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No Jerks on the Job

James Burke

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
I'm a book magnet. I like books about business, but I'm also very selective about what takes up room on my shelf. I've thrown away just about as many books as I've kept, and this book "No Jerks on the Job" is a keeper http://www.nojerksonthejob.com/

I just picked it up this afternoon and am only through the first chapter. But over the years I've come to learn that while you can't judge a book by its cover, you surely can by the end of the first chapter.

Check it out...you'll be glad you did.


JB
 

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onlinestar

Guest
I'm intrigued. Mind sharing "top 10" on your <business> shelf?
 
James Burke

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
onlinestar said:
I'm intrigued. Mind sharing "top 10" on your <business> shelf?
Click to expand...

If the office caught on fire, here's what I'd grab first:

1) Secrets of Effective Leadership - by F.A. Manske, Jr.
2) The Lord is My Counsel - by Marion Wade (Founder of ServiceMaster)
3) Pour Your Heart Into It - by Howard Schultz (CEO of Starbucks)
4) The Servant as Leader (adapted from Servant Leadership) - by Robert Greenleaf
5) Business Model Generation - by Osterwalder & Pigneur
6) Business Model You - by Osterwalder & Pigneur
7) The Soul of the Firm - by William Pollard (a true favorite on my shelf)
8) God Owns My Business - by Stanley Tam
9) The 4 Routes to Entrepreneurial Success - by John Miner
10) No Jerks at Work - by Ron Newton


JB
 
James Burke

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
onlinestar said:
Thank you James
Click to expand...

You're welcome.

In case you haven't guessed, the above list contains titles that pertain to personal and professional development as well as overall business savvy.

Books I keep are written by authors who have a sense of humility and possess true leadership qualities. They reference other noted authors throughout their works, and they talk about the people they lead instead of just themselves. They write "from the trenches" of real business...and are "been there, done that" kinda people.

Books I abhor are ones where the author profusely talks about himself / herself and the "gimmick" that makes them "successful". They brag about their grandiose achievements and their main "business" is churning out more books and materials about their trendy "system". It also seems like they usually have their name, photo, logo or tagline plastered on every piece of cheap swag in their online store.


JB
 
James Burke

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
One more characteristic I appreciate about the authors I follow is the how realistic they are. They often tell of the good, the bad, and the ugly...their mistakes and their failures and how they overcame.

The main questions I ask myself when reading any book are:

"Can this information help me (the common guy) in my situation?"

and

"Is this information pertinent only to the author, or an elite readership?"


JB
 
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bob

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
Books on business tend to be tedious. Those who read them seem to fall into either of two categories: Those every bit as excruciatingly tedious as the books themselves and those particularly annoying beings that festoon their areas with smarmy motivational slogans.

To those in the latter category: Quiet competence trumps motivational bull$hit every time.

To those in the former: Creating and operating a successful business usually isn't something learned from books. It's somewhat like doing music, software, and a host of other things; either you can do it or you can't. Something in some book or article might help you fine-tune some aspect of your native ability but if you couldn't do it before reading the book, you won't be able to do it after.

I speak from some experience in these matters. Way back when I was a corporate warrior books like these were constantly being pushed upon myself and my peers by the upper echelons. I don't recall a one of them being worth the powder to blow it across the street. Invariably they told me what I already knew. Either knew to be true or knew to be nonsense.

Or even worse, on the off chance someone actually has a good and workable idea, they publish a book of hundreds of boring pages expounding on, rather beating to death, this single idea when the whole thing could have and should have been summed up in a paragraph or two. You can learn just as much from this sort of book from reading the blurb on the dust jacket as you can by boring yourself into insensibility by actually reading the book.

If I'm going to waste my time, I prefer doing so with something clearly marked as fiction. Give me a good potboiler any day. Preferably one with a decent body count.

The best way to succeed in business? Write a book about how to succeed in business.
 
James Burke

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
bob said:
Books on business tend to be tedious.
Click to expand...

I'm not looking to start an argument, but as one who came up through the ranks of industry, I've only been a newbie to the world of busienss for the past seven years.

I'll be the first to admit that while some books aren't worth the ink they're smeared with, there are some excellent books out there that are well worth their weight in gold.

I believe it all boils down to the individual, and their ability to assimilate the information into meaningful and practical terms.

We all learn differently, and books are only one avenue.


JB
 
James Burke

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
I somewhat stunned. I just received an email this morning from "No Jerks on the Job" author Ron Newton.

The link I included in the first post has generated quite a buzz from fellow Signs101ers, and like any good follower of web analytics, he became curious as to why.

He was able to sift through the details and traced everything back to me. After some more searching he found my web site and facebook page. He sent kind words of thanks, and generously offered to send an autographed copy of his book.

Autographed copies are also available through his site.

Wow...never underestimate the power of word of mouth marketing. It's also a sobering reminder to watch our "P's & Q's" around here because we never know who's watching.

JB
 
B

bernie

New Member
James Burke said:
I somewhat stunned. I just received an email this morning from "No Jerk on the Job" author Ron Newton.

Wow...never underestimate the power of word of mouth marketing. It's also a sobering reminder to watch our "P's & Q's" around here because we never know who's watching.

JB
Click to expand...

Now ... how nice is that! I have a appreciation for people who do things, in this case write a book, and follow it up to see who is interested in what they have done (written - built something, etc.) instead of sitting back and just watching the dollars. Nice that he took the time to find you and acknowledged your input!

Bernie
 
DrCAS

DrCAS

New Member
I looked over the first couple pages... it has piqued my interest.

Thanks for the heads up.
 
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