by Paul Simister
on August 30, 2017
In my review of
Summary: The 80/20 Principle: Review and Analysis of Koch’s Book
posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the summary Three Stars, meaning Worthwhile.
Here is my review.
Useful summary of an important book
It must be ten years since i read Richard Koch’s book “The 80/20 Principle “. The main message is easy to remember but I thought I’d probably forgotten many of the nuances.
These book summaries fit into 80/20 thinking. You can learn most of the lessons by reading a summary that’s chopped away 80% of the bloat.
The big reminders I got were:
– be proactive. Think what are likely to be the key 20% of inputs?
– the scope of using 80/20 ideas in business is very wide. Most problems can be tackled with 80/20 thinking.
The 80/20 ideas can also be applied to your personal productivity and effectiveness as well as in your personal life. This about living life purposefully by deciding what you want and thinking about the most effective ways to do it.
The summary is useful because it’s quick to read all the way through when too many books are started and not finished. It will help you decide if you want to apply the 80/20 ideas but if you do, I suspect you’ll want to read the full book or one of the other books Richard Koch has written.
The ideas behind the 80/20 principle are important to understand and this summary provides an easy way to start learning.
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by Paul Simister
on October 1, 2016
The full title of this book by MIchael Kallett is
“Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills“.
In my review at Amazon.co.uk, I rated the book at the Five Stars level. I believe it is excellent.
A clear process for making better decisions
I was never really taught how to think at school. By that I mean that I’ve no memory of any teacher explaining a process of how to look at an issue or problem to find the best solution.
As soon as I started managing other people, it became very clear that other people had the same gap in their eduction or were too lazy to put it into action. So much happens without any questioning or things stop because people don’t know how to use their initiative. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on December 7, 2015
The full title of this book by Jonah Lehrer is
“The Decisive Moment: How The Brain Makes Up Its Mind“.
In my review posted to Amazon.co.uk, I rated the book at the Four Stars level. This means that I think it is Good and Well Worth Reading.
Here is my book review.
A fascinating look at how we make decisions but it’s focus is on “why decisions are made” rather than “how to use” these ideas
This is a fascinating book which looks at how the emotional and the logical brains work individually or together to help you to make decisions at work and in your personal life. It also helps to explain how the people around you also make decisions and why those decisions may not be quite so strange.
The emotions versus logic debate which has challenged man since the times of Ancient Greece and the philosophers like Plato. The emotions were seen as something that needed to be controlled and to be made subservient to the rational mind and cold hard logic. These days the emotional brain is seen as the dominant force although both logic and emotion have flaws which can lead to the wrong decisions. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on December 4, 2015
In my review of
It’s Not Luck
by Eliyahu Goldratt posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave it Three Stars. This is Worthwhile.
Here is my review.
A story using the Theory of Constraints in the market where lack of demand is the constraint
I read It’s Not Luck when it was first published in 1994 and have read it several times since but I still think it’s a disappointing book.
I loved The Goal by Eli Goldratt. It is an insightful business book which revealed simple and powerful ideas through a fast paced and engaging story. It brought the Theory of Constraints to the world and challenged some of the new ideas coming out to right the ills of 1980s/1990s accounting. It’s Not Luck is a pale shadow of it’s famous predecessor. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on November 26, 2015
I rated
Strategy Dynamics Essentials by Kim Warren
as a Four Stars book in my review on Amazon.co.uk. This means I think the book Is Good and Well Worth Reading.
Here is my book review.
Turn your strategy into a detailed model and stop it being wishy-washy good intentions
This is not an ordinary book on strategy and therefore it won’t be suitable for many people who are looking for a how to guide.
The author recognises the problem of well meaning but wishy washy strategic plans that are intended to increase long term profits and cash flows but fail to provide a link from strategic objectives through to tactics and performance numbers. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on May 13, 2015
The full title of this book by A Gharakhani Baha is
System and Systems Thinking: Fundamental Theory and Practice
In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book Two Stars.
Here is my review.
It’s not the easy to read explanation of systems thinking that I was looking for
I’m puzzled why the first reviewer liked this book so much.
I think it’s a tough read. The author likes very long sentences.
It may be OK for an academic and scientific audience but I was looking for a book to explain systems thinking to small business owners who are clients with a systems problem to solve. Unfortunately this isn’t it.
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by Paul Simister
on May 13, 2015
The full title of this book by Christ Lewis is
“Critical Thinking: 50 Best Strategies to Think Smart and Clear, Get Logical Thinking, and Improve Your Decision Making Skills“.
In my review posted to Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book Four Stars. This means I think it is Good and Well Worth Reading.
Here is my book review.
Very useful guide on the important topic of thinking more clearly
I believe we live in a world where too many of us, too often, don’t think deeply enough. Instead we opt for the easy option which means we are left believing the wrong things and making the wrong decisions.
It’s not necessarily our own fault because we humans are designed to do much of our thinking below the awareness level but it does create problems and we can do something about it. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on May 13, 2015
The full title of this book by Paul Ledington is
Soft Systems Methodology – Core Concepts
In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave it Two Stars.
Here is my review.
An attempt at explaining a complex but important technique
I believe that people should be taught how to think better.
When we encounter a problem, there are two possible ways to think about it: [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on May 13, 2015
The full title of this book by Kristal Guerra is
Critical Thinking: 14 Effective Ways to Become a Critical Thinker. Learn How to Ask and Answer Questions Systematically
In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave it Three Stars.
Here is my review.
Don’t believe what you read or you’re told
We are surrounded by marketing messages and blatant propaganda. It’s important to be able to challenge the “information” you receive in a logical way so that you can be better informed to the truth.
This is a useful guide to critical thinking without being definitive.
I found the style irritating with the constant mention of the critical thinker.
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by Paul Simister
on May 2, 2015
The full title of this book by David DeSchoolmeester is
Systems Thinking: A Blueprint For Success
In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the it Two Stars.
Here is my review.
Not what I was expecting
I made the mistake of buying this without looking at the sample first. [continue reading…]
