Organizations Books

1. Overture [eg "The Communication Process"]

2. Managing Relationship Life in the Workplace [eg "The Art of Listening"]

3. Managing Work Life in the Workplace [eg "Managing Stress and Conflict"]

4. Managing Public Life in the Workplace [eg "Establishing Your Presentation Goals"]

5. Managing Techno-Life in the Workplace [eg "Three Tips for Managing Techno-Life Competencies"]

As these "Unit" titles correctly suggest, the authors provide both a system and a process to increase business and professional communication skills. They include a wealth of specific suggestions as well as real-world examples which suggest HOW to derive the greatest benefit, both from the system and the process. For whom will this book be most valuable? For experienced executives, it offers basic but useful reminders of what they probably know already (at least untuitively) or what they have learned empirically; for less-experienced executives, it offers what may well be new ideas, strategies, and tactics which can help to accelerate their career development.

Jill Fraser saw a hole in the market and she filled it. There are endless numbers of personal finance guides for people who work for someone. Likewise, there are numerous books on corporate finance issues. However, the high volume of calls Jill fielded at Inc. Magazine, reinforced her awareness that there were no guides to specifically help business owners with their personal finances. Jill Andresky Fraser, Inc. Magazine's well-known and respected finace editor, wrote this book as a personal finance blueprint for entrepreneurs.

As they pursue their american dream, many entrepreneurs may compromise the financial well-being of their families. We've all heard not to put all your eggs in one basket, but its hard for business owners not to do that. Half-a-million men and women start businesses each year, adding to the ranks of 15-20 million who already operate their own companies across the U.S. Yet only about half of these small businesses will survive for four years or longer.

Business owners receive pressure to put their company first, but Jill says "NO," you have to find a middle ground to value your family's goals and family's security and safety as you get your company running. She says that without ever bothering to articulate it; most business owners have a personal finance strategy that boils down to two words: my company. They often neglect to create a back-up strategy or safety net to safe guard their family's well-being. Entrepreneurs may not want to deal with the "mundane" but vital issue of "building a firewall" between one's personal and business finances until the business is solvent, goes public... or until it's too late financially! Fraser provides conservative strategies for coping with problems such as cash flow crises, extensive credit card debt, and the lack of family retirement and savings plans. She says to be sure you're always taking baby steps to protect yourself.

The self-compensation strategy is a tough one. Jill Fraser suggests the following strategy:

* As early as possible - ideally before the company ever begins operations, but if not then, soon figure out a minimum salary that makes sense for you.

* Do some family bonding about the self-compensation dilemma. You'll win emtotional support thatwill strengthen you during tough early days.

* Remember, this is temporary. Take a long-term view.

* Examine your self-compensation progress every six months during this early stage.

* When you're absolutely certain that there is no way your start-up can support even a tiny, token salary for you, reexamine this issue at the end of your operating quarter. Set a goal to pay yourself something as soon as it becomes feasible.

Franchise owners can also benefit from this book. They are given a blueprint for running the business side of the company, but there is no guarantee that personal goals will be addressed.

Mary Ann Campbell, CFP - MoneyMagic.com

Here's a book that gives you more answers than you want to hear. If you're an entrepreneur (own your own business), you may be in stage 1 (start-up and early days), stage 2 (stable and on a clear path to profitability) or stage 3 (profitable, stable cash flow, mature). In each phase, you have personal financial issues as well as corporate finance issues to address. You'll have a lot of questions looking for answers.

What better expert to counsel you than the researcher and journalist who gained so much popularity as finance editor of Inc. Magazine and editor at Bloomberg Personal Finance. She's been a writer at Forbes, the New York Times, and the Wall Street columnist for the New York Observer. As you can imagine, Jill Fraser knows her topic well. She presents a tremendous amount of highly valuable information and advice in succinct doses that always seem to be just the right length. Reading this book is like sitting in that comfortable chair in your living room chatting with a knowledgeable friend.

Want more? Fraser has brought a dozen well-known successful entrepreneurs to the party. They share their perspectives throughout the book, in focused commentary at the end of each section. I was impressed with the thoroughness of this book.

Want more? How about an eight page index in the back of the book and a full-page index of hot topics in the front of the book? As you turn the pages, you'll find more little surprises as the author keeps delivering even more than you expect. I'd recommend this book for every business owner, regardless of your stage of development . . . as well as for people who are contemplating going into business for themselves. Wish I'd had this book twenty years ago!

One interesting thing about this campus series is that as we continue to turn America into sprawl -- what James Howard Kunstler calls "the National Automobile Slum" -- campuses are the first urban experience for many Americans.

Note to Princeton Architectural Press: you should let the authors talk more about the outdoor public realm and not make them focus so much on individual buildings.

The book should also have many plans (there are none). The best architecture guidebooks have plans for every building.

Capital Campaigns: Strategies That Work
By: Andrea Kihlstedt and Catherine P. Schwartz
Edited by: James P. Gelatt
Aspen Publishers, Inc. Gaithersburg, Maryland 1997

Reviewed by: Norman Olshansky: President
NFP Consulting Resources, Inc.
...

What a surprise! With over 30 years of non profit fundraising, leadership and capital campaign consulting experience, I expected to gain little from this "how to" book which I was given to review. Boy, was I wrong.

Step by step, the authors outline and expand upon the key elements of a capital campaign; from determining whether or not your organization is ready for a campaign, to the best ways to celebrate and evaluate its conclusion.

I appreciated the amount of detail the authors included and their emphasis on organization, planning, leadership involvement and communications. They explore the basic process and then give in depth coverage of each step. In addition to sharing their own personal knowledge and expertise, they gathered much of their material by interviewing friends and clients who also had extensive capital campaign experience. They made the book more interesting, and dramatized the points they wanted to make, by the inclusion of short vignettes and quotes by volunteer and professionals, from actual campaign experiences.

Among the important subjects covered by the book are: how to select and use consultants, building the case for support, conducting a feasibility study, creating a campaign management plan, prospecting and prospect research, team building and leadership development, techniques of solicitation, campaign materials and public relations, events, thank yous, recognition, and much more. They even have a trouble shooting guide which focuses on what to do when things go wrong.

I highly recommend this handbook for volunteer leadership and staff alike (whatever their level of previous experience) who are considering a capital campaign. It is a book that should also be part of the libraries of campaign consultants. I have to admit that I picked up several great new ideas and techniques from reading the book.

Keep in mind that this is a "how to" book and will continue to be of value as a reference tool. The table of contents and index are complete and excellent in their detail.

I felt the authors could have put more emphasis on and expand the section on feasibility studies, or as I like to call them, pre-campaign assessments. Too many organizations try to avoid this important process thinking that they already know they need to know. They feel the pre-campaign study will take unnecessary time and resources. A good study not only sets the stage for a successful capital campaign and determines a realistic goal, but also provides invaluable information about the way the organization is perceived in the community, potential for major support, and extent to which leadership and staff are ready or capable to do what is necessary for success.

Organizational culture, leadership styles, personality management and what is often referred to as organizational politics are other areas which I felt deserved expanded coverage by the authors. Human factors, organizational history, and communication styles are all addressed in the book but are not given as extensive or in depth presentation as is warranted.

In summary, this book not only meets, but exceeds its very appropriate title: Capital Campaigns-Strategies that Work.

Step by step, the authors outline and expand upon the key elements of a capital campaign; from determining whether or not your organization is ready for a campaign, to the best ways to celebrate and evaluate its conclusion.

I appreciated the amount of detail the authors included and their emphasis on organization, planning, leadership involvement and communications. They explore the basic process and then give in depth coverage of each step. In addition to sharing their own personal knowledge and expertise, they gathered much of their material by interviewing friends and clients who also had extensive capital campaign experience. They made the book more interesting, and dramatized the points they wanted to make, by the inclusion of short vignettes and quotes by volunteer and professionals, from actual campaign experiences.

Among the important subjects covered by the book are: how to select and use consultants, building the case for support, conducting a feasibility study, creating a campaign management plan, prospecting and prospect research, team building and leadership development, techniques of solicitation, campaign materials and public relations, events, thank yous, recognition, and much more. They even have a trouble shooting guide which focuses on what to do when things go wrong.

I highly recommend this handbook for volunteer leadership and staff alike (whatever their level of previous experience) who are considering a capital campaign. It is a book that should also be part of the libraries of campaign consultants. I have to admit that I picked up several great new ideas and techniques from reading the book.

Keep in mind that this is a how to book and will continue to be of value as a reference tool. The table of contents and index are complete and excellent in their detail.

I felt the authors could have put more emphasis on and expand the section on feasibility studies, or as I like to call them, pre-campaign assessments. Too many organizations try to avoid this important process thinking that they already know they need to know. They feel the pre-campaign study will take unnecessary time and resources. A good study not only sets the stage for a successful capital campaign and determines a realistic goal, but also provides invaluable information about the way the organization is perceived in the community, potential for major support, and extent to which leadership and staff are ready or capable to do what is necessary for success.

Organizational culture, leadership styles, personality management and what is often referred to as organizational politics are other areas which I felt deserved expanded coverage by the authors. Human factors, organizational history, and communication styles are all addressed in the book but are not given as extensive or in depth presentation as is warranted.

In summary, this book not only meets, but exceeds its very appropriate title: Capital Campaigns-Strategies that Work.