The author Bodnar is a professional blogger and freelance writer. She maintains several blogs and operates in several roles – like a ghostwriter for bThe author Bodnar is a professional blogger and freelance writer. She maintains several blogs and operates in several roles – like a ghostwriter for blogs and for books, an author of books, and a maintainer of for-profit blogs. She distills wisdom from her experiences as she teaches how to blog.
She covers everything from the basics of blogging to writing effective copy, from earning money from your blog to garnering a readership. She also includes 12 helpful profiles of successful bloggers. Through this work, the reader should have a good idea about what it takes to launch a successful blog.
At times, Bodnar’s writing can meander from the topic. I appreciate sharper and more concise text than her style. Nonetheless, the comprehensive nature of this work is impressive. She seems to explore every nook and cranny evenly and honestly. She also addresses individual technologies that expedite the process of blogging.
Merged review:
The author Bodnar is a professional blogger and freelance writer. She maintains several blogs and operates in several roles – like a ghostwriter for blogs and for books, an author of books, and a maintainer of for-profit blogs. She distills wisdom from her experiences as she teaches how to blog.
She covers everything from the basics of blogging to writing effective copy, from earning money from your blog to garnering a readership. She also includes 12 helpful profiles of successful bloggers. Through this work, the reader should have a good idea about what it takes to launch a successful blog.
At times, Bodnar’s writing can meander from the topic. I appreciate sharper and more concise text than her style. Nonetheless, the comprehensive nature of this work is impressive. She seems to explore every nook and cranny evenly and honestly. She also addresses individual technologies that expedite the process of blogging....more
Research and publishing stand as core disciplines in the academic work. Tenure and accolades depend on them. While writing remains central in this tasResearch and publishing stand as core disciplines in the academic work. Tenure and accolades depend on them. While writing remains central in this task, many academics get carried away in teaching and service-oriented components of a professorial life, and these distract from the solitary pursuit of writing. Outside of one’s institution (and perhaps region), however, reading a scholarly product continues as the main way others interact with research. Even conference presentations rely on good rhetoric to convey meaning. Nonetheless, writing can too easily be neglected on the back burner and continually put off for another day. Joli Jensen says, “No more,” and seeks to return writing to the prime place in an academic’s career.
Much of this book addresses the psychological and life excuses that people offer to avoid writing… Think “writer’s block” only for academics. Her basic advice is simple and contained in this book’s title: Write no matter what. Even if it’s 15 minutes a day. Even if it has to be fit around family duties. Even during breaks. She seeks to build a personal architecture of habits to support that aim.
Honestly, my favorite portion of this book was the afterward, a piece of writing for the public. I work in the sciences, and the social sciences and humanities seem to be the main audience for this book. Scientific communication is a huge part of my work in scientific software, and I frequently address audiences that aren’t literate in the field of computer science. Therefore, I speak more to an audience that resembles the public than collegial experts. This afterward addresses that very situation. Jensen encourages academics not to let journalists misrepresent one’s work by writing about it personally. She coaches readers how to transform their writing, mostly geared to fellow experts in the field via a graduate school education, so that it hits the sweet spot of a lay audience.
For me in the sciences, this book does not address my interests centrally. Were I in a field that studies people, I would probably find her advice more impactful, but my interest lies in scientific communication for a broad audience. Therefore, I’m not sure I can fairly evaluate whether Jensen succeeds at her task. Her writing is engaging and personable. The book is easy to follow and relatively light. As with most of academic work, she concludes that determination, perseverance, and hard work yield the most fruit in the long run....more
Historically, diverse workplaces – for various reasons – have out-competed workplaces with less complex cultures. Especially after the social movementHistorically, diverse workplaces – for various reasons – have out-competed workplaces with less complex cultures. Especially after the social movements surrounding the untimely death of George Floyd in 2020, American employees have increasingly demanded their employers to take diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) into its management practices. As the American workforce becomes more diverse, it’s hard not to believe that these trends represent the future. However, many business attempts to address these issues only consist of more trainings that do little to fix underlying cultural issues. To this mix, Owyoung offers ideas from a long span of experiences, ideas that not only help to alleviate the problems but also advance the business.
This book is directed at those who aspire to do serious work in DEIB, whether as an existing business leader or as an interested and engaged employee. Its goal is not to persuade the reader that these issues are important; it takes that for granted. Instead, it focuses on effective ways to transform the work culture, filled with stories and practical examples. Owyoung aims to change business culture so that the business can deliver better results over time. She facilitates not quick fixes but long-term commitments.
Owyoung’s methods involve the latest business practices, like using data-driven metrics to gauge success, how to recruit an inclusive workforce, or how to expand the interest of senior leadership. Her book is one of the most practical – dare I say, business-minded – approaches that I’ve encountered on this topic. Instead of offering an emotional plea, she speaks the language of business to make her point. For her, DEIB is becoming inevitably intertwined with core business practices to the point that those who do not adapt will be left behind. The younger parts of the workforce are demanding that values for all – not just a privileged majority – be represented in company cultures.
I read this book to educate myself on current DEIB practices for my workplace. I am not a senior leader there but deal with data and interpretation related to employees. Disability is my personal angle into DEIB, but my workplace is undertaking an enterprise-wide initiative towards better institutional DEIB. My learning here seeks to work with these efforts better. At just over 200 pages, this book offered a quick but extensive view of the field. It packed a power punch enough that I had to take occasional breaks to process my reading. It helped me achieve my personal goals of knowledge while refining my business acumen. I definitely recommend it for those seeking an improved DEIB culture in their workplace.
Merged review:
Historically, diverse workplaces – for various reasons – have out-competed workplaces with less complex cultures. Especially after the social movements surrounding the untimely death of George Floyd in 2020, American employees have increasingly demanded their employers to take diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) into its management practices. As the American workforce becomes more diverse, it’s hard not to believe that these trends represent the future. However, many business attempts to address these issues only consist of more trainings that do little to fix underlying cultural issues. To this mix, Owyoung offers ideas from a long span of experiences, ideas that not only help to alleviate the problems but also advance the business.
This book is directed at those who aspire to do serious work in DEIB, whether as an existing business leader or as an interested and engaged employee. Its goal is not to persuade the reader that these issues are important; it takes that for granted. Instead, it focuses on effective ways to transform the work culture, filled with stories and practical examples. Owyoung aims to change business culture so that the business can deliver better results over time. She facilitates not quick fixes but long-term commitments.
Owyoung’s methods involve the latest business practices, like using data-driven metrics to gauge success, how to recruit an inclusive workforce, or how to expand the interest of senior leadership. Her book is one of the most practical – dare I say, business-minded – approaches that I’ve encountered on this topic. Instead of offering an emotional plea, she speaks the language of business to make her point. For her, DEIB is becoming inevitably intertwined with core business practices to the point that those who do not adapt will be left behind. The younger parts of the workforce are demanding that values for all – not just a privileged majority – be represented in company cultures.
I read this book to educate myself on current DEIB practices for my workplace. I am not a senior leader there but deal with data and interpretation related to employees. Disability is my personal angle into DEIB, but my workplace is undertaking an enterprise-wide initiative towards better institutional DEIB. My learning here seeks to work with these efforts better. At just over 200 pages, this book offered a quick but extensive view of the field. It packed a power punch enough that I had to take occasional breaks to process my reading. It helped me achieve my personal goals of knowledge while refining my business acumen. I definitely recommend it for those seeking an improved DEIB culture in their workplace....more
This book shares two Chinese tales of romance, placed in the setting of the Boxer Rebellion in the early 1900s. Western concepts of love were just staThis book shares two Chinese tales of romance, placed in the setting of the Boxer Rebellion in the early 1900s. Western concepts of love were just starting to take root then in China’s artistic community, and these novels portray the first attempts to integrate these foreign themes in Chinese society. At the time, marital love, based in centuries of Confucian thought, was grounded in families, not individual feelings, so Western concepts stirred the cultural pot. These two stories convey two very different reactions, but enlighten readers about the historical impact of an integrated, globalized world.
The first tale “Stones in the Sea” is told in the first person, an usual trait for Chinese stories of this time. It tells of how a teenage young man fell in love with another young woman who lived nearby. His challenge is not so much to woo her but to persuade both families that their path is noble. The story is more of a simple love tale, but the cultural backdrop of ancient China stimulates readers’ imaginations. The Boxer Rebellion, when nationalistic factions fought against Western interests and their Chinese sympathizers, functions prominently to impact this story’s plot.
The second tale “The Sea of Regret” intertwines the Boxer Rebellion with two arranged marriages in a sophisticated manner. These arranged marriages, however, are not passionless; rather, the engaged couples must suffer deeply for each other as they flee southward as refugees. They, too, have deep elements of romantic love, less resembling Western teenage love in “Stones in the Sea” but more conveying a deep dedication to each other. Clearly, the author is attempting to integrate Western romantic love with traditional Chinese concepts of parental guidance for marriage. The added elements to this drama make it a thought-provoking tale, impressing comparably to present-day dramas.
As an American, I enjoyed reading how romantic love reared itself in another context. Even in China in the early 1900s, love and war seem forever enemies. “The Sea of Regret” is a literary masterpiece while “Stones in the Sea” seems more significant for its historical value as a first-person novel resembling Western romances. These plot structures provided a entertaining way to learn about Chinese society in that era. It shows that, despite traditions relatively isolated from each other, we humans aren’t that different from each other after all....more
Traditionally, companies live and die by a fixed hierarchical approach where power and influence are garnered by climbing to the top of the ladder. HoTraditionally, companies live and die by a fixed hierarchical approach where power and influence are garnered by climbing to the top of the ladder. However, recent decades have witnessed the rise of digital companies promising an economic disruption. Stereotypically, a smart young kid writes some code to change the way business is done and become rich in the process. We, in the public, then use their software for decades to come. Many companies still have not adapted to the new dynamic, so in this book, Gregor Hohpe tries to shine a path for software architects in these companies to take responsibility for adapting their businesses to digital realities.
This book’s central thesis tries to redefine the software architect’s role. Traditionally, their prestigious position was to define how software is designed for the entire company or division. Instead, Hohpe proposes that they need to be more agile and focus on integrating new digital products into a company’s culture. With prior work experience at Google, his vision corresponds to that of so-called Big Tech.
Personally, I work in software efforts at a major academic medical center that has sought to be at the forefront of the digital transformation. Seeking to be the disrupters, we are well-acquainted with the newer digital culture. Further, our non-profit organization is not driven solely by the bottom line and shareholders. Since my organizational culture has already progressed significantly towards an agile digital approach, I don’t reside in this book’s target audience. Hohpe’s work after Google seems to have focused on transforming organizations to be more like Google. My organization already looks a lot like Google in its approach to research.
Reading this book certainly conveyed peaks of deep insight to me. For instance, the section on organizations helped me think through ways to implement my software’s disruptive change. The rest of its contents are solid and reliable. Most of this book, however, contains insights already shared in existing literature with little new content to provoke pondering thoughts. That shortcoming prevents it from going from good to great. Its title addresses ambitious developers looking to advance their career, but is a lot more about the digital enterprise as a whole. Perhaps taking responsibility for that organization is the step more developers need to take....more
Organizational life in America has grown much flatter and more mobile in recent decades. A lifetime career with one company is now the exception ratheOrganizational life in America has grown much flatter and more mobile in recent decades. A lifetime career with one company is now the exception rather than the norm. As such, an individual’s ability to contribute quickly to a team has become more important than their upward mobility. However, much literature about leadership and cultural practices remain fixed on the idea of one all-powerful person at the top commanding legions of followers. To counter this narrative, these five university scholars present their approach towards leading by doing in complex networks. They provide a framework for a paradigm shift in the way leaders conduct themselves.
This book’s subtitle reports its topic as “agile leadership.” This term “agile” is borrowed from the world of software development. A top-down design approach used to direct software development and specified complex code all at once. Then teams would build the software, often over years. By the time the team completed development, the software would often be obsolete, and thus, large investments would be lost. Instead, agile software development sought to flatten software organization so that groups can achieve quick results through many iterations of continual feedback and improvement. It has revolutionized the world of software engineering.
The authors seek a similar agile revolution for leadership. Instead of one small group of leaders defining five- and ten-year plans of strategic thinking on their own from on high, the authors suggest that organizations learn about their direction as they go through doing and iterative feedback. Thus, the creative energies of an entire organization can be unlocked instead of just a select few. This framework then places a premium on teamwork and communication. The authors do not leave this direction as mere inspiration; rather, they provide ten concrete practices for individuals to enact this vision within their local contexts. Leadership thus becomes everyone’s business.
Though this book is geared for the general public, not just academics, the authors have grounded their analysis in evidence-based research. They have implemented its ideas widely through workshops and in classrooms. Therefore, the reader can trust the practical effectiveness of their work rather than just pondering whether ethereal concepts would work in reality.
Clearly, the authors aim to bring the insights of their academic discipline to a wide array of organizations. Anyone working in a team can benefit from understanding how agile principles can be applied to their setting. I’ve worked with agile software development for over ten years, but I appreciate how the authors extended this helpful approach towards organizational life. They have put words on social practices that I have sought to adopt in my work context. I only hope others follow suit so that we all can benefit....more
This book is directed to help sales professionals excel at their job, and it takes an unusual perspective to get there. It teaches modern neuroscienceThis book is directed to help sales professionals excel at their job, and it takes an unusual perspective to get there. It teaches modern neuroscience from knowledge emerging from scientific labs and applies it to the art of a customer relationship. …And it does a surprisingly effective job in my estimation. In my scientific education, I know that the brain has been a moving frontier for the first quarter of this century, and research is poised to continue. That knowledge has not been fully digested by the non-scientific public, but efforts like Jeff Bloomfield’s will extend this knowledge to new situations.
I’m not a sales professional, so I don’t work among this book’s intended audience. I’m a hacker at many things, including business practices, and truthfully, sales is one of those. However, even scientists like me have to sell their work to be funded. Of course, other resources exist to teach that domain, like books on scientific communication. But business dynamics are often at play, too, alongside more abstract concerns. I hoped that understanding how to communicate about science like a salesperson could increase my skillset. When I found a book that intended to do teach sales with the foundation of modern neuroscience, whose class I took years ago, I bit the bait. Truthfully, I’m grateful that I read this book because it helps me think about a client relationship instead of just following a script.
Of note, Virtual Voice, presumably a tool of artificial intelligence, narrated this book. It did surprisingly well. A couple of points of intended emphasis were incorrectly not emphasized, so developers can improve the technology. And the reading of websites sounded really stilted. Overall, though, my impression was favorable of how well this tool could produce an elegant reading voice to convey this book’s message.
Again, I’m not sure that I have the right life experience to judge this book’s usefulness to salespeople. It helped me achieve my personal goals and proved more refreshing and interesting than other sales texts I’ve read before. Bloomfield sparks thought instead of just teaching a method to memorize. In turn, he helps those doing a pitch to become more persuasive based on a relationship. Like many things, it comes down to classical rhetorical principles like ethical credibility, logical persuasion, and emotion. On top of that, he adds an scientific understanding of why those principles work and how to make the most of those within one’s profession. Much appreciated!...more
Handling difficult conversations comprises a key element for navigating life successfully, yet most of us have little training about how to accomplishHandling difficult conversations comprises a key element for navigating life successfully, yet most of us have little training about how to accomplish this. We end up listening to mentors or pastors to refine our skillset. Is there any science or education that could lend insight to how to, at the very least, survive these conversations? This set of authors, who penned the famously successful book Crucial Conversations, submit this guide to aid individuals’ journeys.
They provide a set of tools with examples to enact them. Honestly, I didn’t find the tools particularly helpful and soon forgot them after reading them. The examples, however, allowed me to extrapolate from the principles to real-life events that intersect with my life. Because accountability conversations can occur at work or at home, their examples teach how to handle both settings. They not only illustrate their ideas but forecast common obstacles many encounter when first practicing the skill.
At times, this book can seem a bit formulaic: If you do such-and-such, some good result will happen. If only life were this simple! Unfortunately, oppressive systems and bigoted discrimination still occur that prevent people from acting reasonably. This book does not directly address those scenarios. It assumes rational actors on both sides. While I agree that most people I deal with fit into this camp, other personal experiences make me doubt that life always fits into this box.
Again, the authors focus on both work and home environments and thus hit a wide audience. Any adult with responsibilities can potentially benefit. This book aims to be a teacher and to move readers into unbiased teachers of handling accountability discussions. Thus, this book represents more of a class than a light read to peruse. Readers do require a bit of life experience and savviness to appreciate the scenarios posited.
The biggest benefit is that previously difficult conversations become a whole lot less intimidating. Complexity cannot be completely avoided, but the self-confidence required to handle those scenarios can increase. Crucial Accountability helps readers to think through how they might handle and even embrace those challenging situations better....more
Awork colleague recently tipped me off to bullet journaling. Ok, truth be told, she tipped me off to it a year ago when it transformed her life. My woAwork colleague recently tipped me off to bullet journaling. Ok, truth be told, she tipped me off to it a year ago when it transformed her life. My work environment was pretty well organized at the time and remains so; thus, I passed on her tip. About one year later, she brought it up in another context, but this time I bit the bait because I have felt the need to get my personal life in better order. Therefore, I bought this book along with one bullet journal to get started. Ryder Carroll’s book gives any reader the tools and inspiration to get started for whatever purpose they need to bullet journal.
I’m a writer by nature, but journaling has never played a huge place in my life. At times, I’d write my emotional thoughts down just to get them expressed, but it’s never been a daily discipline. Now, however, I find that many lives depend on mine, whether at work, in my family, or in charitable opportunities. Being organized so that things aren’t dropped has become crucial. Electronic planners don’t work as well outside of work because I want to get away from screens on weekends.
Enter bullet journaling. I’ve started to keep a list of big tasks that I want to get done in the next three months and divided them up in achievable chunks. Not only will this give me a running log of my life, something Carroll highlights, but it also allows my mind to become unburdened by repetitive items. Thus, my energy can be freed up to approach new tasks instead of remembering older ones. Carroll explains all such potential benefits in the book.
Carroll doesn’t just explain how he personally uses it; rather, he explains how all sorts of people have been using it through seminars he’s led. Thus, the message isn’t just from one person’s brain but from a chorus of people gaining benefit. Befitting today’s world, bullet journaling is highly customizable and personalizable. It also expedites entries so that those journaling don’t have to write expansive prose to register their thoughts. In fact, I found the myriad of shorthand techniques one of the most helpful parts of the book!
Almost anyone has some domain in their life that they can improve. Most of the time, no one book, class, or expert can fill in all the gaps for a given task. Life is complicated and requires a customized approach from each individual. Bullet journaling offers a method to begin to prevail over complex problems. In our age of too much information, overcoming complexity is something we all need. I certainly do. That’s why I’ve started to record my diverse but rich life in my own journal.
As an postscript, the official bullet journal (a separate item) isn’t required for Carroll’s work. It’s nice but much more expensive than generic options. Other bullet journals fit the bill for a much lower price. Carroll himself admits such in the Frequently Asked Questions. Save yourself a few bucks, and buy someone else’s version....more
Throughout history, many leaders have approached their task with the desire to hold power over others. Ancient roman rulers epitomized this approach, Throughout history, many leaders have approached their task with the desire to hold power over others. Ancient roman rulers epitomized this approach, and literature indicates that other great empires shared this mindset. However, history’s nuances also contain a subtler narrative of empowering others to fulfill their individual aspirations. Aristotle’s phrase of “human flourishing” comes to mind. This book’s authors harken to this humanistic tradition to describe their empowering view on leadership: “Leading through.” Leading through others contrasts with the classic approach of “power over” others. Leading through is not based in altruism but unlocks unique skills and talents in a diverse organization.
As this book’s subtitle suggests, “leading through” appeals holistically to the entire human person – soul, heart, and mind. In contrast to business strategies focused solely on material gain, the authors seek combine material prosperity with self-realization. The authors’ message resembles what might be heard in spiritual circles that dwell in the periphery of the commercial world. Lest someone think that these three don’t know how hard business works, they are all acclaimed business leaders, educators, and consultants.
As a scientist that respects spirituality, I found this book had two main shortcomings. First, the authors at time became entrapped within pretty words to describe idealistic concepts, but they didn’t always flesh out those concepts with concrete examples. This pattern did not show up everywhere in the book, but some sections did fall into this quagmire. I found that my eyes glazed over a bit because of the lack of specifics. Second, I wish the authors would have grounded their message in a bit of rigorous economic analysis. If a holistic approach to business is better, shouldn’t we be able to see it in the numbers? Instead, the authors just described an ideal without any critical appeal to hard data.
I certainly appreciate the authors’ central message in this book. In a prosperous country and world, personal satisfaction – a spiritual value – plays the dominant role for most workers over just maximizing economic gain. That’s Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, no? The benefits of unlocking others’ personal potential are vast, and this book points a way to mentor others while achieving ambitious business goals. Too many become trapped in a paradigm of “power over” which quenches the embers of human creativity instead of stoking them. For those looking for a way out of contagious burnout and unsatisfying power, this book offers a path towards renewal through developing others’ innate leadership talents....more
Most businesspeople are familiar with the role of project managers. They ensure that projects become executed with quality, on time, and on budget. NoMost businesspeople are familiar with the role of project managers. They ensure that projects become executed with quality, on time, and on budget. Not as many are familiar with the role of a program manager. As Irene Didinsky describes in this book, this role organizes a collection of projects to ensure that the organization benefits from them. The Project Management Institute, which publishes this book, supports certifications in both project management (PMP) and program management (PgMP). While PMP certification is very popular, the PgMP certification, as of the time of this writing in 2017, has not gained much steam. Writings like this book seek to change that fact.
Didinsky starts by defining the role of a program manager within an organization. She also delineates their social role with various stakeholders, including governing bodies. Their main task is to ensure alignment between projects and the wider organization. Through various efforts, they seek to ensure that benefits accrued by the organization surpass the costs.
After describing program managers’ wider role, she focuses on more of the nuts and bolts of how they typically work. She talks about the lifecycle of a program, from definition to benefit accrual to closure. I wish she would have exhibited a bit more imagination when describing the lifecycle; given the popularity of agile methods, described elsewhere in the book, I would have liked to have heard how those methods could apply to the program management lifecycle, too.
After detailing the lifecycle, she dives deeply into the structure and metrics of a program manager’s work, including budgeting. Microsoft Project software is relied upon as a template, but not too heavily. I do not use this application, and I followed 98% of the book just fine. She concludes by talking about future directions of the profession and about growing community among fellow practitioners.
My workplace uses the term program manager to apply to a class of workers, and since I work closely with many, I’ve been curious what that term meant. Didinsky helpfully details the highest aspirations of that job title and encourages me to think highly about their work. Her writing is accessible, clear, and practical. It’s more of a textbook than a work that advances an argument. Readers will find themselves better able to guide and lead projects to benefit larger organizational goals. Doing so will cut down on waste and push benefits well-aligned to the larger group....more
Sarah Morris faces a problem: After working for decades with one publishing company, she’s reassigned to work with lesser responsibilities. Instead ofSarah Morris faces a problem: After working for decades with one publishing company, she’s reassigned to work with lesser responsibilities. Instead of editing books, she’s merely tagging them – boring, repetitive work. Unfortunately, this reassignment corresponds to a weakening of the country’s economy and of the wider publishing industry. She has no way to go; she’s trapped. Her friends with whom she has labored in the trenches for years are now losing their jobs.
Most of us can relate to her situation. Our work often is a mix of hedonistic pleasure and economic survival. When economic survival takes the fore, personal fulfillment often drops to the background. Even if we haven’t experienced Sarah Morris’ plight firsthand, we face it through our subconscious fears.
Sarah struggles to find other employment and to cope with an increasingly toxic workplace. Those who encounter themselves in these themes – and the topic of toxic workplaces is certainly trending these days – can find Sarah’s advance countered with every conceivable maneuver to push her sanity. Economic survival is not fun. Nonetheless, a good ending transpires in the end… but only after Sarah does a great deal of soul searching. Author Kathleen Jones invites us to search our own souls as we empathize with Sarah’s.
This book offers a personal account that’s heavily centered on one person: Sarah Morris. It does not focus much on wider economic scenarios. What is someone to do in a failing industry? Could Sarah have tapped into her core creativity sooner? I didn’t find much self-critique in the protagonist until very late in the book. She attacked others as the root of her plight instead of looking at her wider options. Though I don’t blame Sarah for her plight, I do recognize that economic survival in a weakening economy isn’t always enjoyable. But food still has to go on the table.
Because of the large amount of adversity that Sarah faces, workers like me can prepare themselves for such inevitable adversity. Sarah has just about every device thrown at her to hamper her personal fulfillment. Though still wounded by her experiences in the end, she comes out triumphant against corporate forces bigger than herself. The impersonal forces of ageism and sexism also play significant roles in this story and can draw in readers facing similar bigotry. Sarah Morris’ central humanity rises victorious in the end, but not until it is tested in its economic core....more
The field of workplace management has moved, in recent decades, from just being about organizing people for financial profits to also incorporating soThe field of workplace management has moved, in recent decades, from just being about organizing people for financial profits to also incorporating social and even spiritual values into employees’ career development. Today, good employees demand not just a paycheck but a place where they can grow and develop in some way. How are managers to avoid being caught flat-footed to these changing circumstances? Most managers lead by how they’ve been managed in the past, and most managers still don’t lead through feedback. In response, John Whitmore has developed this guide to teaching people how to coach, which starts by learning how to be coached.
Coaching as a practice involves not just a workplace but the whole of one’s life – that is, one’s personality, family relationships, and social approach. It’s a transcendent skill, not locked into any one profession, and encompasses more than just teaching. In this book’s beginning, Whitmore distinguishes between coaching and mentoring, but I honestly don’t see a ton of daylight between the two. They both involve growth in handing situations that engage one’s inner character. This book handles that field with a thoroughness not seen in most other publications.
Good, contemporary leadership is intimately involved with the practice of coaching. So is working with interdisciplinary teams where no one person can be considered a master of all work. Effective communication and self-awareness must drive interactions in these domains. Whitmore provides a guide about how to gain these skills. Interested readers are also given opportunities to engage with his company for further trainings to better implement these concepts into their daily lives.
This book’s main audience consists of employees who seek to enhance their leadership and coaching skills. Although this book is focused on applications in the workplace, I see a lot of crossover into any mentoring relationship. I guide individuals – both adults at church and youth – about self-improvement and can apply many lessons from this book directly into those activities. The art of asking good questions is one that almost everyone can benefit from; this book certainly can serve as a sharpening tool for that confounding skill. I’ve read few guides about mentoring or coaching as comprehensive as this one, and I hope many others benefit from its seasoned wisdom....more
As a computer science major in college, I learned about Unified Modeling Language (UML) as a way to visually document software. However, I soon found As a computer science major in college, I learned about Unified Modeling Language (UML) as a way to visually document software. However, I soon found designing and maintaining those images to be more of a pain than they’re worth. I had to reshuffle images on graphics programs for every minor change, so keeping documentation up to date proved to be impossible.
Recently, however, I discovered that someone invented a language, called Mermaid, to convert a simple Markdown file into readable – even elegant – graphics. I had to check it out, so I read this short little book by Ashley Peacock. After completing it over two days, I’m even more excited than when I started to apply it to my work.
In this book, Peacock describes the main graphical formats that can be produced with Mermaid. He also describes the “4Cs” – context, container, components and code – where Mermaid can bring ideas to life better than mere words. He also describes different scenarios where Mermaid can help to document niches in software development.
Mermaid has an online editor, which I used to get started, but I plan to use it mostly via a command-line shell script, freely downloadable from GitHub. Also, I was excited to learn, at the end of this book, that Mermaid can be integrated into normal Markdown files and viewable as a part of GitHub READMEs. Adding easily configurable graphics might transform my expressiveness in documentation!
Overall, I’m super-excited to apply these concepts to my work. Other software developers and especially software designers should join me in this endeavor. Explaining software proposals to colleagues and managers can be one of the hardest tasks. As with most of science, a good graphic can seal the deal, and a lack of one can break it. Now, I can produce a good graphic with Mermaid in a matter of minutes instead of hours! This tool is going to be a boon to my efficiency and my communicative reach....more
The Hebrew religion has an interesting role of a “prophet” (navi). Along with the Law and the Writings, it serves as one of the big three sections of The Hebrew religion has an interesting role of a “prophet” (navi). Along with the Law and the Writings, it serves as one of the big three sections of the Hebrew Bible. Only a couple of other religions, usually Canaanite, have a similar personality type of ecstatic truth-tellers. Presbyterian theologian Walter Brueggemann, borrowing from Jewish rabbi Abraham Heschel, describes the essential prophetic feature as an imagination of an alternative reality. Prophets apply that imagination against a ruling class (“empire”) that has forgotten some key components of life’s meaning, such as care for the poor and marginalized. Therefore, the prophetic role continues unto today, in persons like Dr. Martin Luther King but also wherever individuals speak up for marginalized characters.
As a Christian, Brueggemann sees the role of prophet starting with Moses in Egypt, extending through the royal dynasties of Judah and Northern Israel, and continuing in the person of Jesus Christ. Thus, for him, prophecy is a key – perhaps, the key – component of the Christian Scriptures. It’s not about ecstatic hocus pocus, fortune-telling, or futuristic predictions; rather, it’s about speaking that God cares for outcasts and does not tolerate human oppression. With their passion, prophets seek to escape the numbness of materialistic excess.
In white, Protestant America, many churches emphasize the priesthood of Jesus through atonement for sins. Likewise, these churches emphasize the kingship of Jesus through the sovereignty of God being in control of all situations. Brueggemann suggests that pastors should likewise attend to the prophetic nature of Jesus against societal systems of oppression. Unfortunately, perhaps, many churches have coopted their mindset into a royal mindset where appeasing power takes precedence over justice and compassion.
Brueggemann, a famous theological scholar, conveys his message in a ministerial manner. He includes implications for Christian ministry and addresses the specific entity of grief and lament. His approach integrates intrinsic human spiritual feelings with the historical nature of Jewish religion. His portrayal of Jesus is very Jewish, too – a welcome approach in a religion that often Europeanizes him. Given its brevity, the book does not delve into much detail about most individual prophets, except for Isaiah and Jeremiah.
This book is the classic work on prophecy in modern Protestant Christianity, particularly among mainline denominations. Its intended audience is to theologically literate readers, especially future teachers in the church. Though it does address practical implications, its main approach conveys a more academic tone. Some degree of religious education is certainly required to grasp the verbiage. Thus, it’s more for divinity school students than for lay audiences. But church teachers can certainly import many of Brueggemann’s words into vivid lessons. His insights seek to highlight the prophets’ imaginations about unjust situations, but they end up exciting readers’ imaginations about their own lives… about how we, too, can speak for God’s freedom to those in need.
Information technology (IT) is a fast-moving industry. Its impact on the modern world is also immense, whether in personal, business, or governmental Information technology (IT) is a fast-moving industry. Its impact on the modern world is also immense, whether in personal, business, or governmental domains. Almost no medium-sized businesses can survive without a robust IT policy. Despite being critical, those interested in joining the IT workforce will find their skills, gained through education, become quickly outdated. Twenty-five years ago, I gained knowledge from textbooks like this by earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science, yet the field has shifted dramatically since then. Computer security, cloud computing, and agile methods – now dominant concerns – had minimal-to-no discussion during my education. So I picked up this book to get a bird’s eye view of the industry again.
It’s worth noting that this book was published in 2017 and is itself quickly becoming outdated. Nonetheless, it has been published recently enough to point to major industry trends still at play. My work as a developer provides an excellent place to solve individual problems through detailed problems, but this book allowed me to zoom out to see the enterprise as a whole. Sure, I skimmed some sections because I knew them so well, but I also slowed down at others that provided more detail.
The book focuses on workers who are not programmers but instead the people through whom programmers interface with the business. Topics include project management, systems analysis, design, implementation, support, and cybersecurity. Comprehensive in scope, this book referred to several tools that I rarely use in my work. By reminding me of their existence, it put a few tools back into my toolbox. It also introduced me to a few new ways to accomplish work more intelligently, like GanttProject.
Nothing that this book says is revolutionary. It’s more of a textbook than an argument for a new paradigm. I wish it’d have more notes to the original literature so that I could find another work or two on a given area instead of the usual Amazon or Google search. Nonetheless, it provided a thorough, broad view of the “shoreline” of IT – something I could always use. A textbook is less inexpensive and less stressful than going to a conference, so I believe my time here was well spent....more
Business projects involving information technology require their own set of required skills. The product is electronic, not physical, but the implemenBusiness projects involving information technology require their own set of required skills. The product is electronic, not physical, but the implementation is very abstract and technical. Planning and monitoring the work itself pose their own set of risks. Further, because everyone uses software, many think that designing software does not require special expertise, so projects become improperly designed from the start. Project management education does not routinely cover this niche of practical problems, but in this book, Marcin Dąbrowski describes his wisdom gained from years of work experience in industry.
Project managers often face a difficult first few years in the field as they learn by trial and error what the classroom could not teach them. To supplement academic training, this book offers insights gained specifically from delivering projects to external clients.
Dąbrowski is keen to ensure that projects are designed right from the start. He spends several chapters criticizing how salespeople can sometimes overpromise and overcommit their project to make a sale. Instead, he advises consulting with subject matter experts before a contract is signed. Good software architecture and design play pivotal, even foundational, roles in his mind to successful project completion. He goes on to discuss other topics, including personnel management, bug fixes, delays, and recapturing momentum after failed projects.
This book has a few weaknesses, however. First, the sentences don’t always follow standard grammar, and adverbs like “firstly” are commonly used instead of the simple “first.” These errors are common enough to distract from the book’s overall message, sadly. Second, as the subtitle alludes to, the book is focused on the specific scenario of delivering work for external clients. While these skills are broadly helpful, internal projects for internal clients are not discussed at all. A more generalized approach of just delivering IT projects to any client would help. This book creates a niche where one is not needed.
This book’s audience consists of IT project managers and those invested in delivering successful products to external clients, whether direct to consumer (“B2C”) or to other businesses (“B2B”). It seeks to communicate non-technical “soft skills” that can make or break a project. Building software is both a science and an art, but applying final polish so that the user can adopt it – the work of project managers – represents its own challenge. Dąbrowski informs us about pragmatics to accomplish this task to build both a business and a successful project....more
Catalina is born into privilege as a daughter of the president of Guatemala about thirty years after the Spanish invasion. However, she does not fullyCatalina is born into privilege as a daughter of the president of Guatemala about thirty years after the Spanish invasion. However, she does not fully embrace that identity since her late mother has native blood. Catalina’s promise to her dying mother was to preserve the Popol Vuh, a collection of native Mayan writings describing their spiritual conception of the world. Her father has ruled as a moderate who seeks peace between the native tribes and the Spanish colonizers, but ethnic and religious conflict between the indigenous people and the Spanish has continued to intensify nonetheless.
Despite being treated as a Spaniard – and a privileged one at that – Catalina takes risk after risk to preserve the text of the Popol Vuh, a historical document still around today. In so doing, she discovers a deeper meaning of love, family, loyalty, and her native identity. Since this is a work of fiction, there’s plenty of action to boot that keeps the pages turning. Scarcely a paragraph is wasted in the entire 280-page tale. The writing and plot action are tightly constructed.
Still, Sofia Robleda clearly casts modern themes upon ancient times with this text. While I’m certain that independent women like Catalina, LGBTQ+ couples, and drama around cultural preservation existed in the 1500s, I doubt they all converged all at once around one focused plot. Despite this shortcoming, this book provides some insight into ancient Guatemalan history and shines a light around the brutal Spanish conquest of native peoples. While school textbooks can cast conquering Europeans in a noble light, Robleda rightly demonstrates that crude financial greed motivated much of the colonialist venture.
This book is entertaining and enlightening – a good combination for a work of historical fiction. Sadly, the implausibility keeps this book from transitioning from good to great. It does beneficially share about the cultural beauty of indigenous peoples and conveys the importance of cultural preservation. As the afterward shares, the Popol Vuh is preserved today, but ironically only through the pen of a Spanish Dominican monk. Cultural preservation is a very human virtue transcending any one group, but it’s a task that must be taken deliberately. Robleda’s tale reminds us of that while pushing us to turn the pages....more
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