Training Companies Books

I have actually trained my horse according to Ms. Ganton's book and it took virtually no time at all. I did not use a bitting rig - as my horse was already being ridden. I had virtually no driving experience and found the book easy to understand and the techniques simple. This is an excellent book for the novice driver. As an added note: my horse was always ridden bitless and no bit was used to teach him to drive. He goes bitless and blinderless. Aside from her strict use of blinders (never used by fire horses back in the day and used very little in Europe and horse farming)I will use her method with every horse I teach to drive.

There is one significant part of this book with which I must take issue. After one succeeds in harnessing and then hitching the green horse to the cart, do NOT, under any circumstances, follow the book's advice to then lead the horse with the empty cart behind. I did this and the horse was so alarmed by the noise behind him that he took off with me running alongside, hanging on to the bridle, trying to get a badly frightened running horse to stop. We finally came to a fence, much to the relief of us both. Since then, I've spoken to several 'driving' trainers and all of them, without exception, say to never, ever lead a horse with an empty cart behind. If I had been unable to keep up with my panicked horse (and it was a miracle that I could) he would have wrecked and most probably his driving days would have been over. Following that horrible event, he had to go back to square one in his training and be brought slowly forward again.

Did I read the same book as the rest of these folks? Wefound the "illustrations" to be amateurish drawings with very little clear detail and the photos were from afar and grainy with no discernable detail. The sections on how to harness, and particularly the fit of the harness, were poorly organized and without enough details. Basically, the book is very wordy but without giving enough clear step-by-step instructions and sharp diagrams and photos to really make the reader certain that they are proceeding correctly.

In reading and preparing for the first few lessons I felt secure that I had JUST enough information from the book to carry out her instructions. In practice, we got as far as the training shafts. We constructed them per her measurements, and tried to follow all of her instructions. Unfortunately for a rank novice there was not enough detailed information about how long the traces ought to be on a correctly fitted harness or how far and high from the horse's back legs the cross member should safely be positioned. Our first session in the "poles" was nearly disasterous. We were left with many questions regarding the correctness of our harness and/or should we have modified it in some way to make the exercise more successful. We found ourselves peering at the grainy photos straining to glean some detail that might explain why our set-up didn't fit her description. In reviewing the material we found that should we survive to hitch the horse to a cart, we would be uncertain as to similar details about distances, heights, lengths, etc.

Unfortunatley with this book, it didn't give me the information I was looking for. I have driven before, but have never broken a horse to harness, and wanted to make sure I was taking all the right precautions to do it right the frist tim.. I felt this book left alot of questions unasnwered, especially with the grainy and unclear drawings. The insctructions were very unclear and there was no concise "to the point" aspect about them. Honestly, I basically got a review of what I already knew, and felt this book would not be a help for someone breaking her horse to drive. If anythign it is a usefull reference for those already having experience in driving. After reading through it, this book is going in ebay.

Doris L Ganton presents all of the wonderful information in this book in a clear, easy to understand format complete with pictures and detailed drawings to depict exactly what she is talking about. Great book for the first time driver, or someone new to training. This is an excellent buy!

This book is written as university-level textbook on the coaching profession. It covers what coaching is and how it is used in business today, particularly in Australia the Author's setting. The authors provide coaching models and do a thorough job of describing the core issues and skills of which coaches must be aware.

Part one of the book defines coaching as "a conversation, a dialogue, whereby a coach and coachee interact in a dynamic exchange to achieve goals, enhance performance and move the coachee forward to greater success" (page xiii). They write of what coaching is, and is not, and what are the qualities of a successful coach.

Part two describes business coaching, executive coaching, the manager as coach and team coaching. Each is addressed in a separate chapter with helpful information, tools, and tips on the "how-tos" of coaching that particular client. These chapters are rich in advise on what to watch out for and pay attention to when working with a certain type of client.

Part three speaks to coaching skills and issues. One chapter starts out as goal setting and then backs up to the client purpose, vision and values as a base for establishing goals. The coach can surface greater perspective and awareness in the client by using helpful tools to assess these three areas of client's life. I believe this is one of the most valuable aspects of coaching, only recently acknowledged by professional coaches (Life Coaches knew this all along) as the key to improving client performance. Other chapters deal with, by now, standard coaching skills such as listening, questioning, non-verbal communication, learning styles, resistance to coaching, and self-limiting beliefs.

This book is an excellent source for the nature and practice of coaching. The authors have incorporated many other coaches' techniques into their text. Coaching books will always have the limitation of being written word and not live dialogue. It is impossible to gain the skills of coaching through any book. However, for the beginner or intermediate coach, the coaching issues, tips and advice in this book are well worth the price.

This book, written in non-academic prose and strewn with practical examples, is the most comprehensive book yet authored on the contemporary involvement of coaches in the business and executive development world. The book can serve as both a reference text for experienced coaches and a 'how-to' book for coaches seeking instruction. The book is also appropriate for those who want to make decisions about using coaches or establishing a coaching culture or academics or trainers seeking a primary text on coaching for use in an educational setting. Throughout the book, the authors underscore the importance of coaching as a learning opportunity. In tackling these issues the authors provide a blueprint for coaches on how to become more effective and increase their ability to work with a variety of clients. As coaching continues to grow as an applied profession, dominated by practitioners, its credibility is strongly enhanced when solid ideas are presented in a clear, articulate, and succinct fashion. This book easily achieves all those criteria and will add considerably to the wealth of knowledge and professional skills associated with coaching.

I was intrigued by blurbs for the book, since I am interested in evidence-based coaching. However, if you look at the comments of the "reviewers," most of them were written within one or two days of each other and seem to employ the same writing style! This shows a great lack of integrity.

This book, written in non-academic prose and strewn with practical examples, is the most comprehensive book yet authored on the contemporary involvement of coaches in the business and executive development world. The book can serve as both a reference text for experienced coaches and a 'how-to' book for coaches seeking instruction. The book is also appropriate for those who want to make decisions about using coaches or establishing a coaching culture or academics or trainers seeking a primary text on coaching for use in an educational setting. Throughout the book, the authors underscore the importance of coaching as a learning opportunity. In tackling these issues the authors provide a blueprint for coaches on how to become more effective and increase their ability to work with a variety of clients. As coaching continues to grow as an applied profession, dominated by practitioners, its credibility is strongly enhanced when solid ideas are presented in a clear, articulate, and succinct fashion. This book easily achieves all those criteria and will add considerably to the wealth of knowledge and professional skills associated with coaching.

If you are looking for a solid framework for professional coaching this resource is a must. In this book you are presented professional coaching models, a great range of templates and tips and traps every coach should be alert to.

It is presented in an easy to read format that allows this information to be employed in either an internal or external coaching practice. This is not just a book to read it is an action plan.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone studying JKD. I am mid-level as a JKD student (fourth level), and we do a lot of the techniques shown in the book at the school I go to. Chris Kent and Tackett are simply the best at JKD. I have heard a lot of total B.S. recently in the martial arts world, that Bruce Lee "gave up on wing chun". Anyone who knows anything about what Bruce really taught and did knows that wing chun was the core of the art (like the brances of a tree grow from the trunk, JKD techniques grow from the core, which is wing chun). That is one reason I really liked this book.

My teacher studied a bit under Chris Kent, and he told us stories of how good Kent was (really, really good !). Kent is evidently really fast and his wing chun is evidently really good. My instructor said that Kent's wing chun was perfect, really, and you could not touch him because he would just redirect your energy so well.

I recently tried a Jun Fan Gung Fu class in my city and thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be enrolled as a student starting next month. This book provides the terminology and techniques you will start learning in any Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do academy. I really like the way each technique starts with a clear explanation of the 'how and why' and then shows many pictures showing all the variations. I wish the authors would continue with more books. Even though this one is old it is still 100% applicable to todays training methods.

If you are real serious about understanding the science of Bruce Lee's techniques then read this book first then read Tao of Jeet Kune Do second. It will make a lot more sense to you.

This book is a great intro to classic JKD and Strategy. The chapter on attribute refinement(like awarenes and mobility) is especially good. The drills are great for someone who has a little martial arts expirience and the techniques are easily understood through the great writing and photos.

If you're going to be involved in stand-up martial arts or fighting, get this book. It's all you need. The training methods in here are very, very good. This book covers on-guard position, tools(puches, kicks, etc.), energy drills, distance, timing, the five ways of attack, parries, target training, partner training... It's probably best for someone who has been exposed to stand-up fighting before, and has a basic knowledge of punches and kicks. It becomes a masterpiece when taken with "Jun Fan/ Jeet Kune Do Kickboxing" (which it often referes to), the "Bruce Lee Fighting Method Series", and the "Tao of Jeet Kune Do". Once again, it's probably not for begginers, and many drills require a partner, but that's just the nature of the beast. Good for sport/full contact, and pretty decent for self-defense.

Chris Kent and Tim Tackett do an excellent job of presenting the basics of Jun Fan Gung Fu and Jeet Kune Do concepts as well as a variety of useful drills. I highly recommend this book to any JF/JKD student. My only complaint is that there wasn't much about stance or footwork, which are the basis for everything else. In their book Jeet Kune Do Kickboxing they cover bai jong, the basic stance, for about a page and a half, but you could probably write an entire volume on the stance and footwork alone. If you're studying under a qualified Jun Fan / JKD instructor you'll know all of this, but it would still be nice to have a reference on it, and I'm sure that Sifus Kent and Tackett could probably offer quite a bit of insight into what is, IMO, an incredibly important, if basic subject.

In the six months since my son Benjamin was born, I have read every book on baby sleep available on the market. (Or at least it feels that way!) From Ferber to Pantley, who represent opposite ends of the baby sleep debate, I have been bombarded by different tips and tricks on how to get my son to sleep most effectively. My biggest problem to date has been determining a nap schedule that works for him. Dr. Moore provides a melding of all the philosophies in a direct, functional approach that is based on sound scientific research. I always like to know the WHY behind the choices I make as a parent, and she provides some interesting commentary on why many parents face the problems they do when it comes to baby sleep.

After employing her principals with my son for just a few days, I have noticed a tremendous difference in the quality of his daytime sleep. The BRAC (Basic Rest and Activity Cycle) is strong in him! I will recommend this book to all of my friends with young babies or to anyone I know of who is having a baby because the information makes so much sense. Currently, I just laid Benjamin down for his nap, and he's on the edge of falling asleep, making a few happy noises, right at the end of his 90 minute cycle. (Almost to the minute! It's sort of scary!)

I purchased this for my granddaughter who was having problems with her newborn's sleeping habits. It helped somewhat, so for that she was very grateful.

After trying several other methods with few or no results, we tried this plan when our daughter was 8 months old -- approximately 3 weeks ago. She is sleeping better at night, which we expected in part due to her age, but more importantly, she is sleeping much better throughout the day, which has drastically reduced her fussy periods, particularly in the evening. I wish we'd found this book before she was born.

One of the things I like about it is there's no preaching a particular philosophy, such as Ferberizing, attachment parenting, etc. The author gives you a framework, and it's up to you as a parent to decide how exactly to implement it. The basics are driven by science, and the basics work, period.

In order to get the most from this book, I think it's important to read it in its entirety, because it helps to understand the physiology driving sleep and alertness patterns.

This book is a *MUST HAVE*, without hesitation! Try it, you will not regret it. Just learning to watch for the sleep cues at 90 minutes has been the biggest help! Now my baby is getting the naps she needs. She rarely reaches the frustrated point of having to cry herself to sleep because of exhaustion, since I catch her cues and get her to sleep when she needs it! And what a great idea to make it spiral bound - finally somebody realized that a spiral-bound book is MUCH easier to use for mothers that are holding a sleeping baby in their arms and trying to desperately catch up on baby reading!!! Easy and quick to read. The actual program part is only 2 pages long, with lots of useful info before & after. So it's simple and yet, effective!!! I have now bought this for two pregnant friends. Other methods are useful but they are all "parenting" methods (cry your baby to sleep, don't cry your baby to sleep, etc). But this book is not that kind of method - it teaches you what you need to know about our biology to help you understand your baby's rythms... and hence, you can respond to their needs faster and easier! At 2.5 months, my baby was putting herself to sleep without having had to try either cry or no cry method. Simply by following her cues... And she is taking 3 short naps and 1 long nap a day (and before, she was going for 16 hours straight with 30 minutes nap IN TOTAL!!!). A must read - just give it a try!!

I bought this book because all of the previous reviewers gave it 5 stars and I read it cover-to-cover as soon as I got it. I had already started a sleep log for my 6-month-old son. After accumulating 2 weeks worth of data, I looked at the between sleep intervals and found that he does not run on 90-minute cycles. He's just as likely to go to sleep 135 or 205 minutes after he wakes than he is to go to sleep 90 or 180 minutes after waking. I wonder if the previous reviewers looked at their babies between sleep intervals before writing their glowing reviews?

The 90 minute plan may work really well for younger babies. I remember back when my son would wake up, eat (50-60 minutes), get a diaper change (5 minutes), be alert (20-30 minutes), and then go back to sleep until the next time he was hungry. He didn't have any problems sleeping back then, though, and I didn't need a book to tell me when he was ready to go to sleep.

I'm not convinced that the 90-minute cycle exists (at least not in 6-month-old babies) and I didn't learn anything else from this book that I hadn't already read online (for free).

Delightful and highly valuable insights on problem-solving, teamwork, and personal development. Mr. Weinberg's pleasant writing style makes this book that is packed with valuable advice nonetheless very easy and enjoyable to read. It has dramatically impacted the way I self-manage my career. Gold star!

I have gotten more out of this book than any other that I have read. It is ideal for current software developers who think they might be interested in leadership. It begins with some basic ideas about leadership and how they will relate to the rest of the book. The real meat of the book is in sections 2, 3, and 4 which are dedicated to Innovation, Motivation, and Organization - the three key components of being a technical leader. Weinberg does an excellent job of explaining these topics as well as the barriers to them. Each chapter ends with a list of questions. You will not get as much out of the book if you do not take the time to think through and write down your answers. Also, you will be asked to begin keeping a personal journal in one of the chapters on Innovation. You will not regret taking the five minutes a day to do this. It is well worth it. The book ends with some advice to help you implement changes necessary to become a technical leader as well as understand why you want to do it. The book asks a lot of its readers, but it gives a good return on the investment.

Words are unable to describe the value of this book. The material in this book should be IMPRINTED in the brains of anyone who holds a managerial position in the computer industry. If you haven't read this book then you can count on being a lesser manager. That says it all.

Jerry recently stopped giving the workshop on which this book
is based. I number him among my most valued friends. Our
friendship began in that workshop. If you take the approach to
leadership that this book explains you'll be the kind of leader
that almost anyone would willingly follow, and with good reason.
I'm still trying to assimilate the thousands of tasty bits of
wisdom it contains. Jerry already has. He's been there and back
again, and has buried many of the jewels he discovered on his
journey in this book. BUY IT.

Concrete advice about both how to assess where you are today, and what to do to become and be a technical leader. There are also some fun anecdotal pseudo-conversations that work as a nice interlude, and a great description of the tradeoffs between technical and personal strenths.

While a light read, I couldn't help coming away from this book feeling that it was longer than it needed to be -- the information density isn't terribly high. A few of the pseudo-graphs that appeared in the book also seemed to have mislabeled axes, though that may have been corrected in subsequent editions.

Drugs are effective for some people with ADD. Or so I've been told. I tried Ritalin, Welbutrin, Adderall, Zoloft, Lexapro, Neurontin and others in various combinations. My ADD did not improve but I experienced a host of side effects including dizziness, insomnia, headache, increased irritability, loss of physical abilities and back pain.

Getting Rid Of Ritalin explains how neurofeedback works as an alternative to drugs. Neurofeedback trains the brain to regulate itself. The book is easy to read and filled with common sense. The author uses a scientific approach and shows a personal concern for those who suffer from ADD. There are insights that help to explain symptoms and how they can be improved. One of the best things about this treatment regimen (neurofeedback) is that it has virtually NO side effects!

Neurofeedback has helped me. I am in a better mood, more organized and less irritable. According to Robert Hill- drugs, even when they work, are only a temporary solution. After a while they lose their effectiveness. And I can testify to how expensive they are. Before you spend thousand on brain scans and psycho-active drugs try letting your brain heal itself with neurofeedback.

I found that only a very small part of the book is about Neurofeedback. All the rest is about issues surrounding ADD. The author writes as if he is explaining the material to a 5-year-old child. I found that this book did not increase my knowledge (gathered on the net) of Neurofeedback

I picked this book up because I was seeking to learn more about neurofeedback, and now it is one of my favourite works on ADD and brain care. I appreciated the background given by the authors on how they arrived at their current position; their range of experience is reassuring.

Neurofeedback is only a fraction of this book. I enjoyed the introduction to "low-arousal hypothesis" in the chapter on what causes ADD. The authors address forms of ADD both with and without the hyperactivity component. The chapters on nutrition and toxins were thorough, although it's always a little disappointing to read those lists of "Things to Not Eat." I felt the chapter on television and video games was important as well -- documentation that that stuff _slows down your brain_.

My biggest complaint, if you can even call it that, was that I skipped over some parts I felt I already knew. But the book is clearly organized so that it's pretty easy to figure out which parts you do (or don't) need to read.

Overall, I think this book is very well-informed and very readable. They provide more references to back up their statements than many books I've read. I'll definately recommend it to anyone who expresses an interested in reading more about ADD, and it will stay on my list of neurofeedback resources.

There are so many books about ADD but this is by far the best and most helpful one I've read.

For any parent considering Ritalin, this book is a must-read. It not only addresses the benefits of Neurofeedback but gives the reader a better understanding of Attention Deficit Disorder. The authors offer a holistic approach to treating ADD which unlike Ritalin, has no negative side effects! Thank you Dr. Castro and Dr. Hill!!!

This book is filled with all the latest easy applications of Mind/body medicine . I love that Dr Leclaire Oneill is both an R.N. and a psychologist . She has thought of everything that might possibly arise . I was molested as a child and pregnacy,labor and birth were wonderful because of Dr Leclaire's easy way of guiding me through it all. I also used her tapes which I ordered from back of book.They worked like a charm. I recommend this to all pregnant couples. Ellie

I read this book when I was pregnant with my daughter. It was incredible! I believe that this book was the only reason why I managed to get through my 34 hour drug-free (until the epidural for the c-section) back labor with ease! Unfortunately, I didn't get the labor & delivery experience I was hoping for and ended up with a c-section. This book also helped me deal with the pain from the surgery and 3 days after my daughter was born I was able to quit taking my pain medication. This is one of the few books I am keeping on my bookshelf in case I need it again.

My primary reason for reading this book was to deal with some severe anxiety I had about childbirth and hospitals in general. The book details the psychological and biochemical processes of childbirth and provides some great historical perspective on women's ability to birth naturally. The book left me feeling very confident about my own abilities. I now plan to labor in a hospital but not as a terrified victim desperate for pain medication. I am going into this with ownership and responsibility and look forward to making this one of the greatest days of my life. The book helped tremendously to get me to this point.

I purchased this when I was pregnant with my 3rd child. I had used the breathing techniques in hypnobirthing with my second. I loved the advice she gave while in labor in order to not focus on the pain. I have a high pain tolerance so that did not bother me. However, my husband and I did you the ankle technique. I got admitted to the hospital at 9:45 am and at 10:54 am I delivered my daughter. Thanks for the great advice.

This book was a bit content poor when it comes to actual self-hypnosis techniques. Honestly, just check it out from the library and photocopy the 10 pages of useful guided imagery scripts and return it. I have practiced meditation and "mindfulness" in the past but I found the book to be a bit much on the touchy-feely, new-agey scale. If you're prone to pregnancy paranoia this book will definitely bring it on as it stresses that EVERYTHING you DO, THINK and FEEL has an impact on the unborn (or, as the book calls it, the "uborn") fetus. After reading this last bit it made me feel like the book thought that if I had a particularly stressful day at work I was being a bad parent. It is also chock full of "Case Studies" showing how your unexamined feelings are all ready screwing up your child. Whatever. One thing that was nice about the book was that it didn't waste a lot of time discussing how you should put your foot down about how you don't want all these interventions that nobody does anymore anyway (i.e. enemas, pubic shaves, routine IVs) unless you have a 60 year old male gyno in a rural hospital. So, bottom line, read the meditation portions, skip the rest.

Tests inside book are great! The first few pages of book has formulas and equations that you may have forgotten ( I did! ). Book also gives detailed answers in the back as to why the question has that answer. Cd which comes with is also great. Lots more questions!

I used Radiography PREP by Saia for review which was very helpful. Then I bought this book to take several practice tests. (I liked this book because in the back it had the answers along with a thorough explination.) The combo worked great because I passed with flying colors!

I originally sat for the ARRT exam in 1973 and ventured into x-ray sales in 1978 and then away from radiology altogether in 1990. Since I didn't do the CEU's, I gave up my registry. I recently learned that the window of opportunity to get back in was rapidly closing and I needed to apply to retake the exam by 4/1/06. I took the exam on 3/20/06 and just learned that I passed with a 91...the same score I received in 1973! I no longer had any of my text books and so, I researched and bought two resources: F.A. Davis' Practice Guide for the Radiography Examination and Mosby's Comprehensive Review.
I liked Mosby's for all the study information it contained. It was laid out in a very straightforward, organized format that was easy to study. I also liked the format on the disk for both studying and the exam. Some of the questions seemed pretty elementary. In fact, after consistently scoring in the 90's on the Mosby tests, I took an F.A. Davis test and scored a 71! Davis was primarily a test resource. There were formulas in the front that were useful, but the real value was in the testing. All told, I seriously studied about 3 weeks before taking the registry. Obviously, this combination worked well for me.
I have the same complaint about each: there were several questions from each disk where they marked a question wrong but the rationale they supplied said my answer was right. It made me question the validity of other questions. They need to go back and review all their questions again and revalidate them.

I checked out and bought some of the other review books (Mosby's being one), and I have to say this book turned out to be the best. I didn't really think it would be that good of a book when I started looking at it, but it is. I took the first test in the book and got a 66%, then I studied everything I missed and tried to figure out what I didn't understand. On the second test I got a 71% and continued to study. By the time I took the last one I got a 80%. Within a week I took the ARRT test and scored a 94%! the only questions I didn't expect on the exam had to do with artifacts and processor artifacts, which this book doesn't really cover. Also I recommend highlighting sections in the test review that you have a hard time with, I used a second highlight color for all radiation information. Good luck. By the way I passed the registry in Aug 2005.

i have found the cd that came with this book to be a great review so mush so i have not even looked at the book much i really like the way the cd gives an explanation after you awnser each question.

"Leading self-directed work teams" consists of 6 parts. The first part introduces the concept of self-directed work teams, it's history and especially the difference between traditional organizations and self-directed work teams. Part 2 gives a case study from Kodak. Part 3 talks about the assumptions that leaders in organizations have and how it affects the SDWT. Part 4 describes the role of the team leader and a description on what team leaders do day-to-day (there are actually 2 part 4s, which is kinda weird). Part 5 talks about problems and solutions and the final part gives some tests which you can do to see how suitable you are for a team leader (I need some minor changes, it says).

I loved the beginning of the book. The first couple of chapters were fantastic and I quickly finished part 1. I didn't find the case study interesting. I liked part 3 quite a lot, but then when the book went on I felt it was not getting much better. The author tried to think of concrete tools for a team leader to use, but somehow they didn't feel natural (like the 5 stages of team leaders). Near the end of the book, I felt something was missing from the book. I don't know exactly what it is, maybe the team member perspective, maybe more concrete tools. (simulation games?)

Despite the above critique, I recommend the book to anyone involved or interested in self-directed teams. Kimball Fisher wrote in a clear style which kept me reading the book. Theory was followed with concrete examples. It's not a lot of pages so it's easy to read in a relative short time.

I learned a lot from this book. I'm a promoter of SDWT in my organization and the book made me realize how difficult the transition is. How difficult it is for supervisors to adopt their new roles and for team leader to broaden their job responsibility. It clarified my experiences. SDWT are the future but the part towards them in long.

As other reviewers have noted, an interesting read for the military leader and "ops" guy alike. But at the end of the day I tend to lump this book together with the tedious, dime-a-dozen management specials out there. As a former military officer I'll be the first to toe the line and admit that a lot of what Mr. Fisher explores is right on target - just not new territory.

At the end of the day, a good primer (or refresher) but not entirely college math.

Kimball Fisher provides a revised, updated look at the techniques for successfully leading self-directed work teams (SDWTs). He draws on basic principles described in his earlier book of the same name. SDWTs are effective, and growing in popularity. Fisher focuses on how leaders must adapt to make them work. He emphasizes the need to truly empower and support workers. He underscores the importance of making the team adaptable to the work itself, rather than clinging to a particular structure. Fisher combines principles with examples and how-to tips that you can apply in your own organization. He provides good summaries of each chapter's highlights. We [...] recommend this well-organized, clearly written book. While some of its contents are similar to recent books on creating teams, empowering employees and using a better management style, it is an excellent recap and a good guide for anyone new to team-building methods.

***The second industrial revolution is definitely in full swing. As we progress from the traditional style organizational leadership and head towards team-building and progressive leadership, this book illuminates what will work. So many leaders in the military have failed to adapt to the cultural changes of the new millenium, and thus the failure to retain Officers and Enlisted alike. All military leaders must accept that fact that EMPOWERMENT is the key to organizational success. This book defines what empowerment is and how to effectively implement the "Self-Directed Work Teams." Covers what a true leader is how "barking direct orders" is not effective as empowering others to perform. Set boundaries instead of rules. I am a military Officer and have seen many times the follies that many Officers make when making leadership decisions. This book not only shows you what is wrong with the traditional systems, but also how to implement effective leadership.

*******A MUST READ FOR ALL MILITARY LEADERS AND CIVILIAN MANAGERS*** DEFINETLY A GREAT BOOK!!!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO ALL AS A GROWING TOOL. READ IT, LEARN IT, USE IT!

This book is a solid how-to manual for leading self-directed work teams. Kimball does a great job of explaining what self-directed teams are all about and how to lead them.

Leading self-directed team may sound like paradox, but these teams need a special type of leadership. This book goes beyond theory to explain the realities of making these teams really work. Easy-to-read with plenty of examples.

* Mark Kelly, coauthor of MASTERING TEAM LEADERSHIP: 7 ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS

An excellent resource for incomming Company Commanders. It along with
Taking the Guidon: Exceptional Leadership at the Company Level by Tony Burgess helped me guide the 1438th Bridge Company through a mobilization and year long deployment to Iraq.

For those who doubt an officer can live by the principles described in this book, Meyer did, and his "Make It Happen" philosophy ensured that all of us did as well. I served as a Platoon Leader, Company XO, and Training Officer in Meyer's 385th Military Police Battalion in Germany. I can tell you that I have never met another person with the exceptional people management skills, practical insight and moral bearing of this man. He lead by example -- an example that I still draw upon 20 years later. A must-have primer if you're in charge.

I found this book to be a very comprehensive, helpful guide. I especially like the advice from military Brass and the War Stories. This book is more dynamic than many others in the field. However, it is impossible to act as a perfect moral beacon all the time. Nevertheless, I took the relentless persuit of moral justice as a necessity, because if it were briefly mentioned one may forget their integrity or place it on the back burner. I would reccommend this book to anyone in a management position, who would rather be a leader than a manager, or military personnel who would like a helpful, easy to read guide.

Before the review, a little bit about me to put this review in context. I am a rifle company commander in an National Guard enhanced infantry brigade. I've had experience as a battalion staff officer, company executive officer and rifle platoon leader.

After reading all of the glorious reviews of this book, i was really anticipating something truly useful and worthwhile to prepare for my command. When I received the book, I dove right into it and read it over the course of a day. After reading it, I have to admit that I could not understand how anyone felt that this book was in any way necessary or critical to one's company command.

Overall the book is well written, and has a lot of good information, but it tries to find that elusive gap between a very detailed how-to book (which will inevitably date) and a more philosophical tome which provides few useful details which can be put in the practice immediatel. Alas, it falls short of this goal and does not provide much of either.

In addition, Company Command: The Bottom Line, has a somewhat moral high-mindedness to it which seems to ignore a lot of the realities in the Army. I think all of us who take the guidon and assume command would like to be just, fair, never faltering moral beacons who always make the right decision regardless of the consequences, but the sad reality of the Army today is that we are given way, way, way too much to do in the form of regulations, inspections, policies and other administrivia that there is no possible way a commander can do it all and still do what is ultimately the most important job he or she has, training his or her troops for war. What I would have liked to see is some coverage of some of the tricks of the trade that help commander balance these pressures. Some of you might say that this is just a National Guardsman's perspective, given our significant time and resource limitations, but everything I have read, heard and experienced with the Active component tells me these problems certainly exist there as well.

At the end of the day, it isn't a bad book. I think it gives a good review of what command is all about and would be especially useful for the typical lieutenant who doesn't understand the myriad of Army systems and processes that must be mastered by a successful company commander. However, for a mid-level/senior captain with some staff and specialty platoon experience, a lot of this will be a rehash.

Less than 1 year out of my OBC, and I was asked twice to take command of my Army Reserve Maintenance Company. The second time I bit! I quickly found this book, and have been reading it day and night to make sure I am covering all my bases. I asked for a list of everything I needed to be thinking about, since I was responsible now for everything my company did or did not do...This book is that list! IT COVERS EVERYTHING AT A MINIMUM YOU MUST BE AWARE OF WITH ANY ARMY COMPANY, RESERVE OR ACTIVE DUTY. MG Meyer does a great job of covering these topics and where to go to find the answers: Taking Command, You and Your 1SG, UCMJ Actions, Personnel/Admin, Training, Supply, Unit Maintenance, and other Misc. Command items. He offers tips on how to do things better, that you won't find in the FM or TM! And he offers stories from other leaders to show realism. This book will help me and my key leadership...I plan to make it required reading at my unit...And I am going to recommend it to my boss! Thanks MG Meyer...you have helped guide a 1LT while he is still fresh in his command...I only wish I would have found this book during OBC so I could have read it prior to taking command. I recommend all 2LTs read this book while you are in OBC and have the time to think about how to apply its knowledge before you do have to take command, it will come along sooner than you think, just a reality of today's military!