth.

The handbook on personal development
This book teaches what we never learn in school---the principles of success.I own book the book (Action Pack) and the cassette tapes which I play in my car. I never fail to pick up a new idea everytime I read the book or listen to the tapes. I recommend Success through a Postive PMA by Hill and Turner, Turner, Turner: The King of Network Marketing.

This book turned my life around
In 1990, I returned home (Orlando,Fl) after a crashing business failure in Hawaii. I had read Think & Grow Rich many years before along with other mind books including "You can if you Think you can" by Norman Vincent Peale. Frustrated, I decided to go back to my "roots" and dug out the old dog eared copy of "Think and Grow Rich" that I had packed away and began to read and most importantly apply the techniques. Within weeks, I found a new opportunity and within months, my income had grown to a personal high. I really can't say enough about Think and Grow Rich, except read it and apply the principles. The other book that came into my life at the same time I began to reread Think and Grow Rich was "More Wealth without Risk" by Charles Givens and oh yes, I also reread You can if you Think you can by Dr. Peale. I highly endorse all three books for anyone serious about success.

Still the best!
I have read over 400 books on personal development. Think and Grow Rich is the best.It's not just positive thinking, but also strategies and techniques to reach your goals.It's great to see Napolean Hills great book has such a high rating here at Amazon and is still one of the best selling books.If you want just one book, this should be it.If you are in business or want to be or in a leadership role, I also suggest Direct From Dell by Michael Dell. If Napoleon Hill were alive today and interiewing the most successful people of the times, surely Michael Dell would be at the top of his list.I am also sure that Mike Dell has read and applying the strategies from Think and Grow Rich.Read and apply the techniques from both books and you can't help but be successful.

A LIFE SAVING BOOK
In 1992, I suffered three major crisis; loss of my job, marital seperation and loss of a loved one. These elements put me into a tailspin financially and emotionally. THINK & GROW RICH was one of two books that I read at that time and significantly turned my life around! I found myself with no money, huge debts, no friends and no job. I had lost my self esteem and felt powerless. The principles in Think & Grow Rich gave me the how to turn mylife around. After applying the technique descibed on page 36, opportunities began to come to me. Within two weeks, I found new employment actually at a higher income than before. I started a very successful part time home based business, within two months, all bills were caught up and within six months all debts were paid off! With a better attitude I started to attract new people into my life. I went from a extreme negative attitude to a positive attitude, from a negative cash flow to a positive cash flow and from a life of emptiness to a life of aliveness. I believe that THINK & GROW RICH is the very best self developent book of all time! I also own the 8-cassette tape program/course and highly recommend it to everyone. I mentioned that THINK & GROW RICH was one of two books that turned my life around, the other book was More Wealth Without Risk by Charles Givens which is to personal finance what Think & Grow Rich is to Personal Success. I make it a habit to review both books and their tape programs continously and get continued results and ideas.

The bible of Personal Development!
While there may be many "how to" books out there, this is the best. Principlesnever change. And while this book was written over 60 years ago, the technique's are still in vogue. In fact, most of the newer books are "peppered" with Napolean Hill, perhaps the best testiment to the effectiveness of Mr Hill's techniques. This is a extraordinary book. I alsorecommend "Life Strategies" by McGraw and "Superself" by Givens. Two more great books.

The all time classic that still delivers
It's hard to believe that Think and Grow Rich has been aroud now for over 70 years!When I first heard of this book in the early 70's, I thought it was a new book at that time. Then when I heard it was nearly 40 years old (at that time) I, being a college grad and highly sophisticated figured that Hill's work was outdated.About that time I met a young businessman with a harelip and a severe speech impediment. This guy was an 8th grade dropout and was extrolling the merits of Think & Grow Rich and network marketing. This guy didn't look like much. He was pretty ordinary looking. Average, maybe even below average and he wasn't rich. In fact he had to borrow money from his uncle to get into business because he had worked on a farm all his life and came from a poor family.I figured this guy was insane and had gotten sucked in by some city slickers.Many years later I noticed a big limo coming through town. Curious I waited to see who would come out. In this little southern town, newer cars were rare and seeing a limo was like the president was coming to town.Much to my surprise the man that walked out was the harelip! I walked up to him and started to introduce myself but amaziingly to me, he remembered me even though we had only met once.I asked him what the occasion was and was actually belligerent enought to suggest that perhaps his uncle had paid for the limo. He then told me he owned the limo..in fact a whole fleet of limo's. He had moved to Orlando, Fl and created a cosmetic/personal development company that extrapulated into over 78 companies. His net worth, he said, was over $350 million ($1.5 billion in todays money)Stunned, I asked him how he did it.He attributed his success to Think and Grow Rich and some other books like How To Win Friends and Influence People and he said the most important book, The Bible.I went ahead and bought a copy of Think and Grow Rich. I didn't get into his motivational or mlm company or any mlm or direct sales company, buut I did use what I learned from Think and Grow Rich to achieve success that was extraordinary for me.Surprisingly to me, I also became a better parent, a better spouse, a better friend, a better coworker, a better manager and became better in everything I did with more balance all the way around.This book may have been around for along time, but the principles are timeless. Since the 70's I have not met a single person who has achieved any level of success who has not at least read Think & Grow Rich.Napolean Hill's book is a classic because it delivers...but ony if you read it and use it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

No matter what industry you're in or what economic conditions you are facing, you can still build a phenomenally successful business. Bestselling business authority Mark Thompson and international success expert Brian Tracy have joined forces on a revolutionary book whose ideas are as inspiring and thought-provoking as they are accessible, practical and proven to deliver results. Now, Build a Great Business! reveals a series of seven powerful principles that will change your business for the better.This fast-moving and engaging book explains how to: Become a great leader - get superior results from everyone around you Attract and keep great people - build peak-performing teams Develop a great business plan - structure your business to maximize every resource Offer a great product or service - identify exactly whatyour market needs Deliver superior customer service - make service your key competitive advantage Create a great marketing plan - position your business as the preeminent provider Perfect your sales process - motivate customers to buy again and again Complete with examples of businesses of all kinds that are applying these methods to achieve remarkable profits in today's economy, Now, Build a Great Business! shows that when you do what the most successful companies do, you too can get extraordinary results. ... Read more

Reviews

Now Buy This Book, November 8, 2010
Thompson and Tracy have written one of the best books on not just how to build a great business, but how to be successful at anything.

A couple of my takeaways that I am using today are their Six Key Questions in Strategic Planning (plus their explanations and guidance to answer all of these questions):

1. Where are you now? What is your current situation?
2.How did you get to where you are today?
3. Where do you want to go from here?
4. How do you get from where you are today to where you want to be in the future?
5. What obstacles will you have to overcome? What problems will you have to solve?
6. What additional knowledge, skills, or resources will you require to achieve your strategic objectives?

As well as the evergreen advice from Peter Drucker's Five Questions:

1. What is your mission?
2. Who is your customer?
3. What does your customer value?
4. What results are you trying to accomplish?
5. What is your plan?

If you only bought and read one book this year on how to become successful, this should be it.

Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone
Get Out of Your Own Way at Work..., &Help Others Do the Same Conquer Self-Defeating Behavior on the Job - 2005 publication

Actionable advice for all generations of leaders, November 15, 2010
Now Build a Great Business is the perfect combination of inspiration and expert advice. The tools and thought provoking questions provided by Mark Thompson and Brian Tracy make it easy to create a plan for success in any business... and at every level of leadership.

The 7 steps are helpful at any stage in your career as you define your business strategy and areas of focus. I would highly recommend this book to my peer group with 10-15 years of work experience as a good foundation for a new manager looking to influence and contribute to their organization's vision. The inspirational stories will encourage you to take action and serve as case studies to drive home the book's approach to success.

If you are an entrepreneur on cusp of launching your business or someone who finds ways to innovate in an organization, this is your playbook!

Joan K. Snyder
Senior Manager, Forest Laboratories

Focusing on the Customer, November 8, 2010
I appreciate this book because it includes practical action steps to attract customers and keep them interested and engaged. The focus is really on what the customer values.

I work for a nonprofit organization and the content was 100% applicable: how to best concentrate time, money and resources on the most successful services and programs; and how to create a culture of "continuous improvement."

Very rarely do we talk about "how to be" - the focus is usually on "what to do." This book blurs that line, giving equal importance to being a leader of character and a proactive doer.

Top Grade Business Manual, November 1, 2010
Mark LaMoure, Boise, ID

Do you want to electrify your business and reignite growth for faster progress? You'll find powerful business ideas in: "Now... Build A Great Business" by Brian Tracy and Mark Thompson, two great business leaders. Their ideas are very useful and the book gives you the right answers for success.

GOLDEN INSIGHT
The book overflows with brilliant business suggestions for working smarter and more effectively. For example, did you know that 90% of your company's lasting success will be how well you serve customer's with excellence? I liked that the book gives you the "SWAN Formula" in Chapter 3, for clear answers on hiring the best employees for excellent customer service.

SUCCESS IDEAS
With top notch ideas going straight to the heart for guiding you to success, the book is information rich. Its the right book, at the right time. I like that the book was written for our current, tough economic climate right now.

BREAKTHROUGH INFORMATION
With flying colors Tracy and Thompson make a confident delivery of the 7 keys to business greatness. They give you an exciting road map for guidance, showing you how to improve and grow your business now. I discovered what to do, how to do it and what to watch, to confirm my business progress is going as planned.

HIGH QUALITY
The book: "Now... Build A Great Business" is Class-A. You'll value its vibrant power as it reveals golden answers for business growth. I rate the book 5 Gold Stars for its top grade, core-business information. The book is superb, giving you far better answers than you expect. Buy it, because you'll get the help you need now. To your success: Good Luck! -Mark LaMoure

Great advice from great leaders, November 11, 2010
In Now Build a Great Business, Mark Thompson and Brian Tracey have created a roadmap to success in business ... and in life. They provide vivid examples of why now is the right time to figure out how to differentiate your products and/or services from the customer's viewpoint; why now is the right time to take bold action that could have long-term payoff and why success is a matter of choice, not chance. This is a great read for anyone who leads, follows or is in transition.

Doug Schallau, Vice President
The Leader to Leader Institute

Sound Instruction for all., November 17, 2010
Mark Thompson and Brian Tracy have provided a road map for destination success. The content in their book is woven with ideas and facts that could cause anyone to aspire to starting or running a business. But, not just any type of business--a great business!

However, this book is not just for the business savvy. It brings in aspects of leadership and decision making that can help in all fields where success is the pursuit. I apply these principles as a full-time student,a lowly-employee, and in my different leadership roles. With their advice, I can be a great asset to any company and any group.

Great book!


Tyler Tolson
Utah State University
Student Body President ... Read more

Editorial Review

One of the world's foremost experts on business leadership distills 25 years of experience and wisdom in this visionary guide to what it will take to lead the organization of the 21st century. "Every business leader can profit from Kotters thinking on change."--Larry Bossidy, Chairman and CEO, AlliedSignal, Inc. Available August 1996. ... Read more

Reviews

"The Eight Steps to Transformation"
"Over the past decade," John P. Kotter writes, "I have watched more than a hundred companies try to remake themselves into significantly better competitors. They have included large organizations (Ford) and small ones (Landmark Communications), companies based in United States (General Motors) and elsewhere (British Airways), corporations that were on their knees (Eastern Airlines), and companies that were earning good money (Bristol-Myers Squibb). Their efforts have gone under many banners: total quality management, reengineering, right-sizing, restructuring, cultural change, and turnaround. But in almost every case the basic goal has been the same: to make fundamental changes in how business is conducted in order to help cope with a new, more challenging market environment. A few of these corporate change efforts have been very successful. A few have been utter failures. Most fall somewhere in between, with a distinct tilt toward the lower end of the scale. The lessons that can be drawn are interesting and will probably be relevant to even more organizations in the increasingly competitive business environment of the coming decade."

In this context, John P. Kotter lists the most general lessons to be learned from both (I) the more successful cases and (II) the critical mistakes as follows:

I. Lessons from the more successful cases:

1. Establishing a sense of urgency

* Examining market and competitive realities

* Identifying and discursing crises, potential crises, or major opportunities

2. Forming a powerful guiding coalition

* Assembling a group with enough power to lead the change effort

* Encouraging the group to work together as a team

3. Creating a vision

* Creating a vision to help direct the change effort

* Developing strategies for achieving that vision

4. Communicating vision

* Using every vehicle possible to communicate the new vision and strategies

* Teaching new behaviors by the example of the guiding coalition

5. Empowering others to act on the vision

* Getting rid of obstancles to change

* Changing systems or structures that seriously undermine the vision

* Encouraging risk taking and nontraditional ideas, activities, and actions

6. Planning for and creating short-term wins

* Planning for visible performance improvements

* Creating those improvements

* Recognizing and rewarding employees involved in the improvements

7. Consolidating improvements and producing still more change

* Using increased credibility to change systems, structures, and policies that don't fit the vision

* Hiring, promoting, and developing employees who can implement the vision

* Reinvigorating the process with new projects, themes, and change agents

8.Institutionalizing new approaches

* Articulating the connections between the new behaviors and corporate success

* Developing the means to ensure leadership development and succession

II. Lessons from the critical mistakes:

1. Not establishing enough sense of urgency - A transformation program requires the aggressive cooperation of many individuals. Without motivation, people won't help and the effort goes nowhere.

2. Not creating a powerful guiding coalition - Companies that fail in this phase usually underestimate the difficulties of producing change and thus the importance of a powerful quiding coalition.

3. Lacking a vision - Without a sensible vision, a transformation effort can easily dissolve into a list of confusing and incompatible projects that can take the organization in the wrong direction or nowhere at all.

4. Undercommunicating the vision - Transformation is impossible unless hundreds or thousands of people are willing to help, often to the point of making short-term sacrifices.

5. Not removing obstacles to the new vision - Sometimes the obstacle is the organizational structure: narrow job categories can seriously undermine efforts to increase productivity or make it very difficult even to think about customers. Sometimes compensation or performance-appraisal systems make people choose between the new vision and their own self-interest. Perhaps worst of all are bosses who refuse to change and who make demands that are inconsistent with the overall effort.

6. Not systematically planning and creating short-term wins - Creating short-term wins is different from hoping for short-term wins. The latter is passive, the former active. In a successful transformation, managers actively look for ways to obtain clear performance improvements, establish goals in the yearly planning system, achieve the objectives, and reward the people involved with recognition, promotions, and even money.

7. Declaring victory too soon - Instead of declaring victory, leaders of successful efforts use the credibility afforded by short-term wins to tackle even bigger problems.

8. Not anchoring changes in the corporation's culture - Change sticks when it becomes "the way we do things around here," when it seeps into the bloodstream of the corporate body. Until new behaviors are rooted in social norms and shared values, they are subject to degradation as soon as the pressure for change is removed.

Finally, John P. Kotter writes, "There are still more mistakes that people make, but these eight are the big ones. In reality, even successful change efforts are messy and full of surprises. But just as a relatively simple vision is needed to guide people through a major change, so a vision of the change process can reduce the error rate. And fewer errors can spell the difference between success and failure."

Highly recommended.

Make Change Irresistibly Attractive
The leaders of some organizations have no idea how to make successful changes, and are likely to waste a lot of resources on unsuccessful efforts. Professor Kotter has done a solid job of outlining the elements that must be addressed, so now your organization will at last know what they should be working on.

On the other hand, if you have not seen this done successfully before, you may need more detailed examples than this book provides or outside facilitators to help you until you have enough experience to go solo. I suspect this book will not be detailed enough by itself to get you where you want to go.

Here's a hint: The Harvard Business Review article by Professor Kotter covers the same material in a much shorter form. You can save time and money by checking this out first before buying the book.

I personally find that measurements are very helpful to create self-stimulation to change, and this book does not pay enough attention in that direction. If you agree that measurements are a useful way to stimulate change, be sure to read The Balanced Scorecard, as well, which will help you understand how to use appropriate measurements to make more successful changes.

If you want to know what changes to make, this book will also not do it for you. I suggest you read Peter Drucker's Management Challenges for the 21st Century and Peter Senge's Fifth Discipline.

Good luck!

Eight-stage process for transformation programs
John P. Kotter is Professor of Leadership at the Harvard Business School. He has written several books and articles on general management and leadership issues. This particular book builds on his 1995 Harvard Business Review-article 'Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail'.

The book is split up into three parts. In the first part - The Change Problem and Its Solution - Kotter discusses the eight main reasons why in many situations the improvements have been disappointing, with wasted resources and burned-out, scared, or frustrated employees. Each of these eight errors are discussed in detail, using simple, clear examples. "Making any of the eight errors in common to transformation efforts can have serious consequences." But Kotter argues that these errors are not inevitable. And this is why Kotter has written this book. "The key lies in understanding why organizations resist needed change, what exactly is the multistage process that can overcome destructive inertia, and, most of all, how the leadership that is required to drive that process in a socially healthy way means more than good management." In Chapter 2, Kotter discusses the reasons why organizations (can) need changes and improvements. Although some people suggest otherwise, Kotter believes that organizations can implement change successfully. "The methods used in successful transformations are all based on one fundamental insight: that major change will not happen easily for a long list of reasons." Kotter introduces an eight-stage process for creating major change.

This eight-stage process is discussed in Part Two of this book:
(1) The first stage of the process involves the establishment of a sense of urgency, which is required to overcome complacency. The nine sources of complacency are discussed, whereby Kotter emphasizes that "a good rule of thumb in a major change effort is: Never underestimate the magnitude of the forces that reinforce complacency and that help maintain the status quo." He further discusses methods for raising urgency levels, the role of crises, and the role of middle and lower-level managers.
(2) The second stage involves the creation of a guiding coalition. "A strong guiding coalition is always needed - one with the right composition, level of trust, and shared objective." According to the author the four key characteristics to effective guiding coalition are position power, expertise, credibility, and leadership. And he emphasizes that management and leadership must work in tandem, teamwork style.
(3) The third stage requires the development of a vision and strategy. Good vision clarifies the general direction for change, motivates people to take action in the right direction, and it helps coordinate people's actions. The characteristics of an effective vision are imaginable, desirable, feasible, focused, flexible, and communicable. But vision alone is not enough. "This is where strategy plays an important role. Strategy provides both logic and a first level detail to show how a vision can be accomplished."
(4) The power of a vision is most powerful when all people within an organization have a common understanding of its goals and direction. Although the general myth is that failures to communicate vision are attributed to either limited intellectual capabilities among lower-level employees or a general human resistance to change. But that is not really the problem. The vision needs to be communicated in a clear, simple message (focused and jargon-free). Kotter discusses each of the seven key elements in the communication of vision.
(5) Empowering employees for broad-based action - "Discouraged and disempowered employees never make enterprises winners in a globalizing economic environment. But with the right structure, training, systems, and supervisors to build on a well-communicated vision, increasing numbers of firms are finding that they can tap an enormous source of power to improve organizational performance. They can mobilize hundreds or thousands of people to help provide leadership to produce needed changes."
(6) Major change takes time and it is therefore advisable to pay serious attention to short-term wins. Short-term wins should be visible, unambiguous, and related to the change effort. Short-term wins play various roles in a change effort, most notably building the necessary momentum.
(7) Many forces can stall a change process short of the finish line. And we should be aware that irrational and political resistance to change never fully dissipates. We should not let the celebration of short-term wins allow complacency back into the organization. We should also be aware that progress can slip away for two reasons: corporate culture (see more in the next stage) and increased interdependence as a result from interconnections.
(8) "Culture refers to norms of behavior and shared values among a group of people." In large organizations, there are some social forces (corporate culture) that affect everyone. Corporate cultures have a powerful influence on human behavior, since it is almost impossible to change and invisible. Kotter believes that "culture is powerful for three reasons: (i) Because individuals are selected and indoctrinated so well. (ii) Because the culture exerts itself through the actions of hundreds or thousands of people. (iii) Because all of this happens without much conscious intent and thus is difficult to challenge or even discuss." He provides with one other important warning: "most cultural change happens in stage 8, not stage 1."

Part III - Implications for the Twenty-First Century - consists of two chapters. In the first chapter, Kotter discusses the organization of the future. In particular, the impact of the future on the eight stages in the change process. There is an interesting table, which compares the differences in structure, systems, and culture between 20th-century and 21st-century organizations. "The key to creating and sustaining the kind of successful 21st-century organization is leadership - not only at the top of the hierarchy, with a capital L, but also in a more modest sense (l) throughout the enterprise." These two notions are discussed in detail in the final chapter of the book.

Yes, this is an excellent book on controlling change. The book provides an extremely useful framework for a change process and should be kept as a checklist. Although the process looks rigid, the stages are flexible and take place concurrently. I recommend this book to all people involved in a major change process within larger organizations. The author uses simple business US-English.

Clear and direct to the point guide for management success.
This invaluable reading helped me navigate through the numerous challenges encountered when establishing a long term direction for my organization. Kotter does an excellent job in breaking down the basic elements to developing a success vision. Most importantly, his book leads you into a self evaluation of your personal traits, skills , and leadership style and how they support or encumber your goal achieving process. I believe "Leading Change" is a must read for those of us who think we are high performers and certainly recommend it for pre-interview brush ups.

Transforming Organizations is Tough Without Leading Change!
Transforming organizations is tough! It is more difficult than many people realize. Generally, leaders attempt change efforts that are too mild and then give them too little time to succeed. As a result, many transformations fail.

Even though this book was published four years ago, it is still on the cutting edge of modern, linear change in organizations. In my own consulting work I see this book--more than any other--used as a reference point when dicussing change strategies.

Kotter's ideas of establishing a sense of urgency and creating a guiding coalition brought great insight to the part of the change process known as readiness. Another great contribution is the idea that culture--being the most difficult thing to change--is generally the last change tackled, and the capping change that must take place for true lasting change to occur.

John Kotter begins this book by sharing why transformation efforts fail. He then takes the reader on a journey through an eight stage process of creating major change. He concludes this three-part book with a look at the implications for the twenty-first cnetury related to organizations and leadership.

Any facilitator or recipient of change efforts who has not read this book, has missed one of the mandatory books about the change process in North American culture.

Buy it today!

Leading Change by John P. Kotter
The book is terrific if you really intend to move your organization forward through change. The insights proferred by the author are exceptionally pertinent to today's global changes. Provided in the book are step-by-step processes to achieve success as well as pitfalls to avoid. The eight primary mistakes of leading changes are clearly identified and relevant discussions are presented in a clear and concise manner. I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to accompish change with the least amount of pain to their employees and with the most guarantee of success. Outstanding.

Organizational Diagnosis - Powerful insights
Working in an organization where change stalled, to a point where innovation is absolutely discouraged, there were some sleepless nights when I couldn't stop thinking "Why? What went wrong?" After reading the first chapter of Leading Change, the answers come to surface with surgical precision. In fact, I can now pinpoint almost all reasons why things went wrong, and how one can turn from a leading prince into a caged victim. If I had had this insight earlier in my job, perhaps early warning could have been given. In fact, Mr. Kotter's books reads (for my organization) almost like a case study on "make the 8 basic mistakes, relax and watch chaos emerge". In my particular case, I can even give the names and position for each key player that failed. At the level of this book, I can only place Sun Tzu 's classic, "The Art of War", and I would reccommend this book to every person having management resposibilities, since it gives the necessary insight to diagnose malfunction symptoms clearly and precisely. All that is needed is good sense and fair judgement. ... Read more

Editorial Review

NATIONAL BESTSELLER
WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD

In this groundbreaking biography, T.J. Stiles tells the dramatic story of Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt, the combative man and American icon who, through his genius and force of will, did more than perhaps any other individual to create modern capitalism. Meticulously researched and elegantly written, The First Tycoon describes an improbable life, from Vanderbilt’s humble birth during the presidency of George Washington to his death as one of the richest men in American history. In between we see how the Commodore helped to launch the transportation revolution, propel the Gold Rush, reshape Manhattan, and invent the modern corporation. Epic in its scope and success, the life of Vanderbilt is also the story of the rise of America itself. ... Read more

Reviews

A marvelous biography of a quiet and mysterious man of immense power and stupendous wealth
"The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt" is an impressive and fascinating biography, wonderfully evocative of the quiet man with enormous power, influence and wealth. At the time of his death he owned five percent of America's wealth.

Even though he was known as the king of the railroad, he was much more than that: he was the king of the steamboats and ships, and the king of industries and corporations as well. He built the original Grand Central Terminal in New York, and also the mighty New York Central Railroad system connecting New York with Chicago.

This tycoon also had his share of pains, disappointments, sadness, and regrets that life offers all mortals. His son Cornelius Jeremiah's addiction to gambling and also the affliction of epilepsy greatly distressed him.

Written in simple and lucid prose, the book is gripping and entertaining to the very end: "Vanderbilt was an empire builder, the first great corporate tycoon in American history. Even before the United States became a truly industrial country, he learned to use the tools of corporate capitalism to amass wealth and power on a scale previously unknown, creating enterprises of unprecedented size."

Mr. T. J. Stiles has written a marvelous biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Reading this book was a joy.

Stiles Vanderbilt Biography is Good Beyond Words
I don't often write "reviews" because I would prefer to spend the time reading. But Stiles new book demands high praise and unreserved recommendation to any readers who enjoy good history, colorful life stories and well written and compelling narrative. The Vanderbilt story, his times, and Stiles fine writing make this long history pulse with the "can't put it down" quality of a great mystery. This truly is a must-read, and a joy from cover to cover. At the end I only wanted more!

Exceptional at any price
A superlative and memorable biography, easily winning comparison with the works of David McCullough, William Manchester, and Robert Caro. While I joined with those who protested the original Kindle pricing of this book, and am gratified to see the reduction in price, I'll also say that the book is well worth whatever price you pay. It's without doubt a remarkable accomplishment and a rich display of Mr. Stiles' considerable talents.

Fascinating Book
This is a fascinating look at one of the great men of capitalism and the dynamics of the 19th century. Amazing how much is relevant to the situation we are in today.

Ignore the "one star" reviews of those who were complaining about the Kindle product (probably all the same person). Very sad when the review process is hijacked by cheaters.

This book deserves better
Full disclosure: I have the book but haven't finished it yet. I'm enjoying it so far, much as I enjoyed the last book by T.J. Stiles, on Jesse James. Both books are highly readable, and provide a vivid, illuminating portrait of their respective subjects, as well as the society that made them (and which they came to shape).

What compelled me to post a review this early in the process, is the flood of negative ratings - most (if not all) of which are about the e-book's pricing, not the book itself. Those criticisms, however understandable, have little to do with the substance of the book. This book and its author deserve better than that.

A Truly Epic Life
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Not only is this his life story but also the story of New York's rise to prominence as the financial center of the United States and the development of transportation that made America such a mobile society. You will also read through the initial stages of a maturing nation during the financial panics and civil war of the 19th century.

Vanderbilt had an enormous influence on each of these as he built one of the first true corporations. The biographer gives a balanced presentation of Vanderbilt as one who not only brought about changes through his unbending competitive nature but also how that nature effected the people and society around him. It is striking to learn how one man's decisions during that time could influence so many for good or bad, and Vanderbilt would do whatever it took to protect his business interests. He did not seem to go to the unethical or illegal lengths that other business leaders did, but he did make decisions that could inconvenience or even harm others. He was a man who marched steadily forward, valuing loyalty and personal integrity. But he was impersonal and grappled with family issues, especially with his sons.

Some of the other interesting parts of Vanderbilt's life were his involvement in Nicaragua and having to raise a small army to face William Walker's filibustering in that country, the internal battles to maintain control of his companies, the determination to consolidate the railroads and the rescue of the nation's economy on more than one occasion. Vanderbilt truly led an epic life during a most transformational period of history. I recommend this biography to anyone interested in Cornelius Vanderbilt because it will give you so much more in understanding how this country developed during his lifetime. It is worth the time and investment. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Jim Collins Answers the Social Sector with a Monograph toAccompany Good to Great.30-50% of those who bought Good to Greatwork in the Social Sector.

• This monograph is a response to questions raised by readers in thesocial sector. It is not a new book.
• Jim Collins wants to avoid any confusion about the monograph being abook by limiting its distribution to online retailers.
• Based on interviews and workshops with over 100 social sector leaders.
• The difference between successful organizations is not between thebusiness and the social sector, the difference is between goodorganizations and great ones. ... Read more

  Reviews

  Collins does it again, December 3, 2005
  As a non-profit leader, I've been waiting for this monograph to be published for several months, and Collins did not disappoint.
  
  In a lucid style that only Collins can deliver, he masterfully explains the subtle (but seismic) concepts of good to great for the social sector. Similar to his previous books, he effectively uses a broad array of real-life examples (e.g. the NYPD, a church, the Girl Scouts, the Cleveland Orchestra, a high school science dept), helpful graphics, and a very readable, conversational tone. Even though the monograph is only 31 pages, Collins contributes his clear thinking on numerous issues that will be very familiar to social sector leaders: how to measure success in non-$ metrics, how to recruit and motivate a passionate (and poorly-paid or unpaid) staff, how to think differently about "restricted funds," and how to transcend systemic / external / industry-wide problems. I particularly enjoyed his discussion on "legistative" leadership (versus "executive" leadership in the business world). Collins predicts a dramatic reversal - that one day non-profit leaders, who have mastered legistative leadership, will be wooed away to lead for-profit businesses.
  
  This monograph does stand on its own. However, I think you would have to be fairly familiar with the concepts in Good to Great to fully appreciate its value.
  
  If you are still not convinced, you can also go to his website, jimcollins.com, to read 3-4 pages of snip-its from the monograph.
  
  Regardless, I would recommend this to every social sector leader.

  Five Challenges for Non-Profits to Achieve Greatness, August 12, 2006
  I have direct experience in the social sector with over twenty-five years as an advisor or board member of several, varied non-profits. "Good to Great and the Social Sectors" resonated with me as it fills a very deep void in social sector leadership guidance.
  
  Recently, one executive newcomer to a non-profit called to tell me she was being told to back off by other executives. She was being perceived as "too businesslike"; she did not understand the non-profit world. I asked her to have these people define "businesslike." She learned that "businesslike" meant expecting people to complete assignments on time and be accountable!!
  
  This attitude, which permeates many non-profits, is one of several targets in "Good to Great and the Social Sectors." In fact, due to the diffuse power structure that exists for most social sector organizations, non-profits need even greater discipline - disciplined planning, disciplined people, disciplined governance, disciplined allocation of resources.
  And the culture of discipline is not a principle of business; it is a principle of greatness.
  
  Non-business leaders in the social sector must operate differently as they do not have the concentrated power of a business CEO. They have a thousand points of no. It is Collins' observation that they require two skill sets - leadership skills and legislative skills - to be successful. And, he believes you will find more true leadership in the social sector as a result.
  
  The book is organized around five issues that need to be addressed for greatness. These are:
  Issue One - How do you define great without business metrics?
  Issue Two - What is "Level 5 Leadership" in the social sector?
  Issue Three - How can you get the right people on the bus?
  Issue Four - How do you apply the Hedgehog Concept (attaining piercing clarity about how to produce the best long-term results) without a profit motive?
  Issue Five - How do you use brand to build momentum?
  
  Great societies have both great business sectors and great social sectors. With this in mind, Collins was motivated to write this book. He realized that it was not simply good enough for him to focus on a great business sector but also on a great social sector. He has done us a service. We will gain as a society if all who work with or for non-profits read and apply the lessons of this excellent monograph.
  

  extremely helpful, March 22, 2006
  Many of us who work in the social sector-in my case the United Methodist Church-were encouraged and inspired by Jim Collins book Good to Great. We worked to adapt the methodology to our work, but some parts didn't fit. Collins realized from the feedback his work was getting that a large number of his readers needed more specific research into their context. This monograph is a first installment in addressing our need.
  
  The underlying principle of the book is that we don't need to impose the language of business on the social sector, but develop a language of greatness. He does this by focusing on five issues that surfaced during the Good to Great research and tweaking them for a different mission and context. They are:
  
  1. Defining Great-How do we calibrate success without business metrics?
  2. Level 5 Leadership-Getting things done within a diffuse power structure
  3. First Who-Getting the right people on the bus within social sector constraints
  4. The Hedgehog Concept-Rethinking the economic engine without a profit motive
  5. Turning the Flywheel-Building momentum by building the brand.
  
  The monograph is a first look at applying these five good to great concepts to the social sector. I found it to be exciting, invigorating and one of the best things I've read in a long time. I think this is essential for non-profit leaders-especially church leaders-who want to build great organizations and build accountability within the constraints of structures that we can't change.

  A Critical Resource, May 3, 2006
  I was so encouraged to see this new monograph. I work in a nonprofit and have struggled in applying some of the concepts from the Good to Great book to the nonprofit context. But this simple addition provides clarity and focus.
  
  I really appreciated the balanced view that Jim took regarding how "busines-like" a nonprofit should be. It is so freeing to not have to be like a business but instead shoot for being a disciplined organization. I go back to his comment "Disciplined People - Disciplined Thought - Disciplined Action" constantly and am working to make that a reality in our organization.
  
  Jim Collins impressed me for another reason as well. Instead of coming out with another edition of the book to add this chapter - which would have been much more lucrative - he decided to be a generous mind and share this in the form of a much less expensive monograph. What a help to nonprofits!
  
  A must read if you work with or for nonprofits.

  A helpful addition to "Good to Great", February 23, 2007
  Having read (and enthusiastically enjoyed) Jim Collins' "Good to Great" several months ago and working on a church staff, I was pleased to discover that he wrote this monograph to draw together the conclusions of that wonderful business book and the non-business world. I found this addition to be most helpful.
  
  As with all of Collins' writing, this monograph is extremely accessible. He writes at a very intellectual level without getting overly technical. He presents the basic premise that not everything in "Good to Great" is broadly applicable outside the business world.
  
  For instance, the difference between the executive authority that business leaders have is starkly contrasted with the legislative authority that leaders have in the social sector. Because I work almost exclusively with volunteers within the church, this distinction is important and obvious to me.
  
  He also mentions that issues related to resources are more complicated than the relatively simplistic economic factors that exist in business. Instead, social organizations need to consider all of the available resources, which includes people and time in addition to money.
  
  Despite these and other distinctions that Collins draws between the business world and the social sector, it is interesting to note that the overall principles of "Good to Great" remain valid. For instance, the concept of Level 5 leadership remains prescriptive for high-performing leaders outside of business.
  
  His concluding thoughts are very insightful and instructive. In short, he suggests that the transition from good to great happens in business and outside of business. For my context, though the church may bring to bear particular difficulties and constraints, so does each and every institution. The principles of greatness are common across all organizations, even if they might look slightly different. In his words, "greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline." There is valuable wisdom in those words for those of us who work outside the business community. My one and only complaint about this resource is its price for a mere 30 pages. Nonetheless, just as I recommended the book, I would encourage anyone interested in being part of a great institution, regardless of the setting, to read this monograph.

  Good, but not great., March 9, 2006
  I think that this monograph is useful material for public sector, non-profit, or secular organizations. It presents some useful points that extend the Good to Great concepts to organizations that are not profit-driven.
  
  My largest complaint is that the current price is not consistent with the amount of material. Good to Great is an excellent value, while this additional monograph is roughly a single additional chapter at over half the price.

  Excellent companion addressing not-for-profits' unique needs, May 23, 2008
  Jim Collins is the author of "Good to Great," an influential business and leadership book. In the time since the publication of the book, Collins realized that there exist points of disconnect within the book for leaders of not-for-profit agencies (e.g. churches, local charitable organizations, groups that exist for specific causes like disease eradication or the advancement of art). In an effort to apply the concepts of "Good to Great" to the unique needs of social service organizations, this monograph was produced.
  
  This monograph can best be thought of as an appendix or additional chapter for "Good to Great." Indeed, the reader will be lost unless first reading the work upon which this monograph is based. In it, five points/modifications/explanations are provided that address what Collins perceives to be the five biggest "trouble areas" when applying "Good to Great" to not-for-profit agencies.
  
  First, not-for-profits struggle with the definition of "great." In the definition supplied by Collins in "Good to Great," "great" is partly defined in terms of profit margin. Since not-for-profit agencies, by definition, do not seek profits, a modification must be made. Collins suggests using anecdotal evidence and rubrics instead of budgetary numbers to determine if the organization's goals are being met.
  
  Second, power and authority in social sector organizations are not centralized, but contain nearly limitless checks ("a thousand points of no"). Collins advocates a leadership style that emphasizes the good of the organizations. If the organizational leader can effectively communicate (legitimately, not falsely) that his main concern is the health of the organization and realization of the cause, he buys himself a lot of leeway in decision making.
  
  Third, volunteer-based organizations feel great pressure to simply put warm bodies in positions of authority instead of selectively choosing only the best candidates. Collins argues that the pressures of a volunteer-based culture should only make the leader more determined to practice selectivity. Setting high standards, focusing on creating "pockets of excellence" within organizations, and emphasizing the moral importance of the organization can help to attract high-quality employees and volunteers.
  
  Fourth, the concept of profit margin creeps in again. It is important to recognize that organizations--business as well as social-sector--need money to operate. Even though not-for-profit agencies are not about the money, their "hedgehog concept" should certainly include consideration of their economic engine. That is, their social cause should take into consideration the question, "will people actually buy into our cause and support it with donations of volunteer hours, monetary donations, and in-kind support?"
  
  Finally, the organization must not neglect promoting itself as a "brand." Although the natural inclination of social sector institutions is to keep the focus on the cause, they must also make sure people understand that the organization is meeting the cause effectively...indeed, they are "the best" at what they do. A reputation for excellence tends to attract loyalty and donations. Consider Harvard University, which attracts millions of dollars it doesn't necessarily need because people believe that a Harvard education is "the best" in the world.
  
  In all, as a pastor in a not-for-profit church, this book addressed all the concerns I had in applying Collins' "Good to Great" concepts in my situation. Truth be told, it even addressed problems I had not yet identified. I highly recommend this brief monograph to compliment "Good to Great."

  So much promise . . . . falls short in the execution!, November 22, 2007
  This book (actually I listened to the CD version) would have been a useful chapter or two published as part of the original "Good To Great" book. Unfortunately, I didn't think that it stood up well on its own. I was hoping for some sort of "aha" moment, but this 'monograph' failed to deliver. Maybe Jim Collins and his team were not able to do the same in-depth research on non-profits as was done on the Corporations for "Good To Great".
  Hmmm . . . I was disappointed and thought I overpaid for the relative value I got out of 'Social Sectors'.

  No Beef in This Sandwich, February 28, 2008
  The high praise by many of the reviewers of this book makes me feel that Jim Collins had his whole staff send in reviews. He defines no terms including non-business entities, business thinking, and social sector; states there are valid ways to assess greatness without metrics but gives no examples or gives examples that ARE metrics; claims the use of business language is naive and then analyzes "non-businesses" (whatever they are, he never says) using the language of business (budgets, financial statements, annual reports, executive compensation, etc); talks about motivation as though he just discovered that money isn't all there is (think Maslow's hierarchy of needs); and talks about building momentum as though he never heard of successful companies whose success destroyed them because they FAILED to follow the rules of business (growing too fast, or expanding into activities too far removed from the core activity, for example). I have not read any of Mr. Collins' other works but this one is just befuddled. The only concrete statement he makes towards greatness is "hire the best people." Duh. Other than that, I did not find anything that made sense in this work. It is filled with the illusion of ideas, that when looked at closely evaporate.

  A Very Good Contribution, March 21, 2006
  Jim Collins makes a very good contribution to the conversation about whether social sector organizations should become more like businesses. He points out that many--most?--businesses are at best good (not great) and the goal of social sector organizations should be to become great organizations--a concept that cuts across the social and business sectors.
  
  One weakness of this monograph is that at least one of the five factors Collins identifies as the basis for great organizations--the hedgehog concept--does not, in its totality, slip neatly and fit well in the social sector. This, however, is a minor weakness compared to the overall contribution Collins is making to helping strengthen organizations in the social sector. ... Read more

Editorial Review

"Your customers are only satisfied because their expectations are so low and because no one else is doing better. Just having satisfied customers isn't good enough anymore. If you really want a booming business, you have to create Raving Fans."

This, in a nutshell, is the advice given to a new Area Manager on his first day--in an extraordinary business book that will help everyone, in every kind of organization or business, deliver stunning customer service and achieve miraculous bottom-line results.

Written in the parable style of The One Minute Manager, Raving Fans uses a brilliantly simple and charming story to teach how to define a vision, learn what a customer really wants, institute effective systems, and make Raving Fan Service a constant feature--not just another program of the month.

America is in the midst of a service crisis that has left a wake of disillusioned customers from coast to coast. Raving Fans includes startling new tips and innovative techniques that can help anyone create a revolution in any workplace--and turn their customers into raving, spending fans.

Reviews

This book saved my company!, June 10, 1998
I've been a struggling small business owner (some 32 to 38 employees, depending upon the season) thinking my problem was either that I was undercapitalized or that I had hired the wrong people. Raving Fans was a wake up call. The problem was I wasn't creating raving fans. I was satisfied if my customers were satisfied, but I learned in this book that service is so bad that customers expectations are low. It's easy to satisfy low expectations and it doesn't mean very much. You have to create raving fans. Customers who tell others how wonderful you are. Today everyone in my company is focused on customers. Focused on creating stories our customers can tell others. Creating those magic moments the book calls giving symbolic hugs. Best of all Raving Fans gave me the road map to do it, all wrapped up in three easy lessons. This book may be simple, but it is also profound and by far the best customer service book I've ever read, and I guess the best business book too. I'd be out of business today if I hadn't adopted the strategy of creating raving fans and then getting everyone in the company to do the same. The result is we've stopped buring our customer list every six months. We're retaining old customers, adding new ones and sales are way up. Today Raving Fans is required reading for every new hire. Thanks Amazon for this opportunity to write this review. You're the best. I'm your RAVING FAN!

Richard Anders

I'm a Raving Fan!, February 22, 2001
Kenneth Blanchard continues his trend of writing easy-to-read books with BIG ideas for making your business better. Raving Fans is a book of stories relating how fictional companies have created an environment of delivering awesome customer service. A guy that has just been put in a managment position requiring a turnaround goes on a fictional trip with his "angel" to visit businesses that have figured out their vision and their system to deliver customer service extraordinary. Based on three simple principles (Decide, Discover, Deliver), each company has created a group of Raving Fans (not just customers, but fans) who wouldn't consider shopping anywhere else for what one of these companies offers. Within each story is other nuggets of common sense and good ideas that can be implemented in any company that has customers and wants to create fans. We required our store managers to read the book and each created a list ranging from 20-40 points that they can put into effect at their stores to improve customer service. This is a simple, must-read for every business owner and manager.

Great for communicating customer service ideals to employees, June 12, 1998
I'm a dentist, and even though people think I have patients, they are also customers. I and my staff have to deliver exceptional service if I expect them to come back and refer their friends and family to me. The normal dental experience in this world is "well, he didn't hurt me too much." I want people to rave about their dental visits, not just tell the usual "horror stories"! This book has been used in my office as a reading assignment and the subject of staff meetings, in an attempt to comunicate to my staff and have them deliver service that exceeds the patient's expectations. The simple style it's told in really keeps their attention, since most people will not read the more detailed and lengthy books on the market that are similar in substance. Highly recommended for any business person--large or small!

Priceless resource!, March 1, 2001
Ken Blanchard's books were recommended to me by a former employer. Because my position included customer service, I purchased RAVING FANS. The book takes a lighthearted look at the serious subject of customer service. It's easy to follow and contains valuable advice. It was good enough to be recommeneded to a co-worker, who has since gone into business for herself. While reading, I realized what wonderful service I receive from waitresses, my hairdresser, and my mechanic. These people could have read this book from cover to cover. I think that readers will be pleasantly surprised to recognize people in their everyday life who have made their customers into Raving Fans. Unfortunately, the employer who recommended Blanchard to me was not interested in reading the book. He didn't like my implementing Blanchard's suggestions -- despite clients calling and, indeed, RAVING, that the lessons I learned were increasing business. I ultimately left the job, and hope to be able to use he advice in the future.

Good read for singular point but lacks business sense, April 3, 2002
This book is written in "parable" or story telling format and is different to read for most people. If you have read the best seller One Minute Manager or Leadership and the One Minute Manager it is written in comparable form. I have read both of the prior books.

First off, the book basically talks about customer service (vs. goal setting & reward/punishment in the one minute manager) and how companies need to offer exemplary service to create Raving Fans, as the authors title it. I was simply hoping to get one good idea/thought out of the book and I did. It was EXCEPTIONALLY easy to read, as I read the 132 pages in about 2.5 - 3 hours total. The book has a lot of dead space and big font so you aren't getting tons of "filler." The authors try to focus on one business issue and address it succinctly.

This book is good and bad depending on what you expect to get out of it.

It is good because (1) anyone can read this book (2) customer service is horrible in today's environment so it is timely (3) The book provides great illustrations and (4) The authors get the point across.

Having said that, they never talk about the business implications of what the characters do. They say that customers love their service or product but they negate to talk about the cost implications. Business is about making money, not being loved by everyone. I love great service and all the frills but, at the end of the day, I have to make it worth the investment to the business owner.

Yes, our economy is very much about selling an experience to someone, but there are cost implications to having carpeted floors in grocery stores and full service gas stations that don't price their gas more expensively. There are implications to buying a product at another store and selling it at the exact same price to your customer (what about the price of labor?) In that case you are actually LOSING money, except that the customer is happy.....

At the end of the day profits pay for the labor, rent, etc. Businesses have to make money and this part is really neglected in this book.

I love that they focus on the customer and finding out what their needs are but they negate to mention where people are in the food chain. What does the customer value the most? Is your business positioned to offer it? Do you offer headaches or tons of value to the customer are a few questions I think of daily?

If anyone is looking for a great business book check out The Essential Drucker by Peter Drucker as it is the best book I have read on management and the role of managers, businesses and individuals within a business. Your money and time would be better spent on that book.

Mere Cotton Candy, November 20, 2003
Blanchard gets two stars for choosing to write a book on the importance of customer service. Beyond his choice of topics, however, this silly little screed doesn't have much going for it. Once you buy into the premise that customer service is important (as, of course, you should), your next concern will logically be what to do about it. There's nothing in this book that will provide you with any practical help in that regard. Like most of Blanchard's other books, this is a lot like cotton candy...cloyingly sweet, lots of fluff, and very little substance.

Blanchard considers himself to be a spiritual guy. (The title he uses at his company is Chief Spiritual Officer.) As a result, Raving Fans, like other Blanchard-branded books, employs a format that is self-consciously based on the Biblical parable. Perhaps he considers this to be an homage but it just comes across as pretentious.

If a reader was genuinely undecided on the value of customer service, then this book might be worthwhile. But for the vast majority of readers who understand that customer service is important and want to know how to get better at it, Raving Fans isn't going to provide any practical guidance.

GREAT MODEL TO APPROACH PERFECTION THROUGH INNOVATION, April 29, 2000
In a world of almost no service, RAVING FANS takes the opposite perspective -- that virtually perfect service is worth pursuing. Those who are used to providing and suffering from having no service will find this book impossible to comprehend. I found it inspiring.

A major problem with most books on management processes is that that do too little to focus on how to make large amounts of progress beyond what is now done. RAVING FANS is a big success in providing you with simple instructions for making large strides toward achievable perfection in providing service.

Imagining perfection is a critical first step to improvement, yet most people have never thought about what that could mean. Then testing that perfection with customers (and potential customers) must be done to be sure that there is a valid opportunity, and to be able to understand customers' ideas about achievable perfection. Then attaching the idea of continuous improvement toward that vision is also valuable, and useful.

There are plenty of practical tips about how to do each part in RAVING FANS, which is key to making this book so valuable.

One of the reasons that I enjoy writing reviews about books on-line is that I can find a book like RAVING FANS that agrees so much with my own perspective and research. This book will quickly get you past your Psychology of Disbelief, Bureaucracy, Procrastination, Communiation, and Ugly Duckling stalls. Good for Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles . . . and good for you, too! Even better for your customers!

If you like this book, be sure to go on to read GUNG HO, the second book in the series, which deals with getting employees fired up to produce great service for Raving Fans. The third book in the series, BIG BUCKS!, just came out, and is a worthwhile successor to the first two. I suggest you read all three if you have a business or aspire to have one that provides well for employees, customers, and owners.

A good related book is THE CUSTOMER CENTERED COMPANY by Richard Whiteley.

Raving Fans: One piece of the excellence puzzle, August 23, 2002
Raving fans is the story of a manager that finds himself in charge of a failing department. He is given the position with the understanding that he HAS to fix things, and fix them quickly. To the rescue comes his "fairy godmother" Charlie-a guardian angel with a penchant for golf and a great deal of information about how to make customers more than satisfied.

Through this parable the manager and the reader learn there are three rules for making your customers "Raving Fans". First, decide what you want. Second, discover what the customer wants. Third, deliver plus one.

Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles have done an excellent job of boiling down excellent customer service to its essence. The rules are easy to read and simple to understand. But, like most things of consequence they will take time to master. This book is well worth the hour or two it will take to read.

However, delivering excellent service is only part of the equation. To have a truly profitable well-run organization you also need to have excellent leadership, a highly motivated team, and value-driven goals. While this book touches on these subjects it certainly doesn't do them justice. For a clearer picture I would also recommend reading "Gung-Ho!", "Leadership By The Book", and "The One Minute Manager" -all part of Ken Blanchard's library of leadership materials. All of them are quick reads, and amazingly informative. Together they create an excellent picture of how a successful, value-centered organization should be run.

There is nothing revolutionary in this book, July 22, 2003
This book is a waste of money and time (even though it only takes 1-2 hours to read this book). It is amazing to me that Ken Blanchard could charge $ for a book that is based on common sense and could be summarized in one page without losing any content. The premise of the book is that there are three "secrets" to customer services which are decide what you want, find out what your customers want and deliver the vision plus one percent. All the book is saying is that a business should have a vision of what it wants to accomplish, talk to its customers to ensure that this vision is aligned to customer expectations, and then deliver the vision consistently while always looking to improve (plus one). There are a few fictional examples of businesses that have excellent customer service but definitely not much depth at all.

This Stuff Really Works, October 13, 1999
This book is very easy read, usually taking less tha a few hours. It contains good ideas that are easily applied to any busines situation.

This book breaks apart the customer management process down and makes all of us really think of who our customers are. For example, the customer for a teacher is the parent not the child. It teaches you that the results you are delivering must be right for the customer you are delivering to. Then you need to keep getting better.

I highly recommend that a manager an his team all read this book and then spend two to four hours discussing how it can apply to them. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Wake Up and Take Control of Your Life!

Anthony Robbins, the nation's leader in the science of peak performance, shows you his most effective strategies and techniques for mastering your emotions, your body, your relationships, your finances, and your life. The acknowledged expert in the psychology of change, Anthony Robbins provides a step-by-step program teaching the fundamental lessons of self-mastery that will enable you to discover your true purpose, take control of your life and harness the forces that shape your destiny. ... Read more

Reviews

A Fresh review, almost 7 years later!, November 29, 2004
Hi all, I originally wrote a review for this book back in 1998.
See 'Easy and exciting to read, with amazing results., January 11, 1998
Reviewer: A reader'
That was me! At that time I was back in the UK and finishing up in University. In my original review, I emphasised how easy it is to apply the lessons that Mr. Robbins suggests in this book. Having recently reviewed the posts near to mine, I noticed something very interesting. Very few posts have been marked as 'helpful' where the post is giving the book a positive review. But WOW! Look at all the 'helpful' agreements for all those that have something negative to say about it!!
Those people who say nothing good about it, obviously haven't applied the everyday principles to their lives, to help themselves. Now, I'm not suggesting that one should solely rely on just this book for all their advice. Indeed, one should seek confirmation from other sources if needed. But, since reading the book, almost 8 years ago; and giving the review nearly 7 years ago; I have to tell ya, whenever I've hit bad patches, I've referred to the teachings of Mr. Robbins and put myself back on track!!
Almost 15 years ago I lost everything I had to my then partner. She took the lot, including our daughter, whom she later gave up for adoption. To this day I have never been able to trace her. (Lots of reasons stand in the way). I tried for several years to get over the depression, even seeking counselling from therapists. Nothing worked. I realised, only I know ME like ME! Mr. Robbin's book helped me understand areas of my life that were in a mess. It helped me to sort them out. In essence, what it did was help me discover myself and my OWN learning processes of success in ALL areas. Including beating severe depression. If you're feeling suicidal, trust me, you're reading this book review because somewhere in your soul and heart, you KNOW there's something better for you ahead in your life, and you're simply seeking answers to sort it out. Suicide is NOT the way. WHATEVER negativity you're feeling in your life right now, you CAN change it by applying the lessons from this book! The authors of book reviews that talk negatively, failed to continue learning. Simple as that.
Today, 15 years later, I have achieved EVERYTHING I set out to achieve to end the depression in life. I went to college, then University, and am now married, with a 3 year old son. Also, I now successfully own TWO businesses that I started from scratch, and make more money now than I ever thought possible! Why? Because I learned to believe in MY OWN POWER of change - thanks to Awaken The Giant Within!
Not every word is necessary, and this is made clear in the book. Just use what you need! I don't need the book anymore, but I KNOW, I couldn't have reached my goals today, without the invaluable advice from Mr. Robbins. I apply the lessons whenever I'm hit with negativity - which usually comes from those that don't stick with anything long enough to make the changes they seek! That or those who have plenty of 'advice' to dish out about what YOU'RE doing wrong, because it's 'Not what I would do if I were in your shoes!'. Well, guess what, they're NOT in your shoes are they? So how can they possibly know what's right for you unless they experienced the same thing and changed it? Ever get business advice from someone who doesn't own a business? Ever experienced someone telling you how to raise your kids even though they don't have any of their own? This is YOUR life, and Mr. Robbins simply helps you take it back! He did so for me, and he can do for you!
A million thank yous Mr. Robbins!

This book unleashed the Giant within me!, June 12, 1999
I first saw Tony Robbins on the Joan Rivers show back in 1993. I was very impressed by his charisma and energy, but like many others, felt that Tony Robbins was just a salesman trying to dupe the naive into buying his books and then all of the other products, seminars etc. At work, I ran into a friend who was radiant (unusual for her) and unusually bubbly She told me some of the changes in her life that were taking place and she had begun to read this book: "Awaken the Giant" What really impressed me were the changes that started taking place in the days and weeks that folowed. She started to lose weight, was participating more in meetings at work, and then got promoted. I was impressed. So I decided that this must work. I went out and bought Awaken the Giant and began to use the techniques such as "the swish pattern" and"scrambling technique" Awaken the Giant is a huge book, but I read it in one week. My job performance improved immediately as did my tennis game. I got immediate and dramatic results. This is not just a "feel good book" the techniques really work. My girlfriend also recommended that I read "More Wealth without Risk" by Charles Givens. She told me that More Wealth without Risk did as much for her on a Financial Level than Awaken the Giant did on a personal development level. I went out and read that book and I got equally dramatic results from a financial perspective. I highly recommend both books to anyone who wants to dramatically change their lives...and quickly!

A super self development book., December 25, 1999
I must confess that after seeing Tony Robbins informercial, I thought he was the king of hype. Then our local Waldens had Awaken the Giant and Unlimited Power on sale for $2.99 each! At that price, I figured how could I go wrong.Much to my surprise, the techniques worked. Swish patterns and anchors have helped me tremendously. Now having experienced remarkable results, I would have gladl paid the full cover price for each plus some more.If you are in business or in a managerial position, then I highly recommend Direct from Dell by Mike Dell. Great book for anyone in a leadership role.Thank you Tony for your great work.

A VERY GOOD BOOK, July 16, 1998
I enjoyed AWAKEN THE GIANT and feel that this book gave me a new lease on life. It's very easy to read, entertaining, uplifting as well as informational. Tony Robbins has the ability to get you to "take action" like no one else.

If you just read the book, you'll get knowledge. If you read and apply that knowledge by doing the exercises, you'll get results like you've never seen before!

I also subscribe to Tony's "PowerTalk" Program and highly endorse it. Nobody communicates with the power of ROBBINS.

As a result of "PowerTalk" I've been building my library as per Robbins recommendations. I particularly enjoyed Barbara DeAngelis "Are you the one for me" and Charles Givens "Wealth without Risk" and the related interviews with Tony on the "PowerTalk" Tapes. In fact, if anyone had to pick just three books that would substantially turn their life's around, the three best books would be 1)Awaken the Giant-perso! ! nal development and achievement, 2)Are you the one for me?-relationships and to ignite that passion in your life and, 3) Wealth without Risk-for building and keeping wealth.

So thank you TONY ROBBINS for not only helping me reach a new level of personal achievement with your book and tapes, BUT also for recommending DEANGELIS & GIVENS. Without your recommendation, I never would have considered buying their material.

I also own Tony's "PERSONAL POWER" audio program. It was the best $180 I ever spent!

Awaken The Giant is a powerful book, March 3, 2004
I first saw Anthony Robbins many years ago on the Joan Rivers show along with Charles Givens. Both were talking about success and hawking their respective books; Awaken The Giant and More Wealth Without Risk.

What impressed me about Awaken The Giant is that it is not just "feel good" stuff that gives a puffy, artificial high. Tony Robbins offers real meaty advice that works and works right away.

NAC or NLP offers fast and permanent change. I had a stuttering problem. After using Tony's methods--gone. Not in months or weeks but right away.

I also had a fear of public speaking. When my manager called upon me to speak to our group, I was petrified initially. But after following Tony's advice, using swish patterns and installing anchors, the fear was gone and everyone complimented me on my performance.

It didn't take weeks, it took one application.

Since then, I have been able to flatten my fears, overcome lifelong phobias e.g. fear of snakes and public speaking. I have made rapid and permanent changes.

Awaken The Giant is a great book. It will unleash the giant sleeping inside of you and h elp you reach whatever goals you can realistically set and go for.

I also recommend More Wealth Without Risk, a book that does for personal finance what Awaken The Giant does for you on a personal development level and also SuperSelf, another great book by Charles Givens that offers personal development strategies different from what is in Tony Robbins book.

Very powerful communicator, June 8, 2003
Tony Robbins is absolutely outstanding as a communicator both on tape and in print.

I have his Personal Power program along with AWTG and Unlimited Power.

Tony has a way to make you get fired up about success and take action. Many other books on motivation and especially NLP are boring.

Tony is very motvating & inspiring., June 20, 1999
My intro to Tony was though his first book, "Unlimited Power" and tape of the same name. At the time I was like a miniture version of Tony, broke, lonely and newly divorced. Tony's book and tape got me massive immediate results. Since then I have been a student of Tony Robbins and added "Awaken the Giant Within" both the book and audio tape and also started to pick up copies of "PowerTalk" My financial life was also a mess and through Tony's "PowerTalk" series, I was introduced to Charles J. Givens and as per Tony's advice went out and bought "Wealth Without Risk" (now More Wealth without Risk) Givens book did as much for my financial life as Tony's material did for me on a personal development level. Thank you Tony for some great books, tapes and especially for some GREAT RESULTS!

an exceptional guide but ..., January 10, 2000
I would have given this book 5 out of 5 but I believe nothing compares to seeing the man in person. In October '99 I attended one of Anthony Robbins' seminars, albeit reluctantly dragged to it by my boyfriend (I too was a cynic). Two years before that I had attempted suicide, been admitted to several psychiatric hospitals and was on a huge amount of medication for a 'mental disorder' as well as various painful physical ailments. I was addicted to sleeping pills, was unemployed, overweight, depressed and often violent. Anthony Robbins' seminar inspired me enough to test out the merit of his claims by quitting smoking and no longer taking medications and I embarked on the vegan diet he suggested. Within a week I was feeling wonderful and decided to improve other areas of my life. Reading 'Awaken' has given me new insights into how I can improve and it is great as a handbook to remind you of how you can be at your best - but by all means GO to one of his seminars. Be sceptical, but also be eclectic and use to information he gives - if you want happiness enough, you can have it! This book is an excellent distillation of ideas. Start with the physical and go from there if you need proof that his ideas work. Anyone who believes they can perform at their best while eating animal products is kidding themselves - become vegan and you will understand how energetic, vital and balanced you can really feel. I have been totally vegan for 4 months and I lost 25kg effortlesly and now maintain a stable weight of 57kg. Everyone is amazed at how wonderful I look. Also, I practice the breathing techniques every day and use his simple NLP techniques to control my anger. Anthony Robbins is a fantastic guide.There is always room for improvement. It works - just give it a try!

Live your life, October 24, 2000
Yes, I too thought Tony Robbins was just a huckster when I saw him doing those infomercials on TV. I mean, the guy was just so sales-ish, so excited. In my case, it was seeing Tony on QVC that turned me around. I was already reading "self-help" type books like Covey's "7 Habits of Highly-Effective People" and I believe that you should wake up and put yourself in the driver's seat of your own life. I watched Tony take live on-air phone calls from people on QVC, answering their questions and giving them individual, REAL answers. He was smart, empathetic, and THERE in the moment for that caller. I was very impressed, and thought, what the hey - I'll buy the book. Well, unlike other books such as Covey's, Robbins materials are more about work! They contain tools and mental exercises and to-do lists. In other words, they are like learning ABC's for your mind. You have to practice and work on yourself. You can't just read it and voila! your life changes overnight. I didn't expect that to happen, but some naysayers out there probably expect that. Robbins gives you the tools you need to get to working on yourself. Is it hard to change your habits? You bet! Is it difficult to change yourself? Your ways of thinking? It is the most difficult thing you'll ever do. But with Tony's materials, it's easier because he gives you a blueprint. He doesn't just tell you again what we all already know - anger is bad, eat well, lose weight, don't be sad, yadda, yadda. He gives you examples and tools for how to get out of that rut so that you can change from sad to happy, broke to whatever. Think of it as the most important toolkit you'll ever own - and get in the driver's seat of YOUR life!

Just a quick note, August 30, 1998
Every once and awhile I get on and see what they are saying about Robbins. I must tell you, I am surprised to see so much negativity. But then you have to step back and ask why? I would have to say that most of the negative reviews where because people thought they where going to purchase a book and open it up, then the next morning they would be rich and happy. As ridiculous as it may sound, that is really what they believed deep within themselves. I will tell you that this was the first book I purchased of Robbins. I APPLIED the material to my life and went from a depressed kid that worked in a restaurant to a happy person that now makes six digits trading stock, as my father would say, "not bad for a twenty-two year old". Did Robbins do this, no I did. Robbins did teach me how to apply my attitude and skills to master my financial, physical, time, emotional and relationship skills. If you are looking for a simple, easy, no effort needed, way to change your life, then this is not the book. If you are looking to take your life to another level and are tired of being confused on how to do it, then this is the book. By the way, someone said that he charges a lot for his seminars and that is how he makes money. This is true, but he is the only one that I know that gives a 100%, no questions asked, money back guarantee on everything he sells. So, obviously what he gets for his seminars must be worth it, or he would be out of business by now. Best of luck, Dave ... Read more

Editorial Review

As the hipster classic Craft, Inc. did for crafters, this book will teach all types of creatives illustrators, photographers, graphic designers, animators, and more how to build a successful business doing what they love. Freelancing pros Meg Mateo Ilasco and Joy Deangdeelert Cho explain everything from creating a standout portfolio to navigating the legal issues of starting a business. Accessible, spunky, and packed with practical advice, Creative, Inc. is an essential for anyone ready to strike out on their own. ... Read more

Reviews

A great resource!, October 1, 2010
I found this book to not only be an interesting read but very informative too. It starts off as a guide for those who have never freelanced before but as you move on through the chapters it suggests that you have started your business and by the end it talks about the future.

It is a great book for those who are starting out at the very beginning but is also useful for people (like me) who have been working for themselves for a while. There is information on setting up a portfolio, what kind of person you need to be to be able to do this sort of work and has a big focus on those that work for clients.

For me, the best parts of the book were the profile interviews with other creative freelancers who are successful in their own business as well as the chapters on pricing, agents and balancing work and personal life.

The pricing chapter was particularly helpful to me, so much so that I actually wished I could hug the authors when I read it.

I also appreciated the chapter on finding an agent and whether that might be the right decision for you. The balancing of work and personal life (something I'm not that great at) was also helpful, especially from a standpoint from someone who's been-there-done-that.

The book is honest and funny at times and it doesn't make the world of freelancing sound like a whole lot of long lunches and never ending holidays, which I think adds to its usefulness. But it doesn't make it sound like a hell that you'll wish you never entered either. I will also note that while it is written for an American audience, other than the parts about becoming a business in a legal sense and the tax requirements, it seems pretty universal and certainly applicable to Australian and international readers.

I will be keeping this book close to hand so that I can refer to it over and over, I think it will be a great resource and I'm already considering buying another copy for a friend of mine who I think will benefit from it too.

Thanks to Meg and Joy for writing this resource, I think it's the kind of book that will stay relevant for years to come.

Great for established freelancers!, September 1, 2010
I haven't been freelancing for long, but I've been in the game long enough to not be too much of a newbie. I knew a lot of the nuts and bolts information about freelancing, but Creative Inc. was such a motivational help to keep me going strong! It's so nice to read a book on this topic without being discouraged about legal jargon and business plans galore! Creative Inc. is the perfect mix of detailed information and friendly advice. The interviews with a diverse selection of freelancers is also really encouraging. Everyone in the book really understands what you are going through and has been there themselves. I think this book is a great buy for any type of designer/creative looking to work for themselves. Hey, if you're stuck behind a cubicle, read this and it will certainly change your life.

A fresh & simplistic approach to a complex topic., September 13, 2010
Creative, Inc. was a very helpful & quick read this past month for me. I have hit a point in my freelance career where I will need to decide to grow, to start a studio name, and do a lot of more serious planning as this skill of mine becomes more of my full-time focus. The girls did a great job in this book giving you just enough information to get you asking all the right questions, without overly complicating topics that could probably each have their own sets of books because they can get involved. It's a perfect insight for a native to the industry (like me) or a new graduate or younger professional trying to gather all the information before making an informed decision. There are a lot of interviews from real professionals from all different creative industries, such as graphic designers, animation freelancers a CPS's insight on taxes and illustrators.

If you are thinking about freelancing and want to get an idea of how to start, what is involved and where to go from here, this book is for you.
If you are working in the business, feel stuck, scared or just need some inspiration to get things moving, this $11 is well spent for a quick read to get your mind moving again.

I look forward to more in the future.
(specifically on the topic of when and how to decide to start using a studio name vs. your own as a freelancer!)
wink wink.

A helpful how-to for the would-be freelancer, November 18, 2010
When my sister and I run the world, all college students, no matter their chosen field, will take a basic business course as part of the mandatory freshman curriculum. Having zero business skills is a good way to invalidate any degree. In the freelance world, there's much more to staying financially afloat than having all the necessary skills to pull off excellent work.

Creative, Inc. is a crash course in business for creative folk, and it's refreshing to read authors who don't pretend starting a freelance business is simple. It's not.

Authors Mateo Ilasco and Cho hit every key point a person needs to build a start-up creative business, including a superb mix of practical advice and personal success stories.

With well-rounded advice for beginning freelancers, even those who've already leapt into freelancing will find help navigating the dark waters of taxes, billing, finding clients, and other business practicalities. Written in a neighborly tone, you'll find solid, practical advice from the authors, who tackle issues like establishing your hourly rate and hiring employees from an educated perspective. Author interviews with a range of seasoned professionals -- from prop stylist to designer to photographer -- offer alternate views on how to get started and what worked for them.

The spirit of invention is only one ingredient in a successful business venture. Drive counts more than your skillset and talent level. If you're already motivated, Creative Inc. offers everything else you'll need to begin freelancing full time.

The Go-To Guide For Creatives Everywhere!, October 29, 2010
I'm so proud of Joy and Meg because this book turned out to be an absolute go-to guide for creatives and one that I know I'll share with those who want to jump into creative fields. If you are looking for guidance as you launch your creative business or if you are a seasoned pro who could still stand to learn a few new tricks, Creative, Inc. is an excellent guide that you'll want to refer to time and time again.

I personally found it helpful -- I recommend it to beginners out there looking to launch but also to those who have been working independently for some time because the world of freelancing can be quite confusing with tons of gray areas no matter how long you've been freelancing. I jumped out of a corporate career in 2005 to pursue a freelance profession and I'm still learning how to navigate the waters as things change so quickly due to the rather unstructured nature of it all.

Out here, there is no rule book, no HR group or legal team to tap into when you need help. All of the decision-making and ultimately the entire business and what you do with it falls on Y-O-U which can be tricky, scary, exciting, motivating, whatever you make of it really. That is also why creatives need some support and guidance from those who get it, who have had to navigate this ever-changing environment through trial and error. Thankfully with a guide like this one, which is filled with excellent suggestions by two ladies who have "been there", the heartache and headache that can come from not knowing how to handle certain things (or handling them incorrectly!) can be significantly reduced or avoided altogether if one follows this handy how-to.

I also must add how much I appreciate the friendly delivery -- all too often books concerning business can read as preachy or blah but this one is professional yet approachable, witty at times, and altogether a good "yawn free" read (which I can't say about most of the business titles out there!). The interviews in the book are excellent as well -- Meg and Joy chat with a diverse crowd of creative freelancers which reinforces their words throughout the book and helps the reader to feel more supported while also seeing the way out.

Great work Joy and Meg!

Meg Does it Again!, October 24, 2010
Easy to understand guide to the freelance world. This book covers everything in a detailed, informative yet simplistic way. From the business end to scheduling time to relax and give attention to your personal needs this book is awesome! I have read other books by Meg and she doesn't disappoint. her experience and research in the field are refreshing compared to other books I have read. If you are starting out or a seasoned veteran...I bet this book would be helpful at any stage of your freelance career!

Clear and concise, but full of information, October 14, 2010
Freelancing, whether you are a photographer or illustrator can be an extremely daunting task. How do you find clients? How much should you charge them? How do you balance your schedule so you aren't always working? All this and more are covered in Creative, Inc.The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business. Meg Mateo Ilasco & Joy Deangdeelert Cho, have written a clear concise guide full of practical information, interspersed with anecdotes of those who have turned their artistic talent into a thriving freelance career. The book begins with the basics of how to decide if freelancing is a good fit, and then goes into detail building your business from the ground up.

Ilasco and Cho are great authorities on this subject because they themselves have turned their own talents into extremely flourishing careers. Ilasco runs a studio by her own name which produces stationery and home products. She has written a few other books and serves as the creative director of Anthology, a new home and lifestyle magazine. Cho not only runs her own successful stationery business, and writes two blogs [...]), but also has a consulting business for new small business owners and freelancers.

Creative Inc book fills the void of information for artists wanting to turn their vision to a full time business. The book is written in a casual and straightforward manner, making it a must read for anyone trying to make the jump to freelance or starting a small business.

Very Informative and great for any design profession, October 12, 2010
I always read the Oh Joy! blog and bought the book almost immediately. Right from the beginning, the content was informative and the real life stories were easy to relate to. Different professionals offer their life stories throughout the book and how they are forever evolving their work and business. There are helpful suggestions for the growing business as a freelancer or as a brand/company. I just started reading so I'm sure there will be much more helpful guides ahead. I already gained more inspiration and knowledge from the small part that I have read. GREAT GUIDE!!

Freelance Fantasy, December 3, 2010
This is hardly "the ultimate guide." If you're really wanting to freelance, this is fluff and fantasy. It's a cutesy book with some good information, but light on reality. One point they did not address was what one should do, and which happens if you don't get paid, and is rather important! Seriously if you want to get started, the book to get into is the Graphic Artist's Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines and/or join the organization or AIGA. There are any number of books better than this. Fun to look at, but not very useful.

many ah-hah moments!, August 30, 2010
a smooth read with wonderful insight. i have many business books and an mba - this is a welcome change of scenery. good tips, case studies, and a fresh point of view. it's changing the way i think about my business! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Imagine a workplace where everyone chooses to bring energy, passion, and a positive attitude to the job every day. Imagine an environment in which people are truly connected to their work, to their colleagues, and to their customers. In this engrossing parable, a fictional manager is charged with the responsibility of turning a chronically unenthusiastic and unhelpful department into an effective team. Across the street from her office is Seattles very real Pike Place Fish Market, world famous and wildly successful thanks to its fun, bustling, joyful atmosphere and customer service. By applying ingeniously simple lessons learned from the actual Pike Place fishmongers, our manager learns how to energize those who report to her and effect an astonishing transformation in her workplace. Addressing todays work issues (including employee retention and burnout) with an engaging metaphor and an appealing message that applies to any sector of any organization, Fish! offers wisdom that is easy to grasp, instantly applicable, and profoundthe hallmarks of a true business classic. Based on a bestselling ChartHouse training video which has been adopted by corporations including Southwest Airlines, Sprint, and Nordstrom. ... Read more

Reviews

Great, inspiring read but poor teaching methodologies., April 6, 2002
FISH is written in a parable (short story using fictional characters) format, reminiscent of the style apparent in the classic, bestseller The One Minute Manager. The goal of the FISH Philosophy is to learn how to boost morale and improve operational results in a business organization. As the authors put it "Enclosed are the keys to creating an innovative and accountable work environment where a playful, attentive, and engaging attitude leads to more energy, enthusiasm, productivity, and creativity."

The four key points of the philosophy are:

* Play - have fun and create energy at home or at the office.
* Make their day - how can you engage fellow employees, customers and make each other's day?
* Be Present - How can you make sure you are fully available and aware during conversations with people? It is about create a greater sense of intimacy between individuals.
* Choose Your Attitude - Each day you choose how you are going to act or which "side of the bed" you wake up on. The choice is yours and, the way you act, affects others.

In my opinion, this business parable, like the rest of them, is great and horrible at the same time.

It is a great read for the following reasons:

1. It is a quick read. I read it in about 2 - 2.5 hours and I am a fairly slow reader.
2. The book is able to illustrate one point extremely effectively. For example, in this book they show how workers attitudes can impact a setting and how many of us don't understand how our attitude impacts our work setting and quality of life.
3. These are the kinds of books that employees will read as they are 100-150 pages in length and easy to read so a massive investment of time and energy isn't required by employees.

It is a poor book for the following reasons:
1. The authors never give you ways to implement the ideas. Once I was done reading the book I was thinking, "WOW, this is great stuff. Now how do I implement it in my company and, more importantly, what will it take for this to be successful." Which leads me to the next point...
2. While they illustrate certain key elements in the book they neglect to mention that:
a. Employees must trust management.
b. Top managers must be fully committed and "practice what
they preach."
c. Both of the above points are conveyed in the story but
the authors don't tell you about the importance of what
academics term "social capital" in an organization.

My concluding thoughts: This is a brief, simple, but elegant book that is an eye opener for those of us who grew up with notions like: "Work is serious, let's have no fooling around!" or "Profit is 'the only' way to measure business success." I commend the authors on conveying this to readers. HOWEVER, the cons outweigh the pros in this book. Like I pointed out, I really enjoyed reading the book and thought it was pretty effective in showing how an organization can completely turn around but, at the end of the day, no tools were presented to help the reader understand how to implement the FISH philosophy. If top managers don't cooperate or "practice what they preach" or understand why and how this philosophy works it goes nowhere, just like most management programs designed to attain all of the above mentioned goals of productivity, energy, etc.

If you want a great book on business principles I highly encourage everyone to read "The Essential Drucker" by Peter Drucker. Jack Welch is a big Drucker fan and this book is a compilation of his best work of over 60 years and 30 books on management principles.

It's about life!, February 24, 2000
This is a brief, simple, but elegant book that is an eye opener for those of us who grew up with notions like: "Work is serious, let's have no fooling around!" or "Profit is 'the only' way to measure business success."

The story is told in the context of a familiar business departmental crisis. Traditional management processes have failed and those who tried to implement change left convinced that conditions would never improve in that department (nicknamed the "Toxic Energy Dump").

A new departmental manager is assigned; she must find and implement new solutions or suffer the burden of defeat experienced by her predecessors.

Serendipitously, during her lunch break, she discovers a fish market that does not fit preconceptions for that environment most of us would have, i.e., hard, tedious work under unpleasant, uncomfortable conditions. What she does experience is a group of people who are totally involved with their customers, having a lot of fun, and selling lots of fish!

She asks one of the fishmongers about how they do this. And so begins the odyssey that uncovers the four key lessons she applies to turn her department around. I believe that these lessons are cornerstones for success both at work and in personal life. The lessons may seem simple and obvious, but they are based the deep needs we all have to feel that we matter, to contribute to others, and to enjoy our work.

I attended the first "Fish Camp" in Minneapolis that Steve Lundin and his associates facilitated (they did a great job); I left with the lessons contained in this book. I have discussed these lessons with almost all of the executives I currently coach and have concluded, from their comments, that they both appreciate and apply these insights with success in their work/personal lives and settings. This book is a useful tool in helping people, and groups of people, reframe how they see their work; many discover that they can find enjoyment and satisfaction in their ordinary day-to-day work lives.

A Fish Story That's Real & Inspirational, September 5, 2000
What does a "Toxic Energy Dump" and throwing fish have to do with life, especially performance in the workplace? A great deal according to the authors of The Fish.

In this parable you learn very quickly and easily how to turn around a "toxic" environment. Although the solutions may sound simple and obvious, they remind us - that regardless of our position in an organization, it's a great thing to find enjoyment and satisfaction in our ordinary day-to-day work lives. The writers provide simple descriptions of what attitude and fun can do to turn around the "toxic energy dump" in the workplace. The fable and principles show you how to bring hope and excitement to the people who perform the "back room" functions.

This book is a quick read, with principles that are easy to grasp and apply. Laughter and fun are great bridge builders between people - I encourage you to try The Fish and see how these principles are used to build bridges not only at a renowned fish market in Seattle, but between people within a back room department and other departments.

What can you learn from a smelly fishmonger!, April 4, 2000
Can creativity and enthusiasm be learned from a smelly, fishmonger?

You bet! One of the most important values I learned from this book is that it's possible to gain wisdom from some of the most unsuspecting places. Never judge a book by its cover... you could be missing out on a lot!

One thing that I will never understand about society is how easily we get trapped into ruts in our professional and personal lives. Yet, we do nothing to rectify the situation. Complaining doesn't count, my friends!

With thousands of business "How-to" books flooding the market, Fish! is a welcome change as it tackles some very important issues in a fun and easily understood manner.

In this engrossing parable, a single mom/corporate manager is given a seemingly impossible task. She is responsible for turning an office that has been described as a toxic-energy dump into an enthusiastic and productive environment.

Overcome with fear of losing her job, the book's main character, Mary Jane, loses hope and retreats to her own private world every lunch hour as she walks the downtown Seattle streets. One afternoon she walks to the world-famous Pike Street Fish Market for the first time. Little did she know that when she met a smelly fishmonger named Lonnie, it would be the beginning of a wonderful new life!

If you are content to live with whatever life throws your way, this book is not for you. If you feel that you hold within your hands the power to change your destiny, this book is an effective tool that will help you on your path to success. Endorsed by some of the world's most successful businessmen, Fish! is a surprisingly important book you can't afford to miss.

4 simple principles to make your organization fun., November 29, 2000
Fish is simple. The book espouses 4 principles that are simple to understand yet often missing in most workplaces. Reading this book will help any business leader/manager look for ways to involve their employees in making their jobs fun and enjoyable and thereby a place they want to be. I manage the accounting and finance areas of my organization and I purchased Fish for all my employees. We have begun meeting and discussing ways to apply the principles found in Fish, the first dealing directly with the employee and their attitude when they walk in the door. The attitude they bring to work will effect their day and the effect the people around them. Fish leads you from helping your employees understand the importance of their attitude to helping them make the workplace vibrant and enjoyable for everyone. There are a million books in the marketplace telling you how to make your employee's lives easier. Fish tackles the concept that the employee is responsible for taking the first step to make the organization a great place. Too often, we are told the company makes the people. The fact is, the people make the company. Fish will help you decide whether to allow your people to languish or lead them to a better and happier life and job.

Don't Take the Bait!, September 7, 2005
Having fun at work...a great concept, but Lundin's book is meant for a 5th grade mind, not a fully functional adult. The theory behind the book is relevant but Lundin's delivery is all too simplified and doesn't have practical application of how to do this. And what's more, Lundin gets hired to go to big corporations to throw FISH dolls around for $1000's of dollars. The problem is that he's there for a half day and once he's gone, the fish dolls gather dust.
If you want to change your workplace, it takes more than throwing a stuffed fish doll around. You have to have a set of values that honors people and find ways to execute on those values EVERY day.
But you have to give Lundin credit, he's made an empire out of books meant for elementary school as well as over-priced workshops and DVDs that all say the same message.
But if you're a smart and intelligent leader, bypass this simpleton text and do some research over at the Harvard Business Review....

I like the ideas, but not in a business book, March 18, 2004
I like having fun and being entertained, and I really liked the ideas in this book. But marketed as a business book?

Let me set some boudries, first of all, to show you how important I think the material is. If this was Doctor Suess- like book, marketed and written with my kids in mind, I would be cool: five stars easlily. If it was marketed as a self-help book for reframing your attitude, it would get four, maybe five stars. If it were a hippy/ new-age book about just being and enjoying life, five stars plus.

However, as a business book, it is pure fluff.

I was forced to watch this in a corporate setting. Instead of fostering honest, human fun amongst our workforce, it seemed like an invitation for many on the management staff to work on trivial activities. Using Covey's "Seven Habits" and "First Things First" language, they were spending their time in Quadrant 4 of the time management matrix (unimportant, not urgent), instead of the stewardship that comes from Quadrant 2 (important,not urgent).

And employees were ignored while these managers "played," bringing in megaphones and making silly videos. If you want to find out about how to create good customer service, try "Customers for Life," "Raving Fans," or "Hug Your Customers." If you want to motivate your workforce, "The Streetwise Guide to Motivating and Rewarding Your Employees," or a reprint of the HBR article by Herzberg, "Once Again, How do You Motivate Your Employees?" is an excellent place to start.

This book, from my experience, will likely lead to the denial of serious issues, which are actually a blast to tackle in my experience.

hidden agendas!, May 21, 2002
One of the most telling points in "Fish" comes late in the book. AFTER the bit about having your employees have a "designated creativity area" called "The Sand Box" (ugh). And AFTER the bit about having employees walk around on colored circles of paper, reading out the ideas for improving their workplace when the music stops on them (gag).

No, my favorite part is when the fictional employees on the "Choose Your Attitude" team suggest that their co-workers read "Personal Accountability: The Path to A Rewarding Work Life." No mention is made of the fact that that book is written by THE SAME AUTHOR as "Fish"! But, then again, this clearly isn't aimed at anyone with an IQ over about 80...

If you feel your employees will benefit from reading this book, then you clearly do not have an intelligent workforce. Rather than spending money on this brain-numbing parable, why not try to hire some employees who don't need the obvious explained to them?

What's next in this "dumbing down" of Corporate America, anyway? A parable to convince employees that bathing is in their best interests?!?

Pointing The Way To Happier Staff And Happier Clients !!, October 7, 2000
The title sounds "FISHY" but the contents do deliver concrete information on making everyone's work day more pleasant, while gaining happier customers. There are only 112 fast-reading pages in this new book, but they provide a wealth of knowledge and things to think about. Seattle's Pike Place Fish Market provided the fundamentals for this book which can be used in any work environment and situation- office work as well as front-line work. You'll learn eye-opening fundamentals and common sense approaches to dealing with customers and staff actions and accountability, that produce not only happier customers, but happier staff members as well. Did I find any magic formula in this book to accomplish all of this? Not really. But there's a wealth of stuff to think about. The fundamentals presented are: Choose Your Attitude, Make Their Day, and Be There. The principles taught by this book are currently being used by organizations all over the world with great success being reported. The FISH pilosophy is relevant to nearly every issue facing business today: productivity, teamwork, quality improvement, customer service, creativity and innovation, employee turnover and job satisfaction. What else is there ? Simple lessons are presented, teaching managers how to energize staff and how to result in a completely improved workplace. The information is easy to learn and apply. The principles presented are a win-win for everyone from management, to staff, to customers. Well worth reading !!

employee = dumb?, June 3, 2002
Oh boy, another 'management' technique. Not being a manager I know they are talking about me. Goody. I often read these kind of books so I can guess what the next 'team building' episode at work will be like. Somehow these 'fable writers' think that all employees are stupid and cannot spot symbolism. Gee, I had an education, we talked about it in 7th grade. Oh, and don't get me started on the cheese thing.

Perhaps workers just want to be treated like adults and be given adequate creative freedom and time at home. Ya think?

*shakes her head* ... Read more