This work straddles the fence between a short novel and a book on business. It covers a helpful topic of five common dysfunctions of a team. Through reading it, I helped identify pits that teams I have participated in have fallen prey to. The story itself is relatively easygoing, if a bit short and superficial. A new CEO faces the scenario where her new form has more cash and more talented leaders, but is underperforming.…
This book helped define the genre of management books told as narrative fiction. It teaches management principles while allowing the reader to see what real management looks like in practice. This particular work even introduces a love story to the mix. This story tells the common tale of a generic manufacturing plant and a marriage in crisis. It’s in the ilk of a coming-of-age tale in which the main character Alex learns how to take…
I’m reading this book to be prepared for a software launch that might happen in the next few months. I read a book like this to ensure that I am on top of my IT game when it comes to responding to life forces. Stories like this tell how powerful information technology can be at transforming organizations when coupled with a simple desire to learn from each other. Too often, those in IT keeps their…
DevOps is a movement about the management of computer programmers. It basically says that Development (coding) and Operations (deployment and maintenance) should communicate more and better. Such workability allows for better error detection, swifter deployment of code, etc. Interestingly, I’ve worked mainly in research environments where I’ve been in charge of both Development and Operations at the same time. I worked in a corporation with separate Dev and Ops for a few years – and…
Power Tips for Power Users by Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick Copyright 2014 Social Media entered our cultural landscape when I was in medical school. Although I dabbled in Facebook at the time, its birth surpassed me. I have been catching up ever since then. I have recently switched to Twitter and am happy with that change. I’d like to figure out how to use it, particularly for personal marketing and network, and this book…
Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book is essentially about how to promote yourself in the world of the Internet generally and of social media specifically. If you are not comfortable with self-promotion, I would recommend against reading this book. If you want to learn how to have a bigger voice in the world, this book is for you. In particular, those interested in…
Platform: The Art and Science of Personal Branding by Cynthia Johnson My rating: 4 of 5 stars Johnson claims expertise in the field of digital marketing. Working in the world of software and playing in the world of writing, I can benefit from learning how to leverage the digital world in better selling myself and my work. This book certainly taught me a few things. For one, Johnson is great at analyzing how to take…
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin My rating: 5 of 5 stars This in-depth look into the lives of Lincoln and his closest advisors meets the hype. It tells the life histories of President Lincoln, his attorney general Bates, his treasury secretary Chase, and his secretary of state Seward. All four had a chance of being nominated as the Republican candidate in Chicago, but Lincoln secured the nod.…
Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy My rating: 3 of 5 stars This is a good, solid, well-written book on time management. Whether you are seeking to improve the management of your own time or empathize with others as they attempt to become better stewards of their own time, this book will say it all – in only 21 short chapters! Its…
by Christine FonsecaCopyright (c) 2010. I picked up this book in an attempt to dive deeper into the psychological concept of emotional intensity. I’m an intense guy myself; I live in an intense workplace full of gifted people; my boss is intense; I have an intense wife and daughter at home. I’m trying to learn how to keep all these intense people (including myself) from boiling over. I could not find any management books on…