Economic-Life Books

The subjects discussed are done in a clear and easy to floow style. They allow any size organization to get an effective environmental program as well a business waste reduction, i.e. scrap, rework, energy, labor etc. program. Great how-to book for an executive for any type of business. I like the author's style and look forward to reading more by him.

Used this book as a means of changing our company culture. Helped reduce not just environmental waste but business waste as well. Basic thoughts about engineering, manufacturing and support functions caused dramatic improvements. Highly recommend it for business cost improvements. Simple, effective advice.

The subjects discussed are done in a clear and easy to floow style. They allow any size organization to get an effective environmental program as well a business waste reduction, i.e. scrap, rework, energy, labor etc. program. Great how-to book for an executive for any type of business.

1) 'Danger in the Comfort Zone: From Boardroom to Mailroom: How to Break the Entitlement Habit That's Killing American Business'
by Judith M. Bardwick

2) 'We Are All Self-Employed: How to Take Control of Your Career'
by Cliff Hakim

'Danger in the Comfort Zone' is one of the very good books I had acquired while attending a boot-camp for entrepreneurs in the United States during the early nineties. (My copy is actually the earlier edition.) At that time, I had read it very seriously. I had really liked the author's ideas of earning mentality (or habit) vs entitlement mentality (or habit).

The many problems & scenarios which the author had described candidly about the American workplace were not much different, when I compared them with Singapore's. Contemporarily, Singapore's employers had encountered the same dilemma. It was only after the economic recession during the mid-eighties & then the Asian financial fiasco during the late nineties that employees' attitudes, in both the private as well as public sector, had changed tremendously. Likewise, employers' attitudes had also followed suit.

At first glance, the author would seem to have criticised employees but I feel the principal premise of the book is more to urge employees to take charge of their own lives by getting out of the comfort zone & moving into the stretch zone. That is true self empowerment: adopt the earning mentality rather than the entitlement mentality!

Of course, employers would have to play their part to gain employees' confidence & trust. Their 'command & control' attitude in the past would have to change.

Hence, I would strongly recommend readers to read also 'We Are All Self-
Employed: The New Social Contract for Working in a Changed World' by Cliff Hakim. This book was written in the mid-nineties & my copy is also the earlier edition.

I feel the two authors' brilliant ideas gel very well with each other. In fact, their combined work will make more sense when read syntopically. They will help you transform the way you think about & approach your employment in the corporate world.

To paraphrase the latter book: "It will inspire you to move from the role of dependent employee, ever-adapting to survive, to independent-Interdependent worker, ever-creating to succeed. You'll learn to embrace a "self-employed" attitude to achieve the success you have always yearned for. Adopting a "self-employed" attitude will prepare you for the inevitable changes that come with time, & help you create a new definition of success rooted in your own interests, skills, values, & desires. It will help you move from merely surviving on the job to engaging your creativity - embedded in the responsibility symbolized by self-employment - & successfully employing yourself in a way that draws on your talents, interests, & deepest values."

I had really enjoyed reading both books tremendously.

In some way & to some extent, the wonderful ideas from the two foregoing books had consciously as well as unconsciously contributed to my eventual decision to take charge of the second half of my life.

This book is more useful that Parachute because it acts as a career counselor. The questions, exercises, and advice don't overwhelm the reader allowing him/her to finish the book. Hakim doesn't belittle the reader for being lost. One quote stands out: "You must be willing to "be lost enough to find yourself."" Robert Frost p 200.

'We Are All Self-Employed' is not just a good book, it is an important book. The author's message, while inspirational, is firmly grounded in the reality of today's world of work. It is essential reading for anyone looking to take charge of his or her career regardless of whether they are just starting out, in mid-career, unemployed or just thinking about improving the quality of their work life. It most certainly belongs on the bookshelf of any career professional committed to helping others reach their career potential.

What a refreshing way to learn! Quite different from the often boring textbook approach so common with marketing books. This semi-autobiography reads like a novel, but teaches direct response advertising through example and life experiences.

Just starting out, in his second project, he acquired over 450,000 customers! (and those are repeat customers at that). He knew what he was doing. Plenty of wise advice in there. You can learn from his mistakes and successes.

I plowed through 1/2 the book in no time. By then I realized that the reading experience would be over too soon. So I shelved the rest of the book for a treat later on. (So technically this review is only for the first 1/2 of the book). This book is like candy. I got to ration it out before it's gone ;-)

I read the book for the first time several years ago. Since then I've kept in on my desk to refer back to for practical advice about starting and running my internet business.

Much of Lyman's wisdom and insight into the mail order business is directly applicable to developing e-commerce sites for business customers: writing copy that stirs the reader to take action, measuring and testing the results of each ad, starting small and growing the business out of the profits it generates are a few of many gems he practiced.

In the book, his passion for doing what he loved, from a place that he loved, with people that he loved was inspirational to me. When I met him in person, he was also a great encouragement to me.

I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in in "Making a life" while making a living.

Here's the wonderful story of a man who set himself a goal--to live in the country--then figured out a way to earn a GREAT living to support that goal. Lyman Wood is (is he still alive?) a direct marketing/mail order pioneer who spent 60 years or so selling everything from $400 Roto Tillers to PRAYERS by mail. He also worked as an advertising and marketing consultant from his rural home. The stories in this book are inspiring AND instructional. This is a book filled with passion. It's not just biographical, it's "how-to." And best of all, it's FUN to read! I recommend it very highly to would-be entrepreneurs and to those frustrated entrepreneurs who occasionally need a "lift."

Great book. I recommend it to anyone who wants to get out of their financial pit and get a basic understanding of finances.

Tiffany Godfrey, www.resourcewriting.com

Mr. Jenkins' use of humor and provision of very practical ways of solving financial woes, is dynamic. Using questions that everyday people ask, he addresses issues that are very relevant to today's economic crisis.

I really appreciate Lee Jenkins addressing the Black Community on financial issues. I ordered these books for my nephew in Detroit. I have copies. They really like his writtings. As a Pastor...I share a lot of the information with the congregation...even this morning!
Thanks Lee...we need you!
Pastor Rene' Whimtore
Denver,CO

This brilliant and challenging book is not a manual for how to make money. It's an examination of what money means for your life. I recognized the author Frank Hanna from a show called The Call of the Entrepreneur -- he is a venture capitalist who examines the role of money in our lives, whether we're wealthy or just getting by. Once we have money, what do we do with it, and why? He takes us through a series of steps, each with entertaining stories, to distinguish between what we really need and what is inessential. Although his approach is rigorous and intellectually modest - he doesn't paint with broad brush strokes - some of his conclusions are provocative. For example, he suggests that in most cases, the best gift we can give to our family and friends is not to leave them with too much money. He also suggests that even people with relatively little income should find ways to give money away, and that everyone, wealthy or not, should give away their money earlier rather than later in life, so that we still have time to assess how the money is being used, and so that people can begin benefiting right away from our gifts.

I bought the book because I'm in my 40's, and these issues loom large in my life. I don't have much money, but I have more than many others and so have started asking what I'd like to do with my money. What kind of "legacy" do I want to leave? This book did more than offer me a few good ideas - it has helped me change the way I think about money and how it works, or at least how it can work. I can't give a full review of the book `til I've had some time to think about this new vision of money, but for now, it's challenged a lot of my assumptions (liberal and conservative) about what money is and how I can use it best.

Frank Hanna's book introducing readers to the mysteries of making and retaining money is easy-going in its language and arguments from the beginning. What permeates the whole book is this ease that comes from experience and a world-view that gives him relaxation with his own nature as a money-maker. Hanna knows how to gauge morally the dangers and achievements of "filthy lucre." With a trained legal and rhetorical mind, Hanna can perceive the differences in ideas and language that determine the boundaries of good and evil in that most ambiguous of human arenas, the market place. In this sense, the book is a breakthrough because it dares to encompass larger spheres as well as the most practical.

This book is a must read for anyone concerned about the proper use and management of their wealth. Frank Hanna is one of the leading financial minds of our generation, and his wise counsel provides answers to the troubling questions of the role of wealth in our lives.

I just finished this book while flying to Chicago to work with a client. While I think I am on top of my game from a business manners perspective, I found myself running a checklist on me and how I handle myself in certain business situations and yes I found some holes in my armor.

This is one of those books you need to have in your reference library. We all need help in handling ourselves in business situations that require that we put our best foot forward. Just remember to refer to this gem before you make a fool out of yourself and loose a very important client or worse in our highly competitive business world.

I enjoyed this book. It was an easy read book that gave good examples and good advice. Many times there were situations mentioned that I would have never thought would have mattered in a business environment. I learned many things on how to handle myself and appearance in a professional way. Many of the things mentioned in the book are easy to implement and take little time, others are larger. I would recommend this book to every student before entering the business work place.

This book gives 601 little things that you probably already do know, but I bet that if you have to stop and think about them, you will realize that you do not remember them. A very good book that reminds us of the way to do things a little better than we were doing them now, and a reminder for the other 599 things that we were doing to keep on doing. This book gives something for everyone. I am glad that I bought it, and I will read it more than once, you can be sure of that.

This is by far one of the best books I've ever read and am glad to have it in my library. It is a must-read if you're in sales, real estate, insurance, self-employeed, mlm or any profession that benefits from networking and building relationships. I have also had the pleasure of meeting Mary as a member of one of her Ideal Network Clubs and she is a great speaker, trainer, mentor and motivator. If you have the chance to attend one of her seminars or events, do. If not, don't miss this book. It will exceed your expectations and help you excel in your career.
-[...].

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (9/07)

Prior to reading "Who's Hiding in Your Address Book," my networking skills have been very limited. Actually, you could probably say that I have been abusing and wasting them. I just never got organized, or formed a plan, about putting networking to good use. I am good about helping other people network, but I haven't put any skills to use to help myself. This book is organized so well, it makes it look like it will be easy to do.

I really appreciate Ms. Kurek's organizational skills. She lays her material out in a way that gives the reader steps to follow, without boring them. She asks a lot of introspective, questions and thought-provoking activities. In addition to offering a wealth of great advice for networking, she also gives inspirational examples of successful women.

"Who's Hiding in Your Address Book?" left me feeling motivated and excited about getting organized. By doing so, I will be prepared for last-minute events and I can better help others to network. No more throwing out business cards, now I will organize them, noting details about the person who gave them to me. When I attend my Rotary meetings, I will pay more attention to information about the other members present and the guest speakers.

In addition to offering advice about useful steps to take, she also discussed things not to do. The one that I need to listen to most is in regards to talking less and listening more. This will have a much more positive impact on the people whom we are trying to establish positive contact. Truly, "Who's Hiding in Your Address Book?" should be given as a gift to all female college graduates. This will make sendoff into the business world so much more efficient and effective. Men would benefit from this book as well, but I think that women need all the advantages that they can get!

I came across this book recently and although I clearly don't usually read books for successful women (I think that this is just a target audience) - I have to say I really liked it and got some very good ideas from it. It is partly a book about getting organized, but unlike for example David Allen - it is much more about networking and creative networking. Because it simplifies the subject into specific tasks - it makes it all seem very simple. That is where its strengths lie. Overall - excellent book, full of ideas.

One of the problems in business, even today is that so many people are playing the game called, follow the follower. Essentially you have one person playing the Pied Piper and and everybodyelse following like kids and mice.

This great book by Dr. Denis Waitley and Robert Tucker will show you how to become an innovator, not an imitator ... an indispensable guide to winning big at life.

Winning the Innovation Game
by Robert Tucker & Denis Waitley

How to Profit from Today's Rapid Changes
by Robert Tucker

Innovative Secrets of Success
by Robert Tucker & Denis Waitley

During the late eighties/early nineties, while pursuing my personal interests in understanding 'entrepreneurial opportunity search & recognition' skills, I came across three wonderful books. Two were entitled, 'Opportunities: A Handbook for Opportunity Search' by Edward de Bono, & 'The Innovation Formula' by Michel Robert.

The remaining third book was 'Winning the Innovation Game' by Robert Tucker & Denis Waitley. During the period, both authors were well-known thought leaders, with the former in 'innovation circles' & the latter in 'peak performance.'

'Winning the Innovation Game' captured the pioneering work of the principal author, who had interviewed more than fifty successful & innovative executives, entrepreneurs & financiers during

the eighties. Their 'innovative secrets of success' were sprinkled generously throughout the book, arranged with the following layout of chapters:

- The Innovator Defined;
- Winning Strategy;
- Innovation Self-Inventory;
- Becoming Your Own Trend Spotter;
- Improving Quality of Your Thinking;
- Proven Strategies for Working with Ideas;
- Tapping the Power of Your Informed Intuition;
- Finding Innovative Opportunities of Your Own;
- Discovering Your Breakthrough Idea;
- Building Your Breakthrough Idea;
- Elements of Risk Taking;
- Building Your Team;
- Staying on the Game;

I reckon the most exciting & valuable aspects of the author's interview results in the book were the following revelations:

- how to spot changes & trends before your competitors do;
- how to analyze trends & format strategies to profit from them;
- how to develop your own "future scan system" to keep you from missing out on important developments;
- how to distinguish between passing fads & the kind of changes that will reshape the marketplace;

I have also enjoyed exploring the self-questioning checklist in one of the chapters, which I would like to reproduce as follows:

- what do I really enjoy doing that I'd like to do more of?
- where's the niche that hasn't been developed?
- how can I position myself in a way that is different?
- how can I make a living from doing what to one is fun, challenging & never boring?
- what might my customer group want if it were available?
- what can I offer they (the competitors) aren't offering?
- what would make this process or procedure more convenient?
- where is the market inefficiency?
- what's next for me, inc?
- What would people pay for that isn't available yet?
- how can I do this less expensively?
- how can I add value to the service or product I now produce?

The other titles I have listed above are basically abridged audio versions of the book.

'How to Profit from Today's Rapid Changes' was published in March 1988 by Simon & Schuster, while the other was published in March 1989 by Nightingale-Conant. I believe the audio versions are still available for download from online stores like audible &/or or learnoutloud websites.

Although many of the stuff in the three titles were produced prior to the internet era, most of the strategies revealed in the book were pretty generic & could be applicable in today's context.

In comparison with 'Opportunities' & 'The Innovation Formula' which are more intellectually intense, content-wise, (& which are also written by more established authors), this book has a slight dose of a broad brush. Nevertheless, there are still many valuable expert tips for readers from this book.

Like I have often said in my many reviews, good books on 'entrepreneurial opportunity search & recognition' skills are rare. 'Winning the Innovation Game' is therefore a real gem.

[I recommend readers to read also Robert Tucker's 'Driving Growth through Innovation' & Denis Waitley's 'Empires of the Mind: Lessons to Lead & Succeed in a Knowledge-based World.']

I bought this book by Dr. Denis Waitley and Robert B. Tucker largely because it was so positively recommended by Tom Peters.
And I wasn't dissappointed.

Shortly after reading this book, I potted a trend that made me a ton of money. This book was one of the first, perhaps even the first book, to challenge people to come out of the box---to think out of the box, be creative, become a trend spotter, build a teamof supporters and how to be a prudent risk taker.

All in all, a great book by these two gentlemen.

This book has a different focus than the tape, which I got first. I was concerned at first that the tape is a "book on tape," which it's not. The book has the same theme, the ways we need to heal ourselves of work troubles before we decide to stay in a current job or move on. It's also about finding career direction and one's true nature.

One great aspect of the book is that it not only has affirmative thoughts to help you change your thinking to the more positive (in a very real, useful way--not just the usual). It has readings targeting for very specific situations, like, "To help you balance work and home," "When conflict at work is stressing you," and "When money seems tight." The book is filled with these, and each one is tremendously helpful.

I got this book after going to the author's website, www.workhealing.com. I have job-hopped and also had a lot of trouble with bosses. I thought I just couldn't hold a job. Now I understand much better what my past problems were about. "What Color Is Your Parachute?" didn't help me. I know what kind of work I want to do. Workhealing talked about difficult situations and how to handle them. The four things that work consists of, and the "three laws of acceptance" were very good. I use the "three laws" as a relaxation technique.

This is a comforting, truly book for those who have had work difficulties. I liked the anecdotes in this book and the "healing affirmations" that one could read in various tough work situations. I used them to deal with a job I really hate. The one thing you have to realize is that YOU can change, even if your job doesn't. And that's what this book does. I went to work feeling calmer and better, and people even noticed that there was a difference. Before, I would not have done this, I would have felt like I was "brown-nosing" or giving in to the creeps who run our company.

But that is not what this is about. I realized I can do what I need to do for myself, to make myself feel better day to day. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

This book has literally changed my life! 5 stars!

This book changed my life. I saw it in a Seattle bookstore and it caught me. I bought it and it was one of the best purchases I ever made. It changed my way of thinking about money and I can now proudly say that it's 5 years later and I have over $200,000 in the bank because of this book!

It's now two years... and I am still using the principles ofgathering wealth outlined in this book. Now I have $364,000 in mysavings account. I can't say enough about this book ! END