Economic-Life

This is a book that can be viewed as two complementary ways:
1) It is a summary of a lot of ideas from a great number of other self-help books. It adds valuable quotes and phrases from other books, and tries to make a unified view from suc different subjects and areas as NLP or (Neuro Linguistic Procesing) to Yoga, self-meditation and even hipnosis.

2) The author creates theorems (valid truths) that can help you realize how you can relax and see your life more transparently, like if you were seeing yourself through the eyes of another person. He creates 14 steps to accomplish this - so that you can gradually become more daring and more self-controlled at the same time.

This is a book that is not a revelation... Far from that.
However is a good reading and can help anyone to get a different view of themselves, guiding you to get a more fullfilling life, and become happier with themselves, by changing somethings or by letting you know how to stop and just relaize how you are doing today.

The principles of quantum physics (and all of its 'relations') has finally made its way into the realm of human behavior and thinking through the easy to read and apply book by Mapes. This book will appeal to those whose center of control is located within themselves. For those with a center of control external to themselves, or those with a locus in reciprocity--as in the form of some 'System', i.e., ...isms of any nature, or formal religions, it would be more of a struggle. Precisely because 'You create a reality that adapts to your point of view', is a fundamental principle on which the universe is based. Challenging to some, breathtaking to others, this is fundamentally one of the finest books to ever spell out the functioning of human behavior based on a taking of personal responsibility. A 21st Century jump-start!

Sometimes it seems that every self-help book is 20% content, 80% inspiring stories. Mapes has reversed this ratio, filling his book with a rich and practical array of how-to-do's.

Quantum Leap Thinking concentrates on those areas that most trip us up: fear, lack of motivation, risk-aversion and self-imposed limits. These topics are treated in an easy-to-read style, with easy-to-follow guidelines.

If you're interested in personal change, this is a must read

How Stressed Are You? This is the first question arising in today's Tech times. World Health Organization has predicted that by 2020, depression will be the greatest burden of ill health in the developing world and will be the second largest cause of death and disability!!!! One wonders but sure this book has a great indepth dose of Reducing Stress pills of info with analysis Quiz on Page 16 that actually lets one recognize existence of stress and later reducing it. In Analyzing the causes of Stress, society, the working world and daily life have changed almost beyond recognition in the past 50 years and these changes have contributed to a major increase in stress, says the author. Many factors add fuel to blown minds as we deal coping with daily life. The book has cool tips on Getting Organized in life itself, manage time,check the attitudinal traits, taking out time to relax, understanding personality types, building better relationships and check Health. Emotional despair is a major health disorder and so, before it's late, check those Stress flaws and learn to use mind power through Tim Hindle's book on 'Reducing Stress' - a Good Pick.

As the other reviewer said this book is for everyone and as the writer himself says this book wont make your stress disappear from your life it can only help you minimize it. And when I bought this book it sure did minimize my work-related stress that affected everything in my life but it still remained there.
The more I minimized it the more it grew. I never were more confused until I re-read the book only to find the line I thought I've read and there it was saying "Stress is infectious".
Soon after, I said bad-bye to the job of my dreams which shocked
the world around me when they knew how madly in love I was with that workplace. Then as I have felt it in the beginning it turned
up to be that I was drowning and that if I didn't quit that job I would have refused myself the lifejacket So my advice to all of you who deal with stupid stress generator people is :

BE BLIND, DEAF and ignore them IF YOU are that strong,
or If you're weak like "I was" create a lifejacket for yourself,
grab it, swim to some other place. And as you know it the biggest
city on earth which must have billions of work positions available is not even bigger than your smallest nail - when you look at it in the globe and an usual globe is bigger than thousands of nails put together :) Think about it!

Something else that may help you too is Charlie Chaplin's saying
"Life is a tragedy when you look at it in close up but a Comedy in long shot".

Some of these manager books are not just for managers. They could be read and enjoyed by all employees. Of all the books I have read, this one seems to be the most wide ranging and could help everyone in your office.

Let's admit it. Work and life in general can be stressful. How we cope with stress can be a key to our success. This book will show you how to reorganize your work practices. It also explains how thinking positively can reduce stress.

"Make sure your home office is separate from your living space." -pg 25

Well, I fail that one.

"Start each day stress-free by straightening up the night before." -pg. 40

This works!

Learning to say no is something I really have to work on. Some people do find it difficult to say no because they are afraid of causing offense. Sometimes you just have to be assertive, after all, it is your life!

There is a section on making a time to relax. there are exercises and relaxation techniques you can use and this makes the book very practical. Deep breaths, deep breaths....there, see you feel so much better now. If anything helps, breathing will!

Resolving conflicts has always been a difficult procedure for the human nature whether it be in our personal lives or on the job. Kenneth Cloke and Joan Goldsmith offer intuitive and practical applications in this resolution in their book "Resolving Conflicts at Work: A complete Guide For Everyone on the Job". These two were very diverse in their thinking and research when compiling different tactics to overcoming conflict. In the introduction, "Eight Paths from Impasse to Transformation", Cloke and Goldsmith overview eight paths available in making steps toward resolution. The first path is to "Understand the Culture and Context of the Conflict". Through this path, an individual needs to understand the culture of an organization. Understanding the culture allows knowledge of values, behaviors, language and much more. According to this book, participating in conflict is much more beneficial when an individual understands a culture's language of conflict. This chapter also describes conflict as war, opportunity, or journey. War is based on victory, opportunity shows our opponent could help us, and journey lets both parties win by collaborating and finding solutions within each other. Basically, this path tries to teach the reader how to learn from conflict. Some tips on how to learn from conflict are recognizing conflict/change as positive, putting yourself in the other person's place, being honest, and creating common ground. Path 2 says to "Listen with Your Heart". This chapter describes effective ways of listening and speaking. Depending on the situation, one can listen actively, passively, openly, sympathetically, or whatever seems fitting. One should also set the state for listening. This way distractions are lessened and communication will not get distorted. Speakers can take certain steps to draw out information that will resolve conflict. To be effective, a speaker can find a listener's expectations by being respectful and empathetic while putting the listener at ease. Listening with your heart emphasizes reciprocal feedback to attain higher communication. To "Embrace and Acknowledge Emotions" is the third path. Our family life develops how we react and feel about certain situations. On this path we are asked to search our emotions for pent-up feelings or unneeded anger. Releasing the negativity allows us to react more honestly and take off the masks we wear everyday. Different ways of apologizing are offered as well. Of course, every situation is different, so are the steps of saying "I'm sorry". The next path is a deeper exploration of path three. Path four is to "Search Beneath the Surface for Hidden Meaning". Every person has an Iceberg of Conflict. Emotions are left under the surface to fester instead of being brought in the open to deal with. The most important concepts in probing the iceberg is empathy and taking responsibility. By finding hidden meanings, we are able to be honest and sincere when trying to collaborate and finding common ground through conflict. Path Five allows an individual to "Separate What Matters from What's in the Way". If one cane step out of the position and look at the conflict from an outside perspective, the situation becomes less personal. This way positions, interests, people problems, differences, etc. become separate and makes it easier to resolve. Another way to resolve conflicts is to "Learn from Difficult Behaviors" on the sixth path. Instead of identifying the problem, the origin of the problem should be found. Finding a reason for a difficult behavior helps in the strategy of working with it. When figuring out why a person takes on a difficult behavior, one can take the steps in changing or working with that behavior to benefit the organization or relationship. Path Seven may offer a more practical and involved solution to conflict. To "Solve Problems Creatively and Negotiate Collaboratively", organizations can change attitudes to positive outcomes. This chapter offers steps in creative problem solving and negotiation styles. The negotiation process offers steps to take before, during, and after the problem solving factors. Cloke and Goldsmith emphasize that a positive outcome depends upon a willingness to engage in committed action. The last path says to "Explore Resistance and Mediate Before you Litigate". First, one needs to find why there is resistance to communicate and solve differences. Also, mediation is defined and is explained why it works. This process of shifting the purpose finds common ground to reach the much needed closure. Overall, this book is effective and practical. It offers many different approaches to resolving conflict. Every situation is different and needs a separate way of solving. The only questions one might ask is, How vulnerable do I want to be in the workplace? or, How personal do I want my relationships to be with my co-workers? Some of these resolution tactics require a person to open up as if speaking with a best friend. But, if one is willing to do whatever it takes to reach a resolutions, this book in the one to read and get advice.

I like this book. Ken Cloke is good in general on the topic of transformative mediation, and this volume -- co-written with Joan Goldsmith -- does a fine job of offering transformative-mediation-based insights to the actual parties to conflict. (This isn't a guide for mediators; it's a guide for "conflictees.")

Cloke and Goldsmith offer what they call eight "paths" toward transformation. I won't detail them here since you can read about them yourself with Amazon's nifty new "Look Inside" feature; what they have in common is that they offer the reader ways to think about and to approach conflict that may help to turn it into an opportunity for transformation. The background setting is officially the "workplace," but the guidance is easily generalizable to other contexts.

Then, too, some readers may think the whole field of nonviolent/transformative conflict resolution is full of feelgood warmfuzziness, suitable only for tender-minded Joe and Jane Sensitive utopian escapists. But these authors repeatedly insist -- rightly, in my opinion -- that resolving conflicts is a _much_ more active process than avoiding them, much more demanding of real courage and tough-mindedness. (And they don't present their approach as a solution to _every_ conflict.)

The most important thing to know is that Cloke and Goldsmith treat conflict as a spiritual opportunity. They stop short of maintaining that conflicts are actually _provided_ to us in order to promote our spiritual growth; for that, the reader is referred to Mark Rosen's excellent and delightful _Thank You for Being Such a Pain_, which takes as its premise that difficulties are given to us by Providence. But Cloke and Goldsmith do the next best thing and offer lots of helpful advice on how to _treat_ conflicts as opportunities; as such, their book stands well on its own merits, and in my own view works even better as something of a companion to Rosen's.

A good book, then, well worth reading for its insights on workplace conflict and on conflict generally, on the opportunities conflict presents and how to take advantage of it as a means for personal transformation. And I personally recommend that readers who believe in a providential God take a look at Rosen's book too.

This book (and Cloke's work generally, along with some of the other conflict resolution/mediation literature) might also be of interest to another class of reader: libertarians and classical liberals who want to see people empowered to manage their own problems without government intervention.

I'm sometimes surprised at how little my fellow libs have to say about alternative dispute resolution; you'd think we freedom-lovin' folks would be all over this field by now, and yet too many of us seem to be satisfied with airy references to "defense agencies" and the threat of force as the first, last, and only disincentive to aggression. It doesn't seem to occur to many of our most public voices that personal transformation -- what my generation used to call "raising consciousness" -- is the (only) key to avoiding many conflicts in the first place.

At any rate Cloke and Goldsmith's book is a pretty good place to start for the libertarian reader interested in conflict resolution. (William Ury's _The Third Side_ is another nice companion volume, devoted precisely to the question of how people might possibly -- and do -- manage to resolve conflicts without the help of a centralized State.) If you liked Mary Ruwart's _Healing Our World_ (which see), you'll probably like this stuff too; Ruwart has a fine sense of the spirituality of liberty.

(On the other hand, followers of Ayn Rand will probably _hate_ this stuff. And now that I think about it, one of the most damning criticisms I could make of Rand's ethics, and her philosophy generally, is that it tends to strip people of _precisely_ those spiritual virtues that make peaceful conflict resolution possible.)

I review a great deal of material relating to organizational, management and general human resource development in my role as an O.D. and training manager. Most of what I see is pre-digested and re-packaged common sense, masquerading as the newest thing that will save, drastically improve, maximize and strengthen 'your profits and your people'. In other words, I am not easily impressed.

This book is an exception. Unresolved conflict is at the bottom of many organizational and personal ills. This practical, well researched book is both honest and refreshing - in particular for its courage in naming and addressing the impact of the 'un-namable'at work, the "F" word, i.e. feelings.

What I especially appreciate about the book is the emphasis placed on exploring personal responsibility, one's own context and emotional landscape. If as Eleanor Roosevelt stated, no one can make you inferior without your permission, no one can make you a victim in conflict either.

Without resorting to jargon or pat solutions, this book covers the important steps needed to work through and ultimately resolve conflicts. There are comprehensive chapters that discuss: listening from the heart, being vulnerable in expressing needs, managing emotions - including anger, dealing with difficult behaviours, problem solving, and negotiating.

There are great questions and exercises throughout the book to help you to uncover what lies beneath a particular conflict. The book maintains an upbeat, positive tone that conveys hope and encourages optimism. I particularly like the perspective of seeing conflict as an opportunity to grow in learning and understanding.

On the other hand, nothing is ever perfect and what is missing is a bibliography. In addition, I would have appreciated a focused discussion on dealing with issues of power and authority in work conflicts. Many employees are reluctant to risk confronting their bosses for fear of losing their jobs. Power differences are a tragically mismanaged issue in many dysfunctional workplaces.

Nevertheless this is an excellent resource for anyone who had ever had a conflict at work or at home - in other words, all of us!

An evocative description of what it's really like to work in a large, mainstream, post-war Corporation: The hidden heartbreaks and quiet agonies, mostly, though it also shows some of the positive side. This is all done through powerful stories of corporate people... like a more profound Stanley Bing. Like the previous reviewer, I too keep referring people to it, even though it's out of print. I also found it very inspiring when I wrote my history of the undertow of mainstream corporations, The Age of Heretics.

The more the world changes I find that certain institutions stay the same. Corporate America has changed very little in its fundamental operational perspective when viewed from the outside. Out of print or not, this is good reading and gives insight to a unique perspective into a world unto itself.

As a Professor of Management and a life-long "student" of corporations, I find this book engaging, insightful and challenging. Shorris draws widely on sociology, philosophy, history and political science (among others) to peel back the thick, protective veneer that hides the "real" workings of corporate America in the last 3o years of the century. It is not a pretty picture but one filled with hope and optimism because of the indefatigable nature of the human spirit. Despite being out of print, it has become the mainstay of my organizational behavior course because it prepares students for what to expect when they join corporate America.

If you are looking for a leadership book with a different approach from the usual leadership book, and one that is intellectually stimulating and thought-provoking, then you should definitely read this book of collected talks, essays, and articles from Robert K. Greenleaf.

Armed with varied and extensive civilian leadership experience, Greenleaf boldly took me on "a journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness." This journey challenged me early on when Greenleaf stated that the traditional hierarchical leadership used in most organizations, one person in charge as the lone chief atop a pyramidal structure, is the likely cause of most of our leadership problems. Greenleaf favored another, less frequently used tradition where the principle leader is "primus inter pares" - first among equals.

Throughout the book, Greenleaf made a compelling case that "primus inter pares" exists in important places with conspicuous success. With my leadership experience rooted in the traditional military hierarchical structure, at times it was difficult to understand Greenleaf's perspectives on the first or second read.

Greenleaf's insights into the servant as leader (one who makes sure that other people's highest priority needs are being served) in the first chapter lays the foundation for his subsequent chapters: the institution as servant, trustees as servants, servant leadership in business, servant leadership in education, servant leadership in foundations, servant leadership in churches, servant leaders, servant responsibility in a bureaucratic society, and America and world leadership.

With all the recent attention focused on moral and ethical breakdowns within some large and powerful institutions (Enron, WorldCom, Arthur Anderson, the Catholic Church, etc.), this book's continued relevance is obvious. Overcoming my challenges in reading this book was definitely worth the effort.

You only need one book on the purpose and spirit of leadership and this is it. The single first essay is all that is really needed, yet Greenleaf offers several alternate versions for various professions and walks of life. Stick with the first and any specific one that applies to you.
This is why leaders lead. No tricks, no help here for someone wanting to learn leadership tricks to advance or get ahead. If you have a cause, if you want to serve, then this is for you. Corporate ladder climbers and greedy chumps need no waste their time.

This collection of Robert Greenleaf's lectures, essays and articles is truly remarkable, if for nothing else, for it's timing. Though originally compiled and published in the late seventy's, Robert Greenleaf's thoughts on Leadership were originally written and spoken in the 50's, 60's and early 70's ---- Fully 20 years ahead of the surge in popularity of "teams", "loyalty", "mutual-service covenants", and "empowerment". As Nagle and Pascarella point out in LEVERAGING PEOPLE AND PROFIT - THE HARD WORK of SOFT MANAGEMENT, "the next frontier of competitive advantage lies in engaging and energizing the creativity and enthusiasm of the workforce". It was Robert Greenleaf who first marked the trail to this frontier by teaching business managers how to lead by serving the needs of all stakeholders. Greenleaf understood (and clearly articulated) the need to shift the workplace environment away from "compliance", and toward "enthusiastic engagement". He understood that the scientific workplace created by F.W. Taylor was but a stepping stone to a more civil, more satisfying, and ultimately more productive covenant of service, satisfaction, and growth. Though at times ponderous and obscure, Greenleaf's work should be required reading for fresh-faced MBAs who have grown accustomed to the pablum of simple formulas and buzzwords. Perhaps if more of them were forced to chew their way through his thought processes, there might be more LEADERS and fewer paint-by-numbers B-school clones.

I think Ms. O"Brien hit the nail right on the head. What it is all about is being able to define what YOU believe is the key to success and to live you life in that way. As long as you live up to your expectations, that is what really counts. At least to me anyway.

On another note, I personally met Ginny and she is a fabulous person with extrordinary insight. Her book is not a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, but actual experiences of real people. I would recommend this book for those who question their idea of success. It is very enlightening.

This book has been a tremendous experience for me -- on par with Sally Helgesen's "The Female Advantage" which I read several years ago. This is a wonderful follow-up to that life-changing book. "Success on our Own Terms" is a celebration of the diversity of paths that women have carved in the business world. The creativity of the women's decisions, and the companies that supported them, is inspiring. The title of the book is apt -- the definition of success itself is not an absolute. While the book strongly identifies the need for mentors, it also clearly shows that the traditional career paths, and the myths associated with those paths, don't always fit the situation or the individual. Ultimately, these women are doing what is right for them, celebrating the complex lives that they are determined to live to the fullest. It gives one hope -- for women and for the business world.

I am a career coach and work with professional women in leadership and career transition. This book first came to my attention by several clients who were surprised that it was not on my client reading list. They were right - this book is a gem. Virginia O'Brian has done her homework. This well researched and well written book is both useful and inspiring. A must for any woman serious about her carreer.

A well written and factual book. Something to keep with you the rest of your life. Some very basic and foundational principles that kids should know. I know I overlooked them until I read John's book.

This book is written for young adults, so it's a quick read. However I'm embarassed to say that I learned information I should have known or learned years ago myself- and I'm WAY past being a young adult.

For example I never understood why infatuation could be such an exciting yet painful experience until learning the reason; infatuation is a completely selfish emotion. I also wish some of my friends would read this book so they'd truly understand WHY their husbands/boyfriends "look" at other women, etc.

Lately it seems like I've known lots of people in relationship/financial difficulty (and these are adults!) I am so tempted to just hand them the book, but thus far I just recite the advice.

I wish I had read a book like this years ago. It would have saved me lots of heartache.

I have read Mr. Zikos' book and found it helpful in many aspects of my everyday life. I have followed his advice concerning the news media and find my life is more tranquil and my habits less harried than before. I also find his investment advice to be sound. The author's perspective has been a help to me in other areas as well . His book is a heartfelt explanation of what Mr. Zikos has learned in a life of world travel and study. It is directed toward his young son, whom he clearly loves. That love comes through on every page and in every word. The author is genuine in his attitude and his words are valuable to anyone of any age. A book that is not only intellectually stimulating but also morally and spiritually inspiring. A book that is needed in today's challenging times.

This was the first cassette purchase I made, and I was so impressed, I have begun to keep my eyes open for more books on tape. Jack Canfield, well known for his uplifting "Chicken Soup" series, is just as uplifting in voice. The series is very practical, with Jack outlining simple exercises you can do with minimal time, that will improve your outlook. It is true that repetitive listening makes a difference, though I've only gotten through it 4 times completely. He spices his tips up with stories of success, and the fact that it's a taped live seminar, makes it sound like you are really there listening to him in person. The only thing I could do without were the questions at the end, and the section of affirmations did not strike my imagination too strongly, though both of these would be welcomed by other listeners I'm sures.

Going through the tape of Jack Canfield, I found many good tips on how to become more positive and the good thing is his voice reflects the kindness that some other positive thinkers lack. It raises above the average in that respect, even though in the field of the ideas, it is similar to the others. It definitely has its value listening though. I would recommend it.

I first bought this set of tapes several years ago at an education seminar and it was a valuable investment. Jack Canfield is caring, understanding, knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor. He comes across as a 'real' person who uses teaching examples from his own life and degrees of self-disclosure that help create a 'trust' atmosphere for the listener. He has a speaking manner that puts you at ease and makes you want to listen to everything he has to say. Self-esteem, self-confidence and relating to other people is who we are every day and he helps improve this with techniques for developing and strengthening our 'inner selves'. I've listened to these tapes every 6 months for the last 7 yrs. and I listen to them whenever I am going through a really stressful time. They are uplifting and healing.

This cassette tells you that A's won't cut it for you unless you have other things going on in your life. However, still there is the feeling that the author does believe in these grades above the importance he gives it. Something about the other things he says. It is certainly not an attack on the school system at all. This guy is probably more pro-school than the average person and he seems obsessed with material success in spite of the lip service he pays to honest people with relative success. He probably wrote this book to fight against HIS OWN obsession with the subject and achievement. Well, this makes me think that indeed many of the stuff we use to say comes from our own personal experience. Maybe...

I didn't know that the same Wess Roberts wrote this and Leadership Secrets because the cover was worn off. When I found out, I almost died. The stories are phenomenal. Plain and simple.

I most enjoyed this book. It is filled with everyday success stories, and shows that you do not have to make a million dollars or be a world-famous celebrity to be a success. If you need to identify with some good, commonsense values and uplifting insights, then this book is for you.

Recently, my wife and I both read Tony Conza's book. We found it to be very informative, inspiring, and motivational.

We THANK Tony, for taking the time to write his story of success and what it has taking him to get to where he is today. I agree it takes a plan, passion and a whole lot more of PASSION. I liked the fact that he not only wrote of success, but he took a chapter and wrote on failure, and the importants of learning from them, realizing they are stepping stones to success. Also I enjoy his personal quotes and the quotes he use from other successful men. If you are looking to be motivated and succeed at what you are doing in life. This is a must read. Get it TODAY. I must say, I have never eaten at a Blimpie's before reading the book, but now I've eaten there a few times since.

THIS BOOK IS A MUST FOR ALL ENTREPRENEURS {BUDDING OR ESTABLISHED), MANAGERS, EMPLOYEES, OR JUST ANYONE WHO WANTS TO WORK AND ENJOY IT. THIS BOOK IS EXTREMELY EASY TO READ AND UNDERSTAND. THERE IS ANOTHER SURPRISE THAT THE AUTHOR ADDS: RECIPES. I THROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS.

I own a Blimpie franchise in Peoria, AZ, and have personally found this book helpful. Tony covers success in business, how to deal with others, and basic life values that everyone needs to learn now a days. Everyone know matter your occupation or age will enjoy this book. Stop by at the Blimpie in Peoria, AZ, and mention the book and i'll get you a Free Blimpie Best!