The Attention-Deficit Workplace. Mitch Thrower. 2005. ISBN 1592286127.
One of the co-founders of the Active Network (the folks who acquired
Class Software), Thrower is a perennial entrepreneur and multi-tasker.
This is a Bill Jensen, simpler life-type book. The 50 short examples
will ring true to all too many of us. It is today’s example of the 10
Second Manager. Very easy read and concise, the book is not a waste of
time, plus you gain insights into the growth of the Active Network.

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.

Client at the Core. August J. Aquila & Bruce W. Marcus. 2004. ISBN
0471453137.
Marketing and Managing Today’s Professional Services Firm. This is an
extension of Maister’s work
on Professional Services Firm management. Although all the examples
refer to accountants and lawyers,
the content is very germane to any service firm. The thrust is to
educate the services professional on the
relationship of marketing. sales to management of the firm. The book
does an admirable job. In our practise we are very often retained to address the daily struggle thatservices firms come up against in these areas.
In the corporate world the management solutions to these issues are
recognized and addressed. Professionals by their nature of being professionals in a practise area are not trained or educated in the management tools needed to achieve
these goals. Plus time spent away from “practise” to address these areas
comes often at the detriment of the firm. Excellent book and very timely. If the issue is relevant, a library keeper (easy read too).

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.

Icon. Steve Jobs. The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business.
Young & Simon. 2005. ISBN 0471720836. An unauthorized biography that
Jobs has banned from all Apple stores. Terrific red that I could not put
down. Journalists put out the enjoyable books. Lots of names for Jobs,
few complimentary, but he has weathered more self imposed defeats than
most of us. This book takes you from the start up to the release of the
Shuffle. You get a good sense of where Apple, Pixar and Disney is
heading plus a close look at the man who invented “the reality
distortion field”. Read it and pass it on to others of our age. They
will never bury him with ” a really nice guy ” on his tombstone.

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.

Good Business. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. 2003. ISBN 0670031968. Mihaly
wrote Flow which I really likes. This research looked at thirty nine
business leaders who had a mal and ethical view to their business. Such
folks as Chouinaard (Patagonia) , Jane Fonda, Mike Markkula (Apple),
Roddick (body Shop) . Shapiro (Monsanto) .Sir John Templeton, Ted Turner
and so on. They all contributed guides and visions as to how they
promote flow in their lives and their businesses for their employees. I
liked Flow, but I admire this book. In the wake of Ebbers, Lay and Cos
like Revco and so on it is more than refreshing to read about leaders
who are looking at the greater good. Lots of words to live and lead by
here. A moderate read, not lite and it does not race.

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.

Guerilla Marketing for Consultants. Jay Conrad Levinson. 2005. ISBN
047661873X. Levison is the author of the Guerilla Marketing series. All
the books are very readible, useful and credible. This one is directly
targetted at service businesses (using a consultative approach). This
book is no baliney, full of essential and useful hands- on advice. He
takes his own advice and applies it liberally. This is a very good field
guide and I can not think there is a single redundant chapter. A library
keeper.

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.