Organizations Books

For the individual more interested in Christian living than philosophical arguments this is the Schaeffer book for you. This book is very short, I finished in two nights of easy reading. It is basically expanding his thoughts on John 13:34-35

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

I think his main point is that God has given the world a litmus test for whether Christianity is the truth and whether we are truly followers of him. If the world can OBSERVE that we love one another they will know, if not, then they have the right to judge us accordingly. How we deal with conflict within ourselves is the true test. Loving each other through harmony is easy, loving each other when there are disagreements is much harder.

This is an oversimplification of his work, and reading this short book is well worth the effort. Light and short reading with maximum impact.

Though may easily be overlooked as something Christians are and should be familiar with, I still take Dr. Schaeffer's encouragement seriously to love like Jesus loves according to what he commands his disciples at the Last Supper; both those "in the household of faith" and those who are outside, that the world may know that Christians are Christ's indeed. I can not agree more that cold, uncaring, indifferent, unloving, narcissistic Christianity; something that I'm liable to as well; is not only an oxymoron, but also ugly, as Dr. Schaeffer puts it. On a similar subject, pursuing Christian unity; what it is and what it is not; is something that he claims as the other mark of a Christian, and though intuitively is natural when there is a genuine love to one another, but is still worth studying in this little yet practical book.

Schaeffer writes a book here that is challenging and very needed. He simply takes two statements of Jesus on how we should love one another and strive for peace and unity instead of discord and pride, and demonstrates the crucial need to follow these verses. A Christian is supposed to be a bearer of love and peace to every other human being (Christian or not; you can promote peace and show love without sacrificing truth). This book along with his "True Spirituality" are both on the top of my list of messages that have made the most impact on me. All of Schaeffer's work is good but this book is one of my favorites. I second the motion that this is a must read for any Christian.

As with most of Francis Schaffer's books... though written in the 1970's it seems like it was written yesterday. A short but powerful book looking at John 13 & 17 and what he calls is the "Final Apologetic". He basically asks "How will they know we are Christians?" And expounds on that. A highly reflective book. A book we need today. A Must Read.

I first read this book as a young Christian and now am impressed with how many of the concepts I have adopted in my own creed. I detest pop Christian symbols and the urge to define a Christian by market forces. Schaeffer attempts to challenge the reader into not only glimpsing in the mirror, but to really make changes accordingly.

This product was shipped to me quickly and was in good shape when it arrived.

As a digital citizen and knowledge worker, I found this book valuable in explaining how, more than ever, corporations and their executives are being held more accountable by the public. And because information is instantaneous due to the internet, this book advises that corporations should have transparency plans built into their organizational strategies, lest they fall victim to bad press at some point. What is surprising, is unlike what companies want people to think, the average worker is now more empowered then ever to make companies have more integrity. The book also provides suggestions to planning around transparency and they site the companies who have come back after bad press. This book is complimentary to the books written by Peter Drucker and by John C. Bogle. Excellent!

This is from my blog (which is why it is written this way)

On the Flight to Fremont, I read "The Naked Corporation - How the age of transparency will revolutionize business". You likely think I must have issues since I always read about "naked" (Like "Naked Conversations") but don't worry - its not like that. In this age of Search Engine Optimization, I wonder if the authors thought they might get more hits but that is another topic.

The Naked Corporation talks about the transparency needed in todays post Enron, post Worldcom environment. The basic thesis of the book is that this transparency is good. I agree. It talks about the benefits to the company for being transparent and how it saves money and builds support for the company.

If I have a counter view, it is not to transparency it is to Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) which attempts to legislate ethics and in doing so imparts a huge cost and overhead which ironically might hurt the very shareholders they seek to protect. In some cases, SOX is like buying a safe for $1000 to protect $500 worth of valuables.

The book actually did make the point that often companies are not transparent because the law requires them to complicate things. Just look at the filings and annual reports of many companies. Warren Buffet says "you should be able to understand the financial statements of a company in a few minutes".

One part of the book I found interesting was the story of poor ethics and no transparency at Chiquita Bananas. Fortunately, they have moved to high transparency and appear to have mended their ways. (Fortunate because I like bananas).

One quote which I love (and will use) is by Warren Buffet "If you lose dollars for the firm by bad decisions, I will be very understanding. If you lose reputation for the firm, I will be ruthless." I have believed for a long time the reputation is far more important than money. I like many of Warren Buffets' philosophies and in a article some years ago, EMJ was cited as being a perfect Warren Buffet company. I am not sure when it comes to ethics though that selling sugar water (Coke - on of Warren Buffets' companies) would count as good ethics. So as with everything, I need to filter what I like about someone from what I do not. Learn from the good.

Authors Don Tapscott and David Ticoll examine the managerial implications of the age of transparency. Now that the Internet has enabled employees, suppliers, consumers, gadflies, critics and casual lookers to get and swap previously confidential information about companies, the business environment will never be its old self again. Companies have no confidentiality, no privacy and no way to dodge the truth. Those with nowhere to hide must to get accustomed to life in the open. It's not so bad. But to prosper in this wide-open world, managers need to understand that the new way of life has different demands than the old one. Although many of this book's recommendations have become fairly well known, we find plenty of insights that remain fresh and worth reading.

This is a very good book which has opened my eyes into looking for companies that are honest and transparent with their customers, shareholders and employees. This book calls companies to stop hidding behind secrets that destroy corporations (Enron and others) and start being transparent, by providing informaiton to your customers, shareholders and employees. Companies need to show that they are responsible to the environment, to their stakeholders and other corporations. This book is calling companies to be ethical in their daily transactions and gives example after example of corporations who have fallen because they tried to hide the truth. This book shows that we need strong ethical people to run todays corporations and we as investors need to reward companies who are starting to become transparent. At the same time we need to punish companies who are not taking responsibility for their actions and wrong doings. This book also points out that most investors are blind with their investments and don't even realize what their largest investment is invested in (for most people their largest investment is their pension plan, and I admit I don't know what mine is invested in). This is a very good book and has opened my eyes to at least see what's going on out there and provided me with the tools to do some research and make sure I reward companies that are making an effort to save our environment and be honest with employee's, investors, stakeholders, and customers. The one question I have is are we raising a generation that will be able to have the
qualities needed to run the corporations of tomorrow... Great book...

First saw this Prayer Book at an Anglican church in Taupo while on vacation. Especially like the format and the multitude of voices, the Daily Devotions, and the clean, twenty-first century English.

great liturgy, eloquent wording, a must for all who worships in the anglican tradition, this is highly recommended by priests in the episcopal church, a change from the book of common prayer, this is rich with beautifully bound prayers.

The 1989 English translation of the canticles and psalms in the New Zealand Prayer Book are a work, of which Archbishop Cranmer would be proud. I've seen and used the NZPB canticles printed in other, unofficial prayer books. The settings for Morning and Evening Worship, (to be used mainly by small groups and individuals), are organized by day and time. In addition, these "abbreviated" services mark a return to the cathedral office, which was superceded by the monastic office about 1500 years ago. The New Zealand Prayer Book includes several settings for Eucharist, (Holy Communion), as well as a treasury of traditional and contemporary prayers. One caveat; if you prefer traditional English, the 1662 English Prayer Book, or the current American Prayer Book, ( Rite 1), this Prayer Book will most probably not interest you.

I purchased this book as a gift for my husband, who was impressed by its contemporary version of The Lord's Prayer. Once we received it, however, we found has much more value than just one expression.

While we don't speak the Maori language, we're delighted that the New Zealand Prayer Book, for the Anglican Church in New Zealand, includes translations of many worship resources in Maori. It's also instructive to read such things as the list of saints whose lives are observed in the church calendar. And the black-and-white ink drawings that illustrate the sections are evocative and intriguing.

What we find most important, however, is the beauty of the language. It took nearly 25 years of consultation to produce this prayer book, and in our reading it was worth every minute. Rarely do we find humanity's spiritual longings, along with its praise to God, so masterfully composed. It's a delight simply to read the prayer book, and even more to use its resources in one's spiritual observance. We highly recommend it.

The language is fresh and really makes the Book of Common Prayer come alive. Even though it is written for the New Zealand Church and I am American, I find it very useful with extremely beautiful wording. I love how the words, "Eternal Spirit, Living God" is used. In the evening prayers, one of the prayers is:

Eternal Spirit, living God,
in whom we live and move and have our being,
all that we are, have been, and shall be is known to you,
to the very secret of our hearts
and all that rises to trouble us.
Living flame, burn into us,
Cleansing wind, blow through us,
fountain of water, well up within us,
that we may love and prase in deed and in truth.

Simply beautiful! Buy it, you won't regret it.

Organize Your Garage in No Time was everything I thought it would be and more....easy-to-implement ideas and great pictures that not only guide you to the garage of your dreams but also helps you see the finished product before it's done! Not only is it true to its claim that you really can organize your garage in no time--it's fun to read and the strategies in it will help you organize any room of your home.

I enjoyed reading this book because I felt it was the first organizing book in which the other thinks the way I do. It was a refreshing change from othe organizing books. The topics were clear and the suggestions were practical. It is also unique in the use of images showing products out on the market that are mentioned in the book. I was happy to see things covered that I hoped I would find in a book on garages and was intriqued by others I didn't know about.

I purchased this book as a gift for my husband. It is a good information book. I am very pleased with it.

Barry's book covers all the bases. He starts out by helping set a goal, create a plan, and envision the finished project. Then using small steps and understanding humor he guides the reader through the important basics of the organizing process as it applies to storage areas. From there Barry opens the world of storage options. Do you hang it, put it on a shelf, in a cabinet, or a drawer? He has pictures galore of different products and tricks you can devise yourself.

These suggestions are invaluable for someone who needs to know what he or she has to choose from. And he addresses how you can use what you already have for storage, the cost of what you will need, and having a garage sale.

Some of the best chapters are the extra ones about storage in sheds, attics, and basements. He even throws in a chapter on storage of seasonal and holiday items.

Barry has left no stone unturned. If you need to organize your garage, you have what you need here.

I have read a lot of books regarding garages and this so far is the best one on step-by-step how to do it. The author has experience and knowledge and ability to put it in an easy to read book.
The basis for organizing can also apply to closets and other things.
Book is in a format that allows you to read only what applies to you.
I highly recommend this book for someone starting on this seemingly overwhelming task

This is the definitive guide for anyone looking for a corporate sponsor. It was enjoyable to read and I find myself reaching for it time and again. The concepts were easy to grasp and the tools were especially useful. It is a great source of information for beginners as well as seasoned sponsorship seekers. It's a great read and well worth purchasing.

This book is very useful and practical thanks to its suggestions in a matter which is at the same time delicate and fundamental. Besides it is well-organized and clear in its contents

Being a realtive newcomer to sponsorship procurement, this book has been valuable and well used. The Sponsorship Seeker's Toolkit teaches every step necessary to make first contact, foster relationships, build a creative winning proposal, administer your proposal and prepare followup reports.
This and the two previous Sponsorship Seekers Toolkit can take a novice and teach them how to speak to sponsors confindently and knowledgably.
If you're a seasoned professional, Kim and Anne-Marie come up with such creative partnerships, you'll find yourself smiling over the common sense they inject into every chapter.
This book has taught my staff how to present proposals that will enhance multiple sponsors, thereby giving them more bang for their buck as well as making the event more memorable for the audience.
This book is a dog-eared must in my professional library.

Content was relevant and definitive. Great examples and templates and every aspect clearly explained and expounded where necessary. An essential piece of reading.

This book is an excellent resource for anyone attempting to obtain sponsorships. It is well written and easy to follow with many useful tools.

I bought this book because in my business, if you don't prospect regularly for new clients, you won't be in business for long and I wasn't prospecting.
When I got it, I thought I was afraid of rejection but what I learned is that I'm afraid of success. Did that ever piss me off! Now I'm in action and prospecting 2.5 to 3 hours a day, 4 days a week. I learned that I didn't have a fear of rejection at all. I could care less if someone said no. They probably aren't qualified anyway. What I thought was fear of rejection was something else entirely.
This book could be largely to credit for saving my career, one that I really love. It's a simple book, very helpful and I'm thankful to the "force" for leading me to it. Go in peace!

Are you sitting in front of the phone, but can't stand the thought of making your daily sales calls? Are you extremely nervous before a speech you must give tomorrow and afraid someone will humiliate you? Are you feeling down because a customer criticized your product? Feeling bad because you've been voted off a desert island?

Dealing with rejection is something we all need to learn. Successfully bouncing back from rejection and staying in the game is crucial to success in business and in life.

If you are looking for ways to strengthen your resolve, confront rejection wisely, and bolster your self-confidence, I highly recommend "Starting from 'No'" Jaffe identifies some of the underlying psychological reasons we fear rejection, including 1) A fear of not being liked; 2) A fear of being humiliated; 3) A fear of success which might force us to "abandon our comfort zone" and 4) A fear of financial disaster.

For each fear, Jaffe offers self-tests and projects to see how badly the reader is affected by the given fear.

For those who fear humiliation, Jaffe suggests taking an acting or dancing class, or even trying stand-up comedy. Jaffe says you should confront your fear where you objectively have little at risk and can afford to look silly. The newfound confidence will probably transfer into your business dealings.

Jaffe hits a key point, when she gives her best advice about public speaking, "When you look out at that huge sea of faces and you are scared to death about your performance, shift your focus from trying to impress the audience to how you can best serve them. When you take the focus off of yourself and place it where it belongs-on the client-you will be much more effective."

Today, this is the hallmark of performance psychology. Once we start worrying about how well we are doing, we won't be at our best. Just as an actor or athlete watching and judging his performance won't be "in the moment," self-preoccupation only makes us more susceptible to feeling rejection and bringing it about.

One of my favorite chapters discusses finding what motivates you in your business. It discusses the value of strengthening your motivation for success to help you overcome difficulties and rejection. Jaffe writes about positive motivation (moving toward a dream goal, for example) and negative motivation (moving away from something, needing to prove your worth to others, for example).

However, rather than just saying negative motivations are bad, Jaffe shows us how some negative motivations can help propel a person toward success. It is a matter of accepting a balance among all of the forces motivating you.

Jaffe writes, "Although positive visualization and goal setting is essential to business success, the drawback to positive motivations is that they can be vague, elusive, and not powerful enough to get you to do what you need to do today to succeed." Too true!!

Peter Hupalo, author of "Thinking Like An Entrepreneur"

This is a great book, with many helpful business ideas. What is great about this book is that in every chapter there is a section that says try this, and some of these ideas are very good and ideas that I am looking forward to trying.

There is much I like about Azriela Jaffe's writing, but what I admire most is her up-front honesty. She uses examples from her own life & from her family to 'tell it like it is'.

There's no writing as though she's a guru on high dispensing wisdom that's nothing more than theory.

When you read anything from Azriela, be it her books, web site, or newsletters, you get a very clear picture of the woman behind the words.

"Starting from 'No'" is a workbook filled with self-tests, charts, checklists, worksheets, quizzes, tips, & strategies. Everything is backed-up with examples, stories, and real life experiences. The suggestions for working though problems are down-to-earth and do-able. No 'pie in the sky' for Azriela.

And the examples come from small business people, sales people, home-business owners, writers, consultants, coaches, and more. These are real people, like you & me, who have come up against the same fears, problems, & rejections & lived to tell about it.

Chapters cover:

=> fear of rejection & why rejection is just the word we use for fears of all kinds -- failure, success, humiliation, approval (or lack thereof), and more

=> how to make yourself rejection proof. What concrete things can you do to overcome the fear that cripples you?

=> what are your limits? Can you stretch them? Are you taking on more than you can handle & setting yourself up for failure?

=> the power of your mind. The only thing you have to fear is fear itself -- now who said that!?

=> resiliency & flexibility -- do you know when to hold fast & when to give in? Do you see yourself as a victim? Do you see negative situations as everyday occurrences, use them, & move on?

=> maintaining detachment -- take a step back & assess situations.

=> asking for referrals, building rapport, keeping yourself motivated, & knowing when to take a break.

=> staying in the game -- do you know the difference between temporary setbacks & when to throw in the towel?

Shall I go on with more examples? Nah. Just know there's much more.

I found so much useful information in this book. One section that caught my attention while thumbing through the book is what Azriela calls "The Jaffe 3-5 Rule".

Many of us were taught the '3-Foot Rule'. It means that anyone within 3 feet of you is a possible prospect.

Talk about pressure! I never could figure out how to bring up products while standing in line at the post office.

Azriela rejects this notion, too. Her '3-5 Foot Rule' has no pressure attached & reads like this:

"To prosper in your business, focus your efforts on no more than three to five major target markets, using no more than three to five primary marketing tools, and making the most of your three to five greatest business skills. Be sure you spend your time in three to five major business responsibilities, and if possible delegate the rest." (p. 144)

You're not left in the dust after this statement. Azriela walks you through a step-by-step way to implement the idea so it'll work in your specific business & situation.

Then she shows you how to draw up a chart so you can see what needs to be done & then prioritize your tasks.

I'm not categorizing this book. It's not self-help, though it has those aspects. It's not strictly a management book, either.

Let's call it a success book. It will prepare you for the pitfalls of running your business, show you how to avoid them, and, if you do get caught, how to get out of them.

I highly recommend this book. You won't be disappointed...

I loved this book. Not only was it interesting and easy to read, the suggestions offered were y useful for life's rejections as well as business. I appreciated the self-tests at the beginning to help me analyze what I am most afraid of (i.e. cold calling, rejection from a friend) and suggestions on how to deal with these. The cartoons were delightful and the "Try this" section at the end of each chapter gave me specific goals to work on to deal with the fears. I admire Ms. Jaffe's openness about her own family's difficulties in starting a business and appreciated the stories gleaned from 120 interviews with business owners. This book was recommended to me by a fellow intrepeneur and I will certainly pass it on to others. Deb K.

Children and I use this as a Music Curriculum of sorts & sometimes just listen to the CD to hear great hymns. Very Good for a gift, a must have in any home library.

Kids love this book. We use it for our music at Christmas time and for a little music lesson in our homeschool. Love it!

This book is well written and very interesting to my children of a wide range of ages. The accompanying CD is of very good quality and fun to sing along with. My children look forward to doing a hymn study.

I have used this not only at home, but at school. The stories of the hymn writers are fascintating, and the children enjoy singing along with the cd. I've been amazed at the number of children who don't know My Country Tis of Thee. Each of the stories are short enough to be understood, but they always have a moral principal. Just a great resource for parents and Christian educators.

Great stories to help love the old hymns even more. The music is the only children's singing I haven't felt nauseated listening too! Tastefully done and enjoyable to share with our children.

This book was recommended to me by several people at a recent ESOP conference. Feeling that employee input was one of the best ways to build an ownership culture, I purchased the book. I was only 3/4 of the way through it when I found that we had another employee working on an ideas program, planning to give 10% of savings as employee bonuses. I quickly passed the book on to him. As it did with me, it totally changed his way of thinking; he scrapped his initial plan and will be proposing a completely different program that rewards all employees who submit ideas, without the reward being based on the savings.

In "Ideas are Free," the authors synopsize idea programs at several high-performing companies worldwide. They also point out the pitfalls of trying to develop and manage rewards based on savings, instead recommending making idea generation and implementation a part of everyone's job. Finally, they help walk you through how to implement a program at your workplace (although I haven't been able to read that part yet, because my co-worker still has my book! -- He has ordered his own, so I hope to have it back soon.).

I highly recommend this book. It is non-technical and easy to read.

Since my company has an idea program which I believe could be improved, I've read this book. It's short and to the point. It addresses the importance of small ideas for the improvement of the company and the engagement of its employees. It accompanies most of the points with real case stories which make the point even more compelling. Also very important is the chapter related to rewards and the counter-intuitive effects.

Alan G. Robinson and Dean M. Schroeder's IDEAS ARE FREE is for employers who would tap into the riches of employee ideas and insights. Employees are quite opt to recognize both problems and opportunitiestheir managers pass by - but most organizations don't encourage sharing such insights, much less reward them. IDEAS ARE FREE: HOW THE IDEA REVOLUTION IS LIBERATING PEOPLE AND TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS shows how to tap this hidden wealth.

Ideas Are Free: How The Idea Of Revolution Is Liberating People And Transforming Organizations by Alan G. Robinson (Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts) and Dean M. Schroeder (Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Programs in Management at the College of Business Administrations at Valparaiso University) is an innovative guide to saving money, effort, time and also provides an informative introduction to entirely new ways of doing business with front-line employees, making the most out of opportunities and maximizing the benefits of sound, effective management. Robinson and Schroeder aptly examine the intricacies of the business life and include an analysis of a more prosperous, ease-filled advancement for opportunities granted to all, and situational manipulation for a more competently finalized project. Ideas Are Free is very highly recommended reading for all business consultants, corporate executives and departmental managers.

The authors show how important it is to gather ideas and encourage people to think creatively. I wish they would have described more how they could gather these ideas more effectively.

Great book and great read. Another Lencioni hit. I would recommend it for all families. It would be great for newlyweds too, to help them start things right from the beginning.

This book is written in true Lencioni style: a fable throughout. He likens the family to any other organization that needs assistance with management, focus, and purpose. I can see where this will be a difficult pill for families to swallow, but overall, I think it is a good idea. Personally, I would like to see some additional information for how to bring older children into the fold of decision-making for the family, but that may not play into Lencioni's overall belief system. I would recommend this book if you like Lencioni's other books and would enjoy reading about how to apply management principles to the family organization.

In "The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family," fabled Pat Lencioni offers us a fable focusing on the most important organization in life, our family. Motivated by his own experience and observation of his contemporaries, Lencioni concludes today's parents are stressed out and overwhelmed because they operate by the seat of their pants. The long term costs are real but go unappreciated until the family implodes. Unfocused day to day living increases rates of depression, substance abuse, and psychological illness leading to serious dysfunctions and divorce.

Lencioni offers a prescription for restoring sanity and ensuring more purposeful, less frantic lives. It centers on three key questions:
1. What makes your family unique?
2. What is your family's top priority - rallying cry - right now?
3. How will you use the answers? And how will you keep the answers alive?

The fundamental principal applied by Lencioni is context. Once a family knows the context in which it operates, they will have an agreed-upon guide for family decision-making.

My wife, who read this in one sitting, loved the book as well. She noted that Lencioni's model provides couples with an exellent methodology for dialogue on child rearing and day-to-day living. "The model leads to consistency on decisions and a way to judge a couple's response to unplanned events. Most importantly, it will knit couples closer together as it leads to better coordination and mutual support."

This is an excellent book for all families. Prior to the publication of "The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family," Lencioni tested his prescription and provides outcomes from a number of families who tried the medicine. He notes every family plan will be different and will not alleviate all stress, as some chaos is inevitable.

I read "The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family" with my children's families in mind only to discover that Lencioni's sage advice is hard to ignore for any couple, regardless of age.

As a leadership coach, I will be adding this book to my toolbox for the many leaders struggling with balance while growing their career in a time where travel is increased, support staff reduced and demands higher than ever. Thanks for this wonderful resource

My wife and I have really grown with the simple steps outlined in The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family. Our 7 year old is totally involved as well.

I'm a successful business professional, and have always been experiencing mixed feelings during personal life because of the chaos.

At the times our family is disappointed when things aren't living up to our idea of the "perfect day," or month, or year, I have many feelings including:
- Sadness the family is disappointed - seeing the long faces of my wife and kids. I want us to be happy.
- Hopeful since I wait for my family to "finally" realize a little bit of team communication can go a long way to producing the results we want.
- Openly excited that maybe there will be some family buy-in to my desires to focus on teamwork now that we, once again, feel the pain of "what we are doing is not working" - so how about a change in how we do things around the home?

Patrick Lencioni's book has changed that! I read the book first, being a huge fan of all of Lencioni's books. By reading excepts to my lovely spouse, she became interested enough to read the book herself. Soon my wife was saying, "that's me! that's us!" and she read the book as fast as she would read her People magazine!

We are actively participating in the three steps as a family and the results are amazing. Short meetings, once a week, limited to 10 minutes, and our family is so much happier and functional than ever before.

This is a wonderful book for any family. Lots of books have "the right stuff" for families, and what sets The 3 Big Questions apart from other books in my mind is that the story of the fable format will appeal to people who ordinarily wouldn't read a book like this.

I hope to some day meet Mr. Lencioni and thank him in person. Our family life has gone to a whole new level around here!

Appreciative Inquiry Handbook offers a rich, navigational guide for industries across the spectrum. Appreciative Inquiry Handbook reflects a new paradigm in American and global industry; a must-read for industry leaders!

I think this book is an essential first book on the theory and practical application of the positve appreciative process.It defines the terms, provides the research and background of the process and gives first hand stories of its application in the real world.

Excellent, I was very satisfied with the theoretical explanation as well as the practical guides for solving the change management issues.

The handbook is clearly written and introduces not only a new paradigm in thinking about orgaisational change work it also supports change agents in their endeavour to create sustainable and learning organisations. Great practical materials and tools across the spectrum of AI are designed with a lot of ideas how to apply any AI initiative.
This book is well organized and readable and a must for every OD practicioner and change agent.

This handbook guides you in applying appreciative inquiry methods in a variety of settings. We have had good results conducting two facilitation assignments with "Appreciative Intent".

In our most recent assignment, our client was impressed with the quality and quantity of the information gathered. Additionally, members of the client's leadership were also impressed with the level of participation from some of the more "quiet" people in the organization. The one-on-one questionnaire technique levels the playing field for people with a more introverted personality. Also, if you like applying a "Theory of Constraints" approach to operations you will observe that using the interview/questionnaire approach creates a multi-channel process when brain storming. (i.e. more conversations can be carried on simultaneously, thereby creating a larger stream of information or ideas in less time)

The CD alone is worth the investment!