No comments about Cashflow 101.

5 comments about The Power of Positive Thinking in Business: 10 Traits for Maximum Results.

1. I am an organizational psychologist, and I have been reviewing a lot of bibliography about positive thinking, optimism, depression and related concepts. The very apealing title of Ventrella's book moved me to read it, but I dindn't find what I expected to find. From my point of view, this book by Scott Ventrella has three importantan weaknesses and one strength. First, it adds nothing new or different from the original book by Norman Vincent Peale "The Power of Positive Thinking"; second, during the reading I felt, many times, like I was hearing a preacher and not a man from bussines administration arena; third, in spite of the etimologic analisys of key words used to nominate the 10 traits, Ventrella has a very low conceptual precision. He makes some reference to some cognitive psychologists, like Ellis and Seligman, but the book is far from having a suond psychological foundation. The only strength I found in this book is the style to write: Ventrella has a light, entertaining way of writing. The stories and anecdotes he tells in his book make it easy and nice to read it. Books like this, that attempt to show the efficacy of an approach only based in some "succesfull" cases, without empirical support are not very usefull for changing nothing. From the time of the first edition of the Vincent Peale's book, a lot of literature has been published in the same line. If the subject (to be positive)was so simply and easy as this books say, we couldn't explain why depression continues growing up in the world. I think we need instead a better diffussion of more scientific solid demonstrated concepts and technics to really help people.



2. I am an organizational psychologist, and I have been reviewing a lot of bibliography about positive thinking, optimism, depression and related concepts. The very apealing title of Ventrella's book moved me to read it, but I dindn't find what I expected to find. From my point of view, this book by Scott Ventrella has three importantan weaknesses and one strength. First, it adds nothing new or different from the original book by Norman Vincent Peale "The Power of Positive Thinking"; second, during the reading I felt, many times, like I was hearing a preacher and not a man from bussines administration arena; third, in spite of the etimologic analisys of key words used to nominate the 10 traits, Ventrella has a very low conceptual precision. He makes some reference to some cognitive psychologists, like Ellis and Seligman, but the book is far from having a suond psychological foundation. The only strength I found in this book is the style to write: Ventrella has a light, entertaining way of writing. The stories and anecdotes he tells in his book make it easy and nice to read it. Books like this, that attempt to show the efficacy of an approach only based in some "succesfull" cases, without empirical support are not very usefull for changing nothing. From the time of the first edition of the Vincent Peale's book, a lot of literature has been published in the same line. If the subject (to be positive)was so simply and easy as this books say, we couldn't explain why depression continues growing up in the world. I think we need instead a better diffussion of more scientific solid demonstrated concepts and technics to relly help people.



3. Scott Ventrella's The Power Of Positive Thinking In Business: 10 Traits For Maximum Results was written as an antidote to the gossip, griping, and negative impediments to team effort that undermines productivity and costs U.S. companies about three billion dollars a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When the bottom line suffers from negative thinking, so do all the countless individuals who depend upon the business in question. The Power Of Positive Thinking In Business is a careful, easy-to-understand guide to adopting a healthy, optimistic attitude for positive action and successful payoffs. From stimulating creativity to fostering an environment of trust, The Power Of Positive Thinking In Business is an excellent reference for increasing workplace productivity, and ultimately, saving a great deal of money.



4. Scott Ventrella's The Power Of Positive Thinking In Business: 10 Traits For Maximum Results was written as an antidote to the gossip, griping, and negative impediments to team effort that undermines productivity and costs U.S. companies about three billion dollars a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When the bottom line suffers from negative thinking, so do all the countless individuals who depend upon the business in question. The Power Of Positive Thinking In Business is a careful, easy to understand guide to adopting a healthy, optimistic attitude for positive action, as well as successful payoffs. From stimulating creativity to fostering an environment of trust, The Power Of Positive Thinking In Business is an excellent reference for increasing workplace productivity, and ultimately, saving a great deal of money.



5. In less than 200 pages, Scott W. Ventrella tries to incoporate the principles behind the Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale into the business world. This original work (Power of Positive Thinking) was translated into forty-two languages and sold over 22 million copies. So, it was inevitable that someone was going to leverage the popularity of this concept and ressurect it. Sure enough, the author Scott W. Ventrella has written this new book as it applies to the business world in cooperation with the Peale Center.

   The old concept had come under massive attack in the last decade or so by more recent self-help gurus for its undue amount of focus on positive thinking and not enough on taking action (or how and what kind of action to take). The current book as applicable to modern day business world doesn't make that mistake. There is heavy focus on taking action. This book isn't something you just read through and put away, it is a book that you have to work through and probably refer to several times over the next few years.

   The title caught my attention because my very first self-help book was the original 'Power of Positive Thinking' by Norman Vincent Peale. It had given me a lot of motivation to overcome obstacles and achieve a lot of success in life. Of course, even then I recognized that it wasn't enough to think positively. Hence I continued my search for a good self-help book and found 'The Ultimate Secrets of Total Self-Confidence' by Robert Anthony. In that book, the author explores deep into why we are where we are today. It traces everything back to your belief system embedded in your sub-conscious brain and how it manifests itself in your conscious actions during everyday life. These principles of how your belief systems ultimately affect your position in life are absolutely true and will never change. Ventrella combines these two and makes both sets of principles very action oriented. The book gives you a lot of things to do by yourself that will result in success.

   This book in combination with other good self-help books (for both business and personal life) should drastically set your path in life towards that of success in business. But one has to really WORK through this book. It is not like the original book by Norman Vincent Peale where you got motivated by just reading the book.

   Overall, I felt it was a book worthy of being in my business library collection. It does not provide any paradigm shifting ideas, but instead repackages old theories for today's audience. It does so very effectively and hence it is worthwhile to read and re-read this book till you are satisfied with the business results you are getting. I have already started taking massive action based on these ideas and I am confident that I will see the results. I hope you do too. Good luck!

5 comments about HIT AND RUN HOW JON PETERS AND PETER GUBER TOOK SONY FOR A RIDE IN HOLLYWOOD: How Jon Peters and Peter Guber Took Sony for a Ride in Hollywood.

1. The main characters Eddie,Scott,Winks and Cassie are all involoved in a horrible prank that nearly results in the death of the four. These teenagers are best friends. They are called the joke gang because they love making jokes. Although one of them doesent't find jokes as funny as the others do.They call him the scardey kats because he's very shy and timid and easy to play jokes on. Though Cassie,Winks, and Scott don't know that he plays a horrible joke on them that they'll never forget. One night they go out for a ride because they need to practice for their driving tests. They hit a man. After that night they are terrified. Someone starts scaring them and they have no idea who it is. They know that who ever is scaring them has to know them very well somehow. When they find out who it is doing all this they would of never expected it to be that person. I really liked this book because it was really entartainig. If you like scary stories I really recommend this one!



2. I read this book three years ago and I'm still laughing.

   Griffin & Masters have created THE required reading book on everything that is wrong with Hollywood. They were able to tell the inside stories of multi-million dollar deals and make them understandable. Jon Peters, a barely literate hairdresser who happened to be friends with Barbara Streisand, and his business partner Peter Guber schmoozed their way through the 80s and were picked by Sony to run their newly acquired Columbia/Tri-Star pictures. Billions of dollars in losses later (Last Action Hero, I'll Do Anything) they got kicked out.

   It is really an incredible story. If it was fiction, you'd think it completly impossible to believe, but it is all true.




3. I was totally engrossed in this book. Flew through it. I thought it was too cool that I found this in hardcover in... store! Best [$$] I ever spent!



4. "Hit and Run" is a fun, breezy, eye-opening book. There's never a boring page. It is packed with information and concisely written. You never get the sense that the author is dragging things out just to fill a few hundred pages. Even though Guber and Peters were crooks, I think there's still plenty of things you can learn from them and they are still inspiring in a way. I thought robber barons went out with the 19th century, but now I see there are still people with the same swindler's mentality. "Hit and Run" is an eye-opening book, just like Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle." One thing I wonder very much is why all these big corporations did business with Guber and Peters without thoroughly investigating their backgrounds? Seems like there are some very stupid people running large corporations. Hollywood sure is full of sharks, whores, and criminals and always was. Innocent newcomers don't have a chance.



5. I think the subtitle of the book says it best. Jon Peters and Peter Guber took Sony for a long and expensive ride in Hollywood.
   The book also serves as a biography of these two famous gentlemen and how they managed to take credit for a lot of other peoples creativity. They took credit for other peoples ideas and then promoted the hell out of these movies and managed to make themselves rich. As the authors put it, most people in Hollywood knew their reputation. It took a foreign business (Sony) buying Columbia to figure out their less than stellar management capabilities. For this, Sony lost a ton of money.
   The authors do a nice job of detailing Guber and Peters backgrounds and their unique chance at changing the landscape of Hollywood. This is a fairly long book, but well written, so the time flies when you read it. A great read about the sordid business of Hollywood.

5 comments about Smart Thinking for Crazy Times: The Art of Solving the Right Problems.

1. Mitroff's book offers a refreshingly fast walkthrough of the complexity of problem-solving. Scorning the usual breathless introductions about how fast things change, Mitroff focuses hard on 5 ways we confound ourselves when trying to address problems with ourselves or with others. I found the first two sections, on how to formulate problems, and how we choose (the wrong) stakeholders highly illuminating. The exercises were significantly difficult and useful, because they required real-life application, they did not simulate it. A limited amount of philosophy on aspects of cognitive science and psychology made the work feel as grounded in academia as it feels in business and professional contexts.



2. About the first 1/3 of this book is a good, if brief introduction to systems-based problem-solving. The book focuses on taking a broad view of all aspects of the problem, not on a highly-analytical breaking-down of a situation. This is fine, though not earth-shatteringly good or original. Unfortunately, the middle half of the book is an unfocused meandering about the contributions of Hollywood to violence in society, and then to the problems faced in managing nuclear weapons. The last part of the book has a fairly good discussion of the four basic Jungian personality types, and how personality type affects problem-solving. This is pretty good stuff, but it is about the length of a magazine article. Not a worthless book, but not a particularly good value for your money.



3. In this book, Ian Mitroff attacks problem-solving by defining the first step: asking the right questions. He shows you how to use critical thinking skills to find the right problems, frame them correctly and implement appropriate solutions to solve or resolve them.

   This book is thoughtful and well-organized, just as you might hope it would be since it teaches critical thinking. It is also well-written and well-illustrated, featuring numerous diagrams that illuminate better ways of thinking. Mitroff includes examples of well-known companies which have made major mistakes that cost millions of dollars because they failed to recognize the right problem in time. He also gives examples of companies that succeeded through improved critical thinking and problem identification. We [...] recommend this interesting book to all business problem-solvers.




4. The book's impact was made at the end of the first chapter. There I read Critical Questions and tried to answer them. These weren't questions about the material I had just read, but questions about me and my organization and how we deal with problems. Subsequently, the end of each chapter brought more questions to work on.
   
   The book focuses on the problem solving process and the search for the real problem. Many management books solve predefined problems, which are good books, as long as you're sure you've picked the right problem.
   
   The book is a quick read, interspersed with graphics that illustrates the text. Part 3 of the three part book delves into systematic thinking and touches on Jungian analysis, personality types, 5 Ways of Thinking, and even 12-Step programs.
   
   As the saying goes, "Identifying a problem is half way to solving a problem." This book will help you find the right problem.



5. I ordered this book with great hopes. The author correctly states that superior thinking skills are the foundation of creating a lasting competitive advantage.
   
   However, within the first few pages Mr. Mitroff uses an example of the Make-a-Wish Foundation's decision to grant a young man's wish to hunt Kodiak bear as an illustration of poor thinking skills in action. That's not the problem.
   
   He then talks about all the flak that the Foundation got from animal-rights groups and other anti-hunting factions. That's not the problem.
   
   Here's the problem:
   
   Implicit in his analysis, is the assumption that this child's wish was immoral or otherwise unethical. The clear message was that, of course, the Make-a-Wish Foundation's decision to grant the wish was wrong and he then tars them with a "dumb-thinking" brush.
   
   The author failed to state HIS underlying assumption that hunting is wrong and immoral, even though the hunt in question was perfectly legal. He then went so far as to suggest that the Foundation could have avoided all the fuss by re-defining the word "Hunt" from "Kill" to "Take a photograph". With a straight face, he suggests that this "compromise" would have satisfied all involved.
   
   Of course this would have violated the entire concept of "make-a-wish-come-true"... the boy didn't wish for a photo safari; he wanted to kill a trophy bear. But this seemed to be small potatoes compared to ruffling someone's anti-hunting feathers.
   
   In the interests of disclosure, I am a sometime hunter and see absolutely nothing wrong with the killing of animals for sport and sustenance, when done within the ethics of the sport. Further, I'm proud of the Foundation for "sticking to their guns" (so to speak).
   
   In my mind, anyone who eats meat and is against hunting is a hypocrite. A cows life is no more or less precious to that cow than the bears life is to it. I've also been a farmer and raised animals for butchering.
   
   To some, my objection may seem tangential to the meat of the book. But this instance of sloppy thinking is exactly what I had hoped to learn how to better avoid.
   
   The two most basic precepts of discourse are to:
   
   1: Define your terms
   
   2: Disclose your underlying assumptions
   
   In my mind, the author did neither and therefore lost all credibility to me.
   
   Some better resources that I can recommend are
   
   The Goal, Eli Goldratt
   It's Not Luck, Eli Goldratt
   Lateral Thinking, Edward DeBono

2 comments about Sales Effectiveness Training: The Breakthrough Method to Become Partners With Your Customers.

1. When in presence of a salesperson I have the impression he/she leads the discussion where he/she wants to go. The main difference with Sales Effectiveness Training is that the client leads: the salesperson acts as a consultant, faciliator to help the client make his/her own decision. That brings trust and make THE difference



2. Surprise! A sales book tops my list of negotiation resources. But this sales book focuses on the most basic communication strategies which, if mastered, form the basis of any interaction--including negotiation. Sales Effectiveness Training is an offshoot of Gordon's earlier book, Parental Effectiveness Training (PET), itself an invaluable negotiations resource. But I didn't think that even I could convince people to read a parental training manual to improve their negotiation skills. For extra credit, check out PET; it's well written, by Gordon alone; he develops his examples in greater depth than is done in Sales Effectiveness Training. What's exciting about Sales Effectiveness Training is its unique emphasis on skills we'd otherwise overlook. When most people come to me for advice, they want to know what to say, and how to say it. But the most important thing is how you listen, not what you say. This book puts the importance of listening skills -- both as a technique for understanding and as a method of creating rapport in the context of sales effectiveness. Other Batna.com articles will examine these principles in the specific context of negotiations; but the material in Sales Effectiveness Training is highly valuable as is.

5 comments about Practical Intuition for Success.

1. As promised in the title this book is highly practical with easy to understand exercises that train your intuition. Doing the exercises unlocks your intuitive potential and answers questions you didn't even know you were asking.
   Highly recommended!



2. From a practical standpoint, Day separates thinking of emotions, pure logic and reasoning from intuition. She defines this intuitive thinking as logical and, essential for success. Her thoughts are quite compelling. Rather than the pure gut feeling or abstractions that generally constitute intuition, Day develops an understanding of how this skill can be cultivated from both thought and feeling. Rather than an illogical urge, it becomes a developed sense. The exercises and examples extensively developed empower the reader to adapt this skill for personal achievement. A good read.



3. This is a good book it's longer then some of her other ones and it has a lot more exercises in it then some of her other books so unless you have a lot of time on your hands it will take a while to read it. But, other then that it is a good book and I did enjoy it. I'm going to start to read practical intuition in love.



4. This is an ideal book for those who are entrepreneurial and in a position professionally where the skill of intuitive ability is demanded. I often think that Richard Branson and Madonna are highly intuitive in their enterprises. If you want to have both brains focusing on wealth creating, Laura Day provides excercises to get the ball rolling. Learn to make your right brain and left brain best friends to seize opportunities daily.



5. Laura Day is on to something. One might feel a bit overwhelmed by the "new age" tone of the book but pay attention. She has a powerful perspective. I think this book and "Welcome to Your Crisis" are even better than "The Circle"..they have parctical, hands on advice. Not necessarily for what I would term a crisis - more a dilemma or feeling "stuck".

5 comments about The Adversity Quotient @ Work: Make Everyday Challenges the Key to Your Success--Putting the Principles of AQ Into Action.

1. 'AQ@Work' is aimed at consultants, students, or those in business who want to create a structured reaction mindset (initially consciously incompetent, to unconsciously competent) to performing better individually and in teams in the workplace.

   The attractively illustrated action-oriented chapters span: Expanding your capacity- the human operating system (Quitters, Campers & Climbers); The science of AQ; Measuring Your AQ; The CORE of a climber (Control, Ownership, Reach, Endurance); Developing Response-Able Climbers (LEAD= Listen to Response, Establish Accountability, Analyze the Evidence, and Do Something); Coaching and Mentoring Climbers; Defining and Finding Climbers; Hiring Climbers; Building Climbing Teams; Building A Climbing Culture.

   Strengths include: the presentation (illustrations, tables, summaries, action lists); the lively engaging style; interesting "humans as computers with software" analogies; the usability of materials for in-company training; and the credibility of AQ itself (data set and application group spanning over 100,000 people Worldwide across cultures, sectors, and professions).

   Weaknesses include: the lack of references; a need more anecdotes or tabulated quantified success stories (rather than repetitive, almost consulting sales pitch); needs 25% less page count for content; dull 2nd half becomes a "verbatim training notes doc" (to this reviewer); lack of depth to "science" (e.g. misses many credible individual/ team motivation/performance models e.g.2 misses communications models & significance to team performance); offers unsubstantiated contradictions with standard psychology view to internalizing/ externalizing problems and subsequent personal growth (or not); and anecdotes sometimes abstract/remote from complexities of real work environments. Interestingly, Cypress Semiconductor is hailed here as a success story, and as a failure in Pfeffer's recent OK "Hidden Value" and OK "Knowing Doing-Gap" texts.

   Alternatives include: Pfeffer's efforts; Goleman's OK "Working with Emotional Intelligence"; and Schwartz's inspirational "Magic of Thinking Big". At the "quality-end" look at: the superb "First to the Future- on Active Leadership" by Willi Railo (rigorous proven methods to coach & lead Olympic-standard people, applicable to all) (ISBN82-991169-5-3 Norbok A/S 1995); and Jensen's punchy 'Simplicity' (ISBN 073820210X 2000). More peripherally look at: "The Time Management PocketBook" and "Yoga for Dummies" offering approaches for motivation, focus, and action to being better balanced as well as corporate citizens.

   Overall 'AQ@Work' is only worthwhile- but it could be amongst the best with more rigor & science, less words, and more success statistics.




2. Not moving up the corporate ladder as quickly as you think you should? Was your brilliant idea or presention rejected? Were you overlooked for a promotion? Why? This book attempts to answer these questions. Author, Paul Stoltz has identified three types of people in the workplace, and how they react to setbacks. First there are quitters who are bitter and avoid change; secondly, campers who settle into comfort zones, and thirdly, climbers who are relentless in the pursuit of their goals. He emphasizes that "climbers" are the achievers. The book is is filled with self assessment charts and maps for strategies. But the key, it seems is perserverance not paranoia; focused effort not whining; and setting realistic goals, then taking action. Employers and employees will welcome this "window" into how to succeed in the business world. Oh yes, this author writes about work-related stress. After you read this book, take a look at "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff for Teens", by Dr. Richard Carlson. It has keys to success for everyone not just teens; and coping with stress is a universal challenge. What is your Adversity Quotient?



3. Very, very little science in this one and one of many current books taking on a simple metaphor and developing a whole theory around it (...life is a climb, don't quit...or how about, life is like fishing, try different lures each day...or, life is like sharpening a pencil---sharp points work effectively, but sharpen too much, and the pencil grows short...). I went to a writer's workshop and the consultant there stated that the quickest way to publish a book is to think up one of these silly metaphors and write a self-help book around it. Maybe the author of this one was in the same workshop! Anyway, my advice is for readers to "climb a real mountain" and read good science---not this turkey.



4. Read this book! Dr. Paul Stotlz has written a wonderful book that can help us all to accomplish more at work and to enjoy it while we do. With his easy to undertsand concepts and easy to follow "how to's" we can all learn to harness the adversities and obstacles that we face every day and to use them as springboards in our lives. This book has already helped me and many of my friends to develop a higher level of perseverance which is helping to drive higher levels of accomplishment and statisfaction not only in our work but in every facet of lives. Dr. Stoltz, thank you for sharing your great insight!



5. Finally a book that explains how a person can manifest a more powerful personal and professional life.Going beyond simple advice and into simplifying vital scientific knowledge, AQ@Work is filled with achieveable and exciting methods to help everyone access their potential.This book doesn't tell the reader he should be more successful, more productive, or more positive,, this book actually describes usuable tools for becoming more successful, more productive and more positive!The use of the Climbers, Campers, and Quitters metaphor is a brilliant way to guide reader's visualization of their current status on life's path.Some may resent the labels and metaphors, I would urge them to read the description of Camper once more and weep....

4 comments about Secrets of Closing the Sale.

1. I've read this book three times in the last fifteen years and learned more each time. There are lots of ideas to consider, particularly in dealing with people who automatically say no.



2. full of great easy to use ideas on just what the title says.a good educational guide for the beginner to the pro salesman.



3. When I first read this book, last month, I was drawn towards it because I couldn't find Maxwell Maltz's books on selling. And, I remember reviewing this book, thinking that I had not heard objections from my prospects, yet, by the time I read page 304, of this 400 page book, I created a notebook with 35 pages of notes, each begins with specific objections that I have heard.

   I remember asking myself, "Are you closing one sale after another?" And the answer was "no."

   As I read this book for the second time, I am so excited about how I am filling up those pages with very specific, tailored responses to those objections, ones which have led me to close some sales. I keep telling myself, at this point to not make another sales call, until I have read this book 4 times, but because I am learning so much, it is natural for me to make some sort of sales call, everywhere I go. And in most cases, I am gathering information on the person, more information than they probably realize that I am gathering. But it helps me to be in rapport, as I show them that they need my services.

   There are some parts in this book where I have read the objections, and examples of how to respond, not react to the objections, and I had said to myself, "I could never do that. It seems somehow wrong." Then, as I read this book for the second time, I am not only adopting what seemed uncomfortable, but I am definitely putting my charming spin on the dialogues.

   Long before reading this book, I had read, "Think and Grow Rich," 13 times. And I kept telling myself, so how do I sell what I am doing, to the right people, everytime I make a sales call. And, although each read of "Think and Grow Rich," has added value to me, "Secrets of Closing the Sale," is very specific, and empowering. ...

   I am eternally grateful for this book, as I envision the difference that it will have on all aspects of my life.




4. The Book is a joy to read and full of great suggestions on how to improve your sales. Some suggestions and topics should be 'common sense' but Zig shows how these common sense philosophys help you achieve extraordinary sales results. It is a must read for the True Sales Professional!

No comments about Cambridge BEC Preliminary Audio Cassette: Practice Tests from the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (Bec Practice Tests).

No comments about Credit, Cash and Co-Dependency.