Organizations Books

This is a good guide book from Jossey-Bass company. I found the chapters on identifying your audience and developing a strategic comm plan particularly useful

This book should be a staple for any communications director, consultant or organization interested in using strategic communications. It is amazingly comprehensive and insightful and works well for both the novice and the seasoned non profit professional. It's like having a team of seasoned professionals at your fingertips. I highly recommend this excellent guide to all. Strategic communciations is an integral part of any non profit's successful efforts to position itself, achieve policy change or reach key audiences like funders. This book will help you reach those goals.

Strategic Communications for Nonprofits: A Step-by-Step Guide to Working with the Media (The Jossey-Bass Nonprofit Guidebook Series)

This greatly anticipated update to the first edition has already assumed a prominent spot on my bookshelf of essential media relations references. Like its earlier iteration, it is chock full of nuts-and-bolts, how-to guidance that those new to the field, as well as aspiring nonprofit leaders just setting up shop, will find extremely helpful. It is also packed with new ideas and new strategies, particularly for grappling with - and succeeding in - a new age of Internet media, social networking sites, blogs, the age of YouTube, and the dizzying pace of new technologies that are changing the face of the news media. Don't go another day without this book - it is a gem for beginners and pros alike.
Ursula Oaks, Director, Media Relations
NAFSA: Association of International Educators

We don't have to be so frenetically, and I think ineffectively, busy all the time." That's good advice from Terrence Gargiulo's latest foray into the world of communications behavior: good, bad and ugly. His first book, "Making Stories", opened our eyes to the power of story telling as the basis for getting our needs met. This current work carries through with the testaments of real people in real jobs. Their examples of what worked (and what didn't) are followed by a series of practical exercises that are, at once, so simple and so powerful that we have to do them. Watch closely, because as you do the exercises your life is going to change and others will notice. At that point, the book has paid for itself and that's just the beginning. Start reading it now and be prepared for an adventure that won't stop!

As a trainer in the financial services industry, I often use stories to help me convey complex topics. I enjoyed reading Mr. Gargiulo's book as it supports my approach, but also triggers some thoughts on new/different ways to incorp & leverage the power of stories in my training and educational programs.

At last we have a definitive study by an original thinker who understands the difference between having something of value to say and having to say something. Terrance Gargiulo takes the reader by the hand and walks them through a garden of delightful stories told by real people in real businesses. Their powerful descriptions of what it's like to make critical decisions under pressure are crafted in story form, so that the reader is both enlightened and entranced. The final chapters of his book are are competency builders of first-rate quality, showing step-by-step how to improve your powers of observation and reflection so that you too can tell great stories.

As a corporate presenter and technology coach I often get asked to construct themes and prepare story spines for important presentations. For me, Gargiulo's work is a terrific guide in devising a beginning, middle and end structure to match any client's business aim, be it organizational, strategic, market driven or entirely different. Gargiulo has a knack for understanding how stories can enrich and empower communication of all kinds, but in the generally dry corporate environment, they can be an important catalyst for change and deeper communication. I particularly liked Gargiulo's nine basic story types and what they can help the reader accomplish. Book is highly recommended for anyone seeking to broaden their communication skills in the corporate or academic arenas.

It was back in 1987. Our computer architecture teacher presented us with the second edition of this book (1984 ed.). The book opened a new understanding on systems technology and machine sequencing for me. I even designed in paper a version of Mic1 microarchitecture to solve a problem we had with a hand held device.

This book will provide you with a good and basic background on machine sequencing and multilevel models. Use this as a base for your TCP/IP or stack communication protocol study (see my review of TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 2 - Implementation).

Highlights (fifth edition, 2006):

* Multilevel vision of machines (a very important basic topic), pages 2-7
* Principal metric (prefixes) units, page 46
* Bits, bytes, byte ordering on memory, pages 69-73
* Binary numbers on Apendix A and B
* Binary codes and Communication equipments, pages 117-130
* Basic transistor switching logic and logical design, chapter 3 complete
* Java virtual machine and interpreter design (beautiful description!), chapter 4 complete
* The DVD includes a graphic microarchitecture simulator and Java byte-code assembler (back in 1988 I started my own bipolar npn transistor/resistance/prototype board based Microarchitecture! but it was so large and I only complete a 4 bit ALU and 8 register data path). Now (2008) you can enjoy and program a Java version with the DVD material

In resume, this book as long as TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 2 - Implementation, is a good (like a toy) self learning path in machine organization and interconnection.

Good book to understand the organization of computers. I used it in undergrad course. Will recommend it.

I'm only 1/3 through the book so far, but it's been good. There's even a few snippits of dry humor that make it a little more interesting. As far as breadth and depth of material goes, it starts out assuming you know very little about hardware/architecture, and takes you step by step from there. Assuming the book stays as interesting and downright wooty, I'll give it 5 stars. It's not very often that I find a computer book that I'm willing to read cover to cover.

Tanenbaum is one of the CS classical authors. Any CS student or instructor should own a copy of this updated edition of Structured Computer Organization.

The book structure remains the same, but there are many important updates, mainly in the examples and case studies. Tanenbaum's style is also the same: a bit arid and telegraphic, specially for newcomers, but his approach is much better for an introductory computer organization and architecture course than the books by Patterson/Hennessy (which are mandatory reading for any CS student/instructor as well).

I have basically one criticism to this book: it is very pricey! Particularly for an instructor whose wages are not paid in dollars...

This book is a must for elementary prinicpals!
The handouts are very helpful.

The Survival Kit for the Elementary School Principal is full of practical advice, common sense solutions, and scores of forms and letters that are of instant use to the busy practitioner.

The resources included are true "time savers" and reflect the seasoned and reasoned practice of a wise, politically astute elementary principal. Tips and techniques for creating a school vision and building and sustaining morale-- all-the-while developing a positive school culture are offered.

The accompanying CD is a true bonus. I simply inserted the CD, downloaded the included Acrobat Reader, and voila, I had within my reach, ready for adaptation, many useful, relevant, and well-written forms, checklists, and letters.

This has been a required book in my graduate course in elementary school leadership for the past two years. I think that it gives a well-developed background in the major issues of the principalship and practical tips for the beginning principal. Students who have completed the course and gone on to leadership positions feel that this was a very practical guide that helped them in their work. As a bonus, students within the class felt that inclusion of this book added relevance to their academic study. It is clear that Bergman has written a very practitioner oriented text. I plan to continue using this book as long as it is available.

Jay A. Heath
Professor of Educational Administration
University of South Dakota

New school administrators, as well as veterans, will find this book useful. The book comes with a CD and is an incredible resource for elementary principals. The CD alone was worth the price. Administrators who are revising and restructuring their schools will have a format to build on in areas ranging from technology and internet use policy to long-range planning.

I refer to this book on almost a daily basis. While it can be obscure, it the most thought-provoking and well-researched book I have found in the field of organizational psychology to date. The sections on the use of tacit knowledge to usurp existing knowledge or information systems bring theory headlong against existing practices and peer practics.

The process of generating knowedge is triggered off by the articulation of ambiguous, implicit insights into concepts, which are successively inscribed into more explicit and concrete forms of organizing. Such activities and practices have to do with "doing" as much as wth "knowing". Our activities are open-ended for they cannot be captured in rules, reciptives or normative models. Such insights are the forte of Philipe Baumard's book.

Philippe Baumard is seeking to stake out a distinctive domain - the use of tacit knowledge by top managers. Knowledge, especially tacit knowledge, provides sense-making frameworks within which top managers process information and make decisions. When sense-making frameworks prove ineffective - as they inevitably do in some situations - top managers misinterpret problems and they find themselves unable to generate successful actions.

I loved the book because I am currently struggling with a corporate program of "tacit knowledge management" and I have been looking for something precise for more than three years. Our corporation has more than 72.000 employees, and we needed very precise categories of what kind of tacit knowledge can be preserved in our organization. The book provides an amazingly precise framework, that we currently use in our company.

I was raised in a family that believed that if we are not part of the solution then we are part of the problem. Yet figuring out how to participate in that solution can sometimes be challenging. Tactics of Hope provides us with these needed suggestions and guideposts as well as support in understanding our gift and then where and how we can bring that gift forward into the world, becoming part of the solution. Wilford Welch reassures us that we really do matter. That as we find our passion and bring it forward, we are in very good company. It is in this context that Welch speaks to the heart of evolving communities around the world. He features stories about others who brought their unique gifts forward in support of that evolution, on a local or global level. Welch's stories of individuals making a difference are uplifting and inspiring. Each story uniquely exemplifies a potential model for governments, corporations, non-profits or individuals in how to move into a dynamically changing world, all becoming parts of the solution. Highest recommendation for all generations as it brings forward the hope so beautifully captured in it's title.

"The Tactics of Hope is a practical avenue through which people can connect with people, institutions, and resources, as well as ideas. Wilford's book is a wonderful contribution to the field! It is clear that he knows in a deep way what social entrepreneurship is. "

-- Bill Drayton, Founder, Ashoka

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, writes of The Tactics of Hope:

"As I travel through my home country of South Africa and around the world, I am awed and humbled by the work that millions of individuals have undertaken to enable those less fortunate to build lives of dignity, security, and hope...the stories of some of these noble individuals and their initiatives are told in these pages...This book is inspiration and guide for those who want to be informed, want to take their first steps, and who truly want to realize the potential we all have to make a difference."

-Desmond Tutu
Cape Town, South Africa

Awesome book on social entrepreneurship with inspiring case studies and excellent perspectives for seasoned practitioners in the field of nonprofits/social change as well as those less experienced who are interested in making a difference in the world and looking for some guidance/advice/opportunities. I used selected parts of the book for a workshop I taught at Stanford University and highly recommend "Tactics of Hope".
Gordon Bloom

An inspiring book chock-full of stories about doing good in the world through entrepreneurship. Should be required reading for all incoming college freshmen!

Tactics of Hope is a great book for those thinking, "... but what can I do" about the global problems going on. I enjoyed reading the stories of many different people on many different levels -- ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the world. This book is inspirational and helpful for anyone interested in making a change on ANY level. I really liked it.

Much has been written about organizational change. The ability for an organization to successfully change and sustain the change is a key differentiator today's competitive world. I found this book was "manager friendly". I could quickly review the "Points to Remember" and "Common Trip Points" as listed in each task to ensure our team was focused on the right things. The Ten Tasks of Change is a ideal book to simplify every leader's most complex issue: change.
-- Don Langewisch, Performance Systems Manager, ChevronTexaco Corporation

I've just finished the Ten Tasks of Change and found it to be a practical guide to managing change. In my work in education, I find one of the most challenging hurdles is guiding people through change.

This book provides useful advice from the get-go, translating conceptual principles into plain language, as in "Swiss-cheesing the overwhelming.... poking a few holes in the task by getting on with what you can do now."

The authors also do an excellent job of synthesizing and building upon the work of others, as seen in their `Checklist for a Well-Designed Job'.

Lastly, I found it most useful that they not only stress what to ideally `do and attempt' when facilitating change, but also include advice on what to avoid doing, with a list of `Common Trip Points' at the end of each chapter.

Organizations are changing rapidly and unpredictably and such change has now become the norm for successful companies. Ten Tasks Of Change: Demystifying Changing Organizations provides managers and owners with a whole-systems approach to handling and modeling changes, using a basic foundation of planning and managing work to help changes take place smoothly. Chapters provide an easy, pragmatic approach to achieving the basics tasks of the framework presented by the authors.

Jeff Evans and Chuck Schaefer have created an excellent and multifaceted tool for anyone dealing with change - which reads like a road-guide but is not prescriptive - I am already using it to assisting the District of Columbia in creating a new State Level Department of Education, as well as a guide for developing "Requests for Proposals" for contractors helping the City reinvent/restructure its delivery of services.

As an organizational consultant working with local, state, and federal organizations for over 20 years, I have used and seen a variety of strategies/tactics to address a myriad of changes. This easy to use book is a unique approach that provides any user with a simple and effective methodology - that is clear and concrete - and at the same time avoids the danger of being "cookie cutter" in application.

The authors have done a remarkable job anchoring this approach in well researched and time tested theories, without overwhelming the user in the acedemics, and thus loosing site of the real purpose, the need for a powerful, practical tool that transcends the challenging paradox of change; it addresses the true comlexity and chaos found in most organizational contexts - i.e., it addresses the reality of the world we live and work in -in a wonderfully effective yet simple framework - Ten Tasks!

Thanks for capturing the approach that I have felt has been missing thoughout my 20 year career - the nexus of theory and application - in a clear and understandable form(I am glad someone finally wrote the book - and I wouldn't change a thing)!

Thanks, and Best Wishes

Bill Zybach

Business Process Manager, Office of the Chief of Technology Officer, Office of the Mayor, Washington, DC

The concept has always been with us. Shar McBee articulates these ancient, well-proven philosophies in human relationships. I highly recommend this book to anyone in management.

In To Lead is To Serve, Shar McBee talks about the challenges and skills necessary to manage and maintain a volunteer group. I would even go further than that. Since most employees can choose to quit and move on at any time, I feel these same skills are important for ANY people you work with - whether they are paid or not. Every person wants to feel important, wants to feel appreciated. What Shar lists here can work in any type of group situation.

Shar talks about how maintaining a healthy view of the situation is critical. An example she gives is of finding a group of drowning people. You would not sit down and start discussing with them the basics of swimming. Instead, you would throw them a life raft. If people have an immediate need, you meet it. Only when they are ready to learn can you start providing instruction. Before the workers can accomplish anything, basic needs have to be met.

An important message Shar reiterates several times is based on iChing - "to rule truly is to serve". You cannot go around thinking "what can I get out of my volunteers / workers". Rather, you need to think about "the workers need something - what is it? How can I help?" In another example she talks about how you need to meet people where they are, and help them from there. If someone doesn't know a certain skill, it does no good to berate them for the lack or to complain about it. Instead, realize that starting point, teach them the skill, and go from there.

A key reason most volunteers stay is that they get continuous and immediate recognition and appreciation. They like to know that what they are doing is being seen. Everybody likes to be included and welcomed.

Shar offers a variety of helpful tips. If you get discouraged, contact five people and express your gratitude for specific things they've done to help you in the past. It reminds you of the blessings you have and the opportunity you have to help out others.

She also points out that people work best when we show strength first, sweetness later. We need them to respect us first. If you show sweetness first, human nature is for them to walk all over you and see that as a sign of weakness.

Shar explains that the number one reason volunteers quit is they have hurt feelings. The Chinese say that patience is putting breaks on strength. This means you have to hold up, just listen, let them talk. Sympathize. Only then can you start to offer solutions that they will appreciate.

I do have a comment. In one area Shar says, if you're in an accident, to always jump out of the car and say "Gee, I'm sorry" to diffuse the situation. You should NEVER do that. Countless research has shown that this can easily lead to a lawsuit. You should never express guilt. You should express NEUTRAL concern, such as "are you all right" or "Neither of us needed this today". You should never make any statement that YOU are the one at fault.

Finally, Shar warns that while workers support modest, kind and humble leaders, they delight in taking down pretentious and uppity leaders. It is completely up to you which category you fall into.

A great book for any leader of any type!

I remember very well the first time I read "To Lead is To Serve." I was on my way to a meeting that Shar McBee was going to keynote. I wanted to introduce myself to her philosophy of volunteerism prior to the meeting. Since then, I've re-read the book several times, and each time I get more and more out of it. The writing is fresh but timeless, new and invigorating. It's book that's so good you can tune everything else out when you're reading it. "To Lead is To Serve" is also a quick, easy read - you can read it in just a couple of hours.

The principles that Ms. McBee espouses in "To Lead is To Serve" can absolutely turn an organization - any organization, be it for-profit or a non-profit, around. Unlike many who write about non-profits, the author skillfully differentiates between management and leadership. The heart of the book is the recruitment and retention of volunteers. Membership-based organzations will find great benefit in using Ms. McBee's ideas to not only recruit members, but to also retain those members. Drawing upon her extensive background as both an employee of and volunteer for non-profits, the author sparks different, exciting and creative ideas for serving others. Truly, to lead is to serve. This book tells how; a real bonus is that many of the ideas can be implemented immediatly and individually. Whatever your position in a for-profit or a non-profit, I enthusiastically recommend that you read this book and then apply its life-changing and organization-changing principles and ideas.

"To Lead Is To Serve: How To Attract Volunteers & Keep Them," is well written, moving logically from one point to the next as it lays out a number of practical keys to leadership in a volunteer organization and to attracting and keeping volunteers. Its counsel applies, however, to leadership in other than volunteer organizations and to leadership in general. A good book on leadership from an author who began a complete novice but now has and writes from extensive successful experience in leading volunteer organizations of various types. The principles listed can be put to practical use immediately.

Riane Eisler's new book is a stunning contribution to multicultural pedagogy. Using her macrohistorical theory of dominator/partnership swings, she offers a new framework, structure and content for education. This is one of the most important books to come around in a long time. I hope my children will grow up in a world that has realized the blue print for partnership education that she offers. Rigourously argued, detailed in documentation, this book offers and creates a new future for all.

Tomorrow's Children is an innovative and remarkable book for the contemporary educator. It provides an indepth understanding of the struggles of teaching and is an amazing resource for people looking to reform the educational framework of our country. This book needs to be in the hands of every parent, teacher and educator.

Eisler puts forth a formula for hope for a future that works for everyone. It does start with the children and every teacher AND parent should read this book...PLEASE!

Cudos to the author for putting forth a recipe for a more hopeful future for the world.

Riane Eisler's Tomorrow's Children is a thought provoker and conversation starter. So many education books are about getting the knowledge and skills to "fit in" to society's opportunities. Tomorrow's Children challenges the reader to expand their vision and expectations of education. This follow-up to the Chalice and the Blade offers practical and hopeful examples of how to access the "hidden curriculum" beyond textbooks and polemics. If you want to know how to find materials to encourage meaningful and relevant learning, this book is for you. If you want to know the specifics of making change in your local schools (concerning the content, process and structure of education) this book is for you. If you are interested in finding kindred spirits to promote practical examples of collaborative problem-solving, a peaceful response to adversity, gender equity,and environmental sensitivity this book is for you. If you appreciate thoughtful and thorough and careful writing free from jargon this book is for you. If you are interested in specific references of books, websites, curriculum packages and supportive organizations this book is for you. I am a Professor of Education. I am fussy about what I read in this field. I am drawn to clear and concise writing which honors the intelligence of the reader. Tomorrow's Children does not disappoint.

This is the best book that I have read on the subject of leading a church through transformation. Ford's insights and practical applications are fresh and relevent. I would highly recommend it to any pastor or lay leader.

This is a great book! I wouldn't hesitate to encourage anyone who loves Christ and the church to thoroughly work through it. When I read Transforming Church, many of the events and circumstances of my more than twenty years of ministry began to make sense. Based on solid research and practice, Kevin Ford addresses the struggles churches and church leaders face in our culture. The stories of real congregations strained by personalized conflict, conflicting values and resistance to change made this not only accessible for me, but for the more than 30 staff and lay leaders in my church that have read it. That Kevin doesn't offer quick fixes and fast answers gave me confidence that this is the real deal. Like many church leaders I have been seduced by "successful" church models. Instead of throwing models at you, Transforming Church offers a systemic view of health and encouragement to do the work of transformation.

I love this book. For every 25 dollar book that comes out, there is generaly about 2 dollars in new material. Not in "Tranforming Church"
Thus far I've got about 12 dollars of new stuff. The author does state some obvious things, but no one is perfect. Good book!

This is a book I'm really excited about! I'm always asked by people at established churches how they can bring health and transformation to their churches. This is the first book I'll recommend. This book is also good for church planters because it's describing what the church should look like. It provides a way to gage your church as well as ways to develop your church. Way to go Kevin - this is a home run. Bob Roberts, Author of Transformation & Glocalization.Transformation: How Glocal Churches Transform Lives and the World