Powerful Reading

  

Thriving on Chaos

The author of In Search of Excellence has written a hands-on guide to coping with uncertainty and change and delivers it in the energetic style that has made him a star in every business community. “A provocative and worthwhile book, loaded with sound advice.”–Across the Board.

hands-on guide to coping with uncertainty and change and delivers it in the energetic style that has made him a star in every business community. “A provocative and worthwhile book, loaded with sound advice.”–Across the Board.

  

The E Myth Revisited

Whether or not you agree with this book, if you are attempting to run a business — or an organization of any sort — I believe that you would profit by reading it. It articulates many of the conclusions I have reached in attempting to define what a business or organization should be and does it better than I have been able to do myself. In my opinion, it represents a “foundation” business philosophy that will help you refine your own thinking about why you are in business and what you are attempting to achieve by doing so. I would welcome discussion with anyone about the book.

  

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

This book was a groundbreaker when it was first published in 1990, and it continues to be a business bestseller with more than 10 million copies sold. Stephen Covey, an internationally respected leadership authority, realizes that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness, so this book is a manual for performing better in both arenas. His anecdotes are as frequently from family situations as from business challenges.

  

The Goal

What is the “Goal” of a business? The only clear objective is to make money. However, as this book points out, cost efficiencies, bad decisions and a steadfast tradition in the business world have overshadowed the “goal”.

The major concept that from the book is not only in the three key elements of throughput, inventory and operating expenses or in determining where the constraints (bottlenecks) are in the production line. It is the unspoken element in the paradigm shift needed to improvement.

It is the managerial way of analyzing problems that ultimately must change, not the realization of bottlenecks and throughput.

Customers for Life

Carl Sewell’s proven methods can help entrepreneurs turn their employees into service superstars, develop effective advertising, and, most importantly, keep customers coming back for more.

Guerrilla Marketing – Third Revision

When Guerrilla Marketing was first published in 1983, Jay Levinson revolutionized marketing strategies for the small-business owner with his take-no-prisoners approach to finding clients. Filled with hundreds of solid ideas that really work, Levinson’s philosophy has given birth to a new way of learning about market share and how to gain it.

The Deming Management Method

Where it all began … W. Edward Deming revolutionized the Japan manufacturing Industry when “Made in Japan” only meant a low cost but low quality product.

Dr. Deming was a pioneer in the idea that quality reduces costs. We can learn much from this system, but expect your own paradigms to be broken.

Flight of the Buffalo

When Guerrilla Marketing was first published in 1983, Jay Levinson revolutionized marketing strategies for the small-business owner with his take-no-prisoners approach to finding clients. Filled with hundreds of solid ideas that really work, Levinson’s philosophy has given birth to a new way of learning about market share and how to gain it.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff … and its All Small Stuff

This is an audio book that tells you how to keep from letting the little things in life drive you crazy. In thoughtful and insightful language, author Richard Carlson reveals ways to calm down in the midst of your incredibly hurried, stress-filled life.

You can learn to put things into perspective by making the small daily changes Dr. Carlson suggests, including advice such as “Choose your battles wisely”; “Remind yourself that when you die, your ‘in’ box won’t be empty”; and “Make peace with imperfection”.

The Game of Work

Totally a fun read, so logical & practical I wonder where this has been all my business life. Work should be more fun, and the author unlocks the secrets that everyone needs to really enjoy their jobs.

Great stories, examples strike home with any sports lover. Would love to see a follow up helping to implement these concepts into a company. I’ve read it twice and plan to read it again. Very exciting
stuff!!

Kaizen Strategies for Successful Leadership

Kaizen principles are the heart of today’s most successful leadership qualities. The change to the culture of any organization starts with the leaders and managers within.

This book provides a systematic approach to this fantastic change within an organization. Customer Focused organizations will thrive in the years beyond 2000. Will Yours ?

Kaizen Strategies for Customer Care

Kaizen principles will enrich the process of satisfying Customers. This book provides a proven framework for implementing an ongoing Customer service strategy. Kaizen shows readers how to stay one stepahead when it comes to Customer Care.

Kaizen Strategies for: Improving Team Performance

This book closes the gap between concept and action, providing fast access to pragmatic information and proven experience. It details procedural steps, from initial team formation through the various evolutionary stages to self-managed or virtual teams. Packed with cutting-edge information, advice and case studies, this book not only presents you with the insights you need to get teams rapidly up to speed and working to their full potential, it also shows how to keep them heading in the right direction.

Successful Organizational Change

In this book, Kaizen expert Michael Colenso presents a start-to-finish, Kaizen-based guide to successful organizational change. It teaches you when change goes wrong, what to do about it. Companies worldwide are relying on Kaizen techniques to promote a culture of sustained continuous improvement that can handle both evolutionary and revolutionary change. Packed with case studies and successful initiatives.

  

Who Moved My Cheese?

Change can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on your perspective. The message of Who Moved My Cheese? is that all can come to see it as a blessing, if they understand the nature of cheese and the role it plays in their lives.

Who Moved My Cheese? is a parable that takes place in a maze. Four beings, two mice named Sniff and Scurry, and two mouse size humans, Hem and Haw, live in that maze: Sniff and Scurry are non-analytical and nonjudgmental, and just want the cheese and are willing to do whatever it takes to get it. Hem and Haw have an entirely different relationship with cheese. It’s not just sustenance to them; it’s their self-image. Their lives and belief systems are built around the cheese they’ve found. Most of us reading the story will see the cheese as something related to our livelihoods–our jobs, our career paths, the industries we work in–although it can stand for anything, from health to relationships.

The point of the story is that we have to be alert to changes in the cheese, and we must be willing to go running off in search of new sources of cheese when the cheese we have runs out.

  

Gung Ho!

Through this inspirational story of business leaders, Blanchard and Bowles reveal the secret of Gung Ho–a revolutionary technique to boost enthusiasm and performance and usher in astonishing results for any organization. The three principles of Gung Ho are:

The Spirit of the Squirrel
The Way of the Beaver
The Gift of the Goose

These three cornerstones of Gung Ho are surprisingly simple and yet amazingly powerful. Whether your organization consists of one or is listed in the Fortune 500, this book ensures Gung Ho employees committed to success.

Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used

The second edition of Peter Block’s Flawless Consulting gracefully updates what many consider the best resource of its kind. New chapters on implementation, “whole-system” strategies, and ethics are included.

Highly Recommended Reading for ICN Members and Independent Consultants.

Taiichi Ohno: Toyota Production System

One of the co-inventors of the Toyota Production System which revolutionized the manufacturing with Just- In-Time (JIT) concepts.

This is very good reference to the Japanese System and can be applied to many other Industries including Collision Repair.

Highly Recommended Reading for anyone who wants a glimpse of a high volume collision repairer in the near future.

Shigeo Shingo: A Study of the Toyota Production System

One of the co-inventors of the Toyota Production System which revolutionized the manufacturing. Also developed Zero Defect Management, Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) and Just- In-Time (JIT) processes.

This is very good reference to the Japanese System and can be applied to many other Industries including Collision Repair.

Highly Recommended Reading for anyone who wants a glimpse of a high volume collision repairer in the near future.

The Holy Bible

This is original “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff … and It’s All Small Stuff”. Even though it was written before Industry consolidation, unitized construction, and even computers, this book supplies all the latest management principles needed for a successful business, personal life, and family.

The principles are timeless and practical … don’t miss this chance !