Rules Books

My wife and I both loved this book. The characters are realistic, the story line is believable and the plot twists were unexpected. At several points in this book I had to remind myself that I wasnt reading a book from Richard North Patterson or John Grisham, it was that good. If a book is boring or predictable I flip to the end after only a few chapters to verify I was right in guessing the ending then move on to another book, I didnt do that with this book, it was too engaging, I was not prepared, nor was I able to guess the twist at the end, my guess had it all wrong and that was how I knew this was a good book. Ben wrote the main character in a very human way. You could relate to this guy and feel what he felt and you believed him. That was what kept the pages turning. I can't wait for the sequel to come out.

My husband and I found this book hard to put down until we were finished. Ben Thompson has taken life experiences under his law practice (twisted them a bit) and made for a great and thought-provoking story. As a Language Arts instructor at the University of Florida, I used his intro as an example to show my students how to GRAB your reader and make them want to read more!! Give us more, Mr. Thompson!!!!

This book is like a John Grisham novel, but with an alligator in its motorcycle pants. The plot is gripping, and kept me from putting the book down until late each night. The book is not only a great story, but also a thought-provoking look at capital punishment, the nature of insanity, and good ol' boy culture.
The story covers the trial of a mentally ill young man accused of a brutal murder he freely admits to. The victim is gay, and perhaps so is the accused. Corrupt Florida politicians weigh in with Mafia-style tactics. The main character is a 1970s womanizer with deep thoughts and endearing Harley-riding friends.
I highly recommend this book to people who like fast-paced plots, Harleys, and deep thoughts.

We were assigned this read for an arts marketing class, and I can say it is
the best text all year. Grounded, informed, and makes for great discussion in class.

Dan Solomon and Brian Reich push the reader to revisit the term "media" when evaluating communication strategies. According to the authors, media is no longer just what we simply read, watch or click but should be considered as almost anything that touches our lives and not be limited to some format. There's a potential danger of making the definition of media so broad and all encompassing that the term becomes useless. But Solomon and Reich use this broad definition to make us appreciate fundamental shifts that are happening in how we communicate as a society. Framing insights from business and thought leaders from the past and on the front lines into actionable, memorable categories, the reader is given a potential path to organize the cacophony of communication technologies and punditry. The authors do not pretend that the path to mass communication enlightenment is through their book but they effectively point you in the right direction.

Media Rules should be purchased by every marketing and sales person in an organization who who wants to progress and star in a tough economy. It should e read by every CEO, CFO and CIO who wants to lead their organization deeper into this century. It should be read by every kid just graduating college who wants to get a good job by harnessing the tools they already use.

It's out there folks, you just need to understand the new terrain that controls our environment. Great insights from the authors along with terrific anecdotal evidence that will make you stand up and want to get to the office.

One word of warning - don't read it before trying to go to sleep - the topics are way too stimulating.

Meeting Procedures: Parliamentary Law And Rules Of Order For the 21st Century by certified professional parliamentarian James Lochrie is a no-nonsense reference to the terms and procedures for organizing debate among large bodies of human beings, whether in committees of representative government or on a corporate business board of directors. Discussing the mechanics of motions, voting methods, nominations, orders of business and more, Meeting Procedures is an absolute "must-read" for anyone seeking to master the basics of these formal principles in order to better participate and communicate in business or civic meetings of any size and of diverse complexities.

This book is ideal for the president of any of the many volunteer and professional organizations across the country. Explanations of the rules governing meeting procedures are easy to understand and put into use. Mr. Lochrie takes complicated concepts and simplfies them so even an inexperienced presiding officer can run a meeting effectively and efficiently.

Lochrie's "Meeting Procedures" is a good alternative to Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR). Both of these books are intended to be adopted by organizations as the parliamentary authority, but no matter what authority you use, "Meeting Procedures" is a valuable addition to the presiding officers bookshelf.

Where RONR has pages of rules for special cases (which ~do~ come up), Lochrie takes a different approach. A group using "Meeting Procedures" will find special rules are easier to adopt (2/3 vote, no notice), so that special cases can be handled by individual groups with special rules as they are required, allowing the book to be more streamlined. For example, there are no rules in this book on disciplinary procedures (trials). These things (thankfully) rarely come up, and an organization using Lochrie's book could adopt special rules for the proceedings when and if they do.

Elections, something that does come up, is thoroughly covered, including detailed examples. Also covered is the interesting subject of "election paradoxes", and how to cope with them with various voting methods (e.g. the Borda count).

Included with the book are a section with answers to some common parliamentary questions, sample minutes, a sample committee report and sample convention rules. One thing that seems to be missing is a sample set of bylaws, but one can find such things on the internet (with varying degrees of quality though!).

Overall, a wonderful book, even if your group prefers RONR or another authority.

In today's world, where people often talk at and through each other, Ed Horrell has captured the essence of how to talk WITH people, and to communicate with them in ways that inspire, motivate, encourage and elicit positive response. It is one of those books that can be read cover to cover over a nice cup of coffee or glass of wine, or that can be used as a resource center for finding the right way to say just the right thing, at just the right time.

The emergence of email, text messaging and 30 second voicemail has seriously eroded the ability of the human speaker to sincerely and effectively communicate verbally with another. Horrell has captured the essential keys to this valuable skill in his Nine Silver Rules.

I found it to be a companion work to (and much better written) than the book that instructs us on the fine art of cheese moving.
Even if we know the cheese is moving and that the cheese may be gone, we still need to be able to verbally communicate that fact to those affected in a way that is both clear and considerate. Ed Horrell's marvelous little book shows us how to do just that.

Mike Whitten, CPA, CIA, CBM
Memphis, TN

After nearly twenty years in sales and marketing, I can say without hesitation this is one of the most useful tools I've come across.

If you're in business, you're in the business of human relations and this is absolutely the best non-academic work I've seen for professionals within multiple disciplines that deals with human relationships and communication. For the sales professional to the medical doctor, this book is a must read.

Although it's packed with a lot of critical information, it's a quick, easy, enjoyable read. One you'll keep referring back to after years of use.

One of the most effective strategic planning meetings I ever attended involved the management team of a small company. Using a highly structured and facilitated profiling system, the team members learned their personal communication styles and how those style interacted with one another. This particular team emerged from that meeting with a new focus on their interpersonal communications and proceeded to win national awards for their company's performance during the next two years.

Now, you can have the same advice that this management team got. Ed Horrell's More Than Words provides a quick, easy assessment of your communication style followed by a thorough analysis of how that style relates and interacts with other styles. You'll also learn how your style behaves under pressure, praise and criticism.

If you have coworkers, customers, prospects or others you must relate to, this book is for you. Ed's powerful "silver rules" will help anyone do a better job of communicating and recognizing how they are being perceived. If you own a business, you should buy a copy for every employee. You and your team will get more value from that investment than any other similar investment you might make!

Harvard Business School professor John Kotter has followed the career paths of the members of the Harvard Business School Class of 1974 -- and what he has found will astonish you if you are like me -- an MBA hopeful working for a large corporation. Kotter observes that the Harvard MBA's have succeeded financially and personally because they have followed volatile and nontraditional career paths outside of large firms. He argues that the world economy is so globalized and the boundaries of corporations are so blurred that the best career opportunities abide in the virtual corporation. In this new career marketplace, great rewards accrue to competitive risk-takers who continually renew their skills. Read this, but be warned: You may decide to quit your job and never work for a large corporation again. -- Dan Green, Harvard Business School Class of 1999.

Similar to the advice offered by Darden finance professor Bob Bruner, himself a member of the HBS class profiled in this book, Kotter demonstrates that those who shunned the corporate world in favor of more impactful jobs with smaller companies have succeeded beyond the levels of their corporate ladder classmates.

Go to small companies and make a difference in the world. Push yourself. Don't accept a slow climb up a bureaucratic corporate ladder.

The book has numerous student profiles to demonstrate the benefits of the road less traveled. Kotter fleshes out the backgrounds and experiences of the students as effectively as character development in a Stephen King novel. The characters come to life and you really feel the urge to break out and go with the start-up company of your own or others. Considering today's dot-com world this advice from the mid-90's appears ahead of its time.

Relative to his other books this one is average, but what's average for Kotter would be exceptional for most.

Also by Kotter: "Leading Change" and "What Leaders Really Do" are also outstanding works by Kotter. HBR article Managing Your Boss (incorporated into "WLRD") is a great reading for MBAs, managers, and workers of all levels.

Dr. John Kotter of Harvard Business School is one of the few scholarly business writers who consistently blends leading edge, visionary concepts with the tough-mindedness that most successful executives admire. I bought this book while looking for something else entirely, but it was well worth it.

I certainly discovered a real gem. Kotter gives us straight talk about the hard realities of today's executive business world. He disabuses us of the notion, if any of us still hold it, that there will be any safety or security in a career based on steady upward mobility in a traditional corporation. He wraps his stoic "new rules" around a twenty-year longitudinal study of the careers of Harvard Business School graduates of the Class of 1974. Showing the actual career paths of a plethora of genuine American success stories is not only fascinating reading, but highly educational.

Kotter bluntly states what it will take to be successful at work in the 21st century: "Settling for good, much less mediocrity is dangerous..Large numbers of people have been taught by big business, big labor and big government that fair-to-good is adequate...ten years from now fair-to-good will probably NEVER lead to success."

In order to get beyond the "fair-to good" range of performance, Professor Kotter makes a strong case for executive assessment, maintaining that a careful, realistic and candid self-examination is imperative, and he places special emphasis on the need for self-awareness regarding gaps in one's development. He couples this with counsel on the need for constant learning.

What does Kotter's study imply for our concept of Executive Community? He says that for those who aim to lead large organizations, their role should be that of the revolutionary, breaking down hierarchies and replacing then with a "flexible network organization" with many more people taking up the responsibilities for leadership. There is a need, he says, to create "self-confidence in competitive situations" through education in both schools and business organizations.

Kotter calls the new business environment "Phase III", marked by globalization of markets and competition. He urges readers who feel that they are working in a business environment "that is not helping prepare him or her for an even tougher Phase III future should move out of that environment as fast as possible. AS FAST AS POSSIBLE."

I love Kotter's sense of urgency. And he is right about so many things, that, if you have not done already, get this book AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. It may be the best business book you have read in a very long time, and one of the few that may stir you to self-improvement.

Recently I have had the good fortune of being introduced to an incredible author. Fawn Germer is a Pulitzer-nominated author of two best selling books, "Hard Won Wisdom" and "Mustang Sallies". Fawn has been recommended by Oprah Winfrey, so how much more can I say? When I obtained my copy of her latest book, "The New Woman Rules" (More than 50 trailblazers share their wisdom) I could not wait to sit down and read it. It has been more like devour it!

This book is the personal stories of extraordinary businesswomen who have more than succeeded, they are at the very top! These women vary in background and education, but they are all leaders. In reading their stories, they seem like my friends, sisters and colleagues. So, what makes them so different? Why did they get to the top when so many don't? Fawn carefully explains the lessons they share from don't hesitate to raise your hand to ask others for help.

I think what struck me the most however, was the amazing ability that each of these women had to rely on their inner wisdom. They explored their inspirations and allowed whatever was meant to be, be. I am not saying they ran wildly into the night spending foolishly at the expense of the company they worked for. It is just that they also did not over analyze their instincts. Not every experiment was a success, either.

Cathy Green, the COO of Food Lion tells of an experiment to expand a store she was managing early in her career. She was successful in increasing sales and needed more space for product. So, she decided to add a tent outside. The town council required a $15,000 sidewalk installed for this tent, she had the expense of Muzak, lights and shelving. When it was finished, she says it was debatable if they even made $100 from it. Here is her take on it,"Someone looking in might say it was a failure. But it gave me broad learning about working with town politics, driving business and bringing a vision to life. You learn from everything. Failure is not an option."

Over and over I read those sentiments in the book. Each of these women had the vision to see what lessons they learned and keep on going. Many of them made lateral moves along the way, some even stepped down in order to step up later. These women were able to "re-frame" the events in their lives in a way that benefited them, their co-workers and their companies.

Fawn sums the lessons up so well in her conclusion. To quote her, "Be your true self. You are your greatest asset, so work it." Later she states,"See yourself as belonging at the top, and you will belong at the top." In other words, release fear and visualize the life you desire now!

Thank you Fawn for writing this incredible book!

This is a powerful book that features surprisingly personal interviews with more than fifty women who made it to the top ranks of the business world, including Meg Whitman of eBay and Dawn Hudson of PepsiCo. It has profiles of each executive and essays on subjects like networking and performance by the author, Fawn Germer. The author has a real knack for drawing women out in interviews (see her other books, Hard-Won Wisdom and Mustang Sallies). The "NEW Woman Rules" are strategies to make it the top of male-dominated companies while keeping your principles and family intact. I love how this book speaks directly to their reader and offers practical advice that anyone -- even men -- can use in their life and careers.

This book is better than any business book I have ever read. The author went to the most successful women in business and got their stories AND their strategies. So, it is entertaining but filled with useful information that will help us to succeed on a level we haven't accessed before. It is truly an eye-opener because it doesn't just tell you that it is important to network, it shows HOW to do it, with whom, what to say, etc. It doesn't just tell you how to lead, it SHOWS how to do it. I received this book after watching Fawn Germer give the most memorable speech I have ever seen at an annual conference. The point is that women are getting to the top and are committed to helping others get there. We've sure come a long way.

I first got track on David Parmenter, when I searched for help on rolling planning. Via the website [..] I found his articles and a link to his website. Quarterly Rolling Planning and KPIs is really his thing.
What I like in this book is the pragmatism and the directness. No fuzz. The clear way the examples are described enabled me to mimic some in Excel, like reporting a business unit's performance.
There is attention for your own personal development and it describes the marketing of your own financial department. It contains practical things that you can incorporate in your daily work right away. David describes his work from inside, tells about the relation with the people around him and the way to organize the work and to how to develop yourself and others. He incorporated better practices of people that attended his workshops. Really a hands-on book. A book that stimulates you to change the way you work.

In combination with this book I read "The First 90 days - Critical Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels" by Michael Watkins. As in any new situation you need to consider in which situation the company is and how you can excel.

Thanks David for displaying your knowledge and experience.

Great book, great ideas... inspiring! (or, at least as inspirational as you can get I guess, for a book about acctg)

I first came across David Parmenters work on [...] where he has a number of artcles and webinars posted. What I like about his work is it's very practical. I've been in Finance for twenty years and most of the stuff I read is interesting but not very useful in the daily life of an accountant or analyst. This is probably because it is written by consultants who don't work day to day in the trenches and usually are just trying to push their latest version of the holy grail. Parmenter seems to have spent most of his carreer actually working in Finance so knows what he is talking about. His recommendations can be applied right anyway and don't need major system changes. His sections on reducing the close cycle and implementing a quarterly rolling forecast are particularly good. He also has a book on KPIs which I have not read but if it's as good as the Webinar on the bettermanagement site it will be well worth the money. Buy the book and check out his website at [...] which also has lot's of good content.

Alexandra Powe Allred brings an inspiring and informative book based on 25 examples of women who have achieved astounding success in business, along with what drove them to their heights. You will learn how to "identify your chosen field" how to break down boundaries, "doing your homework" how to "market yourself and your business" and much more. One of my favorite examples for strategy is about Jenny Craig, and the "recommended steps for success" provided: "Set your goal;" "Understand your market;" "Research several aspects of the business and your product"; "Identify your resources"; "Learn what you need to know"; "Develop your marketing skills"; "Hone your people skills"; "Believe in yourself and your goal."

Most importantly, this book will inspire you to hopefully look within and discover what you are absolutely PASSIONATE about doing and being in your life. It is your heart-felt passion that fuels your energy to do what it takes to live your dreams, while you joyfully create the success you deserve along the way.

Highly recommended for the inspiring stories of HOW women started from scratch and created the life and success they deserve, as well as for the in-depth resource guide at the back of the book, bringing you complete contact information for excellent organizations and publications, that can aid you in creating the success you deserve.

Barbara Rose, Ph.D. author of Stop Being the String Along: A Relationship Guide to Being THE ONE and If God Was Like Man
Editor, inspire! magazine

Too often women in our culture are discouraged and prevented from becoming independent businesspeople. The Western capitalist business paradigm desprately needs the passionate and nurturing influence of our creative women. Passion Rules focuses on the struggles and experiences of 25 successful women entrepreneurs. Their inspiring stories serve as powerful mentoring tools for any person with a creative independent spirit. We are looking towards a new definition of successful business and women in our society stand poised at the forefront.

I just received my copy of Passion Rules! and I had to immediately sit down and read it. Of course the next thing I had to do was recommend it to everyone :) This book covers many of the basics in starting up a business and also points out some of the pitfalls that might befall someone who is going into business for themselves. This book is easy to read, clearly written, and very entertaining. I think it is a must-have for any woman thinking about going into business.