Average customer rating:
- Another Goldratt Novel... Good but not Great
- Fun and practical
- It's not luck
- Limited Usefulness
- It's not The Goal...
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It's Not Luck
Eliyahu M. Goldratt
Manufacturer: North River Press
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Binding: Paperback
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The Goal
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Critical Chain : A Business Novel
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Theory of Constraints
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The Race
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Necessary But Not Sufficient
ASIN: 0884271153 |
Book Description
Learn more about the powerful techniques first presented in the best-selling business novel, The Goal. In this book, Dr. Goldratt, through examples in a variety of industries, shows how to apply TOC to sales and marketing, inventory control, and production distribution. In addition, techniques in conflict resolution are introduced on both a business and personal level.
Customer Reviews:
Another Goldratt Novel... Good but not Great.......2007-03-16
Goldratt takes us through he paces again, but this time not quite as ground breaking and informative as the Goal. Of course the Goal remains standard reading for all young managers in any sort of manufacturing environment, and the TOC is a baseline concept that they should wrap their mind around. This book is good and adds a little refinement on top of the previous books, but should definitely be down in the pile. Start with the Goal, and keep this book on the low priority / rainy day list.
Fun and practical.......2006-10-24
Another Goldratt teaching novel that teaches his thinking processes in story format. Fun reading. Inspires trying to solve work process problems that are hard because the current reality has contradictions in it. Setting is far from most workplaces, but then so are spy novels. Read the story for fun, and then read Scheinkopf's Thinking for a Change: Putting the TOC Thinking Processes to Use to learn the methods.
It's not luck.......2006-09-01
Great book! My first intention was not to buy this book. It was suggested to me. It ended up being very good. I'm glad that Amazon suggested it to me.
Thank you
Limited Usefulness.......2005-10-04
The Goal has some usefull stuff, the TOC and DBR. The Thinking Process is useless!
It's not The Goal..........2005-09-30
... but it's alright!
You must have read The Goal before embrassing this one. Although useful for a better understanding of the whole Goldratt's TOC especially in marketing and distribution, this novelesque management book suffers a little from proseltism. The reverence for Jonah's figure, even when solving personal problems, it's a bit abusive...
Average customer rating:
- Packed With Knowledged!
- the true key to prosperity - good governance!
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Keys to Prosperity: Free Markets, Sound Money, and a Bit of Luck
Rudiger Dornbusch
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0262041812 |
Book Description
The underlying theme of Rudi Dornbusch's work is unabashedly Chicago, namely, the University of Chicago belief that markets solve problems best and that most bureaucrats, even when well-intentioned, are distracted by politics or excessive zeal for perfect solutions. Dornbusch seeks to challenge those in charge with alternative answers and to limit their ambitions. He takes aim at central bankers, bureaucrats, unions, do-gooders, and politicians from Brazil, Japan, Russia, and other scenes of economic disaster.
This book collects Dornbusch's recent commentaries from such publications as Business Week, the Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times, as well as longer essays from recent and forthcoming books. The pieces focus on issues of domestic and international economic policy, including inflation and debt, exchange rates, trade policy, emerging markets, and the intersection of politics and economics. The writing is lively, opinionated, and informative.
Customer Reviews:
Packed With Knowledged!.......2001-09-28
This entertaining and sharply written collection of essays surveys the essential elements needed to assure prosperity in the 21st-century global economy. Some of the essays are dated (the only major flaw here), and some of author Rudi Dornbusch's predictions have already been proven wrong, but enough of his predictions are dead-on accurate that his views command attention. His policy prescriptions are rooted in the real world and grounded in practical experience. The region-by-region, nation-by-nation analysis is particularly intriguing and accentuates the clarity and accessibility of Dornbusch's sophisticated - if sometimes controversial - economic arguments. We [...] recommend this book as excellent reading for policymakers, investors and anyone interested in international markets and globalization.
the true key to prosperity - good governance!.......2001-02-21
Dornbush forwards a convincing argument for free markets and sound money. However one question begs to be answered. Why didn't these countries adopt the recommended policies?
There's more to prosperity than mere free markets and sound money. The ability (or rather the lack of) to sail these policies through the congress/parliament appears to be a major impedence. And luck only plays a minimal role in good governance.
Overall a good read. Non-technical approach makes this an entertaining book, only to let down by poor documentation (especially the 1st article which contains dubious looking charts with no references)...
Book Description
Good Luck is a whimsical fable that teaches a valuable lesson: good luck doesn’t just come your way—it’s up to you to create the conditions to bring yourself good luck. Written by Alex Rovira and Fernando Trias de Bes—two leading marketing consultants—this simple tale is universally applicable and uniquely inspirational. Good Luck tells the touching story of two old men, Max and Jim, who meet by chance in Central Park fifty years after they last saw each other as children. Max achieved great success in life; Jim sadly did not. The secret to Max’s success lies in a story his grandfather told him long ago. This story within a story has a tone reminiscent of the classic The Alchemist and shows how to seize opportunity and achieve success in life. In a surprise ending, Good Luck comes full circle, offering the reader inspiration, instruction, and an engaging tale.
Customer Reviews:
the book of inspiration.......2007-03-21
the story in this book is lovely and encouraging. Good Luck comes to those who are hardworking. if you need an inspiration or want to encourage someone, then this is the great book to buy.
Very inspirational........2007-03-03
This is a very good book. Unlike a lot of other books that keep going on and on over hundreds of pages basically trying to make the same point, this book has a very good short story that's easy to understand and unforgettable. I want to read it to my kids someday.
Good Luck.......2006-02-24
It will make you know how to deal with your struggle life. Good book!
Excellent book for those have waited for luck to arrive.......2005-01-09
Great book to show the truth of what "luck" really means in a simple story. Inspiring for those who are looking for the ingredients of true success. A good read for the newly college graduates who wish to pave a career path that would live for eternal life.
What an Empowering Little Book!.......2004-12-10
This is a classic little tale within a story that demonstrates the difference between the luck and good luck. I know many of you out there are relying on winning the lotto-to achieve financial freedom. I admit. I know this first hand. I wished for years that my financial salvation would come through six winning numbers on a NY lotto ticket. Then one day it hit me, what if this never happens? ... what's my backup plan? So I started working on building several streams of income AND made a commitment not to rely on the lottery and not to buy lottery tickets for at least 1 year. (It was one of the greatest decisions I have ever made.)
The essence of this fabulous little book is that you create your own luck. Yes you can get lucky and you may be the next mega jackpot winner...but if you want to GREATLY increase your chances of getting luck without SUPER MIRACLES I urge you to read this book today. I think its message is classic and timeless. This book also makes a great gift for anyone that you know needs to hear this message.
Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works
Book Description
THE COMPLETELY REVISED AND UPDATED EDITION OF RUSS WHITNEY'S CLASSIC BLOCKBUSTER ON REAL ESTATE INVESTING AND WEALTH BUILDING
Since its first release a decade ago, Building Wealth -- called "an indispensable guidebook for everyone dreaming of something better" by Business Times -- has shown thousands of people how to get rich in the real estate market, based on the proven techniques that took Russ Whitney from working in a slaughterhouse as a high school dropout to a millionaire investor and entrepreneur. Now Whitney brings his invaluable guide fully up to date, allowing readers to take advantage of a real estate market that's exploding with opportunity.
The updated and revised Building Wealth reflects the momentous changes that have occurred in recent years. In addition to his rock-solid tips on negotiating and exploiting the world of real estate, Whitney delivers entirely new advice on such topics as:
- Moving from residential to commercial properties
- Investing in raw land
- Real estate development
- Using the Internet and other technologies to maximize profits
- Making the most of real estate revenue by investing it in the stock market
- And much more.
A revered guide that inspires self-confidence as it demystifies the steps to financial gain, this newest edition of Building Wealth is required reading for everyone interested in making a fortune to enjoy now and leave as a legacy.
Customer Reviews:
Very helpful.......2007-03-01
This book gives the new investor alot of insights on some basic points in real estate and he also outlines a step by step formula on how to build your real estate fortune.
Book Description
Networking guru Susan RoAne shows readers how to exploit chance to create a bigger network of contacts, friends, and acquaintances—the key to new life opportunities. In How to Create Your Own Luck, she reveals the eight traits of successful people who make their own luck, rather than wait for it. Filled with engaging and instructive stories of real people who've turned serendipity into success, her book focuses on the eight counterintuitive traits that they all have in common, including talking to strangers, making small talk, dropping names, and even eavesdropping. This handy, real-world guide reveals the practical ways that anyone can create their own luck—opening up new opportunities in every aspect of life.
Download Description
How to turn random chance into runaway success In How to Create Your Own Luck, networking guru Susan RoAne shows us eight traits of successful people who make their own luck, rather than wait for it. She shows readers how to exploit chance to create a bigger network of contacts, friends, and acquaintances-which inevitably leads to more opportunities in life and business. Filled with engaging and instructive stories of real people who've turned serendipity into success, this book reveals the eight counter-intuitive traits that they all have in common, including talking to strangers, making small talk, dropping names, and even eavesdropping. These traits keep people open to new experiences and open the door to good fortune. Perhaps we strike up a conversation in an airport bar that turns into a business relationship, or we mention a friend's name to an associate and find new business opportunities. There are an endless number of ways that luck can lead to new opportunities. But it's really not luck; it's the result of being open to possibilities that pave the way for success. This handy, real-world guide shows readers how to apply RoAne's practical, proven advice to every aspects of their lives. Susan RoAne (San Francisco, CA) is the bestselling author of How to Work a Room, The Secrets of Savvy Networking, and What Do I Say Next?, which have sold over a million copies combined. She is also a noted public speaker whose audiences have included Citicorp, Procter & Gamble, Boeing, and the Wharton School. She has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and the San Francisco Chronicle, and has appeared on CNN, NPR, CBS, and the BBC.
Customer Reviews:
Do You Feel Lucky? Make Your Day by Reading This Book!.......2007-08-07
I have always believed that the simplest ideas are best, even though many of the best simple ideas are overlooked by millions of people. Susan RoAne's eminently readable book reminds us that some of the simple things that create success may be forgotten in our madcap efforts to make it from day to day. "Luck" does not come to us by luck, we have to work at it. In the best tradition of the self-help book, RoAne offers a step-by-step plan for creating your own luck. This is achieved primarily through connecting with other people.
It is important to recognize that RoAne is not a Johnny-come-lately to the topic of networking. She practically invented the subject with her groundbreaking books, How to Work a Room and The Secrets of Savvy Networking. How to Create Your Own Luck succeeds as another book you need to read if you want to be successful with people. As RoAne points out, you can't do it alone. Lighthouse keepers are not lucky. Only those of us who follow RoAne's Reminders will reap the benefits of a lucky existence.
How to Create Your Own Luck.......2005-08-29
Basically you only need to read the first two pages. The remaining 150 say pretty much the same thing over and over. A totally unoriginal book in every way.
Luck is Reading This Book!.......2005-01-29
Just when you think that surely nothing more could ever be written on networking, the guru herself, Susan RoAne, weaves a masterful extension to connecting with people for synchronistic
(or lucky) outcomes. She clearly outlines the right traits of "lucky" people and then proceeds to relate illustrative story after story. Read this book. Take the advise. Get "lucky"
Eileen McDargh, author of THE RESILIENT SPIRIT, WORK FOR A LIVING & STILL BE FREE TO LIVE.
Invaluable. Delightful. Read it now........2004-12-05
I am a self-confessed fan of Susan RoAne and her work. Recognized internationally as "the networking maven," she knows her specialty well and communicates it effectively. And that won't be my last understatement!
Essentially, RoAne's message is that you create your own luck by reaching out to others, by building relationships, and by practicing proven techniques of opening the doors of opportunity before you hear the knock. The book is built around eight traits of success:
Talk to strangers, make small talk, drop names, eavesdrop and listen, ask for and offer help, stray from your chosen path, exit graciously without burning bridges, and say "yes" when you want to say "no."
As you move smoothly through the pages of this book (it's written to be read easily), you will enjoy focused illustrations that illuminate the vital traits. RoAne shares a wealth of meaningful stories that bring her messages to life, then explains again the process to follow to achieve your desired results. You can tell this book was written by a former teacher; the emphasis on learning shines through. Each teaching is an inspiration; readers will find themselves motivated to put their new knowledge to work. Summaries and action plan starters at the end of each chapter encourage application of the learnings. For some, the experience may be, in at least a small way, life-changing.
In the first paragraph of this review, I used the word "maven." This is a Yiddish word meaning "an expert, a knowledgeable person." That definition is one of many that are included in a glossary at the end of this book. RoAne uses several Yiddish terms in her writing, so the reader gains an understanding of this language. There's even a thorough index to add value to this volume.
"How to Create Your Own Luck" is highly recommended for everyone who wants to smooth their path through life. It will be particularly valuable for people in business (not just sales), entrepreneurs, students entering the world of work, prospective retirees...and the list goes on. Your biggest challenge will come when you finish reading the book: you'll have to decide if you want to covet it, or pass it along to someone else.
RoAne is Right On!.......2004-11-24
I know so many people personally and in business that walk around with their eyes on the ground trying to figure out how to get what they want. RoAne makes it very clear; the answer's right in front of you! Success is a true "can't see the forest through the trees" scenario. How To Create Your Own Luck helps you smack right into one of those trees and clear your blurred vision of hopelessness. It's a great book for young entrepreneurs like me!
Book Description
Does the word "networking" make you cringe? Maybe that is why many shy away from the very skill that can help them personally and professionally. In Nonstop Networking author and personal marketing consultant, Andrea Nierenberg, reveals unique and easy-to-use strategies for linking-up with people in order to achieve mutual personal and professional goals. Based on five simple steps, Andrea’s system is different from other networking techniques in that it focuses on comfortable and familiar techniques for building relationships and not on handing out business cards and asking for referrals. Readers will discover positive ways to network anywhere, any time and the secret of how to build relationships that will improve their life, luck, and career. Learn twelve techniques to use when approaching a room full of strangers, master eight sure-fire communications skills, discover the types of people you need in your network (and that may already be a part of your circle of contacts.) Are you shy or introverted? Learn networking techniques that capitalize on your natural abilities. Are you anxious about keeping track of all your contacts? Andrea presents an elegantly simple system for organizing and staying in touch with everyone in your network. Easy to read with many examples of personal success stories throughout, Nonstop Networking is a must have for recent graduates, job seekers, career changers, consultants, entrepreneurs, or anyone with a personal or professional goal to achieve.
Customer Reviews:
Common sense but not common practice.......2007-04-27
Having seen Ms. Nierenberg in action during an in office presentation, and having read her book, I can say that the take away is a diligent approach to networking which we all "think" is great in theory, but which we do not, as a rule follow in practice (read: common sense, not common practice). Networking involves more than just a passive approach if it is truly to be effective. And that proactive approach is exactly what NonStop Networking stands for--hence the word Nonstop. Networking is an inherently personal thing, so I would say, read the book and use those principles that resonate to you. I started with birthday cards to all of my clients and you know what, it was simple, quick and effective enough to get phone calls from them thanking me for being thoughtful enough to do it. Really good stuff but again, it's only good for you the reader, if you start using it on a consistent basis.
Not bad..........2006-03-02
This book is relatively helpful, however, it
reminds me of term papers I'd written at the
age of 15 or so, where I'd desperately try
to increase line spacing and tighten up the
margins, in an effort to get my closing
paragraph to fall onto the 5th page, or the
7th page, or whatever the required paper
length was.
Overpromises A Little.......2005-11-20
Nonstop Networking: How To Improve Your Life, Luck and Career, by Andrea Nirenberg, is a good book on personal networking if one possesses the personality type to engage in this form of behavior.
My personality is one of an introverted nature, and approaching a stranger to impose myself upon them does not come naturally. Ms. Nirenberg has a chapter in the book with tips for those introverted individuals like myself to pull this off. But her tips cannot change our basic nature and personality type, so the chapter is not much help.
This book is great for those extravert individuals who want to network, feel comfortable doing so, but do not have the knowledge, skills, or experience to do so. This book would be a great benefit to those people.
But to those who read the book and expect it to turn them into networking superstars, when that behavior is contrary to their personality type, you will be greatly disappointed. Thus I have to only give the book 3 stars.
Also, I think the author uses the book to make networking sound like it will solve all of ones business marketing problems. She cites case after case where she networked with someone and the story always ends with, "and now they are a client of mine." I am sure she has had many business successes from her networking, but she never tells of the many networking attempts that fail before reaching the one that succeeds. This does not paint a realistic picture of networking. She makes it sound like every networking effort will end in a new client or a business success.
Other reviewers have pointed out that while is 170 pages, it is printed in double-space with large font, and the width of many of the pages are further reduced by a sidebar. In other words, this book is a lot shorter than it appears to be. One should just realize you are buying a much shorter book that it appears to be from its appearance.
The bottom line is this is a good book for those who are inclined to network, but a waste of time for those not already possessing the skills to do so.
The reality of networking isn't so rosey..........2005-09-21
The book is a very easy read overall, it's simple and to the point. I wasn't born to be out-going so it's very difficult for me to pull off many of the techniques suggested by the book. I'm a young CPA starting out to building my own client base, and am looking forward to improve my social skills. However, some advices like making lunch appointments to follow up with contacts, are very difficult to pull off. It's ackward to invite someone you just met to go to lunch with, particularly if the person is the opposite sex. How can a woman ask a male contact to go to lunch without making him think that she is asking him to have a lunch date? Or how can a man ask a female contact to go to lunch without scaring her off? I have been attending ballroom dancing and had tried some of the book's networking techniques, but the people that I talked to so far haven't given me their phone number or business card . Unfortunately, I'm in a class where everybody is very much an introvert, much worse than me. I felt like I was trying to connect with someone who was on a very different wave band. A couple girls in the class are actually friends and they totally refused to talk to or look at anyone else but each other. In my opinion, no matter how hard you try to network, the success of it really depends on the group of people and the setting. The reality is, there is always a lot of frustration and you just have to keep going and not let the frustration bother you. That is the hard part. The book suggests writing and emailing contacts. But a lot of people just won't repond to your emails or letters at all. I had once sent boxes of Sees Candies every Christmas to my former teacher who taught me real estate law to thank him for referring me to one of the schorlarhsips that I was applying. He operates a busy real estate investment firm. He never repsonded to my Christmas gifts or cards or emails and I think it's because he was just too busy. So I gave up. I had long ago tried many of the advices suggested by the book before I even read the book. The problem is I always felt intimated by non-response and then I gave up. I think selecting the particular type of people and personalities you want to network is important. Time is too precious and I just can't afford to try to connect with many people who are off the wave band completely. I realize I have to not be intimated by non-reponse and be perservere. Unfortunately, the book doesn't talk much about the harsh reality of network, and neither did it tell you how to overcome frustration and intimidation that are often parts of the networking process.
I liked it, solid advice .......2005-09-18
Andrea Nierenberg is the author of "Nonstop Networking: How to Improve Your Life, Luck, and Career". This is good pick for those just starting out and want an easy read about how to network with people.
Personal networking is an important skill for anyone who owns a business, and there's even a chapter for introverts who are uncomfortable in social situations. Based on the principle that most people are more comfortable doing business with those they are familiar with and trust, it's a nice guide on how to build and strengthen your personal and business relationships.
Whether you're looking for a job, or have a business and want to gain more clients this type of skill is an important one to develop. Reviews for Nonstop Networking on amazon were favorable, with the only real complaint that the 170 page book is printed in double space type and a large font, so you'll notice it's considerably smaller if it were printed normal size.
Book Description
Remember that success requires half luck and half brains Kemmons Wilson likes to say. It is one of his 20 Tips of Success the rules by which he made it big. In his autobiography Wilson illustrates those 20 Tips through the various episodes that shaped his incredible life story. Wilson offered the public a brand name it could trust in roadside lodging as big green-and-yellow Holiday Inn signs lit up skylines from Texarkana to Tahiti from Hong Kong to Casablanca. Wilson goes far beyond the epic of the most successful hotel chain in history. For the first time Wilson recounts his entire larger-than-life rags-to-riches story.
Customer Reviews:
What Hershey Did For Chocolate.......2005-06-01
After spending seven nights in a Holiday Inn, I picked up a copy of this book in the hotel gift shop, where it was on sale for 79 cents. I wound up going back to the desk clerk and asking if I could extend my stay. Kemmons Wilson, the man who invented the idea of the "Holiday Inn" (or at any rate bought the rights from famed songwriter Irving Berlin), has written a book which rivals THE EDUCATION OF HENRY ADAMS for sheer insight and business acumen. Why are we drawn to the combination of green and yellow that makes up the HOLIDAY INN logo? You'll never guess! But that duotone color flash, with its "Vacancy" sign blinking underneath, lures travellers in the way flypaper lures a fly.
He was a wealthy man even before he coined the phrase (I mean leased it), "Holiday Inn," and making a lot of money hasn't changed his basic character. If people teased him about being called, "Kemmons," he did not take it personally but stored up the energy he might have devoted to getting even, and turned it around into a way to get rich. Okay, so the Holiday Inn isn't the Trump Plaza, still, it's a way for the ordinary person to experience a little bit of the comfort of home when they're out on the road or just looking to get lucky. Kemmons Wilson knows all these facts and lays them out in his now-famous "Twenty Tips" to prosperity.
Never underestimate the other fellow's taste. If you had thought of the green and yellow sign you too might be raking in the chips and clipping your coupons. He made it onto the cover of TIME magazine in 1972. What Milton Hershey did for chocolate, I think you will find, Kemmons did for the motel business. Thought of the customers first. Selling his life story is just part II. They were going like hot cakes in the revolving rack in the gift shop, the two clerks could barely keep them on the shelf. Well, 79 cents is quite a bargain even if the book was bad.
I can not put this book down.......2003-02-18
Excellent Read! This book starts with 20 tips for success. Kemmons' sucess examplifies those tips. He is so hardworking, never afraid of making mistakes. As he said, everyone makes mistakes only a fool makes the same mistakes twice but he himself made same mistakes twice. Even mistake pays.
He did not become rich in one night as those in the internet bubble. He was already a millionaire before the Hiliday Inn. Even after he retired from Holiday Inn, he was still creating enterprises.
Makes me want to act on my ideas.
You too can do anything you desire!.......2000-02-11
Excellent read! I enjoy good business bios, and this ranks up there with the best of them. After you read this book you'll know what the word persistance means!
EXCELLENT autobiography and business tome to boot!.......1999-05-02
This book not only chronicles the life of Kemmons, but expands upon the ideology behind the business of Holiday Inn and other ventures. Not only an enjoyable read, but an EXCELLENT guide for an entrepreneur such as myself. Exceptional in EVERY respect!
Book Description
Humans are gambling animals—and not just when we invest in the stock market. Every time we take an action—deciding which job applicant to hire, which product to launch— we are betting our time, reputation, effort, and money in the hope of achieving some future result.
Some people base their business bets on dumb luck, but the great ones—like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Oprah Winfrey—make their own luck.
Eileen C. Shapiro and Howard H. Stevenson have compressed the complex skills of making your own luck—which they call predictive intelligence—into twelve easy and practical steps. These steps will get you the results you want with the least risk and the most upside. They will help you take smarter risks without the “analysis paralysis” that gets so many people and companies in trouble.
Most books about strategy are dull and loaded with jargon. Make Your Own Luck is full of jokes, brain teasers, anecdotes, and unexpected case studies from the Battle of Antietam to the diaper war between Huggies and Pampers. It teaches readers how to build their ability to bet smart and how to use this ability to win in business and in other areas of life.
Customer Reviews:
a book to be actively used, not just read.......2007-08-24
As others have noted, it's an easy book to quickly read and underestimate, but it's a very useful book when you actively think it through. I can vouch for its value as I'm about to use it for the second time in my undergrad intro to Entrepreneurship class at Marquette U. Judging from the quality of the plans last time (following the general outline of the appendix) and from their comments, they really have managed to develop personally meaningful, realistic and actionable plans. The first clue I had that the book has this quality was when I noticed that my wife, who is a busy business lawyer, was spending a lot of care going over it in the evenings, while preparing for a major case. So I'd conclude that it is useful for a range of readers.
Excellent book with practical, applicable methodology.......2006-06-12
Make Your Own Luck is an excellent book, with more pragmatic, useful content than I've found in most business books.
My background is in engineering and science, then business. As an engineer, I really liked that there's a "right answer." Or at least, there are clear wrong answers (the bridge will collapse if we make it out of tissue paper, period). In business, things aren't so easy. Most situations have too many factors to identify, let alone consider deeply. Shareholders interact with managers who interact with technology and customer service people and engineers and operations and ... it's tough to know how to think about all this.
Make Your Own Luck lays out a 12-step process (hmm...) for taking risks. Some of the steps sound simple: Know your big goals before you begin, so when you make bets in your life, you're betting on what you actually want. Sounds obvious? Yeah, but in my own work with executives, I've found that people easily lose sight of their real goals(1). The power from Shapiro and Stevenson's approach comes from having a rigorous checklist to consider when making risky bets.
Some of their tools help evaluate risks that I've never known how to tackle. For example, the authors give us "prediction maps," a tool for identifying low-risk, high-reward opportunities. Simple, elegant, and practically useful. Their other big new tool is "uncertainty grids." Uncertainty grids let you quickly test your plans against combinations of uncertainties to realize whether you've unconsciously anchored yourself to a single scenario, or whether your plans can survive multiple uncertain events.
Behind the tools, they slip in some subtle thinking shifts that are worth pondering in detail. In a paragraph or two, they dismiss "high rewards require high risks" and claim you don't need high risk to get high rewards. Maybe in their world, but that's not how I think. Yet I've also heard Warren Buffett say something similar, so I'm changing my beliefs around risk/reward. That said, it would have been nice if they had pulled out some of their mindset shifts and devoted more time to helping me-as-reader explore what amount to big changes in worldview.
The writing style is fun, with thought experiments between the chapters, a final chapter of scenarios to analyze using the 12 steps, and haiku or other verse at the start of each chapter. I found it a pleasant change from the overly heavy style of most substantive business books, and it was an easy read cover-to-cover that did justice to its excellent content.
I heartily recommend the book. Go check it out!
- Stever
(1) Being a professional, of course, I never, ever lose sight of my own goals. Really.
Good Starting Point for Learning about Odds-Making and PI.......2006-03-22
This book has a lot of potential because it covers the hot topic of how to use "predictive intelligence" (PI) to make business or personal decisions. Unfortunately, the execution falters, since both the book and the topic exist at two levels: dry material vs. attempts to explain it. Presentations about probability are inherently dry, so to liven up their discussion, authors Eileen C. Shapiro and Howard H. Stevenson use real-world examples and creative images. However, in the end, their lively metaphors dilute their information delivery. Readers will rightfully wonder what "wallpaper jujitsu," "magic thinking," "strategic rat hole zone," "bolt-on bets" and the "OOPA! Process" are all about, and the authors don't always fully explain these intriguing-sounding devices. Teaching PI is challenging, but breaking it down into a dozen components doesn't help as much as the authors might have hoped. While we find that the book presents a clear process, interesting anecdotes and good analogies, it also ends with a series of quizzes that have more than one right answer - leaving you both puzzled and intrigued. However, those are pretty good starting points for learning about odds-making and PI.
A Book for Serious Study.......2005-07-17
Although in previous reviews, the word "easy" is used, the value of this book is found by taking the time to give it serious study. "Make Your Own Luck" is not a simple read with slap-your-head insight at the end of each chapter. Rather, it provides a step-by-step methodology that, if you understand and follow it, increases the odds of your success.
Even though I'm a highly productive person, prior to buying this book, my thoughts and actions related to a business plan were scattered and unproductive. Based on my anxiety, I instantly understood the value of "The Gambler's Dozen Predictive Map." This technique shows how to match goals (bets) against probability (the unknown), a process so clarifying that it inspired me to created a software application so I could easily use this technique on a wide-range of issues.
I just finished studying the concept of "risk splits." After mastering the Predictive Map, it still took a few hours to wrap my mind around what the authors were describing; not because they are unclear, but because I've never before cast my thoughts using the patterns that they suggest. What I learned is that the hardest thing about making winning business decisions is understanding the impact of the future. By employing "risk splits," I can now look back from the future to analyze today, which is a major shift in my thinking process.
I'm starting to define my "It," a task of concisely describing my business that I've put off for the past year. As I'm a writer and a programmer, describing objectives is easy for me. In this case, however, I've come to realize that the uncontrollable elements revealed in my Predictive Map increased my anxiety and scrambled my brain. In other words, without employing "magic thinking" (more commonly called "BS"), I didn't know enough about my own project to make a meaningful statement, or properly invest my time and money (called "marbles" in Luck-speak) to make it come to life.
A must read.......2005-07-14
This book is a must read for anyone who is serious about improving the odds that their actions will produce the intended results.
The book has at least four things going for it:
* The authors' deep, relevant experience in business, business theory and real-world decision making.
* A practical, straightforward approach to acting in the face of uncertainty -- based on the sequential application of 12 skills and processes that, taken together, should improve anyone's "predictive intelligence."
* Stories -- lots of engaging, memorable stories that bring the process to life.
* Interactive elements that allow you to test your understanding of the material.
For me, Make Your Own Luck has been more than just another good business book. As the CEO of a start-up business, I and my associates face more than our share of uncertainty. And, given our limited resources, the consequences of bad bets can be particularly unwelcome.
We faced just such a situation a month ago when an important part of our business was underperforming. So, we turned to Make Your Own Luck and quickly realized that the source of our problems laid in steps 5 and 6 of the Gambler's Dozen, where we had relied on too much "magic" while failing to deal with an "elephant in the living room" (read the book and you will understand). Fortunately, we had a Plan B (also covered in step 6) and we are back on track.
The book's advice was direct and effective - almost as though we had Shapiro and Stevenson on our Board asking tough questions and offering possible solutions. Like I said, it is a must read.
Average customer rating:
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The Book of Luck: Brilliant Ideas for Creating Your Own Success and Making Life Go Your Way
Heather Summers , and
Anne Watson
Manufacturer: Capstone
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The Book of Happiness: Brilliant Ideas to Transform Your Life
ASIN: 1841126357 |
Book Description
Are some people just born lucky? The answer is no, people control their own fortunes. The Book of Luck will show you that there is a way to structure your luck and to bring success into your life and into your control. It will show you how to be lucky, always, demonstrating what has gone wrong in the past and outlining what you need to know for the future. Summers and Watson use extensive research and draw on their personal experiences both professionally and personally, to bring you a book crammed full of practical tips on how to turn the tide of your luck.
This book will appeal to people who want to move up in life, people who have been made redundant, people who have plateaued in their careers and people who are ambitious for the next step - or simply people who want to make more of themselves in a business or personal context. The Book of Luck shows you how to:
- choose your own luck
- use social situations to increase your potential for luck
- use your own personal strengths to increase your luck
- choose how you respond to situations and maximise your luck
- train your mind to expect long term success
- develop a good luck mindset.
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- Corporate bio reveals triumph over business pitfalls and disease
- An inspiring and educational readdd
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Next to Me: Luck, Leadership and Living with Parkinson's
David Jones
Manufacturer: Nicholas Brealey Publishing
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ASIN: 1857883578 |
Book Description
Remarkable story of one man's journey from having next to nothing to becoming chairman of NEXT and transforming it into one of Britain's most successful retailers, while secretly battling Parkinson's Disease
Customer Reviews:
Corporate bio reveals triumph over business pitfalls and disease.......2006-05-17
David Jones, a leading executive in British mail order fashion retailing, was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease on July 25, 1982, at age 39. In spite of that diagnosis, he remained a CEO of major companies for two decades. Jones' interesting autobiography downplays his fight against Parkinson's and focuses on his compelling career. While he covers little of his personal life, he gives an honest, detailed account of an almost confusing number of people, companies, trends and power plays from his professional life. The book is not chronological. Part I covers Jones' dramatic efforts to rescue NEXT from bankruptcy. Part II reports on his childhood and early career, and Part III covers his later years as CEO, as well as his illness and his philanthropy. We recommend this straightforward professional saga, despite wishing that its forthright, gutsy author had told it in order.
An inspiring and educational readdd.......2006-04-18
David Jones came from humble beginnings and worked his way up to CEO of a successful British retail company. And he did so without telling anyone that he had Parkinson's Disease for most of his tenure.
Jones was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease one year after he became the CEO of Grattan, which later merged with NEXT. In spite of the diagnosis, he continued as the CEO for almost 20 years. The primary focus is on Jones' climb and how the leaders saved a British retailer from going bankrupt. Parkinson's small role in the book does have a big impact as Jones describes the difficulties of living with it on a daily basis.
While he covers little about his personal life, he gives an honest account of the people in his professional life. Executives' stories of how they reached the top vary; reading about Jones' rise gives a great example of what it takes to get the C-level title.
Born and raised in Malvern in Worcestershire, Jones had a good childhood though money was scarce. To help sustain the family, he took a paper route with WH Smith delivering the paper six days a week without missing a day or delivering late. Fevers and bad weather couldn't stop him.
When he completed formal schooling at 17, on the advice of a youth employment officer, he applied for a temp job with Kays of Worcester, his first step into the world of retail. Jones went through merging and selling Grattan, the merger with NEXT in 1986 and the sale of Grattan in 1991 when the company was in trouble.
Throughout the book Jones shares his business beliefs, lessons, and experiences in dealing with heavy-duty business problems, difficult managers, and Parkinson's. He makes recommendations for how business governance should work. As he approaches the end of the CEO-ship, he gets involved with non-profit organizations and fundraising. In fact, all proceeds from this book go to Cure Parkinson's Trust.
Jones couldn't slow down after retiring because the hectic schedule helped keep his mind busy and off the symptoms that come with Parkinson's. He's currently a chairman at NEXT. Jones gives speeches about Parkinson's and continues as a business phenomenon, most proud of his accomplishments and those of NEXT.
American readers might have difficulty picking up some of the British business terms and titles. These become clearer as the reader progresses in the book. Next to Me is divided in three parts beginning with the challenging years of rescuing NEXT from 1986 - 1996, going into his childhood and learning the retail trade from 1943 to 1986, and closing with his retirement and speaking out on Parkinson's from 1996 through 2005. Going out of order proves more perplexing than helpful.
Jones encounters many people throughout his life. At times, the names of companies and people confuse the reader. In spite of the few glitches, the book is a gratifying read.
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