In a thought provoking study, author John Izzo interviewed many elderly people to determine The Five Secrets you Must Discover Before You Die. Though what he learned is not all that shocking, the book provides a great reminder to what is most important while we are here on this earth. Living these secrets, the author argues, will result in a happy and fulfilled life. The five secrets include: be true to yourself, leave no regrets, become love, live the moment, and give more than you take. One of the most meaningful parts of this book is toward the end when the author offers advice on how to apply these secrets into our lives. His ideas and strategies are unique and simple, and they add value to those who are truly driven and passionate about changing their lives. Lastly, the author discusses the “greatest” fear of those near death, but you will have to read the book to find that out. The book is a quick read as it is short and simple, thus there is no reason not to read it. This book provokes meaningful reflection and a desire to live more fully, and for those reasons I give it 3 stars.
Accountability is a big buzzword in the workplace and in our society in general but what does it really mean and how can we effectively hold others accountable? And with how busy, chaotic, and sensitive things are these days is it really even possible or worth it? The authors of Crucial Accountability, Patterson, Greeny, Maxfield, McMillian, Switzler, answer these questions with an emphatic yes. Much like their other book Crucial Conversations, this new book deals with how to effectively communicate with others during some of the most difficult times and provides many strategies, tools, and tips to help you do it well. Some of the information provided in this book is overlap and review from some principles found in Crucial Conversation but many strategies and techniques are also new. Though slow and repetitive at times, I’d encourage anyone who wants to become a master communicator to read this book. Because the book can be super helpful in helping us communicate better, I give it 3 stars.
As is nearly always the case with author Patrick Lencioni, his ideas found in his bookThe Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive are incredibly simple in theory but require consistent discipline in order to put them in to practice. In this leadership fable Lencioni gives four things an executive must focus on in order to be extraordinary and they can be summed up like this: be cohesive, be clear, over communicate, and reinforce. These four obsessions when practiced well, lead to what the author calls a “healthy” organization which can be a huge competitive advantage for any company. The book illustrates this through a story about an overworked executive who discovers that these four simple obsessions help his organization the most and allow him to eliminate doing less essential things. Though not one of my most favorites from the author, I believe anyone who follows Lencioni’s advice in this book will be much closer to becoming extraordinary and therefore I give it a very solid 3 stars.
How the Mighty Fall by Jim Collins is another really good, quick read for all business leaders. Much like the authors previous book Good to Great, to avoid an eventual fall a mighty company must maintain a high level of discipline. Through his study of mighty companies that have fallen, the author finds a disturbing pattern of hubris or excessive pride that leads to many poor decisions and actions in organizations. These poor choices compound and eventually completely destroy what was once mighty if not corrected. Though it appears that “all good things must come to an end”, the comforting knowledge gleaned from the author is that falls are almost always self-inflicted and therefore can be avoided or turned around. This is a good read and I give 3 stars.
Patients Come Second by Paul Spiegelman and Britt Berrett is a good and simple read. To some the title seems strange but the ideas and philosophy behind the title are powerful and helpful for any business leader or organization. Throughout the book the authors share many personal experiences and examples from their careers that help explain and emphasize what the title is all about. And though the ideas found in the book such as having fun, measuring performance, and showing genuine love and concern for others are fairly basic, most often it is the simple things that have the greatest impact on success. If you are at all worried or intrigued by this book’s title I encourage you to read my blog about the book which provides further insight and explanation. And though you may not find any hard analytics or data, or even any new earth shattering ideas, this book does share good organizational practices that all businesses and leaders should pursue in order to have the best results possible. I give the book 3 stars.
Bringing Out the Best in People by Aubrey C. Daniels is a great book that teaches that reinforcement is the key to unlocking the power of human behavior. Though this message is repeated again and again throughout the book, its power and value are worth repeating because everything we do as human beings essentially is a result of some form of reinforcement. And knowing and understanding the power of reinforcement will help us be successful in any situation. The book also provides some data and studies that help us know what works and what doesn’t in influencing human behavior. I would strongly recommend the book to any who leads and give the book 3 stars.
The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Peale is a wonderful book that teaches many of life’s secrets to success. Our thoughts have such a powerful impact on who we are and what we become in life and this book gives strategies and ideas on how we can use our thoughts to our advantage. Through positive thinking, “imagineering” (or picturing our goals), to thinking about others the author gives effective examples on how we can be our best selves. The book was written in 1963 with some funny details in stories that seem odd based on our time today but the basic topics in the book are powerful. The book is also Christian based and has references to scriptures and spiritual truths such as turning to prayer that I believe also will bless our lives. For those concerned about a Christian based book this is probably not for you though the many truths and lessons in the book are universal. The author at times does “overdo it” too in my opinion on hammering home and repeating points but overall the content of the book is so good, therefore I give it 3 stars.
Still Alice by Lisa Genova is a very intriguing and compelling book that follows a very successful Harvard Professor and her family through her battle with early on-set Alzheimer’s disease. Alice had overcome many difficulties in her life yet she had never faced a challenge quite like this as she begins to lose the ability to do some of the simplest tasks in life. Through denial, fear, anger, and acceptance we read how one family and one person learns to cope and handle this dreaded disease. Still Alice will make you laugh and make you cry as you follow Alice’s progression through this debilitating disease. Reading Still Alice will also bring compassion to your heart and understanding to your mind. I would highly recommend this book to any and all but especially to those who know someone or have known someone with Alzheimer’s disease. I rate it 3 stars.
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If Disney Ran your Hospital by Fred Lee is an interesting book about a career healthcare professional who spends time working in the Disney organization and learns that many of the Disney business strategies and approaches, if implemented into healthcare, could greatly improve the industry. Thus, in this book, the author discusses 9 ½ of these ideas or strategies and illustrates how adopting these same strategies in healthcare or in any business would advance results and enhance success. I believe the book does contain a small portion of the magic of Disney and that the ideas are creative and sound, and if implemented could improve any business. I encourage business leaders to read the book and discover the strategies shared. And just imagine how life would be different if every company ran their business like Disney…3stars!
Teamwork is the main theme of Patrick Lencioni’s book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. In this book, the author outlines how to effectively work as great teams by eliminating five of the most common dysfunctions that impede a team’s ultimate success. The first dysfunction and the most important to a team’s success is an absence of trust. The second is fear of conflict which results in artificial harmony among team members. The third is a lack of commitment often due to ambiguity. The fourth is the avoidance of accountability and the last dysfunction is an inattention to results. Like most of Lencioni’s books, the ideas expressed in this book are simple yet very powerful. However, because the story in this book is a little less interesting and entertaining than what I’ve come to expect from the author, I will give it 3 out of 4 stars.
The Four Agreements is an easy read, and it is an interesting and profound book about life and happiness. It challenges our current thoughts and belief system while inspiring us to find happiness—emphasizing that happiness is a conscious choice. The four agreements are to be impeccable with our word, to not take anything personally, to avoid making assumptions, and to always do our best. As we practice and learn to live these agreements in our life, we will be able to find a greater level of peace and happiness. And the key to the power of living the four agreements is letting go of our fear while giving and accepting love. Though the book is a little too numinous for my taste, its insights and wisdom are invaluable, and for that reason I give it a solid 3 out of 4 stars.
It is definitely worth the 2-3 hour investment of time it takes to read this short book. Though it is simple, the story found in this book is both inspiring and helpful to all leaders. In the book, The Five Temptations of a CEO, author Patrick Lencioni describes five common traps leaders often succumb to that ultimately hinder their success. The temptations are neither surprising nor earth shattering, but they are instead very simple and obvious. The real problem is not that these temptations are unknown or hidden, but rather that so many leaders fail to avoid them. Thus, the book serves as a great reminder to all leaders. Through first recognizing and then overcoming these temptations, leaders will have greater results, and for that reason I give the book a solid 3 stars.
Rules of the Red Rubber Ball written by Kevin Carroll, is a perfect book for those looking for a very quick read that will provide a spark of inspiration and motivation in their lives. The central theme behind the book is that we should all follow and pursue our true passions in life whatever they may be. Through personal stories and examples, the author illustrates how following our “red rubber ball” or our true passion in life will help us be successful and find happiness. The author also provides rules to follow to help us be successful in pursuing our dreams. If you are looking for a book full of new ideas and insights and a lot of substance and expounding, this book is not for you, but if you looking for a feel good, light, easy to read, short book, this one is perfect. I enjoyed the book and therefor give it 3 Stars.
In his book, Making Culture Pay, Jerry Haney discusses how we can strengthen our organizational cultures and truly make them powerful assets to our different groups. Though the book focuses on businesses, as well as six specific categories that help improve culture; the lessons go far beyond these limits. Additionally, the book provides a basic understanding into what organizational culture is and why it is so important. It also emphasizes and provides a program for an ongoing cultural renewal process. This book is a perfect introduction to those beginning to learn how to better develop and shape an organizational culture, and thus I give it three stars.
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren is an excellent book written to a Christian audience. Though my personal beliefs differ from the author’s beliefs on many religious topics, the book offers many general truths about life that can help us all to be better people and achieve happiness in life. From focusing on developing a long-term perspective thought process to emphasizing and putting relationships first to living life with a true purpose, the author addresses many great topics that will help us all be better individuals and reach our full potential. Thus, I give the book 3 stars. (As a note for potential readers, the book is based around Christian beliefs, and its main emphasis is on centering our life on Christ.)
What is really possible and how much can we accomplish? In this interesting book,The Art of Possibility, Rosamund and Benjamin Zander share and explain how anything is truly possible. The book teaches that many impossibilities are simply made up, because they are based on how we’ve been taught to view the world and think. Too many times we accept rules, limitations, and norms that in reality do not exist and are only in our mind. Yet, we let these limitations control our attitudes and actions. Learning to think and view our world differently will allow us to accomplish much more—and that is what this book is about, viewing the world differently. The authors of this book explain different strategies on how to think and react differently to life and its challenges and triumphs to discover what is actually possible. The Art of Possibility is also full of touching stories and notes that will inspire anyone who reads them. By reading this book, you will learn that Possibility truly is an Art as explained in detail in this book. I give “The Art of Possibility” 3 out of 4 stars.
The Proverbial Cracker Jack: How To Get Out Of The Box And Become The Prize is an outstanding motivational, feel-good book, and I recommend all to read it. Though very corny at times, this book will make you laugh as well as inspire you to become a better person. The main message of the book is no matter the situation, we can remain positive and choose to be happy—consequently, happiness is a choice. This book will also help you learn more about yourself and others, as it provides a quick personality test near the end of the book. Though somewhat wacky and cheesy, I think the book is excellent because of its uplifting and positive lessons. I give it a 3 star rating out of four.
I had low expectations when I began reading Success Is a Choice,however Rick Pitino far exceeded my expectations with his book. The basis of this book is centered on personal stories from the author’s career that provide tips and motivation into life lessons. I also found many good quotes in the book, and I often found I had a greater desire to be a better person when reading it. This is a feel good book, as I found it to be very motivational and meaningful; and thus I would recommend it to all. I give the book a 3 star rating out of 4.
Three Weeks With my Brother is a story about life and a journey across the world. The author recounts the highs and lows of his tragic-filled, yet successful life. While he and his brother explore the world, he talks about how he survived it all. Touching moments with his family, life lessons from his mother, and comical experiences with his brother make this book entertaining and enjoyable. The book was well written and thoughtful, and though I’ve never read a Nicholas Sparks book previously, I’m sure I will read one of his best-selling novels in the near future. The book will make you laugh and make you cry. In the end it will help you greater appreciate life, love, and family. This book was a nice change of pace for me, and I would recommend reading it. I give this book 3 stars.
Have you ever wondered why things seem so dysfunctional at work sometimes? When Generations Collide is an interesting and insightful book about how the different generations interact at the workplace. It is no surprise that the various generations seem to view things very differently. From career goals to retirement, no generation is on the same page--resulting in constant misunderstandings, conflict, and poor communication. This book will help you better understand not only yourself but also your peers, your boss, and those you manage. The information will also help you recruit, retain, and better interact with talented people from each generation. And if your not working, the content in the book will help you better understand your children, parents or other relatives, and even those whom you interact with in your community. This book’s topic is fascinating, teaching us we are all unique, and we all can add value to our world. I give the book 3 stars.
Though I do not agree with many of the author’s views and opinions, the message of this book is compelling and stirring and one each American needs to hear. The World is Flat is about the flattening of our world through modern technology. This flattening effect can either hurt us or help us--depending on how we react as a country to it. The competitive landscape of our economy is changing. No longer are our students competing against only one another for jobs, they are now competing against millions and millions of Indians, Chinese, and Russians who are all hungry for the chance to compete, earn money, be successful, and win. Though somewhat scary, the flat world will provide wonderful opportunities and experiences for Americans and all. This book shows that our future lies in our own ability to take advantage of the flat world, and the message is one of hope, education, and imagination. Do we realize the world is flattening all around us? Learning and continuing to innovate and compete, which are hallmarks of our country, will lead to continued success even though the landscape of the playing field is greatly changing. This book’s messages are very captivating and vital—thus I give the book 3 out of 4 stars, and I highly recommend it.
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