Decision-Making & Problem Solving Books - Page 4

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."

Six Sigma for Dummies

Craig Gygi, Neil DeCarlo, Bruce Williams

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The world’s largest and most profitable companies – including the likes of GE, Bank of America, Honeywell, DuPont, Samsung, Starwood Hotels, Bechtel, and Motorola – have used Six Sigma to achieve breathtaking improvements in business performance, in everything from products to processes to complex systems and even in work environments. Over the past decade, over $100 billion in bottom-line performance has been achieved through corporate Six Sigma programs.  Yet, despite its astounding effectiveness, few outside of the community of Six Sigma practitioners know what Six Sigma is all about.

With this book, Six Sigma is revealed to everyone.  You might be in a company that’s already implemented Six Sigma, or your organization may be considering it.  You may be a student who wants to learn how it works, or you might be a seasoned business professional who needs to get up to speed. In any case, Six Sigma For Dummies is the most straightforward, non-intimidating guide on the market. This simple, friendly book makes Six Sigma make sense.

With a compelling foreword by Dr. Stephen R. Covey, the internationally recognized leadership authority and bestselling author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and The 8^th Habit, and an afterword by Roxanne O’Brasky, President of the International Society of Six Sigma, Six Sigma For Dummies is the most complete and objective book in the market today.

Unlike most other works that are either graduate-level statistics treatises or thinly-veiled autobiographical success stories, Six Sigma For Dummies teaches the reader all the foundation principles, methods, and tools of this magnificent problem-solving system. 

Intended to help readers understand Six Sigma and how they can use it to improve their performance, this no-nonsense guide explains:

• What Six Sigma is all about and how it works
• The benefits of Six Sigma in organizations and businesses
• The powerful “DMAIC” problem-solving roadmap
• Yellow, Green and Black -- how the Six Sigma "belt" system works
• How to select and utilize the right tools and technologies
• Speaking the language of Six Sigma
• Knowing the roles and responsibilities
• Mastering the statistics skills and analytical methods

Six Sigma For Dummies will become everyone’s No. 1 resource for discovering and mastering the world’s most famous and powerful improvement tool.  Stephen Covey is spot-on when he says, “Six Sigma For Dummies is a book to be read by everyone”.

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 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??

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

You either get it or you don't 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

As I read this book I gain flashes of insight from almost every page. I am an engineer and, while not expert in the scientific fields Wheatley discusses, I had read quite a bit about them. As I venture into unfamiliar organizational territory, I find that we have been instinctively using Wheatley's approaches. They seem especially suited to what we are endeavoring to do. Reading her book has clarified and affirmed what we are doing and allowed me to more deeply understand the processes.
Reading the reviews here, I see that some people 'get' what Ms. Wheatley is saying and some people don't. The ones who 'get it' are going to change the world.

Editorial Review:

Leadership and the New Science launched a revolution by demonstrating that ideas drawn from quantum physics, chaos theory, and molecular biology could improve organizational performance. Margaret Wheatley called for free-flowing information, individual empowerment, relationship networks, and organizational change that evolves organically -- ideas that have become commonplace. Now Wheatley's updated classic, based on her experiences with these ideas in a diverse number of organizations on five continents, is available in paperback.

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.

The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing: A Guide to Growing More Profitably (4th Edition) (Pie)

Thomas T. Nagle, John Hogan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 41 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Best book on Pricing I have ever read 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I have spent over 30 years in computer software sales, pricing, and terms and conditions. This book resonates with me, specifically with it's emphasis on sustained company profitability rather than get rich quick pricing. It's comprehensive, not specialized to any specific product set or industry, and nothing I read failed to make sense to me, based on my experience.

If you are interested in this topic, there is no better work I know of to give you both practical and good theoretical advice.

Editorial Review:

"The best book ever written about pricing is The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing by Tom Nagle and Reed Holden-these guys know their stuff and it works!" - Guy Kawasaki, CEO, Garage Technology Ventures "For more than a decade, this book has been the most influential and highly regarded reference among pricing professionals." - Eric G. Mitchell, President, The Professional Pricing Society "Most executives name pricing as their major challenge and major weakness. This book is an answer. It is full of new ideas arid insights." - Philip Kotler, S.C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing, Northwestern University "An investment in Tom and Reed's book will give you the highest return you've ever had. It's an investment you can't afford not to make." - Dan Nimer, President, DNA Group

The Opposable Mind: How Successful Leaders Win Through Integrative Thinking

Roger L. Martin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Poor Model of Thought With No Justification 2 out of 5 stars.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This books starts off by presenting the concept of the "integrative thinker", which is a person who has "the predisposition and capacity to hold two diametrically opposing ideas in their heads. And then without panicking or simply settling for one alternative or the other, they're able to produce a synthesis that is superior to either opposing idea"

If you look closely at this and read the examples in the book of the "opposable mind" in action, you'll begin to notice an assumption that we have no reason to believe is true.

The Main Assumption:
Focusing on the two (or more) alternatives leads to the third alternative chosen.

There is no reason to believe that the managers in the situations in this book developed further possibilities and alternatives from the apparent existing possibilities and alternatives. In most of the situations given as examples in the book, the managers appeared to be developing new possibilities out of a more fundamental knowledge of the situation at hand, rather than "integrating" and focusing on a few possible reactions to a situation.

I think that this book mainly serves as a red herring to those looking to develop creative thinking. Creative thinking is not linear as this book suggests. You typically don't develop the third alternative by focusing on the first two any more than you develop the second alternative by focusing on the first.

Editorial Review:

Successful business leaders think fundamentally differently than others - in a more "integrative" and expansive way. Emulating what successful leaders do is dangerous; instead, learn how these leaders think. This "integrative thinking" can be taught; we can all learn how to do it, and experience the many benefits.

Turning Numbers into Knowledge: Mastering the Art of Problem Solving

Jonathan G. Koomey

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Delightful excursion in thinking about how to think 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

It is different from, and for many purposes, better than a science textbook. More than enough science books have been written, but TNIK is better because it teaches readers how to think about the data on which science is built. Its fresh approach to understanding the natural world as well as human-made systems is a noteworthy improvement over the plug-in, grind-out perspective that academic classes typically offer and that turns off students.

Editorial Review:

Full of tools, tricks, and tips for solving problems in the real world, this book serves as an ideal training manual for those who are new to or intimidated by quantitative analysis and acts as an excellent refresher for those who have more experience but want to improve the quality of their data, the clarity of their graphics, and the cogency of their arguments. In addition to containing numerous updates to the contents—references, URLs, and reading lists—this second edition includes a new foreword, revised chapters, and an epilogue. Mastering the art of problem solving takes more than proficiency with basic calculations; it requires understanding how people use information, recognizing the importance of ideology, learning the art of storytelling, and acknowledging the important distinction between facts and values. Intended for executives, professors, and students, this guide addresses these and other essential skills.