|
| egonomics: What Makes Ego Our Greatest Asset (or Most Expensive Liability) | 
| Authors: David Marcum, Steven Smith
Publisher: Fireside
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
Buy New: $5.89
You Save: $19.11 (76%)
New (7) from $5.89
Avg. Customer Rating:  25 reviews
Sales Rank: 497310
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st Fireside Hardcover Ed
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6 x 0.9
Dewey Decimal Number: 658.409019
ASIN: B0017OFWGU
Publication Date: September 4, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
The QuestionsArrogant, self-centered, stubborn, and insecure -- words that most people associate with ego. But in this original, eye-opening work, authors David Marcum and Steven Smith argue that the upside of ego is as powerful as the downside and answer questions about ego that have been a mystery to most people. In his landmark book, Good to Great, Jim Collins showed that one of two key traits defined leaders who transformed organizations from good to great: humility. But if humility is so powerful, why don't more of us have it? Why does ego allow us to reach good results but never great ones, unless balanced by humility? Why do we need ego to personally succeed, while having it often interferes with the success we pursue? The Answers Using five years of exhaustive research, Marcum and Smith provide compelling evidence and matter-of-fact answers on striking the balance between ego and humility to reach the next level of leadership. The authors include case studies to illustrate how ego subtly interferes with success but also how ego sparks the drive to achieve, the nerve to try something new, and the tenacity to conquer adversity. The Early Warning Signs We all have moments when ego costs us everything from an honest conversation to a job or promotion. Through cross-disciplinary research, egonomics reveals how to detect four early warning signs that ego is becoming a liability, including how: • being too competitive makes you less competitive• defending ideas turns into defending yourself • winning ideas can be halted by the creator's own intelligence and talent • desiring respect and recognition can interfere with success The Keys to Egonomic Health Three key principles keep ego healthy: • humility: striking the crucial balance between too much ego and not enough• curiosity: blending free thinking and discipline without bias • veracity: removing fear of giving or getting feedback to produce water-cooler honesty With a clear focus on elevating the way you do business, egonomics is a liberating approach to becoming a rare and respected leader.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 20 more reviews...
Egonomics July 18, 2008
egonomics is the kind of excellent, well-researched book that only comes along every few years. The content plays a vital role in our journey from good to great as part of a major service organization in a large, global company. Specifically, the principles, processes, and tools that apply humility, curiosity and veracity to our business issues, have allowed us to have candid and productive dialogue that were difficult, if not impossible, to have before we read this book and applied it.
egonomics goes beyond self-assessment and self-awareness. This book provides grounded, practical, insightful answers that drive behavior and performance improvement. Applying the principles and practices in egonomics has allowed us as a team to work through significant organizational changes by engaging in focused, candid discussions and subsequently acting on key issues tied directly to business results. Their material has had a direct and positive impact on our performance that I don't think we could have achieved in any other way.
Right to the heart of the issue! June 12, 2008
'Egonomics' is a superb account of the effects of excessive and inadequate ego on business performance. Thankfully, the authors took a practical and applied approach to their work instead of the more typical complex, theoretical approach so often seen in other bodies of work. There is ample evidence for anyone who pays attention to human interaction, particularly in the business environment, of these qualities of humility, curiosity, and veracity either contributing to or detracting from productivity at every level of the organization. If `Level 5' leaders possess these qualities as well, that's about all I need to know to be sure we're on the right track, aside from good common sense. Few authors have laid it on the line and it's long overdue. Marcum and Smith have done the business world a huge favor.
Jerry Stigall- Director, Organization Development
Douglas County Government
Fresh approach to an age-old business problem January 7, 2008
This book is a huge advance over their prior tome and worthy of national attention. Almost every page sparked some thought for me which is more than I can say for most of the more than 300 volumes in my personal library on business and leadership.
I really liked their idea of duality. This insight excited me and made me say to myself, "I've never thought of that." When the "freshness" of an idea like duality can get me motivated to implement that concept NOW, the book has struck pay-dirt with me.
I likewise really liked humility as being the equilibrium and not the direct antithesis of ego and the concept of "unconditional positive regard (UPR)."
I could really put to use Smith and Marcum's list of practical non-defensive humility openers:
"You might be right...," "I haven't really considered that...," "Even though that's hard to hear, I appreciate your bringing it up...," "Even though I'm not happy about what you're saying, I'm glad I'm hearing it now rather than later. What are some...," "Would you mind saying more about that?"
I wish we all could impliment the concepts of this book--maybe some world politicians will also get their hands on a copy !
Practical demonstrations of how ego can be your best ally December 19, 2007
People with unbridled egos see themselves as the suns in their individual universes, and believe that all important activity and thought revolve around them. "We would rather speak ill of ourselves than not talk of ourselves at all," observed the worldly wise French nobleman Francois de La Rochefoucauld 300 years ago. His aphorism is still relevant. In business as in life, unchecked ego sabotages the achievement of important goals. Employees resent and oppose narcissistic executives, regardless of the value of their ideas or the quality of their leadership. However, the brutally competitive business world can also swallow timid, self-effacing souls alive. The best leaders have neither too much nor too little ego. David Marcum and Steven Smith explain how to find the right balance. They offer distressing examples of ego run amok while also providing practical demonstrations of how a healthy dose of ego can be your best ally. We recommend this book to managers who wonder why the rest of the world has so far failed to recognize their greatness, to high achievers who think they may need a reality check and to human-resource professionals, who often have to clean up the messes that egotistical executives leave behind them.
Must Read for Anyone in Leadership! December 18, 2007
This is simply one of the best books written about a subject that can be quite messy and obscure to identify. The issue of "ego" is seldom talked or written about. But, it is the dividing line when it comes to a "Great" organization and a mediocre one.
Simply an outstanding book! A Must Read for Anyone in Leadership.
|
|
|
Wildlife, nature and the Environment
Sponsored Links
Learn how to get your own Amazon Book shop | |
