Tom Gordon has a unique skill - being able to provide clear and concise models to complex human interactions. His needs-based approach to conflict resolution has been consistently reinforced by research. His listening skill approach is the best, a reflection of his work with Dr. Carl Rodgers at the University of Chicago.

If a leader wants to build their interpersonal skills and strengthen work relationships - i.e. build their "emotional quotient (EQ)" - this is the book for them.

I was first introduced to Gordon's approach a couple of years ago. Sceptical at first, I took the time to read the book and found it very compelling. I immediately tried to apply the lessons at home and found success early in spite of the fact that some of the methods felt foriegn to me. The book and Gordon's philosophy are built on a model that respects the needs of both parties and that mutual respect becomes the foundation of a productive leader-follower relationship. The skills presented include active listening to help others, confrontive I-messages to help one's self and conflict resolution methods to build win-win solutions. Unlike other books on leadership, this book reads like a training program. You immediately know what to do with the information. I am a better leader, husband and father for having read the book and applied the approach.

Since then, I attended an L.E.T. program as a participant and an L.E.T. train the trainer program. I have now taught the course to dozens of grateful participants. It has become the foundation course in leadership at my company and has had a very positive impact on our culture. We are more productive and people are treated with more dignity and respect.

This is the long-awaited update of the 1977 version of L.E.T. Dr. Gordon is a pioneer in teaching leaders to sharpen their most important skills: how to communicate, how to resolve conflicts so that no party loses, how to handle meetings, and provides an alternative to unproductive performance reviews.

Now that the economic (and political) future of the world seems so uncertain, this book is all the more timely and important. In fact, after September 11, nothing seems more important than improving our ability to resolve conflicts peacefully. Dr. Gordon - who is known for this book and his books for parents (P.E.T) and teachers (T.E.T.) - was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize because of how his work benefits our world.

But besides the high falutin' ideals about conflict resolution and its importance to the world, L.E.T. is all about skills that make your work easier, more productive and more rewarding. What this book does is simultaneously keep both feet firmly planted in two different worlds (a goal most business books don't even dream of achieving): it's both a life-changing philosophy of human relations and a book to give you and your company a competitive advantage.

I've been using this system for a few years now and it really works. It's not a magic cure, and it takes a commitment to learn and put the skills to use, but it's such a worthwhile payoff: problems with other people still pop up, but I don't get stuck dealing them like I used to and my blood pressure doesn't go nuts. Also, the communication and problem-solving skills you learn aren't ones you're able to just turn off and leave at the office -- they have a habit of insinuating themselves (and improving your relationships) when dealing with friends, spouses, kids.

Don't let the fact that this is a new version of a book that was originally published in 1977 keep you from buying it. Its concepts are universal and timeless. Lots of other books on leadership have come and gone in 25 years; there's definitely a good reason why this one's still around.

L.E.T. makes a great companion to Steven Covey's 7 Habits (another fine book, though it's not as straightforward and skill-laden as this one).

The book gives a thorough discussion on the PRACTICAL implementation of the Transactional Ananlysis "I am OK, You are OK" theory.

It is therefore a must read if you are into Transaction Analysis or you just want to imporve your leadership skill.

Please remember to come back to give this review a vote after you have purchased the book and have read it form cover to cover.

P.

Dr. Gordon lays the foundation for successful leadership. His book describes the very basics that must be mastered by leaders who wish to be effective. The L.E.T. tells you how you aquire followers and what turns off your subordinates. He describes listening techniques as no one else has ever done. If you only purchase one book on leadership this should be the one.

Dr. Gordon's pioneering book "Group-Centered Leadership" was published in 1955. Later he wrote best selling "Parent Effectiveness Training," highly praised Teacher Effectivess Training and this leadership book. I still believe Gordon is one of the most influential thinkers on the topic of working well with others. His "No-Lose" method was later re-invented as the "Win-Win" method of problem solving. Learning his active listening method and using it for the past 30 years has been the most valuable tool I've had in becoming a successful parent, spouse and business person. I've solved many problems by doing nothing except listen to others. I've also mediated many crisis situations for global companies and health organizations by teaching and using active listening with those involved in the conflicts.

This is a wonderful book that every libertarian should own. It features a solid selection of some of the best pieces in "Cato's Letters" as well as the "Independent Whig." These works expounded some of the most radical libertarian principles that the world has ever known. Trenchard and Gordon advocated natural rights, including the right to revolution, and looked upon every governmental action, as well as every individual who possessed political power, as suspect. This philosophy of is key to understanding the American Revolution, because, as Jacobson notes, Americans loved these works and read them frequently. Aside from the actual texts included here, Jacobsons' lengthy introduction and bibiography are wonderful sources of information on "Cato's" lives, thought, and influence. Nevertheless, if one is truly interesting in their work, I would suggest a purchase that the Liberty Fund's fine edition of the complete "Cato's Letters" as well.

This book is great. First of all, it gives the reader an introduction to the lives and thoughts of the two great masters. Also, it includes ample passages from both the INDEPENDENT WHIG amd CATO'S LETTERS. Reading this book often leads to the purchase of Cato's Letters in their entirety.

A couple days ago I was explaining the "Gordon model" to a coleague (we're both managers who work for a chain of restaurants). As we conversed, two of our new cooks, who were arguing about something, came to me to vent their frustrations. I'm sure they expected for me to decide which one of them was right about the situation and then take sides. Instead, using the No-Lose problem-solving techniques I learned from the book (finding solutions so that both parties get their needs met), I facilitated a session in which the cooks found a mutually satisfying solution to their problem. All I did is mediate, made sure they listened to one another. My coleague was amazed, noticing the gradual change in attitude and body language - the lowered resistence - as they both realized they could solve their problem in a way that was beneficial to both of them. Later in the day my colegue noticed the same two cooks who had been arguing earlier helping one another and making jokes as they worked through the evening rush.

I came into Amazon to order a copy of L.E.T. as a gift for my coleague when I saw there was an opportunity to pay back Dr. Gordon by reviewing the book. So, here's my pitch: There are management theories aplenty out there. But the fundamental truth is nothing will ever get done well if communication between people isn't smooth and effective. What I've managed to do, thanks to what I learned from L.E.T., is to fuse my team together and to create synergy. And, as the team has become more self-sufficient, that frees me up to do what I'm good at rather than always having to waste time fixing problems for them.

The techiques that Dr. Gordon teaches, I-Messages, Active Listening, etc., are tools that transcend workplace usufulness; they are techniques that help us in any kind of relationship, be they professional, personal or familial.

In short, BUY THIS BOOK!

I read the book in 1990, attended a seminar, and put the communication skills into practice in my work life and my personal life. Dr. Gordon does a great job of showing how to use "I-messages" and active listening to communicate effectively and to get folks to solve their own problems. There's even a good section on effective meetings.

Our company has made L.E.T. one of the foundation elements of supervisor training.

Some months ago I was explaining the "Gordon model" to a colleague (we're both managers who work for a chain of restaurants). As we conversed, two of our new cooks, who were arguing about something, came to me to vent their frustrations. I'm sure they expected for me to decide which one of them was right about the situation and then take sides. Instead, using the No-Lose problem-solving techniques I learned from the book (finding solutions so that both parties get their needs met), I facilitated a session in which the cooks found a mutually satisfying solution to their problem. All I did is mediate, made sure they listened to one another. My colleague was amazed, noticing the gradual change in attitude and body language of the cooks - the lowered resistance - as they both realized they could solve their problem in a way that was beneficial to both of them. Later in the day my colleague noticed the same two cooks who had been arguing earlier helping each another and making jokes as they worked through the evening rush.

What I've managed to do, thanks to what I learned from L.E.T., is to fuse my team together and to create synergy. And, as the team has become more self-sufficient, that frees me up to do what I'm good at rather than always having to waste time fixing problems for them.

The techiques that Dr. Gordon teaches, I-Messages, Active Listening, etc., are tools that transcend workplace usufulness; they are techniques that help us in any kind of relationship, be they professional, personal or familial.

In short, it works!

Being from Vallejo, CA and knowing Jeff and his family since Jeff was one year old, I probably have more insight to the "real story" of Jeff Gordon than most. This book is very inaccurate at best. I think the author tried to capture the story but most of the book was pieced together from previous books and articles. Jeff himself was never interviewed for the book. Other than the single interview with Jeff's parents, everything else was written on hearsay and prior publications. It was also apparent that Mr. Thomas knows little about NASCAR racing. He wrote the book with good intentions and presented Jeff in a good way but some of the his statements were laughable. One that comes to mind is him writing that Ray Evernham used computer telemetry during a race so he would know how to adjust the car during pit stops. Hello? Everyone that knows anything about NASCAR racing knows that this is not allowed. All this will do is fuel the Gordon haters in claiming he cheated to get to where he is today. Again, this book was not authorized by Jeff or his parents and after reading it I know why. It was obvious this book was quickly written and published because there were occasional typos and misspellings throughout the book. It is unfortunate that individuals can profit from writing about peoples lives of which they know little about.

This book depicited Jeff as how he is. A human being like everyone elso who just happens to have an amazing talent for race car driving. It has great quotes from Jeff, his father, and other race car drivers. This is the story of his life, and how he became who he is: a champion inside and out. This is a MUST for all Jeff Gordon fans.

Quotes from Jeff's mother, step-father, friends and relatives help you to understand this man that has become a superstar in the world of Winston Cup Racing. There are stories about his early years of racing and the track he followed that lead him to Winston Cup Racing. It was interesting to learn that in his early years of racing, just as today, people couldn't believe that Jeff was as talented as his achievements indicated. They gave credit to the car, the team, etc. He may seem like an overnight superstar until you read where Jeff started, and the road he traveled to become a 3 time Winston Cup Champion.

I enjoyed the stories about Brooke and Jeff, how they met, a glimpse of the shy Jeff as he started his relationship with Brooke and Brooke's influence on Jeff's spiritual growth.

Gary Thomas covers the significant Winston Cup Races well. He describes the key points of each race in a way that even a racing novice could understand. The book includes a glossary of racing terminolody for the novice.

Included are interesting facts about other race car drivers and their interactions with Jeff, such as Dale Earnhardt teaching Jeff how to draft at Daytona.

Overall, this book was a fun and interesting read and you don't have to be a race fan to enjoy it.

I only wish that there would have been more pictures.