Organizations Books

I recently heard Mark Graham Brown speak at a conference and thought he was fantastic. I started reading his new book Get it, Set it, Move it, Prove it and it is a great read. For those of you who are looking into performance management, this book is insightful, humourous and to the point. From hearing Mark speak and reading his book I've come to expect a certain standard and he more than exceeds it in this book. Not only can you relate to the stories and experiences in the book, it makes you think about your organization, what kind of things to avoid and how to better manage your organizations performance.

This book is refreshing for those tired of business jargon. Its a great reference of businesss excellence practices, presented with no nonsense terminology, using time tested principals created by others failures! Marks ability to simplify the Malcomb Baldrige Quality critera really shows through.
Don Hoffert- Director -Continuous Improvement Storaenso NA.

I loved this book. It was easy to read and comprehend. Down to earth examples and to the point. Many I could relate to as having been there. Great summaries of things "to do" and "not do". I also found the index unique and helpful. This book is great and should be a required reading requirement for everyone in an organization especially manager/decision makers. It is a great reference book that I will use before making major decisions and I will keep it handy and refer to it often. I sure have made a lot of mistakes in the past, thanks for pointing them out. A really great and informative book, everyone who works should read it.

This book is a unique resource for organizations, employers, and people who care about the diversity in their midst. Melissa Marshall's approach to helping people understand why they should care if they're physically and programatically accessible is...well...accessible. As one of the people she trains says, "You mean it's fair!"
Marshall is funny and creative, and is clear that she isn't interested in having people feel guilty. She talks about her adventures navigating a wheelchair through Chicago's O'Hare airport, hotel fires, offering fabulous prizes (like finger puppets)to button-down corporate types, and using masks to help people "get it" about what it means to be disabled today.
This is a book that should be on the shelf of anyone who trains around issues of diversity, all human resources staff, and executives of for-profit and not-for-profit corporations alike.
Get it!

This book is an exceptional resource for any trainer who needs to learn more about disability,

This book is a unique resource for organizations, employers, and people who care about the diversity in their midst. Melissa Marshall's approach to helping people understand why they should care if they're physically and programatically accessible is...well...accessible. As one of the people she trains says, "You mean it's fair!"
Marshall is funny and creative, and is clear that she isn't interested in having people feel guilty. She talks about her adventures navigating a wheelchair through Chicago's O'Hare airport, hotel fires, offering fabulous prizes (like finger puppets)to button-down corporate types, and using masks to help people "get it" about what it means to be disabled today.
This is a book that should be on the shelf of anyone who trains around issues of diversity, all human resources staff, and executives of for-profit and not-for-profit corporations alike.
Get it!

A very helpful and enjoyable read. The stories really helped to bring the book into the context of our daily lives. It was easy to relate to many of the families in the book...and Bempechat's advice was reasonable and easy to follw. She didn't make the reader feel like there was an absolute "right and wrong" way, but points out some of the pitfalls we, as parents, all find ourselves in when trying to motivate our children in school.

This book is wonderfully informative and entertaining. Bempechat speaks in language accessible to all parents about the struggles we all face trying to do the best for our kids' education. Her anecdotes and suggestions for dealing with everyday problems, such as homework, are right on the mark. Not at all preachy, Bempechat urges that we think about what works best for us and our families, to help us help our kids do well in school. A must read!

A very helpful and enjoyable read. The stories really helped to bring the book into the context of our daily lives. It was easy to relate to many of the families in the book...and Bempechat's advice was reasonable and easy to follw. She didn't make the reader feel like there was an absolute "right and wrong" way, but points out some of the pitfalls we, as parents, all find ourselves in when trying to motivate our children in school.

I thought this would be mostly about financial aid too, but it wasn't. My mother gave me this book before I went off to college (Freshman at Jackson State University). My sister also read it before she went to school and it teaches you about how to manage your money in all financial areas including your credit cards. I recommend this book to all college students no matter what level your at. This can help you put your money matters in order.

This book really covers it all - from financial aid to money management to real student experiences with paying for college and budgeting their time and money - it was the most well-written and accessible money-related book i've ever read. As I prepare for my freshman year, I'm now much less stressed about how to handle all of the money issues that come with college. Buy this book!

I thought this book would be mostly about financial aid, but it has so much more information that it's probably the most helpful money management book I've ever read. With quotes, essays, and interviews from students and recent graduates, this book is a great resource to make the right financial aid decisions, but also for dealing with all money matters including credit cards, budgets, and handling the stress of the college bill! I definitely recommend this book to any year college student! (I'm a sophomore.)

The Global Corporation is required reading for those who seek to understand the complex issues and problems that are an important part of the future of those companies seeking to do business outside of their traditional home market. The book is well rounded in scope and conveys its message in a clear, concise and easy to follow manner. It first begins with a lesson in the history of the world economy and its various market structures. The rest of the book is dedicated to analyzing the multifaceted issues that are common to all companies who are now or will in the future compete in the multinational/global arena. I highly recommend this book to anyone whose career, interests, or academic studies are in anyway related to economics and business.

It's very excellent book. It show's how each market has it's own prespective markets throughout the world.

The author profiles the characteristics of a global corporation-distinct from a multinational, this is an enterprise consisting of a network of independent entrepreneurs operating autonomous units, with support and guidance, but not control, from headquarters. The parent company treats each national market as part of a regional or global network. This is an interesting and well written book about an increasingly important subject. Reviewed by Yvette Borcia, co-founder, Stern & Associates, co-author of Stern's Sourcefinder The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and Stern's Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder

Absolutely brilliant, absolutely fascinating, absolutely timely,and absolutely of great importance. This is an excellent and extremely informative book for those participating in the upcoming elections. After having read The God Stragegy, the reader will be able to listen to the candidates with a more informed ear and will be able to make more informed choices on their ballots. David Domke and Kevin Coe have done their homework in researching this book. Their ideas aren't just off the tops of their heads; they can back up every statement they make, and do so. The God Strategy is definitely a book for both readers of faith and non-believers alike. For those with religious beliefs who might tend to shy away from the title alone, David Domke is a self-professed Christian. The God Strategy is a must read for those who are concernced about making America a strong and compassionate country.
By Carol White, Tacoma, Washington

If you read David Domke's last book, "God Willing", (a must read for every
one) which exposed the myth of a Free and Independent Press during the
current Bush administration following 9/11, and the calculated steps taken
by Bush and his staff to craft a framework to grow support for the president's
policies and his growing reliance on the ideology of Political Fundamentalism, then you will really enjoy this new book. You will also come to understand how politicians, thru a strategic communication approach grounded in a conservative religious worldview, "The "God Strategy" were able to achieve the two tasks listed above.



This new book traces the growth of the God Strategy in American politics
from the days of President Franklin Roosevelt to the current George Bush and
how both the Republicans and the Democrats have embraced the joining of
religion and politics. Domke and co-author, Kevin Coe lay out in great detail how politics
and religion came together and how both sides, to push agendas and win
elections with results that often threaten the very foundations of American
Democracy, have used this wedding



In reading the" God Strategy" I have come to understand some of the how's,
why's, and so what's involved in the rise of religion in American politics. I
am surely more aware of the subtleties used by both sides in their efforts
to shape a new America. I am even more aware of the misguided and often
angry methods used by the followers of the God Strategy in achieving their
end results and of the price America as a nation might be called on to pay
for those methods

Thanks Domke and Coe for this interesting, insightful and well-researched view of religion in America politics.

"The God Strategy" is a well-written, meticulously researched, and eye-opening examination of how U.S. politicians (particularly our four most recent presidents) use religion to win votes. It's also a genuinely interesting read. If you're at all curious about just how influential religion has become in today's political arena, you need to read this book. David Domke and Kevin Coe provide clear and varied examples that show how campaigns have increasingly capitalized on the use of religious messages (the God strategy) to get their candidates elected. Once you have read this book you will view the current presidential campaign in a whole new light; I have been amazed at how many times in the past couple months I've noticed politicians using this strategy in political ads or during debates. It is as if the authors predicted exactly what is now occurring. Clearly, this is a testament to the strength of the research that informs this book. "The God Strategy" should be a part of every thinking person's library.

Out of all house church books, this is my favorite because of the straightforward and concise dissertation on the hinderances to Biblical community, outreach, service, and fellowship that most Institutional Churches naturally inhibit.

Easy to read yet deeply profound in meaning, Smith gives adequate Scripture and documented research as to the problems hindering true revival in our churches today. Free from bitterness or complaining, the author recognizes that God is still sovereign over all His church, regardless of our flawed platforms, yet advocates the house church model as one that is most Biblically centered on Christ's purpose for believers. He also leaves plenty of freedom to enjoy variety within the house church model, structure, and operation, using language free from a dogmatic and know-it-all pretense.

In all his proposals, most readers will feel quite convicted by their dependence upon being a spoonfed benchwarming puppet on Sunday, their wasted resources on useless building expenditures, their prideful disunifying sectarianism within their denomination, and their lack of concern for the needs of others in their community. Smith admonishes a 24/7 Christianity where EVERYTHING you do is glorifying to God...including your job, family, chores, free time, etc., instead of just doing the usual list of spiritual things proscribed by the church. No wonder we can't feel the power of God or the freedom for the Holy Spirit to move in our hearts and our gatherings!

A MUST HAVE BOOK for any student of the Scriptures or those who feel there has to be more to the Christian life than the usual Sunday morning routine.

I have read many books on church restoration. This is currently the one I am recommending to those who notice the problems, but are unsure of the answers. For those who recognize that the plethora of religious gimicks and more "purpose-driven" products will not do... this book is for you.

There are many authors today that are very elequently able to articulate the problem with the church today, yet... most of them are not able to do what Smith has done in his gentle presentation. The problems in the institutional church are great and the people who support it are very dependent upon it. I submit to you that slamming them with their error is not the most effective means of conversion. Smith presents biblical truth as an invitation. He reveals the problem and invites you to discover the answer. He allows the Holy Spirit to connect the dots!

I appreciated Smith's focus on community from the very start. I also was refreshed by his obvious influence of the Anabaptist tradition. It was a breath of fresh air to hear a "house church" proponent talk about the doctrine of the two kingdoms and radical discipleship.

Christ is the answer to the church's ills today. A return to the person and work of Christ is the foundation of our faith. Ultimately, people must receive a fresh new vision of Christ and his work (life and teachings) before anything of true worth can take place. Then, there must be an undestanding of God's image in us is community. The Trinity enjoys community in eternal love and faithfulness. This is the image in which we were created. We experience this community together in the church once we have seen Jesus (God in the flesh) as he truly is and we gather around him in natural Body life.

If you are noticing the problems and are looking for more than just pop-culture American Christianity... or maybe you are just curious... I encourage you to get this book. So far... Smith's book is the one to start with... in my humble opinion.

After reading Smith, I suggest reading:

The Centrality of Jesus Christ (Works of T. Austin-Sparks)
The Normal Christian Life
The Release of the Spirit
Created for Community,: Connecting Christian Belief with Christian Living
Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices
Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community

Christian Smith goes to the heart of the problems within the organized Christian church. He does more than just complain about the way things are though ... he offers practical solutions to each problem in easy to understand text.

If you are still in the organized church -- yet, you see that "the emperor has no clothes," this book is for you. It will confirm many things that the Lord has been showing you. It will give you the strength to leave the "dog and pony show" (the performance-based church) and to forge out in the land that the Lord will show you.

If you desire to meet in a simple way with other believers and develop true relationships -- then this book is for you. It will give you the tools you'll need to begin your journey.

This book received such a glowing in-depth review (from reviewer "Center for Nonprofit Management"), I was disappointed to see that it was out-of-print.

Then I saw the good news - there's a second edition of this book (which strangely was published only 7 days before the in-depth review was written)!

So fret not, you activist, grant-writing wannabes (or is that grant-writing, activist wannabes?), just head on over to ISBN 0787965782 and begin your journey of making a difference!

If you come in to our nonprofit management support organization and ask for a book on grant proposal writing, there are two we'll pull out right away: Grassroots Grants and Winning Grants Step by Step. We're often asked which to choose. Of all the books we see, these are the two we most often recommend, but they do have different approaches.

Winning Grants Step by Step takes a pragmatic tone. It accepts the rules of the game and offers to show you how to win within them. "Most funders prefer to give grants for new and expanding programs or in support of special projects and new ideas rather than for the general operating expenses of an organization or the ongoing costs of established programs," it explains. "Because funders have these preferences, this workbook uses the idea of creating a new program as the basis for developing a proposal." (The book does also give examples of core operating support proposals, and does start with a planning guide to help you see which programs fit your priorities).
In the introduction to Grassroots Grants, on the other hand, the publisher shares her qualms about publishing a book about grants at all, preferring that the reader focus first on developing more renewable and less restricted gifts from individual donors. "This book is about two things: money and power," says Grassroots Grants, and calmly analyzes the dynamics of both in the grant proposal process. This big-picture view is in the end more pragmatic - it encourages you to take control of the grantseeking process by searching out those funders and pitching those programs that really best fit with what you are trying to do.

Both books have excellent project planning guidelines. As Winning Grants Step by Step observes, "Generally, organizations will spend approximately 80 percent of their time planning a project and only 20 percent of their time writing and packaging a proposal," so this section is obviously very important. Both books ask questions such as "What is unique about your organization's project?" "Is anyone else working on a similar project?" "What members of your community support each project?"

Both also contain useful information about finding appropriate funders, which is key to the process - much more important than your writing skills is finding the right funder who cares about projects like yours. Although Winning Grants Step by Step puts this information at the end in an appendix, you should really read it first, particularly the excellent section on corporate giving programs. Grassroots Grants contains very helpful guidelines about what to consider when deciding whether a funder is really a good fit for your organization, and detailed information about ways to develop good relationships with potential funders.

The books have different approaches to how they help you with your own writing. Winning Grants Step by Step has a workbook format, with questionnaires you fill out as you go, so that by the time you have completed them you will have addressed most of the subjects covered in a typical proposal, and it will be easy to cut and paste the appropriate bits into the funder's preferred format. It comes with all the worksheets on a CD-ROM so you can fill them out electronically and reuse them. If you like project planning, but get nervous about the writing process, this format may help walk you through. Grassroots Grants has questionnaires throughout the text, and it has more examples of proposals, query letters, and other documents with notes on how they were developed. If you like to write by reading examples to inspire you to your own purposes, this book will suit you.

Ultimately, these books complement one another. Even if you prefer the workbook format of Winning Grants Step by Step, the "big picture" you get from reading Grassroots Grants will help you answer all those questions. Likewise, if you prefer the style of Grassroots Grants, you can still benefit from the excellent sections on overhead costs and planning for sustainability in Winning Grants Step by Step.

Andy Robinson tells it straight and tells it true - this is a very clear and lucid text on the art of getting grants, written from a grassroots perspective. I especially appreciated the wealth of samples and examples. Robinson holds your hand through the whole process from beginning research all the way through to dealing with acceptance and rejection letters.

Not another sucker how-to book, this is a delightfully literate memoir of a smart man's journey to develope and market his own gadget, a hand held ozone sniffing device called Eco-Sensor. Guided by his father's example and supported by his loyal wife, Kilham forged bravely past the snapping jaws of a dropping market, fickle financing, parts shortages and personnel problems like security guard Lila's exciting gender transformation. Not just an inventor, Kilham created a highly satisfying business to manufacture and sell his product. He tells a delightful family history along the way.

"Great Idea" won't sell you any tapes and it doesn't flog his product, Eco-Sensor, because that's not his mission. Ever his father's son, Kilham wants to encourage us to be true to ourselves, to keep on through failure and to always, always reach for excellence. You don't have to be an engineer or even a business person to love this book. I could hardly put it down.

This book is full of wonderful examples of things for the entrepreneur to expect and beware of. I ususally circle a few such key passages in the text of any book, and jot the page numbers inside the cover. I ran out of room to write page numbers!

This is a book written in language that can be understood for all levels by an author who has had the hands on experience it takes to get an idea off the ground. It has definately impacted my thoughts in planning my future process for my company. Highly recommended

Beautifully -- in places lyrically -- written, this small volume makes a compelling case for preservation of the natural beauty that once prevailed throughout North America, and which now has become all too rare. Never straying far from her main theme (the life of Grey Owl), Jane Billinghurst draws us into the passion and dedication of her subject, leading us reflect on environmental questions not as dry policy issues, but as ones that can relate to an almost spiritual connection between the individual and his natural surroundings. Must reading for historians, environmentalists, and those with an interest in Canada, this insightful book is thoroughly rewarding for the general reader as well. Very highly recommended.

It has been said, "one cannot judge a book by it's cover", however, we must also keep in mind that there are no absolutes as this book is a story which is depicted, in large measure, by the cover. Sensitive, warm, and poetic presentation of the life and contributions of Grey Owl. The photos exceptional in quality, and accurate as to life and times of the era. These are real people, places, and times that were a part of North American history. The manner in which sayings and aspects of Grey Owl are available as the story unfolds are done in such a manner I think you get two books for the price of one. I read the book from cover to cover the first time then re-read the white pages only, and then followed by reading the tan colored pages. Either way it is easy, fast, and enjoyable. I think the author did an excellent job in demonstrating the efforts of Grey Owl. He was an interesting fellow who had a vision and purpose in life which is so unique that a major moving picture has been make about him as well as four documantaries. Jane Billinghurst has created a work which makes possible an interpretation of the content, by the reader, as it is a factual and well documented treatise. There have been several books published about Grey Owl, in my opinion this is, like the Land of Shadows (Don Smith), is a must read for a deeper appreciation of this most remarkable fellow, Grey Owl.

This is a wonderful book. Well researched and balanced. Jane Billinghurst tells the story of Archie B. and I could not put it down. Other's have borrowed it and have praised it also. I am off to check out what else Billinghurst has written!