Organizations Books

The book three cups of tea, is a story of monumental dedication and superhuman efforts to build schools for people who had no hope of education. An inspiring story for any age.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. In retrospect, it is difficult to imagine the difference a single person can make. Dr. Greg Mortenson is building schools in the most hostile situations and is the real hero for America and people world wide.
This book is a must read because it truly gives a glimpse of the world we are mostly unaware of.
Greg fought against all adversaries - fatwa, kidnapping and being caught between a free for all shootout. These are extraordinary situations and require extraordinary character to work under those circumstances.
Some readers complained that the book went back and forth between US and Pakistan quite often and the reading is not clean. I disagree. The book is very well written and the back & forth is not much different from hos own life. He is living in two parallel worlds, working under bullets half a world away away from his family to make a difference.

His is the right way to fight evil - through education. I wish there were more like him.

I think the least we can do is read the book and educate ourselves about the real problems and real solutions to the current menace (terrorism, poverty, depravity) around the world.

Third cup of tea is a gesture in certain cultures to accept another person as part of the extended family.

This is such a great book that I do not want to (and cannot) write a feedback about the book and will only encourage you to read it.

Of all the people I have had the pleasure to meet or read about, Greg Mortenson is the most heroic by far. This book is an incredible read but not near as incredible as what this man has done and continues to do. He's fighting terror and violence at its source by actually not fighting. Not threatening or pushing or forcing. Instead by listening, learning and then acting out of sincere compassion and understanding, not a hidden agenda. And thats why he is so credible. His risks are greater then I can imagine but he's sketched out a path to peace that seems far more effective then any governmental intervention. This story proves that even today incredible changes are possible just by starting with a sincere caring for other people. There's hope for us yet!

I had no idea what the book was about, I bought it during an unexpected stay somewhere.

The journey I have been taken on by the tale this book tells is so important, true, beautiful, and moving.

This book has changed my life. The power one person has to create change sometimes is easy to forget.

Now that the book is over, I have lost a friend. But, I have gained valuable insight in the fight one visonary hero and the team of supporters (from all around the world) has made and will continue to make.

This is an important read.

I picked this up randomly from a bookshelf at the airport on the way out for a trip. I wasn't expecting much since I hadn't heard of the author or his exploits.

...I was completely wrong.

Mortenson shows himself to be a very human supporter of ideal principles and doing what is right to make the world a better place, even in place of immense setbacks, threats to his life, and personal challenges to his pocketbook and relationship. Through all this, he presents a likeable, actionable picture of what one man with a dedication to his mission can accomplish.

Without formal training or access to resources, Greg single-handedly has built dozens of schools for young people to improve their lives and make something more out of life. It's a prime example of the type of sentiment building, ally making, soft power that America needs to be using. Through small amounts of money and dedication, Mortenson has shown that he can stop radicalization, encourage others, and bring development to people with extreme challenges.

We could all learn from his example.

This is an excellent book to understand what we celebrate in Holy Mass and book of Revelation in Holy Bible.

Regards,
Manoj Devassy

As is usual with Scott Hahn, we "cradle Catholics" benefit from his "new eyes" when taking a closeer look at who we are as Catholics and why we do what we have been doing for, well, 2,000 years. This book was very enjoyable. It made many things "click" and I recommend it to any Catholic looking for ways to enrich their communion in Christ and the Church.

This was a very informative, yet readable book. I would recommend this to all Christians!

I had an immediate paradigm-shift when I read about the relationship between Revelation and the celebration of the Liturgy - The incense, the garbs, the altar, and more importantly the words we sometimes echo without feeling or thinking of the real meaning of it all... "Holy, Holy, Holy,", and the "LAMB of GOD" now echos in my heart during mass. The Liturgy for me is now Heaven on Earth for I place myself in the book of Revelation and am connected to an altered state I can't explain. If you are a Catholic and are going "through the motions" at mass. Please read this book. You will never look at mass the same way again.
I would like to recommend "Reasons to Believe: How to Understand, Explain, and Defend the Catholic Faith". Believe it or not it's also a good start in educating the lay Catholic person. PEACE!!

I'm surprised at how well received this man's opines are within the Catholic community; perhaps this is due to Hahn's remarkable capacity to pull biblical passages out of his hat with startling acuity. As increasing numbers of Catholics turn to reading the texts outside the Mass and Lectionary, people will be less impressed with Hahn's Biblical gymnastics. Hahn converted via an academic spiritual exercise, i.e., Pedantic Enlightenment. His musings turn Catholicism into a hybrid Protestantism, which misrepresents his newfound faith. With a heavy hands in "The Lamb's Supper," Hahn inserts Revelation into the body of the Mass. Hahn demonstrates his phenomenal Protestant fascination with the end of the world. Reliably, Hahn again provides a theology infused with his special brand of Spiritual Velveeta, lacking deep historical, spiritual, and theological understanding. Beware those cutesy chapter subtitles: "Stealing My Thunder," (who would dare, Dr. Hahn?), "Moriah Carry," the repellent "Victim's Rites," "Extrasensory Censers," and the nauseating "Oath Meal," to name a few.

For someone who emphasizes that his conversion occurred due to his liberation from Protestant sola scriptura, Hahn remains remarkably laden with words, boxed into Biblical frameworks. Hahn squeezes out faith from memorizing and breaking down Old and New Testament passages into digestible chunks, sucking the juice of wisdom dry, and regurgitating the remains to a vast and adoring audience. He lacks the expertise of Rabbinical scholars in the Judaic tradition of intimately examining and memorizing scripture. Hahn relies on quoting biblical passages and citing their numbers, missing the bigger, far more complex picture. In all this detail, this plethora of words, however accurate, Hahn remains somehow incapable of complex analysis. In his personal process of "divinization," he displays zealous New Revelation Catholicism; for him, deep worship via Mass is simply inadequate to feed his narcissism. He must again reinvent the wheel for the rest of us, and with typical heavily-Hahndedness smother the Mass with Revelation.

To 'stall' is human, to measure divine, is the key message from this book that highlights the tendency of us humans to resist change and thus accept less than perfection from our selves or our organizations. By naming `stalled' performance drivers - tradition holds you back, disbelief of new possibilities based on past experience stops you, misconception of actual facts, perceived unattractiveness of other options, poor communications, bureaucracy or just plain procrastination stalls things - the authors supply motivational materials so the reader will consider their eight-step process for 'stall-busting'.

1. Understand the importance of measuring performance
2. Choose an important process to measure
3. Find best practice for that process
4. Move beyond best practice
5. Imagine the world if perfection of the practice were possible
6. Act on this perfection now
7. Match people and rewards to induce perfection
8. Repeat steps 1 thru 7

As the authors say, most everyone talks about continuous improvement, but talk is not action. If it gets measured, it gets done, the saying goes. For the authors, if it gets measured, it gets improved. I should measure the time taken to read books and write reviews; well, maybe tomorrow.

Dennis DeWilde, author of
"The Performance Connection"

The 2000 Percent Solution is not merely a strategic business thinking book but something more. It is a book that can lead you to find your personal stalls and eliminate them so that free from them, it will be easier to discover and eliminate the organizational stalls. These steps are essential in the effort to apply the author's suggestions for obtaining the 2000 percent solution and finally achieve exponential business success. The book is very comprehensive, it contains sixteen chapters. In the 1-8 chapters the authors explain the various kinds of personal and organizational stalls and propose an effective busting method, while in the rest chapters, there are various techniques for achieving the 2000 percent solution. It a great book!

How fast? Lots of tools to retread wheels of enterprise to increase productivity are in The 2000% Solution. This is not a one read book, but a series of valuable clear disciplines to habituate. Thank God for humor- the spoon full of sugar.

Don Mitchell makes a point, illustration from a wide range of business vignettes threaded with the funny sides of life. The flow of information is linear to me, one point connecting to the next. Some business reads are jumpy and harder for me to follow. I became self employed in 1973, (not knowing the term!) by 1979 hired my first employee. When recognizing I was in `business' I joined the local Chamber of Commerce and began reading business books. Some helped me sleep, not this one!

The 2000% Solution is the first book that has given me a quantum leap thinking process, to think in big significant moves forward. Dr. Mitchell gives simple methods to `do' these processes. One action I took was to chart my actions by the hour for several days to review what I am doing and what actions move me forward. This uncomfortable process is powerful.

Most traditional reads are usually from one person's view of one business or industry. The 2000% Solution malleable big leap `thinking process' alone is worth the read. The value of real stories of real people in real company activities- well - that makes it real to me.

The best thing reading this is FUN- the humor! Some are deliberate jokes and cartoons strengthening points made- then there are the funny real stories happening in business. Many times I laughed out loud. Humor is the no-calorie whipped cream on this delight!

I found this book a great help and have read it several times. It defines in simple terms how to unstall your life and business. It sets out a plan to find and eliminate various types of obstacles or stalls that impede the success in your business or personal life. The book has helped me reorient and remove the obstacles that are a hindress to the exponential growth that is possible within any business. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a way to get out of a rut and start moving forward and upward again

I first read "The 2000 Percent Solution" as part of a course for a Rushmore University doctoral program. It sparked in me the desire and determination to get more "bang for the buck" from my efforts, and provided a clear 8-step guide for doing so.

The guide to creating 2000 Percent solutions essentially helps you to see differently, and acknowledge the reality of your personal and organisational biases. It helps you undertake a wider search than you normally would in the quest for a solution. And it doesn't leave you content with the best solution you may have found, but has you project into the future to "see" what the future best practice is likely to be, and then begin now to implement it.

Applying the authors' ideas to my personal circumstances helped free my mind (an ongoing, never ending process) of a number of personal stalls and led directly to the creation of a management training and consulting company. And in spite of limited capital, the momentum of my take-off amazes acquaintances.

I keep my copy of "The 2000 Percent Solution" in my office, within easy reach, because I intend to read it over and over, to create an upward spiral of exponential gains in my life and work.

The skill of creating 2000 Percent solutions is a valuable one. Combined with the ability to engage in continual business model innovation (as taught in "The Ultimate Competitive Advantage" by Mitchell and Coles), it will guarantee business success long into the future.

Someone gave me Sandra Boynton's Family Calendar several years ago as a gift. It was so useful that I buy it every year and I've also given it to my friends as a gift. There are only four of us, but it is large enough to keep the schedules for a family of five. It is vertical so every family member has a box for each day of the week/month. It comes with pre-printed stickers, like "concert", "dentist", "doctor" so that you can easily tag your days. I could use more tags so I purchased another set, but otherwise this calendar is a lifesaver. Everyone can clearly see what is going on and when!

This is just your basic calendar. Nothing special. There is enough room to fit a couple of people.

Those cheery Boynton characters star in a useful calendar. There's space each day to write appointments for Mom and up to four others.

We've used these for several years, and the blocks have provided enough room to write what we've needed. Meanwhile, the illustrations have brightened our days. We'll be back for another of these calendars next year!

I love this calendar more than any I've ever had. It takes some getting used to at first because you read the calendar vertically rather than horizontally. But other than that, it's perfect in every way. The stickers are really cute and add some pizazz to my scribbly mess. My life stays organized at a glance. It the first thing I look at when I come down to the kitchen in the morning.

I highly recommend this item to anyone looking for a easy way to get your family organized.

Words can't describe how usefull this has been for my family. We have 4 people in our household so the unused 5th column gets to be the Birthday notice - again, super useful. The stickers were ok, but not necessary. In a busy household with 2 realtors, 1 teenage girl who is vety involved in school and 1 old man with lots of doctor's appointments, this calender has been FANTASTIC. I'm going to recommend this to all my friends.

We were really enlightened by the book, The House that Love Built. We kept expecting some information to appear in the Habitat for Humanity newsletters, but as you know, nothing ever appeared. Reading the book was very informative, but it really made us sick to our stomach for what they did to you and Linda. I must say you and Linda did not let it destroy you. You all most certainly have the Lord backing you to overcome this tragedy and accomplish what you have done.

Curtis and Jean Wilkinson
New Mexico

This is the story of an incredible couple. If it was fiction you would say, "ah, this is unbelievable." Since it's real life, you say to yourself, "how is it possible?" One incredible event after the other. I'm sure when people heard their story in person, they would say, "you should write a book about this." Well, here it is. I noticed as life happened to them, each time they turned within. Their faith is so powerful that it made me take a good look at mine and do some upgrading. If they could accomplish great works like this, then so can I. I now think bigger. I now trust more. I recently was honored with an award after seeing the list, pages of them, of awards that Millard and Linda have received. I know the secret of awards, they inspire you to do greater things. May you read this book and be moved, inspired and become such a gift to the world that you two shall be awarded.
Ursula Lentine

What a tender love story between Millard and Linda! I looked up their two websites and enjoyed the great photo galleries and wonderful articles about new projects. The Fullers have made such a difference in the world for so many years. Their energy astounds me. Bettie did a superb job of telling their story and making it intriguing. Now, I truly understand the greedy mentality of the people who ousted Millard from his position at the Habitat for Humanity. What shysters! Sounds like Millard and Linda are much better off doing their own thing and having more control. All's well that ends well.

"The House that Love Built" is a testament to what God can do through open and willing minds and hearts. Bettie B. Youngs takes Millard and Linda Fuller from their childhood years through college and huge financial success to a crisis that led eventually to a radical new way of living.

In 1968 the Fullers, working closely with Clarence Jordan, co-founder of the Christian community Koinonia outside Americus, GA, laid the foundations for what would become Habitat for Humanity. The world-wide success of Habitat for Humanity under the Fullers' leadership is legendary, but in 2005 the Fullers were fired by the Board of Habitat for Humanity International, who wanted the organization to look more like big business than a Christian ministry. Youngs is able to relate the facts behind this shameful ouster without bitterness or recrimination--and to tell of the Fullers' faithfulness to God's call to eliminate poverty housing throug the newly organized Fuller Center for Housing. An inspiring story of faith at work and of the power of God to transform lives.

Sweet story of the founders of Habitat for Humanity. I loved how he learned so much in business and was able to walk away from it all to become greater than the norm. They have drive and I'm happy they pulled so many behind to make the world better for everyone. More of this!

Overall, I was pleased with Chuck Pfarrer's autobiography. I felt this is a good book which focused on the man rather than a high profile SEAL. Chuck takes us through his childhood to his combat tour at Beirut and the tragic bombing of the Marines barrack to his short time at Team Six. I felt he explained everything quite well.

I felt some parts were left blank. For example, he cheated on his wife several times, and even more so I wonder why Chuck did what he did. He explained several times how bad he felt about his cheating, but I didn't felt like he explained it well enough. Also, the part with Sam (I don't think I got that name right) in Beirut and how scared Sam was and how Chuck called him a chicken and how no one liked him. I was surprised by this and even more so, later on after the bombing, Sam actually volunteered to go on the mission to spot for the French fighters who bombed the terrorist's bases. Why did Chuck left out many of the details on him?

I recommend this book to anyone interested in just Military stuff, not only SEAL stuff. I think the book is well written enough so that you understand the person behind the SEAL, instead of just the SEAL.

On a side note, about the cover, I thought I recognized it from somewhere and I think I found it. It was the cover used for a early 1990s computer game called SEAL Teams. I felt that was kind of cool and I believe the front cover is a man during the Vietnam era.

Although this book provides a glimpse inside the Navy Seals from an team leader's perspective, it was generally dry and drawn out ,spending a lot of time on Beruit and providing a lot of background information and editorials on the politics etc of that event that I am not interested in. This guy is a stud- no doubt, but I found myself skipping through the pages to find something interesting.

Seriously, this was an AWESOME BOOK. Reading the stories I was amazed at what kind of sh.. Mr. Pfarrer got himself into. From BUD/S to Beirut to Banana Republics to Cancer.. he's been at the front row of many key world events, as well as personal ones. (And I'm sure there's a few more that haven't been reported)

The book was very compelling. And he did a great job writing. I really had a tough time putting it down. I always wanted to read "just one more story".

I also enjoyed how it didn't glamorize, but also wasn't falsely modest. Chuck seems like a solid human being--and certainly went above and beyond in his service and in life. And he shares much of his experiences through the book.

Anyhow, thank you Mr. Pfarrer!

ps: and remember, it's "air-BORNE!!"

An excellent account of SEAL training and operations. Chuck Pfarrer is a veteran of the Beirut war and a witness to the car bombing called the first act of terrorism by our current enemies. He is a combat veteran and a former Naval officer. His Navy experience is important because he recalls the beginning of the war on terror , namely the situation in Beirut. This is an important book.

I would never have guessed that this book was written by a purely military man and not an actual writer.

My son is a navy seal, and though I was in the Marines, I don't know too much about them, so I try to read everything I can when I get the chance to try and understand what they go through. Why a lot of them join, why they go through the training, why the training is they way it is. This book hit all those points spot on. Although I as well as everyone am aware there is nothing in the world like Navy seal training, this book does give us probably the most in depth view into the world that I've come across as of yet. It will leave you with a sense of awe at what a human is capable of physically, mentally and emotionally. These are men amongst men.

Namaste John. Kasto Cha??

You have made all Nepalese indebted with your incomparable deeds. You are true hero in our hearts. Yes, we salute you from the core of our heart.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. John Wood does what all of us dreamers out there imagine we could do: quits his excellent job at Microsoft to do his part in saving the world. Wood's style of writing is so smooth and easy to read, he never bores you. If you're at all familiar with the inside workings of the Microsoft company (my boyfriend interned there, so I am), you'll get a good laugh here and there when he talks about someone like Steve Ballmer and some other inside jokes. I highly recommend you read this book if you have any interests at all in poverty alleviation and humanitarian aid.

There aren't too many people who can mock Steve Ballmer, and Bill Gates. John Wood certainly did that with humour and fairness. Besides gaining insights on life at Microsoft's top tier and life in China as an expat, you will gain the most important perspective ever. That is life as a child in a less fortunate country.

This is a gripping book about a Social Entrepreneur and his work. Share in Wood's experiences, triumphs and setbacks as you read through chapters worth its weight in gold. At the end, I took to heart his message. And that is testament to the content and writing.

Thank you John for your work, and your work at RoomToRead.org.

I read John Wood's "Leaving Microsoft to Change the World", shortly after reading "Three Cups of Tea" and hearing Greg Mortenson speak. I found each book fascinating in its own way, but John Wood's tale was so instructive. His expertise in setting goals and finding solutions and funding sources spoke to me. I head up a small charitable agency that works with refugees and Woods' insights and suggestions are invaluable.
What a way to go if you bring business skills like Woods, or if you are an amateur like me. Read, enjoy, learn and apply your new knowledge/
John McLevie

great read about taking chances, following your heart and making a difference. if this story doesn't inspire you to reach out and help your community, you probably are too self absorbed. better written than three cups of tea.

It doesn't take a genius to know this is a great read! If you are curious about finding the genius in yourself and others, then this is the book for you. It is clear, concise and uses stories and situations that we can all relate to.

Alan Gregerman's book Surrounded by Geniuses was a great read! Not only did it pertain to my work life, but also to my personal life. I would recommend this book at everyone.

A fun read. Delivering compelling value is key and Dr. Gregerman has hit the nail on the head with his observations about products and services in our own neighborhood that do it daily.

A delightful and thoughtful book that reminds us to take time to look at our surroundings. The best ideas in business need not be the most complicated. A little bit of "back to basics" plus a little "thinking outside the box" can take one a long way.

Gregerman has put together a unique array of narratives from the cheetah to Lockheed's rocket science program to delineate key attitudes and mindsets toward maximizing both the potential of your business and value to your customer. I see value in this book for both non-profit and for-profit entities/professionals. Highly recommended.

Ricardo Semler calls himself a maverick, but he's actually a visionary. Semler, now 49, was way ahead of the curve 25 years ago when he radically altered the structure and philosophy of his father's company, Semco. Long before most businesses acknowledged that employees were thinking, feeling human beings and not timecard-punching robots, Semler rebuilt the infrastructure at Semco, eliminating layers of bureaucracy and allowing employees to decide their own fates. They determined their own schedules, pay scales and dress codes. Semler drastically reduced paperwork; he restricted memos, for example, to a single page. He believed that empowered employees, freed of their corporate shackles, would be motivated, creative and productive. You may find some aspects of that approach unrealistic or totally impractical for your organization. You may even think Semler is crazy. At the very least though, getAbstract believes executives should give careful consideration to his approach. His innovations are still relevant, even a quarter of a century later.

Great book. Amazing story.
Lot's of good lessons to be learned here. I read it all the way through and enjoyed the writing style a great deal. A quick read with fascinating stories and good information.

I think this book gives In Search of Excellence a run for its money as the all time great. This book really promotes a different way of thinking about the workplace in a much more collaborative way. I can't wait to start his other book the Seven-Day Weekend.

I have been strugling about how to have an organization or a corporation that are at the same time efficient and humanistic/democratic. Although people normally receives these types of ideas with reserve, the feeling is that it is almost impossible (take out the "almost" if you wish).

After reading Maverick everything changes. We have heard histories before, for example, ancient Athenas, Robert Owen cooperative success in 19th Century England, Mahatmas Ghandi, and so forth. However, rarely a 20th Century corporation has gone so far as Semco, at least to the best of my knowledge.

If you are interested in "real" humanistic-democratic management, you must have this book in your reading list.

Maverick is the story of Semco, an medium size Brazilian company who has set free their employees. The owner, Richardo Semler has been on a journey to continuously improve and innovate their employee related practices. Maverick describes this journey, the steps Semco took, the effect it had and the reasoning behind it. The changes they have gone through is innovate, thought provoking and may be even revolutionary.

What are these innovations? They range from flextime for factory workers, letting people control their own work to more extreme practices like completely abandoning the organizational chart to people who can set their own salaries! Chapter after chapter, Richardo describes these changes, starting with the smaller ones and ending with the large and most thought provoking changes and ending the book with a speculation about how his ideas and Semcos experiences might influence other companies and maybe the general business culture.

Maverick is very well written. It took me 2 days to read it, it kept me reading all the time. Well structured and really builds up to the end. Also the end, for me, was not dissapointing and looking forward to reading Semler's follow-up book.

Very much recommended.

If you have to work with people who speak a different language, then this book is a treasure. It is an easy book to read, and the way it teaches is inspiring. I could not have done all the difficult jobs I did working with an international team if I had not read this. Highly recommended.

When I was introduced to this book in March of 2007, I was just putting the finishing touches on a communication workshop of my own, Mastering the Art of Listening. As a business coach, I long ago realized that most breakdowns in companies as well as relationships, occur in a world of dysfunctional communication. What inspired me about this book was it was if I had read Thomas' mind when creating my own workshop. I am now leading Communicate or Die workshops for businesses and my own workshop for relationships. A must read if you own a business or work for one, especially in a bigger corporation.

"I started reading "Communicate or Die" and couldn't put it down. I was reading it on the subway and kept missing my stops and having to go back."

As a public speaker, I am always looking for new and practical books to help me convey a down-to-earth message. Communicate or Die definitely meets those standards. It is truly a winner!

I have read this book a few times over the years and always been empowered to communicate more effectively when I read it again. In the last months I have been studying the book's material, like my life depended on it as the title indicates. I read for 20 minutes each day, highlight sections and writing observations into my journal. It is one of the best books on communication I have read and studied and as I take on a new and bigger challenge, my daily study is an imperative.
The book puts me into an environment where I am conscious of my speaking and how I listen to people, of effectiveness and forward motion. To share Communicate or Die's wisdom and tools with my associates and clients, I have ordered a special edition of 750 copies with our own brand on the cover. It is to be my gift to herald in a new and prosperous 2007. I consider it a small and high-leveraged investment in the leadership of my volunteers and colleagues and essential for the task that we have taken on in the world - the end of rape on earth.
Peg Thatcher, International President, Project for the End of Rape; CEO, Thatcher & Associates.