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37 reviews for:
The Oz Principle: Getting Results Through Individual and Organizational Accountability
Tom Smith, Craig Hickman, Roger Connors
3.0 AVERAGE
37 reviews for:
The Oz Principle: Getting Results Through Individual and Organizational Accountability
Tom Smith, Craig Hickman, Roger Connors
3.0 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Not a bad read!
I felt like a lot of the ideas here really resonated with my religious beliefs, so it was highly encouraging to see these principles applied in a secular setting.
I know we all have a lot to learn when it comes to seeking results in the areas that challenge us most, and I appreciated how Conners emphasizes that dropping "Below the Line" is both human nature and unavoidable. "Above the Line" thinking, like living perfectly, is ideal but not our default setting as flawed human beings.
Making such a strong change takes time, so I think those picking up this book need to go into it understanding application will take personal and organizational dedication. One story in here, one of the many instructional examples, describes a company that did all the ground work for applying a program for accountability and then dropped it as soon as external circumstances improved. That doesn't help anything, and I hope people looking to really make a change don't follow that example!
I felt like a lot of the ideas here really resonated with my religious beliefs, so it was highly encouraging to see these principles applied in a secular setting.
I know we all have a lot to learn when it comes to seeking results in the areas that challenge us most, and I appreciated how Conners emphasizes that dropping "Below the Line" is both human nature and unavoidable. "Above the Line" thinking, like living perfectly, is ideal but not our default setting as flawed human beings.
Making such a strong change takes time, so I think those picking up this book need to go into it understanding application will take personal and organizational dedication. One story in here, one of the many instructional examples, describes a company that did all the ground work for applying a program for accountability and then dropped it as soon as external circumstances improved. That doesn't help anything, and I hope people looking to really make a change don't follow that example!
I think the concept is good. I just wasn’t a fan of the delivery.
slow-paced
While this book had a few good points sprinkled throughout it is the definition of beating a dead horse. It took 230 pages to convey what they could have done in 20. It was also filled to the brim with victim blaming and cis white male privilege. There are many better business books out there, but this is the one my organization subscribes to.
I originally read this book over 10 years ago and decided to reread. At that time, I was below the line and didn't take accountability, and I credit this book with helping to change my life around into one of accountability. I'm a much better person because of it. As I reread, I was surprised how things I thought were so revolutionary at the time, were really quite basic now. So, it depends on where you are in your life about whether you'll find this book an affirmation of what you already know or revolutionary new information.
Basic premise: don't be a victim but take hold of your situation and ask what you can do to improve it. I'm not sure the book adds a whole lot of detail beyond that simple statement, but it pretends to. Lots of vague examples of companies and business people who were sinking then choose to stop complaining and start fixing and "voila!" their business turned around. Each section begins with a quote from [a:Frank L. Baum|3242|L. Frank Baum|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1383720421p2/3242.jpg]'s book [b:The Wizard of Oz|762677|The Wizard of Oz (Great Illustrated Classics)|Deidre S. Laiken|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387746123s/762677.jpg|14816545] to illustrate that just like Dorothy, The Scarecrow, the Tinman, and The Lion, you have what you need inside you to solve your problems. You don't need a wizard to change your circumstances, just a Good Witch like Glinda perhaps to guide you on your way. A bit gimmicky, because they don't really borrow too much from the classic story, but it got me to read the book, so I guess it works (as a gimmick).
All the examples are very business-world, not so identifiable for me.
All the examples are very business-world, not so identifiable for me.