Resources Books

Commonsense, practical advice about what employers can do to enhance the longevity of their workforce and halt the drain and the expense of 'revolving door' recruiting and hiring.

Find out the top 5 real reasons why people leave their jobs (and it isn't for more money!).

This book is invaluable and a 'must have' for everyone responsible for recruiting, hiring, and hanging on to, good people!

Roger Herman gives us an excellent reference and guide to an important area of profitability for business. Keeping people is every bit as important as finding them in the first place. The techniques set forth in this book will benefit the employer and the employee as well. It is well organized and to the point, especially in areas of making the employee part of the overall team.

Wayne D. Ford, Ph.D., author of "The Recruiting and Retention Handbook" docwifford@msn.com

In today's job market, it is challenging to attract the best-qualified and well-suited job applicants. It is even more difficult to retain excellent employees. The cost of employee turnover is high in terms of lost productivity, lost knowledge, and financial expense associated with filling the vacancy.

Roger Herman, futurist and certified management consultant and speaker, provides an exceptional resource for any organization seeking to retain its best employees. Keep Good People is divided into three sections. The first effectively sets the stage by providing valuable insights into the competitive nature of the job market, the value of good employees, and what prompts employees to stay and leave an employer. The first section provides essential background that led to an essential, yet basic understanding of employer/employee relations regarding retention. Section two provides nearly 200 very specific and useful strategies. Each strategy is clearly defined and concisely explained. Herman does not stop with a somewhat overwhelming list of strategies, yet provides suggestions for implementation and an "eye to the future" in section three.

Keep Good People is an excellent resource for human resource professionals and managers seeking to prevent undesirable employee turnover as well for the organizations seeking to reduce turnover. Use this book as a guide to simply review current practices and development of strategic, and it will be well worth the investment of both time and money.

Finding, attracting and hiring new employees can be one of the most important investments employers can make. If don't hire good people, you'll have to continue recruitment at a high level -- a costly proposition. This book serves as a great guide and serves as a tremendous tool for employers and human resource staff.

My secretary Neicy, picked up my copy of "Keeping Good People" while I was out of the office. When I returned, she mentioned that she thought a certain strategy would help me and our business. And she was right! Full of "one page strategies," this book provides some terrific team conversation. Pick a strategy, read it and then discuss its implications on your team and how the team works together. Some random examples: Strategy 1.17 Promote a healthy working environment. Strategy 2.27 Be accessible. Strategy 3.35 Fight Boredom. Strategy 4.15 Provide incentives for for growth. Strategy 5.15 Give Away Lottery Tickets. Our team decided to discuss one of these strategies each time we meet (usually at "tea time" held at 3pm each day). While some of the strategies may not apply, it does create a space for great conversation. When given the opportunity, team members or "employees" will reinforce what's working well and tell you what they need to be successful.

I just completed Laugh and Learn and found it to be a helpful resource.

I have used humor in my training programs for a long time, but with some inconsistent results. The author's advice to focus on having fun (instead of trying to be funny) was a breakthrough for me and has resulted in improved instruction.

We teach a graduate class at Western Michigan University entitled "Humor and Fun: The Brain's Best Learning Strategy." After much deliberation, we made LAUGH AND LEARN the required text for the course. We love the sound and accurate science on humor and brain function, and meanwhile it is a genuinely funny read. In short, the book both proves AND demonstrates the central point of the course: that fun really is the best learning strategy.

Our students include pre-school, middle school, high school, and college teachers, and even administrators. In spite of the fact that LAUGH AND LEARN was written primarily from a trainer's point of view, we find that it offers good stuff for all. We're delighted to report that the response to the book (and the class) has been excellent. We highly recommend this book for virtually any teaching professional.

As a corporate consultant and trainer, I'm always looking for ways to increase my effectiveness in helping clients really learn the material at hand. Like many, I don't consider myself particularly funny, and worry that I could do more harm than good by trying too hard to incorporate humor into workshops.

Doni Tamblyn does a terrific job not only showing the reader how to easily and safely insert humor, she also references fascinating research that clearly supports why humor is so critical to the learning process. The book is written in a friendly, approachable style that makes it a fun read, and I appreciate the handy index to the "95 Ways" listed at the beginning of the book for quick reference.

I highly recommend this book not only to other professional trainers, but to speakers and presenters of all types. Personally, after trying some of Tamblyn's strategies, I not only feel more confident in front of a room, but hey, I'm having more fun too. You can't beat that!

As a corporate consultant and trainer, I'm always looking for ways to increase my effectiveness in helping clients really learn the material at hand. Like many, I don't consider myself particularly funny, and worry that I could do more harm than good by trying too hard to incorporate humor into workshops.

Doni Tamblyn does a terrific job not only showing the reader how to easily and safely insert humor, she also references fascinating research that clearly supports why humor is so critical to the learning process. The book is written in a friendly, approachable style that makes it a fun read, and I appreciate the handy index to the "95 Ways" listed at the beginning of the book for quick reference.

I highly recommend this book not only to other professional trainers, but to speakers and presenters of all types. Personally, after trying some of Tamblyn's strategies, I not only feel more confident in front of a room, but hey, I'm having more fun too. You can't beat that!

"Laughter and Learning"

I'm reading this book, and I sense it is what I have been waiting for. I believe Doni Tamblyn has really nailed it. She's given structure to what seems to be the very complex art of effective teaching. I'll start giving her methods a try by using the "smooth" vs "crunchy" approach for initiating group/team work, and by finally using some of those cartoons I've been accumulating for years.

I'm also thinking about how I could apply some of her ideas to my online distance learning courses, where teaching and learning are not in a traditional classroom. This environment lacks the needed spontaneity, but I could see what would happen if I divided my online class into small discussion teams competing for bonus points for "fabulous prizes" to be awarded at our once-per-week lab meetings.

I appreciate that Ms. Tamblyn has combined her comedic experience with Dewey's ideas, theories of motivation, accelerated learning, and optimal/compatible brain learning, the
Koran, the Talmud, famous quotes, tips on psychology and comedic delivery, and has taken the time to share her synthesis of them in a book. Her Laugh and Learn is not only a great how-to book, but also a scholarly piece of work. I don't usually find how-to books with an index, references, endnotes, so many examples, and a case study! (Her "anatomy of a creative learning module" is precious.) Thank you, Ms. Tamblyn!"

I am a 6 grader at Our Lady of The Cape School on the Port -au-port Peninsula, NL.
Jesse Aarons has 4 sisters and he is the only boy. His 2 older sisters are very snobby and he has 2 younger sisters. Jesse does all the work and his older sisters have all the fun.
One day while he was running around the cow field he noticed a tomboy on the fence . They became best friends even though she won all the races at school and is the fastest .They made up an imaginary kingdom called Terabithia. One day Miss Edmunds his music teacher took him to Washington to look at a museum. When he got back home he was all the way into the kitchen before he realized that something was wrong. I would recommend this book to all ages just because someone is different doesn't mean that you can't be best friends.

I am a sixth grade Language teacher and have been using Bridge to Terabithia as a major part of my curriculum for many years. Each year that I read this book it gets better. Each class gets a little something different from the book. The way my students engross themselves with the characters Jesse and Leslie always seems to amaze me!

I am not the greatest book lover. But sometimes I enjoy reading books, and usually if I find a book I like I can't put it down. Well this book I couldn't put down. It shows how Jesse and Leslie overcame differences and became bestfriends. They have a secret place. I think this is kind of how kids are today. This book ends sad though whaen leslie dies so don't read this if you don't want to be sad. I give tis book 4 stars because it is not the best book I have ever read but it's right up there.

It was a rich entertaining book it kept me in Suspence the whole way through it, it is about 2 friends and the decide that they will build a magical country in the forest. The two of them are the rulers of this magical place.

I am not the greatest book lover. But sometimes I enjoy reading books, and usually if I find a book I like I can't put it down. Well this book I couldn't put down. It shows how Jesse and Leslie overcame differences and became bestfriends. They have a secret place. I think this is kind of how kids are today. This book ends sad though whaen leslie dies so don't read this if you don't want to be sad. I give tis book 4 stars because it is not the best book I have ever read but it's right up there.

Life at the human resources salt mines has been transformed since reading Richard Whiteley's excellent motivational guide. He found new zest and enthusiasm in his career and so did I and his personal testimony is genuinely moving. "Watching the contestants actually getting excited being on my show used to give me a kick, but it soon palled. Slopping up this pre-primetime pap day-in-day-out was quite frankly doing my nut in and, though it may not have seemed that way, my ability to engage in on-screen anodyne banter was affected. I was in a rut. Career worries spilled out into my private life, and I wince when I think of all the drunken I-could-have-been-a-contender speeches I made to all those anonymous barflies. I'll be honest with you - I wanted Call My Bluff, and yes, I did once say that I wanted Robertson whacked." But Whiteley pulled himself back and the rest is history.

"Love the Work You're With" is about what you can do to improve your current work situation...no matter who you are or what your job is. It makes a strong case that virtually anyone who works can find more fulfillment in their current job situation than they are currently experiencing. The message isn't about not changing jobs. Rather it is about auditing your situation and finding out what you can do to improve it before you take such a step. The book has self-assessment diagnostics to help the reader determine where he/she stands on vital issues and also offers many exercises that support him/her in creating a strategy for change. The last chapter is specifically written for managers and leaders to help them create the kind of work environment the will help people who work for them to love their work.

Your job can be a prison or a palace. For most of us, work probably falls somewhere in between, but we usually don't acknowledge - or even realize - how much control we have in the matter. If you've ever wondered what you can do to improve the satisfaction and pleasure you get from work - without making a wrenching career change - this book is a wonderful place to start. I read a lot of self-help books (and occasionally even write them). This one is chock full of practical wisdom. Buy it.

The dot-gone economy has taught millions that changing jobs is not the solution to success in work or life. Love The Work Your're With provides a road-map and tools to find personal and professional fulfillment at work. Each of the six steps in Whiteley's approach provide specific assessments, tools, and strategies to increase your level of engagement and energy at work. This book is highly readable, entertaining, inspiring, and filled with great examples. It is a must have self-help tool-kit for workers in today's complex work world. As a professional coach, I find this book to be essential for both my clients and their managers. If you've ever struggled with committment at work, read this book!

An excellent addition to my growing Richard Whiteley collection, this book does not disappoint! I have used Mr. Whiteley?s strategies/thinking from his previous works to effectively shape my company?s customer experience model. While the principles in this new book have certainly helped me personally become more motivated/productive, I have begun to use the principles in LTWYW to shape a more positive internal employee culture, thus extending our productivity and enhancing our customer service experience. An excellent book with a clear purpose and applicability!

I teach courses on software metrics and do some research on software-related measurement. As Austin points out in his book, many of the well-known advocates of metrics in the software community are blind to the issues that he raises, or they dismiss the issues as social science hooey that won't affect serious engineering. They are so, so wrong. This is a useful, readable book, that teaches hard lessons.

This is an excellent book on performance measurement. Very short, simple and easy to follow. The concept of critical dimensions and its effect on dysfunctional measurement it's well worth the read. By the way, one may also want to check the famous paper "On the folly of rewarding A, while hoping for B" by Steven Kerr.

Managing engineers is very challenging; measuring their performance is even harder. This book offers a fantastic review of leading research on the subject and establishes a strong case for delegatory techniques. It's a quick read but much more academically rigorous than similar management guides.

This book is filled with both humorous and chilling examples of measurement dysfunction that make the sometimes academic approach quite palatable. Dr. Austin identifies three different types of performance measurement based on the intent of the measurement - measurement for motivation, process improvement, or process coordination. It is measurement for motivation that causes the dysfunction that this book so convincingly describes.

For example, if we record the fact that 10 widgets are produced on machine A and we are comparing this against the 10 widget benchmark for bonuses, it is very likely that other perspectives like quality will suffer in the drive to make the 10 widget goal. Austin makes the point that the discovery that every time our overall performance is excellent we have produced 10 widgets does not imply that producing 10 widgets will guarantee excellent overall performance.

If we record the fact that 10 widgets are produced on machine A while only eight widgets are produced in the same time using competing technology on machine B, this is measurement for process improvement and can be very useful - provided it is limited in scope and used purely for the stated purpose.

If we record the fact that 10 widgets are produced on machine A and convey this information to the widget packaging department to ensure that enough widget cases are ready, this is measurement for process coordination, and is also potentially useful on its own.

The idea that the intent or goal of the measurement is of paramount importance is one important lesson from this book.

Austin does make some recommendations about developing effective performance measurement systems.

Understanding the costs involved with "perfect" measurements is part of the solution. Substituting a cheaper approximation for a key measurement is bound to cause problems - witness the measurement of nitrogen instead of protein in wheat gluten used in pet food. The incorrect justification for cheaper approaches is a thread surfaces in other areas - reusing financial figures as a proxy for management accounting leads to flawed descision-making emphasizing short term financial gain - reuse of software components leads to products that are hard to use.

One effective technique is using the end customer as the ultimate judge of quality and performance - the kind of approach described 10 years later in Fred Reichheld's The Ultimate Question: Driving Good Profits and True Growth

A principal of a company once told me that the primary job of a manager is to get the employee to do what the manager wants him to do. From there to effective management in real life comes a lot of confusion.

Robert Austin sorts it all out with a suprisingly simple model, and a strong does of honesty. Managers and workers -- participants in the serious game of work in organzations -- put aside illusions and read this book. And anyone who thought they were helping by designing a measurement program, pay attention too.

Measurement and management can work, but only if you know what you're doing.

I started reading this book to learn more about Florida's environmental issues and never expected to learn so much or enjoy it so much. Living in a place that has few water issues I was shocked to realize what has been and is going on in much of the rest of the country. The sad thing about this wonderfully researched and well written book is it shows another area in which out government is failing to protect the people and environment of the US. It also shows the difficult balance between quick and easy economic stimulus and the high cost in other areas.

Cynthia Barnett is a journalist with a passion for the environment. A native Floridian, she has seen the change that those of us who have spent our lives in this state, have watched come too quickly. Once a tangle of marsh and woods, dotted with urban outcroppings, Florida has become a vast jigsaw puzzle of urban and suburban sprawl. Water, once considered too plentiful, is becoming a scarce commodity here...the focus of battles which are already beginning. To those not yet to the battlefield, Mirage sheds light on the problems we are creating by our lack of foresight. To those already leading the charge, it is a guidebook filled with data to show both the damage we have already caused and that which we will continue to cause if chganges aren't made. Mirage is also a call to action. Those who care can make a difference that will save Florida for future generations.

Outstanding book. It shows us how we let our environment get downgraded and is an important weapon for preventing further damage. Amazon price was good and service great.

Mirage is a work of science and passion. The writer has focused on that most important, scarce, and necessary resource: fresh water. She explores the political decisions and the business decisions that have affected the water supply in Florida and the rest of the East Coast of the United States. Her research is extensive; her prose is crisp; and her cause is sanity in the management of growth. I recommend this book for any reader who has an interest in science, nature, or business.

A very thoughtful, well-written book that delves into the science, history and politics of water in Florida and manages to do so in an interesting and readable manner. Cynthia Barnett clearly indentifies the problems and offers reasonable solutions without becoming judgemental or dogmatic. A must read for anyone living in the State of Florida or planning to do so and highly recommended for everyone else!

I especially appreciate that this book takes into account the whole of the scriptural perspective, tota scriptura. I heartily recommend it.

a thorough approach to mission theology with Biblical explanations for the Author, characters, and setting

This was such an excellent book. I picked it up at Urbana 2006 and read it that summer. I am working on going through my notes to teach a class on the subject of this book. I have recommended it to many people, but it is weighty. It is sad that so few people are familiar with Wright's work. He has done much in taking us back and grounding us in the story of the OT. For those interested, I highly recommend "Old Testament Ethic for the People of God." Again, weighty, but excellent.

This is certainly the most impressive book on Mission to be published since Bosch's 'Transforming Mission' and will surely be Dr Wright's 'Magnum Opus.' This outstanding tome entitled `The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible's Grand Narrative' contains 581 closely reasoned pages and maintains that equally, the `proper way for disciples of the crucified and risen Jesus to read their Scriptures , is (both) messianically and missionally. ( p.30)

It should be noted that most books on Mission fail to provide an adequate O.T. basis for mission. David Bosch for example in his excellent book `Transforming Mission' gives us little if any. In this book however, Wright ( also a noted OT scholar as well as Missiologist) goes a long way to rectify this imbalance.

'The Mission of God' is not a light read but should be of great interest to all missionaries and Pastors as well as to theology and Bible students. Chris Wright has also designated that the royalties from this book will go to the to worthy charity Langham Literature.

John Goldingay, the author of Old Testament Theology, and professor of Old Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary writes of it:
"This marvelous book is all I hoped and expected, and more. . . .We are so fortunate to have the mature fruit of a lifetime's reflection on the missional nature of the Bible by this outstanding teacher, scholar and missionary theologian."

If you want an outstanding book on Mission which will be around for years to come: This is it!

I wish that I had had this book in hand many years ago. I've been on a journey of learning and discovery regarding the "metanarrative" of the Scriptures, and having reached a tentative understanding, I buy Christopher Wright's The Mission of God, and find that he has it all laid out for me. One of those books that makes you wonder why no one wrote it before and then makes you wish you had written it yourself. I have translated the New Testament into two indigenous languages of Mexico and have been forced to ask the big questions about what on earth God is doing anyway. It's been a great experience, and I think I'm finally coming to an adequate understanding of the good news of the Bible. I have read a lot of books related to the topic of The Mission of God, but none as exciting and stimulating as this one. And I don't consider Wright to be a great writer. What's great is the maturity and comprehensiveness of his thinking. A new perspective on almost every page. Wright has put it together for me. I'm reading it through the second time and have bought two copies to give to friends. All right, you may not be as excited as I am about the Bible's message about the coming of the kingdom of God, but if you are half as interested as I am, read this book.

Excellent information on the history of gemstones, understanding color and cuts. Exquisite examples, beautifully photographed. A must for anyone interested in gemstones or the history of jewelry.

This is a beautiful book with lots of interesting information on the gem collection.

This review is for the paperback version of the book, which I loved. It has a lovely balance of terrific photos & explanations of the various sources of the featured gems. It serves as a nice beginning reference when you have heard the terms sapphire & red sapphire (huh? I thought red gems were rubys or spinels) and would like to know more about which gems are related to others.

And did I say the photos are just wonderful? Enjoy!

If you have visited the National Collection and want a souvenir to remind you of the stunning array of unique World Class Gems then this is the book for you. Both the format of the book and the superlative quality of the photography make this book the next best thing to being in the exhibition hall. There is a fairly light weight coverage of the gemmology in the text, but it mostly focusses on the history and ownership of these fabulous gems. The National Collection is unique, no where else in the world is there such a concentration of fabulous jewels with such an interesting history, with the possible exception of the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. This book is a fitting celebration of such a marvellous collection.

"The National Gem Collection," by Jeffrey E. Post, features photographs by Chip Clark. The book is a beautiful celebration of the title collection, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution. The informative text discusses the history of the collection, facts about types of different gemstones, and specific pieces in the collection.

The full-color photography is really stunning, and brings a rich assortment of gems to glorious life. Some of the historic pieces pictured are the blue Hope Diamond, the diamond Napoleon Necklace, the Hooker Emerald, and more. Also shown are a colorful collection of "fancy" diamonds, a rare red diamond, the 858-carat uncut Gachala Emerald, the delightful "pink tutu" (a band of dainty rose quartz crystals on a large smoky quartz crystal), a dazzling group of fire opals, a lapis lazuli carving from Afghanistan, and more.

I appreciate how the book celebrates gemstones at various stages: uncut, cut, and set in artfully crafted pieces of jewelry. Many different types of gemstones--aquamarine, garnet, spinel, chrysoberyl, turquoise, etc.--are covered. Features such as a scanning electron microscope photo of the inner structure of an opal give the reader a deeper understanding of the science behind gems. From start to finish, this book is a marvelous feast for both the eyes and the brain.

Goldberg's book is written in language that business people can quickly understand, and full of examples they can relate to. It's a superb presentation of the nine leadership styles--accessible and practical. I've used it very effectively in team sessions and in individual coaching ... My business clients especially gravitate to the "Cardinal Rules" at the end of each chapter (how to work with each type and how to work on yourself if it's your type).

This book was my intro to the Enneagram and it is excellent.
It has very good descriptions of the 9 types and how to find out where you fit.
Its real distinguishing feature is a breakdown on how each group relates to the others in practical everyday situations. Like what to do if you work for a 7 or what if you are a 7.
I wasn't sure which type I was ( I'm a nine) and I read all the rest first. I kept trying to fit myself into a 7 or a 5 but, when I read the 9 chapter it sounded like he reached into my heart and pulled out the things no one else knows about me. I can still feel it today.
Then they go on with more, practical info and advise about what to do with your new found knowlege.
I've since read "Wisdom of the Enneagram" and "Personality Types." They are also very good but I wouldn't recommend them as your first Enneagram book.

Certainly this is one of the most practical, real-world approaches ever taken to the Enneagram. It's short on 'spiritual' hooey [which is strictly okay with me] and long on realistic application of the Enneagram to your professional and personal daily life. But that does not mean it is in any way shallow -- it is as specific, insightful and dead-on acurate as any book on the market. His descriptions of the types is thourough, well-organized and articulate. [BE AWARE, however, that it is largely a re-hash - if a superior re-hash -- of his earlier "Boss's Number."] If you are less interested in the new-agey, spiritual aspects of the Enneagram, and looking for a clear articulation of how the principles work in your dialy life, this might be the best of the bunch.

If you already have Goldberg's excellent "Getting Your Boss's Number" you probably don't need this volume. This volume however makes Goldberg's perceptive analysis and effective writing available in paperback (earlier title is out of print).

Goldberg's work is not quite as casual in style as Renee Baron's delightful works ("Enneagram Made Easy" and "Am I Your Type"), but it will appeal much more to the no-nonsense business world. His examples of people at different points on the Enneagram are drawn from his business experience and effectively highlight the types of challenges and opportunities that work presents differently to individuals, depending on their Enneagram dynamics.

I cannot imagine anyone not being fascinated and empowered by looking at themselves, their coworkers, and their family through Goldberg's careful presentation. He is respectful of all and does not approach Enneagram as a "pigeon-holing" or "typing" process. Rather it's an appreciation of strengths and challenges. From a background in psychology, I especially appreciate his discussion of the underlying dynamics and likely sources of how family experience helps us slide into certain Enneagram-number ways of operating.

So much more readable and better-organized that most of the "classics" in Enneagram. If you enjoy processing and sharing insights about how humans function, you may also want to explore Baron's titles. The latter are excellent for a casual chat around the family room - then those who like to really APPLY the principles to their work and life will want to move into Goldberg.

I had studied the Enneagram for several years and knew it was useful in business, so I was pleased to see this book come out as the first I'd seen applying the Enneagram to the business environment. I was not disappointed in what it delivered. While the author has developed some unique Enneagram terminology (i.e. the "ally point") that I don't necessarily agree with, his understanding and descriptions of each Enneagram Type and how they manifests their unconscious agendas in the workplace, as well as how to respond to them in the most productive way, was excellent. For example, his description of what makes a Type 6 tick, and how to best work with a 6, so helped me in understanding better one of my own work colleagues, that single insight alone made the book worthwhile for me. I highly recommend this book, and I also recommend reading "Discovering Your Personality Type", by Don Riso and Russ Hudson, for a good introduction to Enneagram basics.

With this book, Marquardt has created the most exciting and practical model for executive development I have ever seen. Warren Bennis recently asked, poignantly, "Is there a future for leadership?" Marquardt is leading all management educators into the future of leadership. As director of an executive Master's program at American University, I am astonished at how powerful Marquardt's model is for developing "leaderly learners," in the magical phrase coined by Peter Vaill. Action learning is perfect for leaders who want to learn and learners who want to lead. Marquardt's chapter on the role of "action learning coach" is, by itself, worth a shelf of books of leadership. My executive participants are raving about how action learning has transformed their individual mindsets, allowing them to surface take-for-granted assumptions, as well as helped them begin to transform the culture or collective mindsets of their organizations.

Optimizing The Power Of Action Learning: Solving Problems And Building Leaders In Real Time by educator and consultant Michael J. Marquardt (Professor of HRD and Program Director of Overseas Programs, The George Washington University), is a "user friendly" guidebook to an effective learning technique for facing increasingly intimidating and complex organizational challenges, especially with regard to global business concerns. Impressing the power of "action learning" to respond to the need to create new products, improve service quality, and transform organizational cultures, Optimizing The Power Of Action Learning is a confidently recommended success guide complete with a well-thought-out process for introducing and sustaining action learning among groups to the reader's particular and maximum advantage.

Michael J. Marquardt has developed a problem-solving tool. His process, which can be adapted by organizations of any size not only provides solutions but also builds leaders and teams.

Marquardt, a professor of HRD and Program Direction of Overseas Programs at The George Washington University, is an expert in action learning. His process has six components.

1. A problem - It must be significant and urgent.
2. A group - The ideal group has between 4 and 8 diverse members.
3. Questions - Initially, team members are restricted to questions. This reflective inquiry period develops a thorough understanding of the problem.
4. Action - The group is authorized to implement their solution.
5. Learning - A commitment to the process is as important as the solution.
6. A coach - Someone is needed to keep the group focused.

A key step is "action." Learning is meaningful only if some type of action is taken. Action generally involves four steps:

1. Understand and Redefine the Problem. This is often the most important step.
2. Articulate a Goal.
3. Develop and Test Strategies.
4. Take Action and Reflect on the Results.

Marquardt includes a 12 step plan to introduce action learning to your organization. Properly implemented, it will accomplish three goals for your organization:

1. It will provide solutions to problems.
2. Develop leaders.
3. Build a problem-solving culture.

People with an intense interest in knowing all the details of action learning will find the answer to their prayers in this book. Author Michael J. Marquardt writes with the zeal of a revival tent preacher, filled with the sincere belief that action learning can help solve any problem, meet any challenge or achieve any aspiration. As he clearly explains, action learning is intended to build both knowledge and leadership. He sets out the steps your organization should pursue to implement action learning, and to use it well. He includes questions, checklists and extensive examples. All he omits are any caveats or cautions about this approach. He's a booster and an expert, just so you know where he's coming from. We recommend his manual to human resource professionals.

It is desirable but not imperative to have read Michael Marquardt's earlier work, Action Learning in Action, before reading this one. He defines action learning as "both a process and a powerful program that involves a small group of people solving real problems while at the same time focusing on what they are learning and how their learning can benefit each group member and the organization as a whole." The benefits of action learning include shared learning through all levels and areas of an organization, greater self-awareness and self-confidence for all involved because of their new insights and feedback interaction, improvement of their ability to ask better questions and to be more reflective, and improved communication and collaboration enterprise-wide.

How do task forces and quality circles differ from action learning groups? First, [they] tend to focus on the specific problem of task to be addressed rather than on identifying the organization wide, environmental, systemic elements in which the problem resides, and which also be affected if lasting change is to take place...Second, [task forces and quality circles] generally do not have the power or the expectation of taking action...Third [they] are charged with addressing a problem or improving a product or procedure; any learning that occurs is incidental." Marquardt suggests that action learning programs are built around six interactive components: a problem, the group, the questioning and reflection process, the commitment to taking action, the commitment to learning, and the facilitator. It is important to add, a "commitment to action" includes both identifying a given problem's causes and correcting it, and, then ensuring that the problem does occur again.

In this volume, Marquardt develops in much greater depth many of the core concepts introduced in his earlier book, Action Learning in Action, but focuses much greater attention on how to solve problems and build leaders in real time with next-generation tools and techniques to make action learning successful each and every time, in any organization. Those who have not read his earlier book will appreciate his review of the six critical components: the problem; group diversity (e.g. cross-functional teams); action strategies; individual, team, and organizational learning; the all-important involvement of a well-trained action learning coach; and step-by-step procedures for introducing, implementing, and sustaining action learning. In turn, many of those who have read the earlier book will also appreciate his review of the six critical components, both as a reminder and as a framework within which Marquardt refines his core concepts as well as introducing entirely new material such as the 20 best-practice examples of action learning in action. He also inserts a number of reader-friendly devices such as eight Tables and dozens of checklists which summarize key points in each of the eight chapters. These devices facilitate and accelerate review later, whenever needed to clarify the nature and extent of a reader's own specific problem or opportunity.

Of greatest interest to me is what Marquardt has to say about how to prepare for and then introduce, implement, and then sustain an effective action learning program. He suggests and then carefully explains each of twelve steps (which are listed in Table 7 on page 162) which comprise a cohesive, comprehensive, and cost-effective process which - with appropriate modifications, of course - can guide and inform initiatives undertaken by almost any organization, whatever its size or nature may be. Marquardt's extensive real-world experience with all manner of organizations probably explains why his approach is so pragmatic. He well realizes the barriers to be overcome, hence the importance of the various checklists he provides such as those for top management support, what should be addressed during a preparations assessment workshop, the selection of action learning projects, and measuring the impact of action learning initiatives in the given organization.

Those who share my high regard for this brilliant book are urged to check out Marquardt's subsequent work, Leading with Questions, in which he explains in even greater depth how leaders find the right solutions by knowing which questions to ask. He insists, and I wholly agree, that effective leadership of action learning programs must be provided at all levels and in all areas of operation but that such programs cannot succeed without the full support and sustained commitment of senior-management.