Favorite Business Books

Here are some of my favorite business books. Most are not new, but the advice and wisdom they contain is timeless

41EV4VC8R7L. SL500_AA300__1 Process Consultation – Edgar Schein: Maybe one of the best books I've ever read. It's only about 150 pages but I highlighted something on each and every one. Extremely beneficial advice for anyone who facilitates or consults with groups.

51ZP4fbqPL. SS500_ Strategy Safari – Mintzberg et. al. Thorough review of the field of strategic planning that presents ten "schools" of strategic thought. A useful book to familiarize yourself with the field.

halo The Halo Effect - Phil Rosenzweig. It's ironic that I should list Good to Great just below this book because it is one of many that Rosenzweig critically examines (to put it euphemistically) in this entertaining and informative book. He debunks many management philosophies and does so with cogent analysis and cold hard facts. Very illuminating.

great Good to Great – Jim Collins: One of the top selling business books of all time. Features the "hedgehog concept." Collins is a fine storyteller, and keeps the book breezy while also distilling many useful lessons.

flow Flow – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Not a business book per se, but one that has many lessons for business leaders. The author deconstructs the process of 'flow,' or optimal experience and shares how we can enhance our lives (including our working lives) by tapping into its power.

exec Execution – Bossidy & Charan: Another favorite. Bossidy is a former General Electric VP and Charan is a career consultant. This book, as the title implies, focuses on the simple, rigorous steps necessary for organizational success.

change Leading Change – John Kotter. Kotter is a Harvard professor and well-known change guru. The book offers eight steps to follow in any organizational change effort.

philcap The Capitalist Philosophers – Andrea Gabor. The author profiles several guiding lights in the world of organizations: Chandler, Drucker, and Taylor just to name a few. This text will provide you with a solid grounding in the development of the management discipline over the past hundred years.

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Paul has a wealth of experience, a knack for teaching and facilitation and an engaging yet calming personal style. He was understanding and flexible in meeting our needs but disciplined in taking us forward. Genuinely motivated to help others succeed, it would be hard to imagine someone better suited to help an organization navigate the challenges and reap the rewards of the Balanced Scorecard system.
Knute Jensen, Office of Strategic Management
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Trenton, NJ
Our organization has benefited enormously from Paul's leadership and expertise. He quickly grasped our mission and intelligently facilitated our discussions, earning the trust of our team with his easy going style and optimistic approach. He has energized our drive to embrace the development and implementation of our Balanced Scorecard. Paul's warmth and responsiveness makes him a clear standout in his industry, along with his high standards of integrity and character. On behalf of our management team and board of directors, I am honored to extend our sincere appreciation for his contributions that have directly increased our capacity to serve our mission.
Dan S. Rogers, President & CEO
Goodwill of Orange County,

California
Paul Niven pulls together amazing strengths. All at once he is sage-like, laser-like focused on results, a great listener, forward-looking, confident, warm and an enthusiast for strengthening your organization. He gets the job done and delivers on what he has promised " and more. He combines zeal with common-sense and knows how to move groups past a web of complexity to profound simplicity. I admire his energy, how he stays positive and earns trust. I've called him our "balanced scorecard sherpa." He is a guide who knows how to reach the summit of what can look impossible.
Benjamin K. Homa, President and CEO
Food for the Hungry, Inc.
Working with Paul has been a very rewarding experience both professionally and personally. I have benefited greatly from the high level of expertise and extensive experience Paul brings to the process and the personalized attention Paul provides that is the hallmark of his service. I sincerely believe the positive results our organization has experienced are directly attributable to Paul's expert and individualized guidance.

Ms. Junie Villongco, First Vice President
Office of Strategy Management
Financial Freedom (The Reverse Mortgage Specialist) Irvine, California
The Port engaged Paul to help further integrate our Balanced Scorecard into the way we do business, and to train staff in the development of department Balanced Scorecards. His excellent facilitation skills and consulting work with the Port have helped our departments become truly aligned with the organization's strategic vision. Paul willingly shares his extensive knowledge and is easy to work with. The tools he gave us are practical and effective, and will continue to be used at the Port in the future.

Ms. Amy Kosifas Program Manager
Strategic Management Services
San Diego Unified Port District
Paul Niven brings the Balanced Scorecard to life with clear communication and practical applications. His books have been a primary resource for dozens of rural hospitals across the country, using balanced scorecard technology to improve quality and drive performance. He has also demonstrated a profound ability to make his lectures and workshops relevant for diverse audiences.

Terry J. Hill, Executive Director
Rural Health Resource Center Duluth, Minnesota
Paul Niven's work in helping organizations implement the Balanced Scorecard is superb. He has worked with us on creating and delivering very informative, successful seminars for our clients in Moscow and St Petersburg, Russia, and for our classes of entrepreneurs from the Middle East and North Africa. He is always concise, yet informative; focused, yet broad-based enough for professionals from many industries to "get it." We really appreciate working with Paul!

Rob Fuller, Director of Entrepreneurial Programs
Rady School of Management, UC San Diego
Working with Paul has been a real pleasure. He keeps the Balanced Scorecard process simple, focused and disciplined. His multi-sector and international experiences with the Balanced Scorecard are world-class.

Galen P. Carver, M.S., P.E.
Chief Management Official
Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, GA
Paul has been instrumental in assisting us with our implementation of the Balanced Scorecard. He has made the process manageable, useful, and pertinent to what we do. His workshops are instructive but also enjoyable. He really understands the BSC model and can assist ANY organization in its effective application.

Regina B. Korossy, Senior Director
Operations & Marketing Century Housing, Culver City, CA
We asked Paul Niven to serve on our Cost Management Editorial Advisory Board for several reasons, perhaps most importantly because he is an accessible, open-minded, and independent Balanced Scorecard expert. Paul sees performance management risks and opportunities more comprehensively and fairly than anyone we know.

Joe & Catherine Stenzel, Editors Journal of Cost Management
Paul Niven has actively engaged NB Power's Executive Team with his industry experience, in-depth knowledge of the Balanced Scorecard methodology and his unique and effective facilitation style. After a few false starts with the Balanced Scorecard, I can confidently say that the BSC is now becoming ingrained in the NB Power culture. Paul has had a definite positive influence in establishing the Balanced Scorecard as the management tool of choice at NB Power.

Christian C. Richard, P.Eng., MBA Director
Office of Strategy Management (OSM)
NB Power Holding Corporation, Fredericton, NB
When we adopted the Balanced Scorecard approach Paul was knowledgeable, informative and wise. His experience contributed greatly to a highly successful implementation.

David Rathbun, Chief Talent Officer
Aliant, Inc. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Paul effectively introduced the Balanced Scorecard to all levels of management and staff in our organization resulting in a high level of acceptance. This has been critical to our efforts to successfully integrate the process into our ongoing operations. Paul took what is traditionally a tool for private businesses and corporations and seamlessly transitioned the balanced scorecard method into government operations. As a result of his work, we are well on the way to a more streamlined, accountable operation increasing our ability to better serve our constituents.

Wayne Lowery, General Manager
El Dorado Hills Community Services District
El Dorado Hills, California
Your efforts to help our management team grasp and embrace the important concepts underlying the BSC and to guide us through the sometimes difficult process of developing our version were remarkable. It is gratifying to see how our core team is now working with their staff to reinforce the concepts of the BSC. We are beginning to see this become part of our culture. Again, your approach and your ability to tune into our issues and culture made this process very effective. Thank you!

Ms. Sherry Keramidas, Executive Director
Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society, Rockville, MD
Paul Niven provided a level of expertise and enthusiasm that informed and energized our entire Balanced Scorecard team. This information and energy created the buy-in from our leadership team that was critical to get them to see beyond their departmental concerns and instead focus on our organization's strategic vision. Our work with Paul resulted in a Balance Scorecard that is challenging, cohesive, easily understood, and aligned with our strategic plan.

Cynthia A. Schuler, Esq. CEO Kids Central, Inc. Ocala, FL

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