Zapp!: La Energia Inspiradora Y Vigorizante / Inspiring and Invigorating Energy

by William C. Byham, Jeff Coxx

In the first edition of "Zapp!", Byham revealed a brilliant new system for jump-starting corporate success--with smart, efficient, and effective methods for motivating employees and improving productivity. Now updated to keep pace with the ever-changing business environment of the nineties, this revised edition brings new insights that are sure to boost any company's quality, productivity, and bottom line. 208 pp.

Genres: Business, Leadership, Nonfiction, Self Help, Management, Productivity, Business Leadership

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Bill Byham is Founder and Executive Chairman of Development Dimensions International (DDI), an internationally renowned human resource training and consulting company. An Industrial/Organization Psychologist, Bill has developed many significant human resource technologies over the course of his career. These innovations include the assessment center method, behavior-based interviewing, the use of behavior-modeling in supervisor and management training, behavioral job analysis methodology as the basis for selection and training programs, and Acceleration Pools® to select and rapidly develop people for high-level leadership positions. These technologies have been described in 23 books and more than 300 monographs and articles. In addition, he has appeared on numerous radio and TV programs through the world.

Reviews

[Books Ring Mah Bell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good Lord. See, this is why I left my job as supervisor. Well, not this book, specifically, but the higher up folk that pawn these types of books onto me, stating they were mind-blowing. More corporate feel good crap. I shared it with the team of people I worked with, and we walked around for a few months, yelling, "ZZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPP" really loudly at inappropriate times.
Hmmmmm. That did build our team morale.

All this stuff seems the same to me: a basic understanding of human psychology plus respect plus cheesy parable = crazy success!


ZAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!

I'm changed.

[Hanna Carrico]

I read this book because I found it on a shelf in my office and I will stop at nothing to inflate my Goodreads numbers.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I nice little refresher on healthy management perspectives. These business parables are sometimes hit or miss. This one is good not great.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun management book that is written in the form of a fable. The format is concise and easy to read,which is a bonus for busy people striving to make things better. If you are a manager or supervisor who is interested in nurturing positive working environments, increasing collaboration and collegiality and improving productivity, this book is for you.

I found that many of the factors of managerial success rely on emotional intelligence--active listening, showing empathy, providing sincere words of encouragement and building up of workers' self-esteem. These suggestions reminded me of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. After food and shelter requirements are met, people have a need for social acceptance and personal validation. While I have not finished the book yet, I have not doubt that it will continue to deliver practical advice for building community in the workplace and for helping managers learn how to give their employees a Zapp! (a sense of empowerment, autonomy and validation) vs. a Sapp (let downs, lack of control and abandonment).

[Suzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Business/management allegory. Nothing in here is a bad idea (respecting, listening to, and coaching your employees are all good ideas.) But it also is kind of also like 'when we step into this hallucinatory world we can see what's really going on' which is very, very goofy.

[nitiwat sompawong · Rating 4 out of 5]

- maintain / enhance self esteem
- listen / respond with empathy
- share thoughts, feeling, rationale
- ask for help / encourage involvement

Soul of zap: provide support without removing responsibility for action

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book I was given as part of a leadership activity for work, and although the concepts are sounds, the plot is so cheesy and often time ridiculous that I find myself being distracted from the point of the analogy, and am stuck on the stupidity of the examples.

The book is antiquated, the concepts no longer profound, and there are dozens of updated and current versions that teach the same idea.

I wish it were better, there is just so much nonsense in the story that it takes away from the core principles the author is trying to instill in the reader.

If a reader wants something allegorical, read Lencioni instead, the stories are much more realistic, and it offers the same ideas.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this book when I was 14. How did I stumble upon this book, one may ask. It was my father's doing. He had a work project due based on the content of this book and wanted me to do it. I am glad he gave me the opportunity to understand team empowerment and relationship dynamics at such a tender age. I had known the concepts zapp vs sapp before reading the book, however, I was fascinated by the terminology and the application esp at an organisational level. He received a B+ on his report and I gained invaluable knowledge.

[Monique Hodgkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book several times. It was really helpful to me as a people manager in large companies. An easy read that provides insights that every manager should consider to improve employee happiness and productivity. I just recommended it today to a new manager that I know. I have actually bought this book three times and each time loaned it out never to get it back again. I may have to buy my fourth copy.

[Rick Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book engaging and motivating. It's short, happy, and thought provoking. The simple fantasy premise is a great springboard for deeper reflection on what work can be.
The story is upbeat and positive, and, while simplifying situations, it is neither naive nor understated in its message that organizations able to spark employee engagement and empowerment will outperform those with tight command and control structures.

[Katherine Contini · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quick read but super boring. Our boss had us read this. It has great points on how to be positive and spread a good energy through out work. However, the way the author tried to get their point across by Using the 10th dimension or whatever honestly bored me and my co workers. There has to be a better book out there for bosses to use then this. Pretty sure I fell asleep reading it and had to re read what i was reading a million times.

[Ams78 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. Terrible writing that distracted me from the actual important information, although most of said information is common sense. We were encouraged to read this at my job, but I'm not sure why, since my company definitely doesn't follow these tenets. I found it to be a bit childish and over the top.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This modern day office fable is a fun, quick read. I like to reread it every couple years. It is a good reminder of how we can empower our employees so that they want to be a productive member of the group.

[Michael Gibby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun to read business book with some good common sense approaches for how to treat employees and people in general. It isn't going to solve the problem of world peace butit is a good reminder for how we should be acting anyway.

[Rana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another favorite if you are working with employees.

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Principles that can be applied to any aspect of life.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best management self-help books I have ever read. Similar to Ken Blanchard's books, this uses a fable, and does an excellent job at making its point.

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concepts were all pretty useful... but the fact that this book was written like a children's graphic novel and was targeting MBAs and other managers is kind of insulting.

[Bitė · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every manager should read this at the beginning of their career.

[Judith the Book Gobbler · Rating 5 out of 5]

After all of these years, I am so glad they are still around, I am ordering Heroz and hoping it helps me personally!

[Pamela Aikman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This year is focused on clearing my bookshelves of the many, many books I have. Nice re-read. Four steps to ZAPP. . Maintain or enhance self-steem, Listen and respond with empathy, share thoughts, feelings, and rationale, ask for help and encourage envolvement and finally provide support without removing responsibility for action. This hits home for me. I recently had one of the best "coaching and development" sessions of my professional career. Was honest with employee on their level of expertise and contribution to a great team. This is a good read to remind yourself of why you are leader and how you develop a TEAM to hit a home run.

[Barry]

This was a really fun and easy read. I liked that it took a motivational and business-focused message and wrapped it into a story instead of feeling like a textbook. It made the ideas stick without feeling preachy.

The story flowed well and kept my attention, and I found myself thinking about my own leadership style as I went. It helped me see simple ways I could be a better leader and more intentional with the people around me.

Overall, it’s a quick read with a lot of value. If you like learning through stories and want something that actually feels enjoyable while still being useful, this one’s worth picking up.

[Alberto Pavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es un excelente libro a mi parecer puesto que te dan consejos a través de una historia por lo que se hace menos aburrida al leerla y te ayuda a sentirte identificado gracias a la existencia de personajes que interactúan con el tema principal.
Es un historia con demasiada utilidad, no solo en el ámbito laboral si no en el familiar, social, educativo y demás.
Nos da un gran aprendizaje en el que todas las personas debemos de aprender a tener motivación para realizar cualquier cosa y así nos daremos cuenta que el resultado será mil veces mejor.

[Arpita sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I borrowed this one from a colleague, based on high recommendations from managers. It is a very light read, at times amusing the way hallucinations has been used to tell the tale. The book is quite gloomy though. Most part of the book told me what I already know. Lessons of empowering employees with accountability and responsibility along with passion and trust are not as zappy as they should be.

[Lorena Fabela · Rating 3 out of 5]

¿Buscas un libro para introducirte en el campo de los negocios? ¿O un libro para mejorar tu vida vida laboral y/o académica? Este libro es para tí

Leí el libro con ninguna expectativa buena pero me sorprendió gratamente, de una forma muy dinámica explican cómo es la forma ideal de trabajar en equipo y de manera individual para aumentar las metas establecidas y la motivación. Es MUY RÁPIDO de leer, toda una sorpresa de libro

[Maví Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Empleando una metáfora fantasiosa, va analizando problemáticas sociales en las organizaciones laborales como crítica para la búsqueda de soluciones dinámicas para afrontar el cambio constante que la realidad impone y que requiere de competencias directivas para percibir y reorientar las metas individuales, grupales y organizacionales.
Expone una manera de comprender al Empoderamiento desde una perspectiva sistémica.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book back in 2004 in one of my Fashion Merchandising classes. It's cheesy but is such a simple way to present what a great manager is and does for those on their team. Its impression has stuck with me and I've often referenced it when talking to my husband. A great read for anyone who is a supervisor of at least one other human.

[Todd Coburn]

A simple little book of fun, fictitious fable-like stories that demonstrate the difference between empowering your employees, and draining their desire and output in the workplace.

Highly recommended for leaders, managers, and anyone aspiring to be one.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is wild. All the ideas presented are great and it is a very very quick read (under 2 hours) but it is also impossible to describe.
Good I think for someone who is just starting to try to develope people management skills.

[Nathan Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cheesy and dated. This book did not provide any revolutionary information about empowering people but had a few good reminders. It is a very short and easy read but I believe there is better material to read about managing others.