Finance

As indicated in The Empire Strikes Back, the Yoda would agree with one of the 12 ("Perform, Perform, Perform"), advising Luke Skywalke:, "Do or do not. There is no try." Paradoxically, Microsoft's emphasis on performance (eg dominance of a market) co-exists with Microsoft's requirement of calculated risks because, as Thielen explains, "Fast failure is acceptable; slow failure is not. But even more unacceptable is no failure. If people never fail, then they are not trying hard enough. They are not pushing the envelope....There is no penalty for understandable failures on the road to success (aside from exceedingly stupid things), and there are substantial rewards for success. So employees at Microsoft will make attempt after attempt for success without worrying about the failures the unsuccessful attempts led to." But not indefinitely....

Throughout The 12 Simple Secrets of Microsoft Management, Thielen provides hundreds of specific examples of HOW these so-called "secrets" are consistently applied each and every day throughout the entire company. At least in theory, the Microsoft management strategies (with appropriate modifications) can be effective for any other organization, regardless of size or nature. For example, a family-owned dry cleaner experiments with several different coupon promotions until it finally comes up with one that substantially increases business. Past "failures" are often a necessary cost of eventual success. However, I caution those interested in this book to keep in mind that listing and then explaining 7-75 "secrets" is relatively easy; implementing them effectively and then remaining committed to them is (obviously) much more difficult. My own experience suggests that such a commitment should continue unless and until certain realities require the modification or even the replacement of a strategy. The corporate juggernaut we know as Microsoft is in a process of constant self-transformation. The same should also be true of that hypothetical family-owned dry cleaner.

The 12 Simple Secrets of Microsoft Management David Thielen presents Microsoft's management principles, which are the secrets to its marketplace dominance. He includes ample examples of what Microsoft does right and what most other corporations do wrong. You will learn why Microsoft's focus makes it the hardest company in the world to compete against. Yet, you will also find nuggets of management information that can be applied to your own workplace environment. Thielen has written a direct, refreshing, and sometimes brutal book. We [...] recommend this book to any business person who would like a quick review of the management principles that have guided Microsoft's success.

This book has a number of great principles, suggestions for implementation, and ample proof of their usefulness. Even adopting just a few of these ideas can make anyone a better manager. If this is not how you're company's being run, maybe your boss could use a copy. This book goes well with "The End of Office Politics as Usual" by L. B. M. Serven.

As stated in previous reviews, this book is ABSOLUTELY a "quick read" especially if you skip over th typos and poor grammar. The author simply repeated other ideas she read or watched on TV in different words. "No seasonal or soft market excuses" ignores reality. These conditions exist and fairy tale dreams will not remove today's economy. The thought of "You Must Be Willing to Sweat" is absurd. Individuals who make the effort to read this type of book have already chosen their path to succeed. The "Universal Theory" is not a new innovative idea but a proven method by many other marketing leaders.

Although this book may prove to provide common sense value to those new in marketing, it is not suggested for those with more than 1 year of marketing experience. Hats off to the author for getting it published expecially considering today's copy write laws.

I got alot of ideas from this book. The plan is simple and makes sense. Marketing is not always about the "newest" idea out there, but rather re-evaluating what you are currently doing and implementing it in a different way for better results. I found it to be a good value. There's alot of books out there, but this one was fast and fun to read especially the last chapter that talks about the companies that screwed up their campaigns. I do not agree with the other negative comments on this site, this really is a good book for marketing folks at any level.

This is a great book with immediate tools to use. The universal Formula is what I will implement in my next marketing meeting. I also like the return on investment part, she calls it the payback axiom. I had to tweek it to fit our industry but it was still useful. This book really does only take 2 hours to read! A lot of it was review for me and an affirmation that I am on the right track. It was worth the refresher.

I ordered this book last week and I read it in one sitting. I have a dozen other home management books and I was very pleased to find some new ideas in this book. I'm not an overly religious person so I had some doubts about how much I'd get out of the book but I was very pleased with the suggestions. Some of the organizational strategies for meal planning are excellent and I'm using them now. They're very helpful. This book is the second most useful book on home mangement I've read. I do prefer Kathy Peel's Home Manager based on the sheer number of valuable management tips, like the hit list. Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to be more organized. It's an easy read and it's saved me a few hours already!

I love this book. I am pretty organized as it is but it just puts things into perspective and way you should be organized. Being organized does take alot of stress of your life. It is truly amazing!

I read this book the summer of 2000. In January of 2001 I am teaching an organization class and this book was a part of the inspiration for me to organize my life in all aspects, then go on to teach others these principles with a GOD foundation. This book is great, I suggest that it is read with an "open mind" and be inspired by GOD to be impacted. It is a great source to get organized.

This book is riddled with grammatical and spelling errors, and contains virtually no useful information. I am a first year MBA student, and found this book utterly useless and a waste of money. The book jacket should mention the fact that the "12 steps" only apply to marketing a product and not a service. Anything written by Roman Heibing is light-years more intelligent and informational.

The book gives basic suggestions on the individual parts of a plan, but then falls apart when it should tell you how to put those peices together (it says nothing - absolutely zero - on how to put the parts into a presentation. I wouldn't get this book if I were you.

I was Larkin's "associate" (fancy word for secretary) at Deloitte & Touche when she wrote this book. My position with her centered a great deal on helping organize a series of terrific seminars for fledgling businesses and hopeful entrepreneurs. This book is the result of one of the most popular of her seminars. Geri hired me to type her manuscript and I can tell you right now that this book is meant to emulate the seminar - not a technical, difficult to understand, boring textbook - but a real, hands-on, "this is your company so let's do it" workbook that will leave you with a solid marketing plan by the time you reach the back cover. I've seen lots of companies do it under Geri's tutelage. With this book in hand, you can too

This book was pleasant to read. It will serve as a positive and inspiring read for those times when the job gets me down. I have even posted quips and quotes from the pages on and around my desk at work. I'm sure you will be inspired as much as I was with this simple but effective book.

a rare book on the topic. useful for researc

If there is anything new here it is very deeply buried, and I couldn't find it. If it was any good it would not have been deleted. How could JHJ have allied himself to this?

Extremly readable. An inspiration to anyone who reads it