4 comments about The Only Guide to Alternative Investments You'll Ever Need: The Good, the Flawed, the Bad, and the Ugly.

1. This book is so well written and educational that I read it from cover to cover in only a few days. I found the arguments for the "good" investments well supported, and the explanation for the "flawed," "bad" and "ugly" convincing and supported by facts and research. I only wish that this book was available before I bought some of the bad and ugly investments in the past. As with Swedroe's other publications, he has again provided the average investor with valuable knowledge without any hype or noise.



2. As an investment advisor and co-host of a financial radio program I have read a voluminous amount of investment material from a host of authors over the years. Larry is clearly one of the best financial writers I have come across. This book illuminates the reader on a myriad of investment strategies that are rarely understood by most investors and financial professionals. His writing style is entertaining, informative and supported by solid empirical evidence. Summarizing a quote from Larry Swedroe, "there is a difference between information and knowledge, information is a fact or piece of data, knowledge is information that can be put into practical use to make better decisions". This book provides the reader with practical knowledge on less understood, alternative investments. I recommend this book to all investors and I would also recommend checking out Larry's other books.
   
   Kenneth R. Smith. CFP®, MS
   CEO Empirical Wealth Management LLC



3. With the stock market in turmoil, investors are looking for alternatives. Larry Swedroe's latest book with Jared Kizer suggests some alternatives that probably belong in our portfolios regardless of what the market decides to do.
   
   Larry Swedroe and Jared Kizer examine twenty different alternative investments, and arrive at six that may be keepers for your portfolio. They also point out those that should be avoided like the flu, regardless of how exciting the sales pitch is. Professionally and personally, I've always found that advice on what to avoid can often be more valuable than advice on what to buy.
   
   Swedroe and Kizer note the roles that real estate, TIPS, commodities, international stocks, fixed annuities, and stable-value funds can successfully play in our portfolios. If we buy them, they should be for the right reasons as performance-chasing occurs across all asset classes.
   
   Current market conditions make this book very timely as it does a great job of explaining how you can implement alternative investments into your portfolio now and in the future.



4. Absolutely terrific review of the various alternative asset classes. A great complement to books like the 4 Pillars by William Bernstein.

5 comments about Influencer: The Power to Change Anything.

1. I'm not sure why I ordered this book other than that it was free. I am not the type of person who reads self-help or business books and the one or two times in my life that I was forced to do so I couldn't see the point of the book nor did I derive anything beneficial. I have been in sales most of my life and at various points have been known as one of the top salesmen in my field. I've often been asked to share what has made me successful so I have taught classes on selling. It seems to me to be an exercise in futility. I wish it was easy to simply tell some one how to be or what to do and that success will follow. It is my belief that human beings are infinitely more complex than what the business & self-help books portray and they do not change easily, if ever. I am sure that there are people who have benefitted from this class of book but I have never met one and I suspect they are rare. People are what they are and even if you get them excited for a short time they soon revert to their norm.
   
   As far as this book goes it seems neither better nor worse than other books in its class. It relies on telling stories to show people how they might use different behaviours to achieve more influence. I don't think reading this book is going to enable anyone to make a profound change in their lives, just as the past twenty years worth of self-help and business books haven't seemed to make a bit of difference to anyone I know personally or within society in general. There is an old saying, "Those who can, do, those who can't, teach". That's why I don't teach anymore. It's depressing to try and teach something and see that the message sent just isn't ever received because of the fundamental difference in experience, motivation, outlook and thought processes between two different people. I would also offer this thought....the only way you'll change your life or influence others successfully is simply to go try doing it and get better. In other words, there is no magic words/spell/book that is going to change your world. There is only doing, practice, and gaining experience. Save your time and money, skip the book, and go practice influencing others. You'll fail a lot, but then you get better incrementally, and you'll have made progress. It's as unlikely that you'll make progress reading a book as it is unlikely that you'll learn to play the piano by reading a book. People make a lot of money by the lure of a shortcut to be found within the pages of their book but I don't know of any shortcuts to playing a piano or in learning to influence others. I sure didn't see any in this book.



2. The title of this book is "Influencer: The Power to Change Anything." I'll call shenanigans on that subtitle, because this is not a book about exercising personal power. Rather, it's a series of case studies that demonstrate how influence can be used in positive ways to improve the world around us. It's powerful reading, yes. But that's because many of the anecdotes are interesting, and some are quite powerful.
   
   This is a very well-written book, with some extremely interesting stories to share. Dr. Donald Hopkins and his fight against the dreaded guinea worm is a common theme, and it's an interesting story. Another "influence master" detailed started a rehabilitation center for convicts that actually works. Yet another started a small business program in Bangladesh that has given hope to the poor. The stories really stuck with me after I read the book, and they've helped me to think of ways I can influence others in my own life.
   
   Of less value to me was the "six sources of influence" model, which sounds very academic, but lacks the intuitive "oomph" of methods like the "7 Habits" or the "22 laws" that leadership gurus like to bring up. You can actually find all of the information about the abstract concepts on the book's website, and you can read case studies on many of the featured stories on publisher VitalSmarts's site. (This is mentioned in the book as well, so I'm guessing the authors don't mind if people mine their sites for information before reading.)
   
   Still, "Influencer" is a great read, and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone looking for inspiration. The world can be a better place, and this book does a good job of calling out some notable cases. Just don't expect to walk away prepared to change the world -- apparently, it's not as easy as the subtitle would lead you to believe.



3. This is a powerful book that is relevant and helpful for anyone who is dealing with personal and/or organizational issues. It is very timely given what we are going through now as a nation and as a world community.



4. The audiobook edition is what I am listening to, and it's one of the most compelling reads out there. This is not a self-help book, but it examines very clearly and concisely the forces and factors where influence takes hold and changes human behaviour. With clear examples and step by step analysis, the authors offer a convincing study of how people influence other people's behaviours, and insights to keep in mind in our own lives and actions. This is a book which examines people dynamics but uses strong anecdotal examples from around the world. A good effort that will be valuable for any leader, sociologist, etc.



5. This book introduced some insights and techniques for persuasion that I never thought of. Excellent read on the power of common sense approaches to major and minor problems.

5 comments about Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations.

1. I had to purchase this book for an online college-credit class and I really enjoyed the book! The class was Writing for the Digital Age and Shirky's book talked a lot about present and future times of texting and new media! It is an easy read and very informational. I actually looked forward to reading it!



2. Clay Shirky provides insightful and well-developed analysis of today's new technology and its possible impact on politics and other areas of society, such as journalism. This is interspersed with stories to keep the reader interested. All in all, I am very glad I purchased this book.



3. i found this book absolutely fascinating - it poses for me a very interesting question: we know that the internet as caused big changes in society, but i wonder too if it hasn't also exposed some false assumptions about society. This is what Shirky seems to be saying: people have always wanted to act collectively but until now it has been very difficult to do so. I wonder too if it doesn't demand a rethink of cultural studies, which is premised on a notion of the average person and their response to mass communication. With the internet one could say neither of these things exists anymore. This is Shirky's thesis: there is no average internet user, nor is there mass communication.



4. Every entrepreneur and would-be "thought leader" should know and implement the leadership strategies and concepts found in this book. Technology keeps coming our way, too fast to realize, with implications that are hard to recognize at first. Thus books such as this one help us bear our bearings.
   
   And what are the next trends, the next wants and desires in the marketplace... and how can we know about them, beforehand? For an all-out briefing that allows you to fully implement strategies contained in my own book, "The Expert's Edge"... get this book and read it carefully all the way through!



5. I had the opportunity to hear Clay speak at a recent event in Boston. I immediately knew that I wanted to read more about his point of view on technology trends after he was five minutes into his speech on technology and social tools. He uses real-life analogies to explain why some technolgy ventures fail, or succeed. However, sometimes they fail or succeed for very different reasons than their creators imagined they would. This book is about the power of social tools and the groups that form because of them. It changed my outlook forever on the power of social tools and which groups might form when new technologies are adopted at a massive scale. His take on the Power Law Distribution also changed my point of view on how I thought these tools scaled.
   
   This is an easy, and fun read that is packed with terrific insight about what is possible when you least expect it. I highly recommend buying this book.

4 comments about Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World HC.

1. Businesses and marketers take note. There's no way to ignore the Net Generation; they're 81 million strong. (That's bigger than the Boomer generation!) It's time we get to know them, intimately. Don Tapscott's Grown Up Digital gives you the opportunity to see how Net Geners think, act, learn, purchase, and relate. The book is packed with information yet written in a casual, first person voice making it easy to read and enjoy. All around us we're seeing the impact of this intelligent, savvy, self-confident generation. They're in our workplace, in our homes (if you're a Boomer), and on the Web critiquing and customizing our products and services. Say what you will...they're coddled by parents who hover and never miss a soccer game...but understand we are learning the ways of the social Web from them. And they are pushing the envelope of what is possible. They fully democratize information and access to it; they collaborate across geographical boundaries, and they are highly mobile and always connected.
   
   While reading Grown Up Digital, I realized I have been a bit set in my traditional Boomer generation thinking (rather linear). Today's 30-year-old doesn't think twice about your age or ethnicity or your years of experience. They simply reach out and instinctively look for ways to collaborate (rather non-linear). If you have Net Geners in your workplace, learn from this book how to manage and incent them. If you have them in your home, revel in their technical and social networking expertise. And if you market to them, deeply understand their motivations, desires, and demands for the products and services they purchase.
   
   I've been reading Don's books for over 10 years. He wrote the foreword to my book [full disclosure]. I like the way Don thinks, and the thorough research, thoughtfulness and creativity he puts in his books!



2. For starters, I would say this book is slightly more accessible than Don's previous book Wikinomics (with Anthony Williams), especially in terms of its mass appeal. Everyone knows some young people, so I thing everyone can relate. If you are a parent and you have Internet-addicted kids, this book will help you better understand where they're coming from. If you're an employer and you are looking for bright young talent, this book will help you attract and retain them. If you are a marketer and you are trying to sell to young people, this book will definitely help you do so more effectively. If you're an educator trying to reach young people in the classroom, the book provides a few suggestions on how to get through to them. Finally, if you're a young person yourself, the book provides a good introspective look at why you are the way you are.
   
   It's definitely an interesting time to be writing about this topic. I think Grown up Digital provides a solid argument against those that suggest that the Internet and video games are rotting the minds of today's youth. Of course, every generation is different than the previous one in very fundamental ways--generational differences are nothing new. Why I think this is a valuable read is because this book explains these differences using a research-backed scientific approach, with plenty of interesting anecdotes and observations to keep you engaged.



3. I'll admit, I didn't read this book cover to cover. I spent about 3 hours reading it, which probably means that I `read' about half and skimmed the rest. This speaks both to the book's strengths and its weaknesses. On one hand, the book is clearly organized, with three levels of subtitles within the book making skimming much more efficient. On the other hand as a member of the generation that Tapscott is trying to describe, at least 60% of the information is intuitive to the point of banality.
   
   What Tapscott does bring to the table, however, is a quantitative approach to how the Net Generation is truly different from those preceding it, with some concrete information deeper than our ubiquitously cited ability to multitask or our improved hand eye coordination. His chapter on "The Net-generation Brain" contained some interesting statistics. For example, he discusses how 10,000 hours of video games and 20,000 hours of internet before age 20, have a positive effect on our ability to process visual information in rapid and complex ways. Additionally, like the Economist review that introduced me to the book, I believe the chapter on `Obama, Social Networks, and Digital engagement' is the primary selling point for the book with interesting anecdotes and a broad view picture of its effectiveness, although the book was published too early to claim it was the reason for his victory.
   
   In the end, there's not enough new information contained in this book for a blanket recommendation. It is has enough to interest genre hacks willing to wade through the banalities, or those who have not yet been exposed to Net Gen ideas. I guess that means I should recommend this book to my mother.



4. While I fouund Mr. Tapscott"s book interesting I got a little tired of reading how the net generation is the answer to the world's present and future problems. It seemed to me that Mr. Tapscott's purpose for writing this book was to debunk any negative comments or research that he had ever heard or read regarding the net generation. According to Mr. Tapscott, other then their one negative of sharing too much personal information on facebook, the net generation will make all other generations pale in compaison.

5 comments about Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results.

1. We used Fish! as a team-building exercise at work. We read about 20 pages a week and then discussed. Even people who don't like to read, enjoyed it because it's such a quick, easy, story. I did get CD's for a few people. This was a group that needed to become cohesive, and after the second week, everyone was animated about Fish! People shared their own experiences as it related to the story. Very easy discussion starter. Now they want to take a field trip from Kansas City to Seattle to visit Pike Place Fish Market!



2. I really liked this simple, small book. I really did. However, as a director of human resources, I was hoping for more depth. While the book is a fun tale, the lessons contained therein are too whimsical to really help corporations with their real problems. Sure, everyone wants to strive for fun, teamwork, etc., however, the daily arena does not allow such graceful answers.
   
   Once again, I liked the book just don't expect to be pointed in a corrective position.
   
   Michael L. Gooch, SPHR Author of Wingtips with Spurs



3. This book should be a mandatory read for all new leaders! It is an easy read that keeps you interested from beginning to end. The philosophy is basic and simple; however extremely practicle and most of all...effective!!!



4. Fish! is a great book that teaches you how to have fun at work and make your job into something you enjoy coming to each day. It tells the story of a woman who goes through a transformation to learn this very thing from an unlikely source: the fish mongers at a Seattle fish market. A cute story and helpful book that has been used effectively in my company.
   
   Another business fable I just came across that I'm really excited about is Squawk!: How to Stop Making Noise and Start Getting Results



5. A five star book - recommend to every employee and employer to read. Have already told many people about this book. Worth every penny. Very motivational.

5 comments about Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth.

1. Addressing any rational ADULTS who may be reading these reviews; I would like to point out a few obvious facts so that you don't lapse into making a poor purchase.
   Each human being is an individual and leads a unique life comprised of a flowing series of unique opportunities. Each human being makes decisions about these opportunities based upon many, many factors revolving around "self" and also around external elements/circumstances. THEREFORE, it is utterly impossible ( and completely insanely ridiculous ) to try and achieve "success" by studying others. Your life is YOUR LIFE. The circumstances and ongoing flow of opportunities which make it up are not the same as the circumstances or opportunities or people or places making up the life of a Donald Trump. Obviously you cannot pattern your advance toward "success" or wealth by looking at Trump's decisions or behavior.
   This book is absurd in the extreme. Who can get inside ANYONE'S MIND at any time for any reason? Are human beings robots manufactured on a factory assembly line....with the same software installed for functioning? Of course not!!! The only person who REALLY knows what Donald Trump ( or any other person - wealthy or not ) thinks, it is Trump himself....not his parents, not his kids, not any of his trophy wives, and certainly NOT THIS AUTHOR...only Trump REALLY knows Trump's thinking and reasoning!
   And remember, the unique opportunities in each individual's life hang on their time in history, their location on the planet, the other people they've associated with, and so on. And in every case, all of this is totally different from one individual to the next. So, THERE IS NO "MILLIONAIRE MIND"....THERE IS NOTHING STANDARD IN HOW MILLIONAIRES THINK. In other words, don't fall for this sort of sucker bait.
   If you want to get wealthy, spend a lot less money than you make and put what you save to work making more money for you. That's all that anyone can really do that is "standard procedure" to gain wealth. Everything else is a matter of what sort of opportunities come your way and what times in your life and how you do or don't uniquely deal with them.



2. Who spilled the beans??? Well the one and only author of "The Secret of the Millionaire Mind" spilled the beans, that's who! Once you read this book you'll discover once and for all what The Secret of a Millionaire Mind really is!!! Most significant information for transforming your life, and taking the next step to move forward into manifesting your prosperity!
   
   Judging by the high numbers of people that are purchasing this book I would have to say that "The Secret of the Millionaire Mind" is not a secret anymore.
   
   I'm most certainly thankful that I heard about this book!!!
   
   Another great book is:
   
   Nexus: A Neo Novel, an enlightening novel by Morrison & Singh
   
   Nexus: A Neo Novel



3. This book is a common sense and user-friendly approach to identifying and changing self-sabotaging behaviors at their core. I suggest it whole heartedly and I will be having all employees read it as mandatory reading.



4. 
   
   After reading a couple pages of this book I realized I made a mistake and this guy wasn't the real deal...
   More and more I read through it I realized he is just trying to milk the self motivation business and come out with a book to generate some cash, and advertise his seminars like every few pages! Talk about over kill!
   To sum up his book can be done in a couple sentences!
   1: surround yourself my millionaires and hopefully some of their energy will brush off on you...
   2: only you can make your dreams come true!
   3: change your frame of mind to think rich...
   
   Wow! Took 200 pages to tell us that...
   
   I think this book just shows how he has been milking this business.
   He goes around the country and gives speeches to people who are weak and desperate for change! He has found a niche market which pays him money!
   He comes out with books, and tries to relate with stories of hardship etc... But frankly he really doesn't have a clue! the prices he charges just goes to show you he is ONLY OUT TO MAKE MONEY! the way he makes it is off peoples hopes! I'd rather give my money to Deepak Chopra than this guy!
   He is marketing himself throughout the book so that's very ugly at times also...
   The book goes on and on and on about nothing, he repeats himself over and over again! The book is nothing more than a business venture for the author to make some more money!
   Smart move on to generate more wealth, but unfortunately the book is full of hopes and dreams, but doesn't give anyone any advice on how to generate wealth!
   I felt the author wanted to jump into this market so he needed a book!
   He came up with a premise of mindsets! Frankly speaking false hope.
   Pass on this book if you have already read a self-help book, because this book just regurgitates the same as every other book...
   "You have to make it happen, you can do it! The power is within you blar blar blar"
   
   If you are looking at a book to help generate wealth and help with investing money, look elsewhere...



5. Thanks Thanks T Harv Eker and Thanks God i found it... his book and seminar changed my life..
   yes the book is awesome... Seminar is excellent... it changed my life and helped alot to become wealthy... if you want to become wealthy read his book and attend his seminar and act on it... if i would price this book and seminar its worth is more than $10,000 .... the people who gave negative reviews are blind i think they didn't read the book properly or didn't attend the seminar with proper attention...
   Thanks
   Sunny

5 comments about Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions.

1. I am usually more into serious literature, but one of my team mates in an on-line course suggested that our group use this book for an educational leadership project. It was an excellent suggestion. Not only was the book "short and sweet", but within its pages, I could actually see myself and the role that I play within the structural system of my school. I am a die hard for doing things the "old way" and this little fable opened my eyes to seeing the importance of change. If we don't adapt, we won't survive. It is also very amusing to read about the plight of these little penguins and their cooperative effort to solve the crisis of their iceberg population. The illustrations are also well done and very entertaining. I would definitely recommend this book. It's great! It really brings the point home without becoming offensive.



2. My daughter gave me a copy of this book. As a corporate human resources director, she believed I would enjoy the subject. I can truly say that she underestimated the enjoyment I derived from these penguins.
   
   This book is a must read for anyone that manages people with all of their quirks and baggage. While the book is largely common sense, it opens your eyes to various tools to stimulate discussion and engage in effective communication.
   
   There is no better way to teach a topic than to build an interesting story around the topic. This empowers the subject in a way that straightforward narrative and lecture style can never achieve. Keep writing John Kotter. It is a great book. Michael L. Gooch, SPHR Author of Wingtips with Spurs



3. I read this book after seeing a review in the New York Times. It is a quick read, and I totally fell for the fable, as a way to tell a story with a message.
   
   I realized after reading Our Iceburg is Melting, that this process sounded familiar, and remembered that I had Kotter's Leading Change on my bookshelf from the time I was working on my MPA. So I took that book off the shelf and read that one again. It reinforced the story of the penguins. I also checked out Kotter's web site www.ouriceburgismelting.com, which has some really cute videos that illustrate the specific steps in the 8 step change process.
   
   There are a variety of testimonials and training videos there, which I found useful. From that web site I learned that Kotter had just finished a book on the first step A Sense of Urgency. This step, which is by far the hardest to accomplish, was the real issue for me. I bought that book too.
   
   I have been working in the nonprofit or government sector my whole career and realize that change is hard everywhere, but especially in places that are not motivated by money. How do you get complacent organizations to move forward and take risks? Kotter spends virtually half of Our Iceburg is melting on the first step, creating urgency.
   
   Fred, the middle management penguin who identifies there is a problem (melting), has to manage up and down the penguin food chain to make people understand the iceburg is indeed melting. He is thwarted by No No, the penguin who resists change, actively and passively. No No is my favorite in the entire book, if only because Kotter has personalized through this penguin, the folks who are basic blockers for change in organizations where I consult. Kotter offers some great insights in A Sense of Urgency about how to deal with No Nos (and those of their ilk) that could be useful in a nonprofit context.
   
   Kotter's 8 step change process makes sense. This fable is an easy way to engage a group of people in the many steps needed to make organizational change happen. This book is worth your time.



4. I have read John Kotter's previous work on leading change so I was curious as to whether his concepts could be effectively conveyed in fable form. To my delight, I discovered that Kotter put his own findings about the power of stories to work to create an engaging story that conveys his principles about organizational change more powerfully. By reading this book, my staff and colleagues remember the steps and continue to be guided by them as we transform our work group and help to transform our company. I highly recommend this book!
   
   The only other book I've seen do this so well is Squawk!: How to Stop Making Noise and Start Getting Results, which uses a seagull manager to illustrate the problem managers are having these days with swooping in at the last minute, squawking up a storm and dumping orders riddled with formulaic advice upon their people. Highly recommended as well.



5. This is a DIFFERENT book. It made me see myself, my subordinates, colleagues and bosses in the characters. It fully utilizes fable "tools" to guide us through the process of change. Choosing the pengiun, that resourceless creature, was very intelligent in order to prove that change is ALWAYS possible - when there is a will there is way.

5 comments about Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game.

1. More than baseball, Moneyball is about questioning assumptions - challenging everything you know to be true about your situation and asking yourself if maybe it "ain't necessarily so." How did Billy Beane and the Oakland A's achieve so many wins with such a limited budget?
   
   1. They questioned assumptions (about the valuation of players).
   2. They determined that various time-honored metrics metrics (for determining a player's value or worth) did not hold up under scrutiny.
   3. Because no one ELSE did 1 and 2, they were able to invest their limited resources on players who were clearly undervalued.
   
   What happens when you question assumptions? You often arrive at winning solutions! Discussed in detail (along with other great examples) in:Shake That Brain: How to Create Winning Solutions and Have Fun While You're At It



2. CDs were in great shape. I got them within a few days of ordering.



3. Lewis's MONEYBALL is impossible to put down because it is speaks as much to leadership as it does to baseball. The key premise is that instead of worrying about what you do not have, do all you can with the resources you do have.
   
   Worthy of its praise and glowing reviews. A great read.



4. Aristotle once argued that there are three main purposes to art and writing: to teach, to delight, and to inspire. Rare is the book that accomplishes all three but Michael Lewis's "Moneyball" does exactly that: it is all at once a readable economics textbook, a classic good guys versus bad guys page-turner, and an edifying epic.
   
   "Moneyball" is the story of three obsessive-compulsives -- Bill James, Billy Beane, and Paul DePodesta -- who re-imagined baseball from a game of stars and heroics into one of numbers and discipline.
   
   An unemployed self-declared baseball critic Bill James understood that baseball statistics weren't just numbers and trivia: they were fundamentally a myth and a morality that sought to explain the game. Consider the statistic "error" which sought to eliminate luck from the game, and is a moral statement on who is at fault. This statistic, like most statistics in baseball, Bill James argued, was pig-headed, wrong, and irrelevant: it neither discounted luck from the game nor properly accounted for why a team won nor helped predict if they would win.
   
   So what does? Here Bill James turned from critic to metaphysic: what really is baseball? It's a game where each team must score as many runs as possible without getting three outs. In other words, while great fielding is beautiful to watch, baseball is fundamentally an offensive game, and Bill James discovered that "on-base percentage" (the times a hitter gets on base divided by the times a hitter goes to bat) and "slugging percentage" (the number of runs a team generates each inning divided by the number of batters a team sends to the plate each inning) were the best indicators of a team's future performance.
   
   Of course it didn't matter if Bill James was right or wrong because he was irrelevant. Baseball was a club that was dominated by those who played the game. Players became coaches and general managers and sports commentators, and they all thought alike and treated baseball as a sacred temple only they could access. Since the mid-eighties fantasy baseball players had taken James and made him into a self-publishing phenomenon, and amateur baseball theorists who counted among them expensively-educated and expensively-paid statisticians were constantly proving and refining James' theories -- but who listened to geeks anyway? The revolution needed to come from within, and it did.
   
   Billy Beane should have been a baseball Hall of Famer -- with his build and athletic prowess he could have been the baseball Hall of Famer. That's what baseball scouts kept on telling him, and while Billy Beane did make the major league his heart really wasn't into baseball, and he was only a little above mediocre. At age 28 -- usually the prime of a baseball player's career -- he did the unthinkable, quit playing, and asked for a scouting job in the Athletic A's organization. And while Billy Beane was a member of baseball's sacred fraternity he had first-hand experience that they could at times be all wrong, and when he became the Oakland A's general manager he began systemically to prove that they were in fact all wrong.
   
   As general manager Billy Beane hired a Harvard number-cruncher Paul DePodesta to implement and refine Bill James' theories. DePodesta made the critical insight that "on-base percentage" was three times as important as "slugging percentage," and used this new knowledge to draft college baseball's most undervalued players. What Billy Beane and Paul DePodesta found was what Bill James had long argued: that the market for baseball players was incredibly inefficient. Players who could get on base and wear out an opposing pitcher -- a team's most important contributors -- were underpriced, and the players who could hit jaw-dropping home-runs after striking out many times and make terrific catches that nevertheless did not alter the inexorable logic of the game were overpriced. By exploiting this market inefficiency Billy Beane and Paul DePodesta created one of baseball's most winning teams on one of baseball's smallest budgets.
   
   And Billy Beane and Paul DePodesta saved some of baseball's best players from obscurity. Take, for example, Chad Bradford, one of baseball's most consistent closers. But why did no teams want him? He threw underhanded. Baseball teams couldn't dispute the facts -- Chad Bradford was a winner -- but in the end they decided aesthetics were more important than facts.
   
   Then there's Scott Hatteberg, one of baseball's smartest players, and definitely the most patient and disciplined: for him baseball was a mental game, and as the game's most consistent hitter he wore down opposing pitchers by raising the ball count, gleaming valuable information in the process. What was his problem? He wasn't man enough -- not aggressive and reckless enough in the batter's box. In other words he didn't strike out enough -- and it was again Billy Beane who saw the absurdity of mainstream baseball's reasoning and snapped up Scott Hatteberg as soon as he could.
   
   In many ways "Moneyball" is even more "Fountainhead" than Ann Rayn's best-selling classic. Like Howard Roark Billy Beane is not a person you'd like to meet. Nevertheless, motivated by his insatiable need to win, he is fighting against the forces of stupidity and unreason, and in so doing making a world a better place. And it is a credit to Michael Lewis's patience and discipline as a writer to just let this great story tell itself.
   
   "Moneyball" is a brilliant achievement.



5. Pain Killer Marketing: How to Turn Customer Pain into Market Gain
   
   This baseball book does a great job of asking and answering the question: What are the hidden benefits and values that others do not see? The book explains why decisions should be based upon predictive metrics, not emotion. This is the same message from our book about business. Great stories and enough explanation to relate the lessons from each story to a business situation. A great read!

5 comments about The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You.

1. I enjoyed reading this book. It gave me valuable insight to the mindsets and principles required to being an outstanding leader. I agree. Leaders are sometimes born, but more often than not, you too can be a better leader if you develop and follow these sound principles.



2. I found "The 21 Laws" to be all that it's hacked up to be, and I think I've read most of the Leadership tomes. Now I have luckily found the new book called "Going Beyond Leadership of Character" by West Point author Norman Thomas Remick which took me to the next step in leadership, trying to become not just a good leader, but a great leader. You might say, like the book, "Good to Great", shows you what makes some companies go from being good to being great, the book, "Going Beyond...", shows you how leaders can go from being good to being great. After reading the Maxwell book, and then going further by reading the Remick book and putting it into action, I think I'm on my way. That's why I recommend "The 21 Laws" and "Going Beyond Leadership of Character" to everyone.



3. The subject matter of the book is really great, but in my humble opinion, the delivery of it is pretty boring. I purchased the book to pre-read before sending off to my 23-year old daughter (recent college grad) and I know it won't capture her attention...it didn't capture mine.



4. This is very good book it helps retrain the brain on tasks that were
   forgotten over the years.



5. I came across the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership in a leadership training program at my company. It's a great book because it's very practical and the advice points you in the direction you need to head if you want to succeed as a leader.
   
   Another book we read in the class that I highly recommend for leaders is The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book

5 comments about Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great.

1. As a social entrepreneur and current business school student, I was fascinated by Collins' work in Good To Great, and I am thrilled that he has provided this monograph to answer the questions that many of us the social sector have been wrestling with since his Good To Great publication was first released.
   
   Unlike most publications about this sector, Collins directly provides interesting insight into accountability measures for social sector organizations, as well as the characteristics and the qualities that successful managers exhibit in the social sector. As usual, his Good To Great technique of analysis has yielded him not only important take-aways for organizational management, but an intuitive sense of how organizations, both for-profit and non-profit, can truly achieve sustainability.
   
   I strongly recommend this book for anyone who enjoyed Good To Great and has pondered its applications to the social sector. I would also highly recommend the How-to guide: Business Planning for Enduring Social Impact: A Social-Entrepreneurial Approach to Solving Social Problems by Andrew Wolk and Kelley Kreitz for anyone looking for a very clear and direct approach to putting some of Collins' idea and suggestions to practice.



2. The book seemed to have info I need but I had trouble trying to figure out out to implement the ideas of the book into my situation.



3. We used the Monograph as a precursor to our strategic planning process. It was very helpful in generating a shared vocabulary for the planning process. As a companion for non-profits to the book "Good to Great," it is easy to grasp and answers many questions left open in the book. It is even a good stand-alone read for non-profit leaders, although reading both books is the best way to get the most out of the concepts. As a non-profit theater, this book is a great tool to lead us in journey towards excellence.



4. Good to Great and the Social Sector is Jim Collins' retort to people who ask how he can apply the concepts in his book to public sector organizations. Running a non profit myself, I find this a compelling read. Essentially he interviewed 100 social sector leaders and tried to differentiate the practices that induce success there that may not do the same in the corporate sector. Please realize that it is very, very short, perhaps 5% of the length of Good to Great.
   
   Another book that was recommended to me that we're now using at my organization with great success is The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book. It has brought about phenomenal changes in our management and our culture.



5. While the fuller context that was presented in the book "Good to Great" is not present, "Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great", provides a quick and thought-provoking read of critical "Good to Great" concepts. Although it does not provide quick fixes to challenges non-profits may be facing (especially in the context of the current economic disruption), it frames important questions a non-profit should consider.
   The book acknowledges that non-profits cannot simply be looked upon as "businesses" and describes parallel conventions to the profit and loss measurement that defines success for profit-making ventures.
   I have purchased multiple copies of this book for my fellow board members with whom I serve as well as for management of the various non-profits with whom I am involved.
   I highly recommend this book -- it is a quick read -- one train or plane ride long.