As a consultant, I often have to help my clients understand why their people aren't doing what management would like them to do. This new book is going to be a valuable resource to me and to my clients. Motivation is not about throwing more money at employees, or about giving them more meaningless trinkets and T-shirts. If you want to really understand employee motivation, read this book! It's terrific!

As a teacher of leadership, organizational theory and psychological issues at work, at the undergraduate and graduate level, I can say that Ken's approach to intrinsic motivation is simply the best material available on the subject. The depth and clarity of his presentation is remarkable. Whenever I present his model to a class or in a workshop the model Ken has developed clicks immediately with people and they are instantly engaged. His model captures what so many other authors and approaches have tried to present, but have fallen short. "Intrinsic Motivation at Work" will immediately become a required text in my courses and at the top of my most highly recommended books to anyone interested in motivation at work. His approach is well researched and documented but still immediately accessible to non-academics. This book will find broad readership because of it's usefullness to those in supervisory and leadership roles, as well as those who are simply trying to create a more motivating work environment for themselves. Please buy and read this book! There is nothing better available. This is the best there is on motivation.

Ken Thomas is a gifted writer who uses an informal and entertaining style. However his message is important and insightful. This book is fun to read and can definitely help improve our work experience and that of our associates. In addition to being a gifted writer, he is a serious and respected scholar. This book is the culmination of years of research and thought about intrinsic motivation - a topic which the author clearly believes is critical for personal fulfillment and meaning at work. This book helps us to understand the specific intrinsic rewards that are available through our work - and how to experience these rewards more fully. He provides a diagnostic framework exploring what is needed to enhance intrinsic motivation. In summary, this is an important book. We spend a lot of time working - shouldn't this time itself be intrinsically rewarding? Ken Thomas's research and insights show us how to experience our work life as rewarding and fulfilling - his ideas will help ignite all the passion and energy our work can provide. Read this enjoyable and valuable book.

I'm a generation "X-er." I went to study the Bible at a theological university, and, of course, they used the KJV (King James Version). True, the KJV can be read & understood, but ususally with the aid of many theological books, beginning first & foremost with a Strong's Concordance.

The Book eliminates the need for other books (or a seminary degree) to understand it. The Bible can now be read as God intended it to be: a common person can pick it up, read, and understand. I definitely recomend The Book to all believers: young and old. Finally! A version of the Bible written in OUR language! (And if you ever have the chance, take a look at the origional language of the KJV!)

I used to force myself to read the traditional version of the Bible, but now I am excited to read "The Book" because it is written in everyday language that I can relate to. Bible reading has become fresh and exciting!

I have just recently decided to change my life and let God run it for me. This book was the major instrument in that decision. It is so easy to read that I was engulfed in it and look forward to the next time I get to open it up again. Each book has a description of the person that wrote it and what it is about, the time it was written and what you are supposed to get from it. It is written in "today's" language so that everyone can understand it. The Bible is of course the Bible and will always be the best book ever written but "The Book" puts it into simple English. The beginning gives a short book by book order to read if you are new to the bible and also an index of proverbs and so forth for every aspect of life, Greed, sorrow, gilt, etc.

Coffman and Gonzalez-Molina not only challenge but indeed obliterate much conventional wisdom about organizational growth and individual development. Those inclined to challenge them would be well-advised to consider the basis of their assertions: "Ten million customers and over two hundred thousand managers were surveyed. More than three million employees were interviewed from 1995 through 2001. Additionally, more than two million talent-fit/role-success reviews were tallied. More than 300, 000 business units, in hundreds of organizations worldwide, took part in the study....All major industries, from fast-food chains to physicians' groups, were represented. A wide variety of job types was included, as were all kinds of customers. Industry and organizations of all sizes were integrated....Employees from different types of organizations were measured in terms of their talent, engagement, and outcomes."

What about customers? "Similarly, customer data included purchase information: Volume, dollar amounts spent, repurchase intentions and behavior, brand ratings, product evaluations, opinions, and other complementary patterns of attitudes and behavior were all covered in detail." Who wants to step forward to challenge the validity of Coffman and Gonzalez-Molina's assertions? Not I.

The subtitle of this book, "How the World's Greatest Organizations Drive Growth by Unleashing Human Potential," is somewhat misleading. In fact, according to Coffman and Gonzalez-Molina, cultures -- not organizations -- unleash human potential which, in turn, drives organizations. More specifically, emotion-driven, highly engaged employees ("associates" at Wal-Mart and J.C. Penney) continuously nourish and thereby sustain profitable relationships with (yes) emotion-driven, highly-engaged customers. Contrary to conventional wisdom, "Superior performance is not the exclusive product of the rational mind. no matter how appealing it is to business to believe this is so. Talent does intelligence one better, because it combines and utilizes the full circuitry (rational and emotional) of the brain's neural connections in the endless pursuit of productive outcome."

What about knowledge and skills? Coffman and Gonzalez-Molina duly acknowledge that they are required by quality performance. However, "In essence, talent and engagement are emotionally driven. In tough economic times, talent and emotional engagement are the only natural competitive advantages." Emotional engagement is thus the "fuel" that drives the most productive employees (approximately 20% of any workforce) and the most profitable customers. Coffman and Gonzalez-Molina seem almost surprised by the fact that there is an unlimited supply. "The most amazing thing about it is that it never runs out."

The word "path" in this book's title refers to a sequence of "steps" to be taken:

1. Acknowledge the role that emotion plays in driving business outcomes.

Comment: Keep in mind that emotions can be either positive (e.g. appreciation) or negative (e.g. resentment).

2. Acknowledge that all employees possess innate talents that can be emotionally engaged.

Comment: Workers generally do best what they enjoy doing most.

3. Understand that unique talent combinations lead to increased profits and growth.

Comment: Because needs change, different talents may be needed and in different combinations.

4. Understand and appreciate the power of the Q12 and accept what it can do for an organization.

Comment: Coffman and Gonzalez-Molina focus on the Q12 in Chapter 4 and explain how to manage the Q12 in Chapter 5.

5. Understand what it means to manage to develop and sustain engaged employees.

6. Understand the economic implications of engaged, not-engaged, and actively disengaged employees.

7. Acknowledge the role which emotions play in customer engagement.

8. Understand the eleven indicators of customer engagement and how they will impact on your brand, product, or organization.

9. Accept what managing to enhance and sustain customer engagement means.

10. Understand the economic implications of fully engaged, engaged, not-engaged, and actively disengaged customers.

NOTE: The chapter in which this step is examined, Chapter 10 ("Emotional Economics, Part 2") develops in much greater depth the material provided in Chapter 6, "Emotional Economics, Part 1."

Coffman and Gonzalez-Molina devote a separate chapter to each of the ten steps of The Gallup Path, explaining precisely how it can enable any organization (regardless of size or nature) to "drive growth by unleashing human potential." Taking each of these steps will fail, however, unless and until when doing so supervisors REALLY DO understand (a) that talent drives performance and supervisors are totally committed to engaging the talent of every employee, (b) that emotionally engaged employees are invariably the most productive employees, and finally (c) that emotionally engaged customers "always come back for more" and thus are the bedrock of any organization's sustainable profitably.

In their concluding remarks, Coffman and Gonzalez-Molina observe that "It's time to see your world in a different way." In fact, by the end of this book, they have urged their reader to see the world in dozens of different ways. It is important to supervisors to know that, once embarked on The Gallup Path, they will be guided and informed by Coffman and Gonzalez-Molina every step of the way.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out First, Break All the Rules which Coffman co-authored with Marcus Buckingham. Also, Hammer's The Agenda: What Every Business Must Do to Dominate the Decade; Bossidy and Charan's Execution: the Discipline of Getting Things Done; O'Toole's Leading Change: The Argument for Value-Based Leadership; Collins' Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't; and Connors and Smith's The Oz Principle: Getting Results Through Individual & Organizational Accountability.

Simple to read and easy to use, this up to date book is perfect for individuals and groups of people who face radical challenges and wish to drive growth by unleashing human potential. Complement this book with Peter F. Drucker's, "Management of the 21st Century" and Eric Schiffer's, "Emotionally Charged Learning" and you got an up-to-date toolkit for change and quintessential learning organizations.

This book puts it all together in a manner that you can actually put to practice. Many books are very theoretical but difficult to put into practice in your area of business. This book empowers individual managers to drive improved performance of their own unit. While some of it sounds like common sense (& isn't that usually the best!) I found myself anxious to apply the path outlined in the book. I absolutely believe that my business will perform better after reading this!
The authors are the most insightful business people I have ever read.! A must read!

Mr. Davis thoroughly outlines the key roles that all sales professionals should play daily. This book captures the very basic principles of buyer behavior at all stages of the buying process. Through "real life" examples in a variety of industries, Getting Into Your Customer's Head pinpoints the contemporary way to sell and to keep the customer.

After 20 years leading sales organizations, both large and small, I thought there was very little new that I could learn about selling. And I was right! What I had been missing until I came across "Getting Into Your Customer's Head" was understanding how customers buy. "Getting Into Your Customer's Head" provides sales representatives with the ability to act like a consultant who is working in the best interest of his/her customers. A tremendous book which can help the entry level sales rep all the way up to the President of the company.

I've read a few hundred sales books since 1960 and most are the same book with a different approach.

This book is one of the few original ones. I had the opportunity to question the author for about an hour at a book signing in Martinez in which only a few people came for the presentation.

Mr. Davis has been a star salesperson and he knows what he is talking about. Getting into your Customer's Head is excellent.

I am mostly into marketing as I think it is more important to remove the need to have to sell in the first place -- by attracting people who want what you have -- rather than try to sell people who are not the best prospects for your product. However, when you have to sell, this book will help you develop your skills. I think it is the one sales book that marketing people should read this year

Vergara has done an excellent job documenting the changing landscape of America's inner city neighborhoods.The sequence of photographs and the accompaning text take the reader on a journey which sadly, is all to familiar to many inner city residents.Vergara captures in time lapse fashion, images of some of the country's most notorious inner city areas,from their destruction to their renovation and rebirth.I consider this book a must read if your an aficionado of urbanology and sociology.

Vergara, in a remarkable combination of matchless photography and philosophical but highly informed commentary, chronicles the shameful destruction of some of our most beautiful American cities. His keen insight into the explosion of tastelessness and banality, combined with his careful time lapse documentation of urban decay, provides a sobering record of urban America. Without proselytizing or advocating any particular solutions, this book will help the reader understand the unprecedented task faced by those who would rebuild and re-energize our lost cities. This is the one book I would take to the proverbial desert island--hours of contemplation guaranteed.

Vergara looks at some major American industrial cities that suffered some horrible disinvestment after World War II. He takes an honest look at the people and buildings in some of America's poorest cities (Camden, Newark, Detroit) and how ugly, cheap, security-conscious and modernistic buildings to serve the ghetto's poor residents have replaced fantastic movie palaces, upscale housing and fading remnants of a wealthier, more egalitarian period in U.S. history.

Vergara's prose gets a bit preachy and predictable at times, but the real strength in this book lies in its collection of bleak photos that make you wonder why this nation abandoned its industrial past so quickly and so thoroughly. They speak more than any words can ever do on the plight of America's cities.

He shines when he looks at how buildings transform over time - some for better, most for worse. The majority of these photos were taken in the early-1990s, as the crack epidemic was at its peak and the double-digit decline in urban crime was just beginning. With crime down and the urban real estate market up, I view these decade-old photos with a mix of sadness and hope.

Vergara's later work, _American Ruins_ does an even better job of looking at how the United States has turned its collective back on its cities. If you read this book, make sure you check out _American Ruins_. They both make Vergara our best chronicler of urban decay.

After reading many books about Mt. Everest, I have finally found one that gets personal. Dr. Kamler does a wonderful job of describing his adventures on Mt Everest. What makes this book stand out is Dr. Kamler himself. He lets us know what he is feeling every step of the way. Many of us cannot imagine climbing Mt. Everest, but Dr. Kamler allows us to climb along side of him. Dr. Kamler gives us a very "human" account of his expeditions to the tallest mountain in the world.

Don't miss this one.

Adventure. Exploration. Human emotion. The thrill of victory and agony of defeat. Or is it feet? (as in cold and frostbitten) Not to mention broken ankles,concussions,and pulmonary edema.As both climber and M.D.,Kamler offers it all up with unique perspectives.

Kamler takes us on the literal and figurative ups and downs of mountaineering, including the tragic Everest storm of '96 when he was the solo medical person on the mountain. The buck stops with Kamler, who as expedition doctor must make ultimate decisions regarding the well-being of fellow climbers with often limited information and resources. He runs a veritable E.R. at the top of the world.

So,why climb Everest? Because it's there? Judging from this book, the answer is alot more involved and intriguing. Kamler's insights and recollections really drew me in and kept me going to the last page; it's real life drama that reads like fiction. A must read for those who seek adventure, those who long to, and for those who are not quite sure (like me).

I am not a mountain climber, but after hearing a review of this book on NPR I felt it was a book I wanted to read. I found this well written non-fiction book read like a novel, and was a real page turner. Written from the perspective of a medical doctor as well as a climber, Kamler discusses high altitude medicine as well as climbing. This is an intimate account of a variety of attempts by Kamler to climb Mt. Everest, as well as the medical treatments that he administered as the team doctor. This book also deals with the tragedy of the 1996 disaster in which he was valuable in helping some of the survivors. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in mountain climbing or medcine.

I first received a DK Board book when I was expecting my now 20 month old twin boys. Since birth my husband and I have tried to read to them as much as possible an assortment of books. Always going back to their favorites-DK Board Books. Naming them all favorities but the number 1 is the Animals. They love to look at the great pictures and have learned all the sounds. This book and its adjoining set have wonderful pictures that show exactly what an object looks like and ALL children seem to just love them. I am finishing buying the set for Christmas and am waiting for more to come. GREAT GIFT FOR LITTLE ONES!!!

My twin 1 year olds can't keep their hands off this book. I imagine I read it to them at least 5 times a day...and in between they 'read' it by themsleves many times. They love the bright colors and want to know what every animal is called. Their favorite page is the 'noisy' animals page, because there we get to make all sorts of fun sounds! I'd recommend this book to anyone wanting to get a good book for their baby to learn about animals and what they look like. Lots and lots of fun! And as other readers have said, it's a REALLY durable book. Our "Goodnight Moon" board book has long had it's cover ripped off and pages chewed to mush. But our "My First Animals" board book still looks practically new despite the 'mileage' the twins have put on it. My only regret is that I didn't get the entire series when I bought this one. I plan on correcting that mistake soon!

Another "First" book that my son adores!! Many different animals are represented & he loves to go through each page & each animal... GREAT book- highly recommend all "first" books!!

Do you love bats? Even if you don't, you'll love Kenneth Oppel's thrilling series about a bat named Shade Silverwing. Firewing, (the third book in the series,) is a suspense packed adventure, where Shade goes on an amazing journey to save his son, Griffin, who fell through a crevice in the Earth and into the Underworld. On their journey they meet new friends, collide with some enemies, and fall into some deadly traps. Will they survive? Read the book to find out.

For The Big Read,most people probably voted for Harry Potter as the best book.But I voted for Firewing,cause its the best book in the history of the world!It is about a Silverwing bat called Griffin who is sucked into the Underworld and,and...its so terribly exciting that I can't tell you how good it is,it would give the game away!Kenneth Oppel,please write another one,please!I used to not like bats,but ever since I read that book,I've been absalutly batty about them!Everyone should read it!Now,enough talking,I'm going to potter off right now and read it!

Firewing is 1 of the best books EVER! (^_^) And will be 4 EVER! (^_^) It follows the same great story that Kenneth Oppal has made for the other 2 books in this great series (you're probably very mad at me for saying "IT IS THE BEST AND ALWAYS WILL BE", but that's what it is, so HA!), and both Goth (Don don daaa!) andShade comes back, but has a son and for the 2nd time, he doesn't like the whole 'Migrating thing', but his son falls into the underworld before the 'Migating thing' and his life gets out and saves his friend too. Over all, it is a book you can not put down.

Link

Adding a culinary aspect of Frida's life was an incredible idea! Lupe Marin does an excellent job in sharing the secrets of popular Mexican food and how they influenced the art and persona of Frida Kahlo. This book definitely opens the senses to sensual recipies you could share with friends and significant others!

In this beautiful, lavishly photographed book, the celebratory life of Frida Kahlo is recreated month by month. Each chapter covers a joyous cause for festivity beginning with the month in which Frida and Diego Rivera were wed in August. Prior to the chronoligical following of a month in the life of Frida, the daughter of Diego invites you and entices you to join her in her recollections of the joyous side of Frida's life. Guadalupe Rivera, professor of law and also a writer under the name Guadalupe Martin recounts her life experiences and memories based on her early years as a witness to life in the Kahlo/Rivera household. The unabashed sunny account sets the table, so to speak, for the culinary delights. The reading is insightful and for the most part not a rehash of other accounts available , most notably the definitive(now with Selma Hayek on the cover) Hayden Herrera biography or the nearly as compelling book by Martha Zamora entitled The Brush of Anguish. The writing is concise and gives a glimpse into the life of Frida based on short vignettes providing you with an intimate portrait. You will find the stories delightful and complimentary to the fabulous photographs. The full color pictures are works of art. It is not just the colorful plates and settings but the entirety of the photographs. Each is magnificent, the design and layout of each picture is a testament to Mexican photographer Ignacio Urquiza, whose works have illustrated several cookbooks. The sumptous and exotic dishes are only part of the beauty. The settings and location of the photographs are visually stunning. You are allowed to take a peak into the house in Coyoacan, complete with antiques and recreated table settings. You can also see some of the places Frida enjoyed visiting such as the floating gardens of Xochimilco. All in all this is super book with fantastic recipes and easy to follow directions to create your own festive occasion. It is an excellent cookbook . Highly recommended for your culinary delights. This book will help you celebrate with cuisine from Mexico and give joy as Frida entitled her last painting, "Viva La Vida."

If you are looking for a great Mexican traditional cookbook, look no further. These mouth-watering recipes are grouped by occasions for which they are served, so the reader will also learn about the traditional Mexican fiestas celebrated all year round. What gives the book another dimension, is that these are the recipes that were prepared in Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera' "Casa Azul" in Coyoacán! The numerous anecdotes and the extensive selection of pictures also featured in the book make it an excellent choice, whether you are solely interested in Mexican cooking, or looking to read about the fascinating couple Rivera and Kahlo were and continue to be. If you are considering this book for a gift, beware! You will end up keeping it for yourself...

The whole presence of Jamaica and everything on the around the island was great. Fleming knew the place well. There are some great aspects to this book, but no matter what the handling of the villain--the fascinating Dr. No--was shoddy. His discription of Dr. No is fantastic and the character, or the little we learn of him, is one of the more intriguing villains in all of the Fleming canon. However, his early and rather laughable demise just stinks of having nothing to do with the whole setup. There was a big blank after the death of Dr. No and I was like, huh? The whole point was to dump bird crap on him and wrap up this whole complicated mission. Oh well. It's still a Fleming Bond, and I have yet to read a "bad" one. They are ALL good, but some are certainly stronger than others. This is on the weaker end but still very enjoyable.

This book is supposed to be the sequel to "From Russia with love", in fact it begins with Bond in hospital due to a life-threatening injury obtained in "From Russia with love" but recovers, M(Bond's boss) decides that there is no better way to get Bond back in shape than give him a "simple" mission in the island of Jamaica where the representative of the British Secret Service(John Strangways, who also appeared in Fleming's Bond novel "Live and let die") has disappeared, Bond's mission is to find out what happened. This "soft option" leads Bond to his most dangerous and thrilling mission yet and leads to him to do an "obstacle course", to a fight with a squid and a fight with a "dragon"! I thought this Fleming's most suspenseful book as I never could tell what would happen next and this kept me hooked, so much so that I read it all in one day! Unfortunately, this is also Mr. Fleming's most far-fetched. It was far-fetched in the sense that I don't think even Bond(who at that point was supposedly half-dead) could have defeated a 60-foot squid with just a dagger. That apart it's a great, great thriller. Read it, wonder in awe at it's elements, then read it again just to savour Fleming's writing. Unfortunately, the movie never did the book justice. I heard that in "From Russia with love" Fleming planned to simply kill off James Bond, thankfully he didn't and produced a marvellous book in Dr. No.

Probably the best Fleming Bond. Takes place in, and captures the flavor of Fleming's favorite site he knew so well: Jamaica. The progression of Bond's venture to Crab Key through to the denoument (which takes up the second half of the book) is the best -- and most exciting -- sustained writing Fleming did. This sequence contains the classic moments: the introduction to Honeychild Rider, the revelation of her past, the Dragon, the bizarre "hotel" within Dr. No's complex, the dinner, the extraordinary tunnel of horrors chapter (one of Fleming's most inspired scenes), and the ignomnious end of Dr. No. This is Fleming at his full powers of (sometimes weird) imagination. Unlike other Bonds -- say Moonraker --Dr. No can be read again and again