Leadership Is an Art by Max Depree

Recommended Read: Yes

Rate: 5/5

I like to read most books other than fiction (self help, bios etc) as stories. This is no novel and definitely no self help. Although most might disagree,  I feel that this book covers the "old school" concepts of a CEO's journey in his organization from already being a corporation to making it to Fortune 500 and out of it.

I recommend to read this book in the authors perspective. See the main character as the author and don't judge. Just read it as if it was a novel. I could do quotes after quotes that have changed the way I do things in life. However, here a few memorable ones:

The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor.

* In addition to all of the ratios and goals and parameters and bottom lines, it is fundamental that leaders endorse a concept of persons. This begins with an understanding of the diversity of people's gifts and talents and skills.

* Understanding and accepting diversity enables us to see that each of us is needed. It also enables us to begin to think about being abandoned to the strengths of others, of admitting that we cannot know or do everything.

* Leaders don't inflict pain; they bear pain.

* First, as a Christian I believe that each person is made in the image of God. For those of us who have received the gift of leadership from the people we lead, this belief has enormous implications.

* Leaders owe people space, space in the sense of freedom. Freedom in the sense of enabling our gifts to be exercised.

* Participative management is not democratic. Having a say differs from having a vote.

* Interestingly, though in organizations like ours we need a lot of freedom, there is no room for license. Discipline is what it takes to do the job.

* One of the important things leaders need to learn is to recognize the signals of impending deterioration.

* Without forgiveness, there can be no real freedom to act...

This book is definitely worth a read whether you are a student, graduate, young professional or in a career. 

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Introduction

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Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Heath Brothers Review

Recommended Read: Yes

Rate: 5/5

This book goes through the SUCCESS method. Here's the outline for the whole book:

Simple - don't lose your core message in a lot of pomp and circumstance
Unexpected - make your idea jump out and grab people's attention
Concrete - keep it easy to grasp vs. mind boggling statistics or huge numbers
Credible - is your idea believable?
Emotional - people react to emotion and it creates an empathetic bond
Stories - story telling is an age old form of communication

Every part of the SUCCESS letters has amazing examples outlined. For example, based on the book's title the author starts off with the history of why ideas stick. He gives examples of the oldest short stories which stuck with us throughout the times. Such as "Kill two birds with one stone". People now believe it to be "saying" but it was a one line story. Then he goes on explaining the examples tested in real life by university professors and students in doing focus groups for analyzing different concepts.

Right before reading this book, I was watching Randy Pausch's lecture on Achieving Your Childhood Dreams. Out of many things I learned from that lecture, I remember him saying "Luck is when opportunity meets preparation". After reading this book I was able to use concepts from this book during my volunteer term in a variety of projects I was involved in from planning stages to execution. This book has given me the resources to use when I get ideas.

It's never as easy as it looks. The book will get you excited and empowered to do things in your own life with your ideas. However, you'll see that the successful examples are not always the outcome you are going to get in life. I learned that and idea has to go through a lot of unsuccessful stages. Then as we change them, they get molded and may even change completely into something that can work. Now we have something that works and work on turning that into making it stick. This should be done before doing stratgic analysis of planning. Ones everything works out, you'll end up with a scope to start the planning stages and then implement.

Overall an amazing read. This is not a novel, but a guide to change our ways of thinking.  Therefore there is no moral of the whole book.

The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett Review

Recommend Read: Yes

Rate: 5/5

This book will take you on a journey of a team: 1 Cat, 2 Human Beings and a Family of Rodents. You'll feel like Dr. Dolittle, in terms of the animals talking, throughout their journey. I'm glad animals can't talk in real life or they would have a lot of negative things to say about us Humans (except the "weird ones"). The lesson behind this book is in learning the basic keys to success with a twist. Some of which I learned are:
- Learn to work with people who you don't get along with and steer them to get what you want
- Sometimes the "Leader" of the team can be the one that uses everyone to get what they want. Just know what you want out of people when you are working together on something. This can help you outsmart the leader.
- Some people may not want to accept change. Just continue to embrace it because sooner or later you'll be the one helping those people.
- We all have negative thoughts that stop us from going forward. I like to call them 'Internal Obstacles'. If you know what you want out of your goals and visualize results, you can shut any voice and accomplish those goals.
- Being overconfident in anything can lead you to negative results
- Tricking people you know and getting away with it can work in short term. But when you depend on those people later on, you'll fall flat on your face.
- Its ok if you feel like you don't know anything. If you tag along for the joy of it and keep learning, eventually you'll become the hero that saves everyone.
- When you are the leader of your team, your followers may not like you because of the risks you have to take. However, when one of your followers are down, the leader takes full responsibility in protecting, caring and helping the team.

The gist of this book is that a Cat teams with a family of rodents (who somehow learned how to talk and "think" like humans) and a kid in pursuit of scamming a town to get a lot of money. The Cat is the leader, the rodents are the followers and that one kid is just lost and tags along because of his skill of playing a flute. Then all of a sudden a girl tags along, not by coincidence, but more because of her "weirdness". Now if this doesn't make go want to buy this book and start reading, I don't know what will.

Heres some of the most memorable extracts from the beginning chapters in this book (don't want to give too much away):

- "Trouble with thinking was that, once you started, you went on doing it."
- "..he'd done what cats always did. He steered people."
- "It's hard to translate 'Sir' into Rat. The rat word for 'sir' isn't a word; it's sort of momentary crouch, indicating that, just at the moment, the crouching rat is prepared to accept that the other rat is the boss, but that he or she shouldn't get funny."
- "Not all the rats had got used to the idea of making fire, and some were getting out of the way"
- "Most rats couldn't read human. It was just too hard to make lines and squiggles turn into any sense. So Peaches had worked very hard on making a language that rats could read. She'd tried to draw a big rat made up of little rats. (Yeah...the rats took notes along their journey and made strategic maneuvers on paper on making rules on how things were to be done).
- "...Dangerous Beans had said, 'What is a rat?' and Hamnpork had replied, 'Teeth. Claws. Tail. Run. Hide. Eat. That's what a rat is.' Dangerous Beans had said, 'But now we can say "what is a rat?"' he said. 'And that means we're more than that.'
- "'...you were an apprentice to a wizard but you fell asleep and let the cauldron of bubbling green stuff boil over and he threathened to turn you into a-a-a--'     'Gerbil' said Maurice, helpfully. '..What's a gerbil? Did that cat just say 'gerbil'?'"
- "Maurice was more than a cat. He knew. He knew that the world was big and complex and involved a lot more than wondering if the next meal was going to be beetles or chicken legs."
- "'We Co-Operate or We Die.' Yes, that was the next Thought."
My Favorite Quote in this book:
"Death isn't so bad. Shall I tell you about Bone Rat? He waits for those who break and run, who hide, who falter. But if you stare into his eyes he'll give you a nod and pass right on"

In my opinion the moral of this story: Anything can be accomplished when a team sticks together like a family, even though they may have difficulties getting along.

The Winner Stands Alone - Paulo Coelho Review

Recommended Read: Yes
Rate: 5/5

A lot of things happen when we are in love. We would almost do anything for that special person. But when they leave us, we should let the past go right? "Life goes on" kinda of thing? Just "move on"? Well not if you are obsessed with that person and your love hasn't died for that person.  Thats exactly what this person does. Except, he's a know it all. The most known - Unknown. He has power, wealth and respect. He has it all but without her, his life means nothing.

Some favorite quotes from this novel that stood out to me were:  

-          Knowing a person’s name means knowing that person is human not somekind of enemy – Knowing someones name means transforming them into a unique individual with past and future, ancestors, and possibly decendants – a person who has known triumph and failures

-          People are their names and they are proud of them. The name is the first thing we learn after learning how to say “mommy” and “daddy”

-          Someone’s spirit has no name – it is inside the persons body and leaves after a certain time and God won’t bother asking “What is your name?” instead God will ask, “have you ever loved when you were alive?”

-          –THAT IS THE PRESENCE OF LIFE – THE ABILITY TO LOVE

CELEBRITY SYNDROME – WHEN PEOPLE FORGET WHO THEY ARE AND START BELIEVING IN WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THEM

A MANS DIGNITY IS NOT MEASURED BY THE PEOPLE HE HAS AROUND HIM WHEN HE IS AT THE PEAK OF HIS SUCCESS ---

BUT BY HIS ABILITY NOT TO FORGET THOSE WHO HELPED HIM WHEN HIS NEED WAS THE GREATEST

3 THINGS WE NEED TO HAVE IN LIFE –

GRATITUDE, NECCESITY, RIGHT CONTACTS

ACCUMULATING LOVE BRINGS LUCK

ACCUMULATING HATRED BRING DISASTER

In my opinion the moral of this story: A human being can go to endless extents and face endless obstacles in order to get what the person needs in life.

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho Review

Recommended Read: Yes

Rate: 5/5

A perfect book to read on a summer day. A perfect book to read when you want to take a break in life and look at life from the outside. A perfect book to read at any time in life. This book takes the main character on a journey in life towards finding himself. A Sheppard boy that goes where ever his sheep lead him too. Somehow though, he figures out that everything in his life plays a part in finding himself. Anyone can relate to this character. We all have our own story: Life. We all have our own paths that we go through, obstacles we face and challenges we overcome. An Alchemist? This boy doesn't even know the meaning of that word but somehow, through his journey he finds out what it is. Some of the most memorable extracts from this book are:

-          Whenever we do something that fills us with enthusiasm, we are following our paths

4 fears that are barriers to confront our courage

-          1. Dreams – we are told from childhood everything we want to do is impossible. As we grow with this idea so does our Prejudice, Fear and Guilt.

-          2. Love – if we have the courage to disinter our dream – we know what we want but, we then face the obstacle of leaving everything behind and pursuing our dream.

-          3. Fear of Defeats we meet on our paths: We suffer when things do not work out. We must be prepared to have patience in difficult times, and to know that the universe is with us in our favour – even though we do not understand how.
Are Defeats Necessary? – Yes because when we first begin fighting for our dream we have no experience and make mistakes.
The secret of life is to Fall 7 times and GET UP 8 times

-           4.  Realizing Our Dream – Fear of realizing our dreams which we have fought all our live. “Each man kills the thing he loves” – Oscar Wilde
As we notice that achieving our dream is so near, we tend to look around the people who have failed, forgetting our obstacles we faced to get that far.

Solution – Believe yourself worth of what you worked so hard to get  

Once we have overcome the defeats – We are filled with happiness + confidence

Intense Unexpected Suffering Passes More Quickly Than Suffering That is Apparently Bearable 

-          If you trust and depend on others, you forget about your own instincts, because the others lead you to the nourishment

-          Every action has a purpose so we must be prepared for a change

-          Realize where you are everyday and notice changes around you

-          It is the possibility of making a dream come true that makes it interesting

Problem

When someone sees the same person every day, they wind up becoming a part of the person’s life – Then you will want the person to change – If others are not what you want them to be then you get angry

Solution:

Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their life but none about his/her own

  

-          Whoever you are or whatever it is you want to do, it is because of the desire that originated in the soul of the universe. IT IS YOUR MISSION ON EARTH.

-          The soul of the universe is achieved by HAPPINESS, UNHAPPINESS, JEALOUSY, ENVY

To realize ones destiny is a person’s agreement – When you want something, the universe works with you to achieve it.

-          Everything in life has its price – IF YOU START OFF PROMISING WHAT YOU DON’T EVER HAVE YET, YOU WILL LOSE YOUR DESIRE TO WORK TOWARD GETTING IT.

-          When each day is the same as the next it is because people fail to realize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises

PRINCIPLE OF FAVORIBILITY

-          For example, When playing cards for the first time – if you win it is a beginners luck – This is a force that wants you to realize your personal legend

-          Beginners Luck – sharpens your appetite – Our desires determine our Personal Legend

-          Everything you deal with is only one thing and nothing else

Decision

-          Making a decision is just the beginning, it is like diving into a strong current that will take you places you never dreamed of

We are able to speak the language of the universe which is understood by everyone

1)      Language of Enthusiasm – It is the purpose and love you put into the work that attracts people. Work should be accomplished by love and purpose and the search for something believed in and desired. Travelers like sheep that keep traveling know about moving on

2)      Language of Intuition – Sudden immersion – deep involvement – of the soul into the universal current of life, where the histories of all people are connected and we know everything because it’s all written there  - Mukhtab(Arabic) – Destiny.

-          Our life’s goal is like a compass being used as a destination. There will be many detours and obstacle we have to overcome but we should always focus on the final destination

-          People need not fear the unknown if they are capable of achieving what they need and want – When you want something with all your heart that is when you are closest to the soul of the world – Positive Force (Alchemy)

  

3)      Language of Love – understand that love never keeps a person from pursuing my destiny. If the pursuit is abandoned then it was not true love.

-          Listening and understand to our heats in really important. Our hearts can seem to have fear that in following our dream, we might lose everything that is won, this can cause unexpected emotions.

-          IF we Understand our hearts well enough we can know its dreams and wishes and will know how to deal with them, by accepting as it is

IT IS NOT WHAT ENTERS THE PERSONS MOUTH THAT IS EVIL, IT IS WHAT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH THAT IS EVIL

When we want to achieve our dream we are tested  by the universe on everything we have learnt along the way in our lives.

We start off with a beginners luck and end up with being heavily tested.

Our hearts tell us our personal legend as children, it is up to us to follow it

Our hearts have a lot of fear of losing things, but we must confront obstacles and understand our hearts and what it tells us.

-          When you possess great treasure and try to tell others, rarely are we believed

-          Our eyes show the strength of our soul

-          All things have their own personal legend to fulfill. Such as metal into gold.

-          Everything evolves to its fullest

-          When something evolves everything around them evolves

ANYONE WHO INVOLVES THEMSELVES INTO THE PERSONAL LEGEND OF ANOTHER ----- WILL NEVER FIND THEIR OWN

We must surpass the Fear of Failure to achieve our dream

-          When we strive to become better than we are everything around us becomes better too – love is the force that makes our transformation better

-          NO PROJECT IS COMPLETE UNTIL ITS OBJECTIVES ARE MET


References:
Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. [San Francisco]: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998. Print.

Giving: How Each Of Us Can Change The World - Bill Clinton Review

Recommended Read: Yes

Rate: 3/5

Whether you are a philanthropist, a person willing to give time to someone in need or someone who is willing to lend money to someone in need of help. Whatever it may be, if you are willing to give: Go get this book now! Now I am not a person who read a lot of politics, watches a lot of news or even cared about look at those ads that show homeless kids in Africa struggling in need of any help they can get. However, this book shows you the value of helping people.

This book is a CALL TO ACTION. Bill Clintons talks about his own experience in what he has done in helping the world, when he was a university student, during his presidency and after his presidency until the current situations. His introduction starts off by telling us about his young years, he has learnt giving through his church where children were required to give small amounts of money to help people who are in need. Then in his teen years he volunteered in school activities, and in Thanksgivings. He gives many examples based on initiative to change. People who have helped change the world by contributing their time, money, skills, and things. Volunteering, donating, or starting your own non-governmental organization to help change the world can be done at any age, and there are examples of the people who have done this. From the rich, middleclass, and poor individuals who have strived to help others by going through many obstacles. This book takes us on a reality tour of political forces, government decisions, and how important global unity is to humans. The ending of the book touched my heart because I noticed that throughout the book all the statistics and the amount of money that has been given to fund causes in countries that are poor and rich is just phenomenal. Then he combines religious views in terms of how much giving is important in any religion. He reminds us how we have been brought up by learning that giving is important. Giving at least 1% of our money we make, volunteering at least 1 hour per week, or even volunteering for projects can help make a huge difference to the world. Hence the meaning, HOW EACH OF US CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.

After reading this book, I wanted to research more. Find out more about his (Author) view on why he wrote this book. After watching a bunch interviews, I compiled my all of what I learned below.

LECTURE ABOUT THE BOOK GIVING BY BILL CLINTON

-“If you have the right vision, if you understand that we have to restore America’s standing in the world, we have to rebuild the middleclass stream in America, and we have to reclaim the future for our kids by restoring our science, innovation, technology including stem cell research and we have got to do something about climate change – That’s the right vision”

Then the question is:

·         What are your policies? (who’s got the best health care policy, energy policy.etc)

·         Who is the best agent of change? (not the best symbol the next agent – who have proven the    ability to make positive change?)

This is because being able to turn positive intention into helping people’s lives depends on the policies we have to accomplish that. 

Notice I rated this book 3/5. The reason being is that Mr. Clinton writes in a perspective of "I was always a giving person". I couldn't relate with his exprience in his university years. Matter of fact, I couldn't relate to any of his experience as an average human being. What I did learn were lessons. What I did do after reading this book was dedicated my university years to volunteer and help people in need by giving my time and dedication. Through this I gained knowledge, awareness and compassion. So what I do recommend readers to do after reading this book is to go out there and give (your time or money) to organizations that are helping improve the quality of life and standard of living of any community in the world.     

"Bill Clinton Clip." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 06 Jan. 2010. .

Clinton, Bill. Giving How Each of Us Can Change the World (Random House Large Print (Cloth/Paper)). New York: Random House Large Print, 2007. Print.