Tag: book club

Sunday Bloody Book Review 6 – “THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER” by Ken Blanchard, Ph.D & Spencer Johnson

Sunday, May 17, 2009 /

Sunday Bloody Book Review 6 –

“The One Minute Manager” by Ken Blanchard, Ph.D & Spencer Johnson

This book is not about becoming a leader or a manager in one minute; instead, it is about how a manager can achieve big results in very little time.

The authors, Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson talk about the three basic secrets that a one minute manager should follow: One minute Goals, Praising and Reprimand. The authors also stresses on the fact that ‘people’ are the most important resource in any industry.

Written in the form of a story, the book meets its purpose of putting across the basic motives of a manager in very simple but powerful words. What Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson has written has already become a management masterpiece with the book being made a compulsory reading in many industries in the US and Japan.

This book is your magic mantra to what can be achieved in ONE MINUTE !

Excerpts from the book The One Minute Manager:

  • People who feel good about themselves produce good results. But let me frame it another way, Ignite your positives of today making them your everyday display, don’t allow negatives to decoy.
  • A winner is not one who never fails, but one who never quits! Winner never quit, quitters never win.
  • Help people attain their goal, get them accomplish the right thing.
  • Praise people immediately, help them reach their full potential. Catch them doing something right.

I only have three rating scales for my book reviews-

1. Must read
2. OK read but you’ll live without it
3. Don’t bother

This book, The One Minute Manager is a MUST READ! The power of the minute is evident and more important than ever! Time is gold and being able to be an efficient and effective leader is more important than ever!

the-one-minute-manager-by-ken-blanchard-and-spencer-johnson


Sunday Bloody Book Review 5 – “THE 4-HOUR WORKWEEK” by Timothy Ferriss

Sunday, May 10, 2009 /

 

Sunday Bloody Book Review 5 –

“The 4-Hour Workweek (Escape 9 – 5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich)” by Timothy Ferriss

 

One of the most forward-thinking books I have read. It discusses, what author Timothy Ferriss calls, the “New Rich” and what is important to this new generation.

The New Rich values time instead of money, so we do what we can to automate our lives in order to spend our time doing things we actually enjoy. We can spend our valuable time with family instead of being at pointless meetings. We can be learning how to dance the tango instead of sitting in a cubicle from 9 – 5. We can be traveling for months or even years instead of only taking a few weeks of “vacation time” from your company.

This book will set you free and will help your entrepreneurial spirits flourish. With very practical sections after each chapter on exactly what resources are available, you are sure to find new ways of automating your life while earning residual income to live the lifestyle you’ve always wanted to. Imagine just working four hours a week… =)

 Excerpts from the The Four-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss: 

  • Parkinson’s Law dictates that a task will swell in (perceived) importance and complexity in relation to the time allotted for its completion. It is the magic of the imminent deadline. If I give you 24 hours to complete a project, the time pressure forces you to focus on execution, and you have no choice but to do only the bare essentials.
  • Pareto created a formula demonstrating that 80 percent of the income in society is produced and owned by 20 percent of the population. This highly debated principle, known as Pareto’s law, also applies in other situations. For instance, 80 percent of company profits typically come from 20 percent of the products and customers.

 
I only have three rating scales for my book review-

1. Must read
2. OK read but you’ll live without it
3. Don’t bother

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss is a MUST READ MUST READ MUST READ!!! Sorry… but I love this book. It’s a very different approach to life and living. Make the most out of your life and escape that cubicle you’re stuck in!  Read the 4-Hour Workweek now! 

the-4-hour-workweek-by-timothy-ferriss

Sunday Bloody Book Review 4 – “SECRETS OF POWER NEGOTIATING” by Roger Dawson

Sunday, May 3, 2009 /

Sunday Bloody Book Review 4 – 

“Secrets of Power Negotiating (Inside Secrets from a Master Negotiator)” by Roger Dawson

You will never realize how important negotiation skills are until you read this book. The author, Roger Dawson, is one of the country’s top negotiating experts and a leading speaker on sales and management.

Everyday, you are constantly negotiating. You negotiate with your friends on where to go eat dinner, you negotiate with your professors for your class grades, you negotiate any time you need to reach an agreement with another person, and you negotiate every time you want something to be done your way.

This book bears with it essential tools needed to be a better at making all parties happy; whether choosing to watch the movie  Iron Man over some chick flick your girlfriend wants to watch or choosing to go party Downtown at Stingaree instead of going to the Typhoon Saloon in PB. This book will make life easier for you.

 Excerpts from the Secrets of Power Negotiating : 

  • Devalue the importance of the bargaining chip–don’t let them know how important it is to you.
  • If you reach an impasse, set aside the key issue, and create momentum by reaching agreement on little points.
  • Never jump at the first offer, however good it looks.
  • At the end, nibble for something extra, or something they wouldn’t agree to earlier. However, look out for people nibbling on you. You’re most vulnerable when you think the negotiations are all over.
  • Flinch at the other side’s proposal. They may not think for a moment that you’ll agree to it, and flinching will get you a concession.
  • When asked for a small concession, ask for something in return–it stops the grinding-away process.
  • Position the other side for easy acceptance with a small concession made just at the last moment. 

I only have three rating scales –

  1. Must read 
  2. OK read but you’ll live without it
  3. Don’t bother

“Secrets of Power Negotiating” by Roger Dawson is a MUST READ! It gives you so many insights that have proven vital for me personally. I’m a firm believer that everyone needs to have a sales job at least once in their lives. I’m also a firm believer that you need to know how to negotiate with that job…

secrets-of-power-negotiating-inside-secrets-from-a-power-negotiator-by-roger-dawson

Sunday Bloody Book Review 3 – “WHO MOVED MY CHEESE” by Dr. Spencer Johnson

Sunday, April 26, 2009 /

Sunday Bloody Book Review 3 –

“Who Moved My Cheese” by Dr. Spencer Johnson

The only constant in life is that everything changes. Change is such a powerful force in one’s life and knowing how to deal with it is crucial in both the business world and in our personal lives.

“Who Moved My Cheese” is an amazing guide that teaches us how to embrace and adapt to change. The concepts in this very short book live with me and constantly replay in my head whenever I face new and different events in my life. It is a very short read and one could very easily read this book in 45 minutes.

This book has changed my life in such a positive way. Every time I go through a new and unfamiliar situation, I think back to this book and ask myself, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” 

Summary of book Who Moved My Cheese:

“Who Moved My Cheese” is the story of mice and men. The compare men to mice in a maze where there is a constant supply of cheese for all. Suddenly, the “cheese” runs out and the mice and men are left to figure things out on their own. “Cheese” here is a metaphor for whatever you may hold dear in your life. It could be your dream job, your car, your house, your girlfriend or whatever. Now the question is, when your “cheese” gets moved, what do you do? 

The story teaches us that we can sometimes dwell, pout, cry or be angry when our “cheese” gets moved. We have a tendency to think that we “deserve” that “cheese” and we worked hard for it so we shouldn’t do anything else. On the other hand, the simple minded mice simply move on and look for new cheese. They don’t whine, throw tantrums or get caught up in nasty emotions. They just continue with life.


Excerpts from the book Who Moved My Cheese: 

  • Change happens; they keep moving the cheese.
  • Anticipate change; get ready for the cheese to move.
  • Monitor change; smell the cheese often so you know when it is getting old.
  • Adapt to change quickly; the quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy new cheese.
  • Move with the cheese.
  • Enjoy change; savor the adventure and enjoy the taste of new cheese. 
  • Be ready to change quickly and enjoy it again and again (and again).
  • They keep moving the cheese!

 

I only have three rating scales –

1. Must read
2. OK read but you’ll live without it
3. Don’t bother

This book, “Who Moved My Cheese” by Dr. Spencer Johnson,  is  a MUST READ. It will change your life in a positive way! Change is a part of everyone’s life. Mastering it with this book will be an important part for our personal growth. 

who-move-my-cheese-by-dr-spencer-johnson-book-cover

Sunday Bloody Book Review 2 – “SURREALITY” by Carissa Villacorta

Sunday, April 19, 2009 /

Sunday Bloody Book Review 2 –

“Surreality” by Carissa Villacorta

Surreality is a wonderful book about a girl who humbly finds her place in the world.

It’s a story about opening your eyes and allowing yourself to see the wonders all around you.

Carissa Villacorta has an AMAZING way of taking her readers on a “roller coaster” ride with her while she slowly realizes that being a pea in the pond just means that you have a bigger pond to love and explore.

A must read for anyone searching for their own place in this crazy big world.

My favorite quote from the author is that “Time is gold, money is paper.”

I only have three rating scales for my book reviews-

1. Must read
2. OK read but you’ll live without it
3. Don’t bother

This book, Surreality by Carissa Villacorta,  is a MUST READ! It’s a lot of fun to read and will give you some inspirational insights on the world we live in today. 

 

Surreality Summary

Contemporary life — in all its shapes, sizes and imperfections –is the subject of Surreality, Carissa Villacorta’s acclaimed collection of essays. As a young Filipina surrounded by people, events and experiences in New York City, she ponders on life’s mysteries: its joys, conflicts, and compromises. A big theme to take on, but she writes with specificity and simplicity; her heart is for the taking as she turns glib notions into impassioned dissertations for us, the living wounded. It’s old-fashioned wisdom mingled with new-age wonder: a singular mix that Surreality brims with and basks in.

Carissa’s sense of empathy is charming, natural and bountiful – the extraordinary gift that she shares with her readers. If her fan base is huge, it is no accident (see the quotes below). The effusiveness of people’s responses is matched only by Carissa’s commitment to inspire her readers in rich, incandescent ways. As you will discover by embracing this book, her words are the kind that we need to read in today’s postmodern world. The only way to get a clearer, sharper view of life would be a visit to an eye doctor: no fun compared to the wit and vitality that Ms. Villacorta brings to each of her delightfully entertaining pieces.

surreality-by-carissa-villacorta-book-cover