Here we're presenting a growing collection of books etc which you may find useful in your career or business.  If you can recommend quality books or other products for inclusion, by all means let us know on chortle@cheerful.com, including your comments if any.  We'll be glad to list them.
 

Reader Review:  This study was stimulated by Mr. Bill Meehan's (head of McKinsey in San Francisco) observation that Built to Last wasn't very helpful to companies, because the firms studied had always been great. Most companies have been good, and never great. What should these firms do?

Jim Collins and his team have done an enormous amount of interesting work to determine whether a good company can be come a great company, and how. The answer to the former question is "yes," assuming that the 11 of 1435 Fortune 500 companies did not make it there by accident. The answer to the latter is less clear. The study group identified a number of characteristics that their 11 companies had in common, which were much less frequently present in comparison companies. However, the study inexplicably fails to look at these same characteristics to see how often they succeed in the general population of companies. If these characteristics work 100 percent of the time, you really have something. If they work 5 percent of the time, then not too much is proven.

Reader Review:  A couple of years ago Mr. Lencioni published a book on the Five Dysfunctions of a Team. In it he listed the problems that if allowed to continue would destroy a teams effectiveness, and quite possibly destroy the team itself. As a result of questions and comments from readers he has produced this guide to specifically address how to overcome these dysfunctions.

The particular points being addressed include:

Building Trust
Mastering Conflict
Achieving Commitment
Embracing Accountability
Focusing on Results.

Each of these points is discussed with a view towards increasing the functionality of the team. This is followed by questions and comments from participants in classes and seminars and finally by some exercises in helping to build the team.
 

Editorial Review:  Harvard Business School professor Kotter (A Force for Change) breaks from the mold of M.B.A. jargon-filled texts to produce a truly accessible, clear and visionary guide to the business world's buzzword for the late '90s?change. In this excellent business manual, Kotter emphasizes a comprehensive eight-step framework that can be followed by executives at all levels. Kotter advises those who would implement change to foster a sense of urgency within the organization. "A higher rate of urgency does not imply everpresent panic, anxiety, or fear. It means a state in which complacency is virtually absent." Twenty-first century business change must overcome overmanaged and underled cultures. "Because management deals mostly with the status quo and leadership deals mostly with change, in the next century we are going to have to try to become much more skilled at creating leaders." Kotter also identifies pitfalls to be avoided, like "big egos and snakes" or personalities that can undermine a successful change effort.

Product Description:  With Business Plan Writer Deluxe 2006, you'll be able to express your ideas more cohesively than ever before. Make bankers and prospective investors understand your business idea by producing a complete business plan. Choose from hundreds of business templates, then print or export to PDF, to generate interest and revenue and get your business off the ground. Export to PDF for easier sharing through the Web or e-mail

Product Description:  Business Card Factory is incredibly easy to use. Simply choose from over 4000 easy-to-customize designs for virtually every type of business. Or, if you prefer, create your own designs with more than 35,000 clip art images including 750 logo elements. And with this new version you can even create matching letterhead and envelopes for a consistent and professional company look. We've included more than 1,500 ready-made designs to get you started!

Once you have your design in place, print professional-quality business cards on a variety of papers. Choose one of many micro-perforated card stock options available from Avery and other manufacturers for sensational business cards with razor-sharp edges. You can even use pre-printed papers from Idea Art, Paper Direct and more. Or if you want to order in volume you can send them for professional printing right from inside Business Card Factory!
 

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Last modified: 10/07/06