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thetatumreads's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
If you go into this read with an open mind and heart, you will take away so much wisdom and practical next steps. It’s not just for business, it’s for life.
nrschultz's review against another edition
3.0
Some good nuggets, but overall a pretty spacy book. I got a lot out of the discussion I had with other people I worked with, but wouldn't necessarily recommend this book without that kind of forum to talk about it.
ncchris's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely an interesting perspective. As with all leadership and professional development books, I'll take what I like and leave the rest! Worth the read.
iynixinyi's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
momofrank's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
3.0
Their case studies are laughable, “And just like that, we solved decades worth of problems!” But overall, the sentiments were compelling.
rguico's review against another edition
4.0
One of the weirdest business books that I've ever read, 15 Commitments doesn't quite square the circle when it comes to "being a business" versus "being". Yet it offers practical (if short) lessons from so far afield that each commitment is worth thinking about, even if a broader incorporation of these lessons demands a full DNA transplant of an organization.
The books starts by painting a picture of two corporate leaders, contrasting their approach to work and showing differing coping mechanisms. The goal is to be "conscious", aware of what is happening around us and within us--as opposed to being "unconscious", suppressing and mitigating our senses to get by.
After the intro, the book does us a disservice and dumps all 15 (15!) commitments on us sequentially. To me the first three form the foundation of this philosophy, with the others building on these (and each other):
1. Take full responsibility; don't assign victims/villains/heroes
2. Be curious; don't be right
3. Feel and recognize your feelings; don't withhold them
The text draws heavily from various philosophies without ever naming any particular branch, including stoicism (standing apart from our feelings, but fully experiencing them instead of repressing them), Taoism (emphasizing life energy, almost like the Chi, but without naming the Tao), and... modern psychology.
Is this kind of new-agey? You bet! Does this mean the book is totally worthless? Not really!
Take, for example, the very-good chapter on gossip. Normally the purview of firebrand evangelical pastors, this chapter dives into why gossip is a thing--instead of being an individual failing, it is better depicted as harmful energy that nonetheless has a purpose: controlling the conversation, withholding facts, avoiding conflict. It does a better-than-average job of addressing the need by emphasizing a strategy based on facts (not stories) and "clearing" their feelings until everything has been expressed.
Or take "Experiencing the world as an ally", which, contrary to what I feared, wasn't about "the world is set up for your success"--it's that you can learn lessons from things that happen to you, if you choose. Which sounds a lot more like something that would pop up in a therapists' office.
Talking about these later commitments in the language of energy and candor is a better fit than what has come before. That said, some of this language is more questionable than others. Limiting what feelings can be felt to 5 seems arbitrary. Deciding to expand the definition of "sexual feelings" to mean "excellent creative vibes as a team" is borderline "laughable" and "uncomfortable".
When all is said and done, the book is meant to spur personal reflection, even if you reject some of its doctrines. In a company-wide setting, applying these lessons demands incredible amounts of trust; I'm less sure it can be done with hundreds of employees than, say, dozens.
If it leaves coworkers a little more awake than before, though, that's still a step towards a better future.
The books starts by painting a picture of two corporate leaders, contrasting their approach to work and showing differing coping mechanisms. The goal is to be "conscious", aware of what is happening around us and within us--as opposed to being "unconscious", suppressing and mitigating our senses to get by.
After the intro, the book does us a disservice and dumps all 15 (15!) commitments on us sequentially. To me the first three form the foundation of this philosophy, with the others building on these (and each other):
1. Take full responsibility; don't assign victims/villains/heroes
2. Be curious; don't be right
3. Feel and recognize your feelings; don't withhold them
The text draws heavily from various philosophies without ever naming any particular branch, including stoicism (standing apart from our feelings, but fully experiencing them instead of repressing them), Taoism (emphasizing life energy, almost like the Chi, but without naming the Tao), and... modern psychology.
Is this kind of new-agey? You bet! Does this mean the book is totally worthless? Not really!
Take, for example, the very-good chapter on gossip. Normally the purview of firebrand evangelical pastors, this chapter dives into why gossip is a thing--instead of being an individual failing, it is better depicted as harmful energy that nonetheless has a purpose: controlling the conversation, withholding facts, avoiding conflict. It does a better-than-average job of addressing the need by emphasizing a strategy based on facts (not stories) and "clearing" their feelings until everything has been expressed.
Or take "Experiencing the world as an ally", which, contrary to what I feared, wasn't about "the world is set up for your success"--it's that you can learn lessons from things that happen to you, if you choose. Which sounds a lot more like something that would pop up in a therapists' office.
Talking about these later commitments in the language of energy and candor is a better fit than what has come before. That said, some of this language is more questionable than others. Limiting what feelings can be felt to 5 seems arbitrary. Deciding to expand the definition of "sexual feelings" to mean "excellent creative vibes as a team" is borderline "laughable" and "uncomfortable".
When all is said and done, the book is meant to spur personal reflection, even if you reject some of its doctrines. In a company-wide setting, applying these lessons demands incredible amounts of trust; I'm less sure it can be done with hundreds of employees than, say, dozens.
If it leaves coworkers a little more awake than before, though, that's still a step towards a better future.
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