Efficiency Books

Millions of employees walk out of staff meetings every day muttering, "What a bunch of garbage" or "I can't believe we wasted an hour on that." Then they return to their desks, and to the harsh reality of having too much work to do and not enough time. Bill Jensen's dead-on-target observations about the typical workplace will have you nodding in agreement. His irreverent approach is entertaining and informative. He explains the differences between meaningful work and all the pointless "baloney" that inevitably comes your way. More importantly, the author offers terrific suggestions for how to deal with oppressive bosses, insensitive co-workers and institutional silliness. getAbstract recommends Jensen's fun book if you want an entirely new perspective on your work.

This is a must read for anyone who uses a computer for their work. The book suggests the reader skip to the summary in the back and save even more time by not reading the book - great idea. Since what Bill Jensen has to say can be said in so few words because he know what he wants to say, how he feels about it and what he wants the read to do.
Read it or at least the summary; then just hand it to a co-worked, family member or anyone you just want to help out.
I have deleted more e-mails without opening them then ever in my life. Since I read this book it has handed back hours a day to me that I was wasting on work and e-mails.

Bill Jensen's ideas and tactics have crystallized my ability to be effective. I read "The Simplicity Survival Handbook" before reading Jensen's original "Simplicity", and for me, "Simplicity" is superior because (1) it explains the rationale behind Jensen's ideas and (2) offers invaluable guidance on effective presentations. "The Simplicity Survival Handbook" 's examples were not as helpful to me as the initial wisdom and suggestions in "Simplicity". Read them both!

What I like about this biz book:

1) Its fun and challenging "If your boss doesn't get it, and has a high likelihood of never getting it... time to say "goodbye". Pretty simple right?

2) Attitude of "You don't have to be a victim of corporate crap"... reminds me of a refrain I have heard from my husband when he talks about his day job "They can't even run their own life, I will be damned it they run mine"

3) Respect yourself more. Your time is valuable. Push back.

4) The complexity starts from within. From within my own company, within myself.

The How To Section(s)
Email
Scan incoming subject and author, if not relevant hit "delete"
Scan email for 1) action to take 2) deadline date.

In sending messages use the 3"x5" space constaint.

If it is simplier it is more likely to be done. Make it easy.

Remember the key: what do you want them to know, feel and do!

Presentations:
Turn the one point you want people to know into a question. Provoke conversations. Give everyone handouts. Use of Stories is a good thing.
1 hour presentation = 20 slides MAX!

Meetings Big Idea!! When you agree to chair a meeting approachit as if you have just been handed a portion of someones life. Because you have. Run a meeting like one that you wish you had been invited for.

Helpful hints 1) get only the important people 2) get the right people 3) define what success looks like 4) Mentally see the successful meeting 5) Put the objective of the meeting up front
6) Be passionate about the people and reason of the meeting.

With a title like this, Jensen's book should be flying off the shelf. I know it caught my eye when I first saw it. We all want to "do" less and "accomplish" more and there are some excellent ideas in this book to help you do just that.

Nothing in this book is easy, though. Someone as inclined to follow the rules like myself will find it difficult, if not impossible, to implement the more demanding recommendations. This is a shame, as these people are those who would probably benefit the most.

Even if you don't think of yourself as a rabble-rouser, you should still read this book and take heart that there are some possible methods of extracting yourself from business situations that leave you feeling busy, but not very productive. There are ways of escaping the bureaucracy and yet keep your job.

The cutest, yet still effective, idea in the book is the "Less-O-Meter" associated with each chapter. These graphical gauges give you an "at a glance" reading on how much Courage you will need to put this tip in place, how difficult it can be and the possible yield to your productivity and happiness.

You may be ready to take on your whole company and engage in full-scale "pushback", but implementing even one idea from this book could do a world of good for you, your job and your career, while helping your company, as well.

As defined by AmyK, Brain Brilliant is about knowing "how your own brain and mind operate." She posits that if you know more about how "your brain functions and fires and the manner in which your mind assimilates and accommodates your experiences you can gain huge benefits." Her very readable and informative book goes about developing that thesis.

AmyK Hutchens is well qualified to discuss this topic with a bachelor of science degree from the University of Maryland, a masters degree from Johns Hopkins University, and a diverse life experience living and working in Washington, D.C., Shanghai, China, and London, England prior to founding AmyK International in Atlanta, Georgia. Amy is a member of Vistage (TEC International) and has served as a mentor for Georgia State University's International MBA program.

The book is "interactive" in that she enjoins the reader to participate in exercises and reading out loud. She explains that our brains react to questions rather than statements and that we are "sensory beings" experiencing our world through our own senses and filters. We remember through sensory associations, especially visual. Emotions attached to significant events also help our memory.

This short book provides the practical information we need to understand how we and our fellow humans function and view our world. Armed with this information, we can function more effectively as leaders and managers.

In addition to a clear, understandable explanation of how our brain functions and how that can be applied to our everyday lives, AmyK also gives us practical suggestions for how to live our lives in a way that supports brain health. For AmyK, the bottom line on protecting your aging brain is: "Use it, use it early, keep using it and use it often. Participate fully in life, interact with others, get involved stay mentally busy, stay physically active, eat right, reduce your stress levels, and be a life long learner. Your brain depends on an active mind."
This excellent book is a must read for those of us interested in understanding how to deal with resistance and reluctance to change, manage pressure in our lives, structure effective team meetings, develop positive relationships an d increasing our effectiveness as leaders while improving the bottom line of our businesses.

This book is a must read for anyone seeking a powerful edge in leadership, communication, and sales.

Our Fortune 100 company recently purchased this book for several of our top executive managers and sales executives. Their response has been overwhelmingly positive and our results measurably improved.

Hutchens' Brain Brilliant provides an incredibly insightful approach to understanding the true elements of effective communication. The tools described are clear and easy to comprehend and, most importantly, they ensure success!

Brain Brilliant stands above other books in delivering what it promises.

Want to see your sales explode and your team's morale reach new heights?
Read Brain Brilliant!

I bought the book, Brain Brilliant, after attending a workshop given by the author, AmyK. The book was amazing in its simple yet profound concepts. The academic community has known and been working with the ways that the brain learns and hooks on information, but AmyK was brain brilliant enough to transfer those concepts to the business world. I have used her ideas in my "30 second" introduction and in my sales efforts - in everything from cold calling to marketing materials. I highly recommend it to any one who wants to connect with and influence others in the business world.

Wow! I am an HR Consultant and I have used the content in this book to start sales kickoff meetings! Great way to make sales production people use their BRAIN! Many client companies have asked the author to do speaking engagements to help there people grow...using the BRAIN as the key success component. This is a must read for those who want to live life at the fullest.

Who knew such simple tricks could improve your sales, marketing and your bottom line! I've redesigned our marketing materials because of her sage advice.

There is no wasted verbiage in this book. Counting the index, it is but 205 pages in length. In those 205 pages are jewels of wisdom that most management teams are lacking.

The most prevelant gems are pithy observations set aside by top and bottom border lines. One example:
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"The atmosphere in most American companies is so riddled with fear of expendability that workers are afraid totell a boss what they think of his methods of managing."
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The book is organized in such a way as to point out the shallowness of bottom line neurosis and the strengths of inclusive decision making. Over and over, Dr. Jones identifies "Spirit Killers," i.e., those actions in an organization which diminish productivity and, subsequently, profitability, educational insight, and family harmony.

This book intertwines management schemes in business, education and the family. such integration serves to:
-Expose the fallacies of autocracy.
-Explore the possibilities of democracy in an organization.
-Break up management notions that have been set in stone.
-Propose better methods for bringing about civilized organizations.

The book seems to be intended as a tool in business, a text in academia, or a how to book for families. Personally, I'm inclined to recommend it to business schools and/or corporate trainers, though not to the exclusion of the other two entities.

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Norman Jones is a leadership specialist and a keen observer of what management has done to discourage productivity. He encourages management to lift up the human spirit and to create a more harmonious work environment, therefore creating a people-oriented and inspirational place for ideas to thrive and businesses to succeed.

He compares the Autocratic and Democratic management styles. In the Autocratic world, the boss has a sharp voice, speaks in a commanding way, asserts his/her power, demands cooperation, imposes ideas, criticizes, punishes and has sole responsibility of the group. The Democratic way to run a business puts the "boss" in a different light altogether. He now becomes the "leader," with a friendly voice, he uses his/her influence in positive ways, wins cooperation, tells what he/she would like to have done, sells ideas, guides, encourages, acknowledges achievement, helps employees solve problems, discusses ideas, and shares responsibility with his team players/employees. One of the main problems in business is an impersonal approach to dealing with people.

Norman Jones calls this ..."Spirit Killing." It is one of the reasons so many people are dissatisfied with their work environments and turn to drugs or alcohol to stop the "mental pain." Spirit Killers include: distrust, ridicule, resentment, retaliation, alienation, harassment, deceit, humiliation, stress, tension, fear, sarcasm, belittlement and embarrassment.

These "Spirit Killers" produce demotivation, apathy and insecurity. Not exactly the ideal environment for a healthy productive company. Instead Norman Jones encourages institutions to create self-motivation through: trust, promoting self-esteem, giving employees a sense of belongingness, helping employees obtain job satisfaction, providing a means of recognizing accomplishments, and actually treating employees in a caring manner by listening and showing a genuine concern. When managers learn to listen to their employees the company can grow. Too often, their is a "top-down" philosophy in which all employees are dependent on their ideas from the top. This stifles creativity. Most companies which have our respect not only listen to their employees, they listen to their customers. Amazon.com is one of those companies. They answer every single e-mail from their customers in a very prompt and courteous manner.

"Today's top-down management wants highly energetic, conscientious people, but fails to see how it deprives these people of fulfillment of psychological needs that could stoke the energy." page 34

Since we all have a natural inclination to strive for achievement and need to feel job satisfaction, Norman believes America is hungry for business leaders who not only inspire us to be better human beings, but also encourage us to be internally motivated to meet company goals and be more successful in our jobs.

"When people believe they are helping a company or organization, their self-esteem blossoms." page 19

Unfortunately, modern day businesses use the threat of expendability to attempt to gain optimum productivity and in the process destroy the human spirit. Like a row of dominoes tumbling over, Norman Jones knocks over old ideas of management and shows the way with new principles and creative solutions. He focuses on how business has neglected the research available to them. He sees this as the cause of many problems.

In order to see America's work centers enter a new era of high energy, thriving and productivity in the years to come, the leaders, parents, teachers and even government will need to evaluate their approach to the current dehumanized workplace. Norman believes our country's success will depend on creating a productive arena where the thoughts, feelings and ideas of employees can be expressed. To do this managers must know how to nurture "good attitudes."

An example of a poor motivational statement which is all to common:

"Your report was a good one, but we need them faster and more often."

An example of a good internal motivational statement:

"You can sure be proud of that report; it took a lot of work."

It was also enlightening to compare two letters written by a manager to a difficult employee. In the first letter the use of "I" permeated the letter and caused it to seem demanding and arrogant. In the "improved letter," the use of "we" helped the employee to see they were an integral part of the company. In the first letter, they were expendable.

While the main focus of this book is business, a few chapters are devoted to family and the school system. I believe your religious beliefs determine how you raise your children in most cases. Norman Jones did not write this book from a religious standpoint and his book focuses on research.

This book may just be the perfect gift to give to your boss this Christmas. You may just be giving yourself a great work environment in the coming year. After all those "memos" you have to read, the least your boss can do is read an inspiring book! If you are interested in Psychology you will enjoy that aspect. If you are in management you will love the insights on how you can drive your business forward for optimal success. Your employees might even vote you as their favorite boss of all time. After all, who do we love the most in life? People who treat us fairly and give us the respect we deserve.

~The Rebecca Review

Hello; I sent in a review nearly 2 months ago and have not seen it posted. Is there a problem with it? Jim Harmon jimharmon@charter.net

Every manager wants the silver bullet that will transform his or her organization from an also-ran into the leader of the pack. Dr. Jones shows us how, without preaching. In today's environment the emphasis is always on some measurable result - profit, productivity etc. Dr. Jones reminds us the result is not possible without the journey and the journey begins and ends with how employees are treated. Great job, Dr. Jones!

Rod Walsh, Co-author - Semper Fi: Business Leadership the Marine Corps Way

Once read, this book can be set aside for the moment, but a compelling urge requires that you return to it for insight and guidance. Dr. Norman Jones has assembled a work that reflects his knowledge of how we relate to each other within our family unit, in our business, acedemic, and social lives. We can improve our relationships within these units, by using the techniques that he outlines. It is not just our own genetic make-up that determines out actions, but it is how we are treated by the people in our lives that have the most influence on us.

Maybe, just maybe, Dr. Jones' approach to the humanistic values in our relationships, expecially between students, their teachers and parents, could have helped prevented the violence that is currently happening in our schools.

Keep it on your bookshelf for inspiration and guidance, go back to it when you need help in any personal relationship, on the job, in your school, or within your family.

Thanks to Dr. Norman Jones for his insight and for this exceptional publication.

If you are a manager, spend your next holidays reading this book. The value it brings resides in bridging between the tools to apply to implement Lean in your company, and how to actually manage the change and the new, improved processes. Often we have seen shopfloor crews highly involved, motivated and employing Lean tools to improve the processes they are a part of, only to realise with a shock that their managers kept themselves in their comfort zone, sitting in their offices, as if Lean was just another bit to add to "business as usual". This is where the "Lean doesn't work here" syndrome stems from. Again, if you are a manager you have two options: get people to do the improvement work for you, whilst you keep yourself busy doing all the wrong things; or learn how to improve and guide the processes you are supposed to manage. Your job may depend on it.

Just one heck of a resource. The only thing that keeps me from kicking myself for not buying it 10 years ago is that it has only been in print for three years. HIGHLY recommended to those who are responsible for leading an organization through a lean transformation.

I searched high and low for a book on Lean manufacturing to better understand its application and function. To many authors go into theory and academic explanations or dialogs of Japanese words. This was what I was looking for! I found this book so valuable that I made it required reading for my entire staff.

We have now started on the lean journey.

If a manufacturing company is looking to create a lean environment, this is a great book to start out with. This covers the main essentials of lean, visual factory, standard work...simple yet powerful. We have seen great improvments in team work & productivity in our product lines. Be patient because changes don't happen overnight.

This book is an excellent start to navigating a lean culture change. David Mann challenges you to change your "management system" in order to change your culture. Once focus is put on the "management system" you can observe, and measure impact which will then translate into cultural shifts. The book is well written and full of concrete examples of actual implementations as well as roadblocks.

I have found myself lately in the loop of western conservation literature, and with all the talk of water I really only found one place to go. After coming across Vickers in a state of the world book I looked a bit further until I found the handbook. This book, which is basically a textbook, really answers those burning questions you wanted the answers to. For example, if you find that you have ever wondered exactly how much water low flow toilets save, and the dollars required for replacing them as well as the dollars saved, this book is for you. If you ever considered what the office would be like with waterless urinals, and it's impact on water consumption per person in the office, this book is for you! This book escapes a lot of the chit chat and gets to the answers that you seek. Be warned, this is an academic book with real applications, facts, and statistics that are heavily researched. Don't pick up this book if you want to hear a fairy tale of how a drop of water from one of the poles made it's way to the kitchen sink. Pick up this book if you want to carry on intelligent conversation about water conservation solutions with modern day technology, pick up this book if you want to take that step forward in the home or at the office. There is a lot to be said when it comes to intelligent water usage in a big picture perspective, this book can shed some light on that perspective. It also allows the individual who wants to make a difference at home to look into how to do just that.

Amy Vickers' Handbook of Water Use and Conservation is for everyone who wishes to survive and prosper in our dehydrated future. A model of excellent content and design, this serious professional book reads like Popular Mechanics because of its easy manner and attractive presentation. Along with essential data on water use, it provides a myriad of water saving measures. It is wonderfully well-illustrated. Sidebars, quotes, and factoids (often humorous) are sprinkled throughout. This is the rare book that has truly universal appeal. Water and landscaping professionals will use it continually. Facility and business managers will find that it slashes water bills. Farmers will use it to make wiser irrigation decisions. Public and college libraries will want a copy for students, instructors, and water-savvy homeowners. There is no better way to get a quick and thorough education about this subject that is critical to our survival. This is the only water book that most people will ever need!

To call Amy Vickers "Handbook of Water Use and Conservation" EXCEPTIONAL would be an understatement! As the Water Conservation Program Director for our town, it has been an invaluable source of information. I reference the book at least a half a dozen times a week and refer to it as my water "Bible." Thorough and very well written, it comprehensively covers residential, landscape, industrial/commercial/institutional, and agricultural water use and efficiency measures. I especially like the case study examples of efficiency measures and savings she references. In addition, the book provides a plethora of additional sources and organizations to contact for more information. Although relevant to all sectors (e.g., homeowners, industry, etc.), the book is a MUST for all water utilities and conservation professional's reference library. As a water utility and/or a professional in the water conservation field, to not own this book would be a disservice to yourself and your trade.

This excellent book would be a useful guide for homeowners and water professionals alike. It provides a wealth of technical information about conserving water for homes, landscapes, industry, and agriculture. A casual homeowner interested in minor changes to conserve water may find this book to be too technical, but a committed homeowner who is interested in comprehensive indoor and outdoor water conservation will find that this book contains all the information necessary to implement a conservation program. In addition to being an outstanding technical reference, this book is actually *interesting* to read. The text is clearly written with excellent photographs, and is peppered with relevant quotes and facts. Amy Vickers' book belongs on the shelf of every person interested in water conservation.

Amy Vicker's Handbook Of Water Use And Conversation is a vast, scholarly, yet eminently practical guide and reference work enabling the reader to skillfully get the most use out of the least water, whether one is attempting to conserve for one's home, business, industry, or farm. Black-and-what photographs and diagrams illustrate the many topics discussed herein, from optimal plumbing adapters to legal and economic incentives for water conservation. The Handbook Of Water Use And Conservation is enthusiastically recommended for anyone with environmental concerns for water quality and usage, from lay homeowners, to agriculturalists, to municipal authorities, to corporate C.E.O.'s.

Because it's so intimate a portrayal of real-life experiences, this book moved me to tears. Each story relates, with differing degrees of depth and breadth, an individual and a family's encounter with the Holistic Approach to NeuroDevelopment and Learning Efficiency (HANDLE), tracing their stories before, during, and after the unique therapy program. Anyone interested in addressing issues with diagnoses like autism spectrum disorders, stroke, head injury, CHARGE Syndrome, Tourette's Syndrome, Down's Syndrome -- and "ordinary" learning disabilities -- ought to read this book.

The stories in this book give hope to us all. For more than a decade I have worked with adults and children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. The usual treatments involve behavior modification and drug therapy. Little time is spent in observation and evaluation such as described by Judith Bluestone in this book. The Handle Institute's methods offer hope through its methods that have no reliance on drug therapy. This is a book for patients, family members and professionals.

Compiled and edited by Lisa Brenner, The Churkendoose Anthology: True Stories of Triumph over Neurological Dysfunction is a collection of uplifting testimonies offering a positive message of hope to individuals afflicted with neurodevelopment problems ranging from attention disorders, learning disabilities, Tourette's Syndrom, or an acquired brain injury, to Cerebral Palsy, sleep disorders, Vestibular Dysfunction, Down's Syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. True success stories of the HANDLE (Holistic Approach to NeuroDevelopment and Learning Efficiency) approach in helping young people and their parents. Enhanced with an informative commentary by Judith Bluestone, The Churkendoose Anthology is highly recommended as an engaging and encouraging read, especially for anyone having to cope with a neurological dysfunction.

The Churkendoose Anthology is a touching compilation of true stories of individuals and families who have triumphed over behavioral dysfunction without the use of drugs. It is an inspiration to all who know someone or suffer themselves. Professional therapists, MDs, especially including pediatricians will benefit from reading and learning about this unique way of healing a multitude of behavioral issues.

Going through life as parent of a "special" child, one navigates a maze of physicians, experts, specialists, and amateur diagnosticians. Desperate for help, such parents try a range of treatments and tactics, sometimes destroying their families and their sanity in the process. Ms. Bluestone and HANDLE do not have a "magic bullet," but the simple and authentic wisdom in the HANDLE approach teaches us all that there really ARE honest and practical strategies to help individuals who don't fit any of the models in the medical literature. My son has benefitted greatly from the HANDLE precepts, and this book tells true stories of others whose lives have been forever changed. Ms. Bluestone's own story is an inspiration, and she brings to her work the unique empathy of one who has "been there" and found her way out. HANDLE respects individuality and eschews labels; the accounts of these HANDLE clients are compelling and dramatic. Perhaps the most important thing this book provides is hope, which is often in painfully short supply for "marginalized" people. I congratulate all these writers for recounting their journeys, and I think thousands of people can benefit from stepping into the Churkendoose shoes for a few hours. I recommend this book to those with open minds, tired spirits, and vital hearts.

Even though this was written long ago, the wisdom in this book applies across the times.

It's truly a shame that this book is no longer stocked. Since I first read it, back in 1990, I have recycled over 8 hours, per week, back into my personal life. This is the gift of this book. I learned that time management isn't simply a bunch of random techniques that allow you to spend more time at work. Instead, it's a set of a few effective principles that allow you to spend more time in your life. To play more. Visit more. Enjoy more. It's easy-to-read and easy-to-do. Within 7 days you'll see and "feel" the difference in your life!

Though it looks quite old fashioned to-day, it is full of sound advice that ar untemporal and international ... Hints are so well related to our human nature that you will appreciate this book whether you are chinese or from Albion (Michigan), the most beautiful small college in the world!

I found this so useful that I bought copies for all my colleagues in my department and we used it as a resource for quick discussion meetings on how to save time. Full of practical sense.

This is the first time management book I read. This book contains sections of practical advice to help you get things done. I consider it almost as good as "Working Smart" by Michael Leboeuf.

Jack Johnson remains perhaps the most controversial athlete in American professional sports. And for that, it has been the constant rewriting of his life by his critics and/or racists.

His autobiography, published in 1927 when he was approaching his 50th birthday, should dispell the myths surrounding the greatest heavyweight champion ever. But more than his ring exploits, Johnson truly believed in a world without labels, a world where a celebrity can truly make a difference in people's lives and a world where dreams can truly be sought after and achieved.

He has pointed comments concerning critics who never gave a balanced account of his life and has a lengthy account on the fix he claims was arranged for him to lose the heavyweight title to Jess Willard. A chapter on physical fitness is timely today and demonstrates how Johnson was setting new standards on working out for his sport and general fitness.

You may have viewed the PBS special and read the recent biography on his life, but nothing beats reading Johnson in his own words. Johnson was truly a champion for honest play inside the ring and - most importantly - in the game of life.

Jack Johnson was the first African American Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World. He became the heavyweight champion in 1908 when African Americans were exploited by Racism in a close-minded White America where hundreds of African Americans were murdered without trial by white mobs of hatred.

With this context of hatred, Jack Johnson, matter of factly talks about his life during this troublesome time in American history as if it were a minor annoyance. In over 250 pages, he discusses his childhood and boxing career. He also speaks of the adventures in his life and anecdotes that all have an excitement, the kind that makes "Carpe Diem" seem like a non-event.

Bull Fighting in Spain; fleeing to Europe from a US government intent on exploiting the marvels of his success with grotesque technicalities of Laws biased against African Americans; storms through the rough ocean off of Mexico; encounters with wild Indian tribes; Russian spies prior the Bolshevik's revolution; somehow managing to win a poker game with 4 Aces when two others with 4 Queens and 4 Kings accused one another of cheating not realizing that they'd both been defeated.

Jack Johnson is the most underrated American Hero. To me, after reading his story, I felt no bitterness in his diction. I read no scars from all the hatred thrusted upon him. On the contrary, I read the voice of a man who probably would have lived to 200 years old had it not been for his tragic auto accident death when he was in his late 60s.

The book has amazing historical insight. He discusses the implication of the "Jazz Age" and how it affects family values. Oddly, today, the Jazz Age was when the family was still in tact. I thought Devil Worshipping Heavy Metal destroyed the family. No wait, wasn't it that rebellious punk rock music? No, wait, wasn't it that selfish "me-generaton" Disco? That evil Rock'n'Roll? No wait.... It's amazing how musical trends imply collapsing humanity. Still Johnson's insight was intellectually pragmatic and insightful.

The book is an amazing read when one considers that Jack Johnson had only a 5th Grade education. Yet we read of a man whose expressive skills excede those with Doctorate Degrees. Notice how I forgot to emphasize that he was a heavyweight boxer? When, fights were often 20, 30 rounds long? All those punches, yet his mind extremely sharp in his autobiography.

He's entertaining with much to say and with deep insight few autobiographies have.

If you find true individualists to be a source of inspiration, Jack Johnson's "In and Out of the Ring" is a must for your collection.

This autobiography is a much-needed corrective to playwright Howard Sackler's artistically over-licensed opus "The Great White Hope", dramatized on stage and in film in the late 1960's. As a self-portrait of a Black man living in a particular time and place, it is not only a record of Mr. Johnson's matchless skill as a boxer, but more importantly, it is a journey into an all-encompassing Black mind, an intellect as well as a striking physical specimen, who broke out a new mold for the image of the athelete as someone capable of possessing as much "brains" as they had "brawn." Johnson was so clearly head and shoulders above his peers and detractors that it is no wonder why he was hated and feared by many whites. When enough people of color have read this book, it is likely that Mr. Johnson may be put under the same sun that shines on the likes of Paul Robeson and Jackie Robinson: Black "Renaissance" men whose lives outside of their sport(s) have been obscured because of their insight, outspokeness, and general refusal to be limited by their "race." Don't let "Black History" month slip by without attempting to get onto, and into this priceless autobiography by a true "giant" of a man.

This book is a must read, not only for boxing fans seeking more information about the first black heavyweight champion, but also for students of American history and specifically race relations in the U.S. Johnson's writing is insightful, eloquent and scholarly. He refused to allow the abysmal prejudice of whites to deter him from his goals, and enjoyed his life to the fullest. He maintained his dignity and judgement despite the efforts to break him. His book shows him to be a man of immense intellect, who could have excelled in any field of his choice. His views on the pace of 'modern' life, diet, physical fitness and race relations are as relevant today as they were in 1927. This book was a great surprise to me as I picked it up as a boxing fan, but the scope of Jack Johnson as a man goes far beyond the squared circle. His life was epic and his words timeless. This is a book for all times, by a passionate, inspired and inspiring man.

This autobiography is a much-needed corrective to playwright Howard Sackler's artistically over-licensed opus "The Great White Hope", dramatized on stage and in film in the late 1960's. As a self-portrait of a Black man living in a particular time and place, it is not only a record of Mr. Johnson's matchless skill as a boxer, but more importantly, it is a journey into an all-encompassing Black mind, an intellect as well as a striking physical specimen, who broke out a new mold for the image of the athelete as someone capable of possessing as much "brains" as they had "brawn." Johnson was so clearly head and shoulders above his peers and detractors that it is no wonder why he was hated and feared by many whites. When enough people of color have read this book, it is likely that Mr. Johnson may be put under the same sun that shines on the likes of Paul Robeson and Jackie Robinson: Black "Renaissance" men whose lives outside of their sport(s) have been obscured because of their insight, outspokeness, and general refusal to be limited by their "race." Don't let "Black History" month slip by without attempting to get onto, and into this priceless autobiography by a true "giant" of a man.

Once you understand and assimilate the discoveries about human capability that Jaques & Cason presents in this book a whole new world of understanding people will open up. And from that, there is no return. Your understanding of behaviour, past, present and future, hasn't been added to as adding just one more piece. You will instead have the foundation without which no people-puzzles may be completed.

The Fundation for understand Mental Processing Capability and Handling Complexity. Very simple and powerfull application in everyday situations. Like 'THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE' [Peter M. Senge] this is a great book about HUMAN PRESENT AND FUTURE possibilities ... JUST READ THIS!

Dr. Jaques is re-writing our understanding of the human mind and how to use it best. Forget IQ, Meyers-Briggs, and the other flim-flam out there. This book offers us the hope that we can work to our potential without overload, balance our task output and spiritual needs at work, and organize our companies as effectively as possible, without sacrificing our humanity. So far every criticism I've seen leveled at Jaques has proven baseless. High level writing may put off some, but this is great research work.

Elliott Jaques devised a system for analyzing executive ability based upon an individual's time horizon--the maximum period of time in the future toward which his/her work activities were aimed in their performance. He reached this conclusion during extensive, longitudinal, empirical studies in England. His series of books reflect his elaboration and extension of this finding. He worked, for a time, with Dr. Owen Jacobs of the U.S. Army (and then the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, ICAF). Jaques prior, groundbreaking book, "Requisite Organization" is more pictorial than "Executive Leadership" or this volume. While the present work may be oriented more towards human resource personnel, it is also useful to practicing executives. After reading it, I bought a copy (and of "Executive Leadership" too) and loaned it to my boss! I wish more bosses would read Jaques' works--and carefully at that. The charts provided are engaging and thought-provoking. The more extensive, "Executive Leadership" preceded this book in sequence. Jaques wrote "Human Capability" with is wife and publisher: Kathryn Cason. It is a fine sequel to "Executive Leadership", adding some additional perspectives on the ways people perceive and think and it completes the time-horizon charts that Jaques developed over time and published in this fine series. These books are most strongly recommended for serious students and practitioners of management as well as human resource professionals. They go far in attempting to move management into management science.

This book presents the results of a three year study by Jaques and Cason, providing a major breakthrough in understanding human capability, intelligence, and development. An outcome of this study is further development of managerial practices to match people with roles and develop training and development programs. This is a highly interesting and informative volume that will be of significant value to all HR professionals whose agenda includes HRD and the cultivation of an organization's human capital. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, founder, Stern & Associates and HRconsultant.com InfoCenter.

I bought this book for using the Coelli's software of DEA. This text is useful for expanding the area of this type of study. We can get a manual of his program from the book's site, though. We are able to understand more easily how to put together many data.

I am very happy to receive my order even before the expected date. it was in good order.

This book covers three major approaches to productivity measurement, namely: Index Numbers, Data Envelopment Analysis and Stochastic Frontiers. Examples and applications are provided using software available from the authors' website for free. No doubt it's the best starting point for those who want to learn about the subject.

Im using this book for a class on the same topic as the name of the book. My prof is someone who is an expert on the topic and he knows the author well. In fact he's writing his own book. I find the topics advanced, maybe for senior level econ-math majors and more for graduate study. Reader must have a decent background in economics and mathematics to grasp concepts as the into, which was supposed to be a crash course in microecon would not be helpful to someone with no prior training.

A complete and an excellent book that provides the gist to efficiency and productivity analysis, and surely an important and particularly a very useful resource to those involve in study/research of the field.