One of the books I have really found impactful is Influencer by Patterson, Grenny, Maxfield, McMillan, and Switzler. This group of authors work together at VitalSmarts, the company that produced Crucial Conversations that I discussed early on this blog.
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, and a video must be worth many more, here is a "trailer" for the book that came out several years ago before the book did. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4g_xxguWzI
As you see referenced there, across the world there have been many cases of successful change. The areas of change researched include rehabilitation of inmates, eradication of widespread and deadly disease, and smaller scale change as well. The authors identify six sources of influence and explain how these don't work in isolation. Rather they show how to use them in concert to produce needed change.
I strongly recommend this book and all of the VitalSmarts-produced videos and articles related to it.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Theory of Constraints Novels
I was first exposed to the Theory of Constraints while working at BHP on a project in Oakland, CA, during the late 1990's. I read The Goal and was smitten by it. Using a story format to teach a powerful principle seemed brilliant. I still view it as such.
The very short version of the Theory of Constraints is that in your organization you need to identify the one bottleneck that is truly holding you back. Often we thrash about making improvements in non-bottleneck areas and then are surprised when results do not improve. Each of the following novels I have read and recommend every one of them to you! Each is set in a different industry with different challenges:
The Goal
Necessary But Not Sufficient
We All Fall Down
It's Not Luck
Critical Chain
And, a new favorite by Michael Dalton, Simplifying Innovation, moves the discussion from production, to innovation - really to getting the right product mix and priorities. These are fairly quick reads, but each is very educational and the concepts are powerful!
The very short version of the Theory of Constraints is that in your organization you need to identify the one bottleneck that is truly holding you back. Often we thrash about making improvements in non-bottleneck areas and then are surprised when results do not improve. Each of the following novels I have read and recommend every one of them to you! Each is set in a different industry with different challenges:
The Goal
Necessary But Not Sufficient
We All Fall Down
It's Not Luck
Critical Chain
And, a new favorite by Michael Dalton, Simplifying Innovation, moves the discussion from production, to innovation - really to getting the right product mix and priorities. These are fairly quick reads, but each is very educational and the concepts are powerful!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The Ownership Spirit
written by Dennis Deaton
Ownership Spirit is a remarkable book with a powerful message. The principles are not just supported by platitudes, but by real stories and studies that don't let you wiggle free from personal reflection.
Are you unhappy? Are you unproductive? Are you happy and productive, but think you could do more? Are you waiting for something in your environment to change before you regain joy in your life? From the very beginning of this book we are exposed to an example of a young lady who, through an auto accident, was given every reason to dive into self-pity and gloom. She was able to understand somehow - even at what could have been a very, very dark hour - that making a choice to take that plunge would result in a life that would never produce joy or satisfaction. And so she chose to be happy.
A contrasting example is then given (we've all seen one) which forces us to stare in the face, so to speak, the question: "what choices am I making every day that are driving my level of joy, productivity, and satisfaction." We are presented with a choice that we constantly need to make: "will I choose an ownership spirit or a victim spirit?" The consequences of each are explored thoroughly, and tools are given to help us recognize when we are wallowing in a victim spirit, examine the stories we are telling, and re-write those stories in a way that is real and that helps us move toward an ownership spirit. Ownership Spirit is very practical and very well written. I highly recommend this book and the principles taught therein.
Ownership Spirit is a remarkable book with a powerful message. The principles are not just supported by platitudes, but by real stories and studies that don't let you wiggle free from personal reflection.
Are you unhappy? Are you unproductive? Are you happy and productive, but think you could do more? Are you waiting for something in your environment to change before you regain joy in your life? From the very beginning of this book we are exposed to an example of a young lady who, through an auto accident, was given every reason to dive into self-pity and gloom. She was able to understand somehow - even at what could have been a very, very dark hour - that making a choice to take that plunge would result in a life that would never produce joy or satisfaction. And so she chose to be happy.
A contrasting example is then given (we've all seen one) which forces us to stare in the face, so to speak, the question: "what choices am I making every day that are driving my level of joy, productivity, and satisfaction." We are presented with a choice that we constantly need to make: "will I choose an ownership spirit or a victim spirit?" The consequences of each are explored thoroughly, and tools are given to help us recognize when we are wallowing in a victim spirit, examine the stories we are telling, and re-write those stories in a way that is real and that helps us move toward an ownership spirit. Ownership Spirit is very practical and very well written. I highly recommend this book and the principles taught therein.
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