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Growing @ the Speed of Change: Your Inspir-Actional How-To Guide for Leading Yourself and Others Through Constant Change
Reviews "This book is brimming with practical advice and abundant wisdom. For those embarked on transforming organizations there couldn't be a more useful tool to inspire and outline the leadership behaviors needed across all levels and positions." Jack Zenger, CEO of Zenger Folkman, and co-author of the best-selling The Extraordinary Leader and The Inspiring Leader "Change is inevitable. This is an excellent handbook to prepare people to thrive through change." Jim Estill, Former CEO of SYNNEX Canada and RIM Board Member "Change is here to stay! Learn how to successfully handle it with this practical and enjoyable guide." Marshall Goldsmith - million selling author of What Got You Here Won't Get You There, Are You Ready? and the upcoming MOJO. "There is no doubt, change is a constant. However, what we need today is transformational change -- change that produces profound personal, organizational, and even global results. Jim Clemmer's newest book "Growing @ the Speed of Change" can help both individuals and organizations achieve the level of remarkable change they desire. This book chalk full of helpful advice, proven theory, and practical application. In a world in need of transformational change agents, Jim is your guide, and this book is your roadmap to a better future." Mark Rodgers, PhD Habitat for Humanity Canada, Vice-President Product Description Growing @ the Speed of Change builds upon many of the personal growth and self-leadership concepts Jim introduced in Growing the Timeless Principles for Personal, Career, and Family Success. As with Growing the Distance, he's added inspirational stories, personal and Client examples, fables, and humor to enliven and simplify what can be dry research or complex concepts. But what's especially exciting and different about Growing @ the Speed of Change are the hundreds of practical action ideas that make this book "inspir-actional." "Inspir-actional?" No, it's not a typo. This is a book that will inspire you, and then give you the plans you need to take action. Those are the two main sections - and objectives - of this book. Here are some other features that will make this book a unique and treasured addition to your "Browser's digest" or magazine-style format with three main streams. Short sections of easily digested commentary, observations, and advice. Condensed sidebars with stories, fables, "wise words," or how-to points. Classical or modern quotations summarizing or underscoring the key message of the section or sidebar. "Edutaining" conversational style with liberal doses of humor and personal stories. Dozens of how-to practical applications to move you from inspiration to application. "To Keep You Growing" section at the end of each chapter links to dozens of my articles, books, workbooks, or website sections so you can dig deeper. Over 150 footnotes of all quotations, studies, and references that can be used for further study. These are all approaches designed to make Growing @ the Speed of Change a quick read, for our fast-moving society. Whether you keep this book in a boardroom or a bathroom I hope you keep it close at hand and that any page you flip, will offer you a practical quick hit. Wherever you skim it, you'll be "flush" with success.
242 pages, Paperback
First published October 8, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 16, 2012
Get Past the Shtick and the Content is Good
I am reviewing this book at the request of the publisher who sent it to me in return for this review. No promises were made or implied and this review represents my personal opinion of the content and value of this book.
I will confess that my first impression of the book as I received it and examined the cover was to heave a sigh of resignation. Another self-help book, with a marketing bent to promote other materials from the same author and organization was my first impression. A quick scan through the material seemed to confirm that first impression as it is indeed, very much a book that by its own admission is something of a road map to the other works and resources of this author and practically every chapter concluded with a list of related materials.
I was tempted for this reason alone, to limit my rating of the book as just another promotional tool and suggest that the average reader should save their time and money and watch an infomercial for free, (assuming you can avoid the impulse to order in the next 60 seconds while operators are standing by.)
Thankfully however, I don't review and evaluate books without first reading them, and I have to tell you, that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the content, the references (although not in the context of direct recommendation to other works outside the author's own works) and the substance of much of the material did hit upon many elements that in my own professional development and personal growth I have found helpful.
First, the book is laid out very well and in short bite-sized pieces that will allow the average reader to move very quickly and comfortably through the subjects. Each chapter appears designed to stand on its own and allow the time challenged reader to pick and choose, if they so choose, what appeals to them. Indeed, this is not a bad approach to this book; although I did read it straight through and found it was an easy book to manage in the many short opportunities that present themselves through a day.
The text is laid out magazine style which subtly allows the reader to scan and retain more of the material and the context appears very purposely streamlined and segmented to allow the reader to "get in" and "get out" of any section with speed and ease.
Those elements in and of themselves are not enough to recommend the book but I did find them positive.
Moving to the content of the book, often these types of self-help books are exercises in rhetoric that seek to elicit some sort of motivational response in the reader. It in effect becomes the literary equivalent of a pep rally where emotions are stirred and some sort of elevation of purpose elicited. Again, this was not the case. I was impressed with the range of references to authoritative sources from several different fields and I was particularly impressed with the many references to the realm of cognitive therapy by the author as a strong resource for those seeking self-improvement. That alone to me was strong enough to elevate this from the typical motivational material that I, and I think many others as well, have heard enough of to where our internal filters kick in and take over.
What motivated me to give this book 4 stars as opposed to 5 stars however was the limitation of direct references to other materials to the author's material alone. It would not take a great deal of work on the part of the reader to track down the other materials referenced based upon the passing references, quotes and names which are indeed plentiful. However, for the price of the book, to use it as a marketing enhancer to this degree by limiting direct reference to only one's own material would argue that the book is as much a marketing piece to generate additional sales as it is a standalone contribution to the benefit of the reader on the book's own merits, and perhaps I'm just old fashioned enough that I would feel a little manipulated to pay full price for a resource to find I was paying for a significant level of "ads". Even movies, (usually) limit the direct appeals to the previews before the main event.
That said, however, I wouldn't be disinclined to read more of Jim Clemmer and this element in this context was not enough to overcome the positives I found in reading through the material. The personal and organizational skills referenced and explained, even at a high level should serve the average reader well and give them enough resources to pursue those elements that fit their personal needs.
4 Stars. A book well worth reading.
bart breen
I am reviewing this book at the request of the publisher who sent it to me in return for this review. No promises were made or implied and this review represents my personal opinion of the content and value of this book.
I will confess that my first impression of the book as I received it and examined the cover was to heave a sigh of resignation. Another self-help book, with a marketing bent to promote other materials from the same author and organization was my first impression. A quick scan through the material seemed to confirm that first impression as it is indeed, very much a book that by its own admission is something of a road map to the other works and resources of this author and practically every chapter concluded with a list of related materials.
I was tempted for this reason alone, to limit my rating of the book as just another promotional tool and suggest that the average reader should save their time and money and watch an infomercial for free, (assuming you can avoid the impulse to order in the next 60 seconds while operators are standing by.)
Thankfully however, I don't review and evaluate books without first reading them, and I have to tell you, that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the content, the references (although not in the context of direct recommendation to other works outside the author's own works) and the substance of much of the material did hit upon many elements that in my own professional development and personal growth I have found helpful.
First, the book is laid out very well and in short bite-sized pieces that will allow the average reader to move very quickly and comfortably through the subjects. Each chapter appears designed to stand on its own and allow the time challenged reader to pick and choose, if they so choose, what appeals to them. Indeed, this is not a bad approach to this book; although I did read it straight through and found it was an easy book to manage in the many short opportunities that present themselves through a day.
The text is laid out magazine style which subtly allows the reader to scan and retain more of the material and the context appears very purposely streamlined and segmented to allow the reader to "get in" and "get out" of any section with speed and ease.
Those elements in and of themselves are not enough to recommend the book but I did find them positive.
Moving to the content of the book, often these types of self-help books are exercises in rhetoric that seek to elicit some sort of motivational response in the reader. It in effect becomes the literary equivalent of a pep rally where emotions are stirred and some sort of elevation of purpose elicited. Again, this was not the case. I was impressed with the range of references to authoritative sources from several different fields and I was particularly impressed with the many references to the realm of cognitive therapy by the author as a strong resource for those seeking self-improvement. That alone to me was strong enough to elevate this from the typical motivational material that I, and I think many others as well, have heard enough of to where our internal filters kick in and take over.
What motivated me to give this book 4 stars as opposed to 5 stars however was the limitation of direct references to other materials to the author's material alone. It would not take a great deal of work on the part of the reader to track down the other materials referenced based upon the passing references, quotes and names which are indeed plentiful. However, for the price of the book, to use it as a marketing enhancer to this degree by limiting direct reference to only one's own material would argue that the book is as much a marketing piece to generate additional sales as it is a standalone contribution to the benefit of the reader on the book's own merits, and perhaps I'm just old fashioned enough that I would feel a little manipulated to pay full price for a resource to find I was paying for a significant level of "ads". Even movies, (usually) limit the direct appeals to the previews before the main event.
That said, however, I wouldn't be disinclined to read more of Jim Clemmer and this element in this context was not enough to overcome the positives I found in reading through the material. The personal and organizational skills referenced and explained, even at a high level should serve the average reader well and give them enough resources to pursue those elements that fit their personal needs.
4 Stars. A book well worth reading.
bart breen
November 14, 2014
This book is very upbeat and informational... more importantly it provides solid ideas on how to take action to become a better leader, and more importantly a better person. With so much negativity in our normal every day lives the constant upbeat tone to the book may feel a bit surreal at times; the information and knowledge to be gained are available in these pages either way.
March 30, 2013
An optional-read book on success in self development for knowledge workers, managers, executives, and entrepreneurs.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews