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 Management Rewired: Why Feedback Doesn't Work and Other Surprising Lessons from the Latest Brain Science $25.95 In "Management Rewired" Charles Jacobs aims to debunk popular management wisdom using brain science. Many of the concepts aren't necessarily new. For instance, many agree that money is not a very good motivator. Jacobs explains why using neuroscience. An overarching premise of the book is that people are not machines. They have minds of their own and their decisions are shaped significantly by emotions. In fact, everyone has his/her own version of reality. So, simply employing "logical" means like providing positive or negative feedback to encourage or discourage behavior does not have the intended consequences. When people are confronted with negative feedback they get defensive and sometimes even aggressive. They come up with their own reasons for why the boss is spewing such nonsense. Often they not only repeat the "offending behavior," but do so with increased vigor and frequency. Conversely, when people are rewarded, their intrinsic motivation decreases in favor of the extrinsic reward. When the extrinsic reward is not as large/frequent as expected, performance becomes worse. So what is the solution? According to Jacobs, it's not about forcing, but about convincing. We actually need to change the way people think about their world. We need to create an environment that has people select the behavior we desire. Easier said than done, huh? Actually, Jacobs provides some methods for doing so including the use of metaphors and stories. You'll need to read yourself to find out more. For a book that on the surface seems like it would contain some heady material, it's actually a fairly easy read. The author does a fine job of distilling the brain science concepts in an understandable and even entertaining way. Although you may not agree with everything, the book will challenge some of your beliefs and make you think. Some of the suggestions, if practiced, will make you a better manager and leader. Nick McCormick, Author, "Lead Well and Prosper: 15 Successful Strategies for Becoming a Good Manager."  Greatest & Latest: This, That-N-The Other Thing $8.99 It's weird: Agent Orange's original recordings have been remastered and sound strangely slick for a punk/surf/skateboard/Orange County . . . whatever kind of band they are. So AO re-records many of their best songs and makes them sound more raw than ever! Yes, these are mostly remakes, but they are remakes of really, really good stuff. If you liked the originals, you should have this in your collection as well. And yes, this album is the same as "Blood Stained Hitz" but that's a dorky name so i'm reviewing this one instead. And finally, yes, this band is actually Mike Palm and two other guys who seem to keep changing. None of those three facts keep this from being a great collection. So, these are rougher and faster than the originals -- not sloppier but definitely more noisy. This treatment generally works well and gives the songs a new feel. "Say It Isn't True" sounds refreshingly angry, which is how I always thought it should have sounded. It could be argued that the original versions of "Bloodstains" and "Everything Turns Grey" are superior than those here, but the originals were so great that it's sort of a moot point. It could also be argued that the edgier treatment these two songs receive here better matches their dark lyrics. However you slice it, both of these classics work well in their "Greatest and Latest" incarnations. For the record, the "two other guys" playing here besides Mike Palm comprise a tight and vigorous rhythm section and I wish I had their names to post to give them the credit they deserve. "Message From the Underworld" and "Dorado" might be just a bit too hyper in this incarnation. This is compensated for by two new songs which are great additions to AO's playbook and fit nicely in the mix here. "It's All a Blur" is a great way to start any CD, and "What's the Combination" seems to promise that the band is not done yet (listen to the last line before fadeout . . . .) AO has always had a small, intense catalog of great songs and they do justice to it in this collection. Highly recommended. |
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