Organizations Books

As a first year graduate student I am beginning to pursue my Masters in Communication, and until found Creating a Mentoring Culture, I was not enjoying my graduate experience. For the past year I have been working in the communication field of broadcasting, but all of my graduate classes are geared towards students eventually going into a teaching profession within a university and involve lots of theory, discussion, hypothesis and questioning but never give me any information that I can directly apply to my future career in a communication industry outside of teaching. I'm interested in how to apply it to my real life office. Creating a Mentoring Culture was a light in the dark room of grad school theory. It gives tangible examples that I can follow and put into practice. Lois Zachary has developed exercises, rules and activities that have been tested and will actually work in a real life setting. Creating a Mentoring Culture gave me something that I will be able to use in a real world, business office setting!

In an increasingly competitive business world, the need for having what Peter Senge describes as a "total learning environment" is greater now than ever before. With all due respect to formal training programs, my own experience has convinced me that on-the-job training (especially cross-functional training) remains the most effective means by which to create and then sustain such an environment. Hence the importance of mentoring relationships which, Zachary correctly points out, "offer an opportunity for individuals to nurture seeds in others so they might become blossoms, and blossoms might become fruit, which then nourishes others." Moreover, "When mentoring relationships are rooted in the fertile soil of a mentoring culture, they also enrich the quality of organizational life."

Zachary carefully organizes her material within two Parts. First, she explains what effective mentoring involves, how to embed it in a culture, how to integrate mentoring within that culture, and then how to implement mentoring initiatives. In Part 2, after identifying the hallmarks of effective mentoring, she focuses on key components: infrastructure, alignment, accountability, communication, value and visibility, demand, multiple mentoring opportunities, education and training, and "safety nets. " What we have in this single volume is a cohesive, comprehensive, and cost-effective system rather than a kaleidoscope of data, anecdotes, personal experiences, bromides, simplistic observations, and all manner of disjointed recommendations. That said, it would be a fool's errand to try to implement all of Zachary's system as is. As she would be the first to point out, all organizational cultures are different and many of them consist of several sub-cultures. Therefore, it remains for each reader to read and then re-read this book, complete the "Mentoring Culture Audit" (Appendix A), and (if possible) check out at least some of the resources recommended (Appendix B).

Regrettably, formal education often fails to help students to "learn how to learn." As a result, many people either do not realize what they don't know or, worse yet, think they fully understand what in fact they do not. My own experience suggests that, in general, people do not fear change; rather, they fear the unknown. That same experience also supports Derek Bok's observation that "If you think education is experience, try ignorance." Effective mentoring, therefore, requires humility and patience as well as knowledge and competence. The best mentors sincerely care about serving the best interests of those with whom they are privileged to be associated. They are passionate life-long learners themselves. Their enthusiasm is often contagious.

Obviously, I think very highly of this book. Zachary combines all of the skills of a cultural anthropologist with those of a clear thinker and eloquent writer. I also appreciate the CD-ROM which the publisher provides with it. Those who read the book can then review its key points while completing interactive exercises. The multiple templates can then assist the necessary modifications of the core concepts when applying them.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Zachary's The Mentor's Guide as well as Senge's The Fifth Discipline and then The Dance of Change, Carla O'Dell's If Only We Knew What We know, David Maister's Practice What You Preach, and Gary Harpst's Six Disciplines For Excellence.

Dr. Zachary's book plots the entire process for creating a mentoring culture in the organization. Her book offers clear steps to identify all the issues that need to be addressed prior to a program design and implementation. The book provides insight into the levels of buy-in and commitment needed for mentoring to be successful and imbedded in an organization. Mentoring is a powerful way to engage leadership in their personal growth and development and the advancement of the organization.
This is an easy to read and use guide. The CD is a great gift offering the forms for the exercises.

"Creating a Mentoring Culture" goes well beyond traditional guides for designing and implementing mentoring programs by touching the core of an organization's capacity to embed learning and leadership development throughout its structures and processes. Dr. Zachary's strategies and tools for bringing people together to have deeper conversations about organizational learning will not only help sustain its mentoring efforts; they will help an organization revitalize its values and its focus on human development.

Excellent job, delivered prior to expected delivery date. In condition stated. Would definitely utilize again

A great great book to give to your existing Private Foundation clients, as well as those considering their options. The book hits on several key points among many others - which are the reason to formalize your investment policy statement(IPS) and donor intent issues. The author is correct that too often good intentions fail to result in effective results. It deals with other vehicles like charitable lead trusts (CLTs) and charitable remainder trusts (CRTs) as well as donor advised and support organizations. It is a big picture book not a technical how to for the attorney!

Unwitting new philantrophists sometimes end up with bureaucratic creatures that do exactly what the donor did not want. This book is full of practical advice on how to avoid unpleasant surprises if you set up a foundation of your own, such as finding out that you have no control over its activities.

It also gives a succinct review of investment problems. Foundations can potentially last for many generations. But they can easily mismanage themselves into oblivion in short order. The authors identify seven deadly investment sins.

For example, foundations don't need to frequently redeem their investments, but some mistakenly invest in liquid assets and lose returns as a result. They would be better off with non-traditional investments like private-equity, income producing real estate, hedge funds, and timber.

Many foundations fail to diversify, unwittingly taking on risk. THey start with stock from the founder's company and continue to hold a concentrated position, exposing themselves to the vagaries of that business. In 2002 the David and Lucille Packard Foundation was forced to cut its donations drastically when Hewlett-Packard stock fell.

IN short, an easy-to-read, useful guide.

The book is more for donors than advisors. I does not provide enough of the necessary essential legally technical information.

If I were to face a profound organizational crisis, Larry Barton is the person I would want by my side. His practical and effective insights into averting crises - and successfully confronting unavoidable crises - could be the difference between organizational survival or demise.

In this newest volume, Larry uses numerous, fascinating case studies based on real companies and real people to form a framework for building crisis management thinking into a strategic role in your organization. His 40-page crisis management plan is a valuable bonus, especially as it demonstrates that putting a crisis management program to work doesn't have to be an overwhelming challenge.

I have only one minor criticism of this book: I found it so fascinating that I found myself reading it cover to cover, late into the night, almost forgetting that I was learning from the Master of Crisis Leadership along the way. I don't care what your organization does, or what role you play in that organization - read this book!

I'd say Barton's book is by far the best one available to managers. He tells it like it is. Tons of cases- I was impressed how he brings it right up to the moment including incidents in the last few months. We'll use his sample Crisis Plan in our plants because we have nothing like that in place right now.

Most businesses, schools, city halls, warehouses, etc. will never have someone walk in with an automatic rifle or a bomb and threaten to kill everyone inside, but over 8,000 TIMES A DAY an assault takes place in the workplace. What I think is even worse than physical confrontation is the employee who scares everyone else on a daily basis and management feels incapable of taking action "because he hasn't REALLY done anything, YET."

I have been involved in Dr. Barton's seminars and I am very pleased with his new book. In addition to his seminars, Dr. Barton is a key advisor to companies big and small who helps them assess and appropriately act on threats to the company and its' employees. He has real world, real time experience that is matched by few people in the world and his book shares his vast knowledge and expertise.

Sadly, when it comes to mental health the social landscape has changed. In the past people who were unhappy, unstable, or both would deal with his/her situation privately and sometimes tragically. Today, the unhappy and/or unstable person feels that others should know of his/her anguish and they seek attention and resolution simultaneously. If Arthur Miller were writing Death of a Salesman today it would be Death of a Salesman, His Boss, His Co-Workers, and Anyone Else Around.

A CEO who reads this book will have critical information and an understanding about managing a crisis that even his/her most experienced HR, Risk Management, Security, or IT department heads won't.

But even managers and supervisors will find a gold mine of ideas and concepts that will help them see a larger picture of his/her employee's environment that will allow them to act before issues become a crisis.

For employees, this book may be frustrating if you're in a company that is blissfully ignorant of this information. It may just confirm your fears that your employer is not adequately prepared for business in the 21st century. Unfortunately, there are real consequences to this type of ignorance and it is measured in dollars and lives.

Dr. Barton has a unique approach in helping others understand today's workplace and this book is the reality check that every organization needs to avoid the unthinkable.

I have worked with Dr. Barton and this is an update on his work with real-wrold situations and clients. Useful information when developing a comprehensive Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery BC/DR program to include HR, Product Management, Executive Leadership, and not just the security and/or technology folks.

Useful stories about real events.

Larry Barton has written an authentic insight into crisis management.

He has that rare gift of offering important information in a way that is easy to assimilate. It takes a truly brilliant individual to offer important information in such a way that the reader will not be bored after a page or two of reading.

I shall look forward to more of his books in the future.

A solid compendium of medieval documents relating to the clash between church and state. Translated from Latin into fairly readable English, Tierney includes introductory material and notes which allow him to maintain some of the nuance of Latin connotations that would usually not carry over into English translation. This book has lots of documents that we all hear about in European History texts but usually don't read in their entirety, such as the supposed "Donation of Constantine" which the Renaissance linguist Lorenzo Valla proved to be a forgery through textual analysis. Tierney's book shows that far from the relatively aloof, spiritual province the Church consigns itself to today, things weren't always that way. In the medieval era, the Church Militant was every bit a secular authority as well as a spirtual one, and the boundaries between church and state blurred. It was only through the centuries of conflict reflected in Tierney's book that the modern split between church and state first emerged, and the possibility of Western Europe and the United States being ruled by theocratic governments faded. A great supplementary text or source of documents for a medieval history or western civilization course, this book would be an interesting read for anyone concerned about the ancient roots of the tension between Church and State whose reverberations still echo today on Capitol Hill.

Brian Tierney's THE CRISIS OF CHURCH AND STATE: 1050-1300 is an interesting study of the struggle between European secular rulers and the Catholic authroities for control of the "Universal Church" (the Catholic Church). This struggle was basically a poltical affair in which men on both sides added religious arguemtns to bolster their case. This is not to say that some of these men were not motivated by religion.

Readers should realize that contemporary definitions of separation of church and state did not exist in the Middle Ages. There were divisions, but these were narrowly defined. However, due to these struggles the Catholic authorities were gradually able to free themselves from secular control which was the beginning of separation of church and state.

Tierney begins this study with early Catholic sources definning the relationship between political authority and the status of Catholics. He cites St. Augustine's (346-420 AD) THE CITY OF GOD in which St. Augustine considers state authority as a necessary evil due to Man's sinful nature. Tierney's explanation and comments are clear and accurate.

Tierney next examines the internal control of the Catholic Church. One should note that until the 11th. century (the years between 1001 to 1100) that men who controlled monestaries held considerable prestige and power. The fact is that land represented both wealth and power, and the monestaries had control of large land areas. One of the internal Catholic Church questions was that of reform and the relationship between the secular clergy and regular clergy. Abbots and monks were known as regular clergy because they followed a monasttic rule such as the Benedictine Rule for example.

Another internal dispute that Tierney effectively explains is that of reform of both the secular and regular clergy. Catholic authorities have never concealed problems and scandals. The question was who should be in charge of such reform. The monks claimed this was their responsibility. Secular rulers claimed reform was their responsibility. The Popes and the Curia claimed this was their responsibility. Tierney adds that members of Church councils should take control which irritated the Popes and Curia who saw such councils as intruding on the authority of the Pope.

However, the most significant conflict was the Investature Controversy between the German ruler Henry IV (1056-1106) and Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085). Tierney explains that in 1057, the Papal Curia initiated the Papal Election Decree to remove the German rulers and other secular rulers from imposing their own candidates to the Papacy. The Investature Controversy involed the authority of appointing bishops to their dioceses. Many of the German bishops had been appointed by the German rulers,and these bishops loyalty between secular rulers and the Church was at best questionable. Gregory VII tried to put an end to this problem by challenging Henry IV's authority on this issue. The results were turbulent and at times violent. There were exommunications, military campaings, the looting of Rome by the Normans, etc. One result was known at the Papal Revolution.

These conflicts between Catholic authroities and the Germans ended with the reign of Frederick II (1211-1250). Readers should note and Tierney explains the Frederick II succeeded Frederick Barbaroosa (1152-1190). This conflict ruined the German Empire temporarity enganced the Papacy and status of the Catholic Church. Readers should examine Tierney's comments and the sources he cites to have a good grasp of these conflicts.

Tierney also does a good job in explaining the bitter conflict between the French King Phillip (1285-1314) and Pople Boniface VIII (1294-1305) which inflicted an almost fatal blow to the Catholic Church. This section of the book is perhaps the best section. Tierney's use of sources and introductory remarks are very well done.

Tierney also examines the Canon Law jurists and Scholastic philosophers. Of particular note is the thinking of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). St. Thomas showed a marked difference with St. Augustine. Aquinas' view of the political authority was to protect men and women rather than a necessary evil due to their sinful nature. In regards to the Canon Law, Aquinas argued that the Canon Law was to give each man his due. One can note the change here.

This reviewer recommends this book. Tienrey's introductory essays are informative and well written. His choice of sources is good. One should note Tienery's work on the Middle Ages is among the best this reviewer has read. A good companion volume is Berman's LAW AND REVOLUTION.

This book contains many of the critical documents that trace the origin of Western freedoms. Tierney prefaces the main body of his material with a few short but fascinating passages from and on people like Ambrose and Augustine. In the following chapters, he traces the debate about the relationship between Church and State as it developed in three or four dozen key documents from 1050 to 1300. Tierney helpfully sets context for each passage. In some, popes and kings jockey for power; in others, thinkers offer balanced or didactically one-sided solutions.

Again and again one notes key NT passages coming up, like "My kingdom is not of this world," and "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's." As Tierney notes, the influence of Christianity on the proceedings are clear in two ways: first, "The very existence of two power structures competing for men's allegiance greatly enhanced the possibilities for human freedom." And second, "The possibility of a continuing tension between church and state was inherent in th every beginnings of the Christian religion." The documents eloquently demonstrate these points for themselves. The interest is not always in big themes, however, but often in human and even humorous details. Tierney's selection is varied.

Anyone who thinks modern freedom was an escape from Medieval despotism or ex nihilo invention of the Enlightenment, or that all religions are the same, and theological differences between religions have little practical effect, should carefully read this book. Clearly, the Grand Inquisitor is not the whole story, nor the big story, of the Middle Ages. Donald Treadgold's Freedom: A History, also makes some good comparative points in relation to other cultures. But there is nothing like going to the original sources for getting a feel for what people really thought, and why they thought it. An excellent resource.

Tierney's book is a very thought provoking book. However, I do not think that the reader can fully enjoy the entirity of the book without being apart of a discussion group or a class. This book is remarkable for its reference and outline. Tierney, being an anti-infallibist, helps guide the reader through his work by using the dialectic method. Arguments are presented and then the counter arguments are presented. This may seem repetitive but it is all apart of the process. This allows the reader to see one side of the argument get rebuked by the other side and then that side get rebuked again. In addition, each introduction to the chapter/section, provides all the background you need to know in order to enjoy the battle of wits, so to speak, between papal loyalists and emperor loyalists.

As one other reviewer noted there is continuing recurrence of key passages from the Bible in this book. This is central to the main argument that is taking place. Of course the main argument is who controls what and who has the power over whom. Knowing a little of Tierney's background will help you understand his position, as an anti-infallibist, meaning he doesn't like the papacy, to put it bluntly. But don't take that to heart. Tierney along with many other especially the emperors of the medieval ages did not agree with the papacy. Back to the main argument. When reading this book make note of the key passages aforementioned. It seems that sometimes this is the only ammunition that the papacy has, basing their power on what Jesus said to Peter. Of course, any serious student of religious studies knows that the NT is made up of thousands of texts, most written about two generations after the death of Jesus and later, so it may be impossible to really imply that Jesus was really granting Peter supreme authority on the earth. For more information see various works on N.T. Wright, E.P Sanders, or Powell's book, Jesus as a Figure in History.

Overall, this is a great book, which may seem dry at some times, but it is well worth the read.

The 3 principles explained in this book are the basis of any consistent philosophy of school leadership.

As a masters student in a leadership program I have been reading the current literature around leadership for the past two years. Donaldson's book is by far in my top five. Easy to read and accessible, this book offers hope for the future of our schools. The model that he proposes for school leadership is both practical and filled with great ideals...anyone who has worked in a school will know that the author "knows his stuff."

I highly recommend the book.

Deborah Meier wrote:

"Wonderful, wise, and well said... This book lays out a way of thinking about what leadership might entail, alongside the details of why it doesn't happen and what it would require for it to become a reality." Meier is Principal, Mission Hill Elementary School, Boston; Founder, Central Park East High School, NYC

Tom Sergiovanni wrote:

"Few books will teach you more about leadership, how it works, and how it can slip into the nooks and crannies of a school. Donaldson sets a new standard for timeliness and relevance. A must read for school faculties who want to come together to work more effectively with kids." Sergiovanni is Professor, Center for Educational Leadership at Trinity University, San Antonio TX

Roland Barth wrote:

In this volume, Gordon Donaldson demonstrates that he is the ultimate `reflective practitioner'. Like a good academic, his gift to the reader is a refreshing model of school leadership.; But like a good practitioner, he offers a model based on the realities of the school culture.... I wish I had had Cultivating Leadership in Schools as my partner during my own turbulent days as a school principal." Barth is author of Improving Schools from Within, the founder of the Harvard Principals' Center and a former professor at Harvard

Gayle Moller wrote:

This book clearly and concisely explains why school leaders are frustrated in their jobs. In this book, practitioners will find a friend in the author who explains the obstacles to leading in schools, yet offers practical solutions through a leadership model that more closely reflects a school's organization." Moller is the former director of the South Florida Center for Educational Leadership and currently teaches at Western Carolina

This little volume scrapes away the layers of thinking and strategies that have built up over the years and have been proferred to school principals. It begins with the simple, underlying question: "How is it that schools can be lead?"

And it begins with a simple goal: to develop a practical model of school leadership that promises to address the two most pressing issues facing school leadership today: 1) serve the learning needs of children and their communities and 2) prove practicable and fulfilling to leaders themselves.

From this point of origin, Gordon Donaldson casts a fresh eye on what he calls "the everyday realities" that surround people who seek to lead. He finds in his chapters entitled "The Conspiracy of Busyness" and "The Planetary Culture of Schools" that if people approach leadership in the classical paradigm of "one organization, one leader", they are destined to fail in schools.

Donaldson then generates a provocative new model that he argues is "congruent with the everyday realities of schools". Building from the work of Barth, Rost, Heifetz, Helgesen, Sergiovanni, and Darling-Hammond, he proposes a relational model in which leadership is "plural" - blended among people with diverse roles, talents, and responsibilities but who share a common purpose and a disposition for action. Leadership, he claims, engages three intertwining "streams" of a school's life: relationships among adults and between adults and children; purposes and commitments to them; and the belief that "we act in common" to attain our purposes.

The bulk of Gordon Donaldson's book explores what principals and teacher leaders can do to participate in leadership in the three streams. In doing so, he helps us distinguish between these two roles (both of which he claims are absolutely essential to a strong school). He goes on to examine, then, what particular skills and dispositions stand principals and teacher leaders in good stead as they go about this important work. Here, he calls upon the work of Daniel Goleman, Nel Noddings, Robert Evans, and Peter Senge among others.

The book's grounding in "realities" gives it resonance for teachers, principals, counselors, and even citizen leaders. Its descriptions of leader activities and the skills necessary for them makes it useful to people intent on learning to lead and searching for a more useful model for their own leadership experience.

Dr, Mccorry offers a very foundational insight in this wonderful book: People of faith often look to their Church as a rock in times of change. But, what happens when their Church, their rock, changes? An easy read, Dancing with Change invites one to pause, reflect and pray with its many provoking questions and thoughts. Whether it is personal, familial, workplace or Church changes, Dancing with Change is, no doubt, an invaluable resource and practical guide for times of change.

With 39 years of priestly ministry, "change" has been my "constant" experience as a leader within the church. Yet, while reading Dr. Richard Mc Corry's new book, "Dancing With Change - A Spiritual Response to Change in the Church," I still found personal nurture, additional insight, and new respect for the power of change in our experience as believers.
The imaginative title, "Dancing with Change," invites the reader to explore and embrace an engaging, personal response to inevitable change, which can be chosen to enhance life and relationships. The author explains a practical process accessable to any adult to facilitate such a choice. I highly recommend the book to all adults who experience inner struggle when confronted with change in their church.

The opening chapter contains this very nicely-turned analogy, which sums up the concept of the book perfectly: "What is it about the nature of change - including change in the Church - that causes us almost instinctively to rebel against it, to insist on marching or standing still when, in fact, we are invited to dance?"

It sets the stage for what is to come, and is a strong way to begin. (It's also nice to see that the author is comfortable enough in his subject to even quote Buddha as part of his narrative! That alone shows that the author is open to positive change.)

The opening chapter and the narrative flow in a perfectly organized fashion until the strong and upbeat conclusion. Readers will find the subject of change discussed from a variety of viewpoints, which all add up to a cogent argument that has the potential of changing lives-both of church leaders and of those people they serve.

It's all done in an even-handed way, so there should be no one who feels under attack for being uncomfortable with change. Instead, the positive approach may help some of those folks consider taking a few tentative steps toward embracing the inevitable changes in the church-and in society as a whole.

The organization of the book makes perfect sense, with the focus always being on various aspects of change, and coming at the subject from a variety of viewpoints, which makes for an interesting read and should prove especially intriguing for the target audience, within the Roman Catholic Church itself.

The chapter headings are catchy and descriptive enough to offer meaningful clues as to what each chapter will discuss, which is nice, since it's possible that readers will want to refer back to specific sections after the first read through.

There is an impressive array of additional materials and supporting documentation in this work, all of which service to back up the author's contentions, chapter and verse, throughout the manuscript. The arguments are always supported by authentication, and the Bibliography itself comprises more than 10% of the book's pages, which demonstrates the remarkable amount of thought and research that was put into the book.

Yet the text itself isn't ponderous and scholarly, which will make it more accessible to a greater number of potential readers-those who would have been turned off by a drier type of approach. This more readable style doesn't mean that the research is slipshod, however. The book is filled with bible verse information, footnotes, and the amazing information at the end of the book, for those who want to delve even more deeply into the subject matter.

The subject itself-change-is, of course, both timeless and timely, but with the changes that are swirling around the church, and especially the Roman Catholic Church, this book is quite timely, indeed, and may fill a need for many readers who are trying to get a handle on those changes.

The Conclusion is equally strong, perfectly summarizing the material, yet offering positive encouragement, even for those readers who have been gritting their teeth throughout the manuscript, but were brave enough to stick it out to the end. It's meaningful, positive, enlightening, and satisfying, offering a genuine sense of both closure and hope for the reader.

All in all, this is a strong effort, filled with rock-solid research, presented in a positive, loving way, which should enjoy significant appeal to its audience, and the author is to be congratulated on a worthwhile effort., summed up in the final sentences: "Change and transitions in the Church offer us much. They offer us the possibility of building up the perfect body of Christ right here on earth; dancing our way gracefully and joyfully into a future filled with exciting change, bringing us ever closer to the kingdom of God."

Dr. Richard J. McCorry in DANCING WITH CHANGE, A Spiritual Response to Change in the Church, invites readers to transform change from a dragon that must be slain, into a dance partner to be embrace. The embrace of change that is discussed and tools provided encourage the persons going through change in the church to understand the dynamics of change, to recognize normal/healthy responses to change; and to make the choice to dance with change, rather than view change as a force to battle.

DANCING WITH CHANGE, is a refreshing, transformative, approach to responding to the reality to change in the church. The insights offered and the "LEAP of Faith" spiritual approach to change, which is outlined in the book, is sure to keep readers from getting their toes step on as they "dance with change."

This books answers that question..."In order to give what you have away."

Let this book reorder your worship...the way Jesus says to do it! It's well worth the read. A favorite excerpt: "For all our apparent passion about God, in the end much of our worship seems to be mostly about us. We presume we can worship in a way that will find God but lose track of our neighbor."

This book feels like a cold splash of water on your face in the morning...let us wake up to God's call to justice!

What is the connection between religious faith and worship? The author defines worship not in the limited context of a weekly meeting, but as the continuous practice of how people live in response to their beliefs. While differences of opinion on theology, church culture and political positions seem important (especially in grabbing the attention of news media), Labberton indicts many churches for neglecting the more important call to love the poor and the oppressed. He attempts not to take political or moral positions, but simply points out how multiple passages in the Bible call for outward-focused compassion. With numerous anecdotes about Christians who seek to love their neighbors at home and afar, Labberton provides some inspiration for strengthening the connection between faith and worship.

This book presents a Christian perspective on the issue of global justice, though it should also appeal to people of all faiths who strive to "make a difference" in the world. Labberton is mindful of postcolonial critiques of historical missions and proposes a different framework for motivating charity. Questions for reflection at the end of each chapter provide a helpful stimulus for book club discussion. This treatise is meant not only to provide food for thought, but also to spur the reader to action.

The strength of Labberton's book is that he touches on the great omission of the American church: that we happily worship God while ignoring the things that God most wants us to do. Perhaps the most representative anecdote in the book is an incident in which Labberton watched a worship lead so ecstatic about his own experience of worship that he ignored the fact that he kept stepping on the toes of everyone standing near him. American Christians of all genres seem to be enjoying their experiences of worship, even fighting about worship styles, while ignoring the toes that are being stepped on.

In this, then, Labberton joins a chorus of modern voices critiquing the movements of church growth and innovation. David Fitch and the emergent groupies criticize them for missing substance. Labberton is doing something similar but not the same, criticizing them for missing the call to justice. What's particularly appealing about this is that Labberton is the Pastor of a dyed-in-the-wool evangelical church, the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley. This is a church that has historically gathered around biblical preaching and evangelical values. Labberton is further confirming the movement of the evangelical churches into the heretofore taboo world of social justice, a movement pioneered by Ron Sider, Tony Campolo, Gary Haugen and the like.

The strongest chapters are 3 and 4, the "false and true dangers" of worship, the substance of his critique. What is NOT a risk of worship is that it isn't sufficiently entertaining, relevant, or pleasing. What is dangerous is that it puts us in touch with a restless God who is not afraid to rattle us.

The only real weakness of the book is that for a subject matter that has the power to foment revolution, he's awfully calm and circumspect about it. I wouldn't have been offended if Labberton had wanted to yell at me about his content in order to do what he says in chapter one must be done: to wake up the church. Of course to expect yelling from a Presbyterian might be asking much.

It's a worthwhile read with important content.

James W. Miller is the author of God Scent

The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God's Call to Justice surveys church practices and how smaller battles often supercede larger issues of justice and mercy within church circles. THE DANGEROUS ACT OF WORSHIP is for any church leader or minister who wants to make a difference in the world: chapters outline differences between false and real dangers, consider the church's role in social issues, and come from a working pastor's experience.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I've been using Jay Galbraith's principles in making organization designs for major clients with great effectiveness. This book is very practical.

Es un libro excelente, me parece muy bueno el contenido, sin embargo lamento decirles que llego un poco maltratado, por lo que en lo subsecuente espero pongan mas cuidado en este aspecto

I was very excited when I came across this particular book. This was exactly the right book - looking at the title - coming at the right moment for me. I could use it to help me work through a current problem!

Maybe my expectations were too high, but I dived into it with a passion. The introduction was insightful and right on target. This is terrific! Chapter 1; Surviving the Customer Revolution, was as good a review of this topic as I've read anywhere. It succeeded in defining what a customer centric organisation could look like and brought some real clarity to this part of the puzzle. If you've ever tried to explain the difference between a traditional product centric company and a customer centric one then you'll know what I mean.

Chapter 2 though, How Much Is Enough, was the beginning of the decline. The author attempts to define different levels of customer centricity necessary for your company and, for me, falls foul of too much detail and too much process - clearly reflective of the authors' obvious expertise and familiarity with organisational design. From there on it continued to be a struggle for me. The case studies were terrific and there was some real insight, but the solutions were too formulaic and linear to be of real value.

I came away from the book concerned that I'd missed something. I thought that customers would drive what level of customisation would be required in order to deliver value, and thereby improve business performance. Perhaps I was wrong!

Was I disappointed? Not at all. Worth reading even if the best is right up front!

In contrast to product-centric, a customer-centric firm must be organized around the customer. This means going further than "customer focused" initiatives. This comprehensive, in-depth and thoughtful book begins by exploring the structures and philosophy involved in being customer-centric. Galbraith then details the different types of customer relationship strategies, following which he offers a guide to determining the level of customer-centricity (three levels are proposed) that would best serve the reader's company. The specific elements for achieving each of the three levels, from lightest to most intensive, are presented, along with guidelines for implementing actions ("solution strategy") required. Solution strategies vary by scale and scope, depending on the intensity of customer-centricity needed.

In all, the book delves into ways that organizations can design their strategy, structure, and processes to strengthen their position in the market and grow. Technology, with emphasis on its implementation and connectivity with customers, gets major attention. Much of the book presents engrossing cases (IBM, Proctor & Gamble, Nokia), which are extremely informative and provide a plethora of insights. This is an outstanding work in its content, organization of material, and style of writing. Very highly recommended.

This book is the keystone of any collection on the state of the art in modern thought on development assistance. It is easy to read, easy to understand, and presents a persuasive argument for change to the modern methods of so called "development." This books usefulness is not limited to the third world, as its lessons can apply just as easily to New Orleans as it can to the Congo.

I first checked this out from the library, but I'm now picking up a copy (or maybe two) so I can have it on my shelf to cite from and to loan to friends and family.

Highly reccomended.

Dr. Dichter gives a wide range of examples based on real experiences that expose many of the pitfalls of development assistance as we know it. Unfortunately, while his descriptions of the problems are quite comprehensive, his proposed solution (i.e. drastically cut development assistance in favor of private development) lacks much in the way of logical support. For instance, there is no contrasting presentation of examples of privately-funded projects that have succeeded where charity has failed, nor any mention of to what extent business relies on government-funded infrastructure improvements, etc. In addition, the topic is best addressed in two stages -- i.e., is it desirable to encourage development in other countries? and, if so, are our current tactics the most effective and efficient ways to achieve this goal? Dr. Dichter addresses only the second question, but seems to conclude that because the status quo is ineffective, the entire pursuit should be abandoned. But in general the book is still highly worth reading if you're the least bit interested in development assistance -- it is both deeply enlightening and generally accessible.

It's one of those (few) publications that would immediately make you sit up straight, cause you to squirm and shake your head in disbelief, heave a deep sigh, raise your eye brows at some point, and move you deeply to show appreciation to its material by graphically interacting with its content (in other words scribbling all over the pages of the book - line by line, margin to margin - with notes and personal reactions. That happened to my copy. That's how interesting the book is!). No, the book is not trashy and is far from cynical. On the other hand, it offers a very reflective, comprehensive and insightful analysis of the mistakes and failures of the development industry as a whole. The author, a "devbiz" insider, is not an anti-INGO humbug but one who calls on his development colleagues to re-examine their (and their organizations') ways and to genuinely consider the often ignored realities in the field. His analysis of the evolution of the development industry and its trends, patterns and pitfalls are based on actual case studies and historical facts. Full of relevant lessons and thought-provoking questions and issues that would challenge not just your notions of development work but even your own values, motives and goals for entering the "devbiz" industry. The book stimulates mentally but tugs at the heart.

Mr. Dichter has written an excellent book about the so called "development industry". He describes the evolution of the idea of helping the poor countries of the so called third world since 1950 until today. He discusses the problems that have arisen in the hundreds of governement development agencies, NGOs, and humanitarian organizations, mainly the excessive professionalization and bureaucratization of these organizaitons. The "industry" of development as he calls it, exists mainly to give emplyment opportunities for well paid (and well travelled)consultants than to really help the needy.
Interwoven in his analysis are 18 case stories. Just reading the case stories (which are based in the author's wide professional experience)gives you a better insight in the dilemma of development, than dozens of World Bank, IMF and "imperialism" bashing books that are in the market. The description of how the World Bank ticks is very interesting. You feel that here someone is writing that has gone through all this and has thought about it. THIS IS REALITY and not theory.
I myself have worked in Africa for 5 years as an economist for a Christian Mission Society. It is amazing to see that everywhere in the field the problems are the same: poorly conceived projects, neglect of the consequences of projects, and so on. If you are ever thinking of working in the area of international development, AND if you really want to help the poor, AND NOT MAKE A CAREER OUT OF IT, READ THIS BOOK!!!

Several years ago, I was helping corporate clients prepare for a trade show in Sichuan Province. We put together a thorough guide to doing business in the province, covering its history, natural resources, legal requirements and related topics. If we didn't have the necessary information readily at hand, we could easily get it -- even the latest rules for joint ventures. But when we needed contact information on the province's government officials, it was almost nowhere to be found. We finally managed to assemble a useful directory -- but would have been delighted to have had access to a far more complete directory, like the one found in this superb Pacificom book. And we were looking for names in just one province. Here you can find listings for almost every part of China. If you need an up-to-date resource, to save you hours or even days of work, this is the directory I would recommend.

Directory of Chinese Government and Organizations is a "must buy" for anyone who is serious about conducting business in China. The comprehensive nature and detail shown in this publication is a mark that a true expert, who is knowledgeable of how to successfully conduct business in China, wrote this guide. No other guide offers the variety of industries as this one. Plus, the ability to search organizations by province, and by national, and state government is an added benefit. I know that one of the greatest challenges that many people have faced when working with Chinese agencies is finding the right person to contact. This is the first book of this type that I have seen here in the US. Not even the most respected sources, including the Wall Street Journal can match the caliber and standards of this publication. I look forward to future publications. I give it 5 stars and the authors and publishers at PacifiCom, Inc. and Gala Worldwide Communications have my full endorsement!

Knowing the right people and connection is essential for having a successful business in China. This directory contains up-to-date information of Chinese central and local government organizations and major national corporations. You need the book to help you understand who you may need to deal with. An essential tool to get you started!

This is by far the most thorough and up-to-date compendium of Chinese government and officialdom that I've seen. As someone who has been doing business in China for several years, I've been frustrated time and again by the lack of current, complete contact details. Other directories, many of them several times more expensive, purport to provide the information. Most are out of date before the ink is dry. This one delivers. In addition to central government functionaries, it lists party officials, military types and municipal, provincial and diplomatic offices - no easy task at a time when there's so much shuffling and reorganization in official China. I was pleasantly surprised to find website addresses for so many government offices. This book is well organized and, apparently, will be updated frequently by mail and online. Those of us who do business in China can only say: It's about time!