Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)There has been quite a crop of customer service related books recently, as well as the classics in the field. They each have their own angle, and I'm going to use this brief review as a chance to summarize where Delivering Happiness falls in this group as well as how to complement it with a couple of other books with different approaches that make for a very well-rounded outlook in tandem.
As far as [[Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose:]]
I was privileged to get a galley of this much-anticipated title. It's the story of an entrepreneur and the different paths he took (or twists in the one path, depending on how you look at it). A fascinating story, and not just because of the bezillion dollars he got selling the company to amazon. (And: how can you not like a guy who calls his warehouse WHISKY (WareHouse Inventory and Supply in Kentucky -- Page 118)? Heavy emphasis on his pursuit of happiness for himself and his staff -- very admirable and inspiring.
If you're looking to directly transform your customer service/customer experience, you may want to add to Tony's inspiring autobiography some directly actionable books to help you turn his ideas into techniques you can put into practice right away -- and that are highly consonant with Tony's pro-employee, pro-customer, outlook -- I suggest two books --one a classic, one that's new this Spring -- that can take care of this for you.
1. Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit: The Secrets of Building a Five-Star Customer Service Organization
This, like Tony Hsieh's book, is a new title this Spring. Practical, useful insights from the insiders who created high-tech startups and The Ritz-Carlton. Contains specific prescriptions for how to handle many different customer situations like they're handled at the companies profiled inside (incl: Zappos, Ritz-Carlton, Netflix, Charlie Trotter's, Lexus,), appendices with scripts you can use right away, etc.
2. [[Customers For Life: How To Turn That One-Time Buyer Into a Lifetime Customer]]
This is an older title, and a classic: how a texas cadillac dealer, of all people, mastered great customer service. Extremely simple, but never simplistic. Has inspired many business leaders since it was written. Many pages have usable, actionable insights. If you don't have this in your library (and in your psyche) yet, why not? You can probably grab it used for next to nothing, and the wisdom is timeless enough that you hardly need the "latest revised edition" if you need to save a few dollars.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose

Get 37% OFF

Click here for more information about Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose

Read More...

How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free: Retirement Wisdom That You Won't Get from Your Financial Advisor Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Who Wouldn't Want To Be Coached By A Guy Named Ernie Zelinski? That's the title of an article I wrote about Zelinski's other books. I love Zelinski. This time his book, How to Retire Happy, Wild and Free is about living, although it's disguised as a book on retirement. It is his best.
I recommend the book for anyone under 27 years old because they are young enough to embrace the ideals of this book and shift their lives accordingly. They can choose to live the life their heart calls them too instead of the life the MBA drives them, too. After 27 years of age people get buried in delusions about the supposed necessities of life.
I also recommend the book for people over 50. These people are now wise enough to know better and can embrace the attitudes of Zelinski's retirement long before they stop working for money. His definition of retirement is all about following your heart and is not based much on working for a living or not. Retirement is a state of mind, and you can apply many of the ideas in the book today to make your life happy, wild, and free.
Zelinski is inspiring. Zelinski knows we are all creative; I agree. I am constantly urging my patients to have some creative pursuit in their lives. Here is what he says from the book:
Once you retire, you too can reclaim your creative spirit and find an artistic pursuit that will ignite your inner fire. Your artistic pursuit -- whether it's painting pictures, writing poetry, or making pottery -- will rekindle a part of you that has been suppressed for years by the structure of a job and the routine of daily life. Not only can it make you feel more alive, an artistic pursuit can constitute the primary reason for your being.
Ninety-five percent of books on retirement are about how to plan financially for the event, and they ignore the spirit of the matter. Zelinski goes for the heart as he always does. He shows oodles of evidence demonstrating money has little to do with satisfaction in retirement. It is about finding meaning in your life. It's about living happy, wild, and free. Isn't that something that would be useful at any age? It's what I want for you and for me. That and being able to wear aloha shirts or the equivalent whenever you want. Cha!

Click Here to see more reviews about: How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free: Retirement Wisdom That You Won't Get from Your Financial Advisor

How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free offers inspirational advice on how to enjoy life to its fullest. The key to achieving an active and satisfying retirement involves a great deal more than having adequate financial resources; it also encompasses all other aspects of life -- interesting leisure activities, creative pursuits, physical well-being, mental well-being, and solid social support.World-class author and innovator Ernie J. Zelinski guides you to:
Gain courage to take early retirement; in fact, the earlier the better.
Put money in proper perspective so that you don't need a million dollars to retire.
Generate purpose in your retirement life with meaningful creative pursuits.
Follow your dreams instead of someone else's.
Take charge of your mental, physical, and spiritual health.
Better envision you retirement goals -- including where you want to live.
Above all, make you retirement years the best time of your life.
What sets this retirement book apart from all the others is its holistic approach to the fears, hopes, and dreams that people have about retirement. This international bestseller (over 110,000 copies sold in its first edition) goes way beyond the numbers that is often the main focus of retirement planning in most retirement books. There are many ingredients of a happy retirement and several retirement planning tools that help retirees plan for their retirement in new and more meaningful ways. One of the most powerful tools is The Get-a-Life Tree that you won't find in any other retirement books.In short, the retirement wisdom in this book will prove to be much more important than how much money you have saved. How to Retire Happy Wild, and Free helps readers create an active, satisfying, and happy retirement in a way such that they don't need a million dollars to retire.

Get 44% OFF

Click here for more information about How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free: Retirement Wisdom That You Won't Get from Your Financial Advisor

Read More...

The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential...in Business and in Life Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I love the Zen Habits blog and really connect with Leo's simple message of cutting the clutter and living a simpler life in order to do and achieve the things that are of real value, so I got a lot out of this book's simple reminders and encouragement.
I didn't like it in audio format, though, which I explain in my video review, so while the content deserves five stars, the robotic, slick narrator and the way the format of the book worked with being read aloud brought the star rating down.
One other minor quibble was that Leo mentioned "previous posts" and "later posts" in his book a lot. Some of the content was obviously written for a blog format and it wasn't edited vigorously enough to catch these mistakes.
Other than that, though, the content is exactly what I expected from reading Leo's blog and I enjoyed the book a lot. It's a good kick in the rear if you need help getting fired up to achieve your goals through simplicity.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential...in Business and in Life

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential...in Business and in Life

Read More...

Make Work Great: Super Charge Your Team, Reinvent the Culture, and Gain Influence One Person at a Time Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)In my thirty plus years as a trainer and consultant to leaders in a variety of companies, I have been constantly asked to recommend books that could help someone be a better leader or manager. Before now there has not been a single book that captures what I consider to be most, if not all, the essential keys to success. I have used these tools, taught these tools and, to have them all in one place, it is like getting a handbook to professional and organizational success.
Steve Overcashier
OD & Training Manager
Copart, Inc.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Make Work Great: Super Charge Your Team, Reinvent the Culture, and Gain Influence One Person at a Time


One person really can make a difference--learn how to be that one WHO WILL make your organization the best it can be.
Award-winning author of Four Secrets to Liking Your WorkInternational Society for Performance Improvement2010 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE WINNER
"A quick read with high ROI. This will turn anyone into a culture builder, anywhere in the organization." -- Roy White , Director of Operations,Semiconductor Capital Equipment Company
"A must read for anyone contemplating starting up a new business and for CEOs and leaders of established corporations." -- Terry Sullivan, Director of Production, MemPro Ceramics
"Combines storytelling with evidence-based content in a solid organizational change approach." -- Darlene Van Tiem , Ph.D., CPT, CPLP , President, ISPI
"Never before has an author so cleverly balanced pragmatism with optimism to describe organizational norms as opportunities for personal empowerment." -- Paul Nieminen, Director of OD , UPS
"The convergence of in-depth analytical research andpractical everyday application." -- Dr. Donald E. Conklin, Vice President, United Corporate Services, Inc.
Got ten minutes a day? -- Then you can create a more successful, more collaborative business culture!
As a manager, you've tried to keep things positive, but nothing seems to work. You can't control the economy, what's going on in your employees' lives, or other factors--so what can you do to build and sustain a winning culture in your workplace?
Whether you are a mid-level manager or a senior executive, Make Work Great offers the blueprint for building a positive, motivating, and productive workplace in any kind of organization. In this definitive guide fortoday's multicultural, decentralized business environment, Ed Muzio, award-winning author, internationally recognized workplace improvement expert, and consultant, delivers state-of-the-art analysis, advice and guidance, and scores of team-building and motivation exercises that you andyour staff can do in ten minutes a day--without disrupting routines or interrupting important business.
You can't force others to change, but you can control what you do and with whom you engage at work to:
Build a positive outlook, one-on-one
Enlist a network within your organization to improve your business culture
Strengthen peer relationships and improve problem-solving capabilities
Take back control of workplace morale and efficiency
Inspire others to support, encourage, and collaborate with their team members

There are lots of excuses given for why businessesfail to make the most of their most valuable resource--the people whose work creates the value that drives the bottom line. With Make Work Great, you hold in your hands the key to unlocking your people's potential to exceed expectations, creating synergies out of the disparate talents and abilities they bring to the table, and makingyour business better able to anticipate opportunities and respond to challenges.
Edward G. Muzio is president and CEO of Group Harmonics and is the award-winning author of Four Secrets to Liking Your Work: You May Not Need to Quit to Get the Job You Want. An expert in workplace improvement and its relationship to individual enjoyment, Muzio has been featured on Fox Business Network, CBS, and other national media, and he has been cited in many publications including the New York Post, the Austin American Statesman, and Spirit magazine. With clients ranging from single life coaches to Fortune 500 giants, he educates and advises workers and leaders at all levels. Prior to founding Group Harmonics, Mr. Muzio was President and Executive Director of a human services organization, and a trainer and developer of leaders at Intel Corporation and the Sematech technology consortium. His accomplishments include leadership of a worldwide technology infrastructure program, a nationally-recognized engineering development organization, and a local community outreach startup program. He lives in Albuquerque, NM. For more information visit www.makeworkgreat.com.

Get 29% OFF

Click here for more information about Make Work Great: Super Charge Your Team, Reinvent the Culture, and Gain Influence One Person at a Time

Read More...

The Gift of Job Loss - A Practical Guide to Realizing the Most Rewarding Time of Your Life Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The book was very insightful. It takes a fresh look at some key financial aspects of job loss. I appreciate the importance of advance planning before termination. The author has some good ideas about reviewing investments and cost cutting.
The narrative is a journey of self discovery that can be a blueprint for many of us. There is also a great set of travel tips to boot. This is a fun read.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Gift of Job Loss - A Practical Guide to Realizing the Most Rewarding Time of Your Life

Overview: Michael Froehls, PhD, a former successful global executive, turns conventional wisdom upside down - he suggests that you should overcome your reflex to immediately look for the next job after losing one. Don't miss out on your chance to do things you never had time for while being employed. Why not pursue a few activities that really matter to you before continuing your hard 30- to 40-year-long working life? What not realize some lifelong travel dreams, improve your health, invest in family and friends, fire up your love life, acquire new job skills, or check out a different location for a better career?In this book, you will find practical advice on how to take advantage of your opportunity without regret. Written from a business perspective with philosophical underpinnings, enriched by personal stories and serious thought-provoking questions, The Gift of Job Loss will help you:* Understand the "Job Seeker Industrial Complex" and its influence on you* Revitalize your life via 7 no-regret and up to 8 optional activities* Identify personal and professional strategic options hitherto unavailable* Optimize your "game of life" - living now vs. living in the future* Analyze the implications of an economic recession vs. boom for your time off* Plan your own step-by-step course of action - whether you are about to be let go, just got laid-off, or are still "safely" employedAfter losing his corporate job, Michael decided to sidestep the recession by doing what he advocates in this book. Headhunters, former colleagues, and friends called his move and timing a very smart decision - though few would dare because of convention and apprehension. If you face job loss, reading this book should help you overcome any despair and make you see your situation in a much more positive light.Endorsement by Daniel R. Smith, Managing Director, Raines International Inc., New YorkThe Gift of Job Loss is a smart read for any mid-levelemployee or executive in transition...it provides a refreshing, reassuring, andwell-researched assessment of how to approach and best utilize the downtimebefore one's next career commitment. Michael's tremendous professionaltrack record with the most demanding companies lends wisdom and credibility tohis career recommendations. This executive perspective, combined with the fun, warm, and inspiringpersonal stories and achievements that he shares from his own "timeoff," should provide a significant boost to the mental state of candidateswhen they need it most. As an executive search consultant, I firmlybelieve that there are tips in this book that will a) increase a reader'schances of receiving a job offer, b) improve the terms of the offer(s), and c)make the transition period rewarding and exciting enough to discuss for alifetime.--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Get 27% OFF

Click here for more information about The Gift of Job Loss - A Practical Guide to Realizing the Most Rewarding Time of Your Life

Read More...

Simplify Your Work Life: Ways to Change the Way You Work so You Have More Time to Live Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A recent survey reported that the average working woman in America puts in an 85 hour week between her job and home chores. Many career-obsessed men also spend that amount of time on work, commuting, and travel combined. While I have read many books on how to be more successful at work, this is the first one I have read that works on your effectiveness while reducing your hours and stress. I found it relaxing to even contemplate the subject.
The author speaks from her own experience, having gone from being an active head of her own real estate investing activities for 15 years to successful, best-selling author of five previous books. In the process, she cut her work week down to 30 hours . . . and eventually quadrupled her income in the process.
She reports that recent Yankelovich surveys show that 80 percent of people approve of those who put their families ahead of work, half of the people have taken jobs that allow them to get more time away from work, and one-fifth changed jobs for lower-paying employment in exchange for more free time.
There is no doubt in my mind that if you follow through on even 10 percent of what she suggests you will spend less time working, feel better, and be a lot more fun to be around.
The book is organized into seven sections, comprised of 85 individual concepts. The seven sections are:
(1) Cutting back on the amount of time you work
(2) Learning to seize blocks of time in ways that allow you to have more time to get things done
(3) Being more productive when you are working
(4) Being more productive in your relationships with people while working
(5) Being more effective with the money you earn and save
(6) Changing the way you work to provide more flexibility
(7) Changing the way you think about work.
Like many books filled with lots of lists, the materials are complete enough for anyone in somes cases (like stop working weekends), while much less than what you need in other cases (making better decisions, starting a business, and improving your money management).
In the latter cases, I suggest that you also read books about personal decision making (such as "Smart Choices") and improving your finances (like "The Finance Doctor") that have a bit more meat on them. You can obviously go on to more advanced material as your interest and expertise grow.
In a few sections, you are encouraged to use "body-mind" techniques based on meridians (accupuncture points). These I will leave it up to you to assess. I have no experience here to draw on. I would suggest that you add meditation to the list of what is encouraged here.
I also think that those who would just like less stress will find this book helpful, even if you don't want to cut down your work week. A good complementary book for women is "Outsmarting Female Fatigue."
For those sections that were complete enough on their own that no further reading is needed, I was impressed by how many included sample dialogues that you can use to help you negotiate changes in your workplace. Most people will benefit from that kind of help. We often say "yes" because we don't know how to say "no" gracefully. In many other sections, you are referred to excellent resource materials like "Common Sense on Mutual Funds" by John Bogle. Where I knew the referred to sources, there are superb in each case.
Now, let me tell you about my experience with cutting my work week. I was very good at it, and soon found myself with lots of time for "getting a life." I did this for several years, but eventually found it dissatisfying. I became reengaged in new "work" activities that have me working longer hours again, but I'm really enjoying it more this time. As you can see from my book reviews, I also engage actively in my hobbies as well. So a reduced work week is probably a way-station rather than an end destination unless you are very close to retirement. That point isn't addressed here.
I was pleased that the book talks about starting up your own business and investing. I think that "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and "Cash Flow Quadrant" would be good complements to this book for many people.
I suggest that you follow up on the author's advice and discuss your reactions to this book with your family, coworkers, friends, and neighbors. They will probably help you develop more confidence, better ways to implement the advice, and encourage you to go forward. In fact, if you can do this with a "buddy" who wants to reduce her or his work week as well, that would be the best. The book has several suggestions for how to do this.
Have much more health, happiness, peace, and prosperity . . . wherever and however you choose to spend your time!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Simplify Your Work Life: Ways to Change the Way You Work so You Have More Time to Live

Click here for more information about Simplify Your Work Life: Ways to Change the Way You Work so You Have More Time to Live

Read More...