My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Some great content in here, but I just don’t care the format that much. It seems like some of the stories are rehashed or similar too often. Mostly, it seems to propagate the startup mill mentality. That doesn’t seem too concerned with doing valuable things, but rather obsession with starting above all else.

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My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a great quick read that covers a number of existing works remixed into something tangible and immediate. It covers the current state of management and road to moving away from the failing organizational model adopted by so many.

Showing the Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) model, highlighting the importance of the people in the organization, giving a model to stimulate the flow of ideas and detailing out how go about changing the environment are laid out in this brief work on how to set up for Management 3.0.

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My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some of the best anecdotal stories on software development that I have read. Great wisdom and content, but failed to push me towards lean being significant short of a methodology. I think that if you are developing software you should read this book. Some people will love it and consider it a bible others will find it useful but not earth shattering.

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My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you enjoy Bill Maher, you will like the book. If you hate him, you will hate the book. I don’t tend to agree with a whole lot that Bill has to say, but I enjoy his humor and like that he pushes the boundaries of discussions.

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Are increasing tuition costs making you rethink college plans for yourself or your children?

The combination of escalating costs and 20th century learning models have begun to make attending post secondary institutions less appealing for most potential students. Students are leaving with higher student loan debt and entering a market that doesn’t value their diploma. It is becoming more difficult to encourage my children to enter the university system, soon even the community college system will be unreasonable. It is time that we confronted a system that is clearly broken.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This one was a little too self help, buy into my product for my liking. I think that the sections on logic and reasoning as to why people fall into traps was quite good. They made for several great lunch time conversations with coworkers. I was left expecting more. I think David Allen’s Getting Things Done is a better “system” and articulated more coherently. This book is good if you are wanting to understand how to debate and use logic better.

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I alternate between listening to podcasts and audiobooks on my travels around Arizona in the car (and RV).  I find myself regularly adding new podcasts and removing existing podcasts.  My five favorite current podcasts are HBR Ideacast, Story Tellers AZ, Don’t Sell Me Bro, The ScrumCast and Haste. Three of those five happen to be recorded at Gangplank Studios.  Which reminds me that I am surrounded by really smart people everyday.  That makes me happy.  However, this morning it dawned on me that the intro/outro music for some of those podcasts were done by Hepnova and KrysVS.  Many are produced by the Spellwight the Podcasting Wench.  Just another example of people exchanging talents and raising the boat.  The power of a community studio in effect.  I can’t wait for the music studio. Maybe it’s just me but it’s the little things in the community that make me happy.

It is easy to get depressed about the lack of vibrancy around Arizona.  It can feel hopeless at times.  However, if you look at the little things, the moments of clarity and serendipity.  Notice the people doing awesome around you.  Those struggling, trying and fighting for something better.  It makes it all worth it.

I am reminded today the teachings of Lao-tzu, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.  Arizona we have a long way to go, but we definitely walking towards the goal.

In the words of Gary Smalley, “Arizona you are good enough, smart enough, and doggone it, people like you!”

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was an early reviewer of this book. I expected it to be good, but was pleasantly surprised when it was great!

If I was writing for the jacket cover this is what I would have to say, “Everyday teams are asked to start work on projects that they don’t have a clear understanding about. Many times they don’t even know why the project exists in the first place. Agile project lift offs establish the alignment necessary to define the working relationships and community necessary to build the momentum to achieve success. If you are starting a new project or have one that is currently off course the battle tested methods provided apply to any project to help ensure success.”

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Survival Reader
Only reads when critical to survival.  This type of reader regularly denounces the benefits of reading.  They are often too busy to read and can’t see any value in spending time to read.

Procrastinator Reader
Wants to read more.  Understand reading provides pleasure and opportunity.  Asks for book recommendations and has good intentions, but doesn’t make the time to start reading.  Often afraid of the commitment of finishing a book.

Active Reader
Reads semi-regularly for pleasure and social acceptance.  Doesn’t have any focus to the books that are being read and doesn’t process what they read outside of themselves.

Engaged Reader
Takes time to engage with others on meaning of books and reads with a purpose.  Is excited about what they are reading and want to share with others the excitement.  Starts thinking deeper about the meaning of the works and are curious about how it relates outside themselves.

Remix Reader
Assembles content from multiple sources to create new works and/or actively applies to daily life.  Reading enough to find common strands among multiple works.  Actively connects ideas, thoughts, works and people to push boundaries of changing things well outside themselves.  Is able to put read works to practical use.

So where do you sit?  Are you okay with where you sit?