Management is passé. Leadership is in. But how do supervisors lead? This book tells the story. Herman presents his twelve elements of excelling leadership in a way that's easy to understand and "get." I found the reading smooth and understandable, loaded with practical information. The author obviously has "been there;" his advice is real-world, not theory. I didn't like the cover at all. In fact, I almost didn't buy the book, because it looked like something out of the 50s. Boy am I glad I ignored my first impression! As soon as I started reading, it was so good, I completely forgot about the cover. I highly recommend this book for managers who want to be leaders and leaders who want to be better.

Like most people, I'm interested in the future. When I spotted "Signs of the Times," I was intrigued. You don't see many futures books with the author's photo on the cover. When I read the book, i understood--Roger Herman is a popular speaker talking about trends. I like the way the book flows from one trend to another, with Herman's interpretation of each trend. Agreeing with the author wasn't difficult, even though some of the commentary stretched my imagination a bit. This was an easy book for me to get through--on the plane and between tasks back home. Putting it down and picking it up again is not a problem; each trend chapter is short, but stands alone. Stimulating, thought-provoking. "Signs" should be a hot seller.

Every executive, manager, and supervisor would benefit from a deeper understanding of workforce and workplace trends. Such knowledge will enable them to better apppreciate the circumstances that affect them as they struggle to hire and manage people in today's world. Roger Herman, a business futurist, explains 11 trends in "Turbulence!"

I was so impressed after I read this book, I ordered a copy for every one of our executives and managers. Now they all have valuable insight into the economy, technology, the demand for value, tightening organizational structures, worker attitudes, leadership styles, reverse apprenticeships, and more. I liked the highly readable text--content and type size, as well as the forecasts that make so much sense.

Recommendation--without reservation!

Herman, Olivo, and Gioia combine facts and figures with real-world examples to describe the next wave of workforce issues facing America. They go beyond the impending crisis and provide solutions. This team of workforce trend watchers and consultants has truly found the problem and offered practical solutions to address it.

Impending Crisis is written for business leaders and managers seeking solutions to look beyond the present and prepare for the future. This book is filled with research to backup the assertions and recommendations. More than 50 figures are used to support critical points. And, an extensive bibliography of valuable references is provided.

Reading Impending Crisis is not like reading many other business books. It is drawn from the research and experience of the authors who obviously know the subject and who care deeply about the issues facing the workforce and business.

I recommend this book to human resource professionals, business leaders, and students seeking to understand the workforce of tomorrow. Read it; discuss it; use it! The crisis is impending. So is the solution. Read the book; discover solutions!

Reviewed December 22, 2002 by John L. Bennett
...

Finally, a book that connects the dots with all the data that supports what I've been experiencing all along as a small business owner: We're in an employee crunch that won't go away unless we as employers do some long-term planning NOW. Despite all the media hype about the highly qualified people on the street currently looking for work, I've been frustrated for the past few years in finding the qualified, productive few to fill the slots we have. Herman, Gioia, and Olivo explain why. Makes good sense!

But they don't stop with theory and statistics. (Granted, there are plenty of charts, facts, and numbers. But I liked those-adds credibility. I want authors to give me proof rather than platitudes.) They outline an action plan for employers to make sure they don't get caught in the crunch. I'm handing the book to my general manager and telling him to implement immediately.

By the way, I liked the readable style. Great pullouts of the key ideas. Easy to skim. You could even hand this book to a department supervisor or manager to cull ideas to correct department recruitment, retention, and productivity problems. Although it addresses big-picture issues of strategic planning, it certainly gets down to the details of the do-now-today stuff .

Dianna Booher, author of 40 books, including Speak with Confidence, Communicate with Confidence, and E-Writing

In my opinion, "Impending Crisis" sets the contemporary standard by which corporate America can leverage the existing workforce for maximum productivity and profitability. The executive leader of today who doesn't understand that it's people who drive change, people who create technological change, and people who create the power to change through the procurement of knowledge, whether gained through personal endeavor or otherwise provided, has little chance of surviving beyond the first 10-20 years of this new century.
Roger Herman and his team have a very clear understanding of the past and present workforce, an understanding of the factors that have and will influence the workforce, and an accurate "future" view of those trends that will influence the evolvement of the workforce. This knowledge is expressed in a manner that is simple and relevant, the two most important elements required for the application of information necessary to inspire, motivate, and cause dramatic and positive change.
In my opinion, this book should be added to the toolbox of any manager, leader, organization, or company that understands the true value of people to their survival.

In today's job market, it is challenging to attract the best-qualified and well-suited job applicants. It is even more difficult to retain excellent employees. The cost of employee turnover is high in terms of lost productivity, lost knowledge, and financial expense associated with filling the vacancy.

Roger Herman, futurist and certified management consultant and speaker, provides an exceptional resource for any organization seeking to retain its best employees. Keep Good People is divided into three sections. The first effectively sets the stage by providing valuable insights into the competitive nature of the job market, the value of good employees, and what prompts employees to stay and leave an employer. The first section provides essential background that led to an essential, yet basic understanding of employer/employee relations regarding retention. Section two provides nearly 200 very specific and useful strategies. Each strategy is clearly defined and concisely explained. Herman does not stop with a somewhat overwhelming list of strategies, yet provides suggestions for implementation and an "eye to the future" in section three.

Keep Good People is an excellent resource for human resource professionals and managers seeking to prevent undesirable employee turnover as well for the organizations seeking to reduce turnover. Use this book as a guide to simply review current practices and development of strategic, and it will be well worth the investment of both time and money.

I've looked through several books on employee retention and this one takes the prize! I was amazed at how much information was packed into a little over 400 pages. From reading this book, I now have a much better understanding of the trends...the big picture of why people jump from job to job. The five reasons why people leave was really thought-provoking. The strategy section is well organized and full of great ideas. I found the book easy to read from cover to cover and I'm now using the index and detailed table of contents to find specific information I need. Very well put together...worth far more than the price.

With the increasing concern for building a stable workforce today, this book is absolutely right on target. It does no good to hire good people if you can't keep them. I was delighted with the style of this book. It's so easy to read and understand. The organization of the chapters, presenting almost 200 strategies for keeping people, is just perfect for conveying all this information. I read the book from cover to cover, but see how it can serve as a great reference tool, too. Now I see why it's the #5 best seller for the Society for Human Resource Management. I'd sure give "Keeping Good People" five stars!

How to Become and Employer of Choice is a well-structured book that can be used as a referene guide or discussion guide for "lunch learning meetings". It is well segmented and easy to read with an abundance of references and examples to explore. For those who are serious about becoming an employer of choice, this book provides specific ideas and helps you to dialogue about the underlying philosophies and beliefs that are required to make it a reality. For those who are looking for sustainable improvement, this book provides a systemic look at many of the systems and variables that must be fostered, created, deployed and maintained within the organization. I've been a part of an EOC and can testify to the constant work that is required to become one, as well as the constant work it takes to remain one. Sometime EOC's fall prey to the belief that they are one of the best and begin to believe what others are telling them. This is when it begins to fall apart and the organization needs to revisit such books as "How to Become An Employer of Choice". Keep it on your shelf if you are attempting to become and EOC, and/or if you are riding the crest of being an EOC at the present time. This book will serve as a reminder that without condstant vigilance, you can rapidly loose the wave, and become one of the many mediocre firms when it comes to attracting, maintaining and retaining top performing employees.

Herman and Gioia have done an excellent job of outlining successful strategies based on their own experience as well as the experience of successful organizations. Their simple, but complete, list of critical components for becoming (or remaining) an employer of choice provide a valuable guide. I particularly like the inclusion of examples and quotes from organizations that use these approaches and techniques. This is a complete "how to" guide. A must read...and, a must use book.

This book is the best resource I have seen on all of the ways that companies and employees can create a symbiotic relationship whereby the employee enjoys a place to perform great things while the company benefits from great results. If you believe that the best solution for winning the competitive battles is to have the best people, and help them perform at their highest level, you must read this book! If you just think that it is the right thing to do to create a great workplace and improve upon what you have now, you must also read this book!

Unlike other books I have read on this subject, the authors here really understand what today's employees are looking for in all dimensions: a company they can trust and be proud of; a culture that inspires and liberates them to do better work with less stress; exciting, enlightened leadership with a clear vision; thoughtful, individualized care of each person's issues; meaningful tasks that match the person's skills and interests; competitive compensation and benefits (especially the latter); and a place where everyone can make a difference in the world. Numerous surveys and interviews with those who measure employee attitudes helped the authors to locate these areas and to flesh them out with the most important elements for today.

The book goes on to give excellent advice on how to get started in implementing these concepts, and have to track and improve on your progress. I heartily endorse the section on measurements in the back.

The book is filled with many short examples (printed in the margins) that clarify the book's points. I found them all quite valuable and interesting. Many included companies that I did not already know about.

The research for the book is impeccable, drawing on both superb books in the subject area and interviews with outstanding practitioners and experts.

If you combine all of the suggested elements in ways that are meaningful to those who work in your company, you will have established a future best practice by moving past today's best practices in this area. While many companies do some of these things, no one is taking the challenge as broadly as the authors suggest. I suspect that this book will help establish a new and higher employer standard in tight labor market areas like technically-based companies in areas like Silicon Valley.

The good news is that you will be repaid for your efforts by having better results. Pareto has helped us appreciate that 20 percent of the people produce 80 percent of the results. If you have those 20 percent, and add the 20 percent of the practices that will make them even more productive, you will have amazingly good benefits to pay for these changes. I think you'll be glad you did.

Start enjoying your workplace today by applying the principles in this book!

Leave it to Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia to write a book about the post-bloat economy in a way that provokes thoughtful action, not trendy reactions. The book's subtitle "A New Culture for Corporate America" is very apt - they're talking about nothing less than an entirely new way to think about life in our traditional organizations. If you're looking for a simplistic cookbook of new-age tips and tricks, this isn't it. But if you're looking for a book that requires some careful reading and thought, and is well worth it, get hold of a copy. No one knows exactly what organizational life will be like in the next decade, but the framework the authors offer will equip any leader or manager to be ready for whatever comes next.

Whether you are the director of manufacturing, an operations manager, or a change agent within your organization, this book is for you. Herman and Gioia reflect on the subtle aspects of the lean organization which are often overlooked in many lean initiatives. "Meaningful" addresses the human conditions surrounding the removal of wasteful processes in the organization, options for a flexible workforce, and advice for management considering a move to lean processes. Also helpful to understand the emerging conditions important to the new workforce of the Generation NeXt, and how to keep those critical knowledge workers supportive in a lean organization.

For a perspective that focuses entirely on the human components of organic companies, pick up Lean & Meaningful: A New Culture for Corporate America (Oakhill Press, 1998) by Roger E. Herman and Joyce L. Gioia. The authors explore what employees want in an employer, both in terms of benefits (like retirement plans) and atmosphere (like a family-friendly environment). The book also includes an extensive list of resources. CIO Magazine