Careers Books

This is a great companion to Leeds earlier book--7 Powers of Questions. There's some great practical tips here that will help you work smart, have greater interpersonal influence, and avoid shooting yourself in the foot.

Bill Wiersma, Author, The Big AHA

The 'smart question' to ask is "Why am I looking at these types of books?" If the answer is to improve your ability to get more out of your meetings, interviews, negotiations, and communications with everyone at any level (internal and external to your organization), this is the book to buy by far. I've read many self-help communications books and this one really gets to the heart of the matter -- ask and you shall receive; ask the right question(s) and you'll get what you want/deserve. It was an easy and enjoyable read that gets you engaged from the first chapter (unlike so many other books that take 5 chapters to explain what they're to accomplish). The quizzes really provide helpful and immediate feedback. You can read from cover to cover or use as a reference. Either way, this book gives you tools to use right away. You'll carry this one around with you until you've mastered the technique.

You won't be disappointed (as I have with so many other books of this kind). This one is a winner, hands down!

This book is helpful in learning to frame questions that help to effect positive change. Most people are more willing to accept answers that they discover for themselves. And of course, no one will make any real change unless they want to. The best you can get with force is outward conformity, and you will only get it to the degree that employees feel they "must" go along with. It takes a lot less energy to help people find their own internal motivation than it does to push or drag them along.

I am in Consulting and I convert most of my statements to questions; and boy, it works. First few chapters of this book are essential to your business communications.

As a professional personal coach who works one-on-one to help others reach greater success, I really appreciate the approach of this book. "Smart Questions" is for anyone who doesn't realize that good coaching isn't about advising. This book shows you why asking the right question is much more powerful than giving an answer or advice, especially advice that someone isn't necessarily looking for. The essence of great coaching is all about asking smart questions. The best answers almost always come from whomever you're helping, not you.

From My Heart to Yours: Life Lessons on Faith, Family, and Friendship I cried through the whole book practically. It sure hit home and made sense. I didn't really expect to react this way to this book, but I was amazed by the wisdom and insight.

I just loved this book. It is inspiring, and really gives a fresh and much needed HUMAN element with HEART, to daily choices and trials that we face. It is short, and to the point, each lesson being a page or two of her own experiences, and what she learned from them, with powerful quotes and anecdotes that can apply to any situation. The lessons are amazing, especially at handling life with class and grace. It is truly a transforming book, not overkill, like many other advice books, this is more reflection and recollection and lessons. It's written simply and beautiful, and really makes you think. There is a lot to take from this book. Makes an excellent gift, too. I will be giving it for Mother's Day, Engagement Gifts, to my sister in laws, friends, and then some!

I really wish I had read the previous reader's review. I had no idea that this was simply a "remake" of Robin's previous book. I also didn't expect the book to be so small. What a disappointment! I feel like I've been duped and wouldn't have purchased this book had I known. As with the previous reviewer, I highly recommend buying the original "Inside My Heart" and skip this one altogether.

I agree with the other raters that this is a remake of her other book.
However, I LOVE the small size and the beautiful cover and images inside.
As someone who uses books as accessories in my home decor...it is perfect.
I would also recommend this "small" book as a wonderful item to add into a gift bag for a mother, sister, or friend. The book is small, but the words and message in it are very powerful and should be shared by all.

I also wished I read the reviews before: it is the same book but smaller. What a waste of money! I feel this is so dishonest of her to market this book like a new one. Does she need the money?

I came across this book at my cousin's home on a morning that I was feeling stuck. I decided to read an insert in the book and was unable to put it down. It has helped me to continue on a path that I have been touching on for a little while now, but not quite sure how to achieve. It is an excellent tool to help you stay in the moment.

The Little Book of Letting Go by Hugo Prather is a practical book about how to get peace and perspective in your life. It is very practical. Although written by a Christian, it is not preachy or overbearing. Atheists and agnostics would find it helpful too. If you feel you have fear, anxiety, worry, anger, or simply want to be able to stop spinning your wheels so much, this is the book for you. Lots of very specific examples and practical exercises that will allow you to get more in touch with yourself. It can help you to strip away the superficial so you can get down to what's significant for you.

This book is one of the best easy reading supports. Like any other support system in your life it should be a consistant, easy access tool for long or short term disturbances. You can't go wrong with this one.
You get so much for so little.

Blends Freudian psychology with pop Buddhism using vague language and empty metaphors to create an impractical guide devoid of meaning or depth.

Or, are you allowing your ego to get in your way of being connected?

A great passage in this book is:

"After the great rains, the lion was faced with crossing the river that had encircled him. Swimming was not in his nature, but it was either cross or die. The lion roared and charged the river, almost drowning before he retreated. Many more times he attacked the water, and each time he failed to cross. Exhausted, the lion lay down, and in his quietness he heard the river say, 'Never fight what isn't here.'

Cautiously, the lion looked up and asked, 'What isn't here?'

'Your enemy isn't here,' answered the river. 'Just as you are a lion, I am merely a river.'

Now the lion sat very still and studied the ways of the river. After a while, he walked to where a certain current brushed against the shore, and stepping in, floated to the other side."

Some of my most favorite quotes from this book are:

1. "We only need to be as we were created -- effortless,present, and free."

2. "Guilty and remorseful thoughts do not help, heal, or comfort the person you think you have hurt. In effect, you are simply making the same mistake all over again; you attacked this person; now you are attacking yourself. Attack is the problem, not the answer."

3. "What do I believe that makes these circumstances important enough to be upset?"

4. "If I imagine this situation deteriorating or this person's behavior getting worse, what specifically do I see happening to me?"

5. "Some things are simple, and here's one of them: You can either relax and let go of your life, in which case you will know peace. Or you can try to control your life, in which case you will know war."

6. "Awareness, more than any other factor, is the key to cleansing your mind and making it whole."

7. "True communication is remembering that everything is relationship --- that, regardless of the appearance, no one stands alone."

8. "I see what I decide and react as I choose."

9. "As someone said to me recently, 'The next time you think there is some situation you can control, try doing it when you have diarrhea.'"

I chose this book because being fully in the present moment, no matter my history or lack thereof with my interlocutor, gives me choice.

As I read this book, I was happy to have found many places where I agreed with Hugh Prather, and some places where I wrote in the margins that I disagree.

One part of this book that was of particular interest to me was the exercise that Prather takes readers through in how to be socially involved with difficult people (breath your way into responding to who you are, in the presence of who that 'difficult' person is).

This is a book that I didn't want to put on the book shelf, amongst the books that I've read, because I felt compelled to look back through many pages, where I've highlighted things that I will apply in my life.

FADE IN...You network, network and network some more. Just keep smiling as you get S%$@!. The book really is excellent and a must read before taking the leap to LA. As part of the rules, I really shouldn't be letting you know about it. The book will not tell you how to get that luck break, but it will save you some pain along the way. I would also suggest Hollywood 101: The Film Industry for a excellent break down of the various jobs that are need to make a movie. FADE OUT

When I bought this book, I was prepared to read the words of someone who had watched Swimming With Sharks and The Player one too many times. However, this is not a book that teaches you how to be a player. This is a book that teaches you how to get noticed. You can tell that "Anonymous" knows his or her stuff about how to set yourself apart in Hollywood-- by playing by the right rules. There are insightful tips in this book that it would take three years worth of meetings to realize yourself. It is like the Hollywood version of Strunk & White's Elements of Style. Don't leave the east coast without it.

I am a writer and found this book to have helpful information in it for me. It is geared towards the film industry but is a good read with some good information if you are a writer, actor or in the entertainment industry or want to be.

This book not only specifically applies to how one should comport themselves in "the Biz", but has lessons that apply to all industries across the board. A must-read for all who choose to succeed. Buy it! You won't waste your money.

The Hollywood Rules - this book has a special aura about it. It encourages you to understand your talent and how it will most likely be perceived and handled by those in power who can enhance/create your career in movies. It brings Hollywood to your living room for some brief moments, making you believe that you can find the way to whatever you're striving for. And not only that - it shows you the way, providing that you are prepared to work hard, play by the rules, break the rules, and dream on until you make it [...]

This book presents 14 theories arranged by type of theory. It is clear, concise, and each theory is beautifully illustrated by vignette.

I was pleased with the product, however I was very disappointed that it took so long to be shipped to me. I got behind in my class readings because my textbook didn't get to me for over 2 weeks after I ordered it. Was that because I used the free shipping option?
Thank you.

Exactly what I ordered, in great condition, and delivered in great time. Thanks

This book provides a comprehensive discussion and integration of career development theories. The instructor's manual assists the beginning professor with an opportunity to impart quality pedagogical knowledge to students. The examples cited throughout the text offer students an opportunity ingest the course material and retain their newly found knowledge. The author makes learning career theories enjoyable and very applicable to situations.

Save your money and just make a guide yourself. This "discussion guide" has only one title page and then four pages of large font bare basic summary with a small sprinkling of questions. If you think that this is weak, you will go on to realize that the last of the four pages is even half taken up with the publisher's logo and information. If you hold the print out close to your ear... you can hear your money being flushed down the drain!!!

I ordered this in spite of the negative reviews, because I have found so many of these short e-docs perfect when I need to have an awareness of a subject in a hurry. In this case, it also helped me decide to spend the money on the book.

I almost did not buy the Discussion Guide because of the negative reviews. And I have to say that if your looking for a masterpiece discussion guide, you have the wrong download. But for the price, I don't know what the the negative reviewers were looking for! I would agree that you still need to read the book, but if you need a good brief outline of the main concepts and some good questions to do a short presentation/discussion on Good to Great, this is it. If I had to pull this together, I would have spent several hours on it. It was well worth my money!

The book, Good to Great, is one of the best management books I've ever read. However, the discussion guide could have been put together by a high school student thumbing through the pages and picking out the highlighted sections. I was expecting something as outstanding as the book. Save your money on the guide, but take the time to read the book.

This book is highly Recommended! Very Inspiring!

It reveals to the reader the treasure that is within, if you would but search a little deeper instead of looking else where or to others. It causes you to really think and tap into the hidden gifts and potential that is on the inside of oneself. 5 KUDOS!!!

Lanesa Stubbs

Timeless wisdom. Proves once again the principles of success do not need to be re-invented. Everything needed to be successful in life has already been written, and is available to all of us! Excellent

First given as a lecture at the beginning of the 1900's, the inspirational thoughts contained in "Acres of Diamonds" are still as relevant today as ever.




Consider how the following passage plays into today's headlines, "I hear sometimes of men that get millions of dollars dishonestly.





But, they are so rare a thing, in fact, that the newspapers talk about them all the time as a matter of news until you get the idea that all the other rich men got rich dishonestly." The Reverend Conwell of the Baptist Temple Church in Philadelphia was so successful in attracting people to his "Acres of Diamonds" lectures that he made enough money to found Temple University.





How Religion and Capitalism work together and how money could be made right in one's backyard if a person knew of a need and did something to meet that need were the tenets of Conwell's lectures. Conwell's inspirational examples of success are worth a look.





Spend a lunch hour, a commute in or back from work or another quiet break in the day to read Conwell's stories of those who missed finding diamonds and gold in their own backyards because they were too busy focusing on finding their fortune in faraway lands. Since the book is under 100 pages, even if you don't find your eyes have been opened a little wider, at least you haven't wasted much time giving the stories a try.

Poor copy of a great text. Author's name is misspelled on the cover. How could that happen? Text looks like a computer copy with spacing problems. Choose a different edition or publisher.

At 64 pages from cover-to-cover, "Acres of Diamonds" is probably the shortest book I've read in a long time. Written by Baptist minister and founder of Temple University, Russell H. Conwell, this book originated as one of his sermons, which was so popular that it was published as a book.

"Acres of Diamonds" is based on a parable told to Conwell by an Arab guide during a trip to the Middle East. The parable tells the story of a man who sells his farm to search the world for diamonds. The man dies in poverty and wretchedness far from his home, not knowing that his farm sat on the richest diamond mine in the world.

It is easy to think that great things are only accomplished by other people in faraway places. Conwell argues that we can all accomplish great things wherever we are. He gives many examples of regular people who accomplished great things. After all, he says, even a great man like Abraham Lincoln was just "Abe" to his neighbors.

I believe this book was first published in the early 1900s, so the writing style is kind of old-fashioned and Conwell refers to people and products that were prominent during his time, but have less meaning to people today. There are no chapters or other structure to the book (of course it's only 64 pages long).

Despite these minor complaints, the book has a great message. You can accomplish great things where you are right now. You don't have to move to New York, Los Angeles, or Paris. Whether you're in Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Portland or Shreveport, there are "acres of diamonds" below your feet.

----------------------------------------
Michael Mihalik is the author of Debt is Slavery: and 9 Other Things I Wish My Dad Had Taught Me About Money. Learn how to gain control of your finances, pay off your debt, and create financial security!

This book was too "Working Girl" for me--very 1980-90's. I am in the medical profession. Very type A and wanted to make sure I could work with others. I know I need to compromise. Not every man thinks like this or participated in sports. She uses many of these analogies and it just did not help me. I think it helped me work with women better.

I first read this book in 1993. I was one of 3 team leads on a large project and we were just getting started. This is straight, no nonsense talk. Within 3 months, the other 2 team leads read it as well as the project lead, the project manager, our division administrative assistant and our pruchasing agent. Only 1 of these persons was a male. He got just as much out of it as the women.

My extremely well-worn copy gets perused at least once a year. This is a must read for both genders.

OK, so I'm pretty secure in my masculinity -- I eat woman-specific Luna Bars and think they're delicious! This book could equally be titled "How to Play Hardball," as the truly woman-specific sections on dress and biology are few and far between.

As someone coming into a management role from a male-dominated but "softball" field (engineering academia/research), I needed to understand what the game *was* and how to play it right. This book is especially worthwhile for men if you don't have a childhood background in competitive sports or you're a man more inclined towards collaboration than competition.

I enjoyed this book and have recommended it to my executive coaching clients-- both men and women who have also benefited from it. As a psychologist I appreciate the thorough research references and developmental lifespan approach (the authors discuss how difference communication and behavior patterns are formed based on how girls and boys play).

The only reason that I gave the book 4 instead of 5 stars is that it had a slight flavor of how to be more like men to be successful in the corporate world. I believe that it is important to be aware of cultural variables and how they impact the way you are perceived and your power in the workplace. However, there is a great body of research that shows that the way people are *most* successful is to capitalize on their natural strengths and talents.

My concern is that women may become focused on how to play hardball (i.e., act differently than how they have been socialized to act) and neglect to harness their true inherent or learned strengths. We as women need to focus more on how we can use our house and doll lessons to our advantage instead of always focusing on how to play hardball. That said, this is an excellent book that every business person needs to read.

This book points out a lot of things women might be aware of but don't really think about. It really changed my perspective and the whole office politic games. I bought this book are a couple of women friends in management and would recommend this to anyone in a supervisor position.

I started re-reading this lately. It was my first coaching book and like many others, Thomas Leonard was the first to introduce me to coaching. These strategies are good across the board for business and life coaching. It's a great reference tool to this day. A good addition to any coaching library.

I first bought this book three years ago at a Coaching Tour stop in Denver. The late Thomas Leonard signed my copy, making it a treasure in more ways than one.

The primary way it is a treasure is that it is exceptionally useful both as a personal growth tool and also as a book to work through with the folks who I am privileged to coach. The writing is conversational and not filled with jargon.

It is destined to be a classic, even moreso with the untimely, way to early death of the author.

I have been presenting business & personal development workshops since 1987 focusing primarily on small business women and families. I only found Thomas Leonard because my girlfriend Nancy spoke so highly of him. Looked him up, purchased the book and realized I have used the many strategies he suggested for the workshops I conduct. I believe this book is the ONE that should be on every person list to purchase and apply. He offers step by step proven, simple practices to move your life forward and manage your living. This is the road map to peace, happiness, abundance and more!

If you can get through the first chapter on "selfishness," this book really does have a lot to offer. Using charged words like "become incredibly selfish" and absolutes like "tolerate nothing" was an integral part of Leonard's in-your-face, we-don't-have-time-for-you-not-to-get-this style. So many of us in the professional coaching industry have been touched by Leonard. We owe him a big debt of gratitude for making the profession of "coaching" the big opportunity it is for us today. This book is a good legacy to the man, as well as to what he thought was important for us to understand in our lives and in the lives of our clients.

Most of us know the things in life that are preventing us from reaching our true potential. Then again, some of us simply don't care. However, after reading this highly informative book, I discovered that there are a few areas in life that required attention - absurdly simple areas, such as basics for caring for one and one's home and possessions. It astonishes how a dirty car, a non-existent filing system and a messy cloths closet can have such a negative affect on one's life. Thomas Leonard brings these apparently non-important basics to your attention and coaches in a friendly manner, gently instructing us to do something about it.

The text offers 28 strategies in 28 chapters, including numerous tests that help you to reflect on your current state or condition, and simple step-by-step guidelines to change your current condition for the better. The key notion in his strategy is to make oneself more attractive by living a fulfilling life. Rather than `strive' and `hard sell' your way to success, his method is more along the lines of taking the path of least resistance - that by being aware and sensitive to oneself and one's environment, you create an attitude of mind where living and success becomes almost effortless. His method more or less has a Zen quality to it - surrendering to the Tao and moving through life in a natural way. In other words, by attaining clarity of mind, one is more in a position to recognize opportunities when they present themselves, and because we have become more ourselves and in-flow with our environment, good things will happen. Put in other terms; remove the physical and emotional clutter in your life, thereby creating the space for success to occur.

It is impossible for a single self-help book to be the answer for everybody. Though Leonard has an approachable method covering general areas that most of us experience and have trouble with from time to time. If anything, it could well bring your attention to areas that you thought were under control and moving smoothly and are not. This book is worth having a look at...

I ordered this for a college class, but found it would be helpful for anyone wanting to perfect their public speaking skills.
Very user-friendly, practical information. Also, shipped quickly.