Techniques Books

This book gives a good description of the theory behind different valuation techniques. It is very detailed and very helpful. The only downside is that it is hard to get through at times.

An overall excellnet text on valuing any asset. The author does a wonderful job of highighting the only 3 rational ways to value any asset: discounted cash flows, relative valuation, and the options pricing model. This book may help you consider the value of assets using all 3 methods to arrive at a true valuation for your purchase or divestment.
A must have for anyone who values assests.

From dozens of valuation books I've read, this is the best one. All different views and theories are explained with good examples.

Great, perfect step by step valuation instructions!

Like other reviewers have said, this book should not be used as an undergraduate textbook. But as a reference book it is among the best for reviewing valuation principals. It covers many asset classes, including equities, bonds, options, futures, and real estate. This book also does a good job of breaking down principals used for valuing various firms (private, start-ups, takeover targets).

The real value for me, however, was its explanations of various DCF models and how they are used: adjusted present value, equity valuation, and firm valuation. The material does a good job of getting to the reason behind the numbers and not just how to use them (such as its explanations on how to determine a terminal value).

In summary, a great read for an undergrad or graduate finance student who wants to get familiar with valuation techniques, or even for an analyst who needs to brush up.

As you should expect from a book that claims to 'make strategy work' this book for me does exactly that. Make it work. It borrows principles and concepts from other major works over the recent years, like Good to Great from Jim Collins and elaborates on them in several chapters, most of them focusing on singular subjects that prevent the strategy from working: culture, leadership, behavior, structure etc.

I personally like the mix of conceptual models and basic tips and tricks, but this can also lead to a middle of the road book that the more practical-minded or the more academic might not fancy. Take your pick.

Keeping implementation in mind when creating strategy is a sound strategy. Packed with excellent case studies, Making Strategy Work is a fine guide for managers and leaders to get things done. I recommend this book along with Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't, starting with the "Who" then moving on to the "What".

"Making Strategy" contains tons of topics, case studies, and specific methods to improve the implementation aspect, after planning and, how to make change and then manage the change. Each chapter has several detailed related sub-chapters.

Chapters:

1. Strategy Execution is the Key
2. Overview and Model: Making Strategy Work
3. The Path to Successful Execution: Good Strategy Comes First
4. Organizational Structure and Execution
5. Managing Integration: Effective Coordination
and Information Sharing
6. Incentives and Controls: Supporting and Reinforcing Execution
7. Managing Change
8. Managing Culture and Culture Change
9. Power, Influence, and Execution
10 Summary and Application: Making Mergers and Acquisitions Work

Hrebiniak first notes the education system where minds are molded. MBA programs focus on the formulation of strategy and functional planning: competitive strategy, marketing strategy, financial strategies, and so on. Execution gets little attention. Most managers delegate the implementation of plans to the employers under them. A key point in this book is that planning and execution are interdependent. Execution is a process, and it involves more people than just strategic planning does.

Many factors influencing who and how things get done emanate from the organizational power structure, the leadership climate, style of approach, and centralization vs. decentralization.

Some of the companies and examples listed are Johnson & Johnson, Citibank, South West Airlines, Phillip Morris, 7-up, ABB, GM, Dell, Kraft, and more. Case studies and Hrebiniak's personal experiences add relevant points and examples.

When certain companies such as Microsoft interviews applicants they are generally not concerned with academic achievements (grades) or professional accomplishments but instead focus on how the applicant, if hired, would fit in and jell with the team he/she would be joining. This is called "cultural due diligence." And Hrebiniak emphasizes that within companies culture is not homogeneous. Even moreso when M&As occur. Or, when a company has different and autonomous decentralized Strategic Business Units (SBUs) producing vastly different products in different markets (e.g. Johnson & Johnson).

This is a helpful book on how to do things more efficiently and effectively. One quote I recall from the first page of this book is, "The problem with poor performance typically is not with planning, but with doing." And this goes for about everything. The questionnaire in the back is a survey and is helpful to those who conduct it and those who respond. "Making Strategy Work" is highly recommended.

I have been somewhat confused by complicated strategy map like approaches. I love the simplified and common-sense approach to making strategy work presented by Dr. Hrebiniak. One can use it in developing strategy for execution, and improving success rate of strategies from 10%. I plan to use it in making strategies for business intelligence and innovation work!

Considering the high ranking and the established name of Warton School, I bought this book. Whether you like this book or not, depends mainly on what you are looking for.

The author says, making strategy work is more difficult, than finding a suitable strategy for the business you are in. Following my own experiences I doubt this. How many companies do we really know, that have a sound strategy that can be simply expressed and proofed right by many years of succes? Go to the shopfloor and ask your employees simple things as e.g. why your customers buy from you and what your business is or should be about. Although the author does not focus on how to build a strategy and covers the aspects of strategy implementation, a good strategy will first of all decide, whether any implementation has a chance for success.

A good strategy gives you answers on:

1.) Who are we and where are we actually (not only internal view) ?
2.) Where do we go ?
3.) Why will we be succesfull ?

Answering this questions will cope with the core question of strategic marketing as positioning and differentiation as well. Implementing any longterm strategy is mainly dedicated to leadership, preliminary people development around core competencies and step by step project management by having easy and consistant measures defined.

There are to many basic statemants in this book and definitions - just common sense. Focus on analysing your current external position and the internal view, the strategy definition and the strategy implementation will be much easier. Change has mostly to do with communication and telling the story as it is, the rest relays on your leadership and how convincing the need for change is. Eliminate the "jerks" and develop the "right" people and your strategy will move forward. The question about the "right" people is linked to change management and leadership, but non of this books will provide you the answer of this question.

Even though softfactors are important, any book about making strategy work should first of all rise a few questions what preliminary answers on important questions need to be on hand?

Best Regards,
Oliver

A good selection of illustrative business cases, occasional thoughts that we had at the back of our mind organized and presented in a clear and enlightning way. Logical and convincing theory. Good reading for managers who want their daily routine to be in tune with the global picture.

With so much being written about 'delighting customers', the 'customer experience', 'customer satisfaction' and the like it is great to read a book that really goes beyond the ordinary, to really dig into how organisations can really leave their competitors behind.
And it's none of this; engage customers differently or deliver compelling offers, this book really takes it to the next level.....Compelling Value, Power Offers, Vibrant Satisfaction, Vibrant Engagement and Vibrant Retention.
Great descriptions that really help organisations understand the need to go beyond good to the heart of building momentum.
If you've read all the standard texts on the topic, I'm sure you'll find a stimulating, thought provoking journey beyond ordinary thinking.
Enjoy!

This book is about how to create profitable growth and sustain that growth indefinitely. Achieving this state of indefinite profitable growth is called momentum. Momentum results from an intense customer focus that permeates the enterprise. Notions relating to customers - insights, value, equity, offering, satisfaction, retention, and engagement -- are given qualifying labels, explicit momentum oriented definitions, and represented as modules of a system of an iterative synergistic process. This process develops traction with customers and removes resistance to growth while focusing all the sources of energy of the firm on building and keeping the momentum going. This is a complete framework for what the title of the book claims - how to ignite exceptional growth. Each stage of the process is described along with related case studies that provide evidence of the effectiveness of the process.

Applying this momentum framework as an interpretive lens to businesses reveals compelling insights. One insight is that a business with a disciplined approach to providing compelling customer value and creating vibrant customer satisfaction actually does this at a lower cost than a business not so oriented. And, of course, the kicker is the phenomenal profitable growth and value that accrues to the firm practicing the principles of momentum. Another insight is the cumulative results that come about with such a tight-knit discipline. Over time, even small advantages in cost or growth factors in the business result in tremendous leads over competitors - like the miracle of compound interest - putting a firm into a whole new arena, i.e. leaving competitors trailing in their wake.

What is particularly good about this book is the thoroughness with which a very complex subject has been addressed. Each essential idea, such as `compelling equity' or `power offering,' is explicitly defined to bring home what it means specifically to this process. Frameworks and constructs explain how to pragmatically address the essential idea in each module of the overall process. For example, there is an Insight Discovery Matrix for flushing out Compelling Insights. There is the Customer Value Map and Wedge to define what the customer perceives as value. The frameworks bring effective guidance to what are otherwise too often unstructured activities. One particularly powerful framework is the Action Roadmap to Momentum that guides the mobilization of stakeholders, detects friction and insights, and converts customers. Disciplined use of this framework, even by the most successful firms, will prevent management from falling into the traps of hubris or complacency. Essential to effective management, possible performance metrics related to each of the essential ideas are provided as well.

What I think makes the momentum approach particularly effective is that the inherently messy process of exploration is given the structure needed to manage it but, at the same time, not destroy the messiness that is essential for creativity to thrive. A vital element of exploration is the technique of iteration. The power and value of iteration is often unrecognized and untapped by impatient management. Here it is a central theme to the whole approach.

An important contribution to the discussion of business models is noting the design and execution of the firm's offering as a business model in and of itself. Larréché identifies three renditions of an offering creation business model as it has evolved over time. First is the product-focused model: develop the product, make the product, and sell the product. Next is the value-delivery model: select the value proposition, create the value, and communicate the value. These first two models are linear models. The third model, the momentum model is an iterative, interactive, and integrative model that brings the design and execution of offerings into one symbiotic relationship.

The employee momentum, the internal momentum that complements the external momentum, is addressed with the same model and principles as the one that addresses the customer. The leadership to build momentum and create synergy between customer momentum and employee momentum is also addressed. Both the employee momentum and momentum leadership are part of the overall momentum puzzle to be solved.

A lot is packed into this book. It may require some study to capture its full value. It is a valuable contribution to the art and science of management.

THE MOMENTUM EFFECT - HOW TO IGNITE EXCEPTIONAL GROWTH covers all aspects of management, both external and internal, of a successful company sustaining high growth. It demonstrates how momentum powered firms significantly increase value for all stakeholders, including customers, employees and shareholders through the following eight steps:
* Momentum Design
o Compelling insights that can only come from time spent with customers;
o These insights lead to compelling values by understanding the deeper human drivers;
o Compelling values lead to power offers meaning power with customers and power to generate growth;
o Power offers generate customers with compelling equity maximizing the value of customers to the firm;
* Momentum Execution
o Power offers are continuously tweaked and improved until they become irresistible;
o The delivery of the power offer leads to superior customer satisfaction what the author calls vibrant satisfaction;
o Vibrant satisfaction leads to vibrant retention and
o Vibrant engagement of the customer. Momentum companies engage customers at an emotional level to generate positive, momentum-driven action.

Each of these eight essential components of momentum strategy are described in detail and richly illustrated by real life stories from momentum companies like Wal-Mart, BMW, Skype, Apple and IKEA, to name just a few. These momentum driving components allow you to systematically harness the powerful, sustainable energy that can take your firm to the new efficiency frontier, driving the exceptional growth that will propel you into a different league. Finally, the Momentum Effect is a never ending journey, not a destination.

Jean-Claude Larreche is professor at the renowned European management school INSEAD and a consultant with leading global corporations.

THE MOMENTUM EFFECT is a joy to read and a must read for anybody who needs to excel in today's competitive world. Kai Wenk-Wolff (MBA INSEAD) is a turn-around specialist for manufacturing operations.

When I first leafed through this book, I thought it was a novel. How else could one interpret the fact that tables, figures and diagrams are just a small part of only the 10% of its total pages! Authors of scientific, marketing and management books have not used us to such a minimalism. J.C. talks substance, not visuals. Even for this reason, this book is exceptionally impressive. This "nothing less than exceptional growth" book smells strong, innovative thinking. It's a book on business total philosophy rather than a simply marketing or management text. It provides a sharp anatomy of things, supposedly known in a business enterprise, with the result that bold substance is revealed. Doing things right is not enough for Larreche. One has to do things exceptionally right. "Very satisfied customers" is not enough. Delighted customers should be the basic purpose of any business. Superb, total value to customers is running throughout the book. More revenues for less relative marketing expenditures is to look for. Anything else does not provide proof of the existence of momentum in a business firm. Larreche, a recognized expert of marketing, emphasizes its customer value building wisdom, rather than its routine functional elements commented about and stressed in all common marketing texts. This book, as product, provides the customer with real super value. It has been some time since I read a real best seller to be!

This book does a fantastic job of demonstrating the synergies of working a 12 step program and buddhist practice. I think it would be valuable for anyone who is still uncomfortable with the Christian overtones of the 12 steps as it explains their origin and how to work them in relation to higher power of your own understanding.

I am a Zen Buddhist who has struggled in the past with alcohol. For personal and religious reasons, I wish to permanently quit alcohol use. I have tried in the past on my own unsuccesfully, and have recently sought help in this endeavor. I am participating in group counselling at this time. I have never really considered participating in a twelve step program as I have always been under the impression that they (AA) take a decidedly Judeo-Christian bent. This book does a fabulous job of explaining how a Buddhist can succesfully participate in such a program as well as how each of the steps can be interpreted and praciced from the Buddhist point of view. I have not joined a twelve step program as of yet, and may not, but I will definately be more open minded about the possibility after reading this book. Likewise, I have learned important techniques that I can use in my recovery now.

An intriguing perspective on 12 Step programs. Having written a book about walking that fine line between compassion and codependence, I found this book insightful and inspiring. - Rita Schiano, author of Sweet Bitter Love

This was an excellent read and I would recommend it to anybody involved with a 12 step program. Taken with the 12x12 it provides some perspective of the steps, discussing them in more contemporary language. I am not a Buddhist and have no wish to become one, but find there is quite a bit of useful content in the book for anyone in recovery. I've been at this for 25 years now, with countless big book and step studies over the years. I am not a joiner or in the market for a religion, but this book does provide intriguing references to concepts in Buddhism worth pursuing. You don't necessarily need the brand name to make use of something that works. I think one aspect of particular use will be working with a concept of a higher power outside the structure of the Christian traditions. I have to disagree with the earlier reviewer - the author does address his concept of a higher power.

As I've been going through the Steps, I have my sponsor, AA support, and many books as my guides. When I compare the steps in each of the books (Big Book, 12x12, etc.) to One Breathe at a Time, this is the one that speaks in a language I can understand, that helped me clarify my "higher power." If you have leanings toward Eastern philosophy and are somewhat put off by the Christian focus of AA, then give this one a shot. In any case, it can't hurt to have another perspective, and this guy's been through it.

The book presents some interesting thoughts and ideas. It has plenty of exercises and a few of them actually work (especially those for enhancing energy) BUT there are quite some anomalies in the book too.
First of all at the beginning of the book the dear doctor raves about how he has cured or helped curing a deaf person, persons with cancer and even a blind kid. How strange though that the doctor wears glasses ... what? he can cure blind people, but he can't even improve his own eyesight?? His "medicine" doesn't work for him?
Secondly, the doctor explains a few techniques in the book, one of which pertains to chanting various chinese number combinations and mantras in chinese. Depending on which part of the body you're healing there's a different number combination or mantra because each of these produce a different level of vibration when pronounced or chanted and thus help healing a particular part of the body. BUT suddenly there are two exercises where you have to chant "God's Blessings" and "God's Light"...well, so far for the theory about chinese words that produce different levels of vibrations. Why does he use english words now?...I have no idea. Why does he starts relying on God all of a sudden when he has been explaining throughout the whole book it's all about energy and energy movement?...I have no clue either. Do the english words induce a certain level of vibration...I doubt it, but let's say they do, then why can't he do the other exercises in english too. Why do we (=readers) need to learn number combination in chinese?
Albeit small thoughts, these thoughts make me a little sceptical towards believing the book's content, even although some of the exercises seem to work.
Maybe it's all in the head after all!

A friend gave me this book in Mid April, he said when he saw it at the bookstore, it just jumped out at him and he had to buy it for me. Diagnosed with Systemic Lupus 4 years ago, I recently began exploring alternative medicine, but I was getting frustrated with all the difficult and costly methods I found. I have always believed that my body could heal itself, I just didn't know how to help it. "Power Healing" is the answer I have been waiting for. I know nothing about Chinese Philosophy or any of the other Ancient healing arts, although I have heard of Reiki. This methods in this book work, regardless of any prior knowledge or belief.

I'd had the book for about 2 weeks, when a few days ago, I began having pain so severe that I was bedridden for 2 days. I decided to pick the book up and begin reading. I will admit that I was more than a little bit skeptical at first, but I made a conscious decision to suspend all disbelief and give the techniques a try. To my complete astonishment . . .It Worked! After doing the very 1st techinque for about 15 minutes, I was out of bed, pain free and full of energy, I even went out to join friends at a gathering. Knowing that I had been under the weather, they were all amazed to see me, and I couldn't stop talking about this amazing book.

I highly reccomend "Power Healing" to everyone. Try it, you've got nothing to lose, but your illness. I have only read the first few chapters, but I plan to continue the techniques until I am off all medications, and completly healed.

Thanks Dr Sha. ..

I like Dr. John Gray, had been studying different forms of healing for years. In fact, Dr. Gray and I studied together with Swami Kaleshwar, a famous mantra healing Master in India, several years ago. I"ve worked as an medical technician at Deepak Chopra's Ayurveda clinic in Lancaster, Mass., studied Thai Yoga massage, herbs, jyotish astrology and am a Reiki Master. I became a Holy Spirit healer with Dr. Fuller in Florida who is famous for dental healing where mercury/almalgam fillings actually turn to gold in your mouth before your eyes. I have also been a meditation teacher for over 20 years. I have studied complex systems, seen many miracle healings and witnessed miracles of healing in my own work. I am not easily impressed. At first Dr. Sha system just seemed a little to simple to be real. But the more I thought about it the more sense it made. Dr. Sha has synthesized all the elements that I knew worked in healing - prayer, sound therapy, physical postures, positive thinking, gratitude, etc. But the real "proof of the pudding" is in the eating. When I tried some of the mantras and exercises it was amazing. These deceptively simple procedures possess tremendous power. The first exercise to build energy in the Dan Tian really lit a fire in me. Later when I did a chi gung stance using the golden ball, the heat started in my body and a burning smell filled my nostrils. I found out later that this was a sign that the heavy metals were being burned up in the body. That night I went to sleep with the Book which he had energized at his workshop. I followed the instructions he gave and as I lay there with it the most powerful energy went through my body. It was very blissful but very intense. I feel something profound is happening in my system and am grateful to Dr. Sha and his teachers for this gift and hope in the future I may be able to study more deeply with him and help bring this healing to the world.

The next best thing to hearing Dr. Sha speak is reading his book, Power Healing. Filled with exercises and techniques to help one take charge of their own health, this book is easy to understand and very inspiring. I recommend it for anyone interested in alternative methods of healing to use in conjunction with more traditional Western medicine.

As a resident of Fairfield, IA - a community of meditators and people very familiar with alternative healing techniques - I was quite excited when hearing about Dr. Sha's book of ancient healing techniques which he had studied and mastered and was willing to share with the world. Two weeks before his arrival I came down with a flu bug and was still working with a depressed immune system, feeling slugish and tired and still some mucus in the lungs and a little cough. So I told one of his local coordinators I would not be able to attend and I was very disappointed because I had already purchased his book and was very enthusiastic about meeting him. She immediately put me in contact with Dr. Sha by phone. He asked me to close my eyes, hold my hands in a specific way and envision a golden ball. Immediately all symptoms were relieved. I attended the course. You can't get better than that. Since then I have been practicing the techniques, passing them on to others and having one marvelous experience after another. I would highly recommend this book and Dr. Sha's courses to everyone.

Sherie Baron, NLP/Hypnotherapist/Reiki Master/EFT Therapist

This is a great book to read if you take hikes in the New England woods or just want to be a "detective" of landscapes. You'll learn alot!

After reading this book I will never view the forest the same again. It shows me how to look for clues to the past at every turn. At first I was skeptical then began to see the patterns described in the woods right by our cabin. Even when I drive the clues are there. If you have any relationship to a piece of land this book will make it richer.

I thought I knew the woods. "Reading the Forested Landscape" allows you to see what is in front of you, but not seen. I will never look at a woods in the same way again. Tom Wessels does a masterful job of showing you how to "read" the landscape. The book is a "detective novel" of information. I will read it again and visit the woodlands and do a bit of detective work. Great fun.

...makes more sense after reading this book. The chapters give an introductory look at what you see when you walk through a forest and what it means to the ecosystem and to you if you're just curious or you are in wildlife management.

Before I read this book, I knew the woods had stories to tell; now, I can begin to understand them. This book is a forensic reference demystifying the clues the forest has to reveal. Each chapter describes, in depth, a particular setting and the clues found there. The drawings, unfortunately, are not as good or helpful as the writing. I would have preferred photographs, but it's only a small drawback.

This is a great read for anyone, not just business owners or entrepreneurs.

A quick, concise guide to identify and document your strengths AND weaknesses and help you construct a realistic and achievable plan to get you where you want to be.

I could definitely relate to the real life predicaments Mr. Fishman writes about and how these issues were resolved. You will find that many of these real life experiences remind you of yourself or someone you know.

The book gave me a new awareness and understanding of some aspects of my life I had not thought of before. And as a result, it motivated me to implement some of the ideas to take action to improve my life.

We can all benefit from the fresh ideas and techniques Mr. Fishman shares to improve our creativity, communication, goal setting, and negotiating. I recommend 7 Secrets of Great Entrepreneurial Masters to everyone.

The tips I received from reading this book have helped me understand the importance of revisiting my goals and objectives. Not only did it help me improve my business by updating my action plans, but it reminded me of my personal desires for my business, which really motivated me. Fishman does an exceptional job explaining his ideas by relating them to real life experiences.

So many business books are great in theory, but the translation of the message can be lost in practical, day-to-day experiences. The 7 Secrets is different, because it not only illustrates the individual secrets with real-life scenarios and experiences, but reference checklists for how to incorporate the 7 Secrets into your professional life. Fishman's understanding of how busy and sometimes hectic an entrepreneur's life is evident.

I found this book helped identify what will make me happy on all levels in life. It is a practical tool for anyone in business that is looking for balance between work and personal life. It helped me define why I work so hard to get what I want. Allen Fishman has created a useful guide for walking the path of life as an entrepreneur. A must read for all business owners, add this book to your arsenal.

It has been said that, if you honk your own horn, no one will want to do it for you. This is a book about horn honking.

This book shows an ego at work that is big enough to fill the universe yet small enough to dwell in your heart. Before you reach page 15 of this book, you will have seen over 150 different tidbits of inside information from the author such he loves his mom, he loves his dad, he loves his two daughters, he loves his son in law, he loves his friends and his dreams have been satisfied beyond his wildest expectations. He mentions seven times that he lives in Aspen (all this before we reach page 15) and we are told several times that he hikes, bikes and rides ski lifts. Unfortunately in all of this verbiage we find no mention of his wife or the mother of his daughters. How can a life be so successful and happy without learning how to love another of our Heavenly Father's Creations? Fishman shows us what a ego on display is all about.

There is insight that can be gained from this book and you will find it right there in the Conclusion at the end of the book where you don't have to wade through the "I am happy and successful and live in Aspen, Colorado" drivel. However, the real story of this book is one that hasn't been told and that involves the Power of Persuasion. How did Fishman get McGraw - Hill to publish this book? Had he chosen to discuss his talent of persuasion, he might have come up with a different title than one that appears to be a Stephen Covey knockoff.

I purchased this book for a class on Leadership, and while it might not have been a book I would have selected, it does have some interesting, real-life examples of situations while explaining some basic leadership skills.

The two greatest strengths of Michael A. Roberto's book are its honesty and clarity. He admits that most people are uncomfortable with conflict and that many well-intentioned leaders shut down dissent. He's also honest about how likely it is that things will go wrong along the way, at least temporarily. Fortunately, he's also very clear about steps you can take to guide conflict in a productive direction, and why this matters. Roberto analyzes several well-known examples of bad decision making and shows how the absence of dissent or institutional mechanisms that insulated decision makers from essential - though not necessarily positive - information created serious problems. The list is long and chilling: President John F. Kennedy and the Bay of Pigs, President Lyndon B. Johnson and Vietnam, NASA and the Columbia shuttle explosion. His discussions will give you a powerful desire to review your organization's decision-making processes and, more generally, its culture. As Roberto himself readily admits, his techniques are not cure-alls, nor easy, but they will lead to improvements. We recommend this book to managers with decision-making responsibilities and to anyone who is committed to improving organizational functioning.

Michael Roberto provides a book that can help not only managers, but employees at all levels. Yes-men and Yes-women not only promote (self-promote), and perpetuate their self-interests and its negative effects by what they say, but also by what they *don't* say. This is often as much as or more detrimental. Most of of us have witnessed this no matter where we work, no matter how big or small our organization is.

The 1986 NASA Space Shuttle disaster noted in this book was a prime example. Several investigations and studies examined the thought and decision-making process that caused this debacle. What led to this unnecessary and horrific tragedy? The decision-making process (along with its machismo). This calamity was one-hundred percent avoidable. Launching the Challenger in the first place is considered a criminal act by many.

Roberto uses variety in this exploration and in-depth study of the decision-making process. Appropriate coverage of MLB General Managers is also examined. Sport GMs have to make difficult decisions based upon current market value and and the collective needs, yet also assess what the potential in the near, mid, and long-term future will be. Other critical
examples cited are decision made by politicians. These individuals make decisions that affect the lives and death, of up to hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions, of people. Author Roberto's classic example was LBJ, and how he stifled and belittled those who dissented and raised questions to his disastrous and failed policies in South East Asia in the 1960s.

There are four parts in this book with nine chapters.


Assumptions:

We all make them. No matter who we are, or what situation we're in, we make assumptions. There is an old saying: "assumptions are the mother of all f-ups." Our assumptions need to be tested and checked by others. In today's world - organizations - make many of the major decisions: collective decision making. Providing the proper quality of environment (local to larger corporate culture and management style) that leads to *how* these decisions are made is the focus.

Roberto lists the five myths of decision-making, which are followed up by the "truths" about how decisions are made. Appropriate dissent and debate is needed and critical in today's rapidly changing environment. People who will ultimately make the decision need to ask themselves: "how honest are folks being with me?" Especially when debating, negotiating, and attempting to build a consensus for making the best decision and executing it.

This is one of the many reasons this book can help employees,
team-leaders, project managers, lower, mid, and upper level managers. Those who participate, question, and seek the best solutions get kicked upstairs. Yes-men don't get kicked upstairs, and for good reason.

Those with control should leave their egos at home and focus not necessarily on the "what" but the "how." This books will be helpful and provide results if one wants it to.

Years ago, George Reedy wrote a book, The Imperial Presidency, about his association with President Lyndon Johnson. As I read that book, I was reminded of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Emperor's New Clothes." Recently, as I read Michael Roberto's book, I was again reminded of Anderson's tale as well as Reedy's book. Emperors, presidents, CEOs, etc. who discourage, indeed punish dissent deny themselves access to information, perspectives, opinions, and suggestions which they may need when making difficult decisions. As a result, they as well as those for whom they are responsible are vulnerable to the consequences of bad decisions which can include making no decision whatsoever.

I forget the source but I once learned of a group discussion during which a CEO turned to one of his executives and observed, "You agree completely with me. One of us is useless." (Sounds like Jack Welch.) According to Roberto, the most effective leaders are those who "cultivate constructive conflict so as to enhance the level of critical and divergent thinking, while simultaneously building consensus so as to facilitate the timely and efficient implementation of the choices that they make." Roberto goes on to assert that "effective leaders can and should spend time `deciding how to decide.' In short, creating high-quality decision-making processes necessitates a good deal of forethought."

Roberto carefully organizes his material within four Parts. In Chapters 1 and 2, he provides "a conceptual framework for thinking about how to diagnose, evaluate, and improve strategic decision-making processes. Then in Chapters 3-5, Roberto focuses on the task of managing conflict (e.g. factors that can inhibit candid dialogue and debate). Next, in Chapters 6-8, he concentrates on how managers can "create consensus within their organizations without compromising the level of divergent and creative thinking." In Part IV (Chapter 9), Roberto shares his thoughts about how this book's philosophy of leadership and decision-making differs from conventional views held by many managers. "Specifically, I distinguish between two different approaches to `taking charge' when confronted with a difficult decision." He devotes an entire chapter to differentiating between the two approaches.

Throughout Roberto's lively narrative, there is a strong recurring theme: "leaders must strive for a delicate balance of assertiveness and restraint." One challenge is to be able to do either effectively. Another, greater challenge is to know when each approach should be taken. In this context, Roberto has much of value to say about great leaders as great teachers: "They prepare to decide just as teachers prepare to teach. They have a plan, but they adapt as the decision-making process unfolds. Great leaders do not have all the answers, but they remain firmly in control of the process through which their organizations discover the best answers to the toughest problems."

One final observation of my own. It would be a serious mistake to assume that Roberto wrote this book primarily for senior-level executives. All organizations (regardless of size or nature) urgently need effective leadership in all areas and at all levels. They need people who can make the right decisions, notably when the given problems are especially serious. For these and other reasons, I highly recommend this book to individuals who must make informed and correct decisions about almost any business situation as well as to others who must collaborate on them.

As Roberto well realizes, there are specific reasons why Dante reserves the last (and worst) ring in hell for those who, in a moral crisis, preserve their neutrality. Some decisions require courage, others require judgment, still others must be made quickly and often with insufficient information. How and why are great leaders able to make such decisions, either alone or in consultation with others? In essence, that is what Roberto's book is really all about.

Those who share my high regard for this brilliant book are urged to check out Jason Jennings' THINK BIG, Act Small, Michael Hammer's The Agenda and Robert Mittelstaedt's Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?

Boy, if I had a buck for every time I heard that from someone sheltering the boss at the top from the truth, I'd be a lot wealthier than I am now. "Yes" is what flunkies always tell the boss. "No" is what they often need to hear. "No, this project isn't going to pan out." "No, we can't achieve that goal, no matter how much money we throw at it." "No, it isn't going well at all." Problem is, who is going to bell the cat, as the Aesop fable asks.

The book "Why Great Leaders Don't Take Yes for an Answer" discusses behavior of leaders who realize that getting to the truth is more important that getting what they want to hear. And there are plentiful examples from real life situations that show us the tragedies that unfold when this isn't the case (The Challenger disaster for one.)

HOW a question is framed can result in getting answers, not fluff or outright obfuscation. The author lists five good alternatives:

1. Instead of "Why"--"Help me to understand why you believe"
2. Instead of "Why not" "Why not pursue other options"
3. Instead of "What if" "What if we found this assumption to be false"
4. Instead of "What would you do" "What would you do if you were in my shoes"
5. Instead of "What makes that optimal" "You must have good reason for thinking it's an optimal solution. I'd like to hear them."

There's a lot more in this book, but this is a modestly-looking book that packs a huge punch. If you seen projects flame down millions of dollars while the bad news is squelched, if you were a top manager who found out too late that something was heading south when you were told time and again it was heading north, you should read this. Excellent book, and really essential to any manager's reading list.

This book was chosen by the book club at Cosmic Dog Yoga in Livermore, California. I found it to be an amazing book not only about the various limbs of yoga but also about deepening your awareness of self and the oneness of everyone around you. Darren is an amazing teacher of life and brings a wonderful gift of healing to this world. He is a great inspiration. This book is a must read! I will buy it for all my friends for the holidays - yogi or not.

I had the delight of taking John Main's classes at the Yoga Tree when I lived in the Haight in 2002. I just re-ordered thsi book to read it again, my first on being purchased from the Yoga Tree. His honesty and simple, straight on writing and thoughs are inspiring and make for a great, motivating book.

As a relatively new yogi, I found Darren's book to be a fascinating read of the Eight Limbs. I hadn't a clear understanding of each until I read Darren's words. Not only do I feel a much deeper understanding of each limb, but I am able to deepen my practice. Darren's book was as wonderful as he is a person! Thanks, Darren.

I have tried to read many books about yoga and the eight limbs, but for the most part, I usually get frustrated and feel disconnected and quit. Darren Main has done something very unique. He has woven some of the more difficult concepts (and quotes from those "frustrating" books) and brought it all down to earth. I would recommend this book to anyone trying to deepen their practice, but not quite ready to isolate themselves in to the wilderness. It is a great easy read and really inspiring.

For me, this is one of those books that you cant wait to finish so you begin reading it again. Darren has a unique talent for bringing ancient yogic philosophy into modern day terms. I just attended his 3 day workshop in Denver. I am inspired to say the least.

This is a great book to inspire people to put more into their relationships. I loved it.

THE ART OF THE SPARK" is fantabulous. On a scale of 1-5, it is a 10. I am completely overwhelmed by this book. It has given me some great ideas on how I can improve my relationship with my wife. I am using these ideas whenever I need to do something special for my wife.

Reviewer: Elva Anson Becoming Soul Mates: How to Create the Lifelong Relationship You Always Dreamed Of
The Art of the Spark is a well written, useful book for any couple that wants to save/improve thier marriage or relationship. All relationships are difficult at time. This book will help you through difficult times and keep your love growing. In my 51 years of marriage we have been there and done that. The quotes scattered through the book are womderfull.
"Grow old with me the best is yet to be," by Robert Browning is my favorite.

Mary's 12 Habits to Inspire Romantic Adventures is quite impressive. The book is packed with personal stories that are not only interesting but Mary provides her readers with practical information that gives you insight into yourself and your spouse.

The Art of the Spark by Mary Zalmanek is a book every couple, engaged or married, should read. If you want to keep the `home fires burning' for years to come. Combine a little effort with Mary's creative ideas and you have a recipe for creating your own Cinderella story! The Art of the Spark is a must read!

Marsha Johnson is a writer, speaker, and the author of Emerald's Garden. (...)

For hundreds of years, we didn't expect romance after marriage. Today, we not only want it, we want it to continue indefinitely. Sometimes we have the best of intentions to do little things for our partner to show we care and then lose the moment. Once you have Zalmanek's, The Art of the Spark, there is no excuse for not being romantic. Her ideas are easy to do and really get the creative juices going. This helpful book is a refreshing new way to look at relationships and romance. I believe it is a must have for couples. Keep it sitting out, refer to it often, read it together.

I recommend The Art of the Spark for couples who want to create a life filled with loving, romantic moments. Relationships aren't alway easy. We sometimes don't know what to do but with this book, romance is not only easy, it is fun.

Janice Hoffman, author of Relationship Rules.