The greatest management book ever written
355909
A brilliant analysis on the difficulties and challenges of management especially in situations that have no easy answers. It's a refreshing change to hear someone speak so freely about issues that are seldom talked about. If you read only one management book, let it be this!
3126630
ANYONE in management should read this book and take to heart it's contents.  The SERVE model is something needed for the new and seasoned professional!
3442777
"General and Industrial Management" published in 1916 by Henri Fayol is the supreme granddaddy of all modern management books.  Though obscured by WWI and Frederick Taylor's better know "Principles of Scientific Management [1911]," Henri Fayol's ideas and principles were at least 50 years ahead of his time.  As valid today as they were in 1916, his managerial concepts have stood the test of time with few additions or revisions.  This book is an absolute must for any serious leadership student and laid the foundation for more contemporary (1950s forward) management thinkers.
3226122
Let me start by saying that I had the pleasure and privilege of working directly with Chris at the last company I worked for.

The work that Chris undertook with my colleagues and me was ground-breaking, and even though it turned our world upside down, for all of the right reasons, it was an enjoyable and illuminating journey.

This book, which is an inspired piece of writing, bears absolutely no resemblance to any other book on strategy, IT or otherwise, that I have read.  Most of these books are long, dry and, I have to say, almost unintelligible.  FruITion, on the other hand, is an easy read - maybe even too easy, as the narrative style reads more like a good novel than a serious business book.  And, of course, this was the intention, and it succeeds beautifully.

It would be easy to miss the important lessons this book teaches you, were it not for the fact that Chris summarises the key points at the end of each chapter.

I would therefore recommend reading it at least twice - once for the pleasure of a well-written book with a central character you really do care about, and once (or more) to make sure you take note of the real messages, which are all about realising the value of a company's investments, not only in IT but in all business change activities.

Having worked in that corporate environment for nearly 20 years, many of the characters and roles were too life-like for this book to be anything but the results of a great deal of experience and first-hand knowledge.  In fact, I even sort of recognise people like me in there somewhere, as well as some that remind me of past colleagues, managers and directors, although it's clear that Chris has wisely invented his characters after working with so many people over the years.

When we worked together, it was back in 2000, and while this book neatly summarises much of what he brought to the company at the time, it also demonstrates a continual advancement in thinking as his already significant experience has grown.

I can testify that those elements of this book that were put in place as a result of his work altered and improved everything - what started as a reinvention of a very small team of people ended up affecting almost the entire company and the way they conducted and thought about their business.

It may be a clich, but I really do wish this book had been available not only to me, but to many people at the company, all those years ago.

For those steeped in the traditions of the "IT department", this book will both shock and surprise you - the core message represents a quantum leap in thinking that will make you wonder why you haven't thought of it yourself.

And for those "normal" people who have always been outside of IT, and wondered what they all do, this book will be an eye-opener and a revelation in how to make IT work with and for you in your organisation.

This is one book that you really won't want to put down, and it has my highest recommendation!
1973333
This book was very, very easy to read and is certainly NOT only for Managers. Infact, anyone that has to interact with people at work will find that this is a MUST READ. However, the authors also included situations of a more personal nature to illustrate the universality of these awesome, practical principles! Infact, for those who give this a negative review...I recommend this book even more.
1094146
Jim Collins' books have shaped my own management practice substantially.  They do this because they are deep and practical and not merely anecdotal.  The technique he uses of making clear contrasts between companies (making management more scientific) is highly useful.

This book adds texture and substance to his earlier works in Built to Last and Good to Great.  It is both readable and re-readable...a true test of a good book.

I highly recommend this book to any management thinker in business or non-profits.
3797933
Practical, energizer and created for real life management.

Management 3.0 should be the Management 101 for every company.

I find this book with a great focus on human work environments. It leverage the complexity of human relationships, interests and emotions. All the principles and practices are focus on human behavior which make it easy to use and desirable.

The book is entertaining, funny, relevant, scalable (new ideas will flourish as you read it) and make a lot of sense.

Enjoy!
4538467
I have read at least 40 books on leadership and business, and this was by far the most practical book I have ever read.  As you read it, you think to yourself, "Of course a manager should do these things," but most of the suggestions in the book are things you probably haven't actually implemented.  This book is a quick read and full of practical advice without being overly wordy and repetitive like most business books.  I feel like every manager could benefit from spending an hour reading this once a year, and this book would be extremely valuable to anyone new to management.

The format of the book is great.  You are guided through the concepts by following a fictitious great manager to watch how he approached leading his team to success.  Based on my experience in a Fortune 200 company, the characters and situations all ring true. There is also a useful table in the book that breaks down how much management tasks take based on how many people that report to you, which was really eye opening, especially for new managers that feel like they aren't getting any "work of their own done."  Another concept I especially enjoyed was the Affinity Grouping strategy for brainstorming.  This is the first book I've read by this author, and I will definitely be reading more based on this one.
2151313
This is a great book on management with a lot of advice on various practices of a business from the point of view of a manager. It covers topics like role of managers, hiring, employee review process, compensation and practical advice to improve the business.

Andy Grove makes countless parallels to daily operation of a business using simple yet elegant examples and at the same time draws many references to his own work at intel.

It is a wonderfully composed book overall and highly recommended.
1273031
Strangely, a great book. I had to read it for class and though it would be too corny, and while it definitely is corny, made me learn about operations management in a way other books couldn't. I find myself recommending this book to everyone in business now, and you should read it too!
359218
I bought this book in the 70s when I was a young manager.  I have used the principles contained in it throughout my career and have subsequently passed its wisdom onto my trainee managers.  It was, and still is a brilliant book.

Roy Baxandall London England
156095
This book is a must read for all senior management. The specific examples referencing certain companies and products are dated; however, the concepts are timeless and relevant. I have kep my copy since first reading it about 15 years ago and find that I gain new insight with each reading. If you think marketing is all about advertising and trade-shows then you need to read this book.
691628
Leadership and managment roled into one do-it-yourself manual. There are many books out there about management and leadership theory. Theory is important because creates the mindset that is the foundation for success. We are often then put to task creating our own application. Or we could read and implement the systems laid out in Hardwiring Excellence, the singule best book on HOW TO manage and lead to greatness. Could I be any more clear?

While Quint Studer focuses on what he know best, big healthcare, this book can and is being applied to every industry. (I have applied its systems to hospitality, customer service, and production.) The fact that Quint focused on what he does best is a great example of leadership, and an example of how Quint practices what he preaches.

I have the priviliege of living the same city as Quint Studer and interacting with his organization on a regular basis. I can attest that they practice everything they preach and have excelled wilding while doing it.
1956426
Many years ago, Patrick Rivett described his efforts to teach problem solving model building to his students as showing them "what goes on in an analyst's head when he is taken round a soap factory."  You can describe Jim Kilts' Doing What Matters as "what goes on in an experienced CEO's head when he takes over a company that needs to turn around."

Hardly anyone has better credentials to write a book like this one. Kilts had an exemplary career in packaged goods. He was a successful CEO at Kraft and led turnarounds at Nabisco and Gillette.

When he took over at Gillette, the company had missed estimates for years. The stock had tanked, shedding 60 percent of its value. Even so, 65 percent of the executives received "exceeds expectations" evaluations. Every one of them thought their department or division was performing above average.

What would you do in a situation like that? This book is about what Jim Kilts did. The subtitle is really better than the title: "How to get results that make a difference--the revolutionary old-school approach."

The book is divided into four sections. The first is "Fundamentals, Attitudes, and People Matter." It's worth the price of the book all by itself.

Kilts starts, appropriately enough, with advice to focus on fundamentals. Unlike most management writers, though, he tells you what he thinks fundamentals are and how he focused on them when he approached the challenge at Gillette.

Throughout this section and the book there are dozens of bits of wisdom. Here are some.

"Key metrics will vary, but they always exist."

"The time that really matters is the work I do before the clock starts ticking on the first one hundred days."

"Most companies get into trouble not because they make world-class blunders, but due to a succession of well-intentioned yet flawed decisions that build on one another."

"If a company's cost structure is high, winning is almost impossible."

There are also valuable insights into concepts like cost-cutting. In most companies, cost cutting is something you do when you're in trouble, after which it's back to business as usual. For Kilts, Zero Overhead Growth (ZOG) is a way of life.

Throughout the other sections of the book, on Leadership, the Future, and doing the Right Thing, Kilts pounds away on certain critical principles.

Get the facts. Figure out what matters and concentrate on it. Face the truth.

Maintain momentum. Enthusiasm is for every day.

Act with discipline. Execute strategy. Control costs.

Only performance matters. Do not reward effort, only results.

There's wisdom and good advice all the way through this book, but, fortunately for you if you don't read books from cover to cover, most of the really good stuff is front-loaded. The first section is excellent.

The second and third are OK. But by the time you're wheeling into the chapter on "The Right Road Map," you'll find yourself getting weary of "strat plans" and "FE" and other klunky jargon. I found myself starting to scan about half way though. I hunted out the pearls of wisdom, but I didn't read every word.

You can skip section four. It's about the sale of Gillette to Proctor and Gamble. This section is Kilts turned whiner. He may have a case about how awful and unfair the Boston media were to him, but whatever lessons there are in this section simply get lost.

If you leave section four out, though, the book is extremely well done. I liked the bits of practical wisdom that I found throughout. I loved the use of examples from Kilts' entire career, not just the Gillette years. And I loved the fact that Kilts shares the spotlight and the credit with his team, advisors and mentors.

Buy and read this book if you're headed into a turnaround situation, if you're coming in from the outside to take over a company, or if you just want solid advice and well-told and well-chosen stories from someone who's got management street cred.
4278514
This book is great, absolutely brilliant. John Wareham was a management guru long before it was fashionable in the 70's and 80's. He was the the Donald Trump of recruitment consultants and his information has only become more relevant over time. If you can get a copy  - you will NEVER regret it.
994051
Eli Goldratt's Theory of Constraints is simply stated the application of reason to a controlled system. This is probably the most interesting and helpful book that I read during my time at University. If the big 3 did not have an unchangable establisment perhaps their brighter managers would have read this book and applied TOC. Then we would not be having to bail them out. I recommend this book to all managers, small business owners or anyone else who has to deal with systems that produce products or services.
4911113
"Sales Managers Survival Guide" is a Pragmatic Masterpiece that should be required reading for anyone who considers themselves a sales professional at any level. David A. Brock has put together a timely, timeless and powerful reference guide.  This work truly is a survival guide for any new sales manager and it is much more.  This book does not belong on your shelf.  It should live on your desk because it touches virtually everything you will have to address at every stage of building, managing and leading sales teams within a market dominating organization.  Read it before your competitors do.  To be blunt - If you aspire to sales management, are a sales manager or lead sales managers and you don't read this bookYou're just being foolish.  Buy a copy for everyone on your team.