Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/62198
Bookshelf "Short" organizations are those with- out multiple layers of management between the workers and the execu- tives. "Tall" performance is that given by workers who help set their own high expectations for behavior. Brum - back's theory is that workers who are directly responsible for themselves and the success of the company will almost always perform at a high level—and if not, their shortcomings will be easy to identify and potentially correct. As the author notes, some of the principles are obvious, but that doesn't mean they're actually in place in all business organizations. (1stBooks Library, $3.95 electronical- ly or $7.50 plus shipping and han- dling for the paperback) best managers will quietly and effec- tively steer those employees through difficult times by listening closely to their needs and helping them think through what they can do to improve their performances. Sounds easy enough, but in today's results- oriented business environment, some managers may not have the time or encouragement to coach the workers who report to them. Enter James M. Hunt and Joseph R. Weintraub with their book, The Coaching Manager. They note that coaching not only helps an employee learn valuable new skills, it ultimately creates a need a little help from time to time. New hires, recent- ly promoted man- agers, longtime employees who are developing new skills—all need a bit of guid- ance to reach their full potential. The 60 BizEd JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2003 Most employees better employee whose improved performance enhances the corpora- tion's bottom line. The book covers the need for coaching, the best way to approach certain employees who might not seem coachable, how a manager can improve his own coaching skills, and much more. (SAGE Publications, $34.95 paper- back or $79.95 hardcover) duced the third edition of Nations of the World, a massive reference book that truly lives up to its subtitle as "A Political, Economic and Business Handbook." Each entry begins with details about that particular country, including its official language, curren- cy, square mileage, population, and gross domestic product, and goes on to offer quick essays on the country's critical issues of the day. Entries cover topics such as the dress code, media outlets, passport requirements, work- ing and banking hours, health pre- cautions a visitor should take, and what telephone codes are used by major cities. Business directories at the end of each entry list contact information for banks, chambers of commerce, Internet sites, and travel offices. The book is an important and useful reference tool for any institu- tion whose members travel widely or work often with many nations. (Grey House Publishing, $135) Grey House Publishing has pro- Yale School of Management in New Haven Connecticut, has published a new book that calls for a new para- digm for leadership. In The Politics of Fortune: A New Agenda for Business Leaders, Garten examines how the world has changed since the September 11 terrorist attacks and the corporate scandals that began Jeffrey E. Garten, dean of the with Enron, and he asks what role business leaders should play in this new era. He recommends a new agenda for CEOs that will require them to restore their reputations and partner with the government in charting a new course for business. Upcoming Books Ilan Alon, professor at Rollins College's Crummer Graduate School of Business in Winter Park, Florida, is co-editor of two new books that examine franchising in the countries that contain 80 percent of the world's population and 60 percent of the world's natural resources. Alon's two books are International Franchising in Emerging Markets: Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America and International Franchising in Emerging Markets: China, India, and Other Asian Countries. Each book consists of articles by international authorities and provides an overview of each area's legal, political, economic and social environment and offers case studies of companies already doing business in these markets. and the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, Boston, Massachusetts, have announced that they will develop a co-branded line of books focusing on "leadership for the common good." Harvard public policy lecturer Barbara Kellerman will produce the first offering in this new line, a book that examines the dark side of leadership. Other titles may include historical, empirical, or first-person accounts written by prominent thinkers, scholars, business practition- ers, and high-profile public leaders. ■ Harvard Business School Press z