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Encouraging our clients to read books has always been an integral part of our business. As a result, we’d like to periodically share 10 books that we feel should be included in your business and/or personal library. These books are not listed in order of sales, popularity, or recommendation. The numbers are used only for reference purposes.
It was just a matter of time ... If you read The Seven Habits of Highly-Effective People, as well over 15 million readers worldwide have done, you had to know that Stephen Covey would someday, inevitably, give us the 8th Habit. In fact, most of us expected it long before this. Prior to examining his latest contribution, let's take a look at what's occurred since Covey introduced his original work which inspired readers worldwide.
Stephen Covey is one of the few management authorities to have stood the test of time. That fact alone makes him worth listening to, which leads us to The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness. Covey says that the 8th habit is finding one's "voice" ... the quality that makes each person unique. He believes that possession of this quality is the road to success. Covey says that after we find our voice, we can then inspire others to find theirs. Additional support for this thinking comes from Mahatma Gandhi who said: "The difference between what we are doing and what we are capable of doing would solve most of the world's problems." The world has profoundly changed since The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was published in 1989. The challenges and complexity we face in our personal lives and relationships, in our families, in our professional lives, and in our organizations are of a different order of magnitude. In fact, many mark 1989, the year we witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall, as the beginning of the Information Age, the birth of a new reality, truly a new era. The majority of the book details with how, after finding your own voice, you can inspire others and create a workplace where people feel engaged. This includes establishing trust, searching for third alternatives and developing a shared vision. When you study the lives of all great achievers, you will find a pattern. This pattern consists of four capacities: vision, discipline, passion and conscience. These capacities embody many, many other characteristics used to describe those traits we associate with people whose influence is great, whether known to many or few. Covey defines, models and shares examples of each of these timeless principles. The 8th Habit, then, is not about adding one more habit to the seven—one that somehow got forgotten. It's about seeing and harnessing the power of a third dimension to the 7 Habits that meets the central challenges of the New Knowledge Worker Age. This certain-to-be-classic book includes a Bonus DVD of 16 inspirational companion films—each of which will provide additional inspiration and insight for readers. Covey's new book will transform the way we think about ourselves and our purpose in life, about our organizations, and about humankind. Just as The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People helped us focus on effectiveness, The 8th Habit shows us the way to greatness.
Here we have another must-read book to add to your corporate or personal library in your ever-growing Ken Blanchard section. There are a number of reasons to classify Blanchard's latest contribution as a must read—not least of which is the author himself. He has authored or co-authored over 30 books, including one of the best-selling business books of all time, The One Minute Manager and the giant business best-sellers Raving Fans, Gung Ho!, and Whale Done! We've previously reviewed many of his best-sellers on our website. Credited with 15 best-sellers to date, his books have combined sales of more than 17 million copies in 27 languages. There is good reason for those numbers. This man knows of what he speaks. Blanchard and his two co-authors, Jim Ballard and Fred Finch, draw on lessons gleaned from the world's largest restaurant chain as they explain that any company, large or small, can develop a unified, people-first, customer-oriented culture. This relatively small book (195 pages) is packed with practical insights, concepts, strategies, tools, tips, and case studies that will leave you eager to share with your team in an effort to create your own Customer Mania! Time and space restraints prohibit my sharing the myriad of valuable suggestions and examples offered within the pages of Blanchard's soon-to-be next best-seller. However, I can tell you Customer Mania! emphasizes four critical steps:
Don't be misled by the simplicity or familiarity of these powerful steps. The authors not only define each step but also provide vivid examples of each as demonstrated by the world's largest restaurant company, YUM! They also share the impressive success this company has enjoyed as a result of its focused efforts around the four critical steps. You may not be familiar with the name, YUM!, but I'm sure you're familiar with their products, service, and success. In 1997 KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut had been spun off from PepsiCo to form a new entity, Tricon. At that time, Tricon's balance sheet was in trouble. The new company inherited a $4.7 billion debt and its return on invested capital hovered at a feeble 8 to 9 percent. As if that weren't a big enough challenge, in 2002 Tricon bought two additional quick service restaurant brands—Long John Silver's and A & W All American Food Restaurants—and in the process became the world's largest restaurant. At this point, they changed their name to YUM! Brands. Given its financial situation and the sheer size of the enterprise, the task of creating massive cultural change was daunting! Think change is difficult? Try it with 840,000 employees at 33,000 restaurants in more than 100 companies! Were they successful? Since its spin-off in 1997 from PepsiCo, YUM! has more than tripled its earnings per share, doubled its return on investment capital and has taken the market capitalization from $3.7 billion to $10 billion! The $4.7 billion of debt YUM! was saddled with is now just $2.1 billion and today the company has an investment-grade quality balance sheet. In short, not bad! Wanna know how they did it? Read this book! Regardless of how large or small your company is—whether it's conservative or cutting edge, old or new, whether it involves top level executives or front counter folks—you can build it right by focusing on your customers too.
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to be lucky at every turn and others simply can't seem to get a break? Is luck just fate, a psychic gift or a question of intelligence? Are people born lucky? Can you change your luck? And what is it that lucky people have that unlucky people lack? Most of us have asked at least one of these questions at some point in our lives. In this book, Psychologist Dr. Richard Wiseman, a British psychologist with his own research unit at the University of Hertforshire, U.K., sheds a great deal of light on this very interesting subject. Dr. Wiseman conducted a groundbreaking new scientific eight-year study of the phenomenon of luck and the various ways we can bring good luck into our lives. He shares his findings from intensive interviews and experiments with over 400 volunteers, his long-term study of both lucky and unlucky people as well as the work of others. He is more than likely the first to place luck under a scientific microscope, examining the different ways in which lucky and unlucky people think and behave. As a result of his intensive focus on this unique subject, Wiseman arrived at an astonishing conclusion: Luck is something that can be learned. It is available to anyone willing to pay attention to Four Essential Principles:
Dr. Wiseman examines each of the four Principles as well as 12 sub principles that promises to offer "a scientifically proven way to understand, control, and increase your luck. This easy read is filled with real-life stories from hundreds of interviews; inspirational quotes from the likes of Benjamin Franklin and Oprah Winfrey; graphed research data and anecdotes from the lives of the famous such as Harry Truman and Warren Buffett. The Luck Factor also richly portrays the lives of ordinary people who have been extraordinarily lucky or unlucky. Readers can determine their capacity for luck as well as learn to change their luck through helpful exercises that appear throughout the book. Finally Dr. Wiseman gives us a look into "The Luck School" where he instructs unlucky people and also teaches lucky people how to further enhance their luck. Questionnaires and exercises offer guidance on how to acquire or enhance luckiness while keeping a "luck journal" and incorporating techniques to increase intuition, stop negative self-fulfilling prophecies and learn how to effectively network. In addition to the usual tests and exercises common to self-help books, he includes visual games to make his points. The Luck Factor will give you revolutionary insight into the lucky mind and could, quite simply, change your life.
I came across this book on a recent browsing excursion through my local bookstore. I must admit my motive evolved from my admiration and constant reference to the monthly magazine FAST COMPANY. I’ve been an avid fan of this publication for ten years now as it has provided me with a great deal of research data in my roles as a speaker and consultant. Knowing the quality of the magazine content, I was anxious to see what the book had to offer. I certainly wasn’t disappointed. I found 22 chapters covering such essential areas as change, creativity and innovation, communication, customer service, technology, employee retention, leadership and teamwork to name just a few. Each category is introduced by a two-page commentary and weaves two to four essential rules throughout every chapter. At the end of each chapter you’ll find a boxed, bulleted "Fast Take" section providing specific take-aways you can use in your daily routine. The true value of each chapter, however, appears in the form of the tremendous insights, quotes, and valuable advice gathered from over 200 of the greatest business minds in the world. Many are currently active in their specialized fields, some are currently retired, and some left us long ago although their influence will live on forever. It’s a mere 246 pages in length, but each page is filled with a wealth of "timeless truths" from the very best minds in business. Consider just a few of the 200 business leaders, politicians, practitioners, and thinkers who have contributed to this essential desk reference: Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Tom Peters, Jack Welch, Jeff Bezos, Zig Ziglar, Anita Roddick, Peter Drucker, Malcolm Forbes, Sam Walton, Lee Iacocca, Henry Ford, Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, Dale Carnegie, Jim Collins, Kenneth Blanchard, and Warren Bennis. The editors and writers of FAST COMPANY have done a superb job of compiling this valuable group of essential rules that will certainly be an asset to any manager, professional, or executive-to-be.
I've written over 120 book reviews thus far and have never suggested that any book was targeted for any particular audience. However, we all know that there's a first time for everything, and I guess this is one of those times. There's no doubt in my mind that this particular book will only appeal to you if you are a geek ... or a business person ... or an entrepreneur ... or an investor ... or a dreamer ... or a techie ... or a young person ... or a proud parent ... or a visionary ... or a grad student ... or a person who enjoys a great success story. I'll stop there, although the list goes on and on. I'm sure you get the picture. This is a must read! However, it might be wise to understand a little bit about the authors. David Vise is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for the Washington Post and author of three books, and Mark Malseed has contributed to the Washington Post and the Boston Herald as well as doing a great deal of research on Bob Woodward's recent books. Although both authors are reputable writers, you might get the feel that they are great fans of the founders as they tend to focus on all of the wonderful, positive aspects of Google's rise to being the titan of search. Don't expect a negative word about the founders or the company, which might lead some to think the book lacks objectivity. However, other authors, magazines, and books can and will provide you that viewpoint should you yearn for that side of the story. Meanwhile, sit back and relax as you read this captivating tale reminiscent of the popular tale of "Revenge of the Nerds." Here is the story behind one of the most remarkable Internet successes of our time. This book takes you inside the creation and growth of a company whose name is a favorite brand and a standard verb recognized around the world. Join these two very young billionaires as they travel from their first dorm office to an upgrade garage office to their futuristic campus headquarters where they continue their quest to "change the world." I don't have the time or space to share what you'll find captivating about this book, this company, nor the two young men you'll meet within these pages. Let me, instead, share a few random facts. If you find them of interest, read the book. There's much more where this came from. If these few facts don't grab your interest ... be very concerned.
Upon completion of The Google Story, you'll probably feel as though you've just returned from the Land of Oz via the fabled Yellow Brick Road after befriending each and every one of those loveable characters. Upon completion of The Search, you'll definitely feel as though you're back in the black and white version of Dorothy's Kansas, and you can taste the sand in your mouth. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Many will appreciate hearing the yin-yang explanations of a growing phenomenon that is destined to touch the lives of just about everyone in one way or another. This black and white, cut and dried, no-nonsense, very ambitious text comes with a strong pedigree. Author John Battelle knows of what he speaks. He is a co-founding editor of Wired and the founder of The Industry Standard, as well as TheStandard.com. He's also a columnist for Business 2.0, and the founder, chairman, and publisher of Federated Media Publishing. No one is better qualified to explain this entire phenomenon than Battelle who has devoted his career to finding the holy grail of technology—and he has finally found it in "search." The Search is a sweeping survey of the history of Internet search technologies, its gossip about and analysis of Google, and its speculation on the larger cultural implications of a web-connected world. However, The Search offers much more than the inside story of Google's triumph. The author also includes chapters on "Search, Before Google" and the "Who, What, Where, Why, When. And How (Much)" of search. It's also a big-picture book about the past, present, and future of search technology, and the enormous impact it is starting to have on marketing, media, pop culture, dating, job hunting, international law, civil liberties, and just about every other sphere of human interest. The author draws on more than 350 interviews with major players from Silicon Valley to Seattle to Wall Street, including Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin and CEO Eric Schmidt, as well as competitors like Yahoo, Alta Vista, Excite, Lycos, and other pioneers. Battelle clearly reveals how search technology actually works, explores the amazing power of targeted advertising, and reports on the frenzy of the Google IPO, when the company tried to rewrite the rules of Wall Street and declared "don't be evil" as its corporate motto. This book, like The Google Story, will earn a coveted spot on many reputable reading lists. The motives, however, may differ considerably. This publication will draw the attention of the likes of Bill Gates, almost every venture capitalist and startup-hungry entrepreneur in Silicon Valley and a variety of business people, technology futurists, journalists, and interested observers of the concept of Internet search. There are times when the author's descriptions of Internet search technology can get too technical for readers without a computer science background; the book is a deeply researched and nimbly reported look at how search has defined the Internet and how it will continue to be a tremendous reflection of culture.
Make a note of this book title and become acquainted with the author. Even more importantly, consume the content. Read it again and again. Analyze it. Evaluate it. Understand it. Know how it impacts you today and how it will inevitably impact your future. As I travel from coast to coast in my role as a consultant and speaker, I'm fascinated by the reality that this book divides everyone into one of two categories: 1) Those who are very familiar with the author, his research and revelations and 2) those who know nothing of this author or the subjects of globalization and the flattening of the world as we know it. Those in the latter category seem to feel as though this growing trend doesn't affect them in any way and probably never will. This is truly frightening as this trend is impacting every American every day in any one of a variety of ways. This book will inform and astound everyone who reads it or listens to it on audio tape or CD. Thomas L. Friedman has won the Pulitzer Prize three times for his work at The New York Times, where he serves as the foreign affairs columnist. He is also the author of three best-selling books and the winner of the National Book Award. In this revealing page-turner, Friedman demystifies our brave new world for us, allowing us to make sense of the often bewildering global scene unfolding before our eyes. His aim is not to give you a speculative preview of the wonders that are sure to come in your lifetime, but rather to get you caught up on the wonders that are already here. The world isn't going to be flat; it is flat. What Friedman means by "flat" is "connected"—the lowering of trade and political barriers and the exponential technical advances of the digital revolution have made it possible to do business, or almost anything else, instantaneously with billions of other people across the planet. He explains it all in breathless narrative and great detail dating from the year 1492 until today. I can't possibly describe in a few paragraphs what Friedman so eloquently shares in 488 pages so allow me to tease you a bit with a few excerpts that should send you sprinting to your nearest bookstore to get your own copy of what will soon become the coffee-table textbook of anyone who cares about the future of this country and its citizens. Friedman describes "The Ten Forces That Flattened The World" and "The Triple Convergence"—subjects which most of us know very little of even though both affect us in dramatic ways. Friedman elaborates on Bill Gates' statement, "When I compare our high schools to what I see when I'm traveling abroad, I am terrified for our work force of tomorrow. In math and science, our fourth graders are among the top students in the world. By eighth grade, they're in the middle of the pack. By 12th grade, U.S. students are scoring near the bottom of all industrialized nations." "In 2001, India graduated almost a million more students from college than the United States did. China graduates twice as many students with bachelor's degrees as the U.S., and they have six times as many graduates majoring in engineering. In the international competition to have the biggest and best supply of knowledge workers, America is falling behind." In many small- and medium-sized hospitals in the US, radiologists are outsourcing reading of CAT scans to doctors in India and Australia! In 2003, some 25,000 U.S. tax returns were done in India! In 2005, that number topped 400,000! In most cases, tax-payers were totally unaware of the out-sourcing. There are currently 245,000 Indians answering phones or dialing out to solicit people for credit cards or cell phone bargains or overdue bills. Jet Blue has outsourced its entire reservation systems to housewives in Utah. If you own a Toshiba laptop computer that is under warranty and it breaks and you call Toshiba to have it repaired, Toshiba will tell you to drop it off at a UPS store and have it shipped to Toshiba, and it will get repaired and shipped back to you. Here's what they don't tell you: UPS doesn't just pick up and deliver your laptop. UPS actually repairs the computer in its own UPS-run workshop dedicated to computer and printer repairs at its Louisville hub. You can now ship your laptop one day, get it repaired the second day and have it delivered back to you on the third day—thus enhancing the once-tarnished Toshiba reputation for taking forever to handle repairs. By the way, the UPS repairmen and women are all certified by Toshiba. UPS is not just delivering packages, it is synchronizing global supply chains for companies large and small. These are just a few of the fascinating examples you'll discover in this groundbreaking new book. Friedman consistently points out that globalization and the flattening of the world offer us as many opportunities as it does challenges. In fact, he claims we can actually flourish in this new flat world but it will take the "right imagination" and the "right motivation" ... both of which he describes in detail. The author wants to tell you how exciting this new world is, but he also wants you to know you're going to be trampled if you don't keep up with it. This book makes one think, and then think again. Here we are busy with our day-to-day life, not paying attention to what is ongoing in the world around us. Thomas Friedman surely opens the eyes with this book and makes you consider where your role is in the flat world. This book is required reading for anyone concerned about our future.
Jack Welch has written a number of books on a variety of subjects such as leadership, management, business, values, and competition, to name just a few. Even more books have been written about him and his illustrious career with General Electric. When this particular book hit the book stores, I received a number of comments, via e-mail and in person, from friends and associates who were eager to share their impressions. Oddly enough, the reviews were mixed. In fact, they ranged from one end of the spectrum to the other. Several told me it was the very best book they've read by and/or about the man who Fortune Magazine crowned "Manager of the Century," Others told me that it was nothing more than a re-hash of every other book he's written. After reading the book myself, I could obviously identify with both viewpoints. In fact, I did. However, I believe this outcome was intentional for a number of reasons. Winning was a joint effort for Jack and his wife Suzy. His talented wife is the former editor of the Harvard Business Review. She attended Harvard University and the Harvard Business School, and is the author of numerous articles about leadership, creativity, change and organizational behavior, and a contributor to several books about general management. I must admit I've met very few people who are neutral on the subject of Jack Welch. Most everyone seems to love the man or hate the man. That might have something to do with the fact that the man's personal life differed somewhat from his management philosophies. Obviously, readers focus more on one than the other. Those who choose to focus on his personal life, may very well find reason to disapprove of him. However, if you want some simple, powerful and proven management practices, then he is arguably one of the best ever. Personal feelings aside, you can't ignore the facts. Jack Welch knows how to win. During his forty-year career at General Electric, he led the company to year-after-year success around the globe, in multiple markets, against brutal competition. He transformed the industrial giant from a sleepy "Old Economy" company with a market capitalization of $4 billion to a dynamic new one worth nearly half a trillion dollars. His honest, be-the-best style of management became the gold standard in business, with his relentless focus on people, teamwork, and profits. Since Welch retired in 2001 as chairman and chief executive officer of GE, he has traveled the world, speaking to more than 250,000 people and answering their questions on dozens of wide-ranging topics. He decided to write this book as a way to provide documented answers to the many questions he received during his travels. Welch's objective in this book is to speak to people at every level of the organization, in companies large and small. His audience is everyone from line workers to college students and MBAs, from project managers to senior executives. He kicks things off with an introductory section called "Underneath It All" where he shares his personal business philosophy. The core of the book is then divided into three sections:
The final section of the book Welch calls "Tying Up Loose Ends." Those interested in the human side of great leaders will find this last section especially appealing. In it, Welch answers the most interesting questions that he's received in the last several years while traveling the globe addressing audiences of executives and business-school students. Critics seem to agree that Winning is destined to become the bible of business for generations to come. To avoid the content of this book because you disapprove of Jack—the man—would be a disservice to you, the student of leadership. There is a wealth of valuable insights, original thinking, and solutions to nuts-and-bolts problems within these pages. It's difficult to think of anyone in business who wouldn't benefit from reading this savvy, engaging cubicle-to-boardroom guide to success.
If you know of Peter Drucker, the 95-year-old Austrian-born author and analyst who left behind a body of work that laid the foundation for modern management science, you'll want this book. If you know little or nothing of this man who was often called "the world's most influential business guru" and top management thinker in the world, you need this book. Peter Drucker died in November of this year (2005). He is the American Business Philosopher—a guru and teacher who writes about the business of business in a fundamental and memorable way. He has written more than three dozen books, translated into 30 languages, over a period of 66 years. In addition, he has written countless articles for newspapers and magazines world-wide. Millions of people read those books and articles. Millions more, even if they never read Drucker, knew his concepts and catch-phrases: "management by objective," "knowledge worker," "empowered employee," "privatization," "decentralization," "creative abandonment," and the list goes on and on. His thinking transformed corporate management in the latter half of the 20th century and his work influenced Winston Churchill, Bill Gates, Jack Welch and the entire Japanese business establishment. I was always personally impacted by the fact that, until the day he died, Peter Drucker referred to himself as a student rather than a teacher. He expressed gratitude each day for what he learned from others. We'd be much better off if only today's high school and college students would adapt that life-long philosophy. This hardbound book is an anthology of 366 brief excerpts from Drucker's 36 books and countless articles. Drucker himself explains that "the most important part of this book is the blank spaces at the bottom of its pages. They are what the readers will contribute, their actions, decisions and the results of these decisions. For this is an action book." The reader is also provided with an extensively annotated bibliography and a comprehensive list of "Readings by Topic." Oddly enough, this book actually resembles a bible and even has a ribbon to mark your page. For so many business leaders, Drucker was a business guru akin to a spiritual guru. His insights are profound, logical, and prophetic. Indeed, his words were a guidebook to those he inspired. This is a book that can fit on anyone's desk for a quick dose of inspiration. No other business thinker has been more influential than Peter Drucker. Every page should be read, meditated, and implemented. It should be read everyday. The content is far from being technical. A business education or background certainly isn't required to understand or enjoy it. The book is a joy to read for those who seek business knowledge in its highest form. If you are going to buy only one Drucker book, then buy this one as it contains his best collections. Future generations will continue to benefit from his intellectual journey in the coming 1000 years. This fine collection of "Druckerisms" would make a fine gift for anyone. Its content will be as relevant in a century as it is today. His longtime friend and colleague, professor Joseph A. Maciariello, assisted with the selection and organization of the material. Here are just a few of the excerpts:
As long as I can remember, business leaders have traditionally borrowed from successful sports strategies to run their companies. Many players and coaches, from a variety of popular sports, have written books that ended up in corporate libraries. However, the proverbial "tables" have apparently turned. I just read a very interesting cover story on the front page of the Money section of USA Today. The focus of this two-page feature revolves around the ironic fact that this book is becoming a must-read for NFL head coaches. The irony is obvious. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team was written for business executives and managers. A football audience was so far from the mind of author Patrick Lencioni that the parable's heroine is a 57-year-old female CEO named Kathryn who talks about such sappy things as fear of conflict. Apparently a large number of coaches and players in the NFL are learning a thing or two from a business book about winning tactics in the workplace. Author Lencioni says he was stunned to learn that his growing list of fans include: San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan, Oakland Raiders coach Norv Turner, San Diego Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer, Miami Dolphins rookie coach Nick Saban, Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel, and Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis. Several of the coaches even distributed copies to their assistant coaches and players, and Coach Lewis keeps a four-color printout of the book's pyramid on his desk to remind him of the five dysfunctions that can cripple a team. You might wonder why a business book would be of such great interest in the NFL? When you think about it, it's rather obvious. Head coaches and players are struggling with many of the same challenges that CEO's and employees are forced to contend with in today's competitive and ever-changing environment. The popularity of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team isn't exclusive to NFL coaches. Teams playing everything from cricket in New Zealand to tennis at Northwestern University have employed its lessons. Published in 2002, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team never rose to the level of best seller. However, more recently, demand has grown, and over the past two years, it has outsold almost all but a few leadership/management books such as Who Moved My Cheese?, Good to Great, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The 8th Habit and Now, Discover Your Strengths, according to USA Today book sales data. This is a genuinely significant book for anyone who works in a team environment, whether at work, in sports, in the community, at home, etc. Over the years, there have been hundreds of books written on the subject of building teams. This is one of the best for the simple reason that it gets at the ROOTS of team failure. Anyone who has been forced to go through corporate "team building" sessions, forcing you to sing with your fellow co-workers, tip toe across two-by-fours, or swing on a rope like Tarzan knows that this approach doesn't work! The principles presented in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team are solid and will get results. These are the five team dysfunctions that Lencioni uses in his leadership fable:
This book will be a great asset to team members and leaders alike. You will see yourself and your team in this book. More than that, you will find specific steps you can take to make your team better. Through a real life fable, the author leads you through the steps you need to take to move a team from dysfunction to health. You will find a clear model as well as examples that are as relevant as your last meeting. The majority of the book deals with a fictional CEO and her efforts to unite a dysfunctional team that is in such disarray that it threatens to destroy the entire company. Throughout the story, the author reveals the five dysfunctions that go to the very heart of why teams, even the very best, often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles to build a cohesive, effective team. n the last few pages of the book, the author describes each dysfunction in detail, followed by suggestions to overcome that dysfunction. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team gives a simple message that inspires, energizes, and creates a vision of hope for how thing could be in a team. Coaches agree that there is a lot that goes into a winning team, and no book will ever play more than a tiny role. But in the NFL, as in business, a slight edge can make the difference. |
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a firm specializing in custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. He can be reached at 800-886-2MAX or by visiting http://www.AchieveMax.com.
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