Decision-Making & Problem Solving Books - Page 3

Total Leadership: Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life

Stewart D. Friedman

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Now more than ever, your success as a leader isn't just about being a great business person. You've got to be a great person, performing well in all domains of your life -- your work, your home, your community, and your private self.

That's a tall order.

The good news is that, contrary to conventional wisdom about "balance," you don't have to assume that these domains compete in a zero-sum game. Total Leadership is a game-changing blueprint for how to perform well as a leader not by trading off one domain for another, but by finding mutual value among all four. Stew Friedman shows you how to achieve these "four-way wins" as a leader who can:

Be real: Act with authenticity by clarifying what's important

Be whole: Act with integrity by respecting the whole person

Be innovative: Act with creativity by experimenting to find new solutions

With engaging examples and clear instruction, Friedman provides more than thirty hands-on tools for using these proven principles to produce stronger business results, find clearer purpose in what you do, feel more connected to the people who matter most, and generate sustainable change.

Most leadership development books focus only on your professional skills, while books about personal growth concentrate on your needs beyond work. Total Leadership is different. It's a unique and long-awaited resource that shows how to win in all domains of life.

In a world of work-life trade-offs, Stew Friedman offers what most think impossible: a field-tested program that gives you not only what you want in business, but also what you want in life. Brilliant.
--Timothy Ferriss, New York Times bestselling author, The 4-Hour Workweek

Destined to be a classic, this is a remarkable book. I have studied leadership and led organizations for over twenty years. No other book has reshaped my thinking about leadership development as much as Total Leadership.
-- David A. Thomas, professor, Harvard Business School, and author, Breaking Through: The Making of Minority Professionals in Corporate America

Stew Friedman absolutely gets it. He is both a visionary and a much-needed advocate for a new kind of total leadership in the twenty-first century. What an empowering book!
-- Janet Hanson, Founder, 85 Broads

Total Leadership will help you build a life, not just a sum. Stew Friedman has written the owners manual for all types of leaders, young and old, who aspire to both professional success and personal fulfillment.
-- Tom Tierney, Chairman and Cofounder, The Bridgespan Group

The best leaders are those who stay connected to their communities, to the people they love, to themselves. In Stew Friedman s Total Leadership, you'll learn simple, powerful new ways to make these connections happen and enjoy the rich rewards that inevitably follow.
-- Keith Ferrazzi, CEO, Ferrazzi Greenlight, and author, Never Eat Alone

As the pace of business continues to race forward at lightening speed, Stew Friedman offers us an innovative and sustainable model for successful leadership. Total Leadership provides a unique proposition for individuals who strive to be their very best both personally and professionally.
-- Dave Lissy, CEO, Bright Horizons Family Solutions

Total Leadership is so aligned with my thinking as an HR executive and medical director of a global business. With practical tools and compelling stories, Friedman demonstrates how to achieve four-way wins a distinctive, important new concept for today s leaders.
--Dr. Robert W. Carr, Vice President and Corporate Medical Director, GlaxoSmithKline

The Boston Consulting Group on Strategy: Classic Concepts and New Perspectives

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A collection of the best thinking from one of the most innovative management consulting firms in the world

For more than forty years, The Boston Consulting Group has been shaping strategic thinking in business. The Boston Consulting Group on Strategy offers a broad and up-to-date selection of the firm's best ideas on strategy with fresh ideas, insights, and practical lessons for managers, executives, and entrepreneurs in every industry. Here's a sampling of the provocative thinking you'll find inside:

"You have to be the scientist of your own life and be astonished four times:at what is, what always has been, what once was, and what could be."

"The majority of products in most companies are cash traps . . . .[They] are not only worthless, but a perpetual drain on corporate resources."

"Use more debt than your competition or get out of the business."

"When information flows freely, reputation, more than reciprocity,becomes the basis for trust."

"As a strategic weapon, time is the equivalent of money, productivity,quality, even innovation."

"When brands become business systems, brand management becomes far too important to leave to the marketing department."

"The winning organization of the future will look more like a collection ofjazz ensembles than a symphony orchestra."

"Most of our organizations today derive from a model whose original purpose was to control creativity."

"Rather than being an obstacle, uncertainty is the very engine of transformation in a business, a continuous source of new opportunities."

"IP assets lack clear property lines. Every bit of intellectual property you can own comes with connections to other valuable innovations."

Flipping the Switch...: Unleash the Power of Personal Accountability Using the QBQ!

John G. Miller

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 41 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Asking the right kind of question isonly the first step to becoming fullyengaged at work and in life.

In his bestselling book QBQ! The Question Behind the Question, John G. Miller revealed how personal accountability helps to create opportunity, overcome obstacles, and achieve goals by eliminating blame, complaining, and procrastination. The result? Stronger organizations, more dynamic teams, and healthier relationships.

Now Miller takes readers to the next level to show how they can use the power of the QBQ! and personal accountability every day.

When a light switch is flipped the flow of energy that is released reaches the lightbulb in an instant, bringing it to life. Similarly, asking the right kind of question-a QBQ-is the first step to empowering what Miller calls the Advantage Principles-five essential practices that will lead to a richer experience in every aspect of life:

- LEARNING: live an engaged and energized life through positive personal growth and change
- OWNERSHIP: attain goals by becoming a solution-oriented person who solves problems
- CREATIVITY: find new ways to achieve by succeeding "within the box"
- SERVICE: build a legacy by helping others succeed
- TRUST: develop deep and rewarding relationships

With compelling real-life stories and keen insights, Miller demonstrates how anyone can find success and satisfaction by "flipping the switch."

Say It Like Obama: The Power of Speaking with Purpose and Vision

Shel Leanne, Shelly Leanne

Amazon Price: $14.93 List Price: $21.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: McGraw-Hill Amazon Marketplace: 44 new & used starting at $12.97

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

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Includes Obama's historic acceptance speech from the Democratic National Convention.

In speech after speech, Barack Obama has �fired up� millions of enthusiastic supporters with his inspiring vision, rousing rhetoric, and charismatic presence His outstanding communication skills gave rise to an unprecedented political movement and fueled Obama�s success in becoming the first African American presidential nominee of a major U.S. political party.

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But inspiring and persuading millions isn�t simply a product of innate ability�Barack Obama honed techniques that made him a highly effective speaker before audiences numbering thirty to 200,000. These techniques are vital not only in the political arena, but also for business executives, managers, and leaders from all walks of life.

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This book is about the art of persuasion, the power of presentation, and the most effective techniques of communication. From building strong arguments and facing tough issues to inspiring a team or workforce to new levels of innovation and productivity, Say It Like Obama gives you the tools you can use to instill positive change at every level of your organization by learning how to:.

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• Make a strong first impression.
• Use body language and voice.
• Establish common ground.
• Gain trust and confidence.
• Win hearts and minds.
• Drive your points home.
• Convey your vision through imagery and words that resonate.
• Build to a crescendo and leave a lasting impression.

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Whether you�re a manager, executive, or public speaker, a teacher, business owner, or community leader, Say It Like Obama will provide you with presentation techniques that have inspired and mobilized audiences of every size.

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The Thinker's Toolkit: 14 Powerful Techniques for Problem Solving

Morgan D. Jones

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great Textbook on Problem Solving 4 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

This is a great book for anyone who needs to make important decisions. I'm with a professional services (consulting) firm, and we're about to make this book mandatory text for all our consultants. It's that good!

Morgan Jones starts off describing that human beings are bad decision makers, but kid themselves about their ability to make good decisions. Then, the book describes 14 tools that can be used to make decision making more structured and error-free. Each tool is described through a story, and has plenty of exercises to try out the tool. It even has the "solutions" at the back to verify your approach.

The book has a few shortcomings. For starters, it does not describe which situations each tool is most useful for. The sample exercises present the facts together - something that is unlikely to be replicated in real life. It also does not classify decisions as being big or small - some decisions are too small to apply structured tools presented here, while some decisions are too big to depend solely on these tools.

This book is written like a textbook. To get full value from The Thinker's Toolkit, you'd have to really participate in the exercises actively. If you're planning to skim through the book, then I'd recommend you drop this book and instead read "Making Great Decisions in Business and Life" by Henderson & Hooper.

To sum up, it's a great textbook if you're a consultant or would like to teach structured problem solving. Bring out your pen and paper!

Editorial Review:

An invaluable resource for any manager or professional, this book offers a collection of proven, practical methods for simplifying any problem and making faster, better decisions every time.


From the Hardcover edition.

The Science of Fear: Why We Fear the Things We Shouldn't--and Put Ourselves in Greater Danger

Daniel Gardner

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Required reading for all policymakers, journalists, and citizens 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

If I were a rich man, I'd buy thousands of copies of this book, and send one to every member of Congress, along with the president, the vice president, every cabinet secretary, every governor and state legislator, and every journalist in America. This book ought to be required reading for every student of political science and public policy, as well as every student of journalism. In fact, it ought to be required reading for every student in every high school and university in the country. This book is really that important; especially now, as our nation is sinking deeper and deeper into a culture of pervasive, irrational fear. We, as a society, are afraid. And we're mainly afraid of things that, by any objective measure, do not pose significant threats to our safety and well-being; while virtually ignoring the real dangers that lurk all around us. We panic at the very thought of terrorism, airplane crashes, exotic diseases, serial killers, school shootings, sexual predators, and the like -- dangers that are extremely rare, and are responsible for relatively few deaths worldwide each year -- while being totally blasé about more common dangers such as automobile accidents, unhealthy lifestyle choices (e.g. smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise), and inadequate health care, which are responsible for the lion's share of deaths worldwide each year. People tend to exaggerate the dangers posed by things they don't understand very well, such as weapons of mass destruction, nuclear power, chemicals in the environment, and genetically modified foods; but downplay the dangers posed by things they encounter every day, such as cars, swimming pools, ladders, and junk food. This book explains why it is that we fear things we probably shouldn't, but don't fear things we probably should. The explanation has a lot to do with how our brains work. It also has a lot to do with the fact that some people have a vested interest in feeding and exploiting our irrational fears for their own ends -- including terrorists, politicians, lobbyists, business leaders, advertisers, and (perhaps most egregiously) the media. This book is a much-needed antidote to the toxic effects of the culture of fear we now live in. Everyone needs to read this.

Editorial Review:

From terror attacks to the war on terror, real estate bubbles to the price of oil, sexual predators to poisoned food from China, our list of fears is ever-growing. And yet, we are the safest and healthiest humans in history. Irrational fear seems to be taking over, often with tragic results. For example, in the months after 9/11, when people decided to drive instead of fly—believing they were avoiding risk—road deaths rose by more than 1,500.

In this fascinating, lucid, and thoroughly entertaining examination of how humans process risk, journalist Dan Gardner had the exclusive cooperation of Paul Slovic, the world renowned risk-science pioneer, as he reveals how our hunter gatherer brains struggle to make sense of a world utterly unlike the one that made them. Filled with illuminating real world examples, interviews with experts, and fast-paced, lean storytelling, The Science of Fear shows why it is truer than ever that the worst thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World

Margaret J Wheatley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 46 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

When Margaret J. Wheatley's Leadership and the New Science was initially published in 1992, it outlined an unquestionably unique but extremely challenging view of change, leadership, and the structure of groups. Many readers immediately embraced its cutting-edge perspective, but others just could not understand how the complicated scientific tenets it described could be used to reshape institutions. Now Wheatley, an organizational specialist who has since coauthored A Simpler Way, updates the original by including additional material (such as an epilogue addressing her personal experiences during the past decade) and reconstructing some of her more challenging concepts. The result is a much clearer work that first explores the implications of quantum physics on organizational practice, then investigates ways that biology and chemistry affect living systems, and finally focuses on chaos theory, the creation of a new order, and the manner that scientific principles affect leadership. "Our old ways of relating to each other don't support us any longer," she writes. "It is up to us to journey forth in search of new practices and new ideas that will enable us to create lives and organizations worthy of human habitation." --Howard Rothman

The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization (J-B Leader to Leader Institute/PF Drucker Foundation)

Peter F. Drucker

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Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

With Peter Drucker’s five essential questions and the help of five of today’s thought leaders, this little book will challenge readers to take a close look at the very heart of their organizations and what drives them. A tool for self-assessment and transformation, answering these five questions will fundamentally change the way you work, helping you lead your organization to an exceptional level of performance.

Peter Drucker’s five questions are:

• What is our Mission? with Jim Collins
• Who is our Customer? with Phil Kotler
• What does the Customer Value? with Jim Kouzes
• What are our Results? with Judith Rodin
• What is our Plan? with V. Kasturi Rangan

These essential questions, grounded in Peter Drucker's theories of management, will take readers on a exploration of organizational and personal self-discovery, giving them a means to assess how to be--how to develop quality, character, mind-set, values and courage. The questions lead to action. By asking these questions, readers can focus on why they are doing what they are doing in their work, and how to do it better. Designed for today’s busy professionals, this brief, clear and accessible book will challenge readers to ask these provocative questions and it will stimulate spirited discussions and action within any organization, inspiring positive change and new levels of excellence, helping all to envision the future of theirs' or any organization.

The Secret: What Great Leaders Know - And Do

Ken Blanchard, Mark Miller

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Wow this is such a good audio book, I listen to it many times; and began to apply it rapidly; it is very simple and applicable!

Regurgitated Archaic Concepts 2 out of 5 stars.
0 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Learned nothing new! The characters are comical, unreal, and unbelievable. Save your money and read your bible instead.

A must for the corporate environment! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

We have given this book to all of our management team. It is simple and sound. Buy and enjoy!

Buy more than one! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Another outstanding quick read by Ken Blanchard. I usually listen to audiobooks due to time contraints. This book was actually given to me as a gift.

I began to read it and had a hard time putting it down. I just ordered five copies to share with others, including my children. Although they are not in the business world yet, I believe there is invaluable information they can benefit from and apply immediately. It also highlights the importance of character in leadership.

I recommend ordering more than one...this will make a great gift - it was for me!

Editorial Review:

Written by the legendary bestselling author Ken Blanchard, The Secret (over 100,000 copies sold) answers a question most leaders ask at some point in their career, ?What do I need to do to be a great leader??

Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite

Paul Arden

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

ahhh, ok. 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book because it was required reading for a class. It's pretty common sense stuff. It's alright, but if you can borrow it from a friend, go that route.

One star or five stars, depends 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

As a pro trader who read a lot of books on creativity, self improvement and contrarian thinking/trading, I found the author's ideas familiar, but not his interesting presentation through extensive and interesting use of graphs, pictures and page designs. I dare not recommend it to any serious self help book reader or creative professional. Nevertheless, it's a good choice for a 30 minute leisure reading. On the other hand, I read this right after the author's another book "It's not how good you are. It's...". The two books are very similar and so I had written two nearly identical reviews for each. Pardon me!

p.s. Below please find some of my favorite passages for your reference.

Salomon Brothers met with prospective clients not once a month or once a day, but three times a day. That is unreasonable. But it works. Most people are reasonable, that's why they only do reasonably well.pg 42

A young man worked as a runner in an advertising firm. One day he said to his manager, "I'm leaving. I'm going to be a drummer." The manager said, "I didnt know you played the drums." He replied, "I dont, but I'm going to." A few years later that young man played in a band with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce...He became what he wanted to become before he knew he could do it. He had a goal. pg 62

Rememberwhat Jean Luc Godard said: It's not where you take things from - it's where you take them to. pg 92

An interviewer with a wooden leg said to Frank Zappa, "With your long hair, from where I am sitting you could be a woman." He replied, "From where I am sitting you could be a table." pg 126