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PARMENIDES FOUNDATION
The speed at which our economy is undergoing change is growing all the time, and complexity is on the increase. Quantitative processes based on the analysis of past data are of limited use to corporate management and development. To make complexity manageable and view speed within different time frames, Parmenides supports EIDOS decision-makers and experts by using fully-developed qualitative processes and by taking into consideration human strengths when identifying patterns. Thus, the challenges of a dynamic environment can be met. Time pressure, pressure to act and controversial viewpoints are systematically confronted.
MEETING EFFICIENCYTM
According to a survey by Proudfoot Consulting, London (2005), 37% of working hours are wasted. This means that every employee spends 84 days per year working unproductively. The biggest productivity killer is cited as being meetings. In Germany this causes damages of over € 200 bn (around 10% of the GDP). A general ban on meetings seems neither possible nor advantageous, as meetings are an important mechanism for the transfer of knowledge for an organisation willing to learn. But meetings are only useful if they are efficient. MEETING EFFICIENCYTM provides support to help you plan effective discussions, as well as thought and decision-making processes.
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
Specialist literature is a dime a dozen. We recommend books that are worth reading.
Walter Isaacson, Evan Thomas: The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made
Commentary by Matthias Kolbusa:
““The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made” by Walter Isaacson, who some of you may perhaps remember as the author of the excellent Steve Jobs biography, is a work about six friends who made their mark on the decades following WWII and thus the Cold War and developments in Western nations which is as well-written as it is exciting. Isaacson describes how six close friends decisively influenced world events through their behind-the-scenes activities for men such as Harry Truman or General Marshall (the Marshall Plan).”
Rating:
Simon & Schuster; Edition: Reissue (8. Mai 2012); 864 Pages, Hardcover, Language: English, ISBN-10: 1451683227, EUR 26,39
David Rock: Your Brain at Work
Commentary by Matthias Kolbusa:
“I recently rediscovered David Rock’s book, which, like a number of others, had been languishing on a pile of unread books for some time. Although taking a look at the world from the neuroscientist’s perspective doesn’t really reveal much that is new in terms of increasing our own productivity, it does manage to convey the key factors in an amusing way – fewer but genuine priorities, etc.
Reading about this kind of research certainly makes you aware of how much energy we often waste on work which is unproductive and how stupid this is. Stimulating!”
Rating:
HarperBusiness; 1st Edition (6th October 2009); 304 Pages, Hardcover, Language: Englisch, ISBN-10: 0061771295, EUR 16,95
Ben Horowitz: The Hard Thing About Hard Things. Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers
Commentary by Matthias Kolbusa:
“I have known Ben Horowitz personally for a number of years now and must say that in this book, which is jam packed with fascinating real-life anecdotes, he has succeeded wonderfully in succinctly defining the key characteristics of management in difficult situations.”>
Rating:
HarperBusiness (4th March 2014); 304 Pages, Hardcover, Language: Englisch, ISBN-10: 0062273205, EUR 16,95
Sean Covey, Chris McChesney, Jim Huling: The 4 Disciplines of Execution
Commentay by Matthias Kolbusa:
“I probably value this book because the findings and conclusions of Sean Covey & Co. overlap mine, as described for example in my book “Implementation Management”. The authors provide a successful explanation for the necessity of focusing within the scope of strategy implementation as well as also giving corresponding descriptive examples.”
Rating:
Free Press; Edition: 1 (24th April 2012); 352 Pages, Hardcover, Language: Englisch, ISBN-10: 145162705X, EUR 16,95
Peter F. Drucker: Managing for Results
Commentary by Matthias Kolbusa:
“Almost everyone knows him and has read one of his books: Peter Drucker. I recently came across what is, in my opinion his best, because most stimulating, book. And most surprisingly of all – although I’ve read the book several times, about 3 years ago for the last time, it still provided new, valuable ideas for my current context. It is precisely this which is the hallmark of a good book – you read it because you have a current context; derive conclusions which help you move forward and, as soon as the context changes again, the book reveals its next secrets.”
Rating:
Harper Business (Reissues 03. Oct. 2006); 256 pages, Paperback, Language: Englisch, ISBN-10: 0060978983, EUR 12,95
Charles Higgins Kepner, Benjamin B. Tregoe: The New Rational Manager
Commentary by Matthias Kolbusa:
“It may no longer be a fashionable viewpoint, but a manager’s daily life does indeed consist of a daily round of problems. Every day brings new problems with it which have to be solved – or, even better, avoided. I am not a fan of “opportunities talk”. When it comes to focused problem solving Kepner and Tregoe are some of the best methodologists I have ever come across. And, even after nearly 40 years, their approach has, in my opinion, lost none of its value.”
Rating:
Princeton Research Press; Updated edition (December 1997), 242 Pages, Paperback, ISBN-10: 0971562717
Russell L. Ackoff: The Cake
Commentary by Matthias Kolbusa:
“For me personally management thinker and philosopher Russel A. Ackoff, who died in 2009, is more than just a brilliant thinker and keen observer of management events. In the course of his truly long life and career – he lived to be 90 years old and worked as consultant until the very end – he amassed a valuable treasure trove of experience, which he used to give good, long-term impulses. His book “The Cake” could be described as the essence of his work, providing short, succinct and thus even clearer statements on a diverse range of management issues.”
Rating:
Triarchy Press Ltd; Edition 15th March 2012, 156 pages, ISBN-10: 1908009535, Language: Englisch, EUR 46,99
Alan Weiss: Thrive! – Stop wishing your life away
Commentary by Matthias Kolbusa:
“I have known Alan for many years now and value my collaboration with him greatly. He is one of the most brilliant consultants I know. In my opinion “Thrive!” is a wonderfully “biting”, incisive book which combines all his life experience to provide valuable impulses for the management of our own lives.”>
Rating:
Kindle Edition; Las Brisas Research Press. (11th January 2010), 239 pages, Englisch, ASIN: B00347A5RO, EUR 18,06
David Rock: Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long
Commentary by Matthias Kolbusa:
“A refreshing mixture of insights from the fields of neurology, psychology and cognitive science. For someone like myself, whose work incorporates insights from these fields of research, and who works intensively with individuals and organisations, it is interesting to read about innovative new ideas or to have old ideas refuted.”
Rating:
HarperBusiness; Edition: 1st Ed. edition (6. Oktober 2009), Hardcover: 304 pages, Language: English, ISBN-10: 0061771295, EUR 19,95
Kegan, Robert: Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock Potential in Yourself and Your Organization
Commentary by Matthias Kolbusa:
“In this book Mr Robert Keegan has succeeded in shining a new light on the question of why it is so difficult for us to bring about change in our lives whether this be as individuals or as organisations. An inspiring book that holds a few Eureka moments in store.”
Rating:
Harvard Business School Press (13. Januar 2009), 304 Pages, Harcover, ASIN: B007MIZAZ8, EUR 19,95
Roy Baumeister, John Tierney: Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength
Commentary by Matthias Kolbusa:
“I have always thought highly of the concept of willpower, so this book was bound to be of interest to me. But apart from this “Willpower” also shows us in a highly amusing and well-founded manner, how to make your life simpler and more productive by using certain techniques for willpower and self-discipline. The many amusing stories and descriptions of experiments make it a joy to read and provide useful tips for everyday (working) life.”
Rating:
Penguin Press HC, The; 1 edition (September 1, 2011), Hardcover: 304 pages, Language: English, ISBN-10: 1594203075, EUR 17,95
Henry Mintzberg: Managing
Commentary by Matthias Kolbusa:
“In the past Mintzberg was more known for his methodological brilliance and later for his smart approach to strategy. This book, for the first time, is dedicated to the subject of management. A variety of managers from different types of organisations are observed and interviewed and the results analysed in relation to management routines in refreshingly new ways.”
Rating:
Berrett-Koehler Publishers (March 10, 2011), Paperback: 320 pages, Language: English, ISBN-10: 1605098744, EUR 18,95
Richard Lutz
“When it comes to execution weaknesses, Matthias Kolbusa identifies the core issues. His ‘prescriptions’ may be challenging at times, but they are always effective.”
Prof. Dr. Carsten Intra
“The ProgressMaker approach consistently steers the entire team toward a stronger focus on results and progress.”
Dr. Volker Hentschel
“Good strategies are one thing; consistent implementation management another. Anyone who wants to achieve excellence in both and drive topics forward even faster will find a valuable partner in Matthias Kolbusa.”
Dr. Carsten Sührig
“Kolbusa has the methodological skills and empathy to create an atmosphere that pragmatically but stringently helps teams set their own goals and consistently implement them.”
Michael Kundel
“Kolbusa brings extreme clarity and structure to challenging projects and has a talent for combining them with a momentum that is characterized by the highly productive cooperation of all the participants.”
Dr. Leonhard Birnbaum
“Time and again Matthias Kolbusa manages to put complex management issues in a nutshell.”
Prof. Dr. Burkhard Schwenker
“Real success lies beyond the mainstream. Matthias Kolbusa shows how to find it.”
Heike Niehues
“Kolbusa brings an incredible clarity through his direct, challenging and sometimes relentless, but always positive and motivating view, which leads to great bursts of energy and inspiration in management teams. Super and very helpful, especially for time-critical, uncomfortable or even complex topics.”
Carsten Evers
“I don’t know what is most important when working with Kolbusa – his methodological competence, his tenacity in continuously insisting that you maintain a focus on the joint goal, or his ability to win over all the different players and keep everything down to earth.”
Dr. Jörg Ritter
“It is amazing how Mr. Kolbusa makes complexities manageable and discussable. This is the way to generate true management commitment.”
Secrets of Execution®
- In the final instance only one thing counts: Results!
- Use the Secrets of EXECUTION® to achieve your successful implementation.
