The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything

Book Description

From Stephen R. Covey's eldest son comes a revolutionary new path towards productivity and satisfaction. Trust, says Stephen M.R. Covey, is the very basis of the new global economy, and he shows how trust—and the speed at which it is established with clients, employees and constituents—is the essential ingredient for any high-performance, successful organization.

For business leaders and public figures in any arena, The Speed of Trust offers an unprecedented and eminently practical look at exactly how trust functions in our every transaction and relationship—from the most personal to the broadest, most indirect interaction—and how to establish trust immediately so that you and your organization can forego the time-killing, bureaucratic check-and-balance processes so often deployed in lieu of actual trust.

Customer Reviews:

Instant Classic - Top Shelf.......2007-10-08

Within minutes of reading this book I knew it was going to be great. The book explains how trust is the driving force behind all efficient, successful businesses. Covey gets into different types of trust and some self assessments to determine what areas the reader is strong or weak in. The book can be applied to business, community and family. Without a doubt it goes on the short list of powerful, life-changing books!

All hype, no protein.......2007-09-19

Lots of anecdotes about the author's years in the business world. The author testifies that trust is great and makes things work. Little of substance in this book.

Trust is Fundamental in Relational Management.......2007-08-24

Trust may be the missing ingredient for the relational management model to succeed, but Trust (confidence + credibility) is an outcome, not an input. To get a Trust outcome requires the right inputs and in this book, the next generation's spokesperson for the Covey dynasty, Stephen M. R. Covey, tells us what trust means as well as provides plenty of examples of how important trust is when it comes to delivering business performance.

M.R. uses the "ripple effect" metaphor with Self at the center and waves rippling from the inside out to describe the "5 Waves of Trust." Using this metaphor, the first trust wave is Self-Trust (credibility driven), then comes the Relationship-Trust (consistent behavior driven) wave, an Organizational-Trust (alignment driven) wave, a Market-Trust (reputation driven) wave, and finally a Societal-Trust (giving back or contribution driven) wave.

Staying with the emphasis on managing `Self' first, Covey then provides the substance of the Self-Trust wave; the 4 cores of Credibility - integrity, intent, capability, and results. For the Relationship-Trust wave he identifies 13 critical behaviors. With the remaining trust waves, the dialogue continues the book's main theme - understanding the cost of mistrust and the value of trust - as it discusses organizational alignment, market reputation, and societal contribution. As M.R. says, "the dividends of trust can significantly enhance the quality of every relationship on every level of your life". If you doubt that, read this book.

The Ultimate Trust Model.......2007-08-23

I speak around the world on building Trust in Selling. "The Speed of Trust" gives you a roadmap on how to master trust and the real economic value of trust.

Stephen gives you insights that anyone can use in their quest to excel at building trust in business relationships.

The Speed of Trust gets to the core roots of integrity and how 'trusted' leaders and organizations thrive.

Everyone should make the time to read this book."

Joe Heller, Trust Cycle Selling

Author Lost My Trust Immediately, So Why Would I Listen To Anything He Has To Say?.......2007-08-01

I checked out this book from the library, read the 1st chapter - then immediately put it by the door so I could return it the next day. Why? Mr. Covey has no credibility himself. At least not with me. Here's why.

The 1st Chapter is basically his How I Learned About The Importance Of Trust saga. The problem is that it's an unintentional unmasking of a narcissist. His only admitted mistake in establishing trust with the Franklin side of the Franklin-Covey merger is his assumption that all the Franklin people were as well-informed on how great he is as the Covey people.

Mr. Covey then proceeds to take things further by showing how stricken he is with Rich Offspring Disease. He expresses shock that anyone assumed he was in top position at Covey just because of his name. Apparently Mr. Covey wants us to believe that he was interviewed for his job at Covey by people who had No Idea he was related to THE Covey family. Please.

Mr. Covey is one more person who has been handed the keys to the corner office without having to earn it first. His family is free to do that if they like. However, swallowing his insistence that he would've had the job even if he hadn't been related is too much to swallow.

A man who can't admit he's gotten breaks in life is not a man who can be trusted. Nor is he a man who knows much about trust. At least that's my opinion.

I guess we're also intended to believe that Mr. Covey got his book deal the hard way - soliciting agents and publishing houses with an unsolicited manuscript, with no help from or trading on the connections of his famous author father. Just like J.K. Rowling.

Does someone who trades in these delusions sound like he understands real, lasting trust and credibility?

This Year I Will...: How to Finally Change a Habit, Keep a Resolution, or Make a Dream Come True

Average customer rating:

Not your ordinary motivational guide...
Make Your resolutions come true
This Little Book is a Charm
Mash Note to Author
Inspiration, encouragement and advice for change

This Year I Will...: How to Finally Change a Habit, Keep a Resolution, or Make a Dream Come True
M. J. Ryan
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0767920082
Release Date: 2006-12-26

Book Description

Are you really ready to change? Take this quiz and find out.

Every New Year’s Day, my list of resolutions is:
Ambitious. I aim for everything from losing weight to saving more money for my retirement.
Realistic. I just try to bump my good behavior up a notch--be a better friend, give more money to charity---without giving myself any strict deadlines or goals.
Precise. I decide exactly how many men I will ask for a date, or how many new jobs I will apply for.

Whenever I decide to change something, it’s usually because:
My doctor has put the fear of God into me.
I read a magazine article about why making this change is important.
I start daydreaming about how great life will be after I make the change.

True or False: When you want to make a big change in your life, timing is crucial.

Failure is:
Impossible.
Inevitable.
Not in my vocabulary.

(The answers are on the inside back flap.)

Learn the secret to making changes that stick

Every so often people get inspired (again!) to lose weight, get organized, start saving, or stop worrying –but a few months later they give up, frustrated. It doesn’t have to be that way. In This Year I Wil . . .l, bestselling author M.J. Ryan offers breakthrough wisdom and coaching to help readers make this time the time that change becomes permanent.

Why do people find it so hard to change? The secret is that everyone has their own formula for making changes that stick, but most people don’t know what theirs is. They think there is one way to lose five pounds, and another way to stay on top of their e-mail, but they don’t realize that for all changes, there is one system that works best for each individual. This Year I Will . . . helps you lock on to your unique formula for planning, implementing, and seeing a life change through, so you can use it again and again to tackle anything else you’d like to do.

For anyone who has broken a New Year’s resolution, fallen off a diet, or given up on fulfilling a dream, the ingenious strategies, inspiring stories, and sheer motivational energy of This Year I Will . . . help you make a promise to yourself that you can actually keep.

Answers to the jacket quiz: c, c, false, b. Take the whole quiz and learn your score at M.J. Ryan’s Web site, www.mj-ryan.com.

Customer Reviews:

Not your ordinary motivational guide..........2007-08-31

I'm almost finished with this book and when I do, I plan to start it over again! Absolutely the best book of it's kind that I've ever read. Thank you, MJ Ryan. PS- I lost 27#, work at the gym now and quit smoking...all in the last 4 months. Her book has been instrumental in helping me to make these 'dreams' a reality.

Make Your resolutions come true.......2007-05-10

One of the best I've read. Easy to understand. Motivated me to take action immediately.

This Little Book is a Charm.......2007-03-28

MJ Ryan is one of my favorite authors. Her book, Random Acts of Kindness, started all kinds of initiatives that contribute to the world being kinder.

Her latest book is very, very special. This book is a perfect December read BEFORE one makes New Year's resolutions that are often shattered within the first couple of weeks. In an easy read style that characterizes her writing, she logically sets out why we so often find personal change difficult and then shares her prescription for making changes.

Corny as it may seem to some, I carry this book with me during my many business trips across the country. It has become both a symbol and a guidebook for a series of changes I am implementing in 2007. For me, this little book is working like a charm.

Ah...yet another kindness from Ms. Ryan. One for which I am most grateful.

Mash Note to Author.......2007-03-14

I love this book. Anything that makes me do something I've been avoiding for so long is powerful. I only have this book for a couple of days and already I'm energized. Thank you M.J. Ryan.

Inspiration, encouragement and advice for change.......2007-01-30

What I like best about M.J. Ryan is that she is a compassionate writer. She is writing about something that is very difficult to do: change. It is clear that she understands that change is hard; nobody is perfect, and people will slip. Her acceptance inspires your own acceptance of the perils of change and your personal foibles. She encourages you to take the leap into change despite your doubts. She makes you believe that change may be hard but with her advice it is possible and even probable.

Her advice is clear and precise; the book is jam-packed with information but without an excess of words. She looks at all the essential issues involved in making changes. She begins with the basics, the things that you must do to make a change and make it last: You must be specific. You must plan. You must prepare. You must really want it. You must make a commitment. You must take action. You must re-evaluate when things aren't working. You must get back on track when you slip up.

Yes, all of that sounds very familiar. What isn't so familiar is her analysis of exactly how all that works, why it works the way it does, and precisely what to do to assure that it works the way it should. She also tells you the probable reasons for your efforts going awry, as well as what to do when you do run into trouble.

Like any good writer who compels your attention, she illustrates her points with apt examples and anecdotes. As with the rest of her writing, the stories are made most effective by their brevity. I am reminded of a textbook I was once assigned in college. It was called "The Force of Few Words" and was about how poetry achieves its powerful effects. M.J. Ryan is not writing poetry, but her words are full of "rhyme and reason" and her advice together with her stories will make you believe in your power to change.

Living the 7 Habits : The Courage to Change

Average customer rating:

It is an inspiring addition to the original 7 habits
Trite
This is my teacher after prophet Mohammad (PBUH)
Very uplifting, great paradigm for living
Seven Habits Come to Life!

Living the 7 Habits : The Courage to Change
Stephen R. Covey
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0684857162

Amazon.com

Stephen Covey's famous 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has been teaching people and organizations how to be more effective since 1989. But how do Covey's principles translate for real people living their lives? Living the 7 Habits presents more than 70 little stories of people as they meet challenges and practice the seven habits. Some are ordinary slices of life; others are pivotal moments or life changes. A 76-year-old man who had overdrawn his wife's "emotional bank account" starts making deposits of chores, favors, and special dates until love is rekindled. A woman changes her life after her husband dies of cancer. Children teach parents empathic listening. A banker-turned-minister, cleaning his gun as his pregnant wife naps on the couch, accidentally discharges it, killing his wife and the unborn child, and learns to recover from grief and guilt. Parents learn to hear their teenagers' anxieties with respect and understanding. A clinical-psychology researcher, moved by statistics that one-third of foster kids never return to their birth parents or get adopted, creates a village for former "unadoptable" children, their new parents, and volunteer "grandparents." The stories are organized thematically into individual, family, community, education, and workplace--with commentary from Covey following each story. If you practice the seven habits and seek inspiration and a feeling of community, this book will help you find both. --Joan Price

Book Description

"To live with change, to optimize change, you need principles that don't change." -- Dr. Stephen R. Covey

Success that endures -- sustainable and balanced success -- can seem difficult to achieve in today's turbulent, complex world of change. But those who achieve this kind of success live by seven universal, timeless, self-evident principles that apply in any situation, in any culture.

In Living the 7 Habits: The Courage to Change, Dr. Covey shows how successful people have used these principles to solve problems, overcome obstacles, and change their lives. By showing how real people have used the principles to thrive in a changing world, he provides practical guidance and powerful inspiration to readers searching for a proven framework for living a meaningful life.

Download Description

In the ten years since its publication, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has become a worldwide phenomenon, with more than twelve million readers in thirty-two languages. Now, Living the 7 Habits demonstrates how to solve problems and overcome challenges by applying Covey's proven principles. In this uplifting and riveting collection of true stories, readers will find hope and encouragement as they learn firsthand ways in which the 7 Habits can bring about tremendous, positive change. Enhanced with the personal commentary and insights of Dr. Stephen R. Covey, these touching and motivating stories will inspire readers with an energizing recognition of their own freedom, potential, and power.

Customer Reviews:

It is an inspiring addition to the original 7 habits.......2006-11-10

I listen to the CDs during my comute and it helps to reinforce the 7 habits of highly effective people.

Trite.......2006-03-10

The audio is delivered in a monotone that almost puts you to sleep. Not a good thing while driving

This is my teacher after prophet Mohammad (PBUH).......2006-03-03

This is real.

It's difficult to give enough praise to what Stephen R. Covey does. I love reading his books and almost anyone will benefit from browsing through the different stories about how people had the courage to face their problems and change by engaging in positive behavior. To state the obvious, 'Living the 7 Habits' is an inspiring read. I would urge a bit of caution, however, in that the laboratory of the real world may not cooperate much with a person living the seven habits. On the other hand, Covey never says it's easy and he at least indirectly reminds the reader that incorporating the seven habits into one's life is an enormous amount of work.

Some of the stories are funny, some are quite sad, and they all demonstrate how the people who were challenged by life had to grow in some way. Living the seven habits is tough, and the reader cannot expect the world to play along, but trying is worth the effort, and the rewards from doing so can be more satisfying than a person ever imagined. I think the people that Covey wrote about in the book would agree.

In addition to about 300 pages of very readable, relevant stories about overcoming adversity and finding a better way of living, the book invites the reader to share stories that are similar to the ones in the book by writing the Franklin Covey Company. Covey also has a Q&A section at the back of the book which is insightful and fun to read. Altogether a very worthwhile book. econ

Very uplifting, great paradigm for living.......2005-02-22

It's difficult to give enough praise to what Stephen R. Covey does. I love reading his books and almost anyone will benefit from browsing through the different stories about how people had the courage to face their problems and change by engaging in positive behavior. To state the obvious, 'Living the 7 Habits' is an inspiring read. I would urge a bit of caution, however, in that the laboratory of the real world may not cooperate much with a person living the seven habits. On the other hand, Covey never says it's easy and he at least indirectly reminds the reader that incorporating the seven habits into one's life is an enormous amount of work.

Some of the stories are funny, some are quite sad, and they all demonstrate how the people who were challenged by life had to grow in some way. Living the seven habits is tough, and the reader cannot expect the world to play along, but trying is worth the effort, and the rewards from doing so can be more satisfying than a person ever imagined. I think the people that Covey wrote about in the book would agree.

In addition to about 300 pages of very readable, relevant stories about overcoming adversity and finding a better way of living, the book invites the reader to share stories that are similar to the ones in the book by writing the Franklin Covey Company. Covey also has a Q&A section at the back of the book which is insightful and fun to read. Altogether a very worthwhile book. econ

Seven Habits Come to Life!.......2005-02-06

I've been listening to Stephen Covey for years, and I think he's one of the wisest observers of the human spirit around.

While all of his programs are inspiring, Living the 7 Habits is probably the most moving - because it brings the 7 Habits to life, by showing how people have used them to change their lives for the better.

I was so moved hearing some of these stories, and even more moved when I realized that, thanks to Dr. Covey's wonderful guidance, I can bring the same wisdom and insight into my own life.

It's pretty clear that I was already familiar with the 7 Habits when I heard this, but you don't have to be - I recommend this as an excellent starting point for anybody who is encountering this way of living for the very first time, as well as for people like me who have heard and read a lot about it but can still use some help putting it to work on a day to day basis.

And what a generous program it is - nine compact discs long, but it doesn't even cost $30 ... even less with discounts!

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Average customer rating:

A self-development 101 book
One of the best
The Secret and Seven Habits of Highly Successful People
Be Your Own Dr. Phil
It's hard to argue with real truths

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
Stephen R. Covey
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0743272455

Amazon.com

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change was a groundbreaker when it was first published in 1990, and it continues to be a business bestseller with more than 10 million copies sold. Stephen Covey, an internationally respected leadership authority, realizes that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness, so this book is a manual for performing better in both arenas. His anecdotes are as frequently from family situations as from business challenges.

Before you can adopt the seven habits, you'll need to accomplish what Covey calls a "paradigm shift"--a change in perception and interpretation of how the world works. Covey takes you through this change, which affects how you perceive and act regarding productivity, time management, positive thinking, developing your "proactive muscles" (acting with initiative rather than reacting), and much more.

This isn't a quick-tips-start-tomorrow kind of book. The concepts are sometimes intricate, and you'll want to study this book, not skim it. When you finish, you'll probably have Post-it notes or hand-written annotations in every chapter, and you'll feel like you've taken a powerful seminar by Covey. --Joan Price

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

Anyone who thinks the audiocassette adaptation of Stephen Covey's bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is a shortcut to reading the book has another thing coming. As a preview, the cassette is worth every one of its 90 minutes; as a substitute for the original, it will only leave you wishing for the rest. There's a reason 7 Habits has sold more than 5 million copies and been translated into 32 languages. Serious work has obviously gone into it, and serious change can likely come out of it--but only with constant discipline and steadfast commitment. As the densely packed tape makes immediately clear, this is no quick fix for what's ailing us in our personal and professional lives.

The tape opens to the silky-smooth, overtrained voice of the female narrator, who's responsible for tying together audio clips from actual Covey seminars. Leaving aside the occasional attempts at promoting Covey and his institute, her script does a first-rate job of making sense of Covey's own intense, analogy-rich style of explaining his habits. There's nothing simple about his approach to becoming an effective person. The first three habits alone--which have to do with personal responsibility, leadership, and self-management--could take years to master. Yet the last four are unattainable, the narrator insists, if you can't acquire the personal security--the "inner core," says Covey--that presumably comes from a mastery of the foundation.

Throughout our lessons, Covey's presence is both learned and thoroughly appealing. He drops references to the likes of Socrates, T.S. Eliot, and Robert Frost with the aplomb of an English professor. And his knack for mixing everyday stories with abstract concepts manages to clarify difficult issues while respecting our intelligence. You could argue that the cassette is nothing more than a clever marketing tool for selling another few million copies of the book. But, even at that, it's worth the investment in time and concentration: in the end, we're moved to learn more about integrating all seven habits in our struggle to become better and, yes, more effective people. (Running time: 1.5 hours, one cassette) --Ann Senechal

Book Description

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen R. Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, service, and human dignity -- principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.

Customer Reviews:

A self-development 101 book.......2007-10-14

Do you contrive to improve yourself? Are you fanatic about bringing in changes into your life? Have you been ambling without any goals in life? This book is a 101 for those who are interested in self-development.

The author touches upon a lot of areas like beginning with the end in the mind (personal vision statement), time management, continuous learning and skill development, planning etc., It is easy to assimilate the information. This book brings in a insidious change into your life. The techniques are very practical and can be followed to improve both your personal and profession life.

These 7 habits are highly contagious. Just bring in one of them into your life and you would notice that the rest will follow.

One of the best.......2007-10-13

This is a great book. It is about principles that make sense to most intelligent people; it gives easy to understand examples to apply those principles to real life. It refers to ideas that everybody already knows but keeps forgetting. This book and Understanding: Train of Thought are well worth buying.

The Secret and Seven Habits of Highly Successful People.......2007-10-09

STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED THIS PART OF My ORDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOULD LOVE TO RECEIVE IT.

Be Your Own Dr. Phil.......2007-10-08

Despite the high buzzword content, I loved this book and found it very informative for getting one's life in order. Habit 1 hit me right off the bat -- be proactive. We are responsible for our own happiness; we either make our own decisions about how to live our lives and to pursue our own happiness (being proactive), or we let others make those decisions for us. This is most certainly true. Recommended for anyone who is just starting a career, turning 30, going through a midlife crisis, or just feels like they need more direction in their life.

It's hard to argue with real truths.......2007-10-06

I received this book and the audiobook cds from a past employer as one of those condescending, "we believe in enriching our people" gifts to every manager, while unfortunately every principle was broken and twisted regularly. Ironically, this book helped me see that where I was may not have been the best choice for me and my goals. And to think, I may never have known...
It's true that it's almost impossible to argue with the principles Covey lays out. He makes them real with his examples, and he helps the reader to understand how he or she can apply them to absolutely any life, not necessarily the upper-management type I had this book pegged to be for.
If you're really interested in learning about yourself and seriously challenging yourself, I give this book my highest recommendation. It is the hardest work you will ever do to examine yourself, but you will come out a far better and more mature person for it.

The Habit Change Workbook: How to Break Bad Habits and Form Good Ones

Average customer rating:

the habit change workbook. How to break bad habits and form good ones
developing better habits
unnecessary for simple habits
If you're serious
A Personal Lifesaver!

The Habit Change Workbook: How to Break Bad Habits and Form Good Ones
James Claiborn Ph.D. , and Cherry Pedrick
Manufacturer: New Harbinger Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1572242639

Book Description

Without preaching, moralizing, or theorizing, the authors of The Habit Change Workbook deliver a program for breaking bad habits. Grounded in proven cognitive-behavioral principles, the book helps readers assess their habits and proceed to dismantle them. The authors explain precisely how habits are formed, profile people who are trying to replace a bad habit with a good one, and encourage the reader by tracking the progress of these individuals. An interactive workbook provides helpful lists, monitoring forms, and exercises. Also included is detailed guidance on overcoming specific habits ranging from nail-biting and overeating to procrastinating and excessive spending. Final chapters provide information on support groups and other resources, and advise parents and family members how best to help a child or loved one who is struggling with a self-destructive habit.

Customer Reviews:

the habit change workbook. How to break bad habits and form good ones.......2007-04-01

So far sense i have been using the book it has been somewhat helpfull.But i still yet have got to put the techniques to full use.So i think there is still more i can get from it.

developing better habits.......2007-03-09

I have not started to use this book yet but it really looks like a program that works if you work it- to paraphrase a 12-step mantra. I will have to form the habit of daily review of habits and I haven't broken through that barrier yet, but I further reading in the book should help with that. The program suggestions are very concrete and engaging. What is sometimes hard for me is remembering I don't have to understand all my motivations and dark corners to begin to change things. But I've come to see that is true.

unnecessary for simple habits.......2006-05-29

This book will be helpful to people with complex lifestyle bad habits such as overeating, gambling, and procrastination. But, for breaking simpler, unconscious, behavioral bad habits, there is an extremely simple method, which is not covered, and for which no book is necessary. These are habits such as biting nails, pulling hair, talking to yourself, picking skin, touching acne, cursing aloud, where it is difficult to quit since you don't think not to do it until after the fact; i.e. there's no moment of deliberate decision before you engage in the behavior.

The method is as follows: First, it is probably necessary to consciously make some kind of effort to stop the habit---e.g. biting your nails. So if you realize you're about to bite them, or have just started biting them, then consciously prevent yourself or stop immediately. But, as everyone knows, the willpower method by itself is usually unsuccessful. The idea is to choose some kind of personal forfeit as "punishment" for the behavior in question. Then, whenever you realize that you have just bitten your nails, you perform the forfeit. (Of course it's necessary to consciously realize you've bitten your nails, after the fact; but one usually does realize this when one is trying to break the habit---the problem is you don't realize it until it's already too late.)

The forfeit can be anything that is (1) something you would typically NOT want to do at random times on a moment's notice; (2) not so onerous that you might actually refuse to do it from sheer laziness; (3) not, in itself, potentially habit-forming; (4) can be done anywhere, at any time. Examples of forfeits I have tried or considered are: (a) going to a dictionary, finding a word that is new to you, and learning its meaning; (b) multiplying two two-digit numbers together in your head; (c) choosing a random date and calculating its day of the week in your head (using Conway's Doomsday algorithm); (d) making yourself listen to a particular song you hate, in its entirety; (e) doing ten pushups. Although I haven't tried it, (a) is nice since it has the side-effect of improving yourself in some way while breaking the habit; but it requires that you always keep a dictionary handy.

The single most important thing in applying this method is not to cheat and not to delay. That is, every time you bite your nails---even if you just started to---immediately perform the forfeit (or at least do so within a minute or so). Do not delay, or "pretend to yourself that you did the forfeit", or save up multiple forfeits and do them all at once, later, when it's more convenient.

You will quickly find that the sneaky brain becomes aware of the fact that every time it unconsciously decides you should bite your nails, your conscious mind will come in and make it do some work it doesn't particularly want to. This makes you become aware of the habit before you actually do it, and gives you time to choose not to. After some time, you will stop wanting to at all and the habit is broken. (This method also works for instilling positive habits, e.g. brushing your teeth within ten minutes of dinner---just do the forfeit when you realize it has been more than ten minutes and you haven't yet brushed your teeth.)

This cure does not, of course, address any root causes of the habit.

Hope this helps and makes buying a book unnecessary for some people. Others, who want to change more complex behaviors may find The Habit Change Workbook a valuable resource. Good luck!

If you're serious.......2006-04-12

I don't know if I'm obsessive compulsive or not, but I have a few habits that I engage in that I believe cause me guilt and anxiety and that I cannot quite get a handle on. I first checked this book out at the library and found myself quickly wanting to photocopy most of the pages. So, ultimately, I bought the book.

The book is full of worksheets and record charts - it seems 50/50 in terms of lecture/practical application. If you are into that, fine. At first, that put me off. I didn't want to write that much stuff down. But when I got further into the nuts and bolts of changing the habit, the pages I wanted to copy became greater and greater because the ideas and exercises were so thought-provoking and led me to eye-openers and ideas of how to change my life that I couldn't seem to grasp before.

I don't know if I'll use this system step-by-step, but the good thing about the book is that I believe it still works and is an invaluable tool for self-examination whether you follow it that way or not.

The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because the beginning was a bit tedious for an impatient self-starter like myself and to warn those who don't want to do any self-examination and just want a lecture to check this out at the library first. Otherwise, I really think that you cannot lose by having this book and I'm glad I'll have it in my library for years to come.

A Personal Lifesaver!.......2002-03-09

I am the webowner of Mental Health Today.

This excellent workbook will teach you how to deal with behaviors such as nail biting, skin picking, trichotillomania and addiction in regards to shopping, tv, internet, and gambling. Also focuses on changes in sleep habits, health & fitness, and relationship problems. They state the book can assist with obsessive compulsive disorder with further help.

For chemical dependency issues, you are advised to seek professional help first and then use the workbook for overall lifestyle changes.

This workbook could not have come at a better time for me. I've been working out for 6 months and out of the blue it is no longer fun and I'm now beginning to gently slide into my old workaholism pattern. I know that my old gym schedule needs to be changed and at the same time my work load at home has increased dramatically and I feel lost on how to organize my life and get myself motivated to get back to the gym and fight my workaholism.

The workbook comes with just exactly what I need. Help in changing my thoughts and requires me to come up with a plan of action. For me, it has been a lifesaver and the timing could not have been more perfect. I recommend it!

Average customer rating:

Straightforward, no-nonsense survival guide for a changing world

Some good points but a nasty overtone

Recreating Your Job

A good example of a book that should be burnedý.

The inhuman workplace

The Employee Handbook of New Work Habits for a Radically Changing World: 13 Ground Rules for Job Success in the Information Age
Price Pritchett
Manufacturer: Pritchett Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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A Survival Guide to the Stress of Organizational Change

The Employee Handbook for Organizational Change

Service Excellence!

Firing Up Commitment During Organizational Change: A Handbook for Managers

High Velocity Culture Change: A Handbook for Managers

ASIN: 0944002153

Book Description

This powerful employee handbook provides 13 clear and practical guidelines that workers can weave into their daily routines immediately. These specific points are made with hard facts, powerful logic and a sense of humor that can be universally understood and applied. And, the handbook format will enable people to transform the organization fast by promoting a consistent message throughout the organization.

Customer Reviews:

Straightforward, no-nonsense survival guide for a changing world.......2005-07-04

Price Pritchett's little book, The Employee Handbook of New Work Habits For A Radically Changing World, should really be called "The Abridged Career Bible" and not a handbook. Could this have anything to do with the lucky number 13? Filled with his "13 Ground Rules for Job Success in the Information Age," Pritchett's book really is a survival manual. In an time of new technologies, services, knowledge work, and fierce worldwide competition, only those open to change-those who are flexible and invest their energy in finding and seizing opportunities-will thrive. Those who resist change and harbor bitterness will only end up going the way of the dinosaurs. And we don't need to be reminded of what eventually happened to the dinosaurs...

Pritchett advises workers to become quick-change artists. In an age of restructuring, outsourcing, downsizing, subcontracting, and forming new alliances, workers can expect new ways of working and having to align immediately with new organizational needs and realities. Being a quick-change artist-mobility-can build an employee's reputation.

Then again, says, Pritchett, so does commitment. Commit fully to your job. Companies now cannot afford to hire more employees to solve common problems. Nevertheless, clients and customers expect quality and speed. Companies' response is to throw fewer people at problems and to do more-faster and better-with less. This calls for highly committed people-those who work from the heart and invest passionately to their jobs. It follows that commitment will result in more satisfying work, too, bringing empowerment, relieving stress, and curing the pain of change.

Through their commitment and working from the heart, employees are contributing and adding value. Workers should think that they are being remunerated for the value they add rather than for their tenure, good intentions or activity level.

Employees' job security, therefore, depends on commitment and how valuable they are to customers. Employees must see themselves as service centers. They need to sharpen their insights into their personal "market" and understand what it is their customers do, expect and need. Employees need to know how they fit into the overall picture and how they will contribute to customers' success. Remember, warns Pritchett: "customer" does not only imply people outside the organization but co-workers and internal customers as well. Career success depends on building strong relationships with both internal and external customers and a reputation for responsiveness and quality service.

Just ensure that service and responses are delivered in a timely fashion! We do, as Pritchett says, live in an impatient world. Organizations, then, must accelerate. Workers must operate with a sense of urgency. These are raw survival instincts at work. To survive: speed up. To be successful, organizations must emphasize action: cover ground quickly, eliminate excess baggage, abandon outmoded practices, decentralize, and delegate decision-making power. There really is no room for slow adjustment to change. Valuable employees are those who push the process of change along.

But change brings ambiguity and uncertainty!

Fine. As Pritchett advises, accept it, and manage your own morale! Workers need to realize that placing their morale in someone else's hands disempowers them and that ambiguity may, in fact, be the in the best interest of their career.

Sure, they will be faced with new expectations, shifting priorities, different reporting relationships, vague job descriptions...

Workers need to act upbeat, accept change, and create clarity for themselves-to set priorities, meet deadlines, chase down needed information, show initiative and an ability to improvise. They need to work as though they are in business for themselves.

So what does that mean?

Traditional hierarchies are flattening out. Organizations want to get closer to customers and clients, and are decentralizing business units. The result? Mini-enterprises or self-contained work groups that operate more independently. Employees will need to assume more responsibility for the success of the entire enterprise and consider personally how they can help cut costs, improve productivity, and innovate.

In other words, as hierarchies collapse, responsibility, power, and authority are being pushed to the lower levels. Self-contained work teams must stand accountable for their collective results. Accountability implies thinking in broad terms, considering the larger picture, and considering outcomes. Workers must streamline their approach to economize time, energy, and other resources.

Broad thinking and innovation take brains: it doesn't take long for skills and knowledge to become outmoded in a rapidly changing world-a world that takes no pity on those who are lazy about learning. Workers need to stay in school in order to retool themselves and to keep up with the latest knowledge. Their future employability depends on up-to-date credentials, the latest skills, and the most recent developments in their chosen field. Home study, reading, attending workshops and seminars, volunteering for understudy or apprenticeship programs, asking for learning opportunities-all of these should become "habits".

Lifelong learning implies continuous improvement. Yes, and according to Pritchett, it's the best insurance for both employees' careers and for organizations. How? It is the relentless quest for a better way, for high quality craftsmanship, for daily perfection. Continuous improvement-and this is not just limited to learning, either-may be gradual, but in the long run, it adds up to a competitive advantage.

Employees also need to learn not to rely solely on their reputation anymore: the world is changing too quickly. Employees must then strive to upgrade their job performance-response time, quality, cost control, and customer service-on an ongoing basis.

Improving job performance also means building a reputation as a problem solver. Employees must learn to take care of problems, not point them out. By searching beyond themselves, for solutions, they disempower themselves and lose the ability to find workable solutions. The pro-active solution, according to Pritchett, is for employees to assume ownership of problems and to allow the solutions to start with them.

To summarize, change is inevitable, and there is little, if anything, organizations can do to stop it. The best they can do is adapt and to alter their expectations-preferably before they have to. Some are fortunate enough to scramble and adjust when push comes to shove. As to the rest? Well, just remember the dinosaurs...

(...)

Some good points but a nasty overtone.......2005-04-22

This book does mention some valid points about taking control of your own career. But it fails to acknowledge what motivates us to work and has a horrible over tone that preys on the fear culture you find during redundancies. I'd look elsewhere for motivation, somewhere that tells you how to be more confident rather than "do this or else".

Recreating Your Job.......2002-02-16

As a manager in a highly competitive service industry, I could not deliver a better message to my staff than this short, highly readable "who's in charge of your life" script for the entrepeneur in all of us.

Adaptability, accountability, and the pure joy of realizing your version of yourself in this age of the "chaos theory" is in there. A fun, inspiring, recharging read.

A good example of a book that should be burnedý........2002-01-29

Let's cut to the chase. The message of this book is quite simple:
Change your current attitude and increase your productivity so that you will ad value to your company in the long run. In other words, all for the benefit of us (managers, CEOs, Bill Gates, etc.) at the expense of you, the employee (the tried and true `profits over people' mentality rears its ugly head once again in corporate America). If the events of September 11 or the recent Enron affair haven't yet taught us that money and misguided "motivation" should NOT be the primary goals in life, I don't know what will.

The inhuman workplace.......2002-01-26

This book should be titled "Chicken Soup For The Displaced Worker." With one sticking point: You get more depressed after you read it. If anyone hands you this book, tell them no thanks. I strongly agree with the reviewers who said that this is a book for clueless managers looking to jump on meaningless trends.

The Vice-Busting Diet: A 12-Week Plan to Break Your Worst Food Habits and Change Your Life Forever

Average customer rating:

Loved It!
Love this book
Best Diet Book I've Ever Read
Julia has done it!
Why this book??? Cause YOUR worth it!!!!!

The Vice-Busting Diet: A 12-Week Plan to Break Your Worst Food Habits and Change Your Life Forever
Julia Griggs Havey , and J. Patrick Havey
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312348363
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Book Description

Julia Havey has lost 130 pounds and kept it off for ten years. Shes discovered the key to losing weight and keeping it offsmall changes add up to big results. Unlike other diets that ask you to overhaul eating habits or eliminate food groups, The Vice-Busting Diet allows readers to discover whats getting in the way of weight loss. Whether its soda, fast food, sweets, or another temptation, Julia Havey teaches you how to eliminate it and replace it with a healthy alternativewith practical advice and a healthy dose of motivation.

Customer Reviews:

Loved It!.......2007-07-05

Great book, full of interesting information proved very helpful. After reading what feels like every "diet" book out there, this one was very insightful.

Love this book.......2007-01-13

I love that this book advises you to take time to break food habits. It is well organized and the author gives step by step sugguestions that are easy to follow.

Best Diet Book I've Ever Read.......2006-11-03

This is probably the best diet book I have ever read. Julia Havey makes it all so simple. It is such a realistic concept that everyone can do it!
Thanks Julia Havey.

Julia has done it!.......2006-09-29

Julia has succeeded when most have failed.

Julia Havey has written a practical guide to shedding those lethal pounds. The dirty little un-secret is that diets don't work, lifestyle change works. She has not written a tome --- don't criticize her for what she leaves out. She has included enough information to accomplish the purpose, which so many other diet books have attempted and failed. She has left out the heavy counting and calculating. The rewards are along the way: for the person who honestly and sincerely starts to follow the lead, they start from the very first week.

It's true that there are volumes written on aspects of the problem, particularly the psychological and spiritual aspects that Julia only covers lightly, but I believe Julia meets the chronically obese where they're at, gives them what they need to begin on the road to better health, and helps them replace bad habits with good habits. This book is a must-read for every obese person, every future obese person, and every friend of an obese person.

Why this book??? Cause YOUR worth it!!!!!.......2006-08-16

To sum it up in just a simple phrase, Id say " Changing your life is an understatement for what this book does"!!! Who would have thought that my life would come full circle in the last 5 years! In 2001, I sat at this very computer reading the cold hard facts about how vices control our life! The definition of vice was put as simple as anything that controls you and hinders your desired outcome. My biggest desire in the world was to become a healthy person who could dream big and THEN make those dreams become a reality! My biggest hinderence was my LOVE for cupcakes! It was as simple as giving up my first vice in order to start a journey that would last a lifetime. It has been 5 years since I started this long journey with Julia Havey and this road has led me from a 350 pound admirer of this successful weight loss author, to a 170 pound friend of this warm hearted mother, wife, and honest woman! She has been by my side through ups and downs, both weight loss related and life related, and help keep my head high throughit all. This book is a real life approach to helping someone reach their dreams and goals. It teaches you to bust your vices one at a time and more importantly to learn to belive in yourself! Without the self confidence that you learn to feel, success would not be the final outcome. If I had to suggest one book that would truely fit its title, this would be it. It will help you change your life in every aspect of the word!!!! Its a simple, doable, believable approach to weight loss, and once youve read the book, you will know that "IF you dream it, YOU CAN DO IT!" I dedicated my time and effort to this woman 5 years ago, and believed in myslef enough to bust all my vices, and go on to lose 185 pounds in less than 2 years and have been living a life of confidence, health and love for myself for the last 3 years! In october of this year I will marry the love of my life, and Julia will be standing up next to me in my wedding. Life has come full circle thanks to her, and if you are looking for a plan that will work not only to lose weight, but to change your life FOREVER, please read and follow this plan for 12 weeks, and then spread your wings and fly!

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Average customer rating:

7 Habits Workbook Review
K.I.S.S.
Becoming the ultimate supervisor.
UnWorkable Workbook! Cannot Print It! Cannot Write In It!
Adobe E-book version is a TOTAL RIPOFF!

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
Stephen R. Covey
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0743250974

Book Description

Internationally renowned leadership authority and bestselling author Stephen R. Covey presents a personal hands-on companion to the landmark The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which has become a touchstone for individuals, families, and businesses around the world. The overwhelming success of Stephen R. Covey's principle-centered philosophy is a testament to the millions who have benefited from his lessons, and now, with The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook, they can further explore and understand this tried-and-true approach. With the same clarity and assurance Covey's fans have come to appreciate, this individualized workbook teaches readers to fully internalize the 7 Habits through private and thought-provoking exercises, whether they are already familiar with the principles or not. This reference offers solutions to both personal and professional problems by promoting and teaching fairness, integrity, honesty, and dignity. An engaging new companion to a bestselling classic, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook will help readers set goals, improve relationships, and create a path to life effectiveness.

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Customer Reviews:

7 Habits Workbook Review.......2007-02-27

A very interesting and practical workbook, but possession of the 7 Habits book itself is necessary to really appreciate the exercises.

K.I.S.S........2007-01-18

In comparison to the morally toned companion book, the workbook doesn't mess around. The absence of personal anecdotes and reduction in US vocabulary and idioms should make this a more accessible intercultural choice for non native English speakers, particularly those for whom personal life disclosure is culturally inappropriate. Add to that plenty of space for individual input and keeping the explanations short and simple and the result is less of an indoctrinating feel, more of a tool. The workbook stands by itself as a replacement to the book, not simply a companion.

Becoming the ultimate supervisor........2007-01-15

I purchased this book, along with it's workbook, to enhance my supervisory skills. The book not only helps improve my working techniques, but also sharpens my skills at home, as Mother and Friend.
Tammy Byrd

UnWorkable Workbook! Cannot Print It! Cannot Write In It!.......2005-06-22

Franklin Covey reps knew nothing about this product when I called them, because they do not offer it in e-book form. It was never designed to be released in this format. Amazon.com had a nice idea but they didn't think it through. They need to 'Synergize' better. Don't waste your time and money on this product.

Adobe E-book version is a TOTAL RIPOFF!.......2005-01-29

Do not purchase this ebook! You can't print it. AND it uses some sort .NET internet validation that stopped working on the laptop I downloaded it on. So, I CAN'T print it and I CAN'T read it. For GOD'S SAKE SOMEBODY TELL ME - WHAT GOOD IS THIS LOAD OF E-BOOK! Unreal. Absolutely unreal.

Change One Diet and Fitness: Updated and Expanded

Average customer rating:

A Helpful Planning Book
Another Excellent Book from the Change One Series

Change One Diet and Fitness: Updated and Expanded
Reader's Digest Editors
Manufacturer: Readers Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0762106972

Customer Reviews:

A Helpful Planning Book.......2007-05-09

This book is helpful in planning a diet because it contains easily read, useful pages on things like the exact numbers of various types of nuts which constitute a 1 oz serving for snacks, etc. There are a few good-looking recipes which I haven't tried; however, recipes are not the focus of the book. The planning elements are the main focus and very useful.

Another Excellent Book from the Change One Series.......2007-02-03

I initially bought "Change One for Diabetes" and thought it was such an excellent book that I decided to have a look at this version for my daughter who is non-diabetic. These books are such a novel approach and one that leads to lasting change. The premise is in the title - Change One thing at a time and don't move onto any other changes until you have managed to make that change a new habit. These books are full of straightforward, easy to accomplish ideas that just strike you as eminently "doable." Don't be put off by the fact that they are issued by the Reader's Digest Group - I had those same "Reader's Digest???" thoughts at first, too. This is one of the best non-diet diet books I've seen. And it works, too!

The Prehistory of Food: Appetites for Change (One World Archaeology)

Average customer rating:

The Prehistory of Food: Appetites for Change (One World Archaeology)
Chris Gosden
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0415117658

Book Description

The production and consumption of food can tell us much about how different cultures constructed and perceived their environment. This collection explores the shifting social contexts of food in prehistory by examining the interrelationships of food, biology, and ecology. Using case studies from the rainforest groups of South America to peoples of the desert fringes of Asia to farmers in the Highlands of New Guinea, the international contributors investigate the different roles food plays in culture: as an object of consumption, a vital part of the landscape, an influence on the development of agriculture and culinary methods, and an agent of socioeconomic change. With an impressive wealth of archaeological, genetic, botanical and linguistic evidence, this book tells the complex and fascinating story of the relationship between humans and their food.

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