Robert’s Rules for Dummies®; C. Alan Jennings, PRP

“If you don’t know your rules, your members will know it, and you’ll come to a sudden understanding of how it feels to be a deer staring into oncoming headlights.”

For anyone faced with leading a meeting, this quotation gives meaning and urgency to the author’s imperative “Know your rules.”  A bit more detailed than your usual Dummies® book, and although it is presented as a book about a book, “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised”, this is an excellent tutorial, handbook, or reference manual for anyone who is involved in meetings. www.dummies.com/go/robertsrulesfd.  Click on “download”.

Bob Beatie

5/10/2009

ps:  If the price of this book ($11.55) is too much for you or the presentation is overpowering, the Student Activities Office at California State University, Chico, has an excellent, short-form presentation available to download at http://www.csuchico.edu/sac/studentOrganizations/parliamentaryProcedures.shtml.

Zapp! The Lightning of Empowerment; William C. Byham, PhD.

The 12^th dimension, lightning, dragons, fire trucks, castles, spaceships:  there are lots of surprises in this entertaining little book.  While entertaining, the story carries a very important message for anyone in business.  Zapp! empowered individuals, teams, and companies are more productive and successful than Sapp¡ plagued ones.  By following the steps outlined here it is possible to replace Sapp¡ with Zapp!  Although not explicitly addressed by the author, one can easily see one’s own tendencies to Sapp¡ and Zapp!  A great read!

Bob Beatie

5/9/2009

ps:  I hope that the references to Zapp! and Sapp¡ intrigue the reader sufficiently to cause him/her to get the book and read it for him/herself.