The Five Dysfunctions of a Team - Patrick Lencioni (5 of 5 Business Allegories)

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team was recommended to me by my manager, Reed Wagstaff.  The director of the Audiovisual Department Finance group requires that each of his managers read this book.  As manifest in my five star rating of the book, I believe everyone in the corporate world, managers and employees alike should read it.  The five dysfunctions prevent a team from reach its full cooperative potential.  Efficiency and productivity are hindered by:

1. Absence of Trust
2. Fear of Conflict
3. Lack of Commitment
4. Avoidance of Accountability
5. Inattention to Results

The way in which Lencioni outlines these principles allows the reader to easily assimilate the material.  Most of the book follows the rebuilding of a fictional dysfunctional corporate team.  The newly hired consultant takes the team members on an off-site training trip.  During the two-day event, she shows them how to overcome each of the principles above.

The last twenty or so pages is a straightforward tutorial showing how anyone can apply these principles to his or her team.  It starts with a short diagnosis test, which allows you to identify your teams strengths and weaknesses.  The test is followed by practical suggestions for improving cooperation.

Working in an office is not a prerequisite for benefiting from this book.  Whenever two or more men or women join together for a common purpose, group dynamics become critical.  Applying the insightful principles in The Five Dysfunctions can improve conditions in Church committees, families, university research groups, etc.  It's a quick read.  Find it.  Read it.  Apply it.  Love it.

What other books on business or team building have you read and really enjoyed?

The Fine Art of Small Talk - Debra Fine (4.5 of 5 Weather Forecasts)

My sister Emily and I decided to team up this year to buy Christmas presents for the family.  Rather than tromping around the mall for several hours, we crashed the local Barnes and Noble to get everyone a book.  I think we were rather successful.  Everyone seemed pretty happy with our choices.  I picked out The Fine Art for myself.  I figured it was time to put an end to all those intensely awkward elevator rides at the Church Office Building...

I was quite impressed with this little gem of a book.  In the introduction the author confessed to having been the shy kid in the back of the class for most of her childhood.  In her early adulthood she decided that it was time to take a more proactive approach to small talk, acknowledging that successful chatting is a critical part of family gatherings, business meetings, dating, etc.  She now spends her time traveling across the country giving small talk seminars to large corporations such as IBM and Wells Fargo.

So I guess there's hope for me!  I enjoyed the book because it presents a healthy blend of general principles and specific advice.  Debra Fine teaches that there are two key things that we need learn in making small talk.  1 - Take the risk.  2 - Assume the burden.  We can't expect others to come to us.  We must go to them, regardless of the risk of embarrassment.  Once the conversation is going, we must assume the burden of keeping it going.  We shouldn't expect others to carry the conversation.  Successful small talk occurs when both people actively contribute to the conversation.

She starts with describing the importance of small talk, and then follows a conversation through from beginning to end, teaching successful techniques for starting conversations, finding interesting topics of discussion, overcoming awkward pauses, effective listening, and graceful exits.  I especially enjoyed her chapter, "Crimes and Misdemeanors."  She details the eight criminals of conversation:

1. The FBI Agent - Asks question after question without offering anything
2. The Braggart - Constantly boasts about his or her accomplishments, embellishing the truth
3. The One-Upper - Always tries to top anything you say
4. The Monopolizer - Refuse to give up the spotlight of conversation
5. The Interrupter - Can't wait to insert something into your discussion
6. The Poor Sport - Replies, "Nothing." to the question, "What did you do this weekend?"
7. The Know-It-All - Has no interest in anyone's opinions but his or her own
8. The Adviser - Offers advice where none is wanted 

I think we've all been guilty of at least one of these crimes, if not all at one time or another.  Recognition is the first step towards correcting bad behavior...  

I'd highly recommend this book to anyone wanted to brush up on their interpersonal skills.  I'm excited to try out my new knowledge in the elevator next week.  Would you like to join me?

The Triumphant Marriage - Neil Warren (3 or 5 Love Secrets)

This is the uh...the fourth book I've read by Neil Warren.  It was definitely my least favorite so far.  It didn't feel like there was a lot of original material there.  Warren just adapted all of the same principles to marriage.

He sets out ten "love secrets" of successful marriages.  The one I liked best was the first one, "Dream a Dream."  Having a goal in mind always gives us something to work toward.  Warren counsels that couples should make an effort to enjoy every day for what it is, but always look forward to what their relationship could become.

Media Law For Producers - Philip Miller (4 of 5 Independent Contractor Agreements)

Media Law for Producers?  Are you kidding me?  What inspired this?

Yep.  I recognize that probably very few of you are going to run to the library to pick up this book, but I'll write the review anyway.  My work involves documenting the intellectual property in the products that the Church  Audiovisual Department distributes.  My boss suggested that I read this book to get a broader view of media law.

Contrary to expectations, I actually enjoyed it.  Overall, the book was much more readable than I anticipated.  Each of the chapters were supplemented with effective summary sections and example contracts for participant releases, music agreements, etc.  It was interesting to compare the contracts that mainstream media uses with those that the Church uses.  The book emphasizes the importance of these contracts and getting everything in writing...I wish our producers would do this more often.  It would sure make my job easier.

I was already familiar with much of the material in the book, but I did pick up a few new bits of knowledge here and there.  The discussions on libel and public figure look-a-likes were intriguing.  I also enjoyed the section on the Fairness Doctrine which was established in 1949 by the Federal Communication Commission.  This doctrine requires that both sides of controversial issues be discussed (equal time) in public broadcasts.  This hasn't really been enforced since the Reagan era, but some people think this might change during the Obama presidency.  Ironically, Doug Fabrizio recently addressed this topic on Radio West on 1/5/09.  You can download the radio broadcast from KUER 90.1's website at http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kuer/news/news.newsmain?action=section&SECTION_ID=184.

Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides

This History Book Club I've become a part of is truly fantastic. The titles we're reading this school year have all been really interesting. The latest is Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission by Hampton Sides. This nonfiction book's title is a mouthful, but the story itself is amazing.

In 1942, the US was forced to surrender its hold on the Philippines. General MacArthur promised to return but the surrender left hundreds of American soldiers at the mercy of the Japanese. And the Japanese did not prove too merciful. After the Bataan Death March and years of hard work, beatings, and malnutrition, hundreds of US soldiers had died. But a few hundred more survived as POWs. As 1945 opens, and the US military is returning in full force to the area, US Intelligence fears the Japanese might attempt to massacre all POWs before they can be liberated. Thus opens the story of the daring rescue and liberation of the Cabanatuan POW Camp.

Author Hampton Sides does a great job of shifting the story between the perspective/story of the prisoners themselves and the Army Rangers who led the rescue. His writing style gets a little verbose at times, but not to the extent that you'd call him pretentious. I especially liked his use of firsthand accounts, in their own words, from the people actually involved in the story. The beginning moves a little slow, but by page 123 I was riveted and didn't want to put the book down. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great story, and/or US History.

A-