Book Description
A "textbook with passion", Hardwiring Excellence offers a road map and practical how-to guide for creating and sustaining a culture of service and operational excellence. In this book, author Quint Studer, CEO of Studer Group, draws on his personal experience as a former hospital executive who led two organizations to the top 1% in patient satisfaction and his experience coaching hundreds of healthcare organizations since.
Studer, a nationally acclaimed educator, coach, and thought leader in healthcare today, is a master storyteller, mixing "chicken soup style" stories with personal insight, simple tools, and in-depth recommendations on how good organizations can become great ones.
Based on Studer Group's Nine Principles SM, Quint Studer shows how to retain more employees; ensure better customer service; build strong leadership, align organizational values, goals, and results; increase communication; reward and recognize individual success while also requiring accountability; and move operational performance for better financials, market share, and growth.
At the core of the journey, he says, is a sense of purpose, worthwhile work and making a difference. When organizations learn how to harness this passion in their employees, they create a success spiral with ever increasing momentum.
In fact, Richard L. Clarke, FHFMA, President and CEO of Healthcare Financial Management Association says, "Quint Studer's Nine Principles of service and operational excellence provide the missing link between people power and strong financials. It's about courageous leadership."
Customer Reviews:
A Do-It-Yourself Manual to Leadership.......2007-09-19
Leadership and managment roled into one do-it-yourself manual. There are many books out there about management and leadership theory. Theory is important because creates the mindset that is the foundation for success. We are often then put to task creating our own application. Or we could read and implement the systems laid out in Hardwiring Excellence, the singule best book on HOW TO manage and lead to greatness. Could I be any more clear?
While Quint Studer focuses on what he know best, big healthcare, this book can and is being applied to every industry. (I have applied its systems to hospitality, customer service, and production.) The fact that Quint focused on what he does best is a great example of leadership, and an example of how Quint practices what he preaches.
I have the priviliege of living the same city as Quint Studer and interacting with his organization on a regular basis. I can attest that they practice everything they preach and have excelled wilding while doing it.
in anticipation.......2007-09-13
I just re-read this book in anticipation of Quint's new book, Results that Last (I think it's due out in October). The practical recommendations for healthcare leaders found in this book just make sense for leaders in any industry. I am really looking forward to seeing how he builds on these ideas in a book that is aimed at business in general.
Hardwiring Excellence.......2006-11-10
For health care executives who want to see positive, lasting changes in their organizations, a must read. This is a very thorough yet simple guide with explicit instructions and tools for how to get the right people in the right seat and continually doing the right thing for the right reasons. I was pleasantly surprised that the author was able to take such a complex organizational structure and develop simple procedures for achieving excellence. Want safety and quality in healthcare, adopt the principles of this book and you can achieve success. Reads like a novel, well worth the investment in money and time. Our entire management team has read this book and is adopting the principles to ensure all are doing worthwhile work and making a difference each day in someone's life.
Hardwiring Excellence: Purpose, Worthwhile Work, Making a Difference.......2006-11-10
Easy to read and very helpful information for those in the professional realm.
Realistic and Practical.......2006-08-13
This is one of the best "how to" books on management I have read in years. It captures the culture of hospitals (and health care facilities in general) very accurately and the realism lends credibility to the book. He gives authentic scenarios and tells how he and his managers dealt with them. Also, he is realistic in that he includes some tough remedies such as helping someone find opportunities outside the organization when she absolutely poisoned her departmental relationships and refused to change. If you are wanting to change the culture in your organization this book will certainly help you and give you a different perspective. And, although it will be most helpful to health care managers, it will also be applicable to managers in any setting that want to change their culture and become a better, more productive, and more satisfying place to work.
Book Description
Companies cannot simply decide that they want to "do quality" and be successful with their implementations. Quality cannot be an objective by itself - rather it is a consequence of the organization doing a lot of things properly. Quality will follow because quality principles form the cornerstone of management practice. Readers who understand this message will have a deeper insight into what ingredients are essential for corporate success. "Quality: A Corporate Force" instructs the reader how to manage in order to ensure that the right kinds of behaviors are taking place.
Open systems and capability models./Focus on real-world management issues and applications./Coverage of process analysis problem-solving and creative tools./Coverage of statistical tools and measurement processes./Learning objectives and key outcomes./Callout of key terms and key ideas./Coverage of the human element and the human resource system./Coverage of senior management issues.
This book covers topics of interest to all levels of an organization - from the formulation of strategy to the formation of Six Sigma project teams.
Book Description
The Talent Management Handbook explains how organizations can identify and get the most out of “high-potential people” by developing and promoting them to key positions.
The book explains:
1. A system for integrating three human resources “building blocks”: organizational competencies, performance appraisal, and forecasting employee/manager potential
2. Six human resources conditions necessary for organization excellence
3. How to link your employee assessment process to career planning and development
The Talent Management Handbook will help you design career plans that boost employee morale, as well as create and sustain excellence in your organization. It is full of simple, efficient, easy-to-follow methods for assessing, planning, and developing high-value people to meet your organization’s current and future needs. And it will help you combine your organization’s diverse human resources activities into a single, cogent system.
Featuring best practices from leading companies as well as contributions from field experts who hold top positions in such leading HR consultancies as AON Consulting, The Hay Group, Hewitt Associates, Right Management Consulting. Sibson Consulting, and Towers Perrin, The Talent Management Handbook is an authoritative resource for creating and maintaining excellence in your organization through people management.
Customer Reviews:
It's Okay..........2007-08-23
I was really excited to get this book because I thought it was going to walk me through the steps of creating competencies and how to put them into place. The first chapter was great. After that it sort of drags a little. Each chapter is written by a different person or group of people so it is more like an accumulation of articles rather than something that is specifically useful. The information is still good and I am looking forward to finishing the book (almost done), but it definitely has not kept my interest. There are some spelling errors in the book as well, which tend to make it seem like it is not read enough to be considered a reliable resource. It is alright, but don't have the expectation that you will have enough information to implement these systems after reading the book.
Outstanding Book.......2007-02-10
This is an outstanding book that succinctly explains a simple and practical approach to the identification, assessment and management of talent in the current, dynamic operating business environment. The book plainly gives advice on how to avoid high staff turnover, poor morale, and poor performance.
Here is a book that not only "tells it like it is," but offers visionary insights into "how it needs to be." The authors ignite the imagination, expand the possibilities, and offer practical strategies any firm can use to effectively develop, retain and utilise talent for the benefit of an organisation and enter the fluid, flexible future. Managers at all levels will cheer the sanity the authors suggest.
The book is written in an easy to follow and understand way that will help you draw career plans that enhance the morale of the workforce and generate and maintain high performance in your organization. It is full of straightforward, efficient, clear techniques for evaluating, planning, and developing top performing employees to ensure that your organization will be a success.
Exceptional Talent Management Resource.......2006-02-23
This handbook offers valuable and process rich descriptions of how to create a talent management system and how to develop competencies to work within that system for consultants and executives alike. The handbook also provides practical suggestions on creating performance management systems along with several other support tools common to talent management systems including compensation, 360 feedback, training and coaching.
Good reference material.......2005-08-20
A few of the articles are stellar, but many are so-so. Nevertheless, it is very comprehensive covering topics from A to Z, so it is a good reference tool. Definitely for the HR professional, not the line manager.
AN EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF INSIGHTFUL CONTRIBUTIONS........2005-05-20
The concept of talent management is a systematic, proactive approach to the integration of business and organizational planning, assessment, succession planning, performance improvement, competency enhancement, and career growth. Contributors explain: how a talent management plan and process are developed; the four steps to creating a system; how competencies create economic value; finding high-potential talent throughout the organization; and much more. Breaks important, new ground.
Book Description
Studies show that U.S. companies lose approximately $75 billion annually on failed or mismanaged projects. Avoid the many pitfalls and deliver projects on time, within budget, and of the scope and quality desired by the client, with a highly successful tool called the Statement of Work (SOW).
In Delivering Project Excellence with the Statement of Work, author Michael Martin explains what an SOW is ... how it's developed and used on a project to establish a baseline, develop pricing, and measure changes and profitability ... and how to communicate and sell the importance of the SOW to the client and your own organization.
Included with this book is a bonus CD-ROM with sample SOWs, templates, and forms to help you manage change to the project throughout its life cycle. This is a must-have book for every project leader, manager, team member, or client.
Customer Reviews:
Solid Book !.......2004-11-17
Mr. Martin did a magnificent job explaining what an SOW is and when it should be created. He also explains in detail the creation of an SOW and how it applies to the government and private business sectors. If you are familiar with SOW's you can skip Chapters 1-3 and dive into Chapter 4. I strongly recommend Chapter 5-7.
Chapter 1: Defining the Statement of Work
Historical Perspective on the SOW
Industry Standard Definition of the SOW
Definition of the SOW in the New Economy
Chapter 2: The Importance of the SOW in Managing Projects
Reasons for Having a SOW
Benefits of the SOW
Chapter 3: When to Do an SOW
Consequences of Lack of Guidance for the Private Sector
When an SOW Should Be Done
Types of SOW's and When They Apply
Chapter 4: Who Should Develop the SOW
Building the TIGER Team
Building the Cone of Cohesion
Chapter 5: Building the SOW foundation
Performing Due Diligence
Building the WBS
Chapter 6: Framing the SOW
Developing the SOW Framework
Structure of the Baseline SOW framework
Chapter 7: Finalizing the SOW
Drafting a Quality SOW
Role of the SOW in Pricing the Project
Reviewing the SOW
Role of the SOW in the Contract
Chapter 8: Sample SOW's
(this chapter breaks down the examples included on the CD)
Chapter 9: Managing Change to the SOW
The importance of Managing Change
Identifying When a Change Occurs
Factors to Consider in Managing Changes to the Project
Tools for Managing Change to the Project
Chapter 10: Selling the Importance and Benefits of the SOW
I would have preferred a variety of SOWS on the included CD giving examples of different types of projects. The templates that are included on CD were helpful. I was able to immediately use the template for one of my projects. I was very satisfied with my purchase.
Book Description
"Who's Counting?", by Jerrold M. Solomon, is a business novel that, for the first time, explains how accounting and manufacturing personnel must develop a partnership to successfully achieve world class results. This novel takes readers on a successful "Lean Journey", and illustrates how to bring accounting practices into the 21st century in order to compete in today's global market. A must read for all those interested in successfully implementing lean accounting!
Customer Reviews:
Who' Counting & Practical Lean Accounting: 1+1>2.......2007-07-16
"Who's Counting" and "Practical Lean Accounting" are two great books on lean accounting. I wondered some time ago, which one to read and I am glad that I could not decide, so I bought and read them both. They complement each other extremely well and each one conveys the lessons of lean accounting from a different angle.
"Practical Lean Accounting" is a well structured textbook, approaching lean accounting in a systemized way. Starting from straight-forward shop-floor measurements, like the day-by-the-hour report, it gradually immerses the reader into more demanding topics, like value stream costing or lean performance measurement, culminating in the thorough description of the Sales, Operations and Financial Planning (SOFP) process, which is the way, how an entire lean enterprise is planned, controlled and measured. Lean practitioners looking for specific answers to particular questions will find it easy to navigate through the book. People with the luxury of time for reading it cover to cover will also like it, due to the gradual increase in the complexity of the topics and the many references to other chapters.
"Who's Counting" focuses more on the human side of turning the vision of lean accounting into reality. The novel format is the best way to illustrate, how strong the resistance against change will be and from how many corners of the organization it will attack back. Knowing what to do and knowing why is not enough, the issue is not capturing people's brains. The real challenge is conquering their hearts, while tearing down decades worth of wrong beliefs, bad trade-offs and political game-playing. Mike, the hero of the book teaches us through his own mistakes, that patience, tactfulness and respect for people is more helpful, then acting like a bull in a china shop. The reward is the enthusiastic desire of fellows to go his way and take ownership of the new processes. He even manages to turn Fred, a CFO who has to recognize, that most of what he built during his career was wrong, to use the 3 years until his retirement for becoming the most enthusiastic advocate of change!
Both books provide the reader with insight and incite self-reflection about "the way, we do things". There is hardly any chapter without a sacred cow being slaughtered, however this will strike the reader as plain common sense, due to the thorough description of the reasons. Deeply engrained management practices, such as approval routings, full absorption overhead allocation, standard costing or departmental budgeting will seem ridiculous, once the reader starts to open the eyes to see their fundamentally wrong assumptions.
These books will make You hate many of Your current processes!
Clear for beginners.......2006-12-02
I am a student of finance and bought the book to learn more about lean accounting. I had never heard of the subject before but Solomon does an effective job of explaining a dry and complicated subject through a bright and simple narrative. As with a lot of business novels the story starts with the hero facing serious problems at work and his job on the line. Next comes a suggested, controversial solution and lots of conflict before everything is resolved and the business becomes a world beater.
The only area of the story that put me at unease was reference to operating efficiencies of sub-units. This seemed to be a contradiction of Eli Goldratt's theory (see 'the Goal') which states that efficiencies should only be attempted of a whole production system based on the rate of the slowest step within that system; separate optimisation of sub-systems will result in higher work-in-progress inventories.
This critiscism should not detract from the overall quality of Solomon's work, but it does illustrate the value of a wider scope of reading.
A Must Read for Leaders on a Lean Journey.......2006-06-30
I work in Finance for a Fortune 200 company that is 100% committed to the Lean Journey. This book has been distributed, read and re-read throughout the company's leadership, both in Finance and in other areas, to help frame the issue of why Finance can be a barrier or an enabler to Lean. It does a great job of explaining not only the technical issues but really demonstrates the cultural obstacles and why they exist, all in an easy-to-read story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and in particular Finance leaders who are wondering where they fit in with Lean.
Show me the Muda !.......2006-04-27
"Let's not rely on seventy year old accounting practices to compete in today's global market". - From the author's introduction.
It seems strange to be recommending a novel to normally intelligent and sensible accountants - particularly one which reads like a cheesy TV melodrama !. But it is a business novel on an accounting topic which, I believe, will be crucial for management accountants in future.
"Who's Counting" provides a simple and easily digestible introduction to lean accounting. The book focuses, particularly, on the marginal costing versus absorption costing debate; but other accounting issues and lean techniques are also covered, including stock valuation issues; the impact on earnings per share; and a tantalising glimpse of what a kaizen event might comprise in the accounts department !.
You're not expecting Jane Austen, and you certainly don't get her. The plot is virtually non-existent; the characters one-dimensional; and the writing style juvenile ("Can we take a freakin' bio break first, or isn't that allowed in Lean ?".). But I am being unfair. The book is a very easy read, and it covers the key issues in lean accounting well. It makes the language and ideas of lean understandable; and to my mind that is an achievement that forgives poor dialogue and uninteresting characters.
As a simple introduction to lean accounting this book is worthwhile. It covers all the bases and you'll whiz through it. You couldn't implement a lean accounting system from this book, but for students and accountants wishing to learn more about the field, it is a good place to start. I do recommend this for beginners in the subject. It is fun in a cheesy way, and it has spurred me on to the next stage - reading something more substantial on the topic.
As Tom Cruise almost said in one of his films "Show me the muda !". To find out what muda is, you'll need to read the book. And, as the book tells us near the end, "Accounting is beginning to operate on a different level because of some of the improvement efforts you've led. They're excited about really affecting results not just keeping score". Creaky prose aside, isn't that what management accounting should be ?.
I think lean accounting is a massively important for management accountants in the future. I want to be in there, and this book is a good place to start learning about it.
This is a must for anyone passionate about lean.......2006-03-03
I found this book a great and fast read. I am not an expert in finance but passionate about lean manufacturing and I understand the obstacles of traditional financial practices to lean.
I strongly recommend this book. Many of my work colleagues have found it very interesting and right on the money.
I recommend this to anyone working to transform their business.
Customer Reviews:
I received the right book........2007-09-13
I received the right book. Reasonably priced and packed securely. I recommend to use expedited shipping method instead of media mail if you don't want to suffer being late with your lessons or order your books ahead of time.
Educational Book.......2007-05-13
Needed book for class. Received in excellent condition and such a better price than University Book Store. Thanks for reselling. Love the savings. MysticBleu
Book Description
This thoroughly revised and updated edition of the classic book in the field provides a conceptual foundation for the fund raising profession. Hank Rosso's Achieving Excellence in Fund Raising examines the profession's principles, strategies, and methods and is filled with practical examples. Guided by the enduring philosophy of fund raising master Henry A. Rosso, contributors explain the reasoning behind the planning and selection of strategies for all fund raising activities, including building your case for support, approaching donors, managing campaigns, and demonstrating stewardship.
Read a Charity Channel review:
http://charitychannel.com/publish/templates/?a=293&z=25
Customer Reviews:
Mandatory textbook.......2007-05-13
I'm disappointed in this textbook because it does not provide much bang for the buck. I believe that the text could have been half as thick, half as expensive and provide no less information than it does.
Well-researched and nicely executed.......2004-12-30
Like many in the Jossey Bass series, Tempel's work is thorough and well-written, covering all important aspects of fundraising. A great introductory guide.
A must read for the fundraising professional!.......2003-06-30
Whether you've been in the fundraising profession for 10 minutes or 10 years, do yourself a favour and read this book. It will make you proud to be part of the tradition of philanthropy. It will inspire and guide you. You will see yourself and the volunteers and donors you work with in a whole new light. Don't put it in your library. Keep it on your desk. The first time you read it, and you will read it joyfully from cover to cover, keep pen and paper handy. You will find yourself making a list of things you need and want to do. Achieving Excellence in Fundraising is thoughtful and thought-provoking. It is the place where the theory, practice, philosophy and spirituality of a great tradition meet.
Review for the Golden Gate Chapter of AFP Newsletter.......2003-05-31
On my fundraising shelf stood just two books and a binder: "Designs for Fundraising" by Harold Seymour © 1966; "The Raising of Money" by James Gregory Lord © 1987, and my collected monthly newsletters of tips from Taft. Not a lot to go on, but Seymour's classic helped me enormously, imparting such nuggets as, "At best, with few exceptions, people don't pay close or careful attention to anything."
OK, so listen up. Times have changed. Many, many books now beckon us, delivering the full spectrum of nonprofit knowledge. Yet all books are not equal. When Henry (Hank) Rosso gathered a number of esteemed colleagues together and put out Achieving Excellence in Fund Raising in 1991, it represented a milestone in fundraising education, based as it was on his many years of teaching through The Fund Raising School, which he founded right here in the San Francisco Bay Area. The School later became a program of The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, and it continues to provide superior, basic training in fund raising principle and practice throughout the country. All the years of teaching experience and the benefits of association with IU are now reflected in this expanded, caught-up-with-the-world second edition of the "Rosso" (RAH-so).
It was time. Consider that when Achieving Excellence debuted in 1991, the stock market stood at 2736, Giving USA estimated total philanthropic support at $105 billion, and the National Science Foundation had just lifted its ban on commercial use of the Internet. Today, as we reel and grapple, it is worth noting that the markets have more than tripled from 1991; philanthropic dollars have doubled; and the Internet is our bread and butter. The second edition adds several chapters in recognition of the changes and rounds out its predecessor. We read about the new order, how to build endowment, women as donors, trends in major donor giving (read with caution, as markets and donor experience have had some impact), diversity considerations, Internet strategies, special events fundraising, technology use, budgeting and accountability, stewardship, international perspectives, and fund raising as a profession. These are welcome additions.
Given the scope attempted by the book, I should point out that there are, in fact, a few areas not covered, including how to obtain government grants and contracts, and exhaustive instructions on how to write a grant proposal to a foundation. But if you heed what these authors have written, you will have no problem accomplishing either feat.
Most of the authors in this edition are new to the "Rosso," numbering 27 in all. The first edition lists 13 contributors. Hank wrote eight of the chapters of that book; he has two in this one. With Hank gone (1999), we are guided into Rosso II by the gentle, sure hands of Eugene Tempel, executive director of the IU Center on Philanthropy and Tim Seiler, current director of The Fund Raising School. Between them (with a chapter from Hank), they set the stage in Parts One (Context) and Two (Fundamentals).
The book proceeds logically and is easy to navigate or use as a quick reference. "Fundamentals" is followed by sections treating "building blocks" (e.g. annual fund, capital campaign), sources, methods (e.g. direct mail, special events), management (e.g. leadership, boards, information, budgeting, consultants), ethics, stewardship, and personal professional support. A thorough Glossary and Bibliography follow.
Our AFP chapter boasts several representatives here: Kim Klein reprises her excellent chapter on grassroots fund raising and Kay Grace on leadership; Mal Warwick writes the update on direct mail; Alan Wendroff supplies special events; and Skip Henderson updates us on the trustees' role.
The context is still Hank's, which means that ultimately, the book is not about the joy of soliciting but something higher. I'm sure he would be tickled if you inscribed your book as he wrote in so many of our first editions "I hope that you will enjoy the reading of this book. Let it help you to teach the joy of giving. Hank Rosso"
Book Description
This best-selling book captures the dynamics of business communication as no other on the market does. It presents the subject in a fascinating way, powerfully stimulating and motivating readers; this book gives the foundation for excellent, effective, and practical business communication. By offering âOn the Jobâ simulations that feature actual companies, readers apply business communication concepts to real situations and sharpen their problem-solving skills.
Incorporating a three-step approach to writing (planning, writing, and completing business messages), Excellence in Business Communication covers letters, memos, e-mail and other brief messages, reports and oral presentations, and employment messages (including resumes and application letters).
With its helpful appendices and a âHandbook of Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage,â this a must-have desk reference for anyone responsible for writing business letters, e-mail, memos, and reports.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-10-01
Just what i needed for my college class, nothing is wrong with the book and seems to be well written.
An easy to read useful book and not only for Business.......2007-01-09
I always thought I was good at communication until I read this book (text book really). I was particularly impressed by the examples of emails that on the surface look fine until the writer points out the loop holes. Despite its title this book comes in hand for many situations well outside business. I have also used my newly acquired skills in academic, political and philanthropic forums and received very positive feedback from colleagues who noticed a change. Buy this book.
Wonderful reference book.......2003-12-14
I use this book for my primary text in a Business and Professional Communication class that I teach. The students like how the book is organized; I appreciate the examples that we can use in class for discussion.
Beyond that, the AIDA approach to business writing is clear and easy to use once students get the hang of it. My students' major project is to work with an organization in solving a communication problem, they are responsible for writing memos and reports to both the client and me.
However, I guess that the biggest endorsement is the number of students who do not resell this book at the end of the semester. I have had several tell me that this is one of the few books that they will take with them when they graduate because they view it as a good reference book.
Full of It.......2002-03-14
This book is choc-full of useful techniques for good, solid business communication. The samples are well thought-out and are very true to life. However, the questions, especially the ethics questions do not have any answers provided. Even the instructor copy doesn't have any of the answers, so effectively it boils down to your opinions and whether or not you can defend them. Yee Hah, just like real life.
it is a very good book for a beginning student of BBA OR MB.......1999-03-19
i am feeling difficulty to understand terminology(glossary required at the end of book) i think all the supported material like test bank or software must be attached with this book in form of CD(ROM)
Book Description
First published in 1995, The Nordstrom Way is a classic guide to great customer service. This new book replaces The Nordstrom Way with an even more practical guide to becoming the “Nordstrom” of your industry. Designed for customer service managers and trainers, as well as business owners, it’s an invaluable resource for designing your own programs and initiatives. The authors not only explain the principles of the world’s best customer service company, they also show you how to implement them in your own organization. The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service Excellence will help your business make customers its number one concern, and help make your business number one in your industry.
Download Description
A new "how-to" version of a customer service classic
First published in 1995, The Nordstrom Way has consistently been one of the bestselling backlist books on customer service, with over 100,000 copies sold. This new book replaces The Nordstrom Way with an even more practical guide to becoming the "Nordstrom" of your industry. It is designed for customer service managers and trainers, who will find it an invaluable resource for designing their own training programs. Through training exercises, hiring questionnaires, and customer service development tools, the authors not only explain the principles of the world¿s best customer service company¿they help you implement them in your organization. The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service Excellence will help any organization focus on customer needs, follow-up, and ensure customer satisfaction in every transaction.
Robert Spector (Seattle, WA) is a professional speaker and writer whose work has appeared in Women¿s Wear Daily, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and USA Today. Patrick McCarthy (Seattle, WA) retired from Nordstrom after more than 30 years of service. He was one of the top-performing salespeople in the company.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting, fun, informative -- but not that practical.......2007-09-27
The Nordstrom Way is sort of like two books in one. The first, a business biography, would merit 4 stars; five if expounded upon. The second, however -- and the real intent of this book -- a customer service "how to," is a bit lacking. The reason: Nordstrom's customer service is so over the top that most businesses in most industries would go bankrupt putting its principles into practice. Nordstrom department stores have thrived by servicing a niche market of customers who are willing to pay a premium for truly outstanding service. But that niche is small, and the principles are just inapplicable to most retailers, let alone other business models.
Great stories of the best Cust. Service around.......2006-01-26
I was very excited to read this book after enjoying Spector's book on Amazon.com. The author did not disapoint and I enjoyed this book much more than his last!
The best part of the book are the examples used. In addition to Nordstrom, he has also incorporated examples from another large company, and a few small and midsize companies as well. No matter what industry you are in, or the size of your firm...you will get value out of this book.
It's a fast read and would be great to share with co-workers and/or employee's.
Book Description
Praise for the first edition:
As interest in coaching grows, I think Flahertys book will come to stand out as a definitive work. Peter M. Senge
Coaching: Evoking Excellence in Others proposes rigorous methods of practice and self-observation in a relationship of mutual trust, respect and freedom of expression. It will probe you to rethink and possibly undo how you relate to your clients, your partner, your staff, your friends, and how you produce long-term excellent performance in yourself.
This 2nd edition includes new chapters on working with the body and what to do when we find ourselves stuck in our coaching efforts. These chapters, have been included to expand the coaches repertory and readiness to step into wider areas of engagement with clients. As with the previous edition these chapters have annotated bibliographies at their conclusion that will assist the reader in continuing their study. The appendix also has expanded list of self-observation exercises and practices as well as additional material that can be used in assessment.
This book will act as a learning guide for new coaches and master coaches who want to challenge their methods of partnering with clients. It is also applicable to managers intending to include coaching in their developmental roles with team members.
The author has led workshops in coaching, communication, leadership, and project management for more than 12,000 people. These have included participants from many Fortune 500 companies such as AT&T, FMC, Chrysler, Ernst & Young, Cargill, Levi Strauss and Coopers & Lybrand.
*New edition of a classic in the field of coaching-- 1st edition sold over 27,000 copies
*Presents the fundamentals of coaching and offers practical ways to implement coaching programs in any organization
*Revised and updated including new material on latest approaches, the effect of technology and other developments in the field
Customer Reviews:
Very dry reading.......2007-08-28
I must say that I was extremely disappointed by this book. Given all of reviews I saw/read before buying the book, I expected a very helpful tome. Instead, this turned out to be one of the driest books I've ever tried to read.
There are much better, and more helpful, books out there on coaching.
Good but hardly definitive .......2007-08-23
Mr. Flaherty's book reveals the wide and disparate meanings we apply to the word "coaching." My primary focus is in the area of managing and coaching professional technology salespeople. I found this book to be uneven and at times even irritating. Too many references to Heidegger and other philosophers, which struck me as irrelevant appeals to authority with little relevance to coaching. I like a good discussion of philosophy, the nature of being, etcetera, but in this context it seemed out of place. At other times, Flaherty's insights were brilliant.
Despite numerous references intended to persuade us of the foundations for the author's positions, Flaherty includes questionable material in this book which he acknowledges will be controversial. The section on body types is, in my view, ludicrous stereotyping. My field is medical technology, and when I read that "ectomorphs are tall, thin, long-limbed, long-necked folks... people of this body type often have complex and highly wrought nervous systems," I cringed. What is a highly wrought nervous system? Where is the scientific evidence to support this? Basing assumptions on people's "body type" is fraught with danger, not the least of which is being dead wrong. More importantly, what in the world does this have to do with coaching, unless perhaps if you are a fitness coach or physical therapist. It might then have some dubious merit, but Flaherty is suggesting that coaches, generally, consider these "factors." On the other hand, coaching awareness of one's physical body and its signals and responses to internal and external influences certainly has merit.
The author also goes out of his way to demean the views of Ferdinand Fournies, whose book Coaching for Improved Work Performance he apparently views as competition to his own. He dismisses Fournies as a behaviorist and suggests his coaching advice belittles those being coached. Yet Flaherty frequently remarks that you must deal with observable behavior. What's more, he acknowledges that "when someone declines coaching," but you are still responsible for their results, "I recommend that you use traditional management procedures," with "clarity about outcomes and the consequences for not reaching those outcomes." In short, he says you should do what Fournies, much more eloquently and sensitively, advocates.
There is a great deal a reader on the subject might gain from Flaherty's book, but I would not recommend it in isolation. After reading it, I was surprised at the numerous glowing and uncritical reviews it received. Read it WITH Fournies' book - the two are not contradictory. But if you are only going to read one book on coaching, read John Whitmore's 3rd edition of Coaching for Performance, a brilliantly straightforward, unpretentious, and exceedingly pragmatic view of how we can help others realize their potential in most relationships. If by chance you are coaching salespeople, also read Managing Major Sales, by Neil Rackham and Richard Ruff.
Excellent resource for coaches!.......2007-07-14
I am a family and life coach, focusing mainly on parents and teens. I found Flaherty's book to have many useful and powerful tools that can be used with any client, including parents, kids, youth, teens, and families. Coaching leaves people feeling more competent and helps them learn how to self-correct. Teaching this to children and youth is powerful and can change the direction of their lives. Helping them feel more competent as a result of learning how to self-correct seems to me to be something that would be invaluable to clients both young and old. Children are like sponges and learn very quickly. They can achieve more balance in their own young lives when they are given the tools in which to do so. Parents can learn to be powerful coaches for their children through being coached themselves.
Because coaching is a relationship that is based on mutual respect, trust, and freedom of expression, it serves to support all clients. We have to remember that clients are in the middle of their lives and that includes kids. They may have developed some undesired behaviors and it will take some patience and caring to help walk them through the steps to change. We as coaches can observe and learn when something is not working for both parents and kids, then share with them the steps they can take toward positive change. I think it is extremely powerful for a child or teen to learn that he or she has the ability to make these changes and to determine the outcomes in their lives.
Flaherty teaches the importance of having a strong foundation that can act as an anchor in our coaching experience with our clients. Coaching is a way of working with people that leaves them more competent and fulfilled so that they are more able to contribute in any area of their life. It also helps clients to learn to self-correct. They know when things are going well and can see when things are not. They can learn to change behaviors that will help them in making the adjustments needed to correct it.
What's true is what works. Coaching is about practical outcomes and is a discipline that requires self-correction, freshness, and innovation. Our coaching has to be adapted to fit individuals who already have their own way of doing things. Language, observation, and assessment occur simultaneously. They never occur without the other. The coach must be very precise, consistent, and grounded in listening and speaking to the client. The coach must also have a general sense of the way the client is in and makes sense of the world.
Flaherty said: "The more profoundly and systematically we understand someone, the more effective and lasting our coaching can be."
I will use the tools in Flaherty's book for years to come. I found it to be very clear and concise and his illustrations and charts useful and practical. I will turn to his book whenever I feel it's time for me to re-assess.
Great introduction to Coaching.......2007-05-09
If you are interested in learning about coaching and partnering with clients to create change - this is a book for you! It is a must read!
interesting; advanced level.......2007-05-08
This book on coaching is considered a classic in its field, and I appreciate its depth. I think a beginner could take this book at "face value" and learn a lot about coaching, but an understanding of the theoretical basis makes it an even more valuable resource.
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General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
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The Baptist Health Care Journey to Excellence: Creating a Culture that WOWs!
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Results That Last: Hardwiring Behaviors That Will Take Your Company to the Top
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