Employee, Kids, and Pets is a gem of knowledge with entertaining stories to back the lessons. It starts by pointing out the natural but effective way we react to pets misbehaving. It then compares that reaction to the stark way we tend to deal with our children and employees and points out how damaging that lack of reaction is to those relationships. It also touches on some stereotypes we have all seen in the work place, like the rainmaker/boss that is never in the office, the tyrant supervisor that eventually gets the company sued, and the crazy office manager that creates a military state the minute the boss isn't there. Of course it digs into why people act like this and talks about our psychological tendencies to avoid conflict or assume everyone can read our mind. But what makes this book truly fun to read are the timeless lessons wrapped around stories of the author's child and various misbehaving employees. A simple but genius little book destined to be a classic like Who Moved My Cheese!
About the Author: I owe my ability to solve problems and simplify complex matters to the contrasts that have existed in my career. After college I worked in Grandpa's construction business while pursuing my dream of becoming a professional musician. I swung a hammer and negotiated with rural homeowners by day and dealt with savvy New York City promoters by night. My first success came in promoting my band to the point of international interest and record deal negotiations in two short years. When I discovered I didn't like the entertainment business, I got my first real job: selling insurance. I earned multiple insurance and investment licenses and won multiple sales awards. I also experienced my first economic downturn when 80 percent of my clients went broke. This first job quickly taught me the stark contrast of feast and famine. I then entered the best run organization I have witnessed. Its strong culture and effective management provided a sharp contrast to the loosely run sales office I had come from. As I worked my way up through the ranks to vice president, I learned the power of constantly assessing an organization even after it seemed perfect. I earned one of the highest insurance designations, the CPCU, as well as the AU. I taught continuing education in New York and as an adjunct professor at a local college. I returned to the Manhattan financial district to overhaul a young company. There I experienced my first crisis and the contrast between the pre and post-9/11. I formed Capacity Consulting Inc. and took an engagement with a young company. That engagement turned into a full-time job. I formed seven companies from scratch and those additions helped the company go public in its 5th year. There is no contrast like private versus public. My work with this dynamic company gave me considerable experience in due diligence, feasibility, lawsuits, crisis, PR, strategy, problem solving, and more. With this knowledge, I started 6 more ventures on my own and engaged in dozens of feasibility studies on others. I started helping established companies solve problems, improve, and buy other companies. I've been able to experience so many different industries, leadership personalities, sizes, and growth patterns having consulted on or assisted in hundreds of projects, closures, startups, plans, assessments, turnarounds, and reorganizations. I would say, "What a ride," but I know I'm only at the halfway point. I am looking forward to the second half. - Eric