The Generosity Factor: Discover the Joy of Giving Your Time, Talent, and Treasure by Ken Blanchard and S.Truett Cathy is a very good read - one of the best books I had the opportunity to read and review.In fact, I finished the book in one sitting!
I chose the book because I recognized Blanchard as the author of the One Minute Manager(TM) series and Cathy as the founder of Chic-fil-A and was very curious as to what sort of book this collaboration could produce. I was in for a surprise!
What I like best about the book is that is is very masterfully written and by the end of the book, I am encouraged to take action.
True to Balanchard's style, the book is in the form of a parable where we see the lessons through the eye of the main character. This approach is very effective with me as I am able to imagine how the story unfolds and how the lessons are being shared. Retention is better because of this and to reinforce retention, the authors uses an acronym the keeps the lessons together.
I was pleasantly surprised the as unbelievable as the one of the characters are, the real person from who it is based, Cathy, has far greater achievements.
Truly inspiring, makes you act on making the Generosity Factor a part of your life.
Highly recommended for everyone who thinks they are 'missing out' on something.
About the author:
Few people have influenced the day-to-day management of people and companies more than Ken Blanchard. A prominent, sought-after author, speaker, and business consultant, Dr. Blanchard is universally characterized by his friends, colleagues, and clients as one of the most insightful, powerful, and compassionate individuals in business today. Ken is one of the most influential leadership experts in the world and is respected for his years of groundbreaking work in the fields of leadership and management.
Dr. Ken Blanchard is the cofounder and Chief Spiritual Officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies, an international management training and consulting firm that he and his wife, Margie Blanchard, began in 1979 in San Diego, California. In addition to being a renowned speaker and consultant, Ken also spends time as a visiting lecturer at his alma mater, Cornell University, where he is a trustee emeritus of the Board of Trustees.
Ken has received many awards and honors for his contributions in the fields of management, leadership, and speaking. The National Speakers Association awarded him its highest honor, the "Council of Peers Award of Excellence." He was inducted into the HRD Hall of Fame by Training magazine and Lakewood Conferences, and he received the Golden Gavel Award from Toastmasters International. Ken also received The Thought Leadership Award for continued support of work-related learning and performance by ISA--The Association of Learning Providers. Ken has been inducted into Amazon's Hall of Fame as one of the top 25 best-selling authors of all time. The business school at Grand Canyon University bears his name. In addition, Ken teaches students in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership Program at the University of San Diego.
Born in New Jersey and raised in New York, Ken received a master's degree from Colgate University, and a bachelor's and PhD from Cornell University. An avid golfer, Ken belongs to the Loch Lomond Golf Club in Scotland.
Book review rating:
In Einstein's Refrigerator and Other Stories from Flip Side Of History, High School teacher Steve Silverman (of Useless Information Homepage fame) shares more than thirty stories he has collected - true-to-life weird and bizarre stories.
