Tools Books

A relevant and practical book for transitional leaders. Describes the current socio-economic environment impacting congregations and need for new leadership approaches. Rendel's writing style and first hand knowledge makes this a fast and compelling read.

Excellent insights for planning strategies to help congregations into and through change. A great guide for dealing with the dynamics of change -- spiritual, intellectual, and emotional. Helpful differentiation between "management" and "leadership" and the kinds of situations when each style is more appropriate. I use it as a handbook in doing interim ministry.

Remember back to course you took in seminary about leading
your church through change? No? There wasn't one! Come now, that can't be true, but sadly it is in most cases. Pastors are called to shepherd their church's through changes but are rarely given the education or tools to do so. Most of this is picked up by trial and error, often painful trials with many errors. This book could be considered "Remedial Congregational Leadership 101," for those of us who never received this formal training. Clearly Rendle wrote this book not out of some theoretical model (although there is solid theory supporting it) but out of his lived experience of leading many congregations through the turbulant waters of change. With so many demands pulling at the free time of a pastor, this book is well worth devoting some of that time.

A well-written, highly practical guide to achieving organizational effectiveness at the work team level. The authors present a methodology that brings out the views and issues of core customers, employees, and owners. Part I provides a framework for measurement. Part II address five key areas that matter: trust, leadership, teamwork, performance, and profit. The book provides numerous examples, figures, and exercises.

This is a highly valuable work that gives sound guidance, and provides a clear, actionable approach for achieving results. Very highly recommended.

I reviewed this book before it was published and loved it - the second time around it got even better! The case studies and humor make what could be a very dry subject, compelling, interesting, fun, and actually useable by mere mortals! I read it cover to cover - hard to put down. I can't remember when that ever happened with a management book!

The best part for me is the practicality and simplicity of measuring what matters - getting down to BASICS - not all that 6 Sigma, Balanced Scorecard, TQM, Reengieering STUFF with complicated methods and jargon! This IS simple, "keeping the main thing, the main thing" as Covey says. McDaniel and Napier DISTILL so much common sense into ONE place .

It's SIMPLE, it's wise, and it works! I will be recommending this book to my clients - no matter whether they are in education, health, gov't, other non-profits, or in business - This book is a must anywhere humans are doing important work.

R.B. Hewertson, President, Highland Consulting Group, Inc. "Changing the World, One Leader at a Time"

In following the story of a fictional bookstore, this book really shows you how to practically apply organizational vision at the level where work is actual performed, at the level of the functional work team. By driving down to that level, this book's first looks at the relationship between that team and its stakeholders (customers - both internal and external - employees, and owners). It establishes the balance of value exchange, determines what matters in each interaction, and then uses metrics to help the functional work team do what is most important better. The great thing about this book is that it isn't rocket science; it takes complex ideas about value exchange and uses a practical example and common sense to show how anyone can apply these principles simply by measuring what matters.

Something inside everyone knows that one day we'll be able to wake up to a whole new world where the human race is totally in love with each other. This wonderful book is a do-it-yourself manual for the next leap in human evolution. It is full of excellent information and practical techniques for moving smoothly into the new consciousness. See you in 4D!

This book was one of several dozen that had been water-damaged after a flood. After my son sorted through his books, he picked out this book as a keeper. I told him I would replace the worn book with a new one, and then decided to start reading it myself. Wow! I was blown away with the relevance of suggestions given. Everything about the book seems to ring true. Whether or not you believe in 4th-Density Reality, this book has so much pertinent information to offer that I'd recommend it for every open-minded individual out there.

This wonderful guidebook for the coming changes includes how to heal the past through inner integration, release conflict and control issues, and create healthy relationships. It reveals deeply insightful keys for physical, emotional and spiritual transformation, while helping you to open your heart through a sense of beauty. In fact, this whole guidebook to a better life was woven together with a rare sense of inspired beauty.

Erwin McManus said, "There comes a time when you have to stop being full of potential and be potent."
In my experience (I'm pretty young - 38) but I've noticed that stuff just doesn't happen. Annointing, you must have. Submission to his leading - what else? Prayer - much prayer - without a doubt. But pencil to paper. A lot of talking with your voluntter staff. Dreaming. Critical thinking. Arguing. Sacrificing and driving for a mission. Living for people beyond your generation ...
The Minister's MBA has been an awesome catalyst for spiritual growth of a different kind for me.
IF you are more vision than manager; IF you are great in ideas, but short on practicality; IF you need a "legend" for the map ... get this book.

Drs. Babbes and Zigarelli's text is a wonderful read and an excellent source of information for strategists. It was written for ministers but the content is useful for any organization be it profit, non-profit, military, or education. The language is understandable and easy to follow. Yet, the information is substantial for any person seeking to make their organization a strategically better one. Each "semester" build on the other so the reader can master the strategic points all the way to "graduation." This is truly a worthwhile read.

Most of my colleagues are long past the so-called divide between sacred and secular (which is not biblical), especially as it relates to ensuring effectiveness in ministry. Should churches use "Madison Avenue" techniques to "market" to their communities? The book quotes A.W. Tozer, "It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it. The motive is everything."

The Minister's MBA is long overdue. The book features 12 "courses" (chapters) including: your mission, creating a high performance DNA, retaining great people, leading with shrewd stewardship, and how to use the balanced scorecard for measuring strategy.

The "Strategy Map" chapter is excellent and every pastor, staff member and key church volunteer must read it. You'll learn how to get beyond lagging indicators (past performance) and onto leading indicators like member satisfaction (where you're headed).

After reading this, I have a suggestion for pastors. Every Sunday afternoon, email 100 church members (a different group each week) and ask them to complete an anonymous three-minute online feedback survey about the service, the sermon and their faith journey. SurveyMonkey.com is an easy and excellent online survey tool to use for this.

This book gives you tremendously helpful and candid facts/ideas about working with Oracle's Designer/2000, similar to a friend giving you some very good advice before you attempt a big journey. However, for all new purchasers of Designer/2000 Version 2, the book is downlevel and needs to be updated for the new version ASAP! Except for having to compensate for the differences in versions, I have found this book to be indispensable. My copy is already very worn and I've only owned it two months!

A really great text on Designer/2000. Takes you in logical and consistant fashion from very fundamental concepts into detailed application design. Gives excellent examples and step-by-step instructions for navigation through the various components of the tool and their interaction. I recommend this text for both tyros and experienced Designer/2000 gurus. My copy is rapidly becoming underlined and tabbed. Too bad there is not a hard cover edition, as I predict that my copy is going to get a lot of usage.

Author Carrie Anderson is first and foremost a Teacher (note the capital T). She and co-author David Wendelken (also a trainer and consultant) have performed a rare service in the publishing world: they've written a computer text filled with good humor that doesn't fall into the trap of being "cute." And it's certainly NOT for "dummies!" "The ORACLE Designer/2000 Handbook" may not carry the official imprimatur from the folks in Redwood Shores, but it is an uncanny distillation of the essence of the Designer/2000 system. Follow the authors' advice and leverage their wisdom and you may find yourself not only more productive, but easier to get-along-with at work! Tackling ORACLE's market-leading CASE (Computer-Aided Software Engineering) tool can be a daunting effort. While manuals and on-line documentation are usually adequate for the quick answer, A&W's guide puts the product and its capabilities under objective scrutiny. Poking gentle fun at some of the more mundane aspects of application development, the authors go far beyond the features of the system. This leads the reader to want to experiment and test what's said--not just take it on face value. The experienced user may wish to start with the excellent appendices that supplement the many practical how-to's in the handbook. A frequently asked detail is the use of the system's Application Programmatic Interface (API). A&W not only explain its use, but include clear and concise examples of programs that are downloadable from the authors' web pages at publisher Addison-Wesley Longman.: http://www.awl.com/cp/anderson-wendelken.html -- In addition, there is a terrific bibliography that reads like a Who's Who of structured design and methodology. If you're using, or planning to use, ORACLE's Designer/2000, I would heartily recommend adding this excellent book to your CASE bookshelf, though you may want to consider buying two: one to treasure and one to use every day in the privacy of your cubicle. Gerry Jurren

ANY ONE WHO USES THE PHONE FOR BUSINESS SHOULD READ THIS BOOK

I discovered this book while managing a large group of people in the telemarketing sales department of the nations largest mapmaking company. This book has proved invaluble in sales tips and techniques to sell anything! Highly recommeded

In my profession I spend 70% of my time on the phone. I'm telling you confidently that if you act on the ideas and strategies in this book, you should experience satisfyingly higher levels of success (in your business practices and in your personal endeavors). This is a quick-read covering the most pressing phone challenges in an easy-to-understand manner. The topics include: penetrating the receptionist's phone screen, screening your calls effectively, eliminating phone tag, setting appointments, time management, projecting authority (phraseology and voice annunciation), handling irate calls, negotiation, collections and telemarketing. My return, many thousands.

This is a valuable book for any woodworker or DIYer to have. It discribes both portable and table power tools and gives you information about how they are used and what they are used for. It was a best buy.

Okay,so like me a few weeks before Christmas you marked up all the power tools you'd like in a trade catalogue and left it lying around the house. Again, if you were lucky like me, you got most of them!! Herewith the first problem, how do I use them? Most of them I only felt at ease with plugging in to the nearest socket without switching on. I searched high and low for publications for each tool particularly aimed at the beginner but with no success. If you're in the same boat then this book is for YOU. Covering stationary and portable power tools displayed in easy to read sections full of advice on use and safety, all liberally doused with photographs and illustrations. Even for the more accomplished among us I can see this book being a valuable reference source. It is in itself "a TOOL without a motor" but nonetheless full of "the POWER of knowledge".

I think this is an excellant book for someone who wishes to know if woodworking is for him/her. I have purchased several more specific books , such as routers and their applications, but this book (which was a birthday present), provides a broad overview for someone who wants to know the basics of a tool which will be enough to get him/her started. . . If only Amazon.com would bring the price down, I would send it to friends & family. . . In my dreams. . .

Power Tools for Literacy: Accelerated Phonics, Syllables, and MorphemesAt last--in one volume--a resource for teachers, parents, tutors, and students that systematically teaches the word attack skills needed for reading and spelling success! As a teacher and principal, I have recommended Power Tools for Literacy to a number of parents and colleagues looking for materials that help students become confident readers. The adult appearance of the reproducible lessons appeals to a wide range of learners-- elementary to adult, special needs, English learners, home schoolers, and anyone interested in improving word mastery. Each chapter has notes to the instructor that enable even non-professionals to offer a thorough and sequential program by introducing the main points and having the student build on prior learning when completing the exercises.

We love this book - it was given to us by a friend who happens to be a resource specialist to use with our 11 year old daughter. We have been very unhappy and frustrated by our daughter's school reluctance to teach phonics. With this book,, our daughter's reading skills have soared. She is becoming more confident, and I even seen her start to read books on her own!

We are only through the first 5 lessons, although this is just a fraction of the book. The teacher's instructions are clear and concise, and our daughter finds the exercises and stories interesting. As she gains skills, her motivation increases to learn even more.

Thanks for the great book, it's the resource that we've needed all along. If your child is having reading difficulties, this could be the answer. It's really worked for us!

This book has just what teachers and parents need to help students improve their reading skills. Though it is designed for students ages 9-22, I can see it being used by teachers and home schooling parents for students of all ages. It presents an easy to follow, sytematic, sequential, effective and thorough curriculum with a complete set of student work sheets that can be reproduced. The curriculum has been classroom tested by regular and special education teachers with great success. My copy has been a godsend for my daughter, who uses it in her tutoring business. I cannot say enough good things about this wonderful resource.

This is a good books for non programmer who wish to learn client server programming on Power Builder. By learning this book , the non programmer will pick up the client server programming knowledge in a pretty short period of time. We strongly recommend any non programmer, who wish to learn power builder to read this book. It is great to have one. Enjoy reading and hope to see everyone be a certified power builder programmer.

The book is a great resourse for beginners. The book has an excellent introduction on client/server technology and object-oriented programming. The authors did an excellent job to keep it simple and easy to follow at the same time very effectively explained some very complicated concepts. Though the scope is introduction to PowerBuilder but it can be a good read for experienced programmers. The book also has a tutorial that gives a more hands on approach. I enjoyed the book very much and do recommend to anybody thinking to learn PowerBuilder.

This is a good books for non programmer who wish to learn client server programming on Power Builder. By learning this book , the non programmer will pick up the client server programming knowledge in a pretty short period of time. We strongly recommend any non programmer, who wish to learn power builder to read this book. It is great to have one. Enjoy reading and hope to see everyone be a certified power builder programmer.

I know that everyone is anxiously waiting for the next approach to business improvement. My own journey started with Ollie Wight himself and the refrain that the days of the expeditor were over. I'm not sure if I was an expeditor at the time but that was my first job and in the week before I retired I did the exact same thing I had done 33 years before. One of our salesmen called me (VP Operations) to make sure we would be making a shipment as the customer's unit was down. The biggest change was that we had received the order in the morning, manufactured the product, and had the product delivered before midnight, to Freeport, TX from Chicago. In the old days we would have told the salesman no, he would have called his boss, who would call my boss who would call his boss, and so on until it reached the top of the company and we were told to do what the customer wanted. Of course by this time we lost a couple of days and no one was happy.

Reading Anil Menawat and Adam Garfein's new book Profit Mapping brings back a lot of memories and the realization that along this path of continuous improvement that some things worked but nothing seemed to be the solution that was advertised. A lot of us have seen great benefits to the lean journey but along the way it always seemed as if we just were not quite there. There are those examples where On-time delivery is 100% and inventories approach zero and analogies of reducing the level of the water to find the rocks drives the next level of improvement but the net result seems that while the business is better, a lot of times the individual improvement projects do not meet expectations or drive the business to the next level.

The book drives the concept that everything in business is a set of processes and that changes to each of the process need to be evaluated for the consequences both intended and unintended. This can be done theoretically before you take action by integrating a financial analysis (income statement) with the various scenarios. It provides a roadmap on how this can be done but to me the biggest value is that it drives the logic that there are no absolutes but that with the facts you can pick and choose those actions dynamically that will have the biggest impact on the business. It may even support the position that it is better left alone but that has its own political complications. The example in the back of the book shows that there are times due to equipment and demand profiles that having inventory in queue is more realistic and better for the business. Some of this is dangerous territory....

For everyone who has been through the mill, this is more than just another book. It hopefully sets the stage for all of us to realize that rules of thumb are just that and to drive a business one needs to do what is right for the customer and concentrate on those things that are proven to truly impact the business and are not just another notch on the belt of completed projects. This book is a keeper.

This book is a "must read" for managers who rely on "rule of thumb," and "best guess" methodologies that have held sway in every business that I've ever been associated with.

The authors set out clearly how you can take control of your future, and test the results of an action or strategy before you commit resources and potentially set off down the wrong road. But first you've got to take on board the idea that simply projecting past results is no way to forecast, because those results came from different demand and capability circumstances than you face now.

I thought that the authors argued convincingly that you must understand the factors that affect your business, and which of them you do and don't control. The ProFIT-MAP methodology then lets you test those factors for sensitivity, so you can concentrate on the things that really matter to the overall goal.

Now you need to know the dynamics of your process. The authors break the business into 3 areas, Processes, Resources and Finance, and urge us to make sure that an "improvement" in one area doesn't result in major disruption elsewhere. (I could never figure out why cost savings in a production process, was rarely reflected in the overall bottom line.) Now I know, "tunnel vision".

Having followed the 6 Phases detailed in the book, you can generate different scenarios and analyse the impact across the board.

It might sound like a lot of work, but you're already doing a lot of work - guess work mostly, and once you've done it the first time, it's easy to continue. Remember, to make the broadly correct decision, you don't need to know the minutiae. But every time you reiterate, you add better data for tomorrow's decision support.

Speaking of figures, the authors offer a specification for real-time data collection and software integration that I have yet to see in the real world. However, help may be at hand, I notice that the Menawat & Co's website now makes mention of something called "ProFIT-MAP Dashboard", which promises integrated analytics. I will be watching this space.

Anil Menawat and Adam Garfein provide in this brilliant volume "a tool for aligning operations with future profit and performance." To their credit, they explain with meticulous care how to drive operational excellence through profit mapping to create a sustainable edge which they correctly characterize as "the management roller coaster." In this context, I am reminded of the familiar assertion that "you can't manage what you cannot measure" and how important it is to "measure only what matters."

The maps with which Lewis and Clark began their journey of exploration in 1804 were crude and over time revised as the journey continued until 1806. The same is true of the documents with which - more two centuries later -- senior-level executives begin an exploration of their own organizations, in search of hidden resources and new opportunities. Following their Introduction to this volume, Menawat and Garfein, examine various challenges to business execution, present a "parametric framework" by which to "drive the system," and explain how to "win before taking action with a structured methodology," then shift their attention practical action steps in combination with two case studies in Chapter 10. The first examines a common dilemma of "doing no harm." The second illustrates ProFIT-MAP's potential to drive radical cost reduction without sacrificing quality or throughput.

With regard to ProFIT-MAP, Menawat and Garfein offer it as a "forward-looking management decision methodology" which enables senior-level executives to "navigate [both] the forests and the trees of business strategy and execution proactively." It consists of six phases: Project Objectives (please see pages 155-167), Process (pages 170-177), Resources (pages 177-180), Finance (pages 181-184), "What if?" (pages 184-187), and Business Execution Option Choice (pages 193-202).

With regard to the first phase, I am reminded of what Peter Drucker suggests in an article written for the Harvard Business Review (1963): "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all." Obviously, it makes absolutely no sense to create a totally accurate map - even if guided and informed by the ProFIT-MAP methodology -- to achieve an objective that will not increase profits and improve performance.

To me, some of the most interesting and most valuable material is provided in Chapter 4 as Menawat and Garfein explain how and why the Parametric Activities-Based Framework (pABF) offers a practical approach to measuring the right variables in any enterprise in order to reconstruct the whole system. One of the greatest benefits of the pABF is that it eliminates the need for patches or workarounds. On pages 101-102, Menawat and Garfein cite eight specific reasons why the pABF is a better estimation and reconstruction framework than others which lack a methodology or a process for applying one.

It seems appropriate to conclude this brief commentary with a brief excerpt from Chapter 1 in which Menawat and Garfein duly acknowledge various challenges to profitability and competitiveness. However, although "managers may not be able to do anything about high fixed costs in the near term, they can do a lot more operationally to increase effectiveness and quality while striving to reduce cost. In order to overcome changes in demand and financial constraints, organizations must learn to be become cost-competitive; price competitiveness is not enough. Industry leaders win by focusing on operational execution, cost management, and customers. The devil is in the details, and they understand that success happens only when the plan is grounded in reality, as opposed to invalidated expectations." This is precisely what Thomas Edison had in mind when asserting that "Vision without execution is hallucination."

Congratulations to Menawat and Garfein on a brilliant achievement.