Resources Books

This book explains how it isn't just one thing we do but all of the "Life-Giving Systems" in our churches are interconnected.
The authors have counseled numerous churches and now they impart that knowledge to anyone who wants their church to grow instead of plateau.
Any pastor or lay-leader who wants their church to experience growth in the number of attendees and spiritually should read this book.

This book has 10 attributes of successful churches. I was so impressed I bought a copy for each Board member and had them read it. We then discussed it at a Board meeting and determined how well we matched up. Highly recommended to pastors and churches who want to be successful in carrying out the Great Commission.

A practical look at ten systems being used by churches to create a healthy and growing environment. The authors use examples from the real world to support their ideas and to encourage the reader to develop healthy systems.

Dan Reeves and Gary McIntosh are two of the best church consultants around and in Thriving Churches in the Twenty-First Century you get all their wisdom for the bargain price of a book. This book is based on real-life case studies that they have observed first hand. Buy this book - it will be the cheapest church consultant you wil ever hire.

I am so excited and don't know where to start after reading this book. I have bought copies for others on my staff.

This book has relevant topics for any Christian or church looking for ways to reach people. And ways to reach people that are beyond the traditional church Bubble.

There are some great insights for any Christian who wants a system to stay connected to God.

Great for a leader who is looking to start a new church. You will find some good foundations for building a vision and core values for your staff.

If you're a church that's been around there are insightful chapters on redefining and discovering who you are so you can better use what God has given your church (resources, gifts, Staff, etc.) to build on what you have and be open to change in society to continue to reach people. And reach people where they are at.

God desires us to know him and be used to help connect Him with others. In this book there are many great tools and systems to keep the church relevant (yet biblical) with the world we are in.

T. Rogers

This book presents a wondeful overview of the topics affecting HR. I admit I was a little wary, because this is supposed to be about "tomorrow's" HR trends, and I bought it four years after publication. Despite that, it seems fresh, some of the forecasted trends have already come to pass, and this book is as impressive and essential as when it was first published. Maybe more so. Kudos all the way 'round.

This book is a must for every serious H.R. professional who want to know what are the coming challenges for the H.R. function. Remember Luck favor the well prepared mind.

Cualquiera que trabaje en Recursos Humanos DEBE de leer este libro. This books is about what HR should be in any organization where HR has any kind of value added. No se lo pierdan esta realmente "abre ojos", despierta al mas dormido de la funcion de Recursos Humanos. Even better than HR Champions.

This is an impressive collection of 38 insightful essays offering core ideas about HRM, focusing six central themes: departments need to operate as a business; today's environment means new roles for HR; HR needs to build on its past; new competencies, roles and use of measurement are vital; the human enterprise must remain central; and HR must adjust to the new global realities. Presents an impressive panorama of the newest thinking about HRM. Reviewed by Yvette Borcia, author of Stern's Sourcefinder: The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and Stern's Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.

"This book offers one approach to thinking about the future of HR. A number of other approaches can and have been used. Futurist methodologies have been applied to study the 'state of the art' and the future and have through surveys of thought leaders identified likely priorities for the future. Our approach", D.Ulrich, M.R.Losey, and G.Lake write, "to thinking about the future of HR parallels closely and draws heavily on a methodology used by F.Hesselbein, M.Goldsmith, and R.Beckhard (Leader of the Future, Organization of the Future)...We have tried to select thought leaders in three groups : academics who study and write HR issues, consultants who offer advice and councel on an array of HR issues, and HR professionals who practice the craft of HR in leading companies...Each of the contributors to this book was asked to write an original ten-page essay on 'the future of HR' as he or she chose to define it...Our hope in this book was for a unique variety of opinion : positive, negative; broad, narrow; optimistic, pessimistic; provocative, discreet; calls for change, calls for status quo (from the Introduction pp.2-3)."

In this context, Ulrich, Losey, and Lake organize the 37 essays into six general sections.Each of these sections deals with a series of questions such as :

Section I :

* What is the strategy of HR?

* What are the products and services of HR?

* How should HR be organized to ensure that the strategy is executed?

Section II :

* What are the future deliverables from HR work?

* What are the metaphors of the HR professional of the future?

* What are the actions for future HR professionals?

Section III :

* What is the history of HR?

* What of the past should be left in the past, and what should be adapted for the future?

* What set of conditions will create a new future?

Section IV :

* Where should HR work be done?

* How do we measure HR work?

* How do HR executives align HR work both inside and outside?

Section V :

* How is intellectual capital operationalized?

* How can HR practices be created that motivate and commit employees?

* What is the impact of humane treatment of employees?

Section VI :

* What are the HR implications of a more global business?

* How can HR practices help a business develop a more global outlook?

* What are the competencies of global leaders?

"If our purpose is to propose a debate about the future", D.Ulrich writes, "it is better to end with questions than with answers. Questions elicit new frameworks, approaches, and alternatives, so, the final two questions we would ask (with our answer) are :

* Do you want to play in this always changing and at times unclear future?

* Are you having fun?

Without a doubt, all the authors in this volume and many others of the best HR professionals we know answer with a resounding 'yes' (p.360)."

I highly recommend.

This book gives trainers and managers the broader skills and knowledge they need to provide solutions (beyond training) to improve workforce performance. It is easy to read, practical, and has exercises and case studies to reinforce learning. Everyone on my team is reading - and using - it.

Stolovitch and Keeps have again (after their wildly popular Telling Ain't Training)demystified all of the processes and procedures for moving your organization from one that is mainly concerned about training to one that is focused on performance. Training is an activity. Performance is an activity coupled with the result of that activity and this book provides all of the methodology for getting valued results for your organization. Its fast paced style and fun to do exercises will make this book the one book on your professional book shelf that just ain't going to gather dust.

Like the other reviewers, I find this book to be exceptionally clear and well-written, and provides a great introduction to the key concepts of human performance improvement (also called human performance technology). It's deceptively simple, because the book has a rigorous intellectual base, and cites key theories, authors and research in the field (not surprising, because Stolovitch and Keeps also co-edited the definitive handbook in the field).

I used the book as a text in my graduate course in human performance technology. It offers many benefits as a textbook. It's readable, so it invites students to read it. It's interactive as well, which makes the reading experience more of a learning session, rather than just an absorption session.

Through these activities, the book makes the abstract and admittedly difficult-to-grasp concepts of human performance improvement concrete.

It also helps me model a key performance concept: build on small successes to create effective performance. Because this book is accessible, my students--many of whom are new to both the field and graduate education--can demonstrate success early in the program and that inspires them to greater success.

Once again, Harold and Erica have co-authored a book which is practical, content rich and great fun to read. This book is a "must read" for anyone who wants to learn more about training, about performance and how they are different. All the worksheets, case examples and key points that are identified ensure this book will be a valued resource and not just a book to store on the shelf.

This book provides practical ideas and insights about how to best manage performance in the workplace and best invest your training dollars. Too often, we use training as the panacea to resolve workplace performance issues. Harold explains when training is really necessary and when other interventions are best suited to resolve those issues. This book should be read by business owners and managers, not just by trainers or human resource professionals.

This is a great book for teaching the writing traits. And, it's easily adaptable to grades 5 and 6 also. I highly recommend it.

This book contains transcripts and activities of lessons taught in conjunction with specific examples of children's lit. The transcripts show how the intended activity emerges. Some planning would be necessary to have these books on hand, or similar examples could be substituted. Overall, I think this will be a great book to use with my class.

This book is a great teaching tool. Within days of receiving it, I had already used several lessons. My class loves the lessons. I've also seen an improvement already in their writing. I have a class of second lang. learners. If it can work for them, it can work for anyone.

I am a third grade teacher of mostly at-risk students (English Lang. Learners and low socio-economic students). I was frustrated with the format of most writing instruction books. They were boring or hard to follow. I also wanted to incorporate the 6 traits of writing into my lessons, so when I saw this book, I thought I would try it.

I love how Sloan walks you through each lesson, what to say, what to do. The lessons are simple to understand and give for the teacher and the students.

It incorporates read-alouds of real books at the beginning of each lesson and shows how it ties in to what you're teaching.

My students were better writers from the very first lesson!

Book is full of excellent resources. I used it with my fifth graders and they enjoyed the lessons. My only wish is there would be more lessons for each of the traits.

This is by far the best book for older siblings who are about to have a new baby in their house. Great pictures and wonderful text make it a fun read, and it really touches your heartstrings. Especially the part when the older sibling helps comfort the baby, I see it so much now between my two kids. I highly recommend this book to anyone is about to go from 1 to 2. My son still wants me to read it to him and his sister is almost a year and a half.

This book is adorable. I got it for my son when his little sister was born, and have gifted it to several friends when they have their seconds. The older child will relate to the little tiger and parents will laugh at all the descriptions ("Yuk! Take a look / it isn't cooked!..."), the illustrations wonderful and the ending is very sweet. For those wondering, it is not "technical" or "religious" as to where one comes from. Just a very sweet (and secular) conclusion to the question.

A delightful tale of the experiences of a new sibling. The older child thinks of all the ways to send the new baby back but in the end realizes that a baby is not such a terrible thing to have around the house! A nice book to share with a new older brother/sister.

The main character in the story a cute tiger cub. He has just gotten a new baby in his house. He wants to know where it came from so he can take it back. He's upset by all the attention it gets. He also says all it does is cry, pee and poop, and spit up! He's had it with this baby. That is until one day when the baby is crying and he goes over to it to try and calm it down. The baby smiles at him and he starts to like the baby.

The pictures were fun to look at. The story moved at a fast pace as well.


We would recommend this book to families who are getting ready to have babies. This would make a great story to read and discuss with young children about the way they feel about having a new baby in the home.

The tiger familyhas a new baby and the older sibling is curious as to where it came from. "Did you buy it from the store? Please don't buy any more!" This hilarious tale of the quest to figuring out where the pooping, crying, new baby comes from and how to take it back. The ending will leave you with warm feeling inside!

"Dr. Ehin is the rarest of business authors: the subject expert whose writing is clear, focused, and actionable. Unleashing Intellectual Capital is a must read for tomorrow's business winners."

-David Stauffer, President of Stauffer Bury Inc.

"[A]n absolutely fascinating work which must be read by all contemporary managers. This book not only points the way for future global business evolution, but truly is a 'capstone work' which draws from Dr. Ehin's professsional expertise, and also incorporates all of his life's experiences into an exceptional 'common-sense approach' to the science of management for the new millenium...Personally, I believe that the elements that he sets forth provide an exceptional sound basis to guide all managers well into the future."

-Peter F. Gerity, Vice President for Research, Utah State University

"Charlie Ehin has done us all a great favor. He has clearly demonstrated that in the long run there can be no middle ground between controlled and shared access based organizations. And he has shared with us the precious knowledge that organizations flowing from a shared access foundation are those more likely to succeed in very unpredictable environments. Those who do not see a clear connection between the 'new science' and how human endeavors ought to be 'scientifically' organized should read this book."

-Ned Hamson, Senior Editor, The Journal for Quality and Participation

"In Unleashing Intellectual Capital Dr. Ehin has developed a model that will help create the necessary competitive advantage for companies through intellectual capital generation. He has provided the keys that open the best in an individual, team and a company as a whole. His book is the key to success for all change managers and anyone else interested in prospering in the Knowlege Age."

-Carl Champagne, President and CEO, Data Systems International, Inc.

"Dr. Ehin's Unleashing Intellectual Capital is a rare treasure in the evolution of management theory. Never before have we enjoyed a more comprehensive, integrated framework for managing human assets that incorporates the critical components necessary for success in the new millennium."

-Carol C. Leavitt, Sunstone Partners

"In this day and age of rapid change in both society and scientific endeavor, we all begin to see a convergence of biology, sociology, world economy, computer science, etc. I admire your courage in trying to amalgamate these diverse facets of human-kind and lead the reader to the obvious 'right and good' choice for our society and our enterprise structure."

-Donald F. Summers, M.D., Associate Director, National Cancer Institute

"Finally a book which not only brings back today's complex world of work to a human dimension, but reveals explicitly that in our basic humanness lies a source of incredible potential for building a successful business. A unique and very useful book."

-Frank Heckman, President of Van Ede Heckman, The Netherlands

"Dr. Ehin's Unleashing Intellectual Capital is thought provoking and enlightening. He built a compelling evolutionary argument demonstrating how hierarchical organizational structures stifle human social needs, thereby limiting organizational competitiveness. [Dr. Ehin] opened my eyes as to how an alternative structure, the shared access organization, affords modern organizations to compete in today's complex global society. Anyone planning to be a part of a successful 21st century enterprise should read this book and heed its advice on developing shared access organizations."

-Dr. Vicki R. Whiting, Assistant Professor, Vive and Bill Gore School of Business, Westminster College

"Unleashing Intellectual Capital showcases Dr. Ehin's great breadth of knowledge, passion and intuitive reflection. This book provides the reader with deep personal insight necessary for the development of management theory. Ehin weaves corporate principles with human behavior resulting in a unique model which will bring success to any company in the Knowledge Age."

-Tom Lyons, Senior Advisor, Irish Productivity Center, Ireland

"Most pleasing about this work is the interdisciplinary approach to explaining management. Dr. Ehin's book redistributes the balance of power so that we can all see ourselves as innately-driven, and in search of personal fulfillment. Perhaps organizations will at this point learn, grow and self-organize as the keys to productivity. The argument in Unleashing Intellectual Capital should help us get back to some basic scientific truths about human behavior so that our organizations can all move forward, in a more honest and productive manner."

-Stephen R. Baar, Academic Vice President, Dean of Faculty, Westminster College

"Dr. Ehin, a business professor and leader, weaves corporate principles with molecular biology, to reveal the many obstacles of what is considered 'traditional management.' Morality, reponsibility and understanding are essential to not only the corporate world, but to the planet at large. This book will be an innovative tool for the corporate culture."

-Jerry Kaufman, Attorney At Law, Los Vegas, Nevada

"Dr. Charles Ehin makes a logical and interesting case for understanding human behavior in knowledge organizations by focusing on our biological and evolutionary development. He provides us with another way of building "brain-rich" companies, who are the engines of progress and economic growth in modern society."

-Anu Kaljurand, Managing Director, Baltic Management Conferences, Estonia

"Unleashing Intellectual Capital combines current management theory with important observations about human biology to create an organizational construct based on bio-logic. Professor Ehin brings these theories together with a model for creating a self-organizing learnging organization that will be helpful in building and developing knowledge-age business."

-Carl Lehmann, CEO of RTW, and former President of the Store Value Group of American Express

"Organizations and individuals want a partnership where the individuals can use their ideas and skills and the organization will reward them for their contributions to the success of the business. Dr. Ehin is making a strong case that this movement is founded in recognizing and building on the positive aspects of our human nature. He has clearly explained why this is critical for satisfying the needs of both the business and the individual. A must read for successful companies of the 21st century

Dr. Ehin has provided us with the management strategy we need to succeed in this new age of business. Unleashing Intellectual Capital is definitely a must read for anyone involved in the Internet Age.

-Wally Hartman, Executive Vice President of storeBusters.com, Inc.

Unleashing Intellectual Capital helps us to understand that there are two sides to human nature. Without knowing we have stimulated the self-centered side of human nature, which isn't condusive to sharing tacit knowledge. We need to find ways to express our unselfish side, which is explained in this outstanding book.

It is true in every corporation, in every organization, in every enterprise: one still cannot find the entity where people believe that everyone -- everyone! -- is working to their full mental potential and bringing that intellectual capital to bear on the purpose and productivity of the firm. Thus, Ehin has written a book that is part paean to the power of the human mind -- and part prescription for how management can tap into that powerful resource. Then again, perhaps the word is not "management," for Ehin boldly announces early on that "Increasing intellectual capital cannot be managed in the traditional sense." This upfront distinct point-of-view makes this book a standout. For at its core, this book is not about managing organizations; it's about human nature. Ehin argues that to tap into intellectual capital, one must "grasp the vital function of the genes. Second, we need to be aware of how our multilevel minds process information received through our senses. Finally, we should be familiar with some of our fundamental drives." Ah, now the reader starts to understand what Ehin was talking about when said in his Preface that he was going to build a case for unleashing organizational intellect by "building on the most recent research in a variety of fields, such as anthropology, palentology, molecular biology, neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and sociobiology." And, guess what? He does. He does! And he does it in 183 crisply written pages that won't bore you but will, instead, fascinate you. In fact, they may electrify you. For when he closes the book talking about "human values" as "the fundamental tapestry of our organizations," you will know that you have found in this book a new way to look at intellectual capital, organizations, and yourself. More than that, it would be hard to put this book down and not feel that you have encountered an unusually-gifted author, one whom you will want to keep as a knowledgeable friend for many years to come.

A powerful case for radical change to the assumptions and practices driving current organisation. Argues that the rise of the knowledge economy makes it even more urgent to organise in ways that support human cooperation and creativity. Builds from human biology to identify the social capital required to support generation of intellectual capital.

It is increasingly accepted that the only sustainable source of competitive advantage in 'the knowledge economy' is to tap the full creative potential and capacity to learn together of the humans who are the most important asset of any organisation. Yet most organisations continue to behave in ways that directly work against realisation of that potential.

The replacement of the dominant 'machine' metaphor of organisations with an 'organic' metaphor has become commonplace in the literature and its implications for organisation, culture and style of management are clear. But this is not (at least yet) having any dramatic effect on organisational behaviour. Perhaps a different metaphor is not a powerful enough tool to start the process of changed consciousness.

Charles Ehin takes a different approach to a similar end. He goes right back to the genetic and evolutionary foundations of human behaviour and our basic drives. From that he draws out conclusions about the cultural environment - the social capital - that needs to be in place to produce the high levels of collaboration needed for vigorous intellectual capital generation and market responsiveness. In effect he is offering a scientific rather than a metaphorical argument for changed behaviour by organisations. We need to understand our basic human nature so that 'we can narrow the gap between it and the organisational context rather than unknowingly widening it.' Throughout, he uses relevant and engaging examples from his personal experience to illustrate his case.

The fundamental argument rests on two sets of innate human drives: self centred and other centred (cooperative or communitarian). Each of these drives is continually present in all of us. The socio/cultural or organisational environment or context is a major factor in calling forth on or the other set of drives. What he calls 'controlled access' - or hierarchical - organisation triggers the self-centred drives: dependence, compliance, self preservation. What he calls 'shared access' - essentially reliance on self-organisation - triggers the other-centred drives: self-direction, interdependence, commitment, trust. While each set of drives can manifest itself under either style of organisation, the hierarchical form is hostile to the full flowering of the other-centred drives. Further, engagement of the other-centred drives and development self-organisation are interdependent: the development of self-organisation can only proceed through engagement of these drives in a reinforcing loop of development. The loop is driven through nurturing four fundamental interacting competencies:

common purpose (shared values and vision); sense of community (building trust, empathy and compassion); 'line-of-sight relationships' (face to face activities and interactions); visualising wholes (fostering the ability to see wholes and understand and work with whole systems)

Ehin argues that it is precisely these drives and associated competencies that are essential to organisational success in a knowledge economy.

The elements in his case are well illustrated in a series of figures through the book, particularly Fig 2.1 (P. 36), Fig 5.1 (P. 104), and the detailed two-part system chart in Figs 7.1A and 7.1B (Pp. 152-3). I found it useful to copy those charts so that they were in front of me for reference as I read the text.

The book is a valuable addition to the literature on the learning organisation ( Senge et al. The Dance of Change), on management under complexity (eg Lewin: The Soul at Work), on working with whole systems (eg Pratt et al.: Working Whole Systems) and on knowledge management and innovation (e.g. Leonard- Barton: The Wellsprings of Knowledge). I suspect that a number of readers will be willing to take the argument about human nature on trust, without reading it in depth, but the model and the relationships underpinning it deserve careful attention.

The assault on the hierarchical castle continues, and Ehin has thrown in another battalion, opening one more front. However, the walls remain unbreached. The sad reality is that most hierarchs are hooked on power and the belief that things can only go right if they personally make the decisions. The objective of retaining and expanding personal power often (even if unconsciously) outweighs the objective of achieving commercial success and blinds the hierarch to the fact that the two are often in opposition.

The acceptance of the current geological theory of tectonic plates took 25 years, when all that was at risk was the reputation and knowledge base of the then generation of geology professors. More is at stake in this shift in the way we see our organisational world; we are probably looking at generational change to achieve the shifts that Ehin advocates, but it is never too soon to start.

This is a terrific book. A "must have" to process medical claims.

As a Vice President of Claims with many years of experience in the business, this is the first time I have a experienced such an excellent claims processing manual. It is well organized and extremely easy to utilize. I have found myself and my staff using this book more often than any other reference material presently available. The author has skillfully gathered all of the pertinent information required in claims adjudication and has successfully wrapped it all together in one book. It is about time there is a book available with such complete information.

I can't image working without this book. I am a claims examiner and reference this book constantly. It has been an enormous help to me. My coworkers are constantly trying to borrow it. The author has really put together a knockout book.

This is a wonderful book. I bought the 2000 Edition and have just bought the 2001 Edition. It is even better than the first, if that was possible. I am a medical claims trainer and use this book every day. It has made my job and that of my department so much easier. All the answers are now at my fingertips!

With over 25 years experience working in the medical claims field, I understand the needs of the Claims Department. This book provides answers to your claims questions in an easy-to-ready, all-in-one user guide.

It is colorized, written in everyday language, and filled with processing guidelines needed for day-to-day processing.

The table of contents is as follows:

Chapter 1 Claim Forms; Chapter 2 Ambulatory Surgical Facilities; Chapter 3 Modifiers (all of them); Chapter 4 Surgery; Chapter 5 Anesthesia

CLAIM FORMS - This book provides a complete layout of the HCFA-1500 and UB-92 forms and full field descriptions

AMBULATORY SURGICAL FACILITIES - ASC procedures and associated grouper codes

MODIFIERS - all numeric and alpha modifiers as well as a new section on bilateral procedures

SURGERY - How to pay multiple surgery, procedures that do not allow an assistant at surgery, procedures that allow a surgical tray, procedures not subject to multiple surgery reduction, and follow-up days

ANESTHESIA - The formula used to calculate general anesthesia, anesthesia base units and a cross reference guide from the surgical code to the anesthesia code.

Authors Mark Hurd and Lars Nyberg have brought a wealth of business management wisdom in this book. As the book is classified under business intelligence and information services, it is likely to be missed by business managers and students of management. The book defines contemporary global company to be one that collaborates effectively across the entire organization, whether worldwide or in one country. The other fascinating theme in the book is how a global business could manage effectively by centralizing goals and democratizing decisions. The best part of the book are the brief case studies from real businesses on how a concept that is explained is put into practice. The amount of wisdom packed in 130 pages makes it an outstanding book on "fact-based management" in practice.

For many years, hardware and software vendors have preached the benefits of unifying databases for major companies. In recent years, there has been a strong move to open up those unified databases for more and more people in the company so that better and timelier business decisions can be made. Such an effort can cost a large company hundreds of millions and be an even larger cost in percentage of assets for smaller companies. Before deciding to move ahead, what can a leader expect to gain? What must the leader do, once deciding to go ahead, in order to be sure that the gain is achieved? Those are the helpful subjects of The Value Factor.

I was very pleased to see that this book emphasized the business process of making such a change . . . rather than simply touting the potential benefits. You cannot spend potential benefits, after all.

Within the book, there were lots of examples to show what kind and size of benefits can be achieved . . . and how they are achieved. I found the airline examples to be especially telling in creating fast flexibility to respond within hours to marketplace shifts. The financial services examples were also compelling, as I was reminded of how often such organizations treat us differently depending on what product of service is involved. Seeing these examples, it was also clear how much it helps streamline decision-making if everyone is looking at the same facts in the same way . . . reflecting the total situation.

The book is very brief, which will be welcome to time-weary executives. It would be an excellent choice for a three hour plane flight.

The only thing I didn't like about the book was the seemingly endless repetition of the need to break down independent "silos" of operations that do not cooperate with one another and have different data sets.

A good related book is E-Business Intelligence by Bernard Liautaud of Business Objects.

See what needs to be done . . . and empower those close to the problem to get on with it!

"It's a book of staggering blandness, but in fairness, no more than thousands like it: the CEO's management manual," notes The Register in a review of the book. (...) "A title to send anyone to sleep.".

It goes on to say, "The CEO may become expert at pattern recognition, but staring at the patterns doesn't help with the predictive instincts that often go into making a hit product. That's the essential risk of entrepreneurship, and it's a wildly unpredictable factor. The technocratic management culture of the modern MBA school tries to minimize that risk, and so we have remedies such as "Information Alignment", which tell us nothing. Hurd is very much a product of his time."

We couldn't disagree more. Information leads to knowledge and to insights that allows one to have the "predictive instincts". Data warehousing and data mining can uncover true gold since information and not data is the basis of any wisdom - from personal life to corporate life.

This short book can actually be an eye opener to those who have been sleeping or tend to. As the above review shows, one more reason to read it.

This book is like a clear lamp knifing through the fog of business, saying that what really matters is developing one clear unified concept of your business, declaring who you are and what you do. The key to achieving this "unified truth" is information. Most companies stack information in silos represented by business units, so one part of the company doesn't know what the other parts are doing. Authors Mark Hurd and Lars Nyberg of the NCR global information technology firm make a cogent case that the key to overcoming this shortcoming is to take information out of scattered departments and develop centralized storage facilities for its collection, processing and retrieval. Armed with this base, this "unified truth," employees can become more customer-centric. One caveat, however, is that single view companies face the danger of tunnel vision. Sometimes companies need internal, competing views to be sure they consider the correct perspective. Although this book is an NCR public relations effort, it sets out a key point: if your firm isn't making information its top priority, you're could be falling behind the curve. We highly recommend this book to leaders and future leaders.

Hurd and Nyberg call on their vast industry knowledge to provide corporate leaders with real-world examples from top companies around the globe where information gathering steers profitable business decisions.

This quick read (only 132 pages) provided me with the confidence I need to drive practices within my organization to get and maintain good information for decision-making purposes.

I was pleased to see leaders at Hurd and Nyberg's level, who really understand the value of a unified corporate vision based on levelheaded information management, are willing to share their insight.

This is a must-read for anyone making key business decisions!

This is a great book for all leaders of church small groups. It is not the usual "how to" book on small groups, but rather has great tools on how to improve group dynamics. Anyone who has led a small group for sometime will readily identify with the group tensions that are presented. It will be encouraging to all leaders to know that they do not need to "fix" the problems of their groups as much as just bringing opposing tensions into balance. There is even an important section included at the back of the book to work through these group dynamics with your own group and let them take ownership for creating a healthier group.

One of the best books we have come across for practical application. This book is not theory about what "should" happen, but actual experience in what "does" happen in small groups. We recommend that all our small group leaders read this book!

This is an awesome book about home based small groups. Another companion book "The Seven Deadly Sins of a Small Group Ministry" is a must read too.

Before I opened Walking the Small Group Tightrope, I feared another formula for "how to do small groups." But Donahue and Robinson provide fresh insight into the realistic tensions of small groups. Through their experiences, they share failures and successes.
Donahue and Robinson claim, "Each chapter will identify the challenge, define the inherent dynamics of the tension, describe what happens when groups lean too far toward one end of the continuum, and offer suggestions and tools so leaders can help their groups manage these polarities." The hope: leaders gain the skill to walk that tightrope. Overall, they fulfill their promise.
The authors, experienced pastors of small group ministries, who've overseen thousands of groups, studied their failures as small group leaders. Through these failures, they identified six challenges. Each chapter of this book defines one of the six challenges. And every challenge presents two tensions, creating the ends of the tightrope. For example, "the learning challenge" creates the tensions of truth and life. The other tensions consist of care and discipleship, friendship and accountability, kindness and confrontation, task and people, openness and intimacy. Small group leaders must find the balance between the two polar extremes. A target in the middle of the tightrope balances the continuum and gives the leader an aim. Tools and suggestions facilitate next steps.
The identification of the six challenges, definitions of the tensions, examples of the polar extremes and tools assist in management of these tensions. The real life stories and the honesty engage the reader. The authors reveal real struggles of small group ministry without pat answers. They give insight into identifying group challenges as well as ways to spot where the reader's small group walks on that tightrope continuum.

"Tightrope" was a lifeline as our 350 member church approached the launch of our small groups ministry after 18 months of intense study and preparation. It artfully provides the reality that every aspect of small group life involves competing worthy goals ie: caring vs Bible knowledge. Which deserves more time? How to decide? Have I even considered the goal opposite the one to which I'm dedicated? Are you even aware of the 12 goals? They are intuitive once you've read about them. The opposing goals are the anchors of each 'tightrope' and we leaders determine how close to or how far from each extreme we are. AND the balance point shifts depending on the group life at that heartbeat. Wow. A new leader, convinced she could not possibly BE a leader, read "Tightrope" and said, "Oh. Now I get it. I can do this!" Truly, this book can make an 'Ah Ha!' difference in small group stewardship. Again, thank you, Willow.

Gerard Koeppel has done a remarkable job of ferretng out material and documents which demonstrate how long it took, how much cash it took, how much politicking it took to get the simple compound H2O to complex NYC. I don't mean to be glib about this. As one reviewer has noted, Manhattan without fresh supplies of water would've been another unliveable coastal town.

Just like DeWitt Clinton's Erie Canal brought goods in and out of the city, the many visionaries (Burr[for politicial and banking reasons] and Colden [for practical reasons]) gave the city an enormous insurance policy for its future which is difficult to ignore.

This book is a compelling dedication to the people who saw the need for the reservoir system and made it a reality. Sometimes the book gets bogged down with details, but that's to be expected. What wasn't expected, by this reader, was the author's perserverance and dedication to this important matter, and for that he deserves the highest accolades.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of THE FIVE POINTS, and THE FIVE POINTS CONCLUDED, A Novel

In "Water for Gotham," Gerard Koeppel tells in a compelling way what could have been--ahem--a dry story. Its focus is on the civic history of a nascent metropolis thirsty for water, the self-interested politicians who used that thirst for their own ends, and the few dedicated visionaries who labored against man and nature to bring cold, clean water to Manhattan. Koeppel paints a vivid picture of life in New York from colonial days through the early-1800s, when the Croton Aqueduct was opened.

One of the few significant criticisms I have about the book is that while it frequently discusses structures, equipment, and emerging technologies, little effort is made to clearly explain and describe them. While the book is not meant to be a technical or engineering review, better explanations (as opposed to cursory descriptions) of some of the methods of construction (e.g., dams, the aqueduct) would have been appreciated.

A second criticism is that the book ends too abruptly with the arrival of water through the Croton Aqueduct, with only passing mention of later developments to the City's extensive water supply system. An additional chapter on how the other reservoirs in the system were created--sometimes through contentious legal battles and property condemnation--and the disposition of some of the original Croton structures, would have been welcome.

Notwithstanding these minor quibbles, the book is enjoyable, informative and enlightening. Recommended.

When we turn on the tap we take it for granted that pure and wholesome water is supposed to come out. For Americans in the early 1800's, the supply of fresh water to New York City was an achievement on the order of the moon landing in our era -- carrying a river for 40 miles through hills and valleys and across rivers to a desperate island city.

The amazing story of New York's water supply has long been known to historians, infrastructure buffs and residents of the Westchester villages through which the beautiful Old Croton Aqueduct still passes. Gerard Koeppel's new book, Water for Gotham: a History, makes this story accessible to all.

Unlike previous works on the subject, which have emphasized the engineering accomplishments of the Croton Aqueduct, this book explores New York City's social and political history with a liveliness and wit that make the turbulent decades following the American Revolution come to life. Experience the terror of cholera and great fires, the antics of scoundrels and demagogues, and the heights of idealism, dedication and genius that are all intertwined in this epic tale.

Mr. Koeppel's book is impressively researched and is a true contribution to our understanding of New York history. That a work of non-fiction is so lively and engrossing is another reminder that truth is stranger than fiction.

The book illustrates the folly of trusting our elected officials. How often did they use a public fear to enrich their own pockets? The sordid ancestory of the Chase Manahattan Bank is a case in point that Gerard Koepell, a person who I shared classrooms with when we were growing up, brings out particularly well. The point of history is for us to learn from our collective experiences and Gerard lays it all out for us. Gerard points out that at first no one knew about cholera and it's relationship to contaminated water. I had no idea that well into the 1800s people from New York had no running water or toilets and used the streets as their "trash" depositories. What else did the book teach me? Politicians in the past had no stomach for a long-term project or long-term thinking ... Politicians were/are corrupt and weak-minded and despite the huge legislative bodies, politicians are overwhelmed and the real laws and decisions are made by 1 or 2 people and everyone else is, at best, a yes-person. The status quo is often very comfortable. In old New York, beer was a relatively safe drink because of the brewing process (ie boiling) and New York had great economic incentive to keep people drinking beer instead of water. What are the present day unrecognized-evils? Air quality? I worry that the tremendous rise in urban asthma will eventually transform into an increased risk of lung cancer, even in the non-smokers. What interests are happy with the status quo of our air? Automobile manufacturers? Oil companies? The Advertising Industry? The Media? The Pharmaceutical Industry? Anyway the book is great food for thought. Gramatically some of the sentences, particularly in the early chapters are attention grabbing gems. And that is from someone who was hit with a tennis raquet by the author. Good work Gerard! END

It is about time that an in-depth book on the subject of New York's water supply was completed. The author has done a fabulous job of putting a highly readable work together that brings to life a period we rarely think about and a topic hardly considered in our hurried modern lives. Reality, however, is that New York without water would be just another coastal town. Those interested in a photographic history of the same topic should seek The Croton Dams and Aqueduct which will be publihsed by Arcadia Press in August of 2000.