Leader

"Leading for a Change" by Ralph Jacobson is like having your own consultant working with you. Ralph makes the book "user friendly". He presents the reader with a "bag of tools" from which he/she can pick and choose those that meet their specific needs. Mr. Jacobson has brought together sound theory on leadership with practical approaches for operationalizing change. I would guess he has been able to synthesize theory and practice because he himself has worked both in HR and as a consultant...he seems to know both sides of the equation. This book gives the reader some special insights into "what may work" and what won't in your specific circumstance. He organizes the book in a way that makes it a handy reference book...one you can pull off the shelf and remind yourself as to how you may want to approach a leadership issue. I would recommend this as reading to anyone who has concerns about how to maximize leadership potential...either on a personal basis or for your company.

Ralph Jacobson is among the very top thinkers in organizational and leadership development today. Working in Customer Relationship Management, where organizational change and leadership challenges are everywhere, I appreciate both the wisdom and practicality he offers. I'm going to make this book required reading for all my clients.

A lot has been written about lean, but nothing yet compares to what this book has done.... It's the first time anyone has provided straight answers about the true nature of lean. The author asks the right questions and gets surprising responses. Having spent 20 years in the automotive business, I found this book extremely useful.

This is a hot book! I coached a team of manufacturing managers who worked in a large traditional factory. Our job was to study manufacturing operations in companies that had adopted Toyota's productivity methods and policies. While the men and women on the team had read about lean production, they were disquieted and perhaps even disturbed by obviously highly performing plants that were organized and operated according to principles foreign to their beliefs. At each plant we visited their discomfort deepened. Then, somewhere between the second and fourth visit, each manager had an epiphany. There was some kind of logical reorganization of the manufacturing furniture in their minds and they "got it", as they described the event. Others said, "the light came on." They saw the fundamental logic and sense underlying each lean factory even though each facility assembled pieces of Toyota's productivity methods and policies into its own unique manufacturing system. Interestingly, each member of the visit team became a passionate believer of lean manufacturing. The greatest skeptics became the most outspoken advocates. They called it "getting religion."

People who successfully implement lean manufacturing must be strong believers and must have a personal mental model of lean that functions at the level of a craft - a creative skill for assembling productivity methods and policies into powerfully efficient manufacturing machines. As the great Japanese coaches from Toyota teach Westerners, there is no cookbook, lean is a way of thinking.

The literature on lean production is disappointing. Lean manufacturing books tend to be long dreary laundry lists of productivity methods and technical techniques for quality. There is little available that gives insight into how the great master craftsmen and craftswomen put together marvelous lean machines of production - until now.

This book by Richard McCormack finally brings us face to face with the creative processes of great designers of production systems. Imagine yourself as a novice artist sitting down for a conversation with Auguste Renoir, Vincent Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec or Michelangelo. That is what McCormack brings us in this book - chats with the virtuosos of lean production. Forget those paint-by-numbers books. Either go see the real thing or read "Lean Machines".

I first read this book in 1994, and have just read it a second time this week. As I read this book, I had the opportunity to look back at how I have been profoundly influenced by her wisdom, humor, humility and strength.

Reading it this second time around, I chose to do so with for 3 purposes: Develop my ability to attract an excellent board of directors; create wonderful sales literatures that attract people to my seminars. And find more quotes to use, as opening to my seminar presentations.

Wow! I found what I was looking for. And I am sure that when I read it again, in the very near future, I will grow in my life's journey.

Another interesting point that I discovered during this second read is that years ago, when I finished my military career, I had often asked corporate civilians what the difference is between leadership and management -- Sheila Murray-Bethel definitely answers this in this book.

Read this book to get more out of your life.

"Making a Difference" covers many essential areas of leadership such as finding a mission, thinking big, ethics and maturity, mastering change, sensitivity, risk taking and decision making, using power, communication, team building, courage, and committment. Although these topics are covered in many other leadership and personal development books, Bethel does a fantastic job of explaining and supporting them with excellent examples and also showing how to apply them effectively. I found the book very informative, inspiring, and straightforward. Anyone seeking advice on becoming a "true" leader should get this book. It's a good starter book. This book has recieved praise from people such as Zig Ziglar, Denis Waitley, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, etc.

I would also recommend reading "Leadership from the Inside Out" by Kevin Cashman and "The Book of Leadership Wisdom" and almost any book by Ken Blanchard (like Gung Ho)or John C. Maxwell.

Making a Difference is a leadership classic! Get it now!

This is an excellent resource for those interested in the development of modern Mission theory. The book is produced in a concise dictionary format, with articles on over 70 prominent figures from a variety of traditions. Each article provides a biographical overview of the subject personality, a summary of their main contributions to Mission, and a discussion of their central writings. Articles conclude with a select bibliography of foundational sources that provides the reader with an excellent starting point for further reading and research.

Because the book focuses upon those in Mission who have left a literary record, there are few women who are examined in these pages. Women missionaries (generally) tended not to write treatises on mission theory and practice. So, even though they were central to Christian Mission during the time period covered, they are virtually absent from this volume. This should not be counted as a fault, however. Rather, the reader should keep in mind the limits of what the book covers.

This book should be in the library of anyone interested in Christian Mission. Excellent.

Mission Legacies is an attractive, durable hardback book of missionary biographical articles published by the American Society of Missiology through Orbis Books. It is divided into several major divisions: "Promoters and Interpreters," "Theologians and Historians,""Theorists and Strategists," and "Administrators." The chapters of this book first appeared as articles in the "International Bulletin of Missionary Research" beginning in 1977. Chapter assignments were made in a "serendipitous fashion over a period of about twenty years", as editors chose well-known contemporary church historians to write the biographical profiles.

Some of the famous 75 names are from the late 1700's, but most are from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They were chosen without regard for disciplinary, national, or denominational backgrounds, though there are only six women and six representatives of the two-thirds world among them. This will no doubt be different if a later edition is published.

Though the articles are scholarly, they are very readable and interesting. This will serve primarily as a reference book, but lovers of world missions and biography will find themselves often dipping into it for information and inspiration. I was pleased to find such diversity as Pius XI and William Carey, such educators and promoters as A.J. Gordon, John R. Mott and W.O. Carver, and such famous missionaries as David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor and Lottie Moon. I was glad to see historians like Kenneth Scott Latoureette and Stephen Neill, such innovative missionaries as Frank Laubach and E. Stanley Jones and such missions strategists as John Nevius, Roland Allen, D.T. Niles and Donald McGavran. In these pages, students of world Christianity "can gain insight into the spiritual and human dynamics that produced the modern Christian missionary movement". This book, now in its fourth printing, should be of interest to all students of World Christianity and Mission.

For forms of government let fools contest; That which is best- administered is best.

This couplet from Alexander Pope appears on the middle page, at the beginning of the middle chapter, of Carnes Lord's "The Modern Prince." Mr. Lord goes on to comment: "Any true friend of republican government would have to demur; but the case is nevertheless a powerful one." It is a commonplace in the West that governments should be as democratic as possible. Both Pope's verse, which belongs to another time, and Mr. Lord's book, a product of our own, call that assumption into question.

Borrowing from Plato and Aristotle, Mr. Lord warns that "the people" can be a fickle lot and that often their will and the rule of law are at odds with each other. It is precisely to temper the passions of the people that we resort to representative rather than direct democracy. Such a form of government, in turn, imposes an obligation on our elected leaders -- not merely to follow public opinion but to shape it.

This argument is at the heart of "The Modern Prince." The book is in many ways a call to action, much as Machiavelli's original was an exhortation to the Medici princes to drive out the "barbarians" and unify Italy. It is also an attempt to re-create Machiavelli's handbook in modern form and to place its lessons, together with some new ones, in our age.

"The Modern Prince" does this in two ways, following the structure of the original. (Both books have 26 chapters, and both strive to be short and clear enough to be read by busy leaders rather than careful academics.) First it describes the tools by which the modern leader may rein in his deputies and sway public opinion. It then identifies the threats that he may face, and the ways of meeting them.

Like Machiavelli before him, Mr. Lord has worked in the world of practical politics, having served in both the Reagan and the first Bush administrations as a specialist in national-security affairs. He is also, like Machiavelli, a devoted classicist, having translated Aristotle's "Politics" and written widely on classical political philosophy. He brings the full range of such expertise to bear on "The Modern Prince," and the result is a tour de force.

It might seem odd, or even worrying, to exhort democratic leaders to hew to the lessons of a man whose name has become synonymous with a cynically amoral approach to governing. And indeed, Mr. Lord does not shy from prescriptions that could well alarm ardent democrats. The preface begins with a kind of declaration of first principles: "The theory of democracy tells us that the people rule. In practice, we have leaders who rule the people in a manner not altogether different from the princes and potentates of times past."

The statement is descriptive, but it has a normative force: Leaders rule that way -- and they should. The alternative is drift, directionlessness and decline. At times, Mr. Lord's affection for forceful leadership is taken a step too far, as with his full-throated praise of Lee Kwan Yew's Singapore, but on the whole his emphasis is sound.

Machiavelli's "The Prince" was written when Italy was fragmented and besieged, while Mr. Lord's book comes at a time when America sits atop the world. Even so, a rough analogy between the two periods is possible. The contemporary world abounds with threats and dangerous divisions. It is America's need to meet those threats that seems to have moved Mr. Lord to write.

Along with citing obvious examples of strong leadership -- e.g., Churchill and Reagan -- Mr. Lord returns repeatedly to Dwight Eisenhower, a man whose position Mr. Lord seems to feel closely approximates that of the current president. Like President Bush, Eisenhower had (and retains) a reputation as a lightweight, a man somewhat disengaged from the machinery of policy making, even a bumbler. But to hear Mr. Lord tell it, Ike was a master of "hidden hand" leadership and quietly positioned America for the long struggle against communism.

A similarly forceful and clear-sighted leadership is required now, as America gathers its resolve for what will likely prove a long, hard struggle against Islamic fundamentalist terror. To that end, Mr. Lord recommends a revitalization of America's covert-operations corps and intelligence-gathering apparatus, such as that undertaken by Eisenhower, along with greater attention to nonmilitary tools of statecraft, denying the terrorists the use of our financial networks, for instance, and the profits of narcotics trafficking.

But before any leader can attempt such changes, he must master the tools of his craft -- diplomacy, intelligence, rhetoric and, because "contemporary politicians cannot afford to neglect the art of war," force. Mr. Lord reserves chapters for each of these subjects in "The Modern Prince," but the heart of the book is his attempt to apply ancient wisdom about man and politics to the contemporary debate. He recalls, for example, Machiavelli's warning about both the necessity and the hazards of relying on one's close advisers and Tocqueville's warning that bureaucracies, unless they are bent to the purposes of the ruler, are "apt to become a power absolute and apart."

What if someone was able to go back into The Prince, the timeless book of advice to politicians written in 1500's about the rule of the Medici family in Florence, Italy, and insert examples of modern day leaders and nations for the city-states, princes, and rulers described by Niccolo Machiavelli? As author Carnes Lords writes in the beginning of his book: 'The theory of democracy tells us that the people rule. In practice, we have leaders who rule the people in a manner not altogether different from the princes and potentates of times past.' There are many superficial pop books on the implications of Machiavelli's thought on management, business, war, and politics. Carnes Lords has written a readable work of depth that is a potential modern classic focused around the problem of executive decision-making and America's role in the world. Like Machiavelli, Lords covers a broad range of contemporary leaders from Singapores's Lee Kuan Yew, Japan's Nakasone and Tanaka, the former USSR's Boris Yeltsin, and Britain's Margarent Thatcher along with such class thinkers as Alexander Hamilton, Aristotle, and Tocqueville, and of course, Machiavelli is cited throughout. Unlike Machiavelli however, largely absent from the book is advice on how to manipulate the public. Lords worked for the National Security Council for President Reagan and for national security affairs in the H.Bush, Sr. administration. In Machiavellian fashion however(beware of those who flatter you), the book does not languish partisan praise on these leaders. Lords is critical of the mass media as an unelected fourth estate, academic political scientists, and instant gratification leaders unwilling to disadvantage anyone. Highly recommended.

This book was very well written but just to top of a great book there were amazing illustrations.

Interesting to read in different chapters, and a good guideline for whats fact and fiction.

Although I am not an expert in the field of bible study and while my writing is mostly confined to trade journals, this work provided tremendous insight for me into the inner thoughts of this complex individual who led the Jewish People during a monumental period in their history. No doubt an expert in Bible Studies would also benefit from this structured, well written book. It certainly encouraged me to get my bible off the bookshelf.

Although not a biblical scholar, I was intrigued by Ralph Blumenthal of the New York Times' glorious review of Joel Cohen's interpretation of the inner thoughts of Moses. Unable to discern from the review whether "Moses: A Memoir" was a scholarly work, a novel, or a psychological treatise I was fascinated enough by the concept to put the book on the top of my reading list. Needless to say, as anyone who is fortunate enough to have read the book, it is all three. Mr. Cohen brilliantly weaves biblical passages in and out of stunningly written prose, leaving the bilblical neophyte, such as myself, wanting to go back and re-read the bible, and the biblical scholar with much to ponder and debate. This book is a gem.

After hearing Rev. Sanders speak in Dayton, TN this weekend I picked up a copy of his book. I didn't think he could possibly be as good in print as he is in person. I was wrong! It's hard to believe in three hundred sentences he could distill so much practical wisdom for church life, especially for the clergy types like me. I like that the book was written in short, pithy sentences with appropriate humor along the way. Sometimes his humor is sly, sometimes almost slapstick, yet he never let's us think he doesn't take spiritual leadership lightly. He just uses a light touch. As someone who has served the church for over thirty years I reconginze the truth in what he is saying. I just wish I had read this as I was graduating.

As a parishioner, I enjoyed this book immensely. I ordered it on a whim, wanting to see what the clergy really thought. Along with the humor, comes practical advice to clergy, but also to the congregation. Having the opportunity to see things from the "other side of the pulpit" was interesting, amusing (in this book), and very enlightening. I encourage every parishioner who would like to see how the shoe feels on the other foot to read this book.

From the Publisher: University of Sunderland Press/BEP.
Mel Ayton's provocative new book makes a significant contribution to the literature about the Kennedy brothers.A thoroughly researched book, Mel Ayton brings challenging new evidence and insights to the controversies surrounding the Kennedys.The book is directed to an audience beyond academia and it will appeal to popular and academic readers.The author reveals new evidence concerning:*The Bay of Pigs affair *The Cuban Missile Crisis *The assassination attempts against Fidel Castro *JFK's relationships with Marilyn Monroe and Judith Exner *JFK's friendship with Frank Sinatra *JFK's alleged 'mob ties' *JFK's personal life *RFK's presidential campaign *RFK's alleged relationship with Marilyn Monroe *RFK's assassination *Edward Kennedy and the Camelot Legacy *Edward Kennedy's private life *J Edgar Hoover and the Kennedys.

Mel Ayton's recent book, "The JFK Assassination:Dispelling The Myths" (Woodfield Publishing, 2002) was described by leading JFK historian Max Holland as "Outstanding".His research concerning RFK and the Vietnam War was called "persuasive" by Professor Arthur M Schlesinger.

His book about the murder of Martin Luther King will be published in 2004.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:Intense controversy surrounds the legacy of the three Kennedy brothers.In Questions of Controversy",Mel Ayton has sorted fact from fiction and established the truth about this tragedy-laden family.His work concentrates on: *The Bay of Pigs affair *The Cuban Missile Crisis *The assassination attempts against Fidel Castro *JFK's relationship with Marilyn Monroe *JFK's alleged links to the mafia *JFK's relationship with Judith Campbell Exner and his friendship with Frank Sinatra *RFK and the Vietnam War *RFK's alleged affair with Marilyn Monroe *RFK's assasination *EMK and the Camelot Legacy *The Kennedys and J Edgar Hoover.His research concerning RFK and the Vietnam War was described by Professor Arthur M Schlesinger as "Persuasive".

Mel Ayton's recent book - "The JFK Assassination - Dispelling The Myths" was described by leading JFK historian and "Nation" contributing editor,Max Holland as "Outstanding"."Dispelling The Myths" carries a Forward to the book by JFK expert Larry A Sneed.Mel Ayton acted as the historical consultant for the BBC documentary "The Kennedy Dynasty" broadcast in November 2003.

According to Laurie, the real work of leaders "is to identify the problem, frame it, explain it to the people who are able to conceive a solution, and then sell that solution to everyone in the organization", adding that "leaders must help people understand their current challenge by contextualizing the circumstances within the company's history." In Chapter 3, he identifies what he calls "The Seven Essential Acts of Leadership":

1. Get on the Balcony [ie "see far and wide...view every aspect of the business and the marketplace in which it operates"]

2. Communicate What Is Real [ie "explain what's going on....simply, fully, and clearly"]

3. Clarify Competing Values [ie "identify opposing individuals and help each one to understand the thought processes underlying the proposal for change" to create shared values which are "the heart and backbone" of the organization]

4. Support Changes in Values [ie constantly reinforce a new set of values which are being instilled throughout the organization]

5. Promote Dialogue [ie involve everyone in on-going discussion, especially those who disagree, to advance learning and increase understanding]

6. Regulate Distress [ie "diligently watch the level of distress among workers and maneuver a balance between too much and not enough"]

7. Make Everyone Collectively Responsible [ie assign what must be done to those who can do it best, require others to assist those efforts,...and then hold everyone accountable for results]

With regard to this last "essential act", Laurie shares several "lessons" he has learned: Resist the temptation to supply answers; create self-confidence; distinguish between internal operational problems and external strategic problems, both of which may involve technical and adaptive work; remember that people must commit to one another before they will commit to a strategy; look upon diverse points of view as valuable, not problematic; and finally, allow people to take risks and support them when they make mistakes.

Laurie agrees with Ronald A. Heifetz that "the true heroism of leadership involves having the courage to face reality and the capacity to help others do the same." Throughout this book, Laurie examines the leadership style and values of several top executives in major corporations such as Johnson & Johnson, Goldman Sachs, Nordstrom, Scandinavian Airlines, British Airways, Philips Electronics, and KPMG International. In the final chapter, Laurie poses some of the questions that leaders have asked him about their work -- and his answers to those questions. Then in an Epilogue, Laurie offers this advice to leaders: "Hold steady, maintain the focus of your ambition, frame the next leadership challenge, and use your people as valuable resources as you collectively solve problems and learn your way into the future. Be decisive and discover the power of questions." This book will be of substantial value to those now in a position of leadership but also (if not moreso) to those now aspiring to such a position.

This book by Mr. Laurie goes into the depth of info we need to see what leaders do day in and day out. His research looks solid, and the info he gathers from this all-star cast of corporate leaders is excellent. Well worth your money.

Also recommend: The Leader's Guide: 15 Essential Skills