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| 1001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work | 
 enlarge | Author: Bob Nelson
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
Category: Book
List Price: $10.95
Buy Used: $0.01
You Save: $10.94 (100%)
New (54) Used (96) Collectible (3) from $0.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 311935
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 240
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.9 x 0.6
ISBN: 076111405X
Dewey Decimal Number: 658.314
UPC: 019628114051
EAN: 9780761114055
ASIN: 076111405X
Publication Date: October 1, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More.
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Amazon.com Review
In 1001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work, Bob Nelson applies the formula behind his two previous books, 1001 Ways to Energize Employees and 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, and shows how any employee can advance his or her career by taking action, questioning authority, and thinking "outside the box." The book is filled with hundreds of stories about how workers, through simple initiatives, have made a difference at their companies--from the familiar story about the origins of Post-Its at 3M to how a Home Depot store manager helped a customer in a wheelchair. These stories are flanked by dozens of sidebars filled with short prescriptions for bettering the workplace and one's career (e.g., "Tactics for Influencing Others," "Don't Settle for Just Good Enough"). For Nelson, the key to fostering initiative is getting past the roadblocks that inhibits creativity. He cites a UCLA study that showed that by the "age five we engage in creative tasks 98 times a day, laugh 113 times, and ask questions 65 times. By the age of 44, however, the numbers shrink to 2 creative tasks a day, 11 laughs, and 6 questions." If your professional aspirations center on just getting by, then take a pass on this one. Those looking for practical career advice, however, would do well to give 1001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work a good look. --Harry C. Edwards
Product Description
1001 WAYS to Take Initiative at Work is about managing up--about employees taking ownership of their jobs, whether it's an assistant working for a manager or a VP working for the CEO. Third in the 1001 Ways series by bestselling business writer Bob Nelson, whose 1001 Ways to Reward Employees and 1001 Ways to Energize Employees have over 900,000 copies in print, TAKE INITIATIVE is the first management book for employees. Weaving together case studies, examples, quotes, research highlights, and the author's own "Tool Box" of management techniques and exercises, this practical handbook will show every reader how to develop self-leadership, set goals, create learning opportunities, take risks, build a team, sell ideas, and work both within and outside the larger organization. Taking initiative is about a former secretary at Johnsonville Foods who originated and now runs the company's thriving mail-order business. It's about a technical writer who created Xerox's popular "webmaster" website. And it's about you. As Bob Nelson proves, employees have much more power than they think--taking initiative is how to harness that power and reap its rewards. By the bestselling author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees and 1001 Ways to Energize Employees, with over 900,000 copies in print.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 Spend your time elsewhere. September 24, 2006
This should have been titled, "1001 Ways Other People Took Initiative, But Aren't Applicable To What You Do". Bob Nelson's latest in the series is little more than a non-stop string of industry stories and reader comments solicited from the web. This book does not aid in taking initiative because the "examples" are provided without comment or insight into how to apply this more generally; it's far too specific to be of use to anyone else.
What remains, including comments from professionals and researchers, has some value but is insignificant for the size of the book. The insights Nelson provides are distinctly unoriginal and will be well known to anyone who's ever read another book on empowerment or efficiency.
 I like the self-development side of it ! January 31, 2006
It was 1999, when I purchased this book... It has been waiting on my bookself patiently to be read since then - I mean till recently. Although I had look at it couple of times before, I had almost the same negative impression with the some other reviewers here. I thought it sounds dull and ordinary.
However, my mind changed last weekend. As a person who temporarily depressed about his career expectations, I took the book from the shelf (you can't imagine the amount of dust it has!! just joking..) and I started to read "Part3: Your Career and Your Life" section of the book. I felt incredible good as there are lots of useful advise I can benefit, there are many people's sincere stories which I can appreciate and respect.
Maybe it is not a perfect book and obviously not written for All time tigers (who want to win-win and win, create hard to believe success stories, then become CEO - till the next lay off and start the game again if any time and energy left!) but it can be a loyal friend of the its owner during all over his/her career. I think it is worth to buy and listen what Bob says...
 Not at all what I was looking for August 9, 2005
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
While "1001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work" was an interesting read at first but I eventually put it down for several weeks before forcing myself to continute.
While some stories can give at least a hint of an idea if not an actual suggestion on how to step up on the job, 98% of this book seems redundant and lacking. If you're looking for, as on reviewer said, "Chicken Soup for the Employee's Soul" you've found it. If you are looking for something to guide you into being a better employee and coworker, move on.
 Very Good Book, Many Fabulous Ideas for Workplace! February 12, 2005
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
"1001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work" by Bob Nelson
There are many good tips in this book, tips on how to best communicate with management, how to most efficiently work with co-workers and how to organize a work area for the most efficient and effective operation. There are also ideas on creativity and what the signs of an excellent business(a business running on all cylinders) are.
Throughout the book there are helpful quotes from people who have succeeded in the business world, like: Robert Townsend former CEO for Avis, Larry Hohman, founder and chairman of WYNCOM, and Ross Perot, a1992 presidential candidate and chairman of the Perot Group. There are many others contributing to this book too.
Perot said of leadership, "Leadership is empowering a group of people to successfully achieve a common goal. In order to do that, you get to tap their full potential, the motivators are the same things that get you or me excited and cause us to do outstanding work. That's the most important thing to remember, that most people who are part of the team are very much like he or she is. A successful leader is one who gives credit where credit is due."
Robert Crandall, Chairman and President of American Airlines said, "Use leadership to empower others. Leadership is not about doing it all by yourself, but about involving other people. You build a sense of teamwork by a participatory process of management." Former President of the University of California, David Gardner, says: "To put one's ego aside, to listen, to do whatever is necessary to achieve the common good in a given situation, is a formidable challenge, but the advantages of the empowering style of leadership are considerable."
The former CEO of Avis Corporation, Robert Townsend, says to be a good leader is to be a good problem solver. He notes five tips for attacking problems most successfully.
1.Define the problem.
2.Gather as much data as you can
3.Consider alternate solutions
4.Pick the best solution
5.Apply the best solution
Townsend also notes that a proactive leader cannot be good at these steps without initiative. He states, "Initiative is important in the workplace because it shows the manager that you are ready to take on more responsibility and make more important decisions. If you do it well, it shows that you can learn, take on more responsibilities and know how to properly advise your staff on important issues." Townsend says a good employee is always looking for more efficient ways to do his/her job. Having a "To Do" list to start each day and to start with the most organized as possible work space are excellent ways to start.
Executive Peter Drucker is quoted in his book "Leader of the Future" as saying real leaders do not start out with the question "What do I want?"...they start out with the question, "What needs to be done?" Other good questions to ask are: "What can I do to make a difference?" , "What are the organization's missions and goals, and am I in line with them?" He also says good managers are extremely tolerant of diversity and are not looking for carbon copies of themselves. Good bosses are also not afraid of the strength of their associates. They are concerned about making the right decision, not the popular decision. Effective leaders are doers, not preachers!
Another business executive from a large oil corporation, gives advice on taking initiative in meetings:
1.Really listen to what others have to say.
2.Participate in the discussion, but don't dominate it.
3.Prepare well for the meeting.
4.Speak clearly and loudly with confidence
5.Do your part to keep that meeting on target. Don't let it ramble too much.
Workers should ask questions at meetings. They should come with their concerns, but should bring constructive solutions first. Managers should be mindful of trying to craft creative solutions with a variety of issues, and shoul be ready to compromise. Managers should, in cooperation with workers always be finding better ways of doing things, and finding ways to save the company money.
Larry Holman, founder and chairman of WYNCOM gives some advice that could apply to leaders or followers in a company:
1.Increase your vocabulary by learning a new word daily.
2.Attend professional developmental programs.
3.Listen to motivational tapes.
4.Be aware of your own strengths and weaknesses.
5.Join charitable groups in your community.
6.Pick a mentor at work, and bombard him/her with questions.
7.Stay in touch with your creative side.
There are also tips on empowerment, releasing the full potential of employees. It's important for managers to bring out the very best in all their staff. One executive pointed out that it's not possible to bring out this full potential in workplaces that are "punitive" where people are "risk averse." Very interesting stuff. Another CEO talked about the concept of vision. A clear vision for an organization, she says, "unifies and inspires." Employees ideally become self-motivated to be part of the vision. People produce more when they are self-driven and produce within the context of a "powerful vision." As the old cliche goes, "There is no I in TEAM." One more thought about vision. Thomas Tierney, President of Vitatech International explains it quite eloquently:
He says, "Visions are born of commitment. The gestation period of greatness is accelerated by this shared vision; one which uses a spark of future promise to ignite the passions of a population. These passions establish a collective resonance which is unstoppable. Stay away from toxic thinkers."
Lawrence Miller, President of Miller Consulting Group says,
" I think the notion of continuous improvement is a really helpful value. To achieve that, you need to continually learn and accept continuous change. The first enemy of learning and quality is arrogance. Companies and their executives who think they have reached wisdom close themselves off from further knowledge. And finally, former Secretary of Labor and Harvard University professor Robert Reich suggests a leader may be one who is not necessarily on top of the totem pole, but who is not afraid to say what needs to be said."
These are good words to live and work by! I enjoyed "1001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work" and I know you will too.
Submitted 2-2005, Jeff McAndrew, WHBL Radio
20 great pages, 200 pages of filler March 20, 2003
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
As others have pointed out, this book would have been great if it was called something along the lines of "101 ways to take initiative at work". Lots of useless "examples". I use the word examples lightly, because they are really stretching what they consider initiative. For example, there is a chapter called "Learning and Education". There is a story in there about someone who felt he was due a promotion but didn't get it because he lacked an MBA. So what did he do? He quit and found a different job. I'm not sure how that is showing initiative at work. Perhaps it can be considered showing initiative in his personal career, but initiative at work would have been him either getting the MBA part time or convincing his management that he didn't need it. All this showed me was that if there is an obstable at work, my "initiative" should be to quit and find a different job. Hardly motivating. There are many other anecdotes along these lines. There are a few good ones, but it isn't worth reading through the 900 bad ones to discover them.What this book does really nicely though is make it easy for you to read the good stuff without reading the warm and fuzzy stories. Seperated from the main text in the borders and at the bottom pages are grey boxes with some good information. I have photocopied a couple to hang up in my cube. There are some great ideas and suggestions in these. But not all the grey box stuff is good. There are alot of quotes that came from an Internet based poll about initiative, such as "If your employer sees your initiative, then all else will fall into place". This quote is attributed to "Maria, from the Internet". Well, thanks, Maria, but if I wanted to read quotes from people who like to post little nuggets of wisdom online, I could save $10 and search through the many job sites out there. Obviously, I know that initiative is a good thing, or else I would have never picked up this book. I don't need to read the wisdom of semi-anonymous people telling me why I need to show initiative. Give me examples HOW. Finally, this book was written in 1999. It reflects the Dot Com era of the day. Many examples are how to improve my working condition, and how this person did such a great job showing initiative and bringing a day care center to work. Well, with all due respect, my career is not going to advance in 2003 by pushing an initiative that is going to cost my company money. It may gain me the respect of my co-workers, but I've already got that. I need to know how to impress my management. That's why I read this book. All in all, the stuff that was good in this book was REALLY GOOD. I would have given it 5 stars if it wasn't surrounded by other [stuff]. Take it out from your local library, but save your cash.
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