Organizations Books

While the author states that this book is to be targeted to persons seeking to enter senior management or higher roles within non-profits, I think this reads more like a general job search book. It sounds like the author is writing from the standpoint of a headhunter. Here is the table of contents:

1. Defining the Nonprofit Sector
2. If You're New to the Nonprofit World
3. Organizing your search
4. Focusing your search
5. Finding openings
6. Establishing and Cultivating your Network
7. Creating a Great Resume
8. Writing Persuasive Cover Letters
9. Acing the Interview
10. Recruiting the Right references
11. Negotiating Salary & benefits
12. If you don't get the job
13. When the job search ends

Chapters 3-13 are what I consider topics you can find in any "job search" book. Though I should say that the author does *touch* upon how the Non-profit sector is unique in some of these respects. What I did find useful are all the website references that may provide more information.

It reads quickly- I think I finished it in about an hour. I appreciate the amount of information that it packs in its 100 pages, especially if you are looking for a resource book that is quick-and-dirty and to-the-point.

As an alternative (or as a supplementary), I think Transitioning to the Nonprofit Sector by Kaplan, published in 2007 (Laura Gassner Otting), might be more informative, depending on what your objectives are.

I read this book in the fall 2006 when I was in the midst of looking for a job in the DC area. It was a helpful resource. It reinforced information I already knew and then mentioned new information. It gives tips on creating a resume, informational interviews, interviews, the importance of a thank you card and what to include in it. I will definitely continue to refer to this resource again. I've mentioned it to other friends as well looking for a job in the nonprofit sector.

A must have resource for finding your dream job in the non-profit sector. What's great about this book is that it is comprehensive, but short. It contains all you need to know to find and get your job in one slim, easy-to-read, volume.

This book is small, but it's packed with useful information. It helped me put together a resume and strategy for successfully landing a leadership position in the nonprofit sector.

Slesinger's book is an excellent blueprint for beginning a search and following through, even when life gets in the way. The step-by-step game plan and practical advice alone are worth the cover price, and best of all Slesinger leaves you motivated and feeling like you want to immediately get started hunting for your next great job. I have to confess that I literally missed my bus stop while examining the section on resumes; I do a lot of hiring and I see a lot of resumes, and his advice is dead on.

If you want a new job or think you might, get this book now.

This book is special in that it adds empirical support for the authors' business hypothesis. However, their ideas themselves are not revolutionary. Rather they organized and framed a lot of the ideas that today's business leaders already know and practice.

I suppose that the book is in the tradition of academic research paper rather than overblown business hyperbole. As with any academic oriented publications, they make less than interesting reading, but valuable nevertheless.

Survival of the Smartest is reviewed - very positively - in this month's Fast Company. And having now read it I see why: clear, insightful, and packed with great examples for high tech managers working to improve the performance of thier organizations.

By examining the information managment practices of a sample group of short life-cycle high tech companies, Mendelson & Ziegler create a valuable framework to evaluate your company's ability to manage information in the information age. Also chock full of terrific soon-to-be popular industry buzzwords, including: "Decision Architecture," "High/Low IQ Company" and "Internal Information Dissemination." Use 'em while they're hot.

Survival of the Smartest is one of those management books that made its way through the academic world (or so-called the Ivory Tower) into the real-world. In contrary to what is expected, it does a very good job in connecting these two seemingly unrelated fields.

The novel concept, "Organizational IQ", was developed theoretically by Prof. Haim Mendelson and published in some leading academic journals such as Management Science and Information Systems Research. This book summarizes the results of those publications in an easy-to-read way. Organizational IQ is defined as "...a quantifiable measure of how organizations assimilate information and put together their decision and information architectures." It is argued and proved empirically in the book that High-IQ organizations on average are more successful than Low-IQ organizations. A company's organizational IQ describes how well the organization performs along five dimensions:

(1) External Information Awareness
(2) Effective Decision Architecture
(3) Internal Knowledge Dissemination
(4) Organizational Focus
(5) Information Age Business Network.

Mendelson describes each of these dimensions in detail and supports its arguments through the use of case studies from Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Acer, British Petroleum (BP), and Modex (a real company with a disguised name).

Although, the main focus of the book is on the use of Information Technology applications along these dimensions, an average reader will not have any difficulty in understanding these concepts if s/he knows what an Internet or Intranet is used for.

The book can be recommended as a supporting textbook for Strategy, Marketing, or Information Systems courses, especially in the graduate level. Whether you are in academia or in business, it is one of the books you should read if you are interested in how business should be done in the Information Age. Forget about the past Industrial Age books, they are already history... Chrysler has learned it in its own way (page 100 in the book)

PS: One may think that I am too generous in rating the books I comment on. However, one should keep in mind that among the books I have read, only those that are worth reading can make it here-my way of decreasing the information overload for Amazon.com members :)

The importance of this book can be judged by any employee asking why can't we work in an organisation which is better developed on the author's 5 Organisational IQ factors:

1 EXTERNAL INFORMATION AWARENESS, ie each part of our organisation captures external information (customers, technology opportunities, competitors' actions) quickly and accurately

2 EFFECTIVE DECISION ARCHITECTURE, ie in our organisation decisions are made at the right level (by the people with the best information and perspective). As a result decisions : are made quickly, have high quality, instill ownership and accountability

3 INTERNAL KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION, ie each part of our organisation knows what it needs to know when it needs to know it. Effective information flows 4-dimensionally: Horizontal, cross functional Top-down, org-wide goals and priorities Bottom-up, operational challenges and opportunities Learning, review over time of all of above

4 ORGANISATIONAL FOCUS, ie organisation systematically fights overload and complexity by: Limiting scope of the business; focusing on core competences; simplifying processes

5 CREATING AN INFORMATION AGE BUSINESS NETWORK, ie Organisation maximises the value of eternal partnerships by applying the above 4 High IQ factors to the entire business network

Would love to share experiences with anyone working or reading up on how to improve organisations IQ factors

chris macrae, chief infomediary, brandknowledge.com e-mail wcbn007@easynet.co.uk

This book sets out and reasserts the moral compass that all companies - and individuals - need to be successful, not only in business but as humans and partners. It's beautifully written, compelling and should be required reading for all executives and managers of companies. It may seem basic but the more sophisticated we are - or think ourselves to be - the more likely we are to neglect these lessons. A book to remind us of our essential fallibility - and our essential goodness, if only we care to care.

This is the best current work on honesty and leadership. It is well-written and enjoyable to read. Johnson is a consultant and speaker. Phillips was in human resources for 30 years with several known companies. Their ideas come from their work and consulting observations. Their six laws are good points we all could inculcate in our lives and leadership.

This book is outstanding. Bob has extensive experience in Intel, Tektronix and other technology companies as a senior HR executive and has captured the power of honest communication. There are so many things that get in the way of honest commination and working towards this end can be discouraging if your culture does not support it. However, using the principles that Bob outlines will provide a powerful bottom line impact and should not be ignored. Very powerful book. Now if only every one followed it.

This handy guide endeavors to reduce the complex challenge of ethical leadership - with which great minds have struggled for thousands of years - to six simple and absolute rules of honesty. The authors, Larry Johnson and Bob Phillips, clearly explain each rule of absolute honesty they have derived and provide many illustrative anecdotes and examples drawn from daily life. There is a fascinating, moving story of one co-author's unforgettable experience as a high school track star, and another account about a couple whose marriage ended in divorce after the wife insisted on acting dishonestly. Perhaps the authors believed that this volume would move even the greatest crooks to resolute and unswerving honesty. Alas, that is beyond their scope. However We find that ordinary businesspeople seeking general guidelines might find useful counsel here. Hey, at least it's a start.

I enjoyed reading this book because anyone can relate to it. There are always "real" stories in each chapter which is an excellent way to describe what the writers are trying to emphasis. "Absolute Honesty" is also a wonderful book for women. Many times women find themselves in situations where they want to be honest, but are extremely uncomfortable or fear they won't be listened to. "Absolute Honesty" has great ideas on how to approach people allowing them to be sincere without the fear.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who has been retrenched, made redundant, involuntarily exited from the workplace or simply disillusioned with his or her workplace. A step by step manual on how to transition or transform yourself and make a comeback. Full of tips and suggestions, if you are a career hunter, it would be useful to have this text handy. Its got some stories of individuals' experiences and therefore this should be helpful in enabling you to make a move, if you are hesitating.

I found this to be an excellent read - a real motivational book, especially for someone coming out of the .com craze. This book told of all the mood changes and feelings of anxiety that come from being downsized or from a company that has gone out of business. It also contained a good list of resources relating to where you were in your search for a new career.

Loved it. Recommend it to anyone on the edge.

Are You a Corporate Refugee? is an excellelnt resource for people who are being downsized, EAP professionals, and Outplacement experts. This book proves to be a guide for preparing for an imminent layoff and describing steps to take after the layoff. The author, Ruth Luban, does an excellent job in not only presenting a very practical guide, but addressing the full range of emotions attached to such a major life changing event.

As a career counselor, I am always searching for resources that are both informative about the psycholological impact of change and pragmatic enough to provide concrete guidance for persons navigating a career transition. This is the book I most often suggest to clients who have been laid off or are otherwise in the middle of a job change under challenging circumstances. I highly recommend this book.

On the brink of layoff, I found this book at the library among the usual collection of books on resume' building, interviewing and job search. Reading the first chapters about downsizing I could see that this book was about my story, starting with the "On The Brink" experience of knowing something drastic is about to happen soon. Turns out the book is about the internal challenges and transitions involved in loosing a job, dealing with "what to do next" and how to make the journy to the next job a rewarding one.

Now I have my own copy from Amazon which I use most every day. It is very helpful.

This is a great resource for individuals looking for some leadership pointers.

Since I became a civilian a few years ago, I've struggled somewhat with explaining to my team how to adapt what I "know" about Army leadership into terms they can understand.

This book does a great job of putting the fundamentals of Army leadership into terms civilians can understand, and better yet, implement or integrate into their leadership experience.

The fundamentals apply to every organization, and I highly recommend it to any student of leadership!

I recently re-read this book, curious to know to what extent its content remains relevant. My conclusion? It is even more relevant today than it was when first published in 2004. In Richard E. Cavanagh's Foreword, he recalls a discussion during dinner with Peter Drucker and Jack Welch who shared the same opinion that the United States military services do the best job developing leaders. What we have in this volume is an adaptation by Frances Hesselbein and General Eric K. Shinseki (USA Ret.) of Field Manual 22-100, Army Leadership, with assistance from Alan Shrader. Hesselbein and Shinseki also wrote the Introduction. The material is carefully organized within seven chapters, followed by a Conclusion that reviews the most important points, correctly noting the unique and compelling role that the U.S. Army has played since June 14, 1775, when the Continental Congress authorized enlistment of riflemen to serve the United Colonies for one year.

With regard to the book's title, "Army leadership begins with what the leader must Be, the values and attributes that shape a leader's character...People want leaders who are honest, competent, forward-looking, and inspiring...People willingly follow only those who know what they are doing. One of the quickest ways for a leader to lose trust and commitment of followers is to demonstrate incompetence...Character and competence, the Be and the Know, underlie everything a leader does. But character and knowledge - while absolutely necessary - are not enough. Leaders act; they Do...They solve problems, overcome obstacles, strengthen teamwork, and achieve objectives. They use leadership to produce results."

I realize that these concepts seem simple. In one sense they are. However, in this context, I am reminded of what Oliver Wendell Holmes once said: "I would not give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity." The challenge to any organization when developing leaders is to guide those involved to the other side of complexity." The composite of excerpts from Be-Know-Do identifies core concepts, to be sure, but it also describes the character, competence, knowledge, and results-driven initiative that the U.S. Army seeks to develop within every one of its soldiers, regardless of rank. "No one is only a leader; each person in an organization is also a follower and part of a team. In fact, the old distinction between leaders and followers has blurred; complex twenty-first-century organizations require individuals to move seamlessly from one role to another in an organization, from leadership to `followership,' and back again."

Hesselbein and Shinseki are to be commended for their skillful adaptation of Field Manual 22-100, Army Leadership, but also for the inclusion within the narrative of relevant material from sources outside the U.S. Army organization. For example, they quote prominent business thinkers throughout the narrative: James Kouzes and Barry Posner on leadership by example (page 24), John Gardner on the importance of a shared vision (page 30), Patrick Lencioni on teamwork (page 86), and John Kotter on a leader's "quest for learning" (page 132). Readers will also appreciate the provision of various "Exhibits" such as 5.1 that provides a brilliant illustration of Team-Building Stages.

Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out Frances Hesselbein's other works that include The Leader of the Future 2: Visions, Strategies, and Practices for the New Era co-authored with Marshall Goldsmith, On Leading Change: A Leader to Leader Guide co-authored with Rob Johnston, and Leading for Innovation: and Organizing for Results co-edited with Goldsmith and Iain Somerville. Also, I highly recommend the wealth of resources available at the Leader to Leader Institute (http://www.leadertoleader.org/), a non-profit and tax exempt organization that includes a subscription to its magazine among several membership benefits.

Although this book is required reading, not only for ARMY OCS, but also for other applications, it is quite possibly the most BORING read ever.

While the information is quite valid *and* genius, basically the ARMY's system on leadership, it is just plain boring... Sorry, it's the truth.

For the price, the information is golden. In fact, even if the price were higher it would still be worth what you pay. But even still, this was a painful 171 pages to read!!

BUY IT. READ IT. GET IT OVER WITH...! :)

The world's benchmark with respect to leadership is the market driven capitalist company, however it seems they have lost their way when compared to the US Army. After you read this book you will be shocked to find out how far ahead of private business the US Army is in the area of Leadership.

Ultimately the US Army has determined that in some fashion everyone that reports to you is also a leader and needs to be trained and respected as such. The US Army's leaders are actively developed at all levels so that they can lead and develop others - no lip service here.

If you are a fan of Good to Great and Built to Last, you will think you found a precious gem. We all know that a vision is the cornerstone to success. If you don't know who you are, what exist for and where you are going - how could you ever be successful. This book spells out why vision is the critical point, in clear language.

Beyond Entrepreneurship is an excellent book. Why? Most business books cover how to start companies, this book goes further. Collins & Lazier show you how to create a company that has a passion for what it's doing. They give guides on how to build a company from the ground up with ideals, beliefs, and goals. You learn why vision is so important to the overall goals of the company. Some of the things you'll learn in this book: How Sony stays ahead of the curve with its innovations. How 3M allows innovation to drive strategy. How Sam Walton used similar tactics but overtook his competition.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to build a great and enduring company.

I'm not surprised why this book have 5 stars...it deserves 10.

This book not only explains which are the key success drivers for an organization to become great, but also lets us know what to do in order to achieve results on each of these drivers. I work in the Planning division of a major insurance company...I have read lots of stuff about strategic planning, and I find the content of this book to be the one that captures the essence of successful planning.

According to the authors, any person involved in leading or transforming a business, should focus on 5 dimensions. In order to become truly successful, you should achieve a great performance on each dimension.These dimensions are:

1. Leadership Style 2. Vision, values and corporate culture 3. Strategy 4. Innovation 5. Tactical Excellence

There is a chapter for each point which are full of practical examples and stories about successes and failures.

I also recommend "Built to Last", from the same author.

This 'easy to read' book is great! It should be the bible for SME companies and entrepreneurs who want to excel in real-life business. It's full of great insights and a 'must have' for anybody who cares about practical business management.

The problem with this book, and many books of this type is that it is a clearly organized exposition on intuitive principles. I have read many books that resemble this one. They tend to be motivational and easily conceived, but the downside to the ease with which they are digested is that you don't really learn anything. This does not mean the book should not read, in fact the examples and organization clearly illustrate the basic structure of strategy. However, anyone familiar with the ideas should probably look for something a little more weighty.

All of that being said, this is how the book is organized thematically:

Chapter 1: Leadership Style
Chapter 2: Vision
Chapter 3: Strategy
Chapter 4: Innovation
Chapter 5: Tactical Excellence

The key topics of chapter 1 are the multiplier effect of leadership, the different style of leadership, and the elements of leadership (Ever Forward, Communication, Hard/Soft People Skills, Personal Touch, Focus, Decisiveness, and Authenticity).

Chapter 2 covers the benefits of vision, and the framework for vision (core values and beliefs, purpose, and mission).

Chapter 3 discusses the Four Basic Principles of Setting Effective Strategy, Setting Strategy, Internal Assessment, External Assessment, and the Four Common Key Strategic Issues that Face SMEs.

Chapter 4 is on the Six Elements that make an innovative company, and 8 managerial techniques to stimulate creativity.

Chapter 5 discusses how to take vision to create strategy which can then be used to formulate tactics, how to create an environment where people consistently exhibit tactical excellence, and a six part process to ensure excellence.

This book also periodically presents frameworks, models, and case examples to help illustrate key points.

Overall, it is a quick and easy read, that will illustrate basic tips to run a business. I would recomend anything written by Michael Porter or Peter Drucker for more conceptual ideas. For more books like this, the Harvard Business Review series should be considered.

Peter Cicero use of storytelling to get across a thought provoking and very simple process of changing a business is exactly what every manager and business owner needs to read whether he believes his company is perfect or far from it. His ideas are simple and straight forward but I believe can make a difference when used. I am passing this onto my education department at work and my bosses because I believe his ideas can make a difference.

I enjoyed how this book uses narrative storytelling to explain key concepts. I also liked that the author provided a simple summary of the key concepts along the way. I remember thinking there is a very Chinese Kung Fu-like element to this book. As you might know, the Chinese kung-fu masters studied nature to design combat styles. Paul Cicero uses a similar technique to develop a busines philosophy. I really think Cicero is on to something. I think the MOOSE might just be the next big management concept.

This is a great business book. It is a wonderful read and teaches people how to transform their lives and their workplace. I love how Cicero takes what we can learn from nature (the moose) into the workplace. It is a great new way to think about your life!

Choose the MOOSE! is an excellant business book. I love the way that Cicero takes what a moose does in the wild and translates it to what we can do to thrive in any situation. Cicero hits the nail on the head when he says that corporate america is only focusing on the numbers. After reading Choose the MOOSE! I actually ENJOY going to work.

If you are looking to better your working conditions then this is the book for you. In a great story form, Peter Cicero works magic in the way he helps businesses transform themselves by growing their employees. I have read most of the business books out there today and Choose the MOOSE! beats them all.

OUTSTANDING!!!!!! Poisant's strong belief in and commitment to superior customer service is evident in every page....... BRILLIANT!!!!!! His personal insights, attitudes, and behaviors exude true and honest caring for all human beings......
TRULY UNIQUE!!!!!! Fresh, practical methods for fostering a caring work environment. Incorporating his overall philosophy into my personal management style has made me a better, more effective manager.

Finally, clear, direct words on positively transforming people and environments. Poisant's style is warm and simple; the power of his words, however, cut to the chase--either you're doing it or your not. It's that simple. This is a book that can be easily read in one sitting--and change your way of behaving forever!

A book that inspires to do things the right way from the beginning in this new world of ours. Personally I consider it a guidance to my new emerging company. Thank you for reminding us all what a business is there for, to serve our clients the best way possible.

Today's world has changed. If you want something that can help set your business apart in today's environment, this is THE Book for you. It has radically altered the way I view my employees and my customers. This guy is good.

Drawing on his real world experience, Poisant explains to managers in clear and simple language a way to gain a competitive advantage in any industry where company employees interact with the customer. His book taught me that, by management treating the people that serve as the interface to their service organization as their top priority; performance, productivity, and customer satisfaction goals will fall right into line. This serious, yet heart warming read, could serve as a quick reminder to all levels of management about the value and treatment of the front line. I place this book in arms reach beside Blanchard and Bowles' "Gung Ho".

This book states the reality of madical practice. It's a good book.

Everone should read this book!

My 85-year-old mother recently fell and severely fractured her hip. Unfortunately, she belongs to a Medicare HMO based in Southern California. Because of the nature of her fracture, she required pinning of her femur, a more extensive procedure than the usual treatment for hip fractures. The HMO which was contractually responsible for her care denied payment to the Skilled Nursisng Facility after l8 days, in spite of written reports from her physical therapists and her doctor detailing the remarkable progress she was making. Thanks to this book, we were able to appeal the HMO's denial, which was immediately again denied by the HMO. The appeal then went on to HCFA for review and the denial was reversed. This has saved my mom thousands of dollars. It should be required reading for anyone involved with HMO's!

Don't Let Your HMO Kill You is an invaluable resource which every family should have. It empowers the consumer to take charge of their and their family's health care. Drs Theodosakis and Feinberg bring both insight and useful advice to help the patient make the most of managed care. From better organizing your doctor's visit to learning how to successfully appeal a denial from your HMO, there is something for everyone in this powerful book.

Read this before you go to the doctor! It explains how to work with your doctors, rather than against them, to get the care you need. It points out why the red tape exists, why the doctors are bound by it, and how the two of you can get around it. This book should be issued to every patient. It will benefit doctors and patients alike.

As a physician who has dealt with many HMOs, I believe this will become the premier guide for people to get the best care out of whatever system they're using. It is about time someone put all of the secrets and resources in one place. Medicine has changed significantly in the last few years - right under the noses of most patients and doctors. It's caused frustration as quality care has diminished. This book will help you get back in charge. I think it should be given out by insurance plans as a guide to how patients should use the system. Congrats to the authors!

This is very focused in helping a novice or experienced fund raiser to maintain and develop their passion for contributing their goals to help a charity organization achieve their mission.

We already had a good process for giving a fundraiser. But Carolyn's book made all the difference. We tweaked and polished what we were already doing using her ideas and upped our net by 30%.

Dr. Farbs book is fantastic. I recommend this book for anyone just beginning in fundraising or charity events. Dr. Farbs book guides the amateur through promoting a cause, assembling committees, strategic planning, PR and so much more! The only complaint I have is that I did not buy it sooner!

I had the good fortune of meeting Dr.Farb at a book signing, 2 weeks before I was asked to chair the 40th annual Lunar Rendezvous Festival which celebrates the accomplishments of NASA and the community that surrounds it. Using her book as the basis for my organizational structure, we have implemented the "zero budget" principle and have enjoyed early successes. I highly recommend this book to anyone planning a charity fund raiser. It truly shows you how to avoid the expense pitfalls of throwing a major venue.

THE FINE ART OF FUNDRAISING is the definitive resource for organizations and individuals involved in fundraising. Every aspect of successful fundraising is covered in this step-by-step guide that focuses on a variety of events ranging from bake sales and carwashes to large scale fashion shows and charity balls. Volunteers new to fundraising as well as seasoned volunteers, committee chairpersons, and organization staff persons will benefit from reading this comprehensive book before beginning any new fundraising project. As a volunteer involved in fundraising events for over 25 years I find this resource to be well organized, thorough, and always on target with practical advice that addresses the needs of volunteers at all levels.

Attracting and handling benefactors and in-kind donors, reaching corporate supporters, and applying for grants are some of the topics discussed by Dr. Carolyn Farb. Anyone who chairs an auction will find the two chapters devoted to the nitty-gritty of planning and executing silent and live auctions immensely valuable. Choosing entertainment, selecting a menu, decorating, public relations--they are all covered in this work. Of particular interest to volunteers are the samples from Dr. Farb's own fundraising successes: invitations, response forms, benefactor letters, menus, seating charts, media releases and many more.

Every organization involved in fundraising should have multiple copies of this book available for staff and volunteers. Fundraisers at all levels will benefit from the valuable tips and wealth of ideas shared in this extraordinary resource.