What could have been a breakthrough book for working women who want to hone their skills for success turns out to be little more than a lackluster attempt to interpret and explain men's attitudes toward women in the workplace, one that won't generate much word of mouth despite its compelling subject. Swiss (Women and the Work/Family Dilemma; Women Breaking Through) interviewed 52 successful men in a range of professions and influential positions to elicit candid opinions about their experiences with female colleagues. Most of this group assembled by Swiss, a management consultant on gender equity, are singularly unenlightened men who focus on women's lack of confidence and reluctance to take risks or make mistakes, and who emphasize the importance of competitive sports in making team players; these men also clearly feel (and resent) the need to be careful in their language and behavior. Although she does a fine job extracting and cogently organizing the essence of their thinking, the results will dishearten m

With words like “recession” and “record unemployment” fillingthe air, the typical family–regardless of how the economy istreating them–will be paying attention to the budget. That’s why 99 Ways to Stretch Your Home Budget will receive a warmreception as it delivers scores of practical ideas to save casharound the house. Cheri Gillard , formerly an obstetrical and NICU nurse, is afreelance writer and editor, plus the mother of quadruplets.

If you're ever favored enough to catch a few minutes of a corporate CEO's time, and feel bold enough to ask what their job entails, chances are you'll hear something lofty about developing strategy, empowering employees, seeing the big picture. But if you ask to see their calendar for the past month, you'll probably find they've spent very little, if any, time doing those things. The look-at-last-month's-calendar trick was devised by Donald Laurie, a Boston-based management consultant, to help top executives figure out how best to lead their companies. Laurie sees a leader as the person who climbs out on the balcony and sees the company from above, the one who sees how all the parts connect to make a smoothly running machine. At the same time, if the leader stays up on that balcony for too much of the day, he or she can't hear the grumbling below. And what's being grumbled about is often the information that could save the CEO's job. As an example of this, Laurie relates the story of Xerox Corp. when it

Malcolm Gladwell is the master of playful yet profound insight. His ability to see underneath the surface of the seemingly mundane taps into a fundamental human impulse: curiosity. From criminology to ketchup, job interviews to dog training, Malcolm Gladwell takes everyday subjects and shows us surprising new ways of looking at them, and the world around us.Are smart people overrated? What can pit bulls teach us about crime? Why are problems like homelessness easier to solve than to manage? How do we hire when we can't tell who's right for the job? Gladwell explores the minor geniuses, the underdogs and the overlooked, and reveals how everyone and rything contains an intriguing story. What the Dog Saw is Gladwell at his very best - asking questions and seeking answers in his inimitable style.

In this practical book, Richard A. Swanson offers a comprehensive approach to forecasting and analyzing the financial implications of any HRD initiative. Packed with step-by-step tools and worksheets, illustrated through a variety of case studies, and featuring the author's state-of-the-art insights, this book offers HRD professionals an essential resource for planning and budgeting, presenting recommendations to executives and department leaders, and keeping their organizations on the cutting edge.