Editorial Review

The lure of this book's promise starts with the assumption in its title. Possibility--that big, all-encompassing, wide-open-door concept--is an art? Well, who doesn't want to be a skilled artist, whether in the director's chair, the boardroom, on the factory floor, or even just in dealing with life's everyday situations? Becoming an artist, however, requires discipline, and what the authors of Read more

Reviews (65)

Open YOURSELF up to a world of possibility!
This book was recommended to me several times, and I'm glad I finally found the time to read it.
Great title - not as good on the content
I finished a book last night - The Art of Possibility. Great title but not as inspiring as I had hoped. It did have one quote that I liked. A great maestro, Herbert von Karajan jumped into a taxi and shouted to the driver "Hurry, hurry". "Very good sir " where to?" said the driver. "It does not matter" said von Karajan. "I am needed everywhere".
It's what you want it to be.
I respect all the positive reviews here, but have a different opinion. For me, this book was like being trapped at a 2 hour meal in a restaurant with a couple I didn't like. If you already see the world in very positive terms, this book will verify your view in glowing new ways. If you're not in a positive place and are trying to get out of it by reading books with titles like "The Art of Possibility", it's not for you. At all. Does it help when people invite you to "cheer up?" Didn't think so. Imagine that x 100. Annoying.
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - Inspirational    4. Business/Economics    5. Careers - General    6. Leadership    7. Personal Growth - General    8. Possibility    9. Advice on careers & achieving success    10. Management & management techniques    11. Popular psychology   

Reviews (11)

Written by a manger for managers
I was able to go cover to cover in about 5 minutes.If you manage people that use their brains to do their work and you have no idea how to understand, manage and motivate them then this book might help you out a bit.I found it to be off-topic for me as I was hoping that it was going to be written for the people who Think for a Living rather than their managers.

Insights on knowing your knowledge workers
This is a fine, occasionally frustrating book. It is frustrating for the same reason that it is so badly needed: business is just starting to figure out what it means to compete in a knowledge-based economy. Knowledge work is tremendously important, but only partially understood. This volume, which mixes practical advice with worksite studies, is a good stepping stone toward comprehending knowledge work and the people who accomplish it. Author Thomas H. Davenport is honest enough to admit what isn't known, however he delivers what is known clearly. He explains various organizational schema that are applicable, but not rigid. He provides examples, sharing personal and organizational stories that illustrate both success and failure in knowledge work. We warmly recommend this book to knowledge workers, those who manage knowledge workers and business leaders who are planning for the future.

Identifies four major categories of knowledge workers & provides a format for matching each category with management strategies
Knowledge workers are innovators and often driving forces of a company's product line and services: they are IT specialists and planners and you rely on them in your business: but are they delivering as much as they can? Knowledge management expert Thomas Davenport argues many companies don't maximize their productivity because they apply rigid management formulas to their workforce. His Thinking For A Living: How To Get Better Performance And Results From Knowledge Workers identifies four major categories of knowledge workers and provides a format for matching each category with management strategies which encourage optimum performance. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Human Resources & Personnel Management    5. Intellectual capital    6. Knowledge management    7. Knowledge workers    8. Management - General    9. Advice on careers & achieving success    10. Business & Management   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Career/Job    3. Diversity in the workplace    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Human Resources & Personnel Management    6. Personnel management    7. Personnel & human resources management    8. Human Resouces/Diversity   

Reviews (3)

Best Decision I've ever made
Don't let the title mislead you, this book won't make decisions for you.I will however, give you the ability to make use of your most powerful business tool: a convincing guess.Many times I would stumble blindly through the veil of uncertainty, only to arrive on the otherside; lost, confused, naked, and too sore to sit down.But, now, after digesting these powerful articles, I can make my way through uncertain times; clothed in conviction and sitting on a soft pillow of apathy.

Effective Decisions
Being an effective manager requires being a good-decision maker too, having ability of using factual and quantitative information to analyze what is the most efficient decision to reach a well-defined objective. Making good decision by applied management science approach is the benefits that managers expect to learn combining with past experience to decide on what should be done.However, in the real-reality (as opposed to virtual reality, as a model), many decisions can be made under the highest-level conceptual understanding. In addition, a better understanding of decision making can be broken down into six sequential steps according to Drucker (pp. 2-19) Theory and Practice - advice from the leading minds.
There are several books from the Harvard Business Review that follow this simple format - essays on critical topics by the leading minds in the field compiled into a short book of around 200 pages. One of these critical topics is Decision Making. That topic is the focus of this book.

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Decision Making & Problem Solving    5. Decision making    6. Entrepreneurship    7. Advice on careers & achieving success    8. Management decision making    9. Working patterns & practices   

Reviews (11)

Insightful Book
I found this book insightful and validating.I transitioned from being a healthcare professional to a manager of a clinic. Despite the difference in practice areas between this book and my own career (sales vs. healthcare), I still found the findings in the book to be important.Whether you're transitioning to manager from a position of top performer in terms of money or in terms of some other measure of achievement (such as quality of patient care or number of new innovations, for example), the lessons of this book still apply.I highly recommend this book to new managers and to THEIR managers.

A must-read for managers (new or old)
I highly recommend this to anyone involved in "management", particularly where you have to lead people.
An absolute must read!
Anyone interested in management or professional development should read this book.I can't tell you how many times I wondered why steller sales people made such terrible managers.Other valuable topics such as working with your peers, managing your Manager and Leadership are also addressed.Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - Inspirational    4. Business/Economics    5. Career changes    6. Management    7. Management - General    8. Management & management techniques   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Careers - Job Hunting    5. Careers / Job Opportunities    6. Economics - General    7. Executive Management    8. Leadership    9. Management - General    10. Management & management techniques   

Reviews (18)

Useful message
I always thought that by the time I turned 40 I would have all the answers about my life and career only to be proven wrong.And the awareness that my questions are common to so many individuals is comforting indeed.This book (I am about halfway through it as I write) brings home the message that it is ok, almost natural, to question the path taken and to ask whether there is more to life than what we are doing and that there is no easy way to find an answer.I have always had doubts about a lot of the testing done to figure people out starting with SATs and down to the psychological ones we all go through at some point.And having someone like the author highlight how these are often pointless and the answers are within us is important.
A must have book for anyone
When I first picked up this book, I was a bit disenchanted with the accounts of the doctor turned monk or business professional turned non-profit.The examples didn't seem realistic and, in my mind, I was suspicious of some kind of artificial support strucuture or negative personal outcome that wasn't being told in the story.
very good for the over educated
This is a great career change/re-think book if, like me, you are over-educated. I do agree with one of the more negative reviews that if you are not in this group, this book is likely not for you. In my case, it fits like a glove, and I recommended it to a friend who read it in one bang and she also thought the book was very useful. I have already done a career change once and the author's comments about self-doubt and the transition period are on-target: your old-self is the naysayer, if you are lucky you find a guide or two, and after you are done, you have taken risks that your old self would have never taken, AND, the transition works well for you. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Careers - General    4. Careers - Job Hunting    5. Careers / Job Opportunities    6. Personal Growth - Success    7. Advice on careers & achieving success   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Career/Job    3. Compensation management    4. Employee fringe benefits    5. Entrepreneurship    6. Executives    7. Human Resources & Personnel Management    8. Salaries, etc    9. Wages and labor productivity    10. Personnel & human resources management    11. Human Resources   

Reviews (5)

superficial book
This book is extremely superficial and unimaginative, giving only scant information and profiles from a number of companies of a few finance careers.

good, but the Vault guides are better
In my opinion there is more and better objective information on Finance and investment banking careers in the Vault Career Guide to Investment Banking and in the Vault Guide to Finance Interviews, which have the added benefit of being able to be purchased on vault.com and downloaded immediately.Good luck.

better information in the Vault guides
In my opinion there is more and better objective information on Finance and investment banking careers in the Vault Career Guide to Investment Banking and in the Vault Guide to Finance Interviews, which have the added benefit of being able to be purchased on vault.com and downloaded immediately.Good luck. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Accounting - General    2. Business & Economics    3. Career/Job    4. Careers - General    5. Careers - Other Specific Fields    6. Careers / Job Opportunities    7. Corporate Finance    8. Finance    9. Advice on careers & achieving success    10. Careers guidance   

Reviews (11)

Heartfelt leadership
I was deeply touched by the personal stories expressed in "Remember Who You Are".Each chapter reaffirmed my conscious belief that leaders must lead with their hearts as well as their minds.As someone who never attended college, but have always been blessed in all I do, I have a huge amount of respect for those leaders who still practice the Golden Rule.

Genius!
This book is a must read for those interested in the power of thought and introspection.It is an important tome that inspires us to think about what we want in life and how we are all going to get "there."Kudos to Ms. Wademan, she is clearly a star in the making, a most impressive debut.

Food For The Soul
This superb collection of inspiring stories is a must-have addition to any collection. You will find yourself going back and rereading many of these tales time and again.Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - Inspirational    4. Business/Economics    5. Character    6. Leadership    7. Motivational    8. Psychological aspects    9. Success    10. Business & Management    11. Information technology industries    12. Self-help, Careers   

Editorial Review

Prospective entrepreneurs may think they know everything there is to know about starting a business in Silicon Valley. They can draw up business plans, have meetings with venture capitalists, maybe even get funded and actually launch a start-up. However, in Read more

Reviews (105)

Very readable
This book is ideal for reading inside a plane for a medium trip.It is a book that can be finished in a day.It is not stuffy and dry as some business books would be.The Monk & The Riddle is basically the introduction to the content of the book and towards the ending, we would get the gist of what the author meant to convey to us.The message is plain simple, do what you feel is right rather than what you think is right.Follow your passion rather than follow what is perceived to be a good money maker because if the love ain't there, it ain't going to work.It is simple, succinct and relevant but still, there are many people who yearn to get lucky in the Silicon Valley.I guess that the bust at NASDAQ few years back gives the people a reality check that fundamentals are still the backbone and foundation of the economy.An enjoyable to read and a book that affirms us all that simplicity is good!

Interesting, but not Groundbreaking
Overall, I found this episode in the life and adventures of Randy Komisar to be interesting, but not groundbreaking.Though certainly filled with some valuable insights, there was something more to be desired.There was still a lot to learn, however, the most important being the general observations from a real-life perspective on what it takes to enjoy life in the entrepreneurial world.
Not just silicon
While this book may appear to be a period piece from the glory days of Silicon Valley, I think that the author's main points are important in any business environment.His distinction between "passion" and "drive" was helpful:too many of us mistake the latter for the former, assuming that our level of commitment and work ethic equates to "passion," and pouring our energies into sustaining a business or a job that doesn't sustain US.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - Inspirational    4. Business/Economics    5. Careers - General    6. Advice on careers & achieving success    7. Entrepreneurship   

Reviews (1)

Manage your Career
The subject and content is nice and helpful. I prefer more simple book like DK publishers management series. DK publishers book provide more general information. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Career development    5. Careers - Job Hunting    6. Economics - General    7. Management - General    8. Advice on careers & achieving success    9. Management & management techniques   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Crisis management    5. Executive Management    6. Executives    7. Leadership    8. Management    9. Management - General    10. Management decision making   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business Life - Inspirational    3. Business/Economics    4. Career development    5. Management    6. Management - General    7. Vocational guidance    8. Management & management techniques   

Editorial Review

"Tempered radicals" may not sound like the type to start revolutions or topple corrupt governments, but in the corporate world, it is often these quiet change advocates that get the ball rolling and policies changing. In her thoughtful study of employees whose differences place them outside the mainstream organizational culture, Debra Meyerson uses this term for those who want to succeed in their organizations without compromising their ideological beliefs and personal lives.Read more

Reviews (9)

Yes, you can actually change the system
This is an important book for you to read if your gender, ethnicity, or lifestyle makes you an outsider in your workplace. Debra Meyerson gives examples of how employees have successfully taken small steps to change their companies so they are accepted and their voices are heard.

Good on politics, slight on deeper issues
First, let me start by saying that I liked this book and have been recommending it to others.As a "tempered radical" I wish that I had read this book early in my career.I had the wrong impression that hard work and results were enough as long as there were no bodies along the way.Young, na�ve, and idealistic.Consequently, I am recommending this book to people starting their careers so that they get the reality of work as well as to others who just do not get that their approach is a major irritant to the powers that be. Inspiration and hope
Many of us work in places where we have a vision for how things could be better -- how we could work differently, treat people more respectfully, act on our values. If only, we think -- we could do something different--then we would really feel good about ourselves and proud about the places we work.This book inspires you to lead that change, to act on your vision.In these times when the impulse is to hunker down and just do our jobs, Meyerson gives us role models of people who have been everyday heroes, leading change that made their organizations better for everybody. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Careers - General    5. Corporate culture    6. Insurance - Risk Assessment & Management    7. Leadership    8. Organizational change    9. Structural Adjustment    10. Management & management techniques   

Reviews (1)

Work for nonprofits
I've just finished reading Stephanie Lowell's Careers in the Nonprofit Sector.I recommend it highly.Almost every page contains a profile about someone working with nonprofits.Lowell supports these profiles with thorough discussions of how to find work in nonprofits, why work fornonprofits, and what nonprofits are like.Read more

Subjects:  1. Associations, institutions, et    2. Associations, institutions, etc.    3. Business & Economics    4. Business/Economics    5. Career Planning (General)    6. Careers - General    7. Careers - Job Almanacs    8. Careers / Job Opportunities    9. Employees    10. Non-Profit Organizations Management    11. Nonprofit Organizations & Charities    12. Nonprofit organizations    13. United States    14. Vocational guidance    15. Advice on careers & achieving success    16. Business & Management    17. Charities & voluntary services   

Editorial Review

Landing a new job is hard work. Robert Gardella, assistant director of Alumni Career Services at Harvard Business School, believes it also "is one of the most important things that professionals do" today, as changing times and increasing opportunities mean "they are doing it much more frequently." In Read more

Reviews (9)

Don't waste your time with this one.
Hackneyed, trite, and a waste of money.

Start here
I thought this was a great book.It's not that detailed about any one topic, but gives an overview of the whole job search process.It gives you perspective, and that's useful no matter where you are in your search.And for each topic, he provides a bibliography for more detailed study.If you're just starting to look for a job, then this is a book that will give you a framework for organizing how you might go about it, and then you can refine your understanding by finding the books in his bibliography.You might say its purpose is to keep the disparate parts of the job search coherent and unified, and focused toward your goal of getting a job.

Clear and Complete
Outstanding book, covers all topics with clarity.No fluff or hype.Excellent for organizing yourself, covering all bases.References other books for further info on specific items. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Careers - Job Hunting    4. Careers / Job Opportunities    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Job Finding    7. Job hunting    8. United States    9. Vocational guidance    10. Advice on careers & achieving success    11. Personnel & human resources management    12. Careers    13. Reference   

Reviews (13)

Tremendous insights, highly relevant to any business owner
I loved this book because it shows what it takes to start up and manage a business in a new niche -- forging relationships with early adopters and establishing alliances with industry giants. Sandra Kurtzig's personal story demonstrates how entrepreneurs succeed not by the quality of their product alone. Everyday decisions about employees, customers, alliances, board members, investments -- and the negotiations and timing of them -- contribute as much if not more to an organization's fate. The importance of listening to customers, seeking education and advice from others outside your business, and trusting your intuition are all lessons to be learned.Some earlier Amazon reviewers dissed this book because ASK declined in later years. These reviewers are missing the point. When Kurtzig stepped away from running day-to-day operations in 1985, after her father died and she desired a better work/life balance (as many people do after a close family member passes away), she faced a critical juncture in her business and perhaps mishandledplanning her succession and exit strategy. Burnout is something about which all entrepreneurs need to be aware.I was inspired by her decision to return to ASK in 1989 and would be very interested in reading an addendum to the story.

Fresh, motivating, inspiring!
This is book is about how to succeed within the system of the American-style capitalism, not any marxist socialism! It is a great, inspiring, motivating book for both men and women alike. The book about success in a political-economic system of free enterprise. Reviewers like the one from England, who are so unhappy about the competitive nature of capitalism, will find more enjoyable Das Kapital by Karl Marx or The State and Revolution by Vladimir Lenin (both available on amazon.com) as their kind of books!

Excellent, detailed advice
This book is full of great advice for anyone starting a software company. It is also an interesting story.The negative reviews on this site to theeffect that Sandra Kurtzig is some sort of vain egomaniac are just plainwrong.The book is NOT just for women.Its for anyone starting a hightech business. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Business    4. Business/Economics    5. Computer industry    6. History    7. Infrastructure    8. Kurtzig, Sandra L    9. United States    10. Women    11. Women executives    12. Advice on careers & achieving success    13. Entrepreneurship   

Reviews (8)

Geared for neophytes - not a useful publication for most
Provides a cursory look at a consultant's life and some of the companies one would normally consider, along with many smaller companies that many people wouldn't have access to.Better information is likely available elsewhere, including the Internet and other publications.

good basics
This book asks each of the top consulting firms to answer a set of questions about what their firm is like.As expected, the answers are biased, but still helpful.For a more unbiased insider's view of each firm also try the Vault Guide to the Top 50 Consulting Firms, which also ranks the leading consulting firms based on a national reputation survey.

good, but the Vault guides are better
In my opinion there is more and better objective information on consulting careers in the Vault Career Guide to the Top 50 Consulting Firms and in the Vault Guide to Case Interviews, which have the added benefit of being able to be purchased on vault.com and downloaded immediately.Good luck. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business consultants    2. Career/Job    3. Careers - General    4. Careers / Job Opportunities    5. Consulting    6. Consulting firms    7. Management - General    8. Vocational guidance    9. Advice on careers & achieving success    10. Consultancy & grants for businesses   

Reviews (4)

GREAT GREAT GREAT
Terrific book great for helping to get a finance job! A must buy for any MBA.

A solid book
I help manage the career center an elite business school in the Northeast - and this is one of our most popular books.Along with the VaultReports.com Guides, this book is essential preparation for a career ininvestment banking.

Great!!!!
Terrific book great help for getting a job in finance.Great information direct for a huge number of the top finance firms. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Career/Job    2. Careers - General    3. Careers / Job Opportunities    4. Directories    5. Financial institutions    6. Financial services industry    7. United States    8. Vocational guidance    9. Finance    10. Yearbooks, annuals, almanacs    11. c 1990 to c 2000