Resources Books

excellent insights into the difficult tasks of being a pastor of a church

This is a book that I have used, loaned, lost, bought and loaned again. Now I just give it as a gift to any friend in pastoral ministry that seems to be giving too much. It is a book that will quiet the noise of constantly trying to be more than God calls one to be.
I highly recommend it to anyone beginning their ministry.

This simple book has been an important tool in helping me recover a sense of peace and serenity in parish ministry. The challenges and struggles of ministry are intense. The answer for me has been found in returning to a place of quiet, listening, and trust. The Art of Pastoring is a MUST READ for anyone in full-time parish work.

I have used this book for personal as well as community meditation ever since its first publication by CTS several years ago. As many others, I sincerely wish it were required reading in seminary and by corporate-type lay leadership who want a pastor to be a CEO rather than a pastor. I must disagree with the reviewer who faulted the book (modestly) for its lack of stress on the prophetic aspects of ministry. After all, wasn't Thomas Merton a contemplative who had a great deal to write concerning the prophetic issues of peace and justice, let alone racism? This book has been formative in enabling my continuation in ministry.

After 30 years in parish ministry, I wish I could have read this book slowly each year. I would have been more relaxed and focused. Martin takes the best from Eastern (Taoist) thought and puts it into a Christian framework. It's soothing. It's therapeutic. Especially for Type 'A' pastors like myself. We need these grace-filled thoughts to reflect on. My only caveat is a theological one. A few of Martin's reflections seem to blunt the edge of prophetic ministry--the concern for justice and equality in the world. It's that "everything is already perfect" Eastern notion. I realize the paradox involved in accepting "what is" in order to change or be changed. I wonder what Amos or Jeremiah would think about "everything is already perfect." That being said, I recommend this little volume for its peace-evoking words. I have used it in daily prayer to help me "let go." These words on page 24 keep ringing in my ears: "If you want to be a wise and true minister of the Word, work a modest number of hours each week, then go home." Amen.

This is probably the best book ever written on the subject of waterbaptism. Thorough, complete, liberating.
A minor comment one could make is the confusion with baptism with the Spirit at some points, but the writer's monumental explanation of the sacramental value of believer's baptism makes up for it for sure.
In short the writer is saying that baptism is a expression of saving faith that perfects that same saving faith - with all the wonderful blessings of salvation! (James 2:22)

I came to this book needing questions answered about biblical baptism. I got that and so much more. The author not only deals with the issue in a comprehensive way, but in the wider context of the church and the Holy Spirit, and in doing so deals with many other issues aound confirmation, laying on of hands, and the work of the Holy Spirit in the church. Essential reading for anyone pondering the complexities of such matters.

G. R. Beasely-Murray (B-M) set out to write a book on his full understadning of baptism, and the results are amazing. I would warn you that this book is not easy reading, but is necissary reading for those who are truely interested in God's word. It seems like B-M did not leave any stones unturned in his quest to understand baptism. He brings anthropology, history, literature, theology and many years of knowledge out in this book.

B-M starts with a pre-christian history of baptism and cerimonial washing, including the Baptisms of the essenes, John, and the baptism of Jesus. He then looks at the formation of Christians baptism in the bible (broken down into each book starting with acts). Then he does a topical look at what Christian baptism means and theology about baptism: icluding grace, repentence, and faith which are almost always overlooked in modern discussion of baptism. The book ends with a look at infant baptism.

B-M is thorough in his quest to figure out baptism. He rest his arguments on facts and logical conclussions instead of assumptions (normally a problem with modern theologins). Instead of writing a book to support his denominations theology, he has the courage to challenge it (and other denominations as well).

Although this in not meant to be an "easy reading" book on the vast subject of baptism, "Baptism in the New Testament" is well worth a careful read by the serious Bible student. This scholarly book is written by a Baptist, but as the back cover says (and I agree), "his discussion transcends denominational lines." Baptism is a vital part of the Christian experience, yet it is so often misunderstood, especially when it comes to any possible role baptism has with salvation (specifically, justification). Beasley-Murray concentrates much attention on the historical aspect of the doctrine and shows how baptism has been practiced and believed in the last 20 centuries. I would heartily recommend this book to the person who is serious about his/her study.

I found the author while trying to research Baptist views on baptism, and found Beasley-Murray far different from the faith-only Calvinism I was expecting. Later in a seminar, he spoke of undertaking a project to address the Eschatological Discourse of Mark 13, saying that scholars had for too long "played ducks and drakes" with the passage. Surely the same applies to this subject!

I found many of my own views supported (baptism has a salvific role) and had other views thoroughly changed and elevated by this important book. His understanding of the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" was enlightening and convincing, causing me to depart from the dominant view in my fellowship.

Other reviewers have, however, noted the author's inconsistency on some points. Most disturbing was the treatment of infant baptism which was upheld in spite of earlier insistence on the sole suitability for believer's baptism as an application of Scripture on the subject of baptism. In his seminar, the author also attributed salvation to non-baptized, wrongly-baptized among the denominations on the visible activity of the Holy Spirit among them. Could not a similarly false argument be made for non-Christian religions?

In the seminar he also addressed the puzzling matter of why many evangelicals dodge the plain meaning of Scriptures relevant to baptism. He suprised me again by declaring that Baptists of Europe differ from their American counterparts by upholding baptism's role in salvation. Why not in America? He suggests the current standoff goes back to debates with Alexander Campbell and others from the 18th century on who were intent on throwing off denominational entanglements and restoring the NT church. Many evangelical scholars are now acknowledging the error and accepting the truth, even if filtering this down into their churches remains problematic.

Baptism's salvific role should cause no affront to Reformed believers. We see nothing meritorious, and have no pretentions of saving ourselves or adding to the finished cross-work of Jesus. Baptism is salvific along with other required "works" (believing, repentance, confession of Jesus's Lordship, calling on the Name, etc.) only because they are the means of ushering people into relationship with Him. Salvation is found in Jesus, and in the relationship with Him.

All 3 of my children (boys and a girl) loved this book and we read it endless times. I give it as a gift to every new mother. Extra fun at the end when all the bears are on 2 pages together and we played "find the blue bear ... find the thin bear etc... Entertaining for ages 2-4.

In my kindergarten class, my 5 year olds adopted this book as a favorite. After reading it through once, many of the children were 'reading' it on their own. They were so excited! As a mom of 6 pre-school kids, I find my OWN children love it just as much!

My daughter has many, many books. We both love this one. The words are lyrical and fun, the pictures of the bears are interesting for all ages. She has started to pick up the words and "read" the book herself. Our original copy came used and we will be replacing it.

All three of my sons love this book. I have an older hardcover edition of this book my older 14 year old son enjoyed when he was younger. Now I am reading it to my twin boys that are 20 months old. They truely enjoy all the bears in this book. It even has twin bears in it! If you are looking for a book for the under 5 group this is it. Kids love it.

Children adore teddy bears, and this book is just full of them. Bears of every imaginable description! It is a subtle "teaching tool" helping with colors and sizes, plus much much more. I purchase this book for friends 4 and under. My daughter wore out 2 books! We enjoyed it beary much. Hope you do too!

This is a truly outstanding product. Martha Alderson has done her homework! She has developed a system that will save any writer years of education via trial-and-error.

I have Martha Alderson's book and I've had private consultations with this awesome teacher. Yet, while writing my current novel, I had forgotten about the 7 secrets in creating great scenes that not only reveal the action and emotional plotlines but also enrich the story like a fine tapestry. I thought that since I had one novel published, I could craft the next one with ease. Wrong. In the Scene Tracker, Martha tells the viewer to write down the answers to her questions (about the protagonist), thus creating a profile, and refer to this profile when writing a scene. This one piece of advice alone is priceless. I've watched both the Plot Planner and the Scene Tracker; now I feel ready and energized to tackle the next rewrite. Thank you, Martha!

I had no idea I could do so much with my scenes until I purchased the Kit. I love the book, but am not always the greatest when it comes to learning new information through reading. I do much better at seeing things demonstrated.
This kit has it all. The book is a great reference, but the DVD is how I really grasped the concepts. One ah-ha moment after another.
I make copies of the Scene Tracker template from the CD and fill the information in as it comes to me. That way, when I'm ready to write, I have everything I need right there in front of me.
I'm much more eager to show up for my writing now and find I do not procrastinate like I used to, because I am no longer stumped with what to do next. Ideas are flowing like crazy.
What a gift.
Thank you.

The Scene Tracker Kit has taken my technique to new planes. It's an incredible tool that helped me determine where the holes were in my story and then maximize the impact of every scene by fine-tuning plot dynamics and character development. Highly recommended!

As a new writer the Scene Tracker Kit was just what I needed to get my story structured and completed! Before I got this kit I found myself frustrated, stumped, and well just not really enjoying my writing. Not anymore! This kit has saved me many many hours of rewrites, and frustration, with an easy to use system and very informative web site. There is also a free eZine that (monthly) continues to provide excellent tools and tips.
Martha Alderson's Scene Tracker Kit is a great gift of her writing wisdom, insight and powerful motivation skills that writers of all levels will benefit from. I will continue to reference this throughout my writing career. Thanks Martha!

Breakaway Management articulates what's true about workplace behaviors: all people have them and they are less than ideal. People bring along their less than ideal histories (Managers are people too!) and create barriers to change that keep organizations or work groups stuck. The dysfunctional patterns can be identified and named, openly dealt with, and constructively managed. The tools provided in this book help to talk about what's real in the workplace and that's a common sense approach that experience teaches works well

Finally, the fix-it for dealing with those "people problems" that ultimately cause organizational ineffectiveness and failure! Dr. Jones spends just enough time outlining the origins of dysfunction and the widespread impact of dysfunction to convince any business person that it is this dysfunction we must focus on first in our organizations--and not our structures or policies or procedures. Throughout his book, Dr.Jones develops the pathway for any manager to deal respectfully and responsibly with dysfunctional behaviors. No matter how rampant the dysfunction in your workplace, Dr. Jones has beautifully and practically developed the "way out" for managers so they can implement and foster the "way back" into functional behaviors which, ultimately, creates the "way to" organizational success.

Very insightful;full of useful strategies and information. Dr. Jones style is humorous and very down-to-Earth. Chapter 5 was a real eye-opener. I now have a better sense of how to approach discussion of the issues we've been avoiding for so long. Our Thursday morning staff meetings will never be the same. If you supervise 1 or 1,000 people, this book is for you!! John A. Wilson, Area Group Manager, DMS. Inc., California

Truly explains the the reasons behind the time, treasure and pain that Corporate America has endured through the misdirected and failed implementations of Total Quality Mangement, Teamwork, Re-engineering, Downsizing and Right-sizing that has prevailed through the 80's and 90's. This text offers the reader a practical, no-nonsense approach to many of the obstacles that prevent the successful implementation of continious improvement efforts in terms of viewing the organizaiton from the perspective of Dr. Tom Jones who has laced the pages with no-nonsense advice for understanding and improving your organization's effectiveness. If you're in a position to lead people and "been there and done that," I suggest that you re-assess your organization through the "hands on "experience and techniques conveyed by Dr. Jones...You'll find it as impacting and insightful as "The Goal" (Eli Goldratt) and potentially more effective than the scores of business books offering "silver bullet" solutions to the complexities of organizational life in the 90's

Many managers go home each night feeling sick, frustrated and demoralized from facing a daily struggle to reach goals and improve performance in a dysfunctional workplace. The practices they have used effectively in the past are not working, their people seem confused and hostile, and the job is suffering. This book is written for them. It is packed with ideas and techniques for overcoming the barriers to productivity that these managers face. Identifying the symptoms of dysfunction and specifically outlining steps to overcoming them will give managers increased options and tools that can bring the whole workplace team to a new level of productivity

Thanks to Doris and Matt for their great work! I found this book especially helpful in two areas: a) addressing key issues an organization should think about relative to its readiness for a succession planning process; and b) the detail on the talent review meeting process. I also like the "Terms and Definitions" section since many different terms within organizations are used to describe this process. My only wish is that the book spent more time discussing what should happen during the year (between talent review meetings).

This book is an outstanding resource for any HR Business Partner and any business leader who understands the importance of identifying and building individual and organizational capability. The book contains very practical ideas and suggestions that will help an organization build maturity in talent management and succession planning. This is one of those books that all HR practitioners in HR Business Partner or Organizational Development roles should have!

This book is a refreshingly practical guide for HR professionals and organizational leaders of all types. The components of a plan are well identified and the authors offer legitimate advice for those who'll actually do the work of succession planning.

I purchased this book in preparation for several Talent Reviews that I was due to plan and facilitate within my organization. To say the least, it was a tremendously helpful and useful resource every step of the way. Not only did it provide me step-by-step guidance on preparing all the details of my sessions, but the checklists and templates were instrumental in helping me facilitate effective and meaningful discussions for my clients.

I am now using this book to help me in preparing next steps following the Talent Reviews to ensure momentum is not lost. And once again, I am delighted by the insight and practical tools the book offers to support me in this process.

My favorite part of this book is its "just-in-time" nature. I have read it on planes, in the office, at home and at stop lights on my way to work. In fact, I've even had it by my side in the actual Talent Review discussions in case I need to refer to it during breaks.

I highly recommend this book to anyone involved with Talent Management and Succession Planning in their organization. It offers new insights, as well as reinforces concepts and ideas you've heard before, and packages it all in a practitioner-friendly way to ensure effective application.

The collaborative work of human resource specialists Matthew Gay and Doris Sims, "Building Tomorrow's Talent: A Practitioner's Guide To Talent Management And Succession Planning" is a superbly organized and articulately presented compendium of practical advice, ideas, tips, techniques, and planning tools designed to create and implement processes for the accurate assessment of a leadership team within any sized business organization from newly launched entrepreneurial enterprises to established multinational corporations. "Building Tomorrow's Talent" features numerous checklists, 'FAQ' sections, charts, slide presentation ideas, and an applicable project planning template adaptable to any business organization. Of special note is the 'to tell or not to tell' question with respect to high potential notification decisions. "Building Tomorrow's Talent" is a unique and highly recommended instructional reference for anyone charged with the responsibility of developing and managing the human resources of a business operation of any size or scope.

Here are the contents of the book:

Part I: An Introduction to eBay for Buyers and Sellers
Chapter 1 - Getting Started
Chapter 2 - Research: Don't Buy or Sell Without It
Part II: Buying Antiques and Collectibles on eBay
Chapter 3 - Finding Antiques and Collectibles on eBay
Chapter 4 - Buyer Be Aware: What to Know Before You Bid
Chapter 5 - Bidding Strategies
Chapter 6 - I Won an Auction! Now What?
Chapter 7 - Working Through the Bad Buy
Part III: Selling Antiques and Collectibles on eBay
Chapter 8 - Setting Up Shop on eBay: Getting Started Selling
Chpater 9 - Titles, Descriptions, Photos and More
Chapter 10 - Setting Your Starting Price, Understanding eBay's Fees, and Creating a Basic Listing
Chapter 11 - Managing and Completing the Sale
Chapter 12 - Standing Out in a Comptetitive Market
Appendix - More Helpful Resources

More and more, I meet people who are selling things on eBay. Here's a book that spells out how-to and reduces it to a manageable level.
Here are the contents of the book:
Part I: An Introduction to eBay for Buyers and Sellers
Chapter 1 - Getting Started
Chapter 2 - Research: Don't Buy or Sell Without It
Part II: Buying Antiques and Collectibles on eBay
Chapter 3 - Finding Antiques and Collectibles on eBay
Chapter 4 - Buyer Be Aware: What to Know Before You Bid
Chapter 5 - Bidding Strategies
Chapter 6 - I Won an Auction! Now What?
Chapter 7 - Working Through the Bad Buy
Part III: Selling Antiques and Collectibles on eBay
Chapter 8 - Setting Up Shop on eBay: Getting Started Selling
Chpater 9 - Titles, Descriptions, Photos and More
Chapter 10 - Setting Your Starting Price, Understanding eBay's Fees, and Creating a Basic Listing
Chapter 11 - Managing and Completing the Sale
Chapter 12 - Standing Out in a Comptetitive Market
Appendix - More Helpful Resources

The book came so fast that I thought it was teliported!
Great price for very useful, informative information.
Thank you!

Just when you think you know Ebay out comes a great book that teaches you even more. A great learning book for the beginner and for the advanced auction seller. Don't miss this book. Great writer that writes so everyone can understand.

Good book if you just start to use ebay, but it is not offer much to e-bay users that are already familiar with standard features in e-bay. For example if you like to know, how to use web site to add pictures to your listing or like to know, how to write HTML to make your listing more organized, this book would not help. however, I will keep this book in my liberary as a referance for a few tips that I found usefull.

Job hunters nowadays must use the internet in their job search but it can be "needle in a haystack" time if you don't have good reliable navigational tools. Crispin & Mehler have provided a great roadmap in their book Career X Roads. When I was searching last year, I used their book constantly. It's a great help for career coaches too who are helping others to find the right web sources to further their job search.

The latest version of CareerXroads continues to be the definitive source for job seekers and recruiters using the Internet. This outstanding reference enables the reader to determine, quickly without wasting valuable time, which are the best web sites to review for job opportunities and the resumes of qualified candidates. In addition to the directory portion of the book, there are many helpful articles on career management for both the job seeker and the recruiter. Whether you are looking for a new opportunity or searching for the best candidate to fill an open position, don't go on the Web without CareerXroads!

Even better than last year's edition.

A thorough reference for anyone interested in advancing their career or anyone in the career management business. Crispin and Mehler review over 500 job, resume and career management sites on the web. In addition, they provide some excellent articles on the subject of career management.

The book is a "must" for anyone in the job market, as well as all Human Resource Professionals.

Would you go to the supermarket without a shopping list? Could you board a commercial airplane flight without a ticket? You wouldn't have the gall to attend a wedding without offering a gift, would you? The answer to these questions is a resounding "No, of course not!" Likewise, at least to my mind and experience as a professional recruiter and staffing manager (and sometimes job seeker), it would be folly to engage in a job search or candidate search without first consulting Cripin & Mehler's "CareerXroads". Within its 435 pages, the authors successfully manage to review more than 1500 internet sites that focus on the ever-widening and complex world of jobs, resumes and career management. The authors' research and insights are presented clearly, in relevant and concise language that every reader should find invaluable. The payoff in saved time, effort and increased efficiency is priceless. Every passive or active job seeker and every hiring manager, recruiter or staffing professional should clear space for "CareerXroads" on their bookshelves and refer to it, daily. Read well and prosper.

This is the job hunters bible. For those looking for a new job, this book has it all. Everything you need to find your next job. If you are an employer or recruiter the listings and reviews of hundreds of job sites will help you target your search to find the best candidates.

This is a reference I keep on my desk at all times. I have used it in my job and have used it to find new jobs. I would highly recommend it for anyone looking to stay on top of the rapidly changing job market.

By applying the guidelines found in Afsaneh's Change Thrivers, I have learned to recognize, embrace, and employ the forces of change in my life. From finding love, enduring divorce, losing a job, and becoming an entrepreneur, the process of managing change in my everyday life has been guided by the principles that Change Thrivers outlines so clearly.

This is a book to be read again and again. It helped me so much when my life was turned upside down during my divorce. It was so helpful that when my brother and his wife separated I bought them both a copy. There are a ton of exercises that make your brain think of things in a whole new way. It forces you to think outside the box and helps takes the emotion out of important life changing decisions. This is not just a lot of philosophy but a hands on guide with worksheet pages that allow you to create the life you want. Let's face it we are all changing and at a record pace. Twenty dollars is a small price to pay for this kind of help.

Change is a part of my daily life as a systems analyst. Change Thrivers helped put this into perspective for me. I would recommend it to anyone who works and or lives in a constantly changing world. The exercises are clear and easy to follow. Ms. Noori gives great examples from her rich and greatly changing life!

This book is a wonderful way for Afsaneh Noori to share some of her gifts and talents. Public Speaker, Teacher, Counselor, Author, I consider Afsaneh to be a "Physical Guide" because she has a unique gift of guiding souls during their physical time on earth. Change Thrivers is a resource I will turn to time and again.

If you ever get the opportunity to hear her speak; you will be amazed at her insight.

Most books out there have you sitting in the audience listening to a lot of professional advice, leaving you to have to figure out exactly HOW to repeat it on your own. Change Thrivers actually gives the self-studier the tools to work through the phases of change and the person doing the action is you. I would recommend this book for personal and professional types, for profit and non-profit sectors, for leaders, employees, and parents. The difference with this book - when you are done - it won't be just another book on your shelf, you will have completed the steps necessary to move through what could be your most difficult situations.

This book clearly articulates a strategically important concept. As the Chief Strategy Officer of a company in an industry that seldom dares to be strange, I hope that no one else in my industry reads this book. Implementing the ideas in this book will become my competitive advantage.

The correct platitude often offered up by a company is that their people are their most important asset and competitive advantage. But in reality, most staff is like electricity... you can't run your company without them, and it's the entry level cost of doing business. In Change To Strange: Create a Great Organization by Building a Strange Workforce, Daniel M. Cable examines how to create a "strange" workforce that actually *is* a competitive advantage over your rivals. It all comes down to your definition of "strange"...

Contents:
Preface; Be Strange. Be Very Strange.; Shine a Flashlight into the Black Box That Exists Between Your Workforce and Beating Your Competition; Organizational Outcomes - How Do I Know I Am Winning in the Way I Want to Win?; Performance Drivers - What Must Customers Notice About Us So That We Win?; Strange Workforce Deliverables - What Our Workforce Does to Make Customers Notice and Love Us; Job Specific Strangeness - Different Deliverables from Different Jobs; Strange Workforce Architecture - What Systems Will Produce the Deliverables I Need From My Workforce?; Strange Workforce Architecture - Breaking Out From the Pack; Strange Workforce Architecture - Taking the Next Step; The Magic of Metrics - Creating and Implementing Measurement Systems;Conclusion; Index

The "strange" that Cable talks about here is a workforce that obsesses about one or two key items that make a difference to the customer. For example, Whole Foods has a workforce that is obsessive about their product and presentation. These people can tell you just about anything you want to know about what they sell, because they believe in it completely. Their hiring systems are geared around making sure that new people coming into the system share that same obsessiveness, and the group is rewarded based on how well each person does. If you're not pulling your weight or if you're not obsessed like everyone else, you'll wash out. It doesn't mean you're not a hard worker or aren't cut out for working in food retail. It just means that you're not "strange" in the way you need to be to work at Whole Foods. This differentiator often is considered crazy or uncopyable by the competition. But since the customer loves it, Whole Foods has a niche all to themselves. And their people truly *are* a competitive advantage for them.

The other issue that makes this difficult is the measuring and metrics. Getting information from your customers about the few things you want to be strange about is hard work. The numbers often aren't easily obtainable without putting some effort into it. Which is another reason competitors don't want to follow that direction, and why changing your workforce to a strange workforce isn't easy. But if you want your company to stand out and be different/strange, it's a requirement to be able to track those factors and measure your people against them. Otherwise you may end up with good solid people, but just not ones that are strange in the areas in which you want to be viewed as unique.

This book also struck me as something you can do for yourself and your skills. Perhaps you want to be known as someone with an obsessive attention to deadlines, design, or quality. You could use this same technique to find your own strange quality/qualities, figure out how to measure it, and them shape yourself into a competitive advantage over others...

While I don't expect an overwhelming majority of companies to run right out and change their HR departments to match this model, reading Change To Strange will at least open up that small window of doubt about whether you really are hiring people who are a competitive advantage for you and your company.

Companies often give a lot of lip service to the value of their employees but then go about treating and using everyone just about like every company treats and uses its employees. That is, with indifference and standardized "best" practices. Unsurprisingly, when an organization treats its people just about the same as every other company treats its employees (as inputs to be standardized and minimized), its dreams of having the company be something special, valuable, and unique are seldom to never realized.

Daniel M. Cable tells us that only a strange workforce, that is one that doesn't do things like everyone else, one that knows and has confidence in its uniqueness and specialness and in its goals and methods, can create something that is special, unique, valuable, and with a sustainable (ongoing - but adapting) advantage in the marketplace. Cable explains how and why your workforce can become something valuable and a driving force behind your success.

He starts off the book showing us how we too often treat our employees and the whole HR process as a kind of black box that just happens. We assume that if we are following the laws and standardized HR processes and avoiding being sued we are doing a good job. When we turn things around and start to view this whole concept the way the author frames it we can see that this kind of idea is indeed absurd. It is like building a process to build standardized widgets that claim no special qualities in the marketplace and then later wondering why, despite our fine leadership, those widgets fail to gain special attention in the market place or market dominance.

What I like about this book is the way Cable plays with our perceptions along the way. This is not your standard business book. He asks us questions that seem odd at first, and then we realize that is the point. Have you ever looked at the back of your hand and for some reason your perception changes and it looks a different size to you and in some ways quite different than it ever had before? That is what this book will help you achieve with your workforce. The author admits that building a "strange" workforce takes a great deal of effort and probably will take some time to achieve, but if you want to be regarded as special by your customers you have to be special. And to be strange (not normal - not typical - not ordinary) you have to have strange people working for you who have a strange sense of mission. This requires you to hire strangely, train strangely, measure performance strangely, and provide strange products and services (that is, surprisingly good and surprisingly desired products and services).

Cable provides a simple framework for this complex process and shows us how achieving this strangeness will get us noticed in the marketplace, allow us to satisfy our customers, and avoid the stagnation that often comes with initial success. The old tragic story of sticking with what works until it kills you has to go.

One of the great complaints among employees today is that they don't matter to management. Employees see through the rhetoric and that is why most companies are not only boring to work for, they are boring in the marketplace. Here is a way to turn that around and energize your company by unleashing the real power in your workforce. Of course, once you head down this path, not all your employees will go with you and there will be some significant turnover. Even good "ordinary" employees have to go. Because they provide inertia against becoming successfully strange.

So, get strange.

In this book, Cable puts forward a very interesting idea that more managers should have the courage to take seriously and perhaps even execute. The point is that managers should make a concerted effort to hire people that are "strange" rather than those that are similar to all other potential hires. His point is that conventional thinking and execution is inherently limited in the level of success that it can achieve. By strange, he does not mean "weird" or disturbed, the term is used in the sense of being capable of doing constructive and successful thinking outside the box.
Several examples of companies that have adopted such methods and are very successful are presented. One of the best is an explanation of the career of major league baseball general manager Billy Beane. Beane's position is that the standard criteria used to evaluate baseball talent are simplistic and incorrect. Since he rose to the position of general manager of the Oakland Athletics, Beane has fielded a team that ranks at the bottom in terms of salary and near the top in terms of wins. Much of his emphasis is on the "quality at-bat" where a player forces the pitcher to make extra pitches and is willing to accept a base-on-balls, even when there are runners on base.
Since this is a skill undervalued by all other teams, this has allowed Beane to acquire players for much less than other teams are willing to pay them. By molding the team in that image, he has developed a very successful team, although the Athletics have had a difficult time winning games in the playoffs. Given the current financial inequities that exist in major league baseball, this is truly a major success story that others should pay attention to.
Another example is the policy of Home Depot to hire contractors to work in the appropriate sections of the store. Therefore, when the do-it-yourself customer comes in, the person helping them is very knowledgeable and can provide the highest level of customer service. This service translates into an enormous competitive advantage over other stores and can increase sales several orders of magnitude over the extra salary expenses.
To his additional credit, Cable also is clear in stating that hiring "strange" employees is not for everyone. It requires courage to be willing to adopt a novel business or a non-traditional approach to an old one. In nearly all cases, the initial expenses are higher than in other areas and exterior observers are generally very skeptical of the new and novel ways of doing business.
I once participated in a faculty development seminar entitled, "A Whack on the Side of the Head." The purpose was to try to get us to think of new and novel ways to present our material. This book reminded me of that seminar, demonstrating that while going down a different path can be extremely challenging, it can also be very rewarding. From personal experience, those rewards are more than monetary; there is a form of satisfaction in being successfully different that is like no other. Perhaps the key to your success can be found in this book.

In less than 175 pages, Dr. Daniel Cable delivers something "strange"; a 'how-to' book that nails the organizational performance connection between strategy and people! Written in a direct, talking style, by a Professor whose writing implies he is fun to learn from and with; this book argues the benefits of strategic differentiation and then explains in practical terms how to link effective strategic performance drivers to the people who must deliver that differentiating strategy. Using the term "strange" to emphasis the differentiation element of a successful strategy, the professor uses his 'strange workforce value chain' to show the steps from strategic theory to customer value creation.

1. Organizational Outcomes - three year out lagging indicators of strategic success.
2. Performance Drivers - what customers need to notice for the strategy to win.
3. Strange Workforce Deliverables - ways your people must be `strange' to make the performance drivers happen.
4. Strange Workforce Architecture - design and construct of your people management systems cause your workforce to be `strange'.

An obvious fanatic on measurement as the way to speak strategy with an organization, Dr. Cable noticeably understands the difficulties, time and hard work involved (as well as the many nuances) with creating and maintaining an organization's connection with its strategy. In fact, he is so concerned about the need for an understanding of the specifics, that he holds his favorite chapter, "The Magic of Metrics", for the final chapter of the book. In the meantime he covers "Job-Specific Strangeness" where he distinguishes the strategic leverage of jobs (not leadership positions); sorting them into executor (direct deliverers of 'strange'), operator (essential players in creating value), and outsourcer (cannot be linked to `strange' performance drivers) positions. In subsequent chapters he explains his "Strange Workforce Architecture", supplementing the specifics with numerous examples of 'strangeness' in action.

From uncovering the 'strange' performance drivers of a 'strange' strategy, to hiring and managing the `strange' people who fit with a 'strange' strategy's delivery, the professor conveys a compelling and instructive narrative. This book is recommended for anyone who has used or considered the balanced scorecard; it will put you on a 'strange' and better path.

Dennis DeWilde, author of
"The Performance Connection"