Book Description
"Yes" or "No," from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Spencer Johnson, presents a brilliant and practical system anyone can use to make better decisions, soon and often -- both at work and in personal life.
The "Yes" or "No" System lets us:
- focus on real needs, versus mere wants
- create better options
- see the likely consequences of choices
- and identify and then use our own integrity, intuition, and insight to gain peace of mind, self-confidence, and freedom from fear
Customer Reviews:
Great book about making better decisions.......2006-03-02
"Yes or No" is a story about the process of decision making and how it can be improved to make better decisions. The book tells the technique through a story of "a man" who goes on a hike with a group and learns of the 2 questions he needs to ask himself when making decisions.
The first of the 2 questions is: Am I meeting the real need, informing myself of options, and thinking it through? This is a head-based question to focus on where we are going, and to get as much information as possible.
The second question is: Does my decision show I am honest with myself, trust my intuition, and deserve better? This is a heart question to contact our subconscious and make sure the decision is not being made out of fear or self-defeat.
Both of these 2 questions are excellent to ask for each decision. I do wish the author had taken more time to explain how to come to a conclusion for each part of the questions, but it was still worth the read. I highly recommend this book. 4 out of 5 stars.
Many Will Find Help Here with Decision-Making.......2003-03-15
Johnson offers a very helpful book in this volume. He presents a simple guide for decision-making, one that will undoubtedly enhance the process for many persons. He essentially describes a two-step decision procedure, examining one's thinking on a given issue, then examining one's feelings on the same subject.
While not as good as the One-Minute Manager classic and its accompanying volumes, this work likely will help those persons seeking to bolster their decision-making abilities.
Better results and wiser decisions.......2002-04-13
Being a person who can never make up their mind, I decided it wouldn't hurt to read a book about better decision making. I enjoyed reading this book because it told a story about a man who used a 'Yes' or 'No' system to make better decisions. This made it easier to understand and apply the system to your own problems. In the story the man talks to many people who have used the system sucessfully. They give him lots of examples on how to arrive at better decisions. The 'Yes' or 'No' system is broken down into two main questions to ask yourself when making decisions. One is a practical question and the other is a private question. This allows you to use the system while making personal decisions or buisness decisions. Every day we are all faced with decisions, big and small. I have realized, from reading this book, that I seem to not think my decisions through as well as I should. I am sure that many other people share similar problems. This book acknowledges what we may not want to admit to ourselves. That many of us are knowingly making poor decisions, but we do not have the time or effort to turn them into better decisions. Reading this book may sound like a life saver to some people, but of course not everyone is going to walk away with better decision making skills. Like everything else in life, it will take time and patience to improve your decision making. But for those of you who would like to, this book could start you off on your way to turning poor decisions into better ones.
Changed the way I make decisions........2001-07-08
I knew there was something missing in the way I was making decisions in my life. Although, I thought, I was making good decisions I really wasn't. After reading this book I have learned how to make "better decision." Dr. Johnson writes in story form the message that's easy to understand and adapt. This is a book that should be read and reread by everyone from adolescence on.
Soooo Practical!.......2001-06-08
I have worked personally with Dr. Johnson on this material and have fully tested it in my own life and career. It really works! This elegant yet profound model for clear thinking will assure that you honor both your heart and your head when making choices. The parable teaches the model in ways the reader doesn't even notice. I've read the entire book aloud with my family and read it again on a plane trip alone. It will make sense of so many things. Buy it now and keep reading it as long as you keep making decisions. :-)
Amazon.com
Have you ever hired someone only to regret your decision two months later? Or looked at your financial portfolio and wondered why you bought the stocks you did? In Smart Choices, authors John S. Hammond, Ralph L. Keeney, and Howard Raiffa take the guesswork out of the decision-making process and offer a systematic approach to making the right choice. Most of us have problems making decisions, because we've never learned how. The authors write:
Despite the importance of decision making to our lives, few of us ever receive any training in it. So we are left to learn from experience. But experience is a costly, inefficient teacher that teaches us bad habits along with good ones. Because decision situations vary so markedly, the experience of making one important decision often seems of little use when facing the next.
Smart Choices outlines eight elements involved in making the right decision, from identifying exactly what the decision is and specifying your objectives to considering risk tolerance and looking at how what you decide on today influences what you may decide in the future. The book is full of real-life situations and scenarios that effectively illustrate each element of a good decision. If you think the topic of making the right choice is mundane or a simple matter of common sense, then think again. Smart Choices will relieve you of the regret that so many of us carry because we didn't know how to "think it through." --Harry C. Edwards
Book Description
Where should I live?
Is it time to switch careers?
What is the best course of action for me?
Decisions shape our experiences, from choosing which job offer to accept, to buying the right car, to selecting a good accountant. How do we know which choice is the smart one? How can we be consistent and confident in our decisions? In this book from the three leading authorities on decision-making, readers learn how to approach all types of decisions with a simple set of skills developed by professors from Harvard, MIT, and the University of Southern California.
Combining solid research with common sense and practical experience, this user-friendly guide shows readers how to assess deep-seated objectives, create a comprehensive set of alternatives, determine likely consequences, make tradeoffs, and grapple with uncertainty. Not only will readers learn how to make decisions, they will learn how to make the smartest decisions. For anyone caught at a confusing crossroad–whether you’re choosing between mutual funds or deciding where to retire–the Smart Choices program will improve your decision-making abilities immediately, and make your life more rewarding and fulfilling.
Customer Reviews:
Perfect Choice.......2007-09-04
If you want to know about decision making and want to understand everything that is written, buy this one. Very good.
great book and easy read.......2007-08-26
I was assigned to read this book for a class, but I LOVED it. The book is about making good choices in your life. I have since bought many other copies for co-workers, friends and family. This book is an easy read and very enlightening. I loved a line from the end of the book that goes something like: "The decisions you make are the only control you have over your life - the rest just happens to you." Give this book a try!
Must Buy.......2007-04-02
This is an excellent book, i was amazed by it's clearity and reasoning. Chapter 6 is simply one of the best chapters in any book ever. Chapter 6 even has a letter written by Benjamin Franklin advising a friend on the steps to make in order to arise at the best decision.
great, easy read.......2007-01-16
This book is very understandable and easy to follow. I'm using it for a class but am taking notes to pass on to friends and family because I think the information is so valuable and anyone can benefit from it.
Practical!.......2006-08-01
With so many choices, choosing a book can be a daunting task. I'm glad that I chose to get Smart Choices and it was a great decision. This book shows in practical terms how to make the right decisions by defining the problem and exploring the various alternatives and their consequences. If you can't decide when you must, be guided by this book's authors and enjoy the basics of decision-making. Highly recommended!
Book Description
By studying the work of hundreds of the most original and effective business minds, the authors present a common architecture that illuminates exceptional analysis and creative performance. 2 x 2 Thinking is characterized by a fundamental appreciation for the dynamic and complex nature of business. The best strategists go out of their way to tackle dilemmas rather than merely solve problems. They use opposition, creative tension, iteration and transcendence to get to the heart of issues and involve critical others in finding the best solutions. The authors demonstrate how to apply the 2 x 2 approach to a wide range of important business challenges.
Download Description
By studying the work of hundreds of the most original and effective business minds, the authors present a common architecture that illuminates exceptional analysis and creative performance. 2 x 2 Thinking is characterized by a fundamental appreciation for the dynamic and complex nature of business. The best strategists go out of their way to tackle dilemmas rather than merely solve problems. They use opposition, creative tension, iteration and transcendence to get to the heart of issues and involve critical others in finding the best solutions. The authors demonstrate how to apply the 2 x 2 approach to a wide range of important business challenges.
Customer Reviews:
Not that useful. No insight........2005-06-20
I did not find the book very useful. The explanation are not insightful. If you are a management consultant already, then the content would be too light for you. The only thing i like is that they have collected a nice list of 2x2 matrix, some of which is a relaxing and fun matrix to know.
A great book ! .......2005-03-21
A great book !
I really enjoy the book. This is a great book for person who looks for way to improve his/her problem solving approach. It will help your problem solving method more structure. It contains proven 2x2 Matrix ranging from Strategic framework, Organization framework and Individual framework.
I strongly recommend for everybody who are preparing for the case interview with big consulting firms. Also, this is the great book for all managers.
A must buy..........2004-07-14
If you want to learn about how to go deep in strategy this is a really good book. The authors propose a method to help you define core dilemmas facing your business and then use that as a starting point for developing strategy. They say that dynamic tension and conflict are the starting point for change and growth, both in the firm and as managers.
The second half of the book is devoted to 55 classic and not-so classic 2 x 2 matrices. The typical business student may be aware of many of these such as BCG portfolio grid and Stephen Covey's urgency and importance. However, the best value is the 2 x 2 models and cases in areas such as marketing, risk, and organizational processes. I think every organization will see itself in these examples. The authors include a method for each 2 x 2. You can literally begin to apply the thinking right away. I think anyone in business or a business strategy course would benefit.
Makes Einstein look like a chump.......2004-07-14
For years, people have thought that complex thought was the best way to address complex problems. What utter fools! Complex problems are just simple problems if you ignore enough variables. Alex Lowy and Phil Hood throw the idea of "Thinking outside the box" outside of the window! Or the Walls!
A rich new approach to structuring business problems.......2004-05-14
Alex Lowy coauthored "Digital Capital," which was arguably one of the best books on the internet economy. Now teaming up with Phil Hood, "The Power of the 2x2 Matrix" has the potential to become a timeless reference. Lowy and Hood take a familiar tool, the 2x2 matrix, and turn it inside out in a book that offers a rich new approach to structuring business problems, iterating them until core dilemmas are revealed, and finding solutions that might even draw a smile from Hegel. The book is a hybrid of sorts, offering context and advice for the practitioner in the first two sections, with the final 200 or so pages devoted to an encyclopedic look at 55 different 2x2 matrices that span strategic, organizational and individual realms.
While the ultimate aim of the book is to show how to use the 2x2 matrix to improve decision-making, it is apparent that the process of distilling business problems into two opposing axes is where much of the value lies. At the heart of this book is how to use 2x2 thinking to gain a better understanding of the key tradeoffs in decision-making and to identify solutions which transcend those tradeoffs.
The three sections of the book are:
(1) 2x2 Thinking - Discusses the Hegelian dialectic which underpins the logic and structure of the ideas behind the 2x2 framework. This includes a thoughtful analysis of the nature of the conflict between the X and Y axes in a 2x2 matrix, as well an explanation of how changing the context of the problem space helps to iterate the issues to the point where new and more powerful solutions emerge. The section closes with an examination of eight archetypal dilemmas, including Head-Heart, Cost-Benefit and Change-Stability. Interestingly enough, rethinking these dilemmas in a 2x2 manner adds depth and clarity to issues where typical thought processes tend to be restricted to well-worn paths.
(2) 2x2 Practice - The second section makes the jump from theory to practice and outlines an eight step approach for how to incorporate 2x2 thinking into the course of solving business problems. The eight steps are simple enough that a novice practitioner can dive right in and have a reasonable expectation of success. The Fujitsu case study that closes the chapter, however, reveals how experience is important to help navigate the more subtle aspects of the 2x2 approach. While this case study draws upon much of the theory that precedes it, I suspect most readers will be left looking for additional examples.
(3) 2x2 Frameworks Inventory - The inventory of 2x2 frameworks contains the nuggets most of us are likely to return to again and again. In fact, while the first two sections are easy to breeze through, the inventory is a conceptual thicket that readers will likely prefer to tackle bite by bite, with ample time to chew on the ideas packed into each matrix. In some respects, reading the frameworks inventory is like reading an informal history of strategic thinking through a new lens. On the other hand, the 2x2s cover a wide enough range of ground to incorporate a discussion of Myers-Briggs personality types, the works of Stephen Covey, and even game theory problems, such as the classic Prisoner's Dilemma. All told, the 55 frameworks captured here comprise a virtual 2x2 Hall of Fame.
This book is first and foremost a fun read. I particularly enjoyed seeing the Hegelian dialectic brought to life, dusted off, and used as a means to evaluate conflicts and tradeoffs in such a way that it makes it easier to get at the root cause of complex issues. The ideas in the book can be applied across the entire problem-solving universe, yet the authors tailor the book to focus on decision-making in the business world. Their approach will appeal most to consultants and managers who struggle with complex problems, but also to anyone who wants to improve their ability to think about a wide range of issue and make better decisions.
The book could benefit from additional case studies, such as the Fujitsu case, and conceptual omnivores will wish there were more than 55 frameworks. The bottom line, however, is that 2x2s represent a new and useful way to catalogue a variety of types of knowledge, hold it in a format that is likely to yield new insights more easily, and apply it in novel and powerful ways.
Book Description
From Business Strategy to IT Action gives companies of all sizes the tools to effectively link IT to business strategy and produce effective, actionable strategies for bottom-line results. The authors present CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, and IT managers with a powerful and accessible resource packed with such useful material as:
* The Strategy-to-Bottom-Line Value Chain, which integrates the management practices relating to planning, prioritization, alignment, and assessing a company's entire IT budget
* Methods for using IT Impact Management to establish IT culture and performance models for the business/IT connection
* The IT Improvement Zone, which quickly identifies where a company can focus its energies for maximum results
* And much more
Download Description
From Business Strategy to IT Action gives companies of all sizes the tools to effectively link IT to business strategy and produce effective, actionable strategies for bottom-line results. The authors present CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, and IT managers with a powerful and accessible resource packed with such useful material as:
* The Strategy-to-Bottom-Line Value Chain, which integrates the management practices relating to planning, prioritization, alignment, and assessing a company's entire IT budget
* Methods for using IT Impact Management to establish IT culture and performance models for the business/IT connection
* The IT Improvement Zone, which quickly identifies where a company can focus its energies for maximum results
* And much more
Customer Reviews:
Great book!.......2005-09-30
Only few words to say that this book was very useful to let me introduce a clear project portfolio framework in the enterprise in which I work (bank, IT department).
"Concrete", "Best practices" are the most "plus" of this book.
A very good book!
From Business Stratey to IT Action.......2004-04-10
Drawing from a wealth of success in balancing business requirements with IT solutions, the authors of "From Business Strategy to IT Action" have identified the elements required to keep IT budgets in-line with the overall goals of the business. As many IT managers know it is easy to get caught up in the swirl surrounding keeping the "lights on" and lose focus about using technology to bring value to the organization in ways that help achieve the goals necessary to move the organization forward. I particularly liked the chapter devoted to discussing the culture of an organization. As they point out, losing sight of the bottom-line is easy when organizations get hung up on the culture of the institution and continue to do things the old way rather than routinely evaluating the goals of the organization with an eye toward improvement. To quote them, "New Information Economics (NIE) is a set of practices and principles for moving from business strategy to IT action to bottom-line impact". To me this means staying focused on the business of the organization and not getting caught up in thinking that IT is in business for itself.
Bottom Line --> Results.......2004-03-17
This book provides solid, rational, and most importantly, actionable guidance for managers and executives faced with the challenge of identifying, evaluating, and prioritizing their IT spend. The authors provide a concise, structured framework which leads the reader through a step-by-step process to make reasoned decisions about both steady state ("lights on") expenditures and new project investments. The writing style is clear, fluid, and easily digestible. Each chapter includes fact-filled charts and diagrams to make the concepts come alive, along with a chapter summary, targeted questions, plus additional reading references. From defining goals, asking the penetrating "right questions," through charting a path to implementation, this truly is a guidebook to learning how to control spending while concurrently maximizing the impact on your bottom line. This book should be required reading before the beginning of your next planning cycle. Whether you've been in the IT business for a year, a decade or longer, you will undoubtedly benefit from the multiple layers of insight contained within this book. Note: I also recommend sales personnel absorb the concepts in this book -- if you understand how your customers are evaluating IT investment decisions, you can communicate the value your offerings will deliver in a manner which will better resonate with the decision maker.
One of the best books on the subject!.......2004-03-17
I've read a stack of books related to this subject, and this is one of two books that I think hit the bullseye and that I recommend to peers and clients (the other is Value-Driven IT Management, ISBN 0750659254).
What I most like about this book is the highly focused, clearly defined approach to transforming strategy into action. In fact, 'action' is the main characteristic of this book, both in writing pace and in the results you can achieve if you follow the map the authors provide. Chapter 1 leads you through defining your goals that links the strategy to your bottom line. This establishes the methodology that you'll follow through the rest of the book.
Each subsequent chapter is a milestone in the process of transforming strategy into action. What I like is the consistent format, which starts with "Ask the Right Questions", then listing steps, ending with a summary. More importantly, the bottom line remains the focus of this book from start to finish. This keeps the reader's attention on the goals, business issues and costs.
The topics covered in each step represent best practices that should be present in any organization that is mature enough to undertake a business-IT alignment. For example, portfolio management, prioritization techniques, and aligning to a value chain are addressed, In addition, the challenges faced by both business and IT are uncovered, with advice on how to meet them during the process. Finally, the book sets forth the transformation process in a well ordered sequence that will get you from inception to meeting all objectives if followed. The chapters on scoring and measurement are invaluable.
One topic that makes this book exceptionally valuable is the introduction of the Business Value Maturity Model. This model, in my opinion, is the missing link in the quest for Business-IT alignment initiatives, and one that I hope gets wider dissemination than in this book. Other aspects of the book that I especially like include the excellent use of graphs and diagrams, and the absence of empty claims and theory. The material is clear, actionable and realistic. Think of this book as both a compass and blueprint. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough, particularly to organizations that are struggling with business-IT alignment.
Book Description
"Business is a game--the greatest game in the world if you know how to play it," said IBM's founder Thomas J. Watson. He would probably agree that business negotiations are essentially the game of predicting what the other person will do. Faced with employees, subcontractors, salespeople and others, managers are continually called upon to make strategic decisions based on how someone else will act and react. How do the successful ones do it? Is it savvy? Guesswork? Even the most canny negotiators would be hard pressed to describe their own methods, which they generally develop intuitively over long and costly experience. But a key to becoming a top negotiator is now available to managers at all levels, in Games, Strategies, and Managers--the revealing new book that injects some science into the art of business decision-making. Adapted from the hottest new area of economic theory and based on the latest breakthroughs, Games, Strategies, and Managers goes far beyond the advice commonly offered to negotiators--the old saws, the tales about what worked once in Cleveland--to provide powerful insight into what's really going on beneath every negotiation. Using seven key questions as a starting point, it helps the executive strip away the distracting details of a situation. It doesn't matter if the issue is commissions, piece rates, royalties, managerial incentives, or cost-overrun provisions--the game is the same. The negotiator who recognizes these underlying rules and exploits them to best advantage will gain the upper hand, in formal negotiations as well as in dozens of everyday business situations. Of course, any game involves risk. Managers often have to make a decision without full knowledge of the consequences, and others' actions are not entirely predictable. Game theory explores how to take creative risks to get the strategic edge. Invaluable practical illustrations that show game theory in action include the setting of executives' incentives, the organizing of a network of subcontractors, and a behind-the-scenes look at how international trade negotiations really work. For the sales manager devising a commission-payment scheme to motivate salespeople, the procurement manager trying to get a subcontractor to limit production costs, the compensation committee designing a managerial incentive scheme, and beginning or experienced executives in all industries, Games, Strategies, and Managers shows how to excel at "the greatest game in the world." Even more than a powerful tool of business strategy, game theory is a valuable habit of mind--a way for executives to sharpen their thinking in business and in life. While experience may help you see the trees, game theory shows you the whole forest.
Book Description
Internationally renowned facilitator and public participation consultant James L. Creighton offers a practical guide to designing and facilitating public participation of the public in environmental and public policy decision making. Written for government officials, public and community leaders, and professional facilitators, The Public Participation Handbook is a toolkit for designing a participation process, selecting techniques to encourage participation, facilitating successful public meetings, working with the media, and evaluating the program. The book is also filled with practical advice, checklists, worksheets, and illustrative examples.
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"Internationally renowned facilitator and public participation consultant James L. Creighton offers a practical guide to designing and facilitating public participation of the public in environmental and public policy decision making. Written for government officials, public and community leaders, and professional facilitators, The Public Participation Handbook is a toolkit for designing a participation process, selecting techniques to encourage participation, facilitating successful public meetings, working with the media, and evaluating the program. The book is also filled with practical advice, checklists, worksheets, and illustrative examples. "
Book Description
Often when people feel stuck, they try to change something about themselves. Authors Ritchey and Axelrod suggest that instead they should learn to see situations in new ways and create new options for relating to others. That process begins with DiSC, an assessment tool that reveals one's style of interaction. DiSC is an acronym for the four styles -- Dominance (direct and decisive), Influence (optimistic and outgoing), Supportive (sympathetic and cooperative), and Conscientious (concerned and correct). This book teaches readers how to recognize their style and its implications, how to read the styles of others, and how to choose the most effective style (or combination of styles) for any situation.
Customer Reviews:
Not helpful .......2007-05-24
I was looking for a book to learn about the DISC tool and to be able to interpret the results of a test, something I could use to train others. This was not helpful. I also purchased the sister book about teams, and that was almost exactly the same as this one. Don't buy both. The same charts were present with VERY minor changes. I don't recommend this book.
Good for retail .......2007-03-21
I gave the tests to the managers in my store and showed how each of us had different working personalities and what we needed to do to be able to work togther better.
Great for Diagnosing.......2007-03-03
I thought this book nailed behavior patterns to a "T", and also provided insight as to how best to approach people. It was very insightful for massaging relationships, but glossed over the fact that some personality types aren't ever going to perform certain functions well no matter WHAT you do (e.g., "social butterflies" are never going to be "producers", and vice versa, no matter how persuasively you ask). You can ease the situation but you're never going to change who a person is at a fundamental level.
Wasted money, wasted time.......2006-03-02
That's what you get when you buy this book. The book simply reprints the same material you get in the DISC instrument. There is nothing, nothing, new here. There is no insight, no detail, no discussion on how to use the information. I use DISC constantly in my business and found this book a total waste. If you want to understand DISC go to www.discinsights.com and get their home study program. It's terrific, detailed, and provides lots of examples. I also recommend the book "The 4-Dimensional Manager." Still not as good as the above reference but at least it's worth the money.
A great tool for work.......2004-12-15
As an earlier reviewer noted, this book isn't the DiSC in its purest form. However, it does provide a framework for understanding relationships at work clearly and concisely. I was introduced to the DiSC during a leadership school I attended through work, and this book provided me with the tools and framework I needed to share the model with my staff. In one-on-ones, I've been told that the process was both enlightening and useful on a daily basis.
If you're looking for pure DiSC, look elsewhere. But if you want a tool to improve the way you and your staff interact, written in a way that's easy for everyone to understand, this is the book.
Book Description
At times in our careers, we've all been aware of a "gut feeling" guiding our decisions. Too often, we dismiss these feelings as "hunches" and therefore untrustworthy. But renowned researcher Gary Klein reveals that, in fact, 90 percent of the critical decisions we make is based on our intuition. In his new book,
THE POWER OF INTUITION, Klein shows that intuition, far from being an innate "sixth sense," is a learnable--and essential--skill.
Based on interviews with senior executives who make important judgments swiftly, as well as firefighters, emergency medical staff, soldiers, and others who often face decisions with immediate life-and-death implications, Klein demonstrates that the expertise to recognize patterns and other cues that enable us--intuitively--to make the right decisions--is a natural extension of experience.
Through a three-tiered process called the "Exceleration Program," Klein provides readers with the tools they need to build the intuitive skills that will help them make tough choices, spot potential problems, manage uncertainty, and size up situations quickly. Klein also shows how to communicate such decisions more effectively, coach others in the art of intuition, and recognize and defend against an overdependence on information technology.
The first book to demystify the role of intuition in decision making,
THE POWER OF INTUITION is essential reading for those who wish to develop their intuition skills, wherever they are in the organizational hierarchy.
Customer Reviews:
grab it now!.......2007-08-28
One of the best books about decision making. Very insightful! Especially for those managers who used too much metrics ONLY for their daily works.
Good book, lousy title.......2007-06-11
The title is this book's worst feature - Klein re-branded the book and in so doing went from a strong if dry original title ("Intuition at Work") to the more sensationalistic one that drops him through the very trap door he seeks to avoid: making it sound as if "intuition" is just some kind of macho-mystical "gut feeling", rather than a mental process that runs parallel to conscious rational thought and that, if harnessed appropriately, can add enormous value to decision-making.
The book itself is a moderately well-designed program for applying the insights Klein shared in Sources of Power. Although it's full of problems (see below), I've never read anything like it, and the valuable bits are exceptionally valuable: strong, pragmatic, grounded advice on how to make the wispy world of intuition and "hunches" clear, concrete and useful.
Among the book's problems is that it doesn't know whether it wants to be a truly hands-on how-to manual - in which case it would have needed to be simplified and more action-oriented - or a research-driven exposition on how intuition can be used in the workplace - in which case the occasional how-to content is a jarring departure from the more illuminating case studies and research findings.
If you want to better understand and harness a whole hidden world of deeply insightful thinking - your and your colleagues' intuitions - there probably isn't a better book out there.
I just wish there was.
Another important book on the role of intuition in decision making.......2006-04-20
Klein does another excellent job in his continuing exposition of the importance of the role of intuition in practical,everyday decision making at home, on the job,under stressful conditions, as well as areas like economics.This statement sums up the book:"You will learn how to use your intuition to handle ambiguity in Chapter 8,How to Manage Uncertainty"(Klein,p.19;see also pp.119-120 for his emphasis on the role of confidence when faced by ambiguous or uncertain situations).The major criticism I have is that the earlier work in this area done by J M Keynes,Frank Knight and D Ellsberg is not mentioned anywhere in the book.Klein needs to incorporate this work into the corpus of his research,even if only for historical purposes.
Book Description
Management expert Michael Feiner's candid leadership guide cuts through rhetoric and theory and gives managers and executives a 'hands-on' approach to dealing with problems in business. As the former chief people officer at PepsiCo, and now a management professor at the Columbia University School of Business, Feiner shares his solutions from his years of handling unexpected crises,meditating between warring corporate factions, and taking care of all the 'people problems' that pop up on a routine basis in companies all over the world. Feiner's approach is based on common sense and practicality, and his book is full of examples that managers everywhere will identify with and relate to. Along the way, Feiner doles out his 'laws' of how those in supervisory roles can resolve these vexing situations. Instructive and entertaining, THEFEINERPOINTSOFLEADERSHIP will be mandatory reading for anyone in a managerial position.
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THE FEINER POINTS OF LEADERSHIP offers fifty insightful laws covering everything from managing tough bosses and difficult subordinates, to dealing with uncooperative colleagues, to overcoming resistance to corporate change. Based on Feiner's experiences as an aspiring executive, senior leader, and management consultant, THE FEINER POINTS shows you that leadership has little to do with grand strategies or personal charisma.And the author's tales from the trenches will make you smile as you discover:. The Law of Building a Cathedral: Leaders convince their people that they're building a cathedral, not cutting stone. The Law of Class vs. Style: Never...ever...ever...ever treat your boss like a bumbling old fool (even if he or she is one). The Law of Winning Championships: No matter how talented the team, team members have different agendas-and leaders know what they are. The Law of the Silent Sinner: If you can't tell anyone what you're doing, don't do it!. The Law of the Onion: High-Performance Leaders look beneath the surface-and never assume anything. The Law of the Tombstone: Remember what's really important-and that your net worth won't be noted on your final resting place.With an easy-to-access appendix that lists typical office problems and points you to the laws that can solve them, THE FEINER POINTS OF LEADERSHIP will help you right away-with dramatic and measurable results that ensure the long-term success of both your career and your organization.
Customer Reviews:
Spectacular book on leadership.......2007-07-15
I bought this book on the recommendation of students who had taken the class with Feiner. It has surpassed all my expectations. Its the most clearly-written and practical book on leadership that I have ever come across. Most books and articles only say "what" to do - and that horse been beaten plenty. Feiner gets into "why" and "how" these ideas should be implemented, e.g., why resenting, stonewalling or badmouthing an incompetent boss is a recipe for disaster. And his genius is in describing simple ways to put lofty ideas into play. This book is SO GOOD that I plan to read it AGAIN after a few months on the job to reflect on issues that have come up.
Practical!.......2007-04-17
On the first page, Michael Feiner disputes the traditional "heroic individual" picture of a leader. This thinking, referred to as "Myth of the Great Man", holds that leadership is an inherently individual phenomenon consisting of solitary heroics, epitomized by Patton, Napoleon, etc... But Feiner states that 90% of leadership is invisible - "the aggregation of hundreds upon hundreds of small interactions - most of which take place out our sight - projected across layer upon layer of relationships, day in and day out". He spends the remaining 250+ pages explaining this, through a series of eponymous Feiner laws of leadership.
Feiner pulls liberally from his experiences at Pepsi. He peppers his high opinion of his own accomplishments with self-deprecating humor, and he shares his mistakes and regrets. His text is very readable and delivered in a conversational style. I found a good many quotable sound bytes I liked, some original and some from other authors.
At times, there seemed to be a repetitive effort to fill pages - laws identified by smug little titles supported by anecdotes from the author's career, then summarized at the end of each chapter and summarized again at the book's end. And occasionally I questioned the logic of the organization of the chapters. However, by the time I finished the book, it all seemed to work.
Feiner offers some really powerful practical insights on treating people right, sticking to your values, and being politically correct where at all possible. No faddish management theory here, just timeless advice and applicable tools that apply to all levels of organizational leadership and interaction. My copy of "The Feiner Points" is full of highlights and notes and I suspect I will be referring to it frequently.
A readable practical book.......2005-12-05
I bought this book few months ago and it was interesting to go through it step by step. As a leader the first thing one must learn is how to deal with subordinates. After going through the 8 laws mentioned in Chapter 3: Leading Subordinates, one can imagine how less we focus on the people who are our main assets. A leader's success depends upon the success of his subordinates and these 8 laws are the basis for that success. One need to read each law multiple times so that it gets engrossed in one's heart. The "Performance contract" is a must for everyone to set clear expectations.
The examples provided in the books are mostly based on author's experience and I found Feiner very sincere in putting them straight. Overall a must for anyone who wants to build lasting relationship with their people.
The Principles that Enable Success in Leadership and Life..........2004-12-07
With clarity, courage and conviction, this book delivers a message conveying the "whats" and, more importantly, the "hows" to successful leadership that enable individual, team, and company performance to grow and succeed. In short, Feiner guides leaders to put the heart and humanity back into business and in doing so, awakens the soul of business - yielding an environment that is embraced mutually and faithfully by peers, subordinates, bosses, and the total organization.
"The Feiner Points of Leadership" is the story of a man's extraordinary career, where past failures have in turn drawn enlightenment, as he builds a leadership model that all leaders and managers "must" understand, follow and instill throughout their organization to obtain competitive advantage.
Feiner guides the reader into becoming a "High Performance Leader," which will drive unprecedented and unlimited success in business - and in life! A must read.
Great Toolbox!.......2004-11-12
I have several leadership books, mostly social/psychological theory stuff; Feiner makes sense! Every new supervisor should have this on his/her desk, as well as "And Dignity for All" by Despain. Put it to work immediately.
Book Description
Why do the people in some companies continually dazzle us with their brilliant decisions while those in others make one blunder after another? Do they understand their businesses better? Are they just plain smarter? Or is it all a matter of luck? The answer, says J. Frank Yates, is none of the above. The real key, rarely recognized, is how the leaders manage the company's decision processes—the leaders' decision management practices. Drawing on his thirty years of research and experience as well as scholarship from psychology, economics, statistics, strategy, medicine, and other fields to explain the fundamental nature of business decision problems, Yates highlights the ten cardinal decision issues crucial to managing the decision-making process—and ultimately better company decisions. He covers problems ranging from recognizing whether a decision is actually called for to assuring that a preferred course of action will be implemented. He shows how solid decisions result when managers ensure that deciders resolve every cardinal issue effectively for every decision problem facing the company. He also reveals how, conversely, chronically poor decisions are traceable to managers allowing—or even creating—conditions that encourage deciders to fall short in how they address at least one of those critical issues.
Customer Reviews:
Yates applies impeccable reason to a vital management subject........2005-10-09
The art of making good rather than poor Decisions is the single main difference between a top organisation and a weak one; or a top manager and a poor one - yet business literature really has few excellent books that focus on how to ensure high quality decisions are consistently made in an organisation. Instead the typical management bookshelf may be populated with the Jack Welch type volumes where charisma and gut instinct are turned into heroic virtues.
Well, in an age where Gladwell's Blink is a best seller and the incredible capacity of humans to make quick judgments is being celebrated, lets not forget that gut instinct can lead to terrible mistakes also. In an organisation these can be devastating.
Both Yates and writers such as Scott Plous (author of the wonderful Psychology of Judgment and Decision Making) point out a raft of human errors where our gut can lead us into terrible choices.
J Frank Yates has worked and consulted at high levels in the USA, Beijing, Netherlands and Japan, and from his experience he has broken down decision-making into a hierarchy of 10 quite sensible questions that act as a checklist for managers. The list begins with the simple fundamental: Why are we deciding anything at all? and then asks: Who, or what, will make this decision - and how will they approach this task.
The volume then drills into the various skills required to consider the options, trade-offs, and possibilities that might arise from a decision: those "unforseen consequences" that seem all too often to surprise decision makers.
Yates peppers the book with good actual case histories (both good and bad outcomes are portrayed) and takes the time to consider how a better decision-making culture can be created in organisations.
I don't agree with all of Yates findings and recommendations - but that may be a product of my more emotive personality traits (Yates strikes me as an absolutely rational type) but this volume has proved extremely useful in providing a foundation in "decision thinking" relevant to my work in research where a key challenge is to bump research findings into the court of organisational decision-making. By considering Yates' well explained checklist we can ask more appropriate questions and help clients make more confident decisions. That's why I rate this volume highly.
A Must Read For Practising Managers.......2003-04-25
The book is based on the premise that the performance (good or bad) of a Company is largely dependent on how (well or poorly) the people within the Company decide. Therefore, this book deals with the process of improving the manner in which people in the Company make decisions. This book is about how to assure better decisions.
Essentially, Decision Management includes all aspects that a Manager needs to take into account to improve the quality of a Company's decision. Decision Management involves four tasks or responsibilities viz, influencing specific decisions, supervising decision routines, shaping decision procedures and providing decision resources.
The four key drivers to ensure good Decision Management are to recognize Decision Management as a core managerial responsibility, have a proper understanding or appreciation of decision problems and processes, understand how people in the Company decide, and finally, to learn from decision-making principles that have emerged from research and practical experience.
Every decision problem poses ten fundamental or cardinal decision issues (this is the major theme of this book and 5 full Chapters, out of 9, have been devoted to this ) These are:
« Need
« Mode
« Investment
« Options
« Possibilities
« Judgement
« Value
« Tradeoffs
« Acceptability
« Implementation
This checklist is useful to carry around when one is evaluating or going through a decision making process to ensure that no issue is overlooked.
Overall a very practical book with lots of examples to convey the underlying issues. Practicing Managers, in particular, would find it quite useful.
Books:
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- Action Coaching: How to Leverage Individual Performance for Company Success
- Active Portfolio Management: A Quantitative Approach for Producing Superior Returns and Controlling Risk
- America's Financial Apocalypse: How to Profit from the Next Great Depression
- Applied Regression Analysis: A Second Course in Business and Economic Statistics (with CD-ROM and InfoTrac®) (Applied Regression Analysis: A Second Course in Business & Economic)
- Bitter is the New Black : Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass,Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office
- Blackwell Encyclopedia of Management
- Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture
- Business and Its Environment (5th Edition)
- Business Continuity: Best Practices--World-Class Business Continuity Management, Second Edition
Books Index
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